College Football Preview & Predictions for the 2026 Season!

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:05] Speaker B: Welcome everybody. This is sources from the sofa. We are entering year three on the pod. Unbelievable. We kicked it off with college football three years ago and I'm excited to kick off year three yet again with college football. [00:00:21] Speaker A: It's. [00:00:22] Speaker B: We already had. Me and Aaron just got back from Las Vegas to be at Circa and Westgate to experience all the football competitions kicking off, including Survivor Millions and all that good stuff. Met a lot of cool people, met the owner of Rotowire and a few other media outlets and it was a blast. Lots of open bars and many drinks and many conversations were had. So I am amped up as everyone else is to get football underway. How are you guys feeling about it? [00:00:55] Speaker C: Yeah, it's still baseball season, Rome. I don't know. [00:00:57] Speaker B: Still baseball season. Jesus Christ now. [00:01:01] Speaker A: Now that the White Sox are still in it and Jason's playing for a championship in the fantasy baseball league. It's. It's baseball season as the calendar strikes. [00:01:09] Speaker B: September down to a game lead, huh? [00:01:13] Speaker C: It's, it's, it's down to one point and a half right now. Not looking good in the fantasy baseball front, but roster's expanding tomorrow. I mean, we're in the middle of a pennant race for both fantasy as well as, you know, the majors. Rome, it was like 105 this weekend. I can't be thinking about football right now and it's like 105. [00:01:29] Speaker A: It was, it was 108. 108 where me and Romad but, you [00:01:32] Speaker B: know, not much difference. [00:01:34] Speaker A: The water felt great. So was. It wasn't that bad of a time. [00:01:37] Speaker B: I had a great time, dude. It was awesome. So we'll break it down conference by conference. We'll, as we did years pass. We'll pick who we think are we. We'll, we'll finish either the top two or the top three. I think that we did that previously. We'll pick our winners are projected conference championships and then who will make the playoff ultimately, same thing with the big six and then any dark horses. I think for this year though, it's pretty interesting. We have like a lot of big changes in the coaching section for a lot of these teams. A lot of guys went pro, so a lot of teams that went deep last year, including some defenses, they're all in the NFL now. So are they going to re up as expected? Some schedules this year are actually pretty brutal for about a dozen so championship contenders and that's definitely going to have a play in it. Whereas some people just have a cakewalk all throughout the season, which is Pretty fascinating. I'm pretty sure that's going to create lots of conversation and controversy as we get into the College Football Playoff selection. So Aaron, I'll let you decide what conference we'll go through first. We'll break it down. Winners, losers, who you got, who you're looking most forward to. [00:03:03] Speaker A: So you want me to start us off with a conference room? Let's just start off with the letter A. The ACC then. [00:03:11] Speaker B: All right, let's start with the ACC then. I got a few notes here. Are we including Nora Dame in this ACC conversation? [00:03:22] Speaker A: Negative. They, okay. Qualify for the ACC championship game. So they will not. I mean, but they, they should be representing the ACC in the playoff though. I guess. I guess they will be. Right? Because you know, it's crazy when you [00:03:39] Speaker B: look up current ACC football teams. Noradame is definitely listed on there with little asterisks. Independent. So kind of funny. [00:03:48] Speaker A: Play what I believe 5 ACC teams a year. So. That's correct, Jason, if my memory serves me right. [00:03:54] Speaker C: Yeah. Partnership five. Yeah. [00:03:57] Speaker A: I think the ACC's now gone to a nine game schedule like most of the major power four conferences. So yeah, I mean the ACC I don't think is going to be around for too much longer. At least the big boys in that conference for the next a few more years. [00:04:11] Speaker B: Yeah, ACC is pretty interesting. You got Virginia Tech with the new coach. Stanford had impressive week zero win, come from behind smu, big showing last year. Are they going to show out again? Notre Dame as expected? I guess we won't talk about. Or I, I guess we might. I don't know. A lot of talent on them. Clemson, we are going to release a few coaches, hot seats probably tomorrow on the socials. Aaron gave me the list in Vegas. I'm pretty excited to release that. GT impressive year last year. Florida State. Aaron, I don't know what to expect of your team this year, but I think your guy is out at some point. We got. [00:04:57] Speaker A: While we're at it, I'll just give it a guarantee right now. You know, a prediction. Bold. I don't think it's very bold. We're going to. I think we've struck September 1st on the East Coast, Tallahassee time. It's a little past midnight. Mike Norville will not have a job come December 1st. He'll be fired before that time in Tallahassee. So that's, that's a guarantee book it. It's. It's going to happen. [00:05:20] Speaker B: Wow. Already a guarantee, huh? [00:05:21] Speaker A: Guarantee. That's a guarantee. I don't care if I don't get any other guarantee, right? That's the one I do want to get right. But that will happen. [00:05:29] Speaker B: All right. Cal, new coach, new program. They open up with ucla, lots of excitement. They also feature a pretty dominant Miami team. People liking Louisville, people talking about Clemson, Virginia Tech. You start off man, what you like, what you don't like. [00:05:49] Speaker A: Well, week zero, I mean Virginia came out pretty good, right? I mean they just dominated NC State, a team many people suspect could win 10 games overall this season. And some people as a dark horse in the acc. I think that went out the window. North Carolina, I'm not really sold on that game against tcu. Bad weather, bad football play for three quarters. I mean Rome, I'm glad we got to watch the first quarter and the last three. We didn't miss much on the drive back from Vegas. Yeah, so that was always good. Florida State watch that game against New Mexico State. I came away very, very unimpressed. In fact, Mike Norville seat even got hotter if that was even imaginable. Coming off a win, a 17 point win as a 32 point favorite at home. They got SMU on Labor Day. That's the last game of week one and I don't expect Florida State to win that game. In fact, it will be smu. I'll be declaring it now will be in our