Welcome to the solid verbal.

I'll ah for me.

I'm a man, I'm forty.

I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy.

You want to be happy for a day?

Edo state is that?

Whoo whoo?

And no, Dan and Tie, good news, he's back.

Dan Rubinstein, welcome back to the show.

My friend.

We missed you on Saturday night Sunday morning.

How are you, my friend.

I'm good.

I missed you too.

I was so impressed that you were able to do a solo show.

And I know there are podcasters and radio hosts that you know, discuss any number of topics that are able to do that kind of thing solo, but that's not a muscle that we specifically stretch at all.

Basically occasionally, but really that's that's a rare occurrence for this show.

You seem to do a good job.

I jumped in and watched it silently for about ninety seconds.

I don't know if you saw me in the comments, but you seem to be confident.

You seem to have a good hair night.

There was a look of energy in your eyes, and so I don't know, the response seems to be good.

I watched some football on Saturday, but I had wedding festivities to attend to late in the afternoon and getting ready and doing all sorts of stuff and socializing with wedding stuff.

But I watched a chunk and then I furiously watched as much as I could on the flight back, the four hour flight back from San Diego to Chicago, and then watched more last night, watch more this morning.

Tried to ingest as much as I possibly could.

And then there was the Brian Kelly fired story that sort of threw all of us into a pit of Okay, why we know why it happened, but where are we going from here?

What's the money situation?

Who was making the decisions?

We're going to get into that a lot.

I love a discuss yeah on that front.

But you had a good time at the wedding.

I understand there was another uber situation, though, tease, we'll discuss it later.

Yes, we did have another uber situation.

We had an uber situation up in State college as well, but alast we will get to that.

It is a pleasure, as always to have you back.

It is a privilege to be in this seed is alongside you, and it is a privilege to be among the verballerhood.

Hit follow, hit subscribe so that you do not miss any of our episodes.

Of course, we've got verballers dot com.

That's where you can go if you want to support what Dan and I do.

Bonus episodes, add free episodes, play in the games, voting the polls that we're going to talk about here in a second participation in stick a lot of stuff out there for you have for Ballers dot Com if you're a fan of the show.

But alas Dan, we should start at the very top.

The coaching co The roar is getting a little bit louder each and every Sunday, Dan Rubinstein, it has a bit active on the coaching side of things here.

For the last few weeks, we had a couple big chips fall, that being James Franklin and then Billy Napier.

I had speculated a little bit without knowing anything obviously when I did the stream on Saturday night, that perhaps Brian Kelly could be next.

At a minimum, we knew it wasn't going well for Brian Kelly correct LSU the offense, they've not been able to reboot that.

Defensively, they've been mostly pretty good.

That was until the second half of that A and N game on Saturday night, when A and M just blew the doors off him.

So it came apart rather quickly.

It seemed apparent that things were not going to live up to preseason expectations here in twenty twenty five, and amid a steady drumbeat of rumors and speculation and whispers throughout the day on Sunday, the news came down round eight pm Eastern Ish on Sunday night that in fact, Brian Kelly was fired at LSU.

He's got a sizable buyout.

There is some offset language in that, so if he ends up taking another job, it's not quite as big a hit to LSU, similar in some respects to what we saw go down at Penn State with James Franklin.

But this is a pretty big move because I think instantly this vaults to the top of the power rankings as arguably the best job that is available in college football, mindful of the fact that there could be more to come down the line.

I don't think it was a gigantic surprise that they would move on Brian Kelly, but I just think the way everything unraveled for LSU nine weeks into the season, amid all of the hype, all the talking that we did in the run up to this year, talk about a turn of fortunes.

Just incredible the way this thing unfolded over the last month or.

So, an incredible run of two three years of LSU football intrigue.

Right to go from a record setting Heisman quarterback offense to a disastrous offense given you the return of Garrett nus Meyer and the promise of a deep stable of running backs and receivers and tight ends, and I guess the ceiling or the potential of those guys seemed to be super intriguing.

And the big question was can the defense continue to take big steps forward?

Seemingly yes before this weekend at least that the defense was not the problem with this LSU team.

If you were going to list the problems that needed to be solved, defense was nowhere near the top.

And they just couldn't figure things out at any one given time.

And Brian Kelly's specific tenure was marred by immediate promise you and you have a lot of Brian Kelly experience, and we're going to go all over the place with this, but you were positive there would be quarterback controversies plural, and there were none basically right right, that they bring in Jaden Daniels and he is good and then incredible, and then Garrett Nusmeyer takes over and is largely good, albeit inconsistent.

But there was never a huge call for like this program cannot continue this way.

And so obviously everything you know, came to a head on Saturday night with that second half against Texas A and M.

And we'll get there more specifically, well, you obviously already went there Saturday night.

But Brian Kelly seems to have been these past couple years on constant edge, right the loss to USC to begin last season, where he's slamming the table, the postgame after I think the Florida win when there was a question was it the Florida win, when he was like, why aren't you saying nicer things?

Right?

We just won a game.

Like He's been under a ton of pressure, has worn that pressure very publicly, it seems, And the report was there was an argument with some powerbrokers and Scott Woodward the ad about firing assistance, and it all came to a head after the game, and you know, gets fired unceremoniously Sunday after the A and M game.

I just.

You could see it coming.

You didn't know if it was going to happen this week or a different week or in the off seat, Like it was just not meant to be long term, and it was not clearly getting better in any one phase on offense or sorry, that's a weird way of putting it.

It was not heading in a direction where you're like, I see this is going to go well soon, and it had to happen.

I don't know what your reaction was in terms of how quickly this happened.

Like this is going to be an absolutely bonkers carousel season.

It already is with openings at Florida, LSU, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Like it's already crazy, UAB, Colorado State.

There's gonna be just I'm not saying those things to be like cheeky, like there are gonna be reverberations with every one of these jobs throughout the sport to like seventy three schools.

Well, the biggest loser in this outside of Brian Kelly, is a team like Penn State, which thought it was moving first and has since been seemingly pushed into the shadows because of some other really high profile openings that have emerged here over the last few weeks.

This isn't to say that the Penn State job is any different now, but relative to the field, there's just a lot more competition.

The thought that came to mind, you remember years ago when South Carolina I think, moved to Firewell mush Champ in advance of what appeared to be a bidding war then for Tom Herman, and I don't remember if it was Will mush Champ or whoever South Carolina got rid of, but they didn't get Tom Herman because suddenly there was a bunch of stuff that went down in the coaching world.

There were a bunch of other openings that popped up, and yeah, South Carolina ended up being just kind of an afterthought amid a coaching carousel, and I fear a little bit for that on the Penn State side.

This is not a Penn State conversation, but certainly with LSU opening up, as I said at the top, this job vaults right to the top.

Each of the previous what three coaches who have been at LSU have won national championships.

Brian Kelly did not.

I'm curious to know if what we have seen go on around college football with teams firing coaches, specifically the Florida firing.

Yeah, if that had anything to do with the early termination of Brian Kelly, because you're right, I mean, this was not going in a good direction.

It felt like it was going to end up at this point anyway.

If there was kind of a flashpoint with a conversation between Kelly and Woodward and at play caller duties, things of that nature, then maybe that contributed.

But I do wonder if all of the talk about Florida targeting Lane kiffen led to LSU wondering, hey, should we make the move now so that we don't get left on the sidelines, if maybe that's the guy that they want, Because if you read Bruce's article, if you read many articles out there, lane Kiffin is the first line on seemingly all of them.

There are a bunch of teams that are gonna want Lane Kiffin services.

So I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

Of course, we'll never know for sure.

On the bk side, I mean, I think it is telling for sure what you just described of him.

Very publicly wearing that pressure because Brian Kelly, for the overwhelming majority of his career, has been good at not doing that.

We've described him as many things, I would say, chief among them a politician.

Right right now, I was just gonna say he wears it with his red face on the sidelines.

We've seen those notreed ames, of.

Course, No, no, no, of course.

But in terms of the press conference, in terms of the press conference, Brian Kelly has been a seasoned political professional.

Sure, and people who cover the team will tell you as much.

Nobody really knows this guy.

That's always been his deal.

He's very good at kind of keeping true feelings, keeping true thoughts close to the vest, at least when he is in front of the cameras.

Like that, and the fact that it seemed as though he was feeling a little bit more pressure than usual on that stage, I thought was telling yeah, and it did feel a bit like he was flailing, right, He couldn't get the coordinator thing right.

