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Week 0 Recap With Special Guest! · The Saturday Slate Football Show

• Canon Stogner: Welcome back to another episode of the Saturday Slate Football Show. Andrew, football is finally back. We had our Week Zero games this past weekend. We have a lot to uncover in today's episode. We will recap the week zero games. We are going to respond to a comment that was made on our YouTube channel. We're going to talk about the biggest surprises from this past weekend and discuss exactly what happened with CJ Bailey Jr. Because I was a little bit shocked to say the least. Andrew Wright: Yeah, yep, that's what we're... Canon Stogner: guest who is very good when it comes to talking football and it's going to be a lot of fun to talk ball with him. So let's go ahead and get started. Before we get into everything that happened on the field this past weekend, we just wanted to start with the comment that I just mentioned. It was a really good question and it brings up one of the biggest debates going into the season, which is about Texas and whether or not they're actually an elite team. So let's go ahead and break that down. So the comment was What is the hesitation with Texas, Texas being an elite team this year? Is it the talent, the coaching staff, or the schedule? compared to Ole Miss, who does have an unproven coach, the talent is not quite as good as what Texas has. And they have a gauntlet of a schedule as well. So just curious to why the doubts with Texas and not as much with Ole Miss. I mean, obviously the schedule is very concerning for Texas, but I do think they have one of the best rosters. In college football, so they should be able to win a lot of those games. but my biggest concern is like I've said previously is with Arch Manning. so if you just look at the Arch Manning how he played last year, he threw for 3,100 yards in 13 games, which put him 27th in the nation. he threw for 224 yards a game. So not awful wasn't the best in the nation, but I don't think anybody thought he was the best quarterback last year. but In 10 power four games, he threw for 224 yards a game. so he had three games last year where he threw for over 300 yards. And those three games were against bottom three SEC teams in pass defense, which was Mississippi, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas. So the three games that he threw for over 300 yards was against the three worst pass defenses in the SEC. he also wasn't extremely accurate. Last year, he was 81st in the country. In completion percentage and fifth worst in the ace SEC. And the SEC had a lot of bad quarterbacks last year. I think the five below him were like Jackson Arnold, Lenora Sellers, and probably Mississippi State starting quarterback before Camario Taylor took over. So a lot of those bottom guys. and he even struggled against UTEP. Last year against UTEP, it was like their fourth game of season, and he threw for 114 yards. And had a 44% completion percentage. So he completed under 50% of his passes and he threw for only 114 yards. So I just don't view this guy as the best QB in the country like a lot of people have claimed him to be. but I think the biggest thing for him is he has to stay away from the turnovers. he had six Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: interceptions in his first eight games last year. Texas went undefeated in the games that he didn't turn the ball over. So they went seven and in a game he didn't turn the ball over, and three and three in the games that he did. Now one of those games was Texas, or not a Texas, excuse me. One of those games was against Ohio State. So obviously that was a tough game being at Ohio State, really his first like career start. but one thing that I keep bringing up is their schedule was a lot tougher than it was last year. Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: They're replacing Mississippi State and Vanderbilt with like teams like Tennessee. They lost to Florida last year. They played Florida again this year, I'm pretty sure. So their schedule is a lot tougher for him. They will play Ohio State at home, so that's a better advantage for him, but they didn't score hardly at all last year against them, so we'll see. So that's what I have for Arch Manning. Now on to the Ole Miss part of the question. I think we obviously saw what Trinidad could do in his first year at Ole Miss. He was the number one QB in the SEC. he was third in the country in passing yards last year. He only had three interceptions in his fifteen games that he played. And remember, he didn't play his second game. He came in and threw six passes in their first game, the opener against like Louisiana Tech or something like that. But in their second game he didn't even play. So he really missed two games. he had eight three hundred passing yard games. So compared to Arch Manning's three against the three worst pass defenses in the SEC, he had eight three hundred passing yard games against much better teams. so it will be interesting to see what they do without their offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss. Charlie Weiss is what a lot of people say is Lane Kiffin's secret to how his offense plays. Charlie Weiss did stay with Ole Miss throughout the playoff last year, but he did leave for LSU. So it's going to be interesting to see what they do without him. Pete Golding, their head coach, he is he is unproven. I mean you can kind of say he proved himself a little bit last year in the playoff when he took over, but he is a defensive guy. I remember last year in the playoff games, like he w had nothing to do with the offense. Like Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: Joe Judge. Joe Judge was calling the timeouts for the offense. Like whenever they were running low on the play clock or anything. He was the one calling timeouts. So that shows you how much he has to do with the offense. but to kind kind of compare the two teams, I don't think their schedule is as tough as Texas all around, like total with 12 teams. but I do think their three toughest stretch their toughest stretch is their three games in four weeks. Which is against Tex Tex wow. Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma. I think if they Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: go two and one in those games, they'll be just fine. which Georgia and Oklahoma or Georgia is the only game at home for them. So Andrew Wright: Yep. Canon Stogner: that's really my answer for that. I think Trinidad's still the number one QB in the SEC, with or without Lane Kiffen. I don't know if they'll be as explosive they've as they were last year without Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weiss, but I just think what he did last year and compared to like what he did against the better teams in the SEC in the playoff, I think that should show that he's better than Arch Manning. Now, I don't think Arch Manning's gonna be the reason why Texas, you know, maybe wins eight or nine games as opposed to their eleven or twelve games they're probably supposed to win. but I do think the games that Texas does lose, if they do lose any, is gonna be on him. So Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: and then So that is for our YouTube question. Did you have anything about that? Andrew Wright: Just kind of like you I think I think our biggest concern with Texas is Arch kind of like we've talked about off-camera we have Zero questions about the talent that is around him We just we question the ability of the guy that's got to get the ball to them and the schedules Yeah, Texas that we just we've talked about how brutal that schedule is and that that's probably my I Would say second biggest concern Arch is the first one, but that's my second biggest concern There are so many big games that if we don't trust what's supposed to be a big-time quarterback. They're not gonna win those big-time games And like Ole Miss, we've seen Trinidad. I mean, my husband's favorite, your sleeper husband's favorite, if that's even such a thing. Canon Stogner: That was a mistake, it was a mistake. Andrew Wright: But he's, I think he's clear in a way the best quarterback in the conference. And so that's, I wouldn't compare those two together at all. I think one is much superior to the other. So that's why my concerns about Ole Miss aren't nearly as high as they are with Texas. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I'm trying to think of the I'm trying to think of like the last quarterback that started with Lane Kiffin but like didn't finish with him. Because I mean obviously Trinidad and Dart finished with him. who was his Andrew Wright: Matt Corral started and finished with him. Canon Stogner: Yeah, so it's we don't really have any like evidence to see how a quarterback played with and without him. Andrew Wright: Yeah. Right. Canon Stogner: so that's interesting. Alright, so that answers our YouTube comment. I know we did say we're not going to talk about Tex Texas and Archmanning again before the season starts, but that was a comment left on our YouTube. Let's just do a little score report of the week zero games from this past weekend. So USC beat San Jose State 42 to 26, where Jaden Maiva did exactly what he was supposed to do against a team of that caliber. North Carolina upset TCU in a classic Bill Belichick game where they won 15 to 10. Well Dive into L or TCU a little bit later. Virginia dominated NC State from start to finish, beating them 34-8 in what we thought was going to be a big-time ACC matchup. North Andrew Wright: Thank you. Canon Stogner: Dakota State picked up a win against Jacksonville State in their first year in the Mountain West Conference. Stanford escaped in their first game against Hawaii, giving their new coach Tavita Pritchard a 1-0 start at the helm in his first year at Stanford. Florida State beat New Mexico State, who went 3-9 last year, 34-17. And UNLV lost their home opener in a massive week zero game against Memphis and Charlie Huff in his first year as a head coach at Memphis. that was a massive game, probably gonna have a Andrew Wright: Okay. Canon Stogner: lot of lot to do when it comes to the playoff being selected, but that was a massive game in week zero. but there's obviously a lot we can talk about from those games, which we'll get into later, but we don't want to just give you our opinions on everything. So we figured what better time to bring in our Very first guest who knows his football. We're excited to get him on and talk through some of these games with us. And he I think he also has some questions with us. So let's bring in Will Morris. Do we have Will Morris in here? Andrew Wright: Alright, Will Morris! Canon Stogner: There he there he is. Will welcome to the Saturday sleep show. Will Morris: Thank you, thank you for having me. Canon Stogner: You got the round of applause that you deserve. Let's say that. all Will Morris: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Canon Stogner: right. Well, so now that you're here, we are going to dive into the week zero games and recap kind of exactly what happened. I opened up with CJ Bailey in the opener in the introduction. so might as well just start with the NC State and Virginia game. So this game was originally supposed to be played in Brazil. It was scheduled as a non-conference game, and then due to some travel issues or whatever the case may be. It was moved back to Virginia where they played at home and it was ruled at ACC conference game. So it had a lot of big implications out on it. Virginia totaled 413 yards and averaged six yards per play. they were four for four on fourth down. And they had possession for 38 minutes of the game. so just completely dominated them on every facet of the game. I was very shocked how the game played out. I know all three of us were together. when the game was being played and I think we were all shocked. But CJ Bailey, the quarterback for NC State, he threw for only 84 yards in what is supposed to be a breakout season for him. He threw for 84 yards in the opener. He completed only 12 passes and he had an interception. So he was a very hard watch. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: Very hard watch. he was also their highest rusher with their two running backs only having 13 carries for 40 yards. So just nothing going on offensively for them. And their defense gave up 34 points. So nothing going on at any level for them. Bo Purpuola, transfer quarterback from Missouri. He only threw 11 passes the entire game and he had more carries than passes thrown. He went nine for 11 passing and he had 15 rushes for over 110 yards. so just a total domination from them. and it pretty much looked like they basically just said, We're gonna snap the ball right here and we're bigger, better, and faster than you, and there's nothing you can do about it. And there was absolutely nothing NC State did about it. I mean, they Andrew Wright: Yep. Canon Stogner: were completely bad. I mean, what are y'all's thoughts about that game? Will Morris: Yeah, you go ahead, dude. Andrew Wright: Just just for me kind of like we with CJ Bailey kind of can't mean you when we did our ACC stuff both had him in our top five quarterbacks in ACC thought he was Canon Stogner: Number three for me. Andrew Wright: Yeah, number three for me as well. So yeah top three quarterback in the conference So we kind of thought he was definitely in for a breakout season and just watching him. That was hard yesterday just Just some stuff like you like you said 12 or 23 84 yards and an interception saw some stuff PFF graded him out at 30.3 Yesterday, which is the worst game of his collegiate career. He had a 52.2 completion percentage. That's the second worst of his career 84 yards are the fewest he's stolen for in a game in his career and he only averaged 3.7 yards per attempt. That was also the lowest of his career. So just Canon Stogner: Mm. Andrew Wright: like completely shell-shocked almost at his lack of playmaking yesterday. Now could have been something Virginia knew going in something they had really game plan for that maybe we didn't know about. We aren't privy to Virginia's defensive meetings. We don't know what's going on there. But yeah, just really, really surprised at his lack of playmaking ability in the way that he did not perform yesterday and what we thought was maybe the best game of the weekend. Well, we were either looking the most forward to or the second most forward to. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean, I think one thing about Virginia is they obviously made it to the championship last year, going eleven and three. But they were projected to finish sixth in the ACC this year behind Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: like Miami, SMU, Clemson, Louisville, and I think like Georgia Tech or Pitt or something somebody like that. So I mean their expectations are not that high. and Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: I know said something to one of you yesterday, like they lost thirty-five players from the team they had last year. And then as they're dominating Louisville, I'm like, you know what? Why does that even matter? Because other than the quarterback, I couldn't name anybody from that team. Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: So why does that matter? And obviously I think when they get deeper into the season, they're gonna need their quarterback Bo to throw more than eleven passes, but I think somebody's gonna have to stop them before they do that. Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: I actually I was talking to somebody today and I think I pretty much told this person, I was like, if Dabbo Sweeney gets fired I think their number one candidate would be Tony Elliott returning to Clemson Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: 'cause he was the offense coordinator there for years when they had dominated. And now I mean you see what he's doing at Virginia. If you can win at Virginia, you're a pretty dang good coach. So Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: that was what I Will Morris: Yeah. Canon Stogner: that go ahead. Will Morris: Yeah, well that well that's kind of what I was gonna touch on is, you know, last year you look at Virginia and obviously they make the ACC championship game, which that game was a joke just in general, right? We all know that that was just a pointless game, like why you know. but if you look at the regular season, actually NC State was one of their two regular season game losses, so a little revenge there for Virginia. But then they had three games, Canon Stogner: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: four if you include the AC C championship. So three games during the regular season when they went to overtime. So it very easily could have been a seven win regular season Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: instead of a 10 win regular season. And so you look at somebody like Tony Elliott and you come into this year, you lost what was it, 35 guys, I think you said, and you say the Canon Stogner: Yeah. Thirty five. Will Morris: expectations are not high at all. But now you have to start to kind of back up and like big picture think, okay, is Tony Elliott kind of rounding into one of the head coaches where Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: he just makes that big of a difference, right? Where he is Andrew Wright: Right. Will Morris: able to reload something like an Indiana situation where it's just you just reload and then you shove them through and then they're, you know, they're rocking and rolling again. So the thing about the ACC too is It's really Miami and then it's kinda wide open, right? You got SMU, you got Louisville, possibly Clemson, right? And they're still they still have the talent to compete. But with a showing like that where it just wasn't close, like y'all were saying, you kinda have to ask, like, is Virginia back in the ACC championship Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: conversation? And if they are, then they may be in the obviously you're in the playoff conversation at Andrew Wright: you Will Morris: that point. So Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: it is very interesting when you back them and say, Okay, Tony Elliott, Andrew Wright: you Will Morris: like, is he having that big of an effect? You look last year and think, okay, Andrew Wright: you Will Morris: it could have been a seven win season, three overtime games. But then he comes in and you win by twenty plus points, three, four possessions, like, okay, are they are these somebody who we need to be talking about in the playoff conversation, you know? Miami gets to the the conference championship, maybe Mensa gets hurt and all of a sudden Virginia sneaks in, back door, kinda like that. So Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean that's a great point. it's very rare that you see offenses click the way they did in a week zero game against a Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: same caliber opponent. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: so I mean that was we were all shocked to say the least. Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: I mean, I don't think I I don't think I picked NC State to win the game. I don't think I really made a prediction for that, but I definitely thought it would be a lot closer. Kind of because, like you said, we had CJ Bailey number three at their quarterback. But I don't think that's really hyping him up having a number three. I think you take the top two quarterbacks out of that and it's a very awful conference, but a Andrew Wright: Right. Yeah. Canon Stogner: quarterback conference, but either way. All right, so let's move on to UNC and TCU. this was a very tough game to watch. UNC's quarterback Billy Edwards, who came from Wisconsin, looks like their clear number one guy. I know last year they had a QB battle pretty much the whole season, being Velocheck's first year. But he looked like they're clear number one. He is a veteran who seems to have that attitude about him that the whole team just follows. And it seems like their defense is going to be what wins and loses games for them. TCU looked very bad. They looked really bad. they got shut out in the second half. it's kind of hard to believe just how bad they are compared to three years ago when they were in the national championship game. so my two biggest takeaways from this game was Or my two biggest winners from this game was Josh Hoover, who is now the quarterback of Indiana, and Kendall Browles, who is now the offensive coordinator at South Carolina, because just last year they were on that team and they wore North Carolina out at North Carolina on Labor Day. so Josh Hoover is probably, you know, thinking I made the great choice. He looks like he's might be an even better quarterback than everybody's projecting, just to how bad they looked. And then obviously Kendall Browse. being the offense coordinator there for the last two or three years or quarterback's coach, whatever it is. he's probably he's a big winner from this past weekend, what y'all have? Andrew Wright: Just the only thing that even looked remotely good for TCU is Jeremy Payne running back. He did have 25 carries 142 yards So a really good productive day for him, but outside of that nothing to really write home about I mean, like you said they they didn't scratch the first quarter even you You watched the first quarter you like man 10 to 10 We got a little ball game here and then there's Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: five points scored the rest of the game Which is an insane number to save football. Anyways, five that's nuts. But Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: just yeah really weird game. Didn't have really high expectations for either one of them But definitely didn't expect North Carolina to win, especially the way TCU kind of embarrassed them on their home field last year. So I guess that's two revenge games that we talked about already with those two. And then North Carolina's defense, mean, they did look good. They did hold that team to zero points like in the last 45 minutes of the game. So I guess that's something to kind of build on for them kind of heading to the second and third weeks of the season. Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: Yeah, I think honestly this was I know we're gonna talk about this a little bit later, but this was definitely the biggest disappointment for me. So I wasn't I didn't think that TCU Andrew Wright: you Will Morris: was a legit Big twelve contender, but I do Canon Stogner: Right. Will Morris: think that they were in the upper echelon of the conference. they won nine games the last two years and Phil still actually said that Phil still said the Sunny Dykes had told him that those nine win seasons last two years were a little disappointing. So as far as as far as internal as far as internal Andrew Wright: Ha! Canon Stogner: okay. Will Morris: you know, kind of expectations for Sonny Dykes. He thought they were good. They also only took ten guys in the portal this year. So in an era when you can kinda go get whoever want, especially being in the you know, the Fort Worth Dallas area, you have money in the program, you can go get guys. He only took ten. So he felt comfortable enough with the guys that he had. Obviously they lost quarterback, but you know, so I thought this to this to me was was probably the most disappointing of the week. Canon Stogner: It looked like ten was all they played with yesterday. They could Andrew Wright: Well, I got Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: some bad news for Sonny Dykes if 9 wins was disappointing. Will Morris: Ha ha. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I bet he will take that comment back. that's one thing about Bill Belichick. I know he's at a different level now being the NFL for so many years, but he he's one of those coaches where he does not care how he has to win a game. If he has to win a game three to nothing, he'll do it that way. If he has to win a game nine to three, he'll do it that way. He's Andrew Wright: The end. Canon Stogner: not gonna try to get to Q. Will Morris: I think you'd r I think you'd rather win it that way. Canon Stogner: Yeah, yeah. Andrew Wright: yeah. And he doesn't just forget how to win. He's the guy still knows how to win football games. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean their their their winning play yesterday was getting T C U to jump offside, which was just the most perfect example of Bill Belichick. I mean, that's how he is and you saw it. The only time he ever has any emotion is them jumping off side. He's signaling first Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Will Morris: Yeah. Well easy. Easy star Canon Stogner: Sorry, yeah, him signaling first down, which was probably my favorite thing of the whole weekend was him doing that. So yeah, I mean I didn't have any expectations for him before yesterday, and they were projected to finish second to last in ACC, but I don't know, man, North Carolina's starting to make me believe a little bit. I believed a little bit. Will Morris: It's hard, man. After after the after these week one games, you know, I even I I said what I said about Virginia. I don't I don't actually think that they're gonna make it to the ACC championship game. So you always have to take the one game sample with a grain of salt because it is all that we know about these teams right now. But yeah, I mean you watch you watch North Carolina do that, and I thought like I asked a buddy at work, he's a big North Carolina fan, I said, Is there anything? Like, name one thing that you're excited about and he said, There isn't. There's not one thing. There's not one thing. So you got one Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: now. I mean it's a w it's Andrew Wright: Yeah. Will Morris: you know, it's a tick in the W W column. Canon Stogner: A hundred percent. They only need five Andrew Wright: It looks like a Canon Stogner: more to go to a bowl game. Andrew Wright: stereotypical nasty Bill Belichick defense that we saw for so many years in New England. Canon Stogner: A hundred percent. They have Will Morris: yeah. Canon Stogner: they have every reason to just fall down. You have no idea how much longer Belichick's gonna be there, whether Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: he retires or gets fired. Their GM Lombardi, he got into some off the field issues where he got Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: laid off. their defensive coordinator, Bill Belichick's son, I think it's Steve, right? Steve Belichick. Andrew Wright: Thief. Yep. Canon Stogner: He's on leave right now because he's got like some medical huh? Yeah, he's got like some medical Will Morris: Yeah, you weren't even coaching. Canon Stogner: issues right now. So They have every reason to lay down and they come out and hold TCU to 10 points. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: it was definitely shocking. all right, let's go on to I think the best game of the week, what many to choose from, but Memphis versus UNLV. This was a big matchup for the group of six for later in the season. I think Memphis looked like a legit playoff contender Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: out of the group of six teams, even with the loss of Silverfield, who's now at Arkansas. And losing their starting QB who follows Silverfield to Arkansas. This game had almost 900 yards of combined offense in the game, only one turnover. A couple turnovers on down, but one like forced turnover. UNLV, they did give up six sacks, which I think is probably where they lost the game. Couldn't really protect Jackson Arnold that much. But I was very surprised to see how good Jackson Arnold looked. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: he started at Oklahoma. He didn't play much, didn't look great. He transferred to Auburn, where he played a lot of snaps last year and he looked awful playing against SEC teams. and that was with Hugh Freeze, who a lot of people say is a QB whisperer. but Jackson Arnold started yesterday in his first game with Dan Mullen, and Elvis Presley obviously making the entrance with them. so it Will Morris: Shut up. Canon Stogner: was a very good game, very close game. I think any team Could have won that game. I think if they match up again somehow, some way, it's probably the same result, maybe the other way around. So a very good game. all right, so let's talk about who was your biggest surprise for you from week zero. we'll start with you, Andrew. Andrew Wright: Biggest surprise had to be Virginia. Kind of like we talked about, think. You didn't really make a prediction on that game. I was very much under the impression that NC State was going to march in there and kind of get a really big win to start the season. obviously, Canon Stogner: Make a point. Andrew Wright: yeah, the exact opposite happened. Just did not expect that game to go that way at all. Shout out Virginia. Shout out Bo Prabula. Very good week for them. So that was definitely my biggest surprise, was the way they manhandled NC State like that. Canon Stogner: Yeah. Well. Will Morris: Yeah, I think my biggest surprise was North Carolina Belchick. and this is just a reality across college football now, how compact everything is. So there's a lot of talk of there's no more super teams anymore. There's not the kind of depth that you used to have. So especially in a league like the ACC, kind of the same thing that I said about Virginia applies to North Carolina. Now I'm not saying that North Carolina's gonna go run the table and end up in Charlotte at the end of the year. But what I am saying is they may end up with, you know, around mid tier of the conference, whereas we thought that they were just a seller dweller. We all thought Belichick was just on his way out. So, yeah, real s real strong showing from North Carolina there, because everything is so compact, a couple wins here or there really matters a lot. And so you can actually Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: end up actually having a decent season when everybody was kinda calling for your head, halfway through last year already. Canon Stogner: Yeah. so this is our biggest surprise from week zero. We're also going to do a our biggest disappointment from week zero. I could have put this guy for both of I'm not doing a team. we've already talked about him a little bit, but my biggest surprise was CJ Bailey. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: like you said, we had him third on our list. I thought he was a better runner than what he did yesterday. he did Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: have ten carries for like thirty three yards, but I thought he was gonna be more of like Like a Lamar Jackson, not obviously not the same caliber of Lamar Jackson, but type of that like that QB style. I thought he was a little bit better of a thrower. I mean, he was missing wide open guys by a foot or two, like Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: throwing it behind them, them having to come back and stop. It was really embarrassing for him. And I think if I had to redo my pick, he wouldn't even be probably top ten on my list. I mean, I was that was that was disgusting what I saw yesterday. Will Morris: One game, one game, Seastog. Andrew Wright: But yeah, we were together watching it and just so many times like, what is he doing back there? Like he's hero. Canon Stogner: Yeah. So I mean, I don't know. Maybe I hope he has a good year. Maybe they go eleven one this year. Maybe those are the two best teams in the conference. Who Andrew Wright: Maybe. Canon Stogner: knows? We don't know anything. We didn't do we didn't do very well. Will Morris: I hope not. Something bad happened in South Florida if that's if that's the case. Canon Stogner: Yeah. all right. So let's go ahead and head into our biggest disappointment. I will go first about for this one. I'm very excited about this one. I've been thinking about this ever since I wrote it down. my biggest disappointment from week zero, it's not a team, not a player, not a coach. My biggest disappointment was the crowd for number 14 ranked USC. Andrew Wright: Yeah Canon Stogner: And I'm having a hard time. I mean, obviously their home field is the Coliseum, but I feel like that's like a bucket list stadium for most people, Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: regardless if you live there or not. we know that money is not a problem in California for most people. Tickets were announced as low as $6. So it's less than a cookout trade to get into the game. and their announced attendance was $51,140 people, which is the lowest. Yeah, which was they inflated that number 100%. Andrew Wright: yeah. Canon Stogner: That was the lowest home opener under Lincoln Riley for a stadium that holds 78,000 people. you can make excuses. Noon kickoff, The opponent they're playing is not that very good, but I think if you look at the other 24 teams ranked in the top twenty-five, they're selling out every home game as long as they're ranked. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Yep. Canon Stogner: I think USC is the only team that isn't selling out their home games, being a ranked team. So I think that was extremely embarrassing. I think that was the most embarrassing thing of the weekend. Give me that at number one, CJ Bailey at number two for biggest disappointment. Will Morris: Yeah, I Canon Stogner: let's go with Will. Yeah. Will Morris: Yeah, I was gonna say I I already touched on mine a little bit, but it's it's it's TCU and you you touched on it like losing Josh Hoover, losing Kendall Browse. if you're Sonny Dykes you know, and you're trying to project like I'm the guy you know, especially looking towards recruiting for the future here, I mean if this season is kind of going the way that it looks like it might be going, if you're trying to recruit a guy to come play for you. And you had your quarterback leave and you had the offensive coordinator leave. And it drops off that much. Because again, even though North Carolina may be a little bit better than we thought they were, they're not Miami. So they're not running out there. Ru you know, Ruben Bain's not running out there lining up against you like it. It it still is the North Carolina that we watched last year. Again, maybe a little bit better. So, Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: yeah, for me, I think that's that's definitely the biggest disappointment. again, looking forward to recruiting. I don't know how you talk to a guy now. You lose your offense coordinator and you just have to start to question like Okay, was it the Sunny Dykes effect or was it the Kendall Browse effect? Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean, and to speak of it, their AD left two years ago, Donati, to come to South Carolina. So they've lost a lot of important people in the last two, three years. Andrew Wright: you Canon Stogner: And I think arguably you could say Texas is the best high school football state. so I don't know exactly why they struggle to recruit, other than they're competing against Texas, AM, Texas Tech. I mean, can we even put Will Morris: Houston now. Canon Stogner: yeah, SMU probably on that list. Andrew Wright: Yeah. SMU. Yep. Canon Stogner: I mean, they're competing against a lot of other Texas colleges, but other than Texas, they've been to the national championship more recently than any of the other teams. So not really sure what's going on there. but Andrew, what'd you have for your biggest Andrew Wright: This probably come off a little crazy just based off the fact that they won and kind of what the score was but mine had to be Florida State I mean I I texted you on the first drive of the game and said Norvale might get fired tonight I watched New Mexico State walk right down the field and if not for one of the worst throws I've seen in quite some time from a quarterback Florida State would have been down 7-0 after one drive they did win 34 to 17 but like for somebody that kind of watched the game and was watched pretty much most of it it was closer than that New Mexico State had that terrible turnover in the red zone and then down 17-7 Canon Stogner: They dropped a Andrew Wright: in the game. Yeah, I mean, one of the most wildest touchdowns you can ever have. Like, Florida State did nothing to contribute to that ball being dropped. So really did not do anything impressive. I mean, we talked about Norvell. Kind of for me, it's not a matter of when he gets fired. It's if this year. And he's going to have to have a really good season. That team's going to have to find an identity very quickly because I believe they play Alabama in week three. And that was kind one of the big shocks of the season last year was him going. to Tuscaloosa and dominate in Alabama. Canon Stogner: Mm-hmm. Andrew Wright: That ain't happening this year. Will Morris: No, and you wanna talk about like one of the hardest jobs recruiting now? Norvell's gotta have it. 'Cause I think every every nobody Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: yeah. Will Morris: expects him to finish the year. That really the only reason why he's still there is 'cause of the buyout. So I have no Andrew Wright: Right. Will Morris: idea how he is one, gonna keep the team together this year, but then two, if somehow he does make it through, I think the feeling of like he's just it's just not a again, it's not a question of when but if. So Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: he's got it he's got it rough as far as recruiting goes. Canon Stogner: Yeah, Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: I think I think I really think you could argue he he's got one of the saddest fall offs in college football ever. I mean, you're going for two back to back seasons where you dominated, you recruited extremely well, you are a freak injury away from making the college football playoff. Probably still Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: shouldn't have been held out, but regardless, I'm glad they didn't make it in. To what he's putting on the field now. I mean, Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: Florida State, I used to remember like the Clemson Florida State games, Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: and M's in the booth. Like those games were electric. Like I used to get so like Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: chills down my spine whenever the stallion or the horse would come out and spike the flame and or the arrow into Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: the ground. I mean, there's no excitement anymore in Tallahassee. So Andrew Wright: Nope. Canon Stogner: all right, we're not gonna talk about USC's game against San Jose State, but I do wanna talk about a few things with them. After yesterday, I don't think we're necessarily claiming them as making it in, but do we think they could be a legitimate playoff team act after what you saw yesterday? Andrew Wright: Will, go ahead. Will Morris: Yeah, I I do actually. And we'll get we'll get to this a little later, but I actually do have them in my playoff. So I think they are I think they are the fourth best team in the Big Ten, and I think the Big Ten gets in four this year. the reason why is we all know that Lincoln Riley is the offensive mind that's creative. He's gonna run run the clock or run the run the scoreboard, those kind things. I think the reason why they actually have a chance is I remember watching Josh Bade I think two years ago, or it might have been the beginning of last year. he talked about how Lincoln Riley just basically Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: hit reset, right? What he was doing Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: was not working. They were not winning enough. And the reset was is we are going to commit ourselves to building up the line of scrimmage on both sides, right? Y'all just talked about it, right? They have the money. I know the fans aren't showing up. But as far as like recruiting on the West Coast, you got Oregon and then you got Southern Cal. And that's pretty much it. So they kind of have their pick of the cream of the crop out there. And they really, really went into getting the line of scrimmages right. And they had to because they're in the Big Ten. So there's no shot that they compete with the Ohio States, now the Indiana's, Canon Stogner: Indiana. Will Morris: the Oregons of the world, if the line of scrimmage is not right. So I trust that Lincoln Riley is going to have the kind of offenses that we've just all come to expect. the thing that I think is different now is that he spent two years honing in on we have to have the line of scrimmages right. And so because of that, I think they actually have a chance to possibly get to ten wins. I think I have them in at nine wins in the big ten. I think that just across college football I don't think there's gonna be very many ten win or more teams. So Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: I have them at nine wins and I have them sneaking in sneaking in the playoffs. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean I think if Jaden I ever I think he was Andrew Wright: Thank Canon Stogner: my number one QB, right, Andrew? Andrew Wright: Uhhh, I think so. That sounds right. Canon Stogner: Yeah, he was my number one QB. I think if he plays like he did yesterday, he I mean he went Andrew Wright: Thank Canon Stogner: twenty-five for twenty nine, threw for two eighty. I mean, obviously the talent they were playing against wasn't great, but if he can play like he did in their big games, I say yes. And the reason for that is their defense was lights out yesterday before they took the starters out. I know they gave up twenty six points, but defense didn't give up anything until they took the starters out. obviously their biggest concern is going to be their defense. Lincoln Riley's the offensive guy. You never really have to worry too much about them, especially now that he's got a quarterback since first quarterback really since Caleb Williams. but the biggest question is always going to be the defense. They had six freshmen start yesterday on offense and defense. They a really good tight end that a lot of people are saying that he's the next Brock Bowers, just because of the way he's built already as a freshman. They brought in the number one player in the country, the number one defensive end in the country, Luke Waifel, who He showed out yesterday. I mean he was just running through the linemen and the running backs. I know I showed Will a video yesterday. He's a massive guy too. Will Morris: Yeah. He moves really well. Canon Stogner: yeah, so like I said, six freshmen started yesterday. I think it is important to get the most experience for them possible before they open up in the Big Ten conference games. Gary Patterson, he is the DC for him this year. He was originally the head coach at TCU, where he had a record of 181 and 79. he is also in the College Ball Hall of Fame. He led the nation in defense five times at TCU, had the number one defense. he has been retired for a few years now, but bringing in a guy like that that, you know, knows how to lead a defense, can probably recruit a little bit still. I know it's a different era, but just bringing in a guy like that and like you said, beefing up that line of scrimmage is very important. So I do think they're a legitimate contender. but their biggest concern is always gonna be the defense. What do you have, Andrew? Andrew Wright: Ultimate contender just for me it kind of boils down to I know Gary Patterson like you said really good defensive guy I just we've never really seen a really good Lincoln rally defense It's Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: like until we see that for like a prolonged stretch I can't put faith in that that that's gonna be good and then their schedule worries me They have Penn State, Indiana Ohio State, Oregon and Washington You have to go through basically you have to go three and two in those games to get the ten wins I don't know if nine wins to get you in this year Kind of, I'll get to that when we reveal our rankings. I don't have a non-win team in this year, so I don't think non gets you there. So I think you have to go three and two against those five teams. And I'm just not sure with a questionable defense if that's possible. So I don't Canon Stogner: All right. Andrew Wright: know if they're a true threat. Canon Stogner: Let me ask you. Let me ask you this. I think besides the ACC and maybe the Big 12, I think usually both teams that make the conference championship is gonna win or make it in most of the time. Andrew Wright: Yeah, right. Canon Stogner: What do you think? Let's just say, for example, USC loses three games this year. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: They don't make the championship. Conference championship. Let's say a team that plays in the conference championship has two losses, did not play USC this year. And then they lose the conference championship. So USC has three losses and the team that made it to the championship now has three losses and did not play USC head head to head. Who makes it in? Andrew Wright: I think the team that went to the conversation game accident. Will Morris: I agree. I d I don't think you should be penalized for playing the playing the Capture Championship. Andrew Wright: Yeah, I don't think so either. And that'll be very reflected in my playoff rankings when we get there at the very end. I don't think Canon Stogner: Okay. Andrew Wright: you should ever be penalized for playing in that championship game. Canon Stogner: I agree I agree because I mean I don't know their schedule off the top of Andrew Wright: . Canon Stogner: my head, but I mean who's USC's who'd you just say they play? Andrew Wright: So they they Will Morris: It's it's brutal. Andrew Wright: yeah, I mean they have to go to Penn State and to Indiana and then they get Oregon Washington and Ohio State at home Will Morris: Yeah, I so with my with my southern with southern we we can get to this when we get to Canon Stogner: I know but if you go if you go three and two in those games Will Morris: the twelve. Andrew Wright: Yeah, I mean, yeah, if they can go three and two, then yeah, they're 10 and two and they're probably in the conference championship because they'll have a head-to-head win over one of Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon. So yeah, if they go three and two in those games, then yeah, they will almost be a lot for the conference championship. I just don't know if they can. I don't know if I trust them enough. Canon Stogner: Yeah. We're just gonna say well Will Morris: Yeah, I was gonna say i I I like in my mind I have a very specific situation in which they get in. I think they win every game but Andrew Wright: Thank Will Morris: the three that he just listed. So Ohio State, Indiana, and Penn State. And if they do that, they're still gonna have wins over, what was it, Washington, and then they're still gonna have a win, Canon Stogner: Oregon. Andrew Wright: Oregon. Will Morris: or yeah, Oregon. so if they do that, they could possibly have three losses against like three of the top five teams in the country. Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: And so at nine and three then I think even so I I I've got BYU winning ten games and losing to Texas Tech. But because BYU loses two games, I think a nine and three Southern Cal with those three losses, I think gets in over BYU. Not because they have three losses in the conference championship game, but I think when you line up Southern Cow's nine and three and BYU's ten and two in this specific scenario, I think Southern Cows gets in. Canon Stogner: Yeah. I mean the committee's kind of like umpiring in baseball. You're gonna upset a team or two every year. Andrew Wright: and Canon Stogner: But I don't ever feel bad for them. But I have I have I feel really bad for them this year because they're gonna piss a lot of teams off Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: that probably should have made it in. so it's gonna be interesting, but this is definitely gonna be the toughest job they have yet. because all of a sudden, I mean it it used to be four teams. for a couple of years and now we're at twelve and I know they're like wanting to move outside of twelve teams, but it feels like this year twelve teams is not enough. I mean, Andrew Wright: Right. Yeah. Canon Stogner: I truly think anybody can win it. so that's it for USC. Will Will Morris: Yeah, yeah. Canon Stogner: got me? Will Morris: Yeah, can you hear me? Canon Stogner: Yeah, yeah. Will Morris: That's a that's all Canon Stogner: I Will Morris: I had. Canon Stogner: Okay. I think Will's got a few questions that he wanted to ask us. Right? Am I Andrew Wright: you Canon Stogner: right, Will? Okay. Will Morris: That is right. All right. So so here's the first question. So in my mind, and I know y'all have a little bit different take on this, so I'm giving my take on the SEC here. In my mind, there's two teams at the top. Okay, so you got Georgia and you got Texas. And then there's like a slew of teams that are all compacted together. Okay. So I want to know who you think is the most likely to win seven games or less out of this group. Okay, so this would be like complete meltdown for any of these teams. Seven, like if you go seven Canon Stogner: Mm-hmm. Andrew Wright: Thank Will Morris: and five. out these this group of teams, which is probably going to happen, who do you think is most likely? Like that would be a complete meltdown. Okay, so here's the teams I have. So past Georgia and Texas, you got Alabama, you got LSU, you got Texas A and you got Oklahoma, and Ole Miss. So out of that group, which is kind of tier two in my mind, I know y'all might group Texas there or or something different. So out of that group of teams, who do you think is basically most likely to have a meltdown season? Canon Stogner: I think this was that's a very tough question. My pick for that is Alabama. I think AM's still loaded, LSU's loaded, Oklahoma Oklahoma didn't lose a lot, returned to quarterback, they're still loaded, old miss with Trinidad, my number one QB. I think they'll have a successful season. So my pick was Alabama. I think they had the worst roster of the five teams. they're starting a new quarterback, Keelan Russell, who hasn't played college football yet. so I do think he has to be a guy a guy for them this year. He has to be be able to win them some games. but my biggest concern is they have four games where I think they'll probably be the underdog, which is at Tennessee and at LSU. do y'all agree with that? That'd be the underdogs, those two games? Will Morris: Not sure about the Tennessee game. I think I think they might be favored there. Andrew Wright: Yeah, I don't... I view Tennessee way lower than anybody else does. I don't know about that one. Canon Stogner: has Tennessee not won the last two games they played at Tennessee against them? I know they won Andrew Wright: I think I definitely think they have I just don't know How much Howard's Alabama rating in Tennessee like seven spots Bama was 13. Tennessee was 20 Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: It'd be a very very close spread they say what home fields were three and a half Or three three points. Yeah, maybe maybe Tennessee Will Morris: Or so. Yeah, somewhere in there. Andrew Wright: about point then maybe point point in half Canon Stogner: Yeah, so anyway, so there are four games that I think they lose or probably should lose because they'll be the underdogs is at Tennessee, at LSU, and then against Georgia and AM. So if they lose those four, they're eight and four automatically. And then they have to face Kentucky, South Carolina, who has been a player two short in their last two matchups. They play Auburn, which you know those games, the rivalry games, you never know what's gonna happen with that. And then they play Vanderbilt, who they have went one and one against in the last two years. So I think they're my pick for that question. And they also play Florida State. Will Morris: Is let me ask you this. Is is Deboer gone if they win seven? Okay. All right. Canon Stogner: yeah. Yeah yeah. Yeah. Andrew Wright: Yeah. Yeah. Canon Stogner: Yeah. That was my biggest what if. Deborah gets fired, Dabo Dabo's gone. Dabo's Andrew Wright: Yep. Canon Stogner: Dabo's coaching at Alabama. Will Morris: All right. All right. Do what you got? Who do you think is most likely to win seven or less there? Andrew Wright: I'll venture out and knock out Oklahoma. Obviously any team in the SEC will hit a steep decline if their quarterback gets hurt. But I guess there probably do have to be at least some injury concerns with Mateer. And as Cannon's told me, he's got too big. They sure he can throw the ball, he's too buff. I Canon Stogner: Yeah. You're too tight. Andrew Wright: think there does have to be a few concerns about him and his health and kind of what he can do. Because we obviously saw how bad they were when he was hurt and even when he tried to rush back. Wasn't at a hundred percent. He was bad for a couple weeks I mean they did still made the playoff But I mean they blew a 17 to nothing lead at home like that can't happen and then their schedule man They have a four week stretch from 2 through 5 that they go to Michigan To Georgia and then get Texas at home So those Michigan and Georgia Will Morris: Mm. Andrew Wright: games just for the fact of being on the road are tough We don't know what Michigan is first year at the new coach and then Bryce Underwood We don't know what they are, but that's a that's a loseable game I feel very strongly that Georgia beats Oklahoma. And then if Texas is what Texas is supposed to be, that's a loss. Not that we think. Canon Stogner: They did Texas did wear Oklahoma out last year, but it was ma yeah. Andrew Wright: Right, and Matier was hurt, yeah, but Will Morris: Yeah. Yeah. Andrew Wright: if they are what they're supposed to be, Texas is going to win that football game. So there's three right there, and then end of season, they play Ole Miss and Texas A in back-to-back weeks, both games that I think they should be underdogs in. And then if they lose those two, boom, they're seven and five right there. So I just think with some concerns about Matier and with that schedule, I think they have definitely a bleak outlook to go seven and five if stuff falls the wrong way. Will Morris: Yeah, and here here's the other thing about that scenario you threw out there. That Texas game is October the tenth. So if they lose those three games, they're two and three heading into this Yeah. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and they're done. Planning for nothing. Will Morris: Nothing. Nothing. I mean you would have to run the table and get a lot of help in order to get into that point. Andrew Wright: And that's what me and Ken have talked about that like even for Texas in that game Texas could have two losses by then and Then that the loser that game is done like they have nothing to play for the rest of the season That's a humongous Will Morris: Yeah. No root. Andrew Wright: game if both those teams have a loss and then more so if either one has two losses Canon Stogner: Yeah. I j Will Morris: Yeah, yeah. Canon Stogner: I just looked. Alabama is favored by one and a half points against Tennessee as we speak right now. Obviously a lot can change, but Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: Okay. All right. So we're gonna flip that question on its head. So out of that group that we just named, who do you think is the most likely to win the SEC? So again, this is Alabama, L S U, A and Oklahoma, and Ole Miss. So who out of that group is Canon Stogner: Most likely to win the S. Will Morris: most likely to win the SEC? Canon Stogner: I wanna I'm gonna say miss. Andrew Wright: I think, yeah, that's where I would go as well. I mean, had them in the conference championship game already, so don't think it'd be fair for me to say any other team except them. I think they have what it takes to potentially knock off Georgia, if need, if. Will Morris: y you you throw out like three or four predictions. It you know, that way you protect yourself. Canon Stogner: Yeah. Yeah. I in my SEC in our SEC episode I did say Ole Miss would beat Georgia in the SEC championship. So I will ride with Ole Miss for for that reason right there. Will Morris: Okay. All right, so moving on. So this is moving away from the SEC a little bit here. So in my mind, you have kind of three teams who have like marshmallow soft schedules, but who are legit national title contenders in most people's minds. So you got Notre Dame, you got Miami, and you got Texas Tech. Okay. Kind of a similar question here. Out of those three, who do you think is the most likely to win less than ten? And again, this is a different this is a different frame of mind. than like the SEC, but to me this is the same amount of disaster as those seven win scenarios just because of how soft the schedule is. So like if you're Notre Dame and you win nine games, that means you lost to Miami and you lost two other games. So Canon Stogner: BYU. Will Morris: something went completely off the rails. So you lost to BYU, but then you lost somebody that nobody even knows who the third game on their schedule would be. So so yeah, so out of Canon Stogner: Yeah, yeah. I think Will Morris: those out of those three, who do you think is the most likely to win less than ten? Canon Stogner: well to kind of sidetrack a little bit, I think the worst roster of the three is Texas Tech. I don't think they have an awful roster. Will Morris: Okay. I agree with that. Canon Stogner: I just think the worst roster because we don't know how their quarterback's going to be. Obviously we thought we did because they had Brendan Soresby who could play QB a little bit, but now we don't really know how well Will Yeah, Will Hammond. Andrew Wright: Will Hammond. Will Hammond. Canon Stogner: but Texas Tech has the easiest schedule of the three. So I did not go Texas Tech. I think Miami has a tougher schedule location wise because of where their away games are and who they are against. but I think Notre Dame is the most likely team to win less than 10 games or 10 games or less. their two obvious games are Miami and at BYU. If they were to win, go nine and three or worse. they also face off against SMU. SMU is at home. And that is towards the end of the sea. I think it's the last game of the season for them. Will Morris: Yeah, second to last. Canon Stogner: yeah, so that's going to be a big game, especially if they enter that game with two losses, that's a massive Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: game. They also I'm pretty sure they open up at Wisconsin, right? And Wisconsin okay, Andrew Wright: Yeah, Sunday night at Lambeau Field. Yeah. Canon Stogner: so I mean that's going to be a loud stadium. is this the year that Luke Fickle finally gets it? Andrew Wright: Yeah, he's in desperation mode. Luke Fickle is this year. Has to be. Canon Stogner: Yeah. Yeah. No, I don't think so Will Morris: They don't figure it out. Canon Stogner: I don't think so. So my final answer is Notre Dame. I think they are the most likely team. Andrew Wright: Yeah, I would I would definitely venture out and Notre Dame as well. I don't trust Texas Tech a ton, but I do think the schedule is soft enough where average quarterback play isn't going to matter as much. But Notre Dame, Notre Dame definitely has more loose games, kind of like Canyon said. We don't know how they're going to handle going to Provo, Utah and play in Miami. Beat Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: them last year. Like I don't there's I think Miami is going to beat them again this year. It's like like Canyon said, there's two right there. And then you go to SMU, who I think is a really good football team. and you lose, yeah, I there's your nine and three right there. So I just think I would like to say Texas Tech because I don't trust them. I don't trust Will Hamlin. I don't know what that office is going to look like without Brendan Soarsby, but it makes more sense looking at schedule wise, bad possibility wise with what they lost in Jeremiah Love and Darian Price. Notre Dame is definitely the answer. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean, I don't want to compare apples and oranges here. And I'm definitely not saying these two guys are the same caliber coaches. we kind of talked about them earlier. But I know their roster is loaded, or so they say. They did lose their two best running backs. they do have CJ Carr, who a lot of people has projected to win Heisman. but for one, Notre Dame, they always have one of those hiccup games where they might Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: lose, especially since Marcus Freeman's been there. They have one of those games at home against a bad team where you look in the fourth quarter and it's like 13 to 10, you're like, uh-oh. And those teams have gotten it done sometimes. Yeah. Andrew Wright: I mean they lost a marshal in northern Illinois in back in back years. that, yeah, that's nuts. Canon Stogner: but what I was comparing was what if Florida State or what if Notre Dame has the same year Florida State did? You know, they collapsed Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: the year after they got left out of Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: the playoff. And you know, obviously Notre Dame, Marcus Freeman was pissed off last year whenever they got left out the out the playoff. So Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: I mean, what if that has a lingering effect? And they could they could be the fall off team. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: So Will Morris: I will say this is interesting, so I actually think Notre Dame is the most likely to go undefeated out of the three. So Canon Stogner: Mo Yeah, I I would agree. I would agree. Will Morris: Really? Okay. Andrew Wright: I would not. Canon Stogner: I think up the I don't think all three of them are gonna go undefeated, but I think they're the most likely to lose less than ten games or win. Will Morris: Alright, so kinda okay, well on that note then, I'm gonna skip one of the questions that we had down. so I'm interested 'cause we kind of mentioned this out of those three. I think only one of those to me is in the in contention for this particular question. But who do we think the most talented roster in the country is? Canon Stogner: I that was the easy answer for me. I I my answer was Texas. If I was between Texas and Andrew Wright: Yeah, I know. Canon Stogner: Ohio State. they have four guys that are projected to go in the top eleven of the draft this upcoming year. Arch Manning, Camp Coleman, Colin Simmons, and their left tackle, Trevor Gooseby. they also brought in Hollywood Smullers, who was the number one running back transfer in the portal. so obviously if you look on paper, I mean they're extremely loaded. they have to stay healthy for one. And I mean I think Cam Coleman, he's probably the second best receiver in college football. And I really don't think him and Jeremiah Smith are that far off. I just obviously he was at Auburn, and then you're looking at Ohio State who gets you know all the big game every year or every week. so I would honestly a lot of people know who Jeremiah Smith is. I don't think a lot of people know exactly who Cam Coleman is. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: And he hasn't really had a quarterback. This year Cam Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: Coleman's got a quarterback, so they say. Andrew Wright: Yeah, does it? Does it? Will Morris: Ha ha. Canon Stogner: So that's my answer for that question. I mean I think Andrew Wright: Yeah, it's definitely Texas. I hate to say it, as much as we've kind of dogged on them, I thought we said this every single episode, we're not questioning the talent. There's no questions or dismay or disregard for the talent. It's definitely there. They just got to go out and prove it. Texas is definitely the most talented roster in college football. Will Morris: Right. That's a I that's a lot of respect earned from you two guys there. That's a lot of respect. Canon Stogner: Thank you. Andrew Wright: Yeah, like Will Morris: Yeah. Yeah. Andrew Wright: we've talked about off-camera, we have zero questions about the talent. Like, no, we know how talented that roster is and like, Sarc's a very good football coach. It's just the main man of the offense. We don't see it. Will Morris: Okay. I you know I respect that. And actually so I so I am pretty high on Texas this year. I actually think they win the SEC. I went back and forth for so long with with Texas and Georgia. but I finally went with Texas and I think it is and I I kinda talked about this with y'all off camera too. I'm actually not that high on Archmanning either. I actually think that he Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: kinda he he chops his feet a lot in the in the pocket. I don't think his throwing yeah. Canon Stogner: Yeah, he's shaky. He's got shaky feet. Will Morris: His his throwing motion is not that smooth. Now I do think he's a fantastic athlete. So I think he's actually the Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: best athlete out of him, Peyton and Eli. But the reason the reason why I have Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: like Texas still win it is just because they have freak shows all over the field. Cam Coleman is a freak show. Y'all are exactly right. He is the second best receiver in the country. He just hadn't had a chance to show it. Similar situation to George Pickens. I mentioned that to y'all too. George Pickens when he was in college. and then as far as the talent goes, like I I I just think They just overwhelm people. So I think Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: they just overwhelm them and I think Arch still doesn't play that great year this year, but I think that they just overwhelm people so much. even with that schedule, I think they they get it done the SEC. So all right. So th this is an interesting this is an interesting question here. who do y'all think the best head coach and coordinator trio is? So this isn't just who's the best headman, but who's the best head coach and coordinator trio? Canon Stogner: That was a easy answer for me. I've been glazing them since we started this podcast. my answer is Lane Kiffin, Charlie Weiss, and their defense coordinator, Blake Baker. Will Morris: American hero, if you ask Josh Bates. Canon Stogner: yeah. I n that was Lane Kiffin's number one priority was making sure he got Blake Baker to stay. it was massive for them. It was massive for LSU. he recruits really well. He had the fifteenth best defense last year. They retained a lot of guys that could have left. they kept a lot of like highly touted freshmen that stayed after a bad year. And then I mean, that was massive. I do I I was kinda thinking maybe Texas, because I think Will Muschamp is massive for Texas because he's a heck of a defense coordinator. I mean you saw what he did at Georgia and I don't think he was ever Yeah, well Will Morris: Dude, what's going on up there? What was that reaction Andrew Wright: I just don't Will Morris: for? Andrew Wright: like that name. Too many bad Canon Stogner: Well Muschamp's one of the worst head coaches to ever coach a football team, but he's one of the best he's one of the best coordinators ever. Andrew Wright: memories. Canon Stogner: But anyways, what I was saying is I that was I was close between them and Texas. but I really I really don't even know who Texas offense coordinator is 'cause I know a lot of Texas fans have problems with Steve Her Sarkeesian never giving up the play caller. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: So I think they kind of just have a Q B coach that kind of just overlooks everything. so that's kinda why I lean towards L S U, but I don't have to say much about Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weiss. I you know what they're gonna do. They're gonna light people up and there is nothing you can do about it. Andrew Wright: I'll go back to the Big Ten and I'll put Ohio State right there. think Brian Day, probably the best coach in the country. And I know we're not talking just head coach, but I think that kind of carries some weight in the conversation. And then they have Arthur Smith this year, bad NFL coach. I don't think you knew that. Yeah, Arthur Smith at the horseshoe calling plays for the offense this year. So he was okay in Pittsburgh Will Morris: Ha ha. Andrew Wright: after he left Atlanta to go to Pittsburgh to call plays. All right, should transition. I would think better to the college ranks. And then Matt Patricia, defense coordinator, once again, another bad head coach, but man can he call place. Canon Stogner: Who was was Chip Kelly their offense coordinator last year? Who orbits Chip Andrew Wright: Yes, Canon Stogner: Kelly? Andrew Wright: yes, I'll just say, I believe Chip Kelly is now at Northwestern, I believe. Will Morris: As the head guy? Andrew Wright: I think he's office coordinator. He had Will Morris: What is he what is he? Andrew Wright: a construction head on when he was doing renovations. I'm pretty sure Will Morris: Whew. Andrew Wright: Chip Kelly serves in some capacity at Northwestern. Will Morris: He wants to prove it. It wasn't just Canon Stogner: Well I yeah. Will Morris: the it wasn't just the recruits. He wants to prove it. Andrew Wright: But yeah, I'll go Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: with How the States Trio, Ryan Day, Arthur Smith, and Matt Patricia. Will Morris: That was mine. I thought I thought Ohio st I think Ohio State has the best three. So all right. Let's see. All right, we're gonna go Okay, so this is a team that's outside of the top ten right now. and again, I think in my opinion, I think this is the most compacted college football has ever been. I remember I I watched Josh Page, JP Paul came out and he was talking about how tight things were. it's as tight as he's ever seen it. So because of that, there should theoretically be a lot of teams outside of the top ten that actually have a chance at making the playoff. So give me preseason top ten now. Give me a team outside of the top ten that you think has the best chance to make the playoffs. Canon Stogner: Ooh, well that changes my answer. Will Morris: Okay. Canon Stogner: because I was originally going to say LSU because I thought it was going to be about the best chance to make the a a run at the title. And I actually have written down right here, Penn State is my answer. Will Morris: I do I do have I do have a run at the I I do have a run at the Natty. Okay, let me rephrase the question. So most confident that they can make a run at the Natty if they make the playoff, that's outside of the top ten right now. So high volatility Canon Stogner: All right. Will Morris: team that once they're in the playoff, you say, Okay, they can actually win the natty and that is a different question than just making the playoffs. So yeah. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I was between two teams. I was if the question was originally just make the playoff, my answer was Penn State. I think they're sixteen or seventeen, correct? Maybe eighteen. Yeah, Andrew Wright: 18th. Canon Stogner: so I had Penn State the most because I don't think their schedule is as tough as everybody else's. But my Andrew Wright: No. Canon Stogner: team to make the run at the title game from outside of top ten is the number eleven team, LSU. I've already Andrew Wright: Yeah, easily. Canon Stogner: talked about them enough. They did bring in the number one transfer transfer class. so that is my pick. Andrew Wright: Yeah, LRC is definitely just kind of looking at these rankings. There's just, I don't see anybody that's really jumping out at me that can make a run like they are. Just with all the talent they have, with the head coach they have, like there's, there, I think they're very clear and above the answer to make a run at the Natty if they get in. And I'm also with Canyon, like Penn State. I mean, I have Penn State in. It's like, for me, they're definitely the team that could just easily get there and then they'll choose a team that can make a real run at it when they get there, or if they get there. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean you can you can kind of just see it like just developing over time, but like, Andrew Wright: yeah. Canon Stogner: you know, Lane Kiffin's the biggest troll of anybody in college football. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: And I can only imagine like he goes and wins a national championship with LSU the year after Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: he leaves Ole Miss and all the fans, you know, Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: yelling terrible things at him. Could you imagine Andrew Wright: Thank Canon Stogner: what happens if Lane Kiffin wins the national championship? Andrew Wright: I don't know if I want to live in a world where he does Canon Stogner: I'm not sure he ever coaches again. I think Elon Musk will hire him full time to work with X. So yeah. yeah. Will Morris: College football world would melt down. It would be t it would be total total meltdown. Andrew Wright: to the Canon Stogner: yeah. Yep. Yep. Will Morris: Yep. So all right, so interesting question here, and I I hope y'all I hope y'all prep for this. all right, so what's coach is not on the hot seat radar right now? Because if you this and the reason why I'm asking this question is because this time last year, James Franklin was not on anybody's hot seat radar. Right? They had just come off a very successful season, and so nobody had him on the hot seat, and he's coaching the Virginia Tech this year. So who's that guy this year? Who's the coach that's not on the hot seat radar right now, but Andrew Wright: you Will Morris: given a bad season, he's out. Canon Stogner: Stopes. Andrew Wright: It's... jeez. I guess the first person to pop in my head, I don't know why he did, just kinda first thing would be Mike Elko, maybe? If you ask me my reasoning, I'm not sure. Yeah, I don't know if there's like Canon Stogner: They got the money. They have the money. Andrew Wright: a real true reasoning behind it. It's just kind of the first thing that kind of popped in my head. Like if, if they have another year, Marcel Reed under that system and they kind of, I mean, that would be really hard to justify almost with them Canon Stogner: Okay. Andrew Wright: making the playoff last year. Now they laid an absolute egg on their home field and it was to the runner up in the national championship game, but it was still an absolute egg that they laid with three points at their home field. So obviously one of the toughest places to come in and win in the country. It's like, You follow that up with a really disappointing season with one of what me and Cannon, I think, both had in our top five SEC quarterbacks. Like that gets really kind of hard. If you can't win with Marcel Reed, kind of who can you win with? So that would be my answer. It may be controversial, but Mike Elko at Texas A would be mine. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean one thing about A and is they'll pay that buyout. They got they're still paying Jimbo. Andrew Wright: Jim, we we sold Jimbo Fisher. Yeah, they ain't got a problem to buy out. Will Morris: That's right. And they get rowdy quick. So you start you Canon Stogner: yeah. Will Morris: know, you start losing a couple of games, it can get it gets hot down there in Constation. Canon Stogner: Yes, it does. Andrew Wright: yeah. That would also probably be two straight years of losses to Texas too. So like that, yeah, they can get noisy. Yeah. Will Morris: That's right. That matters. Yep. Canon Stogner: well they are doing renovations. They're thinking they're trying to go to like ten upper deck levels now, so the stadium's gonna be any bigger. Will Morris: Go seat one fifty. Canon Stogner: my coach was Josh Heipel. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: I think this is probably the most obvious non current hot seat guy right now, for the SEC at least. I remember three or four years ago, you know, they they were The year they got blown out by South Carolina, they were like ranked like number four. Yeah. Andrew Wright: number five in the country when it came to South Carolina. Canon Stogner: But they had kind of s been started running this new offense where like a lot of people hadn't picked up on yet. Like race to the line of scrimmage, the receivers, Andrew Wright: Just go. Canon Stogner: like they run the same play. It's either a run or a pass, obviously. But I'm saying like, yeah, but they're they're standing Will Morris: Yeah. Receivers are lined up like two yards from from the yeah. Canon Stogner: beside the coaches. Will Morris: Yeah. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: And they're either gonna hand it off or they call just say one word and the receivers run option routes where if they're playing inside leverage, they're gonna break out. If they're playing outside Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: leverage, they're gonna break in. And they have two guys go deep. And it's pretty much one-on-one who's gonna make the play, the defensive person or the receiver. because they were also exposing a lot of like the run game too, because a lot of people were trying to put more guys like playing five defense defensive backs to defend the pass game and just running all over them. But I think over the last couple of years they've kind of slowed down. Like a lot of teams are honestly starting to run a similar offense to them, but also not being they're not as dominant. They don't have the same caliber receivers they had that year. they obviously lost Hooker and Malik, not Malik. Joe Milton. and then you look at him, he brings in the number one QB, Nico Lamaleva or whatever his name is. he obviously had a okay year that he played and then next year Which was right before the season started. He left a lot 'cause of money. so it's hard to blame for their quarterback situation last year, but this year they didn't bring in anybody like out of the transfer class to be a quarterback. They were it was either between a guy who was the backup last year, in McIntyre, or Faison Brandon. So if Faison Brandon doesn't pan out, he's not recruiting as good as he once was. And Tennessee's Andrew Wright: Mm-mm. Canon Stogner: one of those teams where that's a highly touted job. So he was he was my pick. Well who do you who do you think it is? Well Will Morris: I actually thought about it for a little bit. I think it's Marcus Freeman. I think if things go south, I think if Andrew Wright: okay. Canon Stogner: I was gonna say that. Will Morris: things go south in in South Bend, I think he's out. 'Cause I mean they went, you know, two years ago, they ended up fourteen two, number two team in the country. what y'all laughing at, man? What y'all laughing? Andrew Wright: Can is still Canon Stogner: I didn't get I didn't understand what Yeah. Yeah, I didn't Andrew Wright: get get his delayed reaction. That was good Will Morris: Things go south and south men. Canon Stogner: get it. Will Morris: Yeah. yeah, I mean if he has a bad year, it kind of feels like I think this is a s kind of a similar situation to Texas where it's kind of all been building to this season. Like if Texas Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: goes like you know, Sart's gone, but we all know he's kind of on the hot seat. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: Marcus Freeman, I don't think a as many people are talking about. if it goes south, they're I think he's out. So they've Andrew Wright: Right. Will Morris: got I mean he has to win a minimum of eleven games, I think, during the regular season. If they lose two They lose two, he's probably still there. If they lose three, he's gone. Canon Stogner: Think I think Notre Dame's one of those team I'm I agree with you because Notre Dame is probably the easiest coaching job in college football. Cause I mean, you they'll they'll pay you. Your schedule is obviously very easy and friendly. You're not in a conference. They obviously Andrew Wright: Yeah Canon Stogner: have this new rule now where if you're top twelve, you're gonna be in the playoff automatically qualifying. so and I think You probably don't even have to do a lot of recruiting at Notre Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: Dame. I mean, a lot of it probably has to do with the history and the fan bases and stuff. I mean, if I was the head coach at Notre Dame, I'd just play Rudy all day. Here, just watch this. Five star QB comes in here. Watch this movie. Tell me you don't want to come here. Yeah. Will Morris: And that's why you're that's why you're talking on the Saturday slate and he's coaching the other day. Canon Stogner: Yeah. So I'm like, all right, well, so I do think I'm with you on that. Will Morris: Yeah. Okay. all right. Okay, here okay, I want I want this. I think we talked we talked about this off air. and we just kinda mentioned something along these lines. You just kinda went on a little tangent there. But I want to know I want I want the top three. What are the top three jobs in college football? I think one to me is very obvious, and I think we've discussed this, but give me the three best coaching destinations in the country. Canon Stogner: I will say LSU at one. Will Morris: I totally agree. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: number two. Ohio State. And then number three, I want to say either Michigan or maybe Tennessee? Andrew Wright: I'll agree with your top two there. I'll go Oregon at three for the third best job. Just with the Will Morris: That's what that's what I have. Andrew Wright: just with this what then they have Such unlimited resources and I mean there's a lot of teams that do now that are kind of catching up to that But they were kind of the first ones that really had those unlimited resources with Phil Steele and all the Nike money so I think Oregon is such an attractive job and Even more even a little further than that such as just an attractive place to play because we know how teenagers are now that care about social media and how they look and all that fancy stuff. Oregon has so many different uniform combos and just crazy looks that just really draws attention to people now. So Oregon would be number three for me. I would definitely agree 100 % LSU in Ohio State 1 and 2. Will Morris: Yep. Yep. I have Oregon at three as well. And I think it has something to do with the fact that they are they're kinda outside of the main footprint of college football. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: So in the southeast you have it's just crowded, right? You got LC, you got Alabama, you Georgia, you Texas, Texas Anya. Like there's just there's just so many teams in this area of the country that are fine Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: for resources, fine for recruits. Then you just go out west and you got Southern Cal. You got Washington every once in while, but Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: really the main the mainstay in the last fifteen to twenty years has been Oregon. Andrew Wright: Yeah. Will Morris: And they have the unlimited resources. It's beautiful out there. So Eugene, Oregon Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: is a it's a beautiful place to go play. That stadium doesn't hold quite the capacity that some of the other stadiums do, but from what I hear, it's as loud as any stadium. So easy to recruit because you're kinda out there, you got the cream of crop that you can pick from on the West Coast, and then you can still get in go into Texas, go into Florida and pool just because of the Nike pool, and kind of like you were saying there, do. so yeah, so I think it's LSU, Ohio State and then Oregon. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I was I was kind of I don't I think a lot of it has to do outside of the money that you're given, the money that you're given for the portal and I think the stadium and fan base is a big big one. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Canon Stogner: But I think a lot of it also has to do like a couple years ago before Saban retired, we would have said Alabama. But and Andrew Wright: yeah, easily. Canon Stogner: it's not anybody's fault, but Alabama's Probably one of the toughest jobs you can have. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: And it's all because of Nick Saban and the success that he had while he was there. So I mean I Will Morris: Yep. It's gonna take ten to fifteen years for that to change too. It's gonna take a long time for that to settle. Canon Stogner: A hundred percent. So and I think LSU probably has the most friendly weather of the three teams that we said. So I think that's why that puts them at number one. I think it's clear and obvious. Will Morris: They have a i the Louisiana has a unique culture as well. Like Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: they just have a unique like I mean when you when you go right into LSU you gotta be ready for like rocks coming through the window, you know? And there's not there's not big Yeah, yeah. Who knows? That's exactly right. So Andrew Wright: Yeah Canon Stogner: And tigers. We got tigers getting out. Will Morris: it's a unique place and they got all the money in the world. I mean they got the governor on board basically with, you know, paying for whoever they want to come on that team. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Right. Canon Stogner: Yeah, I mean they have two superstars too. We got Shaquille O'Neill and Angel Reese. Will Morris: Okay. That's one A, one B on the superstar on the superstar list. All right. Okay. any any of those questions that y'all want me to ask that was on that list? Canon Stogner: I was kinda the the head coach, first year head coach. Will Morris: First year hick okay. All right. So there are several high profile Yeah, go ahead, go ahead. Canon Stogner: Hey, before you start before you start before you start, I I do wanna give a quick little shout out. one of the questions that you asked was best under the radar coordinator hire. And I I Will Morris: yeah, go ahead. Canon Stogner: I do wanna give a little quick shout out to Kendall Browse. I think this is the best roster he's ever been a part of. I think the most Will Morris: You think this is the be I mean, I'm a c okay, I'm a Carolina fan. You th you think the roster he has now is the best roster he's ever had as offense coordinator? Canon Stogner: Yeah, yeah. Will Morris: Okay. All right. Canon Stogner: You think you wait, do you Lenore Sellers is better than K J Jefferson? Will Morris: Talent wise, yes. But you said you said Canon Stogner: What about Will Morris: roster though. Canon Stogner: what about Duggan? What offensive side? Offensive side of the ball. Will Morris: The whole roster though, not just not just the QB. Canon Stogner: Well, I mean, I think this is the best offense this is definitely the best offenseline beamers ever had. the best receiving court. Will Morris: We hope. Canon Stogner: I think if you look on paper, yeah. The only thing that kind of makes me think the year that Arkansas had K J Jefferson, Rocket Sanders, and Jaden Hasselwood is maybe the only year that Will Morris: Yeah, or I was thinking one of those years at TCU. I think overall they might have been might have look might have been top to bottom. Now the top end I think you know, you got Nick Harbin, you Lenore Sellers like, okay, top end too. It's kinda like the Big Canon Stogner: What's Will Morris: Ten SEC debate here. But we're getting Canon Stogner: What's the best what's the best job between those three? Will Morris: The best job? Canon Stogner: TCU Arkansas South Carolina, best job. Andrew Wright: fuck off. Will Morris: Yeah, I think so. There there's gonna be a lot of hate coming from northwest Arkansas, but I think it is South Carolina. Andrew Wright: Suck on it, suck on it. Will Morris: Yeah. Canon Stogner: Gotta be. Alright, all right. So anyways go go to the coach. Will Morris: Okay, all right. So there are an unusual amount of high profile jobs that have first year head coaches this year. You have LSU, you got Penn State, you got Florida, Auburn, and then I threw to Kentucky in there as well. out of those five, who do you think is the most likely to outperform expectations there? Because there are some really, really high and elevated expectations for all of those programs, to be honest with you. again, first year head coach. You have the Signetti effect going on now. Every every program expects their their program and their head coach to do something akin to what Signetti did. So let Andrew Wright: Thank Will Morris: me give you the over-unders real quick, and then you tell me who's the most likely to outperform. And again, this is relative to people's schedule as well. So you got LSU and Penn State completely different schedules there. So let me give you the over. So LSU over-under is eight and a half. Penn State over-under is nine and a half. That's high. Florida over over-under is seven and a half. Auburn at six and a half, and then Kentucky at four and a half. Canon Stogner: this was the easiest answer answer for me. I said Alex Golish at Auburn. their spread is six and a half games. And so I was like, okay. I was a little shocked to see Will Stein only four and a half, Auburn six and a half. And I know he brought in a lot of USF guys. I know he brought in Byron Brown. And I was honestly a little high on Byron Brown, especially how he started last year. I saw a video of him a couple weeks ago and I saw his like throwing for him. And it was Pretty horrific to see. I don't know if he's got I don't know if he has shoulder problems or what, or I just didn't notice it last year, but it was tough to watch. so I went and looked at their schedule and I only have them winning two obvious games, which was against Sanford and Southern Miss. The two games I was a little iffy about, probably leaning towards them was Arkansas and Mississippi State and Baylor, where DJ Lagway is now. But if they win those five games, They still have to make up one or two to or two games to win seven, which would be the over on his projections projections. So those are the five games I think they probably should win. I don't see Auburn first year head coach going five and against all five of those teams, but that's what I have. Andrew Wright: I'll go. I'll go Penn State with Matt Campbell. You said 9 1.5. I got him at 10 wins already. It's like that for me there already for me there already a game above that projection. What's that? Canon Stogner: I thought it was underperformed. Andrew Wright: I was really getting concerned. I was Will Morris: Yeah, it was it was out it was outperformed. I was gonna I was gonna let you roll though. Andrew Wright: like, man, how's he getting into seven wins with the way he's talking about it? Canon Stogner: I thought it was underperformed. My answer for outperform was Penn State as well. Andrew Wright: Yes, a Penn State with Matt Campbell. Will Morris: Okay. Okay. Really? So even even at nine and a half, y'all both think they get to ten wins this year? Canon Stogner: Yeah. Andrew Wright: Yeah. you'll hear I got him. You'll hear. I got him too. Will Morris: Okay. Canon Stogner: all right, we'll well thank you for bringing those questions. I think that was very fun. Andrew Wright: Yeah, that was awesome. Canon Stogner: so with heading into week one, we will obviously have an episode out on Thursday right before the week one slate. but we are going to do our final predictions of the season and it is the most important predictions. We are going to do our 12 team playoff. So we're gonna do this in three groups. So we're gonna do one through four. Just briefly talk about the team, because we've talked about every team, at least in my top 12. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: and then talk about five through eight, and then we'll finish it off with the last four in, nine through twelve. So I'll go ahead and give my top four, and probably the biggest surprise. And I I thought I was thinking the rule was a little different when I did this. so mine, but I'm gonna stick with it. I'm gonna stick with it, stoops. Andrew Wright: You go ahead. Canon Stogner: My number one seed is going to be Texas Tech. And I did say earlier I don't think they are had the best roster, but I just think with their schedule and with the way the rest of my teams are going to be beating up on each other, I had them at number one, which means they will win the Big 12. My number two seed, I have Oregon at winning the Big Ten championship and coming in at number two. Number three, I have Miami winning the ACC championship. And then my number four team is going to be the SEC champion and Georgia. So those are my top four conference winners who will come in at the top four in the playoff. What do you have, Will? Will Morris: actually actually pretty similar. except for two, I guess. So one I had Notre Dame. So I think Notre Dame goes I think Notre Dame goes undefeated. I think they beat Miami. to me there's four teams in in the country that have the most talented rosters. I think it's Notre Dame, I think it's Texas, I think it's Ohio State, and I think it's Oregon. Okay, so I think Notre Dame is one of those and they have an easy schedule and I think they get it done against Miami this year. Two, so speaking of, I have Oregon winning the Big Ten. and I have them only having one loss. So I think they are the highest non undefeated team. that Big Ten champion, if they have one loss, that means they They have multiple top five, top ten wins. number three, I do have Miami. So I think the Notre Dame loss is probably going to be their only loss this year. I think they run the table as far as the rest of their schedule goes. I think they get it done in the ACC championship. So I got Miami at three. I have Tex at four, and this is interesting. So my SEC champion is below both Notre Dame, Oregon, and Miami. The reason being is because I think the champion come out of the SEC this year is only going to have Only gonna have ten wins. I think the SEC is so compact from like one to seven or eight that I think it's just gonna be almost impossible to get out of there with just only one loss. so I think the SEC champion is gonna have two losses and I think it's gonna be Texas. So Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami, Texas, one through four. Canon Stogner: I'm kinda glad you like contradict against our Texas. I like it. One of us has to be right. Andrew Wright: Alright, what? What me? What me? Will Morris: I gotcha. I got you. I know. Either way, Marsh Canon Stogner: Mm-hmm. Andrew Wright: Let me ta- Will Morris: Man is playing bad. I know that. All three of us are on board with that. I just think I just think the re Canon Stogner: Yeah. Will Morris: I just think the rest of the world is good enough to make up for it. Canon Stogner: He's gonna he's gonna break every record this year. Will Morris: He Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: sure is. He's poised. Y'all go ahead and get that Heisman ticket. Canon Stogner: Go ahead, Stoops. Andrew Wright: Alright, let me get a little bit, I got a little bit of a different top four than both of you boys. So I do have an undefeated team as well. One seed is not Notre Dame, it is actually Miami. I think Miami beats Notre Dame per second straight year. I think they run the table, beat whoever they're up against in the ACC title game. I think they go 13 and 0. Number two, my ACC champion, Georgia. I have Georgia going 11 and 1 in the regular season and then getting to that 12th win in the conference championship. I have Ohio State, another one-loss team. went into big 10 at number three and then at four, I have BYU at 12 and one as the big 12 champs. So I'm big on the BYU train, not as big on the Texas Tech Train. So yeah, Miami, Georgia, Ohio State, BYU. Will Morris: So so does BYU lose to Texas Tech and then get their get back in the conference championship? Okay. Andrew Wright: Correct, I think so. Will Morris: All right. Canon Stogner: All right, I'll do five through eight. So number five, I have Notre Dame. I think that one loss to Miami is just gonna keep them just out of the playoff. Andrew Wright: you Canon Stogner: number six, I do have Ohio State. I actually I Ohio State was my prediction to win the championship this year. I just think because of their schedule, they have some they'll have some slip ups, or not even slip ups, but they might just get beat one weekend. but I think when it's all said and done. They're the best roster is usually what wins. And I think they have the best roster besides Texas this year. And they definitely have the better quarterback between the two. so Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Canon Stogner: Ohio State at six. and the best coaching staff probably of the schools that I've mentioned so far. number seven, we have not mentioned this team at all. And we're really starting to get disrespectful about but Indiana is my seventh seed. I think Josh Hoover will be that guy this year, and I really don't think he has that hard of a job. I think Signetti is the best coach in football. And I think he will do everything that he has to do to make sure Hoover is ready and he will make sure the offensive system is planned just to how he can play. So I have Indiana at seven. And also I think their schedule's about the same level as Penn State. Not not not not nearly as easy as Penn State, but right there at it. And then number eight, I have Texas. Will Morris: I Andrew Wright: You got Texas in? Canon Stogner: At eight, yeah. Andrew Wright: After we made the bet that if they win 10 games we gotta do a punishment, you gotta man. Okay. Bold strategy, cop. Alright, we'll go ahead. Will Morris: All right. So five through eight here. Is that what we're doing? Alright. So all right. Canon Stogner: Yeah, yeah, five through eight. Andrew Wright: Yeah, Texas. Will Morris: So five I have Ohio State. and I actually think that's a two loss Ohio State. So I think they go ten and two. I think they still get in at the five seed just because of who their losses are going to be to. I actually only have I'm looking at so I I think there's only gonna be one. I think Texas Tech wins eleven, I think Miami wins eleven, Notre Dame wins twelve. And then Oregon wins eleven. But other than that, I think everybody else is going to be ten or less. So I do not think there's going to be a lot of one-loss teams heading into heading into the selection Sunday. So so I got Ohio State at five. I do have Georgia at seven. let me see. I just redid something. Canon Stogner: Who's at six? Will Morris: Yeah, I know. I just Let me come back to that. I got almost at eight, I'll tell you that. Andrew Wright: you Canon Stogner: Okay. We're gonna stupid. Andrew Wright: So I have Notre Dame at five like you can. think that one loss to Miami keeps them right outside the top four. And then I have to play a first round game instead of getting the bye. Number six, I have Ole Miss. Well, that's the SEC runner up. I think that puts them at a 10 and two regular season. And I don't think they'll be punished for playing the extra game and probably losing. Seven, I have Oregon, another conference champion runner up. So another 10 and two team that I don't think will be punished for going. into an extra game and play it in 13th game. And then this is my first team that is not a conference champion, conference champion runner-up or Notre Dame. I have Penn State at 10 and 2. That's the number eight seed in getting a first round game. So that would be my five through eight. Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State. Canon Stogner: Okay. You're hot. Will Morris: It was Texas Tech. I had I had Texas Tech in there. I love I loved them all. So it's Ohio State, Texas Tech, Georgia Ole Miss. That was that's my five through eight. Canon Stogner: I like I like that. I like that. I Andrew, I I you're loving this Penn State team. Andrew Wright: just think, listen here, I'll put a lot of stock into what Josh Pate believes that me and Will are both big on the Josh Pate train. Josh Will Morris: I'm I'm all over that. Andrew Wright: Pate is a big believer in Rocco Beck and Matt Campbell, you know what, so am I, dang it. And the sketch, they have a very... Canon Stogner: All right. Will Morris: I am I I am actually I am actually gonna part from Josh Pate here. I I don't think they get the ten wins. Andrew Wright: They have a very manageable schedule and it's still Penn State. They're going to recruit really good players and they still like even when James Franklin got fired last year, they weren't a bad team after that. They just Will Morris: No. Andrew Wright: got, they just had a couple of really weird weeks and weird games. So yeah, I'm, yeah, Will Morris: They got the wind knocked out of That's what happened. Andrew Wright: I'm really big on the Penn State hype train. Canon Stogner: I just don't understand why I don't I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but like why didn't Penn State go get him immediately if that's that Andrew Wright: Because they're idiots, that's why. Canon Stogner: that's the guy they wanted. Andrew Wright: Because they're idiots. Will Morris: Speaking of Josh Pay, he called that since the beginning. Andrew Wright: Yeah, he did. he Canon Stogner: Did it? Andrew Wright: did. Josh Pate was like, Matt Campbell should be target number one. And he was target number five or six. Yeah, as soon as, yeah, Will Morris: Immediately. Yeah, he said that immediately. Andrew Wright: Matt Campbell needs to be number one target. Canon Stogner: All right, man go ahead. Will Morris: And and that to I was just gonna say, to that point, like Iowa State is not somebody who should be competing for Big Twelve championships year in and year out. But he had he had rolling. And so, Andrew Wright: Right. Right. Will Morris: you know, that's I think to me the way you rate a head coach is not necessarily just absolute win losses. I think you have to rate it relative to the program. So if you're at a place Andrew Wright: Right. Will Morris: like Indiana, this is why I saw what Sigmiddi did is just so impressive. If you're at a program like Indiana and you win the national championship, that's one thing. If you're Ohio State, that's another. So same thing with Iowa State. With Matt Campbell winning as many games as he did there, that just that just levels up how you should view him as a head coach. So I am highman. Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Yep. Will Morris: I just don't think first year head coaches make me nervous. And so I don't think they I don't think they win every winnable game basically. Canon Stogner: Yeah, you never know. Especially when Andrew Wright: Yep. Canon Stogner: they're in a new conference. You have you have no idea. all right, my last four teams that makes it in. Now this does include a group of six team. could surprise some people. My night number nine team is going to be Ole Miss. I do think they'll get in there. Number ten, LSU. I think they'll get in there. Number eleven, Texas AM. I think they'll get in there, so we are SEC heavy. Andrew Wright: Nah, we ain't. Canon Stogner: and then my number twelve team, here comes the group of six. I have now this guy has been running his mouth a lot this year. he's got a loaded group group of six roster. I am taking Dan Mullen and the UNLV Rebels. I know they lost last night. The only game they have that I think they'll maybe be the underdog in is against Cal, in like week five, I think, or week six. So other than that, they should go eleven and one or ten and two. If they do go ten and two, they won't make it in. If they go eleven and one, we're looking at UN L V in January. Will Morris: Okay. All right, my nine through twelve. So here is where I have Indiana. And, you know, I again, we're listening to Josh Pate. This does make me nervous to have him this low. But I just can't I cannot get over the talent hump. Like I know Andrew Wright: Okay. Will Morris: that he loaded up on guys that were twenty eight years old last year. But I just can't get over the fact that they just don't recruit at the level that some of the other guys do. If Signetti works his magic again, I'll eat my words. It just is what it is, but I got him at nine. LSU have a ten. So and this is Again, this is a nine-win LSU. So I do think, again, first year coaches make you nervous unless they're Lane Kiffin, in my opinion. So I'm high on LSU still. I don't think they get to ten wins, but I do think they get to nine, and I think that gets them in. Same thing with Southern Cal. So I got them at eleven. I think they get to nine wins, but I think their three losses are Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon, which is in my list, three of the top nine teams in the country. So I think you go nine and no against everybody else. I think the committee honors that. even over a ten and two BYU, so I think I mentioned mentioned that earlier. And then my group of six team, I got Boise State. this is after watching UNL V get beat. So I will, you know, I'll go ahead and give the nod there. I probably I don't know. Maybe not probably I might have had UNL V in, but after watching them lose, they have to run the table now. Like you just said, if they go ten and two, they're out. So yeah Boise State will round out my my top twelve. Canon Stogner: Less well. Andrew Wright: So I'll go SMU at nine, another conference runner up. Ten and two, regular season. Another team don't think should be punished for an extra game. Ten, it's my big Will Morris: Well Andrew Wright: toy. Will Morris: who was that? Andrew Wright: SMU it now. Will Morris: Okay. All right. Andrew Wright: 10 Texas Tech another conference runner-up and then this is this is where I'll get a lot of bad feedback just the way I think the schedule plays out and the season plays out and with Previous predictions that I already made that I maybe didn't put enough thought into I just think I'm not putting a non-loss team in the college ball playoff So I actually have for a second consecutive season two group of six teams. I have Boise state at 11 and UNLV at 12 And now I would give you one world where based off my predictions where there's a non-win team that gets in, that's if Cal beats UNLV. Like Candice said, UNLV is not getting in with two losses. And then that would bump Boise down to 12 and whatever the committee has their pick of the litter for whatever nine and three team they want to throw in there. But as of now, as we currently stand, nine through 12 SMU, Texas Tech, Boise State, UNLV. Will Morris: Okay. So you've got Canon Stogner: Also Will Morris: Wait, so how many how many SEC and Big Ten teams do you have Du? Andrew Wright: I have two SEC teams, which Will Morris: Oof. Andrew Wright: is crazy. And then Big Ten, I have one, two, I have three. I have Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State. I'm out on Indiana. Will Morris: You got three Andrew Wright: I'm out. Will Morris: Okay. So you got three Big Ten teams, two SEC, two Big Twelve and two ACC, right? Woo. Andrew Wright: Correct, I think all the conference champion runners up will have good enough seasons to get in. Will Morris: Okay. What does that say about the SEC? Let's just theoretically, what if here? If that was to happen, like how how loud would the noise get for the SEC like Yeah. Yeah. Andrew Wright: Very I just think it means they all beat up on each other Which is what I think has the very as can I said like most crazy like the best college football season ever I think that means all those teams are gonna beat up on each other like you said well There's not gonna be that many teams with one or two losses and Mike can't say this this this would be the If we're three years down the road in the playoffs still at 12 teams, this would be the year that we would look back on and be like, man, expansion should have happened a couple years ago. all these, so USC, LSU, Texas A all these teams could have gotten in. Will Morris: Okay. I so I okay, that's so that if that does happen, that's insane. Just just Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: off the rip. Like if there's two if the same amount of teams from the SEC make it as the ACC in the Big Twelve, I think the expansion noise is gonna get to an unreal level. And I don't want that. I like I I think Andrew Wright: Thank Canon Stogner: Greg. Will Morris: the t I think the twelve teams fits the the amount of teams that are actually Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great, yeah, Greg's saying Canon Stogner: But Greg Sankey, they if only if only two teams get in, Greg Sankey has so much pool, they'll have that thing at thirty two next year. All sixteen of those teams will get in. Will Morris: Yeah, yeah. So Yeah, that'd be that'd be insane. so I've got I just counted mine up. So I've got I've got four big t if I count it right. I four Big Ten, four SEC, and now I only have one from the Big Twelve and one from the AC. So I only have Texas Tech and only Miami coming in. And that is just I I think and I hope maybe this is this is maybe a hope that the committee actually does look at how good the SEC and the Big Ten is versus the Big Twelve and the ACC and I do think that some of those nine win teams do actually get in this year over some ten win ten win teams in the AC or the Big Twelve. Now, if BYU ends up at eleven and one and then they lose to Texas Tech in the conference championship, I think BYU probably gets in then. I think a two loss, but the second loss coming in the conference championship, I think they get in. Andrew Wright: I don't know, is that them losing to Notre Dame or Texas Tech in the regular season? Because Will Morris: that's Andrew Wright: like last year they went 11 and 1 and lost to Texas Tech in the regular season and the conversation and they left them out because they played. No, I don't think no, just, yeah, it was just Texas Tech. Will Morris: Yeah. Did did BYU play Notre Dame last year as well? Okay. So I think because of that, I think because they would have one win against either of those two teams, I think they get in this year. Yeah. Andrew Wright: Okay, yeah, that's, Canon Stogner: I got I got something. I had just had a I just had a thought cross my mind and it might be the smartest thing I've ever said on this podcast. I'm Will Morris: Let me let me swap in here. Canon Stogner: I think I think yeah, yeah, yeah. You might have to you might y'all might disagree with me, so maybe I should take that back. But I I just mentioned I think Greg Sankey has so much pull. I was kind of joking, but he really does have a lot of pull. I think the main reason the SEC went to nine conference games is so something like two of the lower half teams do not get into the playoff. So Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Yep. Canon Stogner: I comp I really think the committee's gonna be completely different this year because you're going to nine SEC teams. Are you gonna penalize a team that lost to the top three teams of the SEC? Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: and put in a a Virginia who loses one one game to you know, I mean Andrew Wright: Yeah, Will Morris: Yeah. Let me go espe especially Andrew Wright: yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely right. Will Morris: I think especially if that team I'll I'll expand it to the Big Ten here though, but especially if that team is either Texas or Ohio State because they play each other. So they have Andrew Wright: Mm-hmm. Will Morris: nine regular season game conference games and they play they scheduled because this is th they don't have to. They scheduled each other as well. I think that's a that's a great point. If if Texas Canon Stogner: Right. Yeah, I mean 'cause Will Morris: and Ohio State at the end and that scenario happens, that'd be that'd be a lot of noise. Canon Stogner: Yeah. I mean you got LSU playing Clemson, Oklahoma playing Michigan. I y I think we're starting to see that's the main reason Notre Dame got left out last year, because they didn't play anybody. You're Andrew Wright: Right. Canon Stogner: starting to see a little bit of the committee kind of changing their its course and saying, All right, well, the quality of opponents matters a lot more now than it used to. We're not just looking at total number of wins now. It's gonna be completely different. And guess what? If they do mess up like that this year, we'll it there'll definitely be an expansion next year. Andrew Wright: Yeah, 100%. Canon Stogner: So all right, guys. Well we had a very long episode. I honestly thought this one was gonna be a little bit shorter and it turned out to be our longest one yet. it was Andrew Wright: Yeah. Canon Stogner: a great episode. We got to talk a lot about football, a lot of different topics thrown around. we are very appreciative of Will jumping in here. He is going to hop on every now and then, either doing a preview of a s Saturday slate or doing a recap of the previous weekend. So he'll pop in here and there. but we enjoyed having you, Will, and we look forward to seeing you. Remember, we will be posting on Monday and Thursday. And Will's phone actually did just die, so he is frozen. So great timing out of him. So yeah you video will be up on Monday. Look out for the preview of week one coming up. on Thursday. Thank you all. Make sure you like, comment, and subscribe.