college football contest picks. SMU will be one of the teams I am taking this week to go in to Tallahassee and beat the nulls. You mentioned Cal Rome, new coach coming over from Oregon, defensive coordinator over there taking over the program. They've got your UCLA Bruins who just fired their ad not but what an hour or two ago because they are in debt. When Cal gets done with them on Saturday they'll even be in more debt in the standings because I like Cal as a home underdog to take care of the Bruins. [00:07:22] Speaker B: I'm not doing picks yet. [00:07:24] Speaker A: And hey, I'm just, I, I, I've been handicapping all week in Rome. You know, I'm in the mood. We were in Vegas. I've got a lot of games. I've liked Cal plus one and a half dog at home. They're going to beat ucla so I'm giving out a couple ones here early. Clemson Dabo is on the hot seat. He's going into lsu. I, I already know who Jason loves in that game. I got a feeling it's going to be one of his premier picks this week. I'll save it. But I know which way he's leaning because I'm Leaning the same way. I think we're on the same page that one, Jason. [00:07:58] Speaker C: I mean, how many NFL guys are going to be on the LSU roster by the time we get that game picked off? [00:08:03] Speaker A: I mean, none practice squad guys or B team. I mean, but then again, this is the B team here, so they're not that bad, right? No. [00:08:16] Speaker B: All right, now that you did the picks, let's talk about the conference. Who are your top teams in the conference? [00:08:23] Speaker A: Top team, obviously, is Miami. [00:08:26] Speaker B: Okay. [00:08:27] Speaker A: They've. They've, you know, obviously Miami is the top team. I mean, Jason's pointed this out forever. They've never won an ACC championship. That will change this year. Miami's going to win the conference. I'd be surprised in Miami doesn't. Barring some craziness, quarterbacks getting hurt, Miami's going to be better this year than they were last year, which is kind of scary. I mean, what they did last year, getting to the national championship game. They're going to be better offensively. I think they'll be. They lost some good guys on the D line to the NFL, but I think as a group, second year defensive coordinator there for them, they're going to be good. I mean, their offensive line, Mario Crystal Ball always kind of figures that out, so I'm not really worried about that. We know they got speed. They know they have talent. Miami's always had that. But the key is, can they win the conference championship this year? They will. So I like, I like Miami to win it, Rome to finish second. This is where things get interesting. I do like smu wasn't really high on them, did a little more research. But Louisville is a team a lot of people are talking about. You know, in Vegas. A lot of people were talking about Louisville when I started, and then it got back here. More people talking about Louisville. Yeah, they open with a big game at Ole Miss. Big test early in the year. There are. They're currently, I believe, a six and a half point underdog in that game. But this is the best team Jeff Brahms had at Louisville. The question is at quarterback, he's got a guy that's coming over from Ohio State that's basically sat on the bench for three years. I think he's only thrown like 17 career passes, but if he can get some quarterback play out of him, he can run. They've got great running backs. They've always had pretty good skill players. They've upgraded the defense. I think Louisville is going to finish second in the conference, followed by SMU third, and then the Big Question is, who's fourth? I'm going to say Virginia is going to finish fourth. Clemson, I don't think, finishes in the top four. This is one of the first times Dabble's not had a team in the top 25. They've got a pretty tough schedule early in the year. I think this is Dabble's last year in Clemson as well. I think it's just, you know, people are going to get tired of his shenanigans, talking about, you know, the two national titles he won 10 years ago. Nobody cares about that now. It's all about, what are you doing for me now? And Dabo will be out of a job in Clemson. They won't finish in the top four. [00:10:51] Speaker B: Clemson got it. So you got Miami, Louisville, and the ACC championship or they don't play a championship, do they? [00:10:58] Speaker A: Yeah, they do. [00:10:59] Speaker B: They do. [00:10:59] Speaker A: Okay. [00:11:00] Speaker C: They do. That's what. That's what messed up the College Football Playoff last year. [00:11:02] Speaker B: That's right. Sorry. [00:11:04] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:11:04] Speaker A: I mean, it would have been better for everybody. ACC did not play a conference championship last year. [00:11:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:11:10] Speaker A: Because Notre Dame was on the outside looking in. And that's kind of when their AD was attacking the president, commissioner of the acc. I guess they made up for goodwill now, but. Yeah, yeah, I'll go. I'll go. Louisville versus Miami in the ACC championship game. Obviously, we saw what Louisville did last year at Miami. Almost ended their playoff hopes with that upset on that Thursday. Friday night in the acc. You got to watch out for those trap games Friday night in the acc. [00:11:41] Speaker B: Yeah, Miami seems to be the heavy favorite in this conference. People have been talking about Clemson and Virginia Tech. Maybe people are hoping Virginia Tech kind of comes back to prominence a little bit. They do have the former Penn State coach there. Louisville. No one knows really know what to expect there. Smu, big showing last year, but a lot of people are picking them to be in the conference championship against Miami. With Louisville as like, a dark horse. Big game, week three. Louisville and smu, I think that's going to play a big part in the long run as well. Miami, what's their record at the end of the year? I heard they do have one of the easier schedules in college football, and a lot of people like their quarterback as well. [00:12:23] Speaker A: Miami will go 11 and 1. [00:12:28] Speaker B: 11 and 1. [00:12:30] Speaker A: Yeah. Who's there? Lost to more than likely at Notre Dame. [00:12:36] Speaker C: I'm sorry, this is an audio medium. I'm pointing at my hat right now. [00:12:39] Speaker B: Oh, no. We're gonna go video on this one, too, baby. [00:12:42] Speaker C: Oh, okay. I just want to make sure. [00:12:44] Speaker A: Oh, this one's going video. Wow. [00:12:46] Speaker B: We're going video. [00:12:47] Speaker A: I like it, I like it. I'm going video Busted out Rome. [00:12:51] Speaker