It was clear that he understood the expectations within the LSU community and that he was not living up to them.

And so yeah, I expected we would have some sort of change, But it did surprise me that it came in the manner that it did, and I do wonder if it had something to do with what else has gone on around the world of college shipball with respect other openings.

Right, so you know you're going to have the names that have been bandied about for some of these big jobs you mentioned Lane kiff And obviously he has it very good at ole Miss and in Oxford, both in terms of where that program is right now in annually threatening double digit wins.

And he's got a very clear level of autonomy in how he runs his program.

Right, the program like ole Miss, which is not used to this level of consistent success in the modern era, has found a coach getting to getting them to that point.

So they're letting him do what he wants.

And does that kind of freedom exist at LSU?

Does that kind of freedom exist at Florida or Penn State?

Right?

Who knows?

Who's to say.

There's a lot of money behind the scenes those types of places that like having a say in things and like having their hands shaken at golf events, and that's not necessarily Lane Kiffen's life allegedly in Oxford, Mississippi, And so he's got it good and so I don't know what if he's got bad blood with anybody behind the scenes in any of these places because he wanted a job at a different point.

You know, there's always going to be those kind of behind the scenes things.

But LSU is also in this position of looking for a coach now because it's not just their own search and vetting candidates, it's they want it to be very clearly known that this job is open.

So if Lane Kiffin is weighing things, if Kenny Dillingham is weighing things, if Mike alco I take your pick of any of John's sumrawl, any of the names that are being talked about for jobs like this, are considering their future that they know that LSU may in fact be an option that they could go after, or maybe an option that is going after them.

So LSU's a great job LSU.

You mentioned the national championships.

The previous coaches who won national championships and ed ors are on Les Miles and Nick Saban.

And it's a place you can recruit at an incredibly high level, top five, it's transfer portal destination.

You're going to have financial support.

Obviously, there is some leadership questions at LSU at the moment, they don't have a president.

They have an interim president.

The governor is part of this search and decision.

That's what you really want.

You really want politicians part of the most critical conversations and decisions.

Seem to be an incredibly popular guy at the moment.

But I suppose that's a different conversation.

Sure that LSU is in a period of transition, not the least of which is like, Hey, this is the ad who gave both jimbo Fisher and Brian Kelly these buyouts.

Like nobody has been more talented recently at finding coaches past their prime and paying them over one hundred million dollars not to coach.

Why is this guy still employed at the moment?

Maybe that changes soon, I don't know.

So LSU, it does seem like they're at an extremely obvious transition point here in terms of behind the scenes and very publicly.

So we'll see LSU is going to be one of those programs too though that's going to be just fine in terms of not even rebuilding.

I think people just either want to play for LSU or not.

I don't know I saw this.

I don't remember where I saw this.

I saw this online.

It was a good point being made that it's one of the few schools that people commit to and not necessarily the coach.

I saw that too.

I saw that too, and so not an original thought for me, but I sort of respond, I think of ffirmatively to that.

So it's a fascinating job.

Brian Kelly will be hired elsewhere, he will if he wants to be if.

I think it's probably going to be part of his language.

It is part of the offset language in the contract.

And again, the way that this works is the buyout figure on its face is something like fifty four million, give or take, but if he takes another job, there will be an offset involved based on what he has paid.

They also structured this so that the buyout isn't due all upon the termination.

It can be spread out over several years and months.

Yes, so it's not like LSU was on the hook for this money right now, and they may not be on the hook for all of it depending on what BK does next.

I would not put it past him to just say I'm going to take a one dollar media job and you could pay me my fifty four million dollars please exactly right.

But we will see, certainly if he wants to coach again, there will be no shortage of options that are out there.

I think I counted something like eight Power four openings right now.

There are definitely more to come in the very near future, over the next month or so, as we get really down the stretch.

Run here by the.

Way, Colorado question mark, Michigan state question mark, Wisconsin question mark, Florida state question mark.

Yeah, there's a lot out there.

And then there was the story I don't know if you touched on this Saturday night.

There was the story of the denial about potential interest going from the Texas job to a job like the Tennessee Titans in the NFL.

I mean, that's sort of the point, though.

The point is this coaching carousel is friggin nuts.

And my point on Saturday night was, I mean, at the time we didn't know about LSU.

I had it going to be so many bad decisions.

I know, I kicked around the idea that maybe LSU could make a move, but I didn't know anything.

I started the show by talking about the whole Texas rumor thing and how it would essentially be like dropping a second Jupiter in the solar ceitatu.

Yeah, in terms of coaching openings and this carousel that we speak so much of now, having Texas in there in that equation would just upset the balance of the force completely, whether you're a Penn State or a Virginia Tech.

Like, everybody has to go down a few pegs in terms of who they think their top candidate is, who they should be targeting.

If you've got jobs like Texas, now LSU out there, buddy, definitely changes Auburn.

It definitely outlast these dudes.

It changes the calculation.

You will see how Auburn ends.

Obviously, Auburn a nice step forward with their win and scoring more than twenty points in an SEC game with their win against Arkansas buys him a little bit of time.

But this is going to There are only so many coaches to go around, by the way.

That's the thing.

Like, if you're will Stein right now, if you really want a.

Big job, buddy, if you're will Stein right now, let's get focused.

Let's get focused.

I'm just ves, Yeah, Oregon Wisconsin was not a great watch, but yes, no, there are only so many coordinators that seem to have the necessary experience and upside, there are only so many head coaches who seem like they could handle some sort of huge power conference job or you know a G six head coach who could make that leap.

There's only so many guys, and then there's going to be three seven schools who are like, oh god, we're down to our eleventh choice, okay, and like splashing water like I guess Frank Reich for an interim year, Like we'll do that too, Like he'll just go on a tour of interim jobs.

Yep.

Yeah, it's it's going to be a wild Thanksgiving time, it really.

I mean the portal is what early January?

Now, portal's early January, but early signing day is before then.

It's uh, it's going to be something else.

And I can't wait, truly can't wait.

There are going to be there's gonna be a fifteen million dollar head coach.

There are going to be some very bad decisions made.

What is Lane Kiffin's worth right now in the open market, if Ole, Miss Florida and LSU want him, what is his worth?

I mean he is Scrooge McDuck diving into the sea of gold coins.

Yes, And that's whether he stays at Old Miss or whether he goes to any number of these openings that are out there.

Chief among them, I think, being Florida and LSU.

It seems like they're both in the running for Lane Services.

Per our friend Bruce Felban over at The Athletic, the candidates that he lists out for LSU Lane Kiffin, obviously, Eli Drinkwitz, Kenny Dillingham, Clark Lee, and John Sumrawl.

Those are the five names.

Some are more realistic than others.

I think it stands to reason that a guy like a Kenny Dillingham is worth a phone call, but definitely seems like an ASU guy through and through I would never expect to be.

I'm almost positive he's from Arizona, went to ASU, and so did his wife.

Yeah, there's a lot.

I think there's deep roots.

Yeah, there's a lot of reason to think that dilling Ham's not going anywhere.

But I look at a name like a Clerk Lee, I don't know if he's high enough profile for the LSU job.

I mean his top ten team in the NBC right now.

Yeah, I don't know.

But Nashville through and through.

But he's Nashville through and through.

Yeah, LSU any of these jobs can probably afford to pay him a lot more than what he's getting right now at Vandy.

But is that even a consideration, I don't know.

Right So, there is definite value in staying where you're at if you feel like you have a good thing going.

There is definite value in not necessarily chasing the bag if you feel comfortable with the system that you have built.

I think that's part of why Bruce did not go to the same extremes as some others enlisting Marcus Freeman on this list.

I understand why people would want Marcus Freeman.

It totally makes sense to me.

I don't think he's leaving.

I think he's got a good thing.

I think he's got it humming at Notre Dame.

He's got an exciting young quarterback, he's building a young defense.

I understand why you got to make that call, But I don't think he's moving.

And so that puts a lot of teams like LSU in a really interesting spot.

To your point, there just aren't a whole lot of coaches go around that rise to the level of some of these marquee openings.

They should.

This is why I say fifteen million dollars.

Seventeen million dollars.

That's supply and demand.

They should throw twenty million dollars at saving.

LSU throw twenty million at saving.

He said it was his the biggest regret was leaving LSU for the Dolphins.

Throw five million, whatever it takes, whatever it takes to get Nick saving.

That's what I would do.

I think he's got it's so good right now.

I'd throw whatever he wants at him.

How old doesn't matter.

Make him say no, well they will, they will have that.