B: That's why I busted a shirt wearing the gear that we got from Vegas. A hat too. But it's sponsoring other podcast networks, so it's backwards. All right, cool. So 11 1. Some people like Miami to go undefeated, but a lot of people picking Orotame [00:13:07] Speaker A: with that crystal ball never goes undefeated. He's good for one loss. That's a guarantee. [00:13:12] Speaker B: That's been the past. Yeah, it is. Show out last year, man, they, they were pretty close to winning it. Pretty impressive, Jason, huh? [00:13:22] Speaker C: I was gonna say they had the roster to go undefeated last year. They really messed everything up in their ACC play. And you, you just, you just mentioned the schedule that Miami has. I think Notre Dame's got a lot of heat for how, quote unquote easy their schedule is. But currently the only ranked team on Miami schedule is Notre Dame. And so it's going to be. Does Miami have the slip up in the acc? You know, during their ACC schedule? I mean, they don't play at smu, they don't play Virginia. So really like they're looking at Clemson. Out of these top, you know, teams. They don't play Louisville either. And so Aaron listed all these top teams that are in that are going to be going for the ACC who finished second. They only play Clemson. Is that any of those names that, you know, maybe, you know, is that top five or so? It's just, it's just such an easy schedule for them this year to finish 11 and 1. Notre Dame being the only competitive game that's, you know, early November. [00:14:17] Speaker B: Okay, do you have any predictions on who's going to go 1, 2, 3, 4th if you want? [00:14:23] Speaker C: Yeah, I, Miami wins the conference. I'm, I, I like Aaron's Louisville pick, but I actually do like Virginia. He showed off, you know, he kind of showed off this last week and Aaron kind of highlighted versus NC State, but I mean this is another team with a very winnable schedule. They're playing Norfolk State, West Virginia, Delaware, and Aaron's Florida State there to start beginning of October. They're not, they're only playing one ranked opponent right now. It's SMU and then the end of season at Virginia Tech. And so there's going to be like the kind of the tightest games. I mean, I think Virginia is poised to kind of make a run. So I'll say it would be Miami, Virginia, smu, Louisville, and then agree with Aaron, that this is the time for Clemson to take the drop off. They could be fifth, but at this point, I think there's no telling what their schedule could be. I wouldn't be surprised if the wheels, you know, fall off for Clemson a little bit. You mentioned a few teams like Virginia Tech. There's a little bit of hype with Cal. Duke had been a team. Aaron didn't really mention Duke. Duke had been a team where it's like, hey, they get some guy, you know, guys, and all of a sudden they take some teams by surprise, have some super competitive games. But then they lost, you know, their two best players to Miami in the off season. So I, I don't know what to take from them. But I think if you're looking Miami, Virginia, Louisville, SMU in kind of that, in that top four area, who you [00:15:43] Speaker B: got in the conference championship, I think [00:15:46] Speaker C: you say Miami and Virginia. [00:15:47] Speaker B: All right. Miami record 111 as well. [00:15:53] Speaker C: 11 1. Yep. [00:15:55] Speaker B: Miami winning the championship. Conference championship. [00:15:59] Speaker C: Yes. [00:16:00] Speaker B: Yeah. All right. I'm picking up Miami as well. It's just such an easy, easy schedule. I'm a little indifferent about everybody else, though. I do have some dark horses to kind of bet on, like a little uptick here. I'm gonna go wild, dude. I'm gonna say North Carolina ends with a winning record at the end of this year. It was an ugly win. It was ugly football. The defense, though, was pretty stout for week zero and we'll see if that offense can change it up. They showed some promise in the second half of that game. [00:16:30] Speaker A: Winning, winning schedule for North Carolina, Rome. I mean, it's bold. I mean, we talked about easy schedules. I'm looking at North Carolina schedule right now. I mean, they've got Clemson, Notre Dame back to back. [00:16:44] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a dark horse. [00:16:47] Speaker A: Spec to then Miami and Louisville. Miami, Louisville, Virginia, NC State for the final five. Yeah, I mean, if you look at, if you look at North Carolina right now, they're only going to be favored probably in one, two, maybe three games on that schedule. [00:17:06] Speaker B: They're going to be favored. [00:17:08] Speaker A: So. Yeah, dude, it's a bull call, but I'm going to disagree. I don't. I don't think they finish above.500. [00:17:16] Speaker B: That's fine. [00:17:17] Speaker A: I think if they get the five shots, that's a win in Chapel Hill. [00:17:20] Speaker B: We did some losses. [00:17:21] Speaker C: You're probably looking six and five for them. [00:17:24] Speaker B: I mean, that'd be great. I think, I think that's great here. Second in my. You know, I think Miami will probably face. I'm Gonna put my bucket on SMU for them to face Miami in the championship game. Miami moves on. I don't know what the record is. I think they have a good chance of going undefeated. I'm really curious to see Notre Dame, but at least if anything you got that loss to Notre Dame right there. That's about it though. I mean Cal, I think they're gonna be a competitive out week in and week out. A lot of people are pretty hyped up up on them here in the Bay Area and I'm just kind of curious to see what Virginia Tech does. You know, it's been a while since they've been good. It'd be kind of nice to see that competitive as well. All right, next conference at. [00:18:20] Speaker A: You want me to pick again here? [00:18:22] Speaker B: Pick again. Dude. [00:18:23] Speaker A: Let's go. Let's go with the Big Ten. Let's do the Big Ten. [00:18:28] Speaker B: Big Ten. It's pretty interesting man talk. 25 littered with SEC guys. But the Big Ten has been winning championships for the last few years. You got Oregon, Michigan. People are up on usc. Although they didn't really have a full stadium in Week 0. Ohio State look like kind of like [00:18:52] Speaker A: UCLA at the Rose bowl, bro. [00:18:54] Speaker C: It was a thousand degrees down here in Southern California. We're trying to you know, play, you [00:18:59] Speaker B: know, and, and the Coliseum sucks, dude. When it, when it, when it's hot. It's absolutely miserable in there. So I'm not, I'm not hating them. But you know a blue, blue blood program. [00:19:09] Speaker A: Bad