I mean, look, Scott Woodward is not afraid if he's employed to have that kind of conversation.

We're like, well we'll give you a three hundred million dollar buyout.

Make him say no, yeah, of course, But then, like you have to be realistic.

It's been a very good season, by the way, for also the like media these days.

Coaches.

I think, so we had Sark, We've had Mike Elko, We've had I think Eli Drinkwitz, uh just and Lane Kiffin had the conversation with his team, which is.

Like the most adult way that you can handle it.

I remember Chip Kelly doing that before with Oregon.

We're like, you know my name being in these conversations is about the hard work that we all do together.

It's you know, it's if my name weren't in these conversations, that means we all weren't doing something right.

So yeah, we'll see what happens.

I cannot wait.

This is gonna be great.

We will do our best here in this on demand audio format to keep you up to speed as best we can.

But who's going to be that name?

I don't know, man, I'm saying, who's going to be that name?

That you're just like, oh, Casey Hewett, okay, right, that you're just like Penn State hire Casey Cut Okay, somebody's going to be out of complete nowhere.

And oh Penn State hired Tom O'Brien.

All right, bring it back, Bill O'Brien.

It's not going so hot at Boston College anyway.

Arm.

We will do our part here to keep you up speed.

Of course, we welcome your feedback cliverbal at gmail dot com, Dan before we get to the polls, before we get to hour of our baller top twelve projected college football playoff bracket, which I translated and put together for all you all, We've got a little game here that I believe we're going to call snapchat.

Is that right?

Snapchat?

That's what I have down here.

It's a name we invented, I believe.

Sure, Yes, never heard that word before in my life.

So what we're going to be doing is we're going to be taking a week nine not opinion, but like a snapshot of a week nine performance or team.

I think we have a sound here somewhere here, right, that's a polaroid.

Yeah, nice little snapshot.

You can just give it one more time, maybe pump up the volume a little bit.

Okay, here it is.

Yeah.

Did you have a Goloyd camera long time ago?

Yeah?

Yeah, it's great.

Shake it.

I don't think shaking does anything.

I think it just sort of reveals itself, no matter how vigorously it's shaken.

And I want to take a week nine result.

We'll start here, Okay, Yeah.

Is this Kansas State that we have just seen throwing the ball all over Kansas getting Texas tech?

I believe next week in the little apple, is this now?

Who Kansas State is?

I almost want to say, like using the polaroid thing, is this before or after?

Okay?

After being there a completed project?

And yes, before they were a little lumpy in certain places still struggle to September.

Is this an after image or are we somewhere in between before, after or in between in this Kansas State snapshot with a devastating pass rush, forcing a ton of mistakes, forcing you know, threes threes in out, I don't know, three and outs on Kansas and dominating that team in a big rivalry moment on the road in a caseotic Big twelve.

Is this an after image for Kansas State?

Well, you're going to have to explain to me whether or not it's an after image, before image, during image, but I can Here's what I'm.

Going to say about Kansas after It means like this is who they are now they've completed their transfer.

They are Yeah, okay, this is who they are.

And I will talk a little bit about this when we get to projected playoff brackets.

By the way, Kansas State is not in that bracket.

That's not what not as a moment, but can affect it, but can affect it in a really meaningful way.

And to go further, Dan, there is a scenario in which Kansas State could still end up playing for the Big Twelve title.

Oh my god, Okay, all right, It is not likely.

It would be a very hard road.

But if Kansas State continues on a run there's and get some help, there is a chance that they could even play for the title.

You know, I'm a bit of a Big Twelve slash conference tiebreaker hobbyist.

I look at these things every week starting in middle of October.

I've got a whole list of things here that I'll read through with all four of the power conferences.

But well case State, kse State, to your point, could absolutely affect things in a really, really big way the remainder of the season.

And what dawned on me as I was watching the game that they just they rolled one up on Kansas I mean, they killed them.

I was starting to think, Okay, this team is now finding itself, this team is clicking, this team is finding itself.

This could be who they are now.

And if that is the case, if Kansas State finally lives up to what I mean I and many others thought they could be in the preseason, then that's going to be a very serious wrinkle in the Big Twelve, which is frankly wide open.

I mean not to give away the game too much, but I'll say it here I mean, we know about BYU, but Texas Tech, Utah, Cincinnati, Houston seven to one of firs they are TCU, Kansas State?

Or is this smattering of teams that I think all have a really big part to play.

Are all going to be very active with respect to that season ending tiebreaker?

There will be with an ASU by the way, with Arizona State.

Yeah, Arizona State, I think to a lesser degree, but sure we can throw them in there as well.

They'll erect things though, they will absolutely affect things.

So it's just a wide open conference as ever, and if Kansas State goes on a bit of a run, even if they don't make it all the way into that you know, top two conversation, they're absolutely going to affect things.

I thought they looked damn impressive, and I realized it was Kansas and Kansas doesn't really play a whole lot of defense.

But it's not about that with Kansas State this year, it's not really been great that at all.

It has been about do they look like they know what they're doing out there?

Does it seem like they are organized?

Can they stay out of their own way?

And it felt to me like we saw all of that rectify itself in the rivalry spot of all times.

So for me, I was damn impressed by what I saw from Kansas State.

Yeah, if the term mistake prone is not used in connection with a Kansas State Saturday, Kansas State's largely gonna win games.

Like they turned Kansas over I think four times.

Yep, they were better.

Actually, yeah, they were better.

I want to say on third and fourth down.

They put up more yardage and they were just it seemed like they were in Jalen Daniel's face just constantly.

The pass rush was there.

They created confusion and to do so on the road.

I am hopeful that is it is an after image because like you, I am a fan of a chaotic November in the Big Twelve and Kansas State, even though they have the losses.

We are also now talking about a TCU team that's inconsistent to BYU team that looks incredibly consistent in that they find ways to figure out a winning formula as the game goes on.

And we're now talking about a Texas Tech that should have a very very good, if not excellent defense all year long, but is down to Mitch Griffiths, Right, Will Hammond gets heard was a non contact knee injury in the second quarter.

I don't know.

I don't think I've seen anything significant, but maybe I've just missed it.

And Mitch Griffi has played well right for Texas Tech.

That was Oklahoma State, but we're down to a third stringer at Texas Tech at the moment.

We shall see.

So, yes, it is.

You know, Iowa State is not going to be competing Lard doesn't look like they are built to compete for anything big.

At the moment, it's gonna be great.

Cannot wait.

Happy that Kansas State is going to have a say in what happens.

Yeah.

By the way, will Hammond done for the year with the torn Aco.

He has done?

Okay?

Yeah, so that's a huge bomber because again we saw him on the road of Utah and what he did in that affair.

Suddenly the Baron Morton health question becomes much more important.

Yep, much more important.

So what else you Baron Morton quote ready to go for critical big twelve stretch as a fifteen.

That's good?

That good?

Okay, I hope it lasts.

What's next?

Snapshot Vanderbilt?

Snapshot Vanderbilt.

Now they get a win over Miszoo.

That was crazy impressive, largely because of the defense, it seems.

I watched a good chunk of this game.

They got key stops and Miszoo turned.

It was Matt Zohler's the backup quarterback when bo Berbula went down.

He's likely done for the year.

I think they saw outside chance later, which is not a term I love.

So I feel pretty terrible for Mzoo fans in that team because bo Burbula was a hell of a spark Bandy's now their highest rength they've been since nineteen thirty something seven at number nine.

This is who Vanderbilt is?

You believe now at this point, because I know you've said in that show that I always love Vanderbilt.

I'm mister Danderbilt.

Do you believe at this point that Vanderbilt is who they are now showing themselves to be.

I mean, I think they have shown themselves as the same team all year.

Agree, But they're more tested now having faced Sue now Maszoo.

They're more tested, but they're not really anything different than they've been.

Okay, what I found was most interesting about this Miszoo game, and I mentioned this on Saturday Night Vanderbilt's entire formula.

And you guys have heard me say this isa zillion times over now, so this is nothing new.

It's based on controlling the ball.

It's based on efficiency, limiting opposing drives, making the opponent, forcing yourself to be more efficient, but more importantly, forcing your opponent to be efficient if they want to win.

Yes, they didn't do any of that against Miszoo.

They lost the time of possession pretty handily.

They weren't that efficient when they had the football.

This was a game, for all intents and purposes that sort of broke their little mold and they had to figure out a way to get it done.

This is obviously a close game, seventeen to ten mm HM.