object. [00:19:10] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. A blueprint program. You think they have sold out. [00:19:14] Speaker A: Schedule that game for 7:30. [00:19:17] Speaker B: What time was that game? [00:19:19] Speaker A: 12 noon kickoff. [00:19:20] Speaker B: Oh, that's terrible. [00:19:21] Speaker A: I think the reason why it was 12 noon kickoff because they do play Friday night at 6 o' clock against Fresno State. So obviously it's a quick turnaround. They didn't want to play a late Saturday night. [00:19:30] Speaker B: Right. That's fair enough. Ohio State a very, very tough schedule. Lots of their guys on their defense did go to the NFL. What do they have in quarterback was pretty impressive in moments. Probably a Heisman finalist on a lot of people's list. You have Indiana coming back minus Mendoza. Some people like their quarterback who's replacing him. Aaron, I know you don't. You can talk a little bit more about that. Michigan new coach coming from Utah. People are pretty hyped up that he's turned this thing around. As you know, their last coach had some a situationship that went sour publicly and you know, lots of controversy in Michigan. Usc, hot seats. Oregon, everyone Loves their coach a little bit. Term. I think they lost a coordinator too. But they do have a Heisman hopeful as well in their quarterback. Aaron, who you liking? [00:20:33] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, the Big Ten is loaded. Rome, he mentioned Ohio State. They lost a lot on defense, but do bring back the quarterback for his second year. They got one of the best wide receivers in the country. Well, the best wide receiver in the country. He would have been a number one pick probably in the NFL like two years ago. But a new offensive coordinator. Your guy coming over from the NFL. So Brian Hartline's gone. He's taking the job over there at. Was it South Florida? I believe he's the head coach now. [00:21:06] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:07] Speaker A: So you got a new OC there. Defense lost a lot of players. Tough schedule. Roman, look at that schedule, man. I mean, it is for who? Brutal Ohio State, brutal schedule. I mean, they got Texas here in two weeks, but then they get Indiana, usc, Oregon, all three games back to back. They do get a buy in between the Indiana, USC and then of course, the end of season with Michigan. We'll see what Nebraska becomes too. That late game at Nebraska right before Thanksgiving, the Cornhuskers, they could could be chomping at the bits to get a tired, fatigued Ohio State team. Brutal schedule, Oregon. I'm big on Oregon this year. I mean, I am worried. They did lose both their coordinators, but Dan Lenning's done a great job there recruiting. They have the best quarterback room in the country with Rayola as the backup. [00:21:59] Speaker B: Oh, that's right. I forgot about that. [00:22:01] Speaker A: They get hurt. I'm not too concerned about that. You know, a lot of these teams that the quarterback goes down, really playoff, national title hopes go down. Oregon goes, just goes the 1A. They got 1A, 1B. I don't think they're going to miss much of a beat there. Their defensive line, I know Jason's always touched about that. They've been kind of undersized, but they've kind of bulked up here in the Big Ten over the years because of the Pac 12. It's more of an undersized speed league. Big Ten football. You need more power guys in there. Indiana, Rome, look, they're going to be good. Kurtzing Nanny's going to win 10 games there. I mean, they're out of conference schedule this week. They got a little more tougher schedule in conference, but Josh Hoover's a guy I'm not high on in the big games at tcu. He turned the ball over. He's going to turn the ball over again. Here for the big games for Indiana. So I don't think Indiana repeats as winning the Big Ten or goes undefeated. I think they lose at least two games, maybe three. Usc, look, the optics did not look good. Jason can say it's 110 degree heat, but you're talking about a program that's supposed to be playing for a playoff spot. Big Ten sleeper, San Jose State took them to the wire. They got Fresno State coming in. Fresno State's a lot of group of six power team that some people think can get to the playoff. I think this is a close game this weekend at the Coliseum and if USC is not watching their ass, they could get upset this weekend. [00:23:25] Speaker C: Wow. [00:23:26] Speaker A: Okay. Just, just throwing that out there, Rome. I, I'm big on Fresno State plus 22 this weekend. I'm telling you that right now. [00:23:34] Speaker B: I guess we're doing picks for week one as well. All right, that's all good. [00:23:37] Speaker A: Might as well. [00:23:38] Speaker B: Special edition from 18. [00:23:39] Speaker A: I get, I get excited, man. I get excited. [00:23:41] Speaker B: It's all good. [00:23:41] Speaker A: It's all good. [00:23:42] Speaker B: I love it. [00:23:43] Speaker A: What do you want me to do? I can't hold my water here all day. Michigan, new culture. You know, Willingham coming in. We'll see what they can do. You know who else? Iowa. I was a team that I, I mean, I don't know. Jason might know more about them. Did they have an offense this year that's outside of just punt, get safety, get turnovers and try to score? People are high on Iowa this year. [00:24:08] Speaker C: I'll be honest. Like I just assume every year it's just punt, try to get field position and win like a 16 to 9, like grinded out game. So I'm really not sure. [00:24:17] Speaker A: Yeah, so we'll see. I mean, Iowa is in the top 25. I'm hearing a lot of good things about them. So we'll see what they can do. Illinois was kind of a sleeper team for us the last few years. I'm not high on them this year. Wisconsin, Luke Fickle, he's on the hot seat. They open with Notre Dame at the once in a lifetime. Lambo Field, 20 point underdogs in that game. I, I don't know what to expect from Wisconsin. I mean, Wisconsin offensively the last two years has looked like Iowa if you put the same jersey on them. It's like watching the same team. One can score, one can't score. They both do the same. Here's a sleeper team in the Big Ten. I, I think we're kind of sleeping on these guys. Washington, I'm Interested to see what Washington do. This is the best team Jed Fish has had there. [00:25:04] Speaker B: A lot of people are up on Washington. [00:25:06] Speaker A: They basically lost their quarterback for 24 hours to lane Kiffin when he did the old sneaky Lane and tried to steal the guy for 4, 5, 6 million. Washington quickly basically got a judge involved, sued him. He came back for the 4 million original deal that he signed Lane