The fact that they find a way to win this game against a good team, albeit without bopabula for most of the game with mad Zolars coming in, but it was still a very losable game.

Mazoo played okay with mad zolers.

I just think the way that Vandy found a way to get this one done speaks volumes about there being more to this team than just that very specific formula I have talked about.

Because every team faces this and more often than not, It's what's what defines a team as you go through a season.

It's not about the things we know, it's about the stuff we don't.

How do you react to a new situation, to a new wrinkle.

We saw that this week with Vanderbilt.

It might not have been the sexiest game.

It might not be the biggest name that the biggest game that we talk about in the headlines, because there were a bunch of other big ones, and obviously the BK news and all this stuff kind of grew up around it, and we didn't talk a whole lot about vanday Mazoo.

But I just thought the way that they won was impressive.

I think this is a fully formed team at this point now.

And able to compete for the conference.

I think so.

I think so too.

I think so.

I mean, that's just where we're at in the SEC.

The SEC Tennessee game, the SEC is.

Kind of wide open.

It's kind of wide open kind and I'll get to that too.

But the game this week on the road at Texas is damn interesting for reasons maybe that I can outline a little bit later on.

Got Auburn at home, got Kentucky at home, got Tennessee on the road to close out the year, maybe the biggest Vandy Tennessee game ever.

Frankly, with what might be on the line here for Vanderbilt, I think they're good enough to beat those four teams.

And they beat all those four teams, and yeah, we're you know, the conversation here is can Vandy get into and can Vandy play for the SEC title?

If not that, if you win out, if you win those four games, you go eleven to one in the SEC vand he's in the playoff.

Oh yeah, yes, they're in the playoff, right they are?

Can I give you another snapshot the Pitt Panthers?

Okay, Pitt, is that the point where thank you for.

Giving me this opportunity?

Please, You're welcome, of course.

So they lose a terrible game at West Virginia, chaotic game against West Virginia, and a close game to Louisville at home.

Since that game, they've beaten Florida State, destroyed Boston College, comfortably beat Syracuse, and pretty comfortably beat NC State, who did score on them, but Pitt scored fifty plus.

And we should also mention they had a quarterback change that has you know, sort of paid significant dividends.

So the Pitt Panthers, are they transformed enough from there before?

Picture taken in the middle of the backyard brawl against West Virginia with Mason Heinschel, if I pronounced that correctly, who has been nothing short of legitimately good as a freshman given the context that he is, you know, the relative reality.

You know that he is a freshman.

He's been good.

He's been a really good acc quarterback since taking over on the road at home, you name it.

Are you a believer that this current pit snapshot reeling off these wins is an accurate one?

This is their after image.

They are going to threaten a very difficult stretch to finish out the year.

And what's Georgia Tech, Miami and Notre Dame.

Yep, yeah.

Are you a believer in what we're seeing being the real Pit?

I am.

I am not necessarily a believer in them ripping off a four to zero finish to this season because of what they've got left, right, They do get Notre Dame at home, which in the past has definitely been one of those games that gives me heartburn.

Not an amazing home field advantage.

Not an amazing home field advantage, but alas there's a little bit of baggage with a game like that.

Are they good enough right now in their present state to knock off a Georgia Tech or Miami?

I would say yeah, I don't think both, but I think they're good enough to be one of the two.

Because the ACC also feels like it's in a great deal of fox.

If Pitt is going to be a team now that can throw for four hundred yards a game with this quarterback, as they did this past week against and State, that suddenly changes things.

What I don't like about Pitt is that they're not really running the ball that effectively right.

You know, the numbers so far this year, with what they've done on the ground, have not been right.

There are dimensional tea, yeah, anywhere close to what I expected.

And so I think you know, outside of Stanford who they play this week, of those remaining three teams, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Miami, all three are good enough to beat a one dimensional team.

But if you're that good enough on offense through the air, there's always a chance.

And Mason Heischel has obviously found something here that patn Ardousey thinks they can use to their dantage.

He's played really, really well.

So am I buying Pitt right now as like the fully evolved version of its former self?

I would say, yes, Am I buying Pitt as a legitimate ACC contender, which is still a possibility if they went out.

No, I'm not buying that yet, but I think it's at least a conversation, Like I don't fully believe it, even though I really believed in Pitt at the start of the year, I don't fully believe it that they can go on this run and that they can get themselves back in this thing.

But if nothing more, the changes that they have made mid stream to this offense have been incredible, you know, having the goal to bench Eli Holstein, who everybody was really high on through most of the first half year.

Yeah, yeah, and even you know the beginning part of this year.

The fact that they made the move when they did, he has given this whole team new life.

Mason Heichel.

So I'm in on Pit.

Not as high on Pitt obviously as I was at the start of the year, but as the stands right now, they're only four and one in the ACC.

You know, there's a bunch of one loss teams in there, all of which are very much in this conversation.

So why not Pitt.

Why not?

Now we'll see what they can do.

I'm totally in on Pitt as an ACC threat, like the best of recent pit I think Pitt is that once again, you're right about this schedule they do have.

So they have Georgia Tech a week before Tech has Georgia, and they have Miami for its second consecutive road game.

I want to say, after Syracuse, it's like Miami traveling up to Syracuse, back home, then back to Pittsburgh, which doesn't seem great in terms of a travel schedule.

And I think Miami is largely roaded to finish out November.

I think three of their five games are on the road to finish things out.

And Notre Dame.

I don't think is sandwich by anything, but that won't affect their ACC, you know, standing the Notre Dame game either way, I think Pitt is absolutely.

You watch what they're able to do on defense.

They stop the run, they do a decent job pressuring the passer, and they're moving the ball with a quarterback who is still feeling out the college game, and so it almost feels like Mason Heinschel's potential is you know, unknown at this moment because he is so young.

So it's an exciting time I think to be a Pitt fan.

Hopefully they reward their fans for sticking with them after last year's debacle of a finish, losing whatever six or seven in a row.

I mean, we got a long email last week talking about Pitt oh good and how this sort of new energy has transformed the fan base, transformed the team.

How it is definitely to your point given hope.

So I'm all for that, and I'm just it's a really tough stretch to close out this season.

They're definitely going to need to grow up very quickly.

Young Mason Heinschel is going to have his work cutout for him going up against the likes of Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in Miami.

But if through some miracle of the universe, Pitt would go three to zero against the remaining ACC schedule, which is stand for Georgia Tech in Miami, Pitt would be in this thing.

Pitt would probably be playing for the a SEC title.

I'm gonna give you a team that nobody ever talks about Okay, nobody, nobody.

The Texas Longhorns.

Yeah, the Texas Longhorns are I'm gonna say impressive in that they were able to come back against Mississippi State.

I saw that they were down ten seventeen points late in this game, and I was like, psh, Texas does it again.

I thought they were I thought thought they were totally cooked.

Yeah, watched the game after the fact, came away extremely impressed that this Texas team didn't go into that that Dark Knight alone whatever.

I totally screwed up my analogy here, my reference, but they did not go easily into that something night.

I don't know.

The pass rush was insane.

Seven sacks game, seven sacks of Blake shit.

They overwhelmed.

And I really loved Blake Shape's performance in that game, like he played confidently.

He went into that the teeth of that Texas defense.

He felt empowered, and the Texas defense turned it up.

They turned up the heat, and they absolutely won that game for Texas.

I love that they were getting the ball to Ryan Wingo in space.

He is mister screen.

They might not have all that confidence in Arch Manning throwing the ball downfield, and he's now hurt.

I don't know to what extent.

I don't know if more news has come out since you know, Matthew Caldwell won that game in overtime For the Horns, They've only lost once in the SEC, as you mentioned, a wide open SEC.

They're in the thick of this SEC race with as disappointing as this offense has been this year.

So my question to you is this Texas team a team with a growth opportunity or should we accept this current snapshot?

You know, they are a team that has talent, can do fun things, but ultimately need overtime to beat Mississippi State.

They've already lost to one team that fired their coach in Florida.

Is this one of those teams that just is who they are?

And hopefully we get a good week from them and they can compete, But there's nothing you can count on about this team week to week.

Okay, So you want to hear my crazy theory.

I'm ready.

This is going to be one of those things that I say aloud and I can't believe him saying it aloud, but it's definitely something that has been rattling around in the deep dark corners of my mind.

With respect to Texas and especially now on the heels of what could be or could not be rumors about Steve Sarksian longer term as the coach.

Arch Manning had a pretty good statistical game here, and I thought there were definite moments throughout the course of this one where he showed some actual growth.