Kiffin, then pivoted and then signed his other quarterback out of the Big 12, Arizona State. But Washington is a team. I like Rome. I think they could be pretty good. They're going to be upgraded on defense. [00:25:32] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:33] Speaker A: They've got. Their schedule's tough at the end of the year, man. Indiana and Oregon. But Washington is a team that can be good. Your UCLA Bruins, they'll be better. I already told you, they're going to lose week one here at Cal. You going to that game Rome? Are you going to go watch him get beat? [00:25:47] Speaker B: You know, when I was getting drunk at one of the bars near Cal, I did meet the guy in charge of ticketing. So I'm going to shoot after this. [00:25:54] Speaker A: He does not like you. Why did you say one of the guys that Cal doesn't like you? [00:26:00] Speaker B: No, that's. That's a, that's a straight. That's one of the strength training coaches. [00:26:04] Speaker C: All right. [00:26:05] Speaker A: I knew somebody I Cal didn't care for you much room. So. Yeah, I mean, the Big Ten is tough, man. It's open. Nebraska another. This is supposed to be Matt rules best team. People are talking about how he didn't have to pay the quarterback. That they kind of actually get to spend a little nil money on other parts and weakness of the team. [00:26:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:26:22] Speaker A: Take typically met rule year three, four. He usually wins eight, nine games. We'll see. [00:26:28] Speaker B: Nebraska supposed to be some tough losses last year. They have some tough losses last year. [00:26:33] Speaker A: That's been Nebraska story for the last decade. [00:26:35] Speaker B: It's always a little promise. All right, so who are the top picks? Who's in the championship game for the Big Ten? [00:26:46] Speaker A: I've got Oregon winning the conference, so I'll say Oregon's one. I'm gonna go Ohio State too. [00:27:00] Speaker B: No way. [00:27:02] Speaker A: Schedule's brutal. [00:27:03] Speaker B: Yeah. That's why. [00:27:04] Speaker A: But, but Ryan Day, all he does is win. So I, I, the guy guy gets 10 wins out of his sleep. [00:27:10] Speaker B: I got three losses on their schedule. [00:27:13] Speaker A: That's they very easily could three games. I'm gonna go third. I just talked about it. Washington three. [00:27:20] Speaker B: Wow. [00:27:21] Speaker A: And I'm gonna go Indiana four. [00:27:24] Speaker B: Okay. Oregon's record. Ohio State's record. I want to hear me. [00:27:30] Speaker A: Let me, let me pull up the schedule right now. Rome looking at a lot of different teams here. So Ohio State at. Okay, so they're gonna beat Ball State. Let's, let's not pretend. [00:27:41] Speaker B: Okay. Yeah. [00:27:44] Speaker A: Now they lose that. Texas. They lose at Texas. As of right now, I'll say Texas wins that game. [00:27:49] Speaker B: I think so too. I think they have the fourth hardest schedule. [00:27:53] Speaker A: Then they'll run the table. They'll beat, they'll beat. They'll beat Indiana at Indiana. They'll come to USC because they get the, they get the off weekend win. They'll lose at home against Oregon and they went out the rest. So Oregon and Texas beat Ohio State. [00:28:13] Speaker B: That's their two losses. All right. Impressive. [00:28:18] Speaker A: Oregon, their losses. [00:28:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:28:26] Speaker A: So. [00:28:26] Speaker B: So, so you got Ohio State at two losses. So I'll put them at what, 10 and two or. Yeah, 11 and two. [00:28:32] Speaker A: 10 and two. [00:28:34] Speaker B: It's all good. We don't have to do them all. I was just kind of curious for that one. A lot of people. It's just a tough schedule, man. Really tough. Indiana, I know you weren't really up on them. You got them fourth. So where are their losses coming from? [00:28:50] Speaker A: So Indiana's gonna lose an upset. They're gonna lose at Nebraska. [00:28:55] Speaker B: Okay, they're gonna lose. [00:28:57] Speaker A: So they're gonna lose back to back. They're gonna lose. So I'm going to say this right. Indiana is going to lose two of these three games. Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, they're going to lose two of those three. They got those in basically three straight games that schedule. So they're going to lose two of those three. I think Nebraska and Ohio State probably beat them. I wouldn't be surprised in Michigan. They might lose all three of those games, but they'll lose two out of three. They'll lose at Washington. So that's three losses. So I'll give you that. You could pick the two out of. They're going to lose two out of three. Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan and the lose at Washington and which will be a rainy game up there in Washington. So three losses at least for Indiana, maybe four. It's going to be an unhappy coach on the sidelines. [00:29:43] Speaker B: Jason, what do you think? [00:29:46] Speaker C: Yeah, I hate to make this, Aaron, and I agree all the time. I, I like Oregon as well too. I think they got the, you know, one of the Heisman front runners with Dante Moore probably, you know, the guy that's is Yaz Unfavor to win the Heisman. [00:30:00] Speaker A: Aaron, you got the Odds there Rome don't you you we, we. We pulled out a sheet. I could look it up on my [00:30:07] Speaker B: phone but I do Dante Moore is. Has the fourth best odds right now, right? He is. He's at plus 1100 right now from the Westgate superbook. That's what I'm looking at. [00:30:20] Speaker C: If I, if I were betting right now I would say Dante Moore, I think Arch Manning, he's like picking the Cowboys. It's all hype, everyone's on it but it's not going to actually happen. And I would say Dante Moore's at and Aaron even mentioned they have with the best QB room they do have and their schedule, I mean it's not easy. When you look at Oregon schedule I would say like if or was going to lose a game it's at Ohio State. If they're going there because they're going to play, you know, Northwestern tune up game but then have to go to Ohio State. Other than that they're going to come down to USC in late September. That's a definite winnable game against an inferior team. And then they're going to play Michigan the week after Ohio State but at home. And so that should be the big bounce back game if they were to lose Ohio State and then end the year in Washington. And I agree with Aaron, I do like Washington as well too because you know, but I mean those are the four hardest games for Oregon schedule and I think they just really stacked. I would say the one team Aaron didn't mention unless I wasn't paying attention was