Okay, close to three hundred and fifty yards passing three touchdowns, had the one interception, but by a large a pretty good game for Arch before he got hurt.

I think Arch Manning has a concussion.

I'm not a medical professional.

He took quite a lick on the back of his head.

Yeah, seemed woozy walking off.

Needed the help of some people to just stay in a straight line.

It looked like it looked like his head sort of bounced off the turf.

Unfortunately, he took a shot, and I hope he's all right.

But Matthew Caldwell came in through a really nice pass back corner of the end zone to win that one in overtime.

There have been other instances this year when Matthew Caldwell has come in.

I remember saying to you, it's like he seems like he's got a decent command of things.

He's been really been around college football forever.

I think this is like his fourth team.

But Matthew Caldwell in relief efforts so far has been halfway decent.

Definitely is a different throwing motion that just to me feels a little bit better on the eyes.

But that's neither here nor there.

My crazy theory is that Steve Sarkusian is actually testing the NFL waters because he knows he can't go somewhere else in college.

He's already at Texas.

Well.

It's not a crazy theory.

It was reported by Diana Roussini of The Athletic.

Yeah, if he wants to go somewhere, the NFL will be the spot.

And my theory as to why he wants to go somewhere else, in addition to the fact that college football is just constantly crazy, is the fact that he knows arch Manning it's not the guy, and rather than stick around at Texas and have to deal with the fallout and answering a million questions about that, it's better to just take his talents to a different team in a different league where he doesn't have to worry about answering those questions.

It's an easy out.

It's the easiest escape patch to get out from.

Underwab all to just not answer arch questions.

That's my theory.

That's a say.

I prefaced it by saying it was a crazy theory.

I don't.

I don't think your theory is crazy.

I think your theory.

I would twist it a little bit to say, how many coaches have we seen tie their careers and their job securities to the wrong quarterback?

Right?

And so if he were to leave and really do everything he can to pursue an NFL job, he is cutting that off.

I mean, can you ben charge Manning, buddy, this is a whole other conversation.

Can you ben charch Manning and listen?

Arch Manning looked better?

Okay, arch Manning.

Looks he ben ben charch Manning?

Yes, can Steve Sark he bench arch Manning.

I don't know.

Arch look good in this game.

But Arch is I think gonna be out all right?

If you had a concussion, he's probably out for this week's game.

I'm not a head doc, what do I know?

But plenty of other people get a concussion.

You're not back a week later.

You're just not right.

So if Matthew Caldwell comes in.

If Matthew Caldwell looks half decent instantly, you're going to see comparisons to whatever Arch has done so far this season.

And if they end up winning this game against Vanderbilt this week, which by the way, they're favored.

Mm hmm, it brings up some interesting questions.

Steve Sarkisian is going to be receiving all of them, and I just think bigger picture again, crazy theory is that, I mean, it's not that crazy.

Rather than hitch his college wagon to Arch manning whatever follows next season, it's better to just get out now, go while you're sitting still pretty high, and then you don't got to deal with it anybody.

Any of these coaches who have gotten a taste of being a relatively successful head coach or coordinator in the NFL and our back coaching at college either have realized that they much prefer the lifestyle of the NFL.

Right that you're just like, man, I can just sort of worry about football.

Somebody else's drafting and I'm just you know, worrying about getting my guys ready and game planning whatever, or just have a sick preference like we do a sick preference for the the rhythms and realities of college football.

I mean, the Giant should hire Steve Circusian like get in terms of like putting him next to a young quarterback neet that needs to be developed.

I still like the idea of Steve Sarkisian, but on some level you got to have the talent at the quarterback position in order to do that.

I mean, he's he's currently in a reality of having an extremely promising young quarterback who he did not successfully develop into a clearly successful college quarterback.

That's right.

So against some high level competition, some not so high level.

So what is Texas now?

Though to the broader question, Texas I think still has a pretty damn good defense.

Had seven sacks in this game, even though they gave up a bunch of points.

Yes, but I think this was real growth from Texas because they looked like they were cooked, and they scored twenty four or fourth quarter points to come back, get this one to overtime and then win.

I think you're right.

This is the type of never say die version of Texas that I needed to see to feel better about what they can do the rest of the way, It's still a bit of an uphill climb, but tough schedule whatever.

They're a three to one SEC team right now.

I've only got one loss in the SEC, so they very much in this conversation, they just got to keep plodding forward.

They still don't really run the ball, which is why the quarterback position is more under the microscope, separate from the fact that there's a Manning playing quarterback.

But all things being equal, I think I like where they're at and I feel like this is a pretty good snapshot for what they could be.

I think this week is a good story.

I think the season remains a bit of a failure, that this is not a Texas team built to struggle with Mississippi State or this version of Florida with what they brought back on defense, and I know they're beat up more and more.

They have failed to put together a consistent offensive line, they failed to put together a running game, and they while Arch Manning definitely has moments, that has been a developmental failure to me, third year guy.

So if they had come back to tie that game and send it to overtime and lost, I don't think the tenor of our conversation is all that different.

Like you can say good for them for pulling it out and for Matthew Caldwell, But I think the big win is that just that they came back.

So good for them that they won.

I just don't think it changes the outlook of what they can be and what they're ceiling is.

They're just two inconsistent drive to drive.

I think that's fair.

Give me one more more snap chat snap thought here.

I'll play the sound again just for you.

Oh please, the Oregon Ducks.

I should be asking you, So the Oregon Ducks.

I watched this game?

Hold on, Yes, what's going on with Dantemoor?

I don't know, man, what happened to the broken his nose or something?

He got a big old Wisconsin pot of the face on it whacked in the face.

I thought he broke his nose.

The highlights I saw were of him like holding a towel or something over his nose.

But then he was just on the sidelines.

Yes, so is have they said anything about whether or not he's good to go?

Or is this just sort of limbo because he didn't look like he was in any kind of distress on the sidelines.

Maybe they just kept him out, Like, where are you at with this?

What's going on?

Okay?

So Oregon wins the game twenty one to seven.

He gets hurt when it's seven to nothing against a Wisconsin team I don't think has scored two touchdowns two offensive touchdowns against a power conference team this season.

So he goes out.

He's replaced by a walk on quarterback.

Up seven to nothing against a good Wisconsin a pretty good Wisconsin defense, and a completely absent Wisconsin offense.

Dante mor gets hit, is bleeding from the nose, is on the sideline, not really receiving treatment, and doesn't come back in the game.

Dan Lanning says if it were an emergency, he could have He's great to go, that he will be fine.

They have a bye week this week and then Iowa in Iowa City, it looks like it's a big noon game.

I don't know if that's official yet.

In a couple weeks in Iowa City, Oregon has struggled on offense against the decent to good teams that they've played this year.

They struggled closing out drives on the road against Penn State.

They struggled on offense.

I think they scored one offensive touchdown against Indiana, and they scored a touchdown before the half against Wisconsin.

Now it's raining, it's windy, whatever football teams are dealing with it.

There's bad weather all over the country.

And they were putting up huge numbers and did so against Rutgers the week before against average to blow average teams and have struggled on offense against the better teams on their schedule.

I just think this is who they are.

I don't think this is dramatically fixable this season.

Now.

The defense is that they have left are not incredible.

They have Washington's defense, they have USC's defense, excuse me, and Iowa's defense has been incredible.

So after that Iowa game, you know Minnesota's up and down Washington, USC Iowa is going to be a huge test.

I don't feel good about it at all at all.

As an Oregon fan.

I think if they finish this season ten to two with where they've been this year, I think that's a success.

They currently have one loss to Indiana.

I don't think their offense is built to adjust on the fly.

I don't think they have the consistent offensive line play.

I think their skill talent is incredible.

I think the defense is largely incredible.

I do not think this is an Oregon team that is a legitimate national title contender.

Right now, they're saying that, you think the version of Oregon we saw against Wisconsin is the version of Oregon that maybe to some extent, we've seen all year and that will see the rest of the way.

Well, Look, if Dante mor gets comfortable early on in a game, I don't know what the analog here is.

Ty Like if you walked into a party and the solid wife Kate came up to you and said, three girls just asked me, who's that guy?

He's way more handsome and charming than everybody else here, you'd probably have a great party internally, right Dante Moore has a little bit of that to him.

If he's completing a couple of great passes early, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

If he struggles in his first three or four drives, Oregon's in for a slog.

And so I don't know if that's a will Stein thing.

I don't know if it's a line thing.