Penn State. Penn State's got it. They got an awfully easy schedule. They don't play any of the big boys. You know their three hardest games are going to be USC and Michigan back to back and then at Washington. And I, I just think Penn State they got a new coach obviously last season was a disaster but they're going to start off the season like an easy probably 50 going against USC. That'll be their hardest game. But they got him at home and USC's got across the country probably like a whiteout game or something. You know maybe they lose at Michigan but then at Washington's their next hardest game. But then they're going to get Purdue, Minnesota, Rutgers and Maryland. I mean this is a team that maybe they lose two games, maybe three. But I could see them easily being in the top four if you're talking about that with that, with that easy schedule going through. I agree with Aaron on Indiana. I think you see them take a step back there's a bunch of losable games that are there. Ohio State does have the hard schedule, but obviously their preseason ranked number one for a reason. They're the most talented. You know, potentially do losing to Texas, but. And then. But they get Oregon at home. They get Michigan at home. Michigan plays a pretty tough schedule as well too. So I. Oregon's going to be in the Big Ten championship game. I'll pick them to win the Big Ten. I do think they will play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game though. We'll probably have a rematch on our hands there. [00:32:39] Speaker B: Wow. [00:32:39] Speaker C: But I'm going to, I'm going to pick Penn State to finish third and then Indiana fourth. [00:32:46] Speaker B: Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. A lot of people were saying the schedule is pretty easy for Penn State. Maybe lock it in, one or two losses. What happens if because they have an easy schedule, they get one or two losses and then you have like a. Let's just theoretical. You have. [00:33:00] Speaker A: They get in the playoff room with two losses or less, they're in the playoff. All right, [00:33:05] Speaker B: and who'd you have fourth, Jason? Indiana. [00:33:07] Speaker C: You said Indiana. Yeah. [00:33:09] Speaker B: Okay. [00:33:10] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean Penn State. Yeah, their schedule is really easy, I'm not gonna lie. But basically Penn State's basically Iowa State at this point in time. So, you know, those guys are always good for a slip up or two. We'll. We'll see. I mean, at Northwestern will not be easy. I'm not worried about the game against Temple. We'll see what Wisconsin's got. Maybe they get better. They get usc, Michigan, Washington. So yeah, I mean, Penn State looks like a team that's probably going to go 10 2. Real good shot at that. But I, I got a feeling they'll slip up somewhere too. So Penn state probably finishes 9 and 3, 8 and 4. Usually when the schedule looks that easy and you're not one of the elite teams, there's always a slip up or two. This isn't like Notre Dame or Miami where you don't have to worry about those teams kind of slipping up here. [00:34:01] Speaker B: Gotcha. Oregon undefeated. Or one or two lost. Jason and Aaron, if you want to put your two cents on that one [00:34:08] Speaker C: too, man, I. Undefeated is just so tough. And they got, they do get, you know, [00:34:17] Speaker B: the. [00:34:17] Speaker C: At Ohio State just worries me for Oregon having to go there. It's obviously going to be probably a prime time game and I think that's their most challenging. And then, you know, they get Michigan and Washington at home. I think Washington and the season is probably a test. I think they go 11 and 1, [00:34:35] Speaker A: I'll say it now, Rome. I think no team in a conference, major conference will finish undefeated in the regular season. They will all have at least one loss. [00:34:48] Speaker B: I agree. All right, so Oregon has at least one loss. [00:34:53] Speaker A: Yeah, I think they'll lose two games. [00:34:56] Speaker B: Two games. So them and Ohio State would be tied with two losses. [00:35:01] Speaker A: Yeah, but I like Oregon to beat them at the shoe. So I'll give the tiebreaker to Oregon. [00:35:07] Speaker B: Nice. You know, with some of these tough schedules, I'm kind of leaning at a team with three losses gonna make into the playoff this year. I just don't know who that's going to be. Especially if like, if you have like a Ohio State with two or three losses but they just dominate everything else. What if Texas has three losses but they dominate everything else? Well, I think strength of schedule. Look at Alabama, how they got in last year. [00:35:33] Speaker A: Well, we haven't touched on. We touched on the game a bit but I think I like where you're going. Rome, we can reference back to last year. Notre Dame, Miami, Texas, Ohio State loser could not make the playoff. We're not, I mean we're not there. We got a long ways to go. [00:35:51] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:35:52] Speaker A: But you're talking about two teams that could have three losses. Texas schedule this year once we brutal as it's ever been. I mean we've, me and Jason have touched on it. The first two years they had the easiest schedule in the SEC history. This year the schedule makers finally reverse tied on that one. But both those teams can finish nine and three and the winner of that game on September 12th in Austin could determine who gets the playoff edge because the committee has told us it could. They value head to head over anything else especially the schedule strength is about even. Yes, it will be once it's all said and done here. [00:36:27] Speaker B: Yeah. Texas and Oregon are, are both in the top five hardest schedules in all the college football. [00:36:31] Speaker A: So I think, I think we could get two teams at a minimum at nine and three getting into a playoff this year. [00:36:39] Speaker B: I mean I'm not, I'm not ruling it out because this year is just a little bit different, man. There's a lot of change and all the good teams are good but they're also facing loaded, loaded schedules for the Big Ten just being speed along. I agree with you guys. I think Oregon's going to take it away but I'm going to not agree in the Ohio State pick. I think they are going to lose three games and just be out at least the conference championship. I got them. I got Them facing Michigan in the conference championship. People haven't really talked about them. We'll see. Everything kind of depends on how their quarterback responds. He looked like shit at very long stretches of last year. All new coaching staff. Still the same ethos though. Is Michigan blue? I think there's going to be a bounce back here in a really big way in Michigan. They're going to surprise some people. Indiana, I am concerned, but I do think he is the best coach in the country. So I think they're going to walk away with at least the third best record in the Big Ten and then just for shits and giggles. And this is a really good conference. Man. It is loaded with so many storylines that can play out. They're going to beat each other up a lot. Penn State's looking like a really enticing piece to finish with just two losses. But just because it is Penn State, I think they just have easy schedule. Kind of lends them to at least the fourth best record in the conference. [00:38:09] Speaker A: So you don't. You don't have Ohio State finishing in the top four room. That's what I'm hearing here. [00:38:13] Speaker B: I don't, man. I don't. I just think it's too brutal. I'm not saying it won't happen. I'm just. I. I doubt that they end up with at least. I'm definitely ruling out that they're in the top two at the end of the year in the conference. [00:38:28] Speaker C: They probably get college football. [00:38:29] Speaker B: They probably get in the playoff with it. Within that bid or that large bid. [00:38:33] Speaker C: Yeah, that's the thing with the College Football Playoff. You want to be the third or fourth seed right there. It doesn't matter. I don't care about making like the championship game. [00:38:39] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:38:40] Speaker C: The third or fourth out of the conference. [00:38:41] Speaker B: Hey, if they can be third and fourth and get in the playoffs like they did two years ago and then go on a run, you know, people are going to be asking for days ahead because they lost a few games as long as they win against Michigan. But that's gonna be a fun game. I'm excited about that one. It was close in the first half last year, but I think it's a little bounce back here for Michigan. Not very popular pick. I'm just not it. A lot of people have USC competing for the Big Ten championship this year. How do you guys feel about that one? [00:39:16] Speaker A: All right. [00:39:16] Speaker C: I think they're about. They're. They're about an eight win team. Maybe nine. [00:39:21] Speaker B: I think so too. I think so too. I don't see it. [00:39:23] Speaker C: I just. [00:39:25] Speaker A: Yeah, USC is really young. I mean, everybody's town in this young freshman class. They played a lot of guys, but I mean, I'm looking at their schedule. Like I said, Rome, they're not careful. Fresno State can beat them on Friday. I think they're gonna give them a run for their money. But then they've got Oregon, Washington, Penn State. Then they get a break with Wisconsin. Then they get Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland, rival ucla. Lincoln Riley's on the hot seat once every release that Rome. Yeah, like you guys said, it just feels like usc. You can pencil him for eight wins every year. And I think that's probably really going to finish again. [00:40:04] Speaker B: I think UCLA does have a winning record this year as well. I'll put that in writing. And they beat USC later on this year. Lock it in. All right, let's move in. Dude, I'm feeling good about UCLA. Dude, I'm feeling pretty good. I don't care about the 80s stuff today. [00:40:25] Speaker C: A bunch of UCLA friends I got, man, they're all just delusional with this UCLA football team. [00:40:29] Speaker B: Get out of here. [00:40:30] Speaker C: Good in our lifetime, man. [00:40:31] Speaker A: Never be good at our lifetime. [00:40:33] Speaker B: We had a. We have a bunch of clips from last year where, where we broke it down to quite a few instances here [00:40:40] Speaker A: last year. Rome, the last time UCLA was good. [00:40:43] Speaker B: Hey, they're good for a week. They're good for a week. I just want to put that out. [00:40:46] Speaker A: Good is they went and when they played like Miami like 30 years ago, and Andrew and James just like lit them up for like 400 yards and basically put that program where they are now. [00:40:58] Speaker C: I don't even remember the head coach, but like during USC's run, like I went to a USC UCLA game at the rose bowl, like, oh, 5 or 06 or 07 or something like that. No, that was like the. That was the car all time. Ye. That was. That was UCLA game I ever been to. [00:41:18] Speaker B: Yeah, they were fun. All right, let's move it on to the Big 12. I assume you guys want to save the SEC and the Big Six for later on. We got the Big 12. [00:41:32] Speaker A: Just wanted to know if we're going to talk Pac 12 football back again. You know what? [00:41:35] Speaker B: We can dedicate two minutes to that. How about that? Yeah, Boise State, I do like their schedule, how they're setting it up too. It's like a wild robin, the kind of position one of their guys to make the playoff. But Big 12, I haven't heard much chatter. It's a deep conference, but it Kind of reminds me of the PAC12 where they just kind of eat each other alive. Utah has a change of coach but still a lot of talents. Texas Tech is looking like that's the favorite, the Red Raiders where you're from, Aaron, you hear things about BYU making a run back, you know, from their recent success. Some people like Arizona, but I haven't heard too much from there as well. Colorado, they haven't looked good outside of their first two years. Now that Showdor is not quarterback there. They kind of have to bounce back. Iowa State, they have a have a change as well. Some people like Kansas State. So TCU got upset this past weekend. They kind of shot themselves in the foot. So not a good start to the year. I'll let you guys take it away, man. Who you guys like? [00:42:46] Speaker A: And yeah, Rome. I mean you mentioned the Big 12. I mean the Big 12 I think has the two teams that should play for the conference championship or Texas Tech and byu. I mean these two teams played last year. I mean they're the clear favorites I believe right now when you look at it, Texas Tech, a lot of questions at quarterback. I believe the guy that tours ACL is cleared to play week one or week two. They just got Tommy Castellanos who got cleared for fifth year. So he'll probably be the backup there. [00:43:18] Speaker B: That's the same. [00:43:19] Speaker A: Yeah, coming in from last year. Obviously he's at Florida State, but yeah, I mean Texas Tech, we know they got the most talent. They returning. They've got a lot of good players coming back. A lot of people are high on Houston. Houston's a team that's getting a lot of love than the Big 12. Not really sold on their quarterback play. The guys had up and down play