I don't know if it's a adjustment thing.

But I think Oregon is legitimately good, but I don't think they have the consistency to be great.

So they look like a playoff team to me.

But I don't see them as a real threat to anybody excellent right.

Now, the Iowa game in two weeks should be interesting.

I don't know what that If there's an early line or anything on that game.

The projected margin is about seven in favor of Oregon.

I don't know if that's the line, but that would be the projected final score by about seven.

Right now, i was favored by a point and a half according to the Vegas Insiders aggregation.

It went up to two and two and a Sorry, it opened up minus one and a half and immediately swung to Oregon minus one and a half.

Two.

I would not favor Iowa in that game, but I understand the body clock.

Yeah, I understand the thought behind it, and I do think Iowa was getting there.

Speaking of snapshots, I mean they've just now fully committed to running the ball yep.

And even this past weekend we saw Mark Ronowski throw it a little bit more effectively against Minnesota and that beat down.

Did he have his first big ten touchdown pass?

I believe he did touchdown pass yet.

Yeah.

Uh, I'm I'm very curious to see what the rest of the way looks like for Oregon because I was looking at the schedule earlier and you know, the Iowa game in two weeks.

They're off this week, but the Iowa game next weekend and week eleven should be interesting.

It's on the road.

They come back home against Minnesota.

But the one that I'm really curious about is a USC game on the twenty second in I guess week thirteen, because USC's got the offense.

And this is not to say that they've got so many kind of great defense, but I think to your point, if they're able to get Dante more, if he's playing by then out of rhythm, there's a chance in a game like this where you can fall behind pretty early against the Trojans and what they can do on offense.

Let me stop you right there.

The game's not happening in the coliseum, I know, right, I know, Okay, it's in Austin.

Don't worry about it.

Okay, don't worry about it.

Especially I just said I think it's yeah.

And they close out the year on the road at Washington, which who knows Washington.

I don't know, Washington seemed to find something this past weekend.

Also better at home.

To be clear, Yep, if I'm going to say that about Oregon against USC who's bad on the road, Washington's bad on the road, much better at home, and that game is in Seattle.

Yeah, we shall see right in stolid reblot jamil dot com.

Let it's not your thoughts on all these teams.

If you've got any other snapshots that you'd like to speak to, yes, email, social media, any of the usual channels will do.

We read everything.

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All that stuff helps you that more people do that.

As of late, it just assures other folks out there looking for college football content that were not a bunch of wackos.

We are a bunch of wackos.

We are the show is still fun, so you know, just want people to know that.

To close things out here today, and we usually do this.

Earlier in the episode, I wanted to talk a little bit about some of the latest polling.

Okay, I also want to talk briefly about next week.

This is our look ahead episode, but I want to talk polling and then I want to look to next week.

Absolutely so here is where the polls stand right now.

No big shakeups in the top ten.

Damn correct Miami and BYU they are tied for number ten, which is interesting, but otherwise not a whole lot going on in the top ten.

You had a handful of teams that jumped up three or four spots.

Tennessee, Louisville, Cincinnati, Michigan, Houston went from unranked to rank because again they're like seven to one now, so they got to be ranked.

They're in a power conference, They've been playing pretty well, had a nice win.

They played very well against They did ASU, a beat up ASU for sure.

By the way, not to pat myself on the back here, Ty, we both picked it.

Not only did we pick it, but we took what did we what did I end up calling it like our little like the deeper looks that we took into a few teams last week on our preview episode.

I mean I did wake Forest, Houston and Vanderbilt.

Yeah, pretty good, not bad, not bad.

Continue among the teams that dropped obviously Oklahoma they lost, they dropped down to number eighteen.

Miszoo they dropped down.

In nineteen we had LSU, ASU, Illinois, and USF all drop out of the top twenty five.

That's the AP Top twenty five.

Yes, in terms of the Newville Baller pole, not a whole lot of movement at the very top.

Looks very similar to what you would see on the AP polling side.

I think where this gets really interesting, though, is when we try to translate it into a college football playoff bracket, which is what I did.

So there are a couple quirks to consider before I go through this.

Okay, I did take the for Baller top twelve.

I did use that seating and some assumptions that we can make from that pole to put this bracket together.

But I do need to outline some of the quirks that could throw everything into chaos.

Okay, I alluded to some of this earlier.

I have been going pedal to the metal on some of these tiebreaker scenarios and they're not Okay.

These are crazy, man, These are crazy.

And I feel like I say that every year with the Big twelve, and that's true.

But we've got quirks in all four conferences, to a much less degree in the Big Ten, but certainly in the Big twelve.

There's the possibility for BYU, Texas Tech, Utah, Cincinnati, Houston, TCU, Kansas State in Arizona State to all go on some kind of run and some combination of those seven or eighteen whatever it is to end playing for the title.

TC once again, say those once, let's go through them individually.

Continue Texas Tech so quarterback issues health wise, but seems like they're hopefully in a good place, but still a question.

Continue EYU freshman first year recent transfer finding ways to win after going down and doing so in crazy impressive fashion though just lost their star running back.

We'll see for what time.

Utah did not just absolutely demolish Colorado, they killed, just spanked them back and forth was lim from wim without their starting quarterback?

Right starting quarterback?

Yeah, okay, Continue Cincinnati so sort of out of nowhere after an up and down twenty twenty four have been all offense this year.

Just beat Baylor, who have been close in all of these games, in a not close way by three touchdow right, that's right, so good amount of momentum with Cincinnati, though I think their schedule gets trickier.

Houston, Houston, Uh, nothing but success story this year.

It's a tough end to the season.

It's a tough end to their season.

But the Connor Wigman and Tanner Cozial addition has paid huge dividends.

And how do you not just like bow with the altar of Willie Fritz at this point of what he can do in the program and to be a name in conversations for these some of these jobs he should be.

And then three teams that have been relatively uneven but all have a ton of upside TCU, Kansas State, and Arizona State.

Yeah, ASU will see I mean what Sam Levitt left that game for a little while, I want to say against Houston, but came back as an absolute warrior.

But they have health issues on both sides of the ball.

It seems like they could beat anybody in this conference because they beat the team that we have considered to be the class of the conference so far in Texas Tech.

Now it looks like BYU, but ASU has the ability to dramatically alter things at the very least.

Yeah, we talked about k State, TCU, I mean TCU is sort of uneven as well, doesn't play a whole lot of defense, obviously still plays offense.

But you got a whole grouping of teams that are going to be playing for potentially the conference, maybe a playoff birth or two.

TCU finishes with Iowa State BYU on the road, Houston on the road, Cincinnati.

Yeah, Holy moly, So maybe that is your Yes, ad JR.

Big Twelve influencers, at a minimum.

They're gumpy.

They are absolutely gumpy right now.

They are going to be near and dear to this race no matter what.

In the ACC, you've got a realistic possibility for Virginia Duke Louisville SMU.

And that's in addition to Georgia Tech in Miami, who everybody knows about.

And I will throw a pit in there, not because I think it's probable, but because I think it's possible.

And we've they're in the conversation.

They have to be in the conversation.

We've come to know that whatever is possible in the ACC or in the Big Twelve is something that we need to get out ahead of.

Because the AA happened a year ago.

So we talked about PITT but you know, as Virginia for real.

They've been playing a bunch of close games.

They've been winning close games.

They have Chandler Morris's health I think up in the air.

Yep.

Maybe yeah, Duke.

You know, Duke is just sort of slow and steady.

But Duke has had a really good campaign.

I still don't really know what to make of Louisville.

They obviously had that huge win.

It stands to reason that Louisville could have a real shot at this thing.

SMU would probably need some help, but is still in the conversation.

Georgia Tech and host Miami, right, SMU host Miami.

They host Miami this week.

They're a ten point home dog.

We can talk about that one on Thursday.

Georgia Tech is the highest ranked of all these teams, still undefeated.

Miami is still a top ten adjacent team.

I guess tied tenth in the latest APEP Pole, So clearly they've got a lot to play for.

But Miami, by virtue of the tiebreakers that I have seen, would need a little bit of help to shoulder their way into the acc title game.

So there's a lot of possibility and weird potential with the ACCU.

By the way, you didn't mention wake Forest, who just beat SMU, should have beaten Georgia Tack, I know, and finishes with a crazy maybe other than that Duke game to finish things out.

That's a winnable final five.

Florida State on the road, Virginia on the road.

You know, Virginia has been playing down and close to everybody North Carolina, Delaware and Duke if wake Forest continues to look very real, especially on defense.