throughout his career from Texas A and M going to Houston, Utah, you know, new coach. But you know the coach has been there for a long time. He was a defensive coordinator. He was a coach in waiting when Willingham was going to step aside. He takes over now. But Utah lost a lot of coaches. They all basically went to Michigan, the OC there that kind of revamped that offense. A team. I like that. I still think that probably a year or two away is Oklahoma State. They're going to be a lot better. They get, they get Oregon in week two. That's going to be an exciting game. I know last year Oregon beat them 69, 3 and that was when Mike Gundy came out and said that's what a forty million dollar roster looks like. It gets a five million dollar roster. Well, Oklahoma State Spent some money this year. They went out, brought in the guys from North Texas. One of my Heisman sleepers at quarterback there. So I'm high on Oklahoma State. I don't think they have enough horses to get it done. But for me this is really a two conference race with byu, Texas Tech. Arizona is a team I think could be pretty good. Can they take that next leap? We'll see. But if you want my top teams, Rome, I'm going to say Tech wins the conference. Byu, I'll say Texas Tech, byu. You could probably flip those teams because BYU does have a more favorable schedule could detect. But those two teams should finish on the top. I will go. Houston 3. And I'll go. Let's go. Let's go. Arizona 4. [00:45:08] Speaker B: No love for Utah, huh? [00:45:09] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna slip on Utah. [00:45:15] Speaker B: Okay. Jason. [00:45:20] Speaker C: Yeah, I agree with Aaron. Texas Tech, you know, pretty much if there's, if there's one that's a little bit ahead. I mean Rome, you said it, we said it for two years about Big 12 as far as like you could be any one of like seven teams at a certain point that were winning the conference that we were getting down to the really the end of the season and game here there we're knocking people out. But I think Texas Tech is, you know, above the rest a little bit. Quarterback, biggest question for them. Obviously they had all the controversy surrounded with SBY and the transfer going in but oh yeah, they still have Hammond there who was the, you know, pretty much the starter going forward. The coach said like he would if, you know, if he wouldn't have had the injury, he would have been the starter, you know, so. But they still have tons of talent. It's a team that's big into the nil versus the rest of these like schools like I think they spend the most money. Aaron can correct me on that. Wrong. So. So they have, they have the kind of the paid for roster so. Versus the rest of the Big 12. That's a little bit of step below BYU. Agree with Aaron. I mean they're a great team. They do play Notre Dame. That's going to be their, you know, biggest non conference one that's going to be Notre Dame's biggest game of the year besides after Miami. So the only one kind of willing to schedule them is, is byu. But you know, besides that, you know they only really got Utah and so they don't really have the strength of schedule. So you don't see Texas Tech and BYU playing each other. So there's opportunity for them for two. So I like them one too. Just like Aaron meeting in the Big 12 championship game. Agree with Aaron on Houston too. I think that's a team that could win seven. Eight is probably eight games if you look into it and sneak into third. I guess if I'm gonna do a sneaky team into the fourth I would say Kansas State, you know kind of one of those, one of those teams kind of caught in the middle where they, you could pick up a few games. They really, they only play Houston is probably their, their hardest game otherwise you know they play a lot of that bottom of the Big 12 projected conference where they could put up a lot of wins in conference and be in the place to finish fourth. So but it's a conference against swing anyway Wouldn't be surprised Aaron Stone out teams like Ohio State that you know or I'm sorry Oklahoma State. They could potentially do it a run. I think it's a conference like very muddle in that conference play towards the end. [00:47:29] Speaker A: I do like that Kansas State sleeper pick there by Jason. But yeah, I agree. I mean you could have besides one and two like one and two. I'm, I'm confident in byu, Texas Tech. But two through seven like whoever preseason, whoever's preseason ranked seven could finish three. So you know Kansas State first time head coach coming over he was the OC at Texas A M. He was alma mater I believe he was the quarterback for Kansas State there for a while. I, I do like their schedule. Kansas State disappointed last year. So that's a nice little pick by Jason. We kind of slept on. We had high hopes last year they didn't up to him. Kansas State a team it's tough to win there in Manhattan Kansas. So they, they, they are a nice pick for number four. [00:48:15] Speaker B: Kansas State was one of my first football teams I rooted for so I'm always secretly rooting for them. Used to pick them in Bill Snyder [00:48:21] Speaker A: took over on the day man when nobody gave a crap about those guys. [00:48:24] Speaker B: It was a college football what was it? [00:48:28] Speaker A: 2000? [00:48:29] Speaker B: I believe 2000 maybe maybe 98. I, I, I don't know but I play them all the time and I still lost one or two games a year. It's pretty tough. Let's get smacked now. I'm just gonna go chalk on that one. I really don't have much to add but I think there's gonna be a lot of exciting games out of that conference though. [00:48:49] Speaker A: People I mean expecting the nice where was tcu? I mean they gotta probably be what three or four before that disappointing loss. North Carolina, I mean, they lost a lot of love. I mean they had to probably be up on a lot of people's Big 12 boards to be doing something right. [00:49:06] Speaker C: Yeah, I think they were Castella, the mix, you know, the Arizona, Houston kind of area. They're probably like a seven, maybe an eight win team. I think they were in that model. Now they're probably a 6, 7 win team. [00:49:18] Speaker B: I think they're looking at how much of a drop. [00:49:21] Speaker C: I think the problem with the tcu, they. I mean, out of all the teams, they have one of the harder schedules because they're going to play byu, they're going to play Utah and they're going to play at Texas Tech to end the season versus these other teams only have basically one of the. The top four they're playing. [00:49:37] Speaker A: Yeah, they've got them look at their schedule right now. They do get BYU at home, but they get