Who wants a piece of the Deeks this last month?

Who wants o body?

Who wants a piece of the Deeks?

Yeah?

Wake Forest.

I don't think is part of this conversation.

But Wake Forest, let's put it this way, at a minimum, given what we have seen thus far from Jake Dicker, we talked in the preseason about to what end can they translate vibes into success on the field.

Yeah, they're tough out man.

I stand by what we've been seeing there.

Paying the freaking ass buddy.

They so.

Bill Connolly's metric and sp plus.

The likeliest decider of games, statistically is the ability to generate and stop explosive plays.

Wake Forest has been excellent at both this year, which is why you're seeing the results or near results with Jake Dickard and wake in year one, if they get a quarterback, if they get themselves a quarterback somehow, some way, if there is some billionaire behind the scenes who just loves himself some wake Forest football.

I'm just saying, if my other want to.

Outline the wake Forest possibility, because there is a possibility, there is a pass.

The way that wake Forest could find their way into the ACC title game is a by winning out, all right, and that would require win over Florida State.

As you mentioned, they'd have to beat Virginia I believe the Virginia games on the road.

You know who beats Florida State literally evident the FC team they play, they would need to be unc which is definitely winnable.

Yeah.

They would also need to win out against Duke I believe on the road in their final game.

Tough.

Yeah, very tough stretch.

If they were to win those games though, those four games and Pitt knocks off Miami final week of the year, that would be the path to get wake Forest into that ACC title game, probably against Georgia Tech, so to.

Be a rematch wake Forest Georgia tack in the a SEC Championship game.

I'm not the type of person that looks at that and says, oh my gosh, the TV ratings Georgia Tech Wake.

First of all, they've already faced each other.

I believe in an a SEC championship game.

I want to say, Chan gaily Era, Georgia Tech.

That's deep cut.

Sure, I want to say they have.

Maybe I got that wrong, but.

That a Jim Grobe Wake Forest.

I want to say, yes, Georgia Tech Wake ACC championship game.

The year was two thousand and six.

Two thousand and six.

Nine to six, final score beautiful.

Maybe Reggie Ball prominently involved.

Who was to say anyway?

Anyway, My other sidebar with the ACC is I saw the quote about Kirk herbs Street and Adidas uniforms.

I don't know if you saw that.

Kirkhurb Street just hates Adidas uniforms, Okay.

He was just like, you put on a Dienas uniform, you just look subpar.

And I thought to myself, Yeah, I'm not a fan of Adidas uniforms in general, but I think that's a little bit harsh.

They've had some decent looks occasionally here and there.

I'm you know, I'm an Oregon person, I'm a Nike person, whatever, but I don't feel strongly about it.

And then I saw what Miami wore against him.

I couldn't even watch the game.

I couldn't watch it.

It hurt my eyes.

And I said to myself, yeah, these are garbage.

Those are horrible.

They were horrible uniform.

It was baby spinach poop.

I guess I know you're not great with shades.

That's as close as I could approximate.

It was disastrous in a way that I didn't think anybody could do in any sort of design application.

It was horrendous from Miami.

Kate came downstairs as I was watching that game.

I had it on one of the quad boxes for a minute.

Yeah, and she's like, WHOA, What's what's going on with that?

Something wrong with the TV's that?

No, something's wrong.

With the It was like they were wearing a muddy field.

It was bad.

It was really bad.

And you know, me with colors, man, I was you even messaged me, how are you?

How are you getting on with this Miami games?

Like, I'm just not watching it.

Yeah you can't.

I'm glad it ended up being a blowout just from the standpoint of me not having to go back and watch that because that was a brutal watch for these eyes.

All Right, your next division scenario, conference, whatever other.

Ones here, I'll knock out the Big Ten real quick.

Okay.

The only real possibility for Quirks is if Michigan beats Ohio State.

If Michigan doesn't beat Ohio State, it's going to be Ohio State against Indiana.

What happens in Michigan beats Ohio State.

If Michigan beats Ohio State, that potentially opens up the door for your Oregon Ducks.

Okay, if they go on a run, YEP, or USC if us he goes on a run, or Iowa.

If the Iowahawkeyes pull off like three upsets, I mean they've got a tough stretch here to close out their seasoned as well.

Yes, but if the Iowahawke guys were to go on a bit of a run, and if in addition to that, Michigan were to beat Ohio State, those are the teams I'm looking at that would have a real possibility for presumably playing Indiana for the Big Ten title.

I am not expecting that, Okay, Okay, I am just giving people an outline of what is possible, the art of the possible here on the.

Sliverbal Thank you, by the way, just to close the loop, do not go gentle into that.

Good night, Dylan Thomas.

It's a poem.

Okay.

Continue.

And then on the SEC side, we've got quirks that I think are mostly limited to the five teams that we're going to talk about in this projected bracket.

Okay, those being Texas, A and M Alabama, Georgia, Ole, Miss and Vandy.

Some combination of those teams right now appear to be the ones that have the inside track for the SEC title game, obviously Texas, though you mentioned Texas earlier, I will mention Texas again now there is a scenario that gets Texas into the playoff, maybe into the SEC title game if they went out, but they have to win out and it is not an easy stretch for the Longhorns.

Those are the six teams though, that I am mostly looking at in the SEC.

Some combination of them play for the title, some combination of them, more of them than not get into the final playoff field is what I'm looking at right now.

Right Okay, I like that.

So how does this translate, Dan.

How does it translate to a top twelve?

Oh, on the screen.

I've got the bracket up on the screen for those who watch in the video.

The way that this shakes out again would be Ohio State as the one, Indiana as the two.

This year, we'd have A and M as the three, in Alabama as the four.

Those will be your first round byes.

Remember there's a straight seating straight seats this year, So if you win your conference but you're outside the top four, you don't get that buy.

You get in, but you don't get one of those first round byes.

The way this would set up would be All Miss hosting Miami, the eight hosting the nine, with the winner playing Ohio State m HM the number five Georgia Tech Yellowjackets at home against Navy.

I've got Navy in here because they were the highest rated presumably G six conference champion in arver Baller top twelve.

But the way that this is shaking out, the way that it has looked, at least per rankings, is somebody from the American.

It seems like the polls are favoring some team from the American, be it Memphis or two Lane or.

Memphis is currently ranked ahead of Navy in the AP pole.

Yeah, so we had Navy high in ours.

That's why I put them there, But the larger point on the G six qualifier in this year and again, if some of these scenarios go hey wire, you could end up having a much different bracket because remember it's twelve teams.

If you win your conference, if you're one of the five highest rated conference champions, you get in.

So what could end up happening here is we have somebody come out of nowhere, much like we saw last year and shoulder out a team like you know, Notre Dame, shoulder out a team like U Vanderbilt.

I don't know, it's possible.

Navy is the one that we had sneaking their way in knocking a team like Notre Dame out.

In effect, now Navy plays Notre Dame.

They're probably gonna say they can do that on the field.

Yeah.

I don't feel too nervous about that matchup, but okay, whatever.

Georgia Tech Texas as well and Memphis Georgia.

Tech hosting Navy, and like the Paul Johnson Bowl, yes, with the winner playing Alabama on the other side of the bracket.

You would have Vandy on the road in Eugene against your Oregon Ducks, the ten versus the seven, with the Winter playing Indiana.

Potential rematch for Oregon.

On a neutral site.

Yeah.

And then last, but not least, you would have Georgia hosting BYU six' eleven matchup with The winter Playing TEXAS a AND.

M yep with a five to eleven quarterback a six to eleven matchup with five to eleven Bear bachmeyer.

Continue So i'm looking at this AND i think you feel really good if You're.

ALABAMA i think you feel less good if you're a team like In Ohio state having to get the winner Of Ole Miss.

Miami, YEAH i think you're cautiously optimistic if You're, indiana given what you just had to say About, oregon AND i think the fact that they've got a lot more firepower least an offense In, vanderbilt but who they hell.

Knows and The TEXAS a AND m matchup could be.

Interesting as you've GOT byu Against, GEORGIA i think most people would probably Favor georgia in that.

Matchup So GEORGIA a AND m on a neutral site would be a pretty big.

One, huge but, right, now if you're An alabama, fan you got to be feeling pretty good about at least this projection making your way into the semi, final presumably against a team like An Ohio.

State, agree that's what it looks like right now in terms.

Of Field top.

Twelve, YEAH i would feel great About indiana here.

Too, man you're really really.

Well i'm not down On oregon in the way that it might sound, like, obviously but JUST i don't Know indiana getting that buy and getting one of these teams on a neutral site with, TIME i don't.

Know they feel like one of those teams that would perform.

Well BUT i guess they didn't last year with some time to prepare Against Notre.

Dame last year's a different, year different, team.

FASCINATING i think The navy inclusion is, nice but little beyond that with the rest of their.

Schedule, Listen i'm with.

You i'm just GOING.

I know you're just on the way where worth.

Staying right, now.

We're going snapshot based on The Verballer top twelve.

Pole.

Again you can vote every weekend For ballers Dot com if you're signed up as a certified Or premium.

Member on occasion we throw it out to the masses as.

Well but that's what it looks like as of.

Now if you are listening to this on the podcast and you want to get a look at this projected, bracket go down into the description of the.

Podcast i'll post a link so that you can click through and find The imagency what what we're, thinking and maybe talk it through with you and your.

People by the, Way week, TEN i have no idea what to, think but there are two opportunities for the funniest possible thing to, happen, okay and that Is Penn state Beating Ohio state And florida Beating.

Georgia this would be the year That Penn state would Beat Ohio, state wouldn't.

It this would be the year now That Penn state would Be Ohio.

States where this just And James franklin emerges from the booth and it was all a.

Trick it was the whole thing was a.

Rose, Yeah Terry smith pulls off a mask and it's Really James.

Franklin, yes The Mission impossible Style matt The Mission impost style.

Mask, otherwise there's a lot of like super interesting games but not obvious bangers In week.

Ten, right is that a fair way to put.

IT i think a fair way to put it is is, that, Yes Texas Tech Kansas, State i'm really looking forward to after last.

WEEK i think that my window of opportunity is going to be at.

Night, okay because we have so few of these during the college football, season with the way that they have scheduled these games in recent, years the biggest games are always at.

Night this, week there are some games that are of interest for sure at.

Night but unless you've got a rooting interest in any of, THEM i say make your plans.

Now send the text message from.

Work, hey, honey let's go Out saturday.

Night let's go to AN ns.

Restaurant, Wow tyler?

Romantic not Watching Oklahoma.

Tennessee, yeah we don't want to watch.

That, yeah that was the Bigger mayfield game way back when right a huge comeback it?

Was it.

Was but to your, point, right we do have a couple interesting.

Ones SO i Mentioned vandy And texas right, Now texas favored by battlefield.

Goal there is The Penn, State Ohio, State Ohio states favored by three.

Touchdowns of, course Yea navy At North texas should be.

Interesting mm.

HMM i BELIEVE i Said Notre dame Plays navy this.

Week Notre dame Plays boston Copy navy next.

Week, Yeah miami AT, smu which you mentioned.

Earlier duke At, clemson which is just interesting for a whole multitude of.

Reasons and Then Arizona State Iowa state a rematch of The Big twelve.

Title that's all in the early.

Block those are some good games for you if you like building.

Quads, yes after noon, block you've got the Cocktail Party georgia seven and a half point five Against.

Florida you've Got Texas Tech Kansas, State texas seven and a half point favorite on the road at K.

State and then you've Got virginia on the circle.

ONE i circled.

This, Yeah, virginia who plays nothing but weird close.

Games traveling across the country to play Against Cal no stranger to weird close games unless It's San Diego.

State and then the night games On, Saturday Oklahoma tennessee should be a CLOSE i think it'll be a close, GAME i.

Hope so THE nbc game should also be a really good.

ONE usc on the road At.

NEBRASKA usc is six point road.

Favorite, actually the game THAT i am most excited about is in the late, late late.

Window and if it weren't for the fact that you AND i are doing the midnight, STREAMS i probably wouldn't even stay up for this.

One But i'm gonna be fully plugged into what's going on as we're doing our, thing Because cincinnati At utah looks damon exciting to.

Me man ten to Fifteen, Easter, yeah that's looking.

REAL i, mean depends On Devin Dame, pierre but, Yeah i'm totally with, you AND i think we get the first of The Wazoo Oregon State home and.

Home we get the first of The Wazoo Oregon State home And.

Home.

Yeah the REASON i should add that we did these brackets and talk through projections like this now is because as you are listening to this On, tuesday a week from, today is when we're going to get the first of the six college football playoff.

Rankings so as a bit of an advanced primer for, that this is what we're thinking as of, now per The verbowl Or top.

Twelve we'll see what they have to, say.

You, know what they're going to say to, themselves what the internal monologue is going to be before the camera's.

Role all they're going to say is don't say anything that anybody will be able to use against us in the coming.

Weeks just be.

Playing Be, vanilla, which by the, way here's another.

Sidebar vanilla is not.

Playing vanilla is flavorful as an.

Ingredient i'm with, You i'm so with.

You be.

Plane be just extra extra extra cautious because as soon as you start flapping your, lips weird stuff is going to come out and they're going to use it against.

Us SO i anticipate a more the most boring possible explanation of.

Everything let me close out with this because you tiptoed around.

It uh, oh what?

Happened what happened with The?

Uber ALL i do IS i keep leaving things In uber's.

Time so when we're up In State, college you left a beautiful camera in An.

Uber thankfully we are able to recover it get it sent back to.

You so this was a lot urn Christ iss.

Severted but what happened this time.

We were Taking uber back from lunch to the hotel mirrored like the start time of the, wedding AND i had brought one of those portable battery packs with.

Me and ANYTIME i leave An uber or go.

ANYWHERE i always check my, pockets, keys, phone and like air pods are my other one BECAUSE i do go for walks and listen to.

Stuff AND i felt my.

POCKETS i was all, good AND i.

LEFT i had the battery pack, there which is in the same shape as the phone which was on the, seat WHICH i had just put down for some.

Reason and you have to scramble when you leave something in An Uber that's WHAT i, learned especially when it's something like a, phone and So i'm.

SCRAMBLING i go to The uber website on my iPad in the hotel room and they're, like, hey we're gonna send you a.

Text i'm, LIKE i can't see the.

Text it's on my.

Phone it was AN.

Sms it wasn't anything THAT i could check on my, iPad and SO i was.

Scrambling and then they asked for a credit card.

NUMBER i had to find the auto fill portion of my.

iPad i was.

SCRAMBLING i finally got ahold of the.

Driver he was, like, hey i'll be there in a few.

Hours i'm, LIKE i can't wait that.

Long i'm.

Addicted and then he was back in like an hour and a half and everything was.

Fine and gave him a healthy cash tip for his generosity and making his way back to the.

Hotel but, yeah another full blown panic about leaving something in an.

Uber i'm not great with this, STUFF, Ti i'm just in a lot of different areas of my.

Life i'm not terribly.

Bright so here we.

Are we were able to get through the.

Wedding it's a great.

Wedding hit the dance floor, hard a lot of oh you know this stuff better THAN i.

Do Pink Pony, Club oh.

Yeah a little chapel.

Rone, yeah that was a chapel talking about this stuff better than you told me about.

It that's.

True that was the, song more than Anything Taylor, swift more than anything else that was played by this band that united the.

Generations the kids were screaming Out Pink Pony, club WHICH i think is about a strip.

CLUB i think it, isn't but continue it.

Isn't it's about a different kind of.

Club oh, okay it's about is it a kid's club or is it more of an adult.

Club it's definitely more of an adult.

Club got, it?

Okay but that was the song that united the.

Generations people were most excited at Sing Pink pony.

Club if that's any sort of indication of where we.

ARE i don't.

Know great, song love that.

Song.

Okay, otherwise the wedding was, good desserts were, good venue was.

Great always good to get To San.

Diego so congratulations to ALION i Fan scott and his beautiful, bride Beautiful.

Well it is a pleasure to have you.

Back it is a pleasure again to once again be with the verballer.

Hood it is a pleasure to have so much to talk.

About we are not short on any college football.

Topics it's going to remain this way from now until the end of the.

Season, OKAY i put a call out last.

WEEK i will put that call out again now because we've had a couple people right in about.

This BUT i do still want to do a segment on the fan bases that have been the most tortured so far through twenty twenty.

Five, Okay so if you have more, SUGGESTIONS i need more of.

Them sliverbo at gmail dot com right, in let me.

Know but we're gonna do that segment at some point in one of These tuesday.

Episodes all, right can't wait for that guy over, There my good Friend Dan rubinstein self Tie.

Hildebrand thank, you as always for, downloading for, listening for, supporting check us out at a ballers dot, com leave a star rating or, review and of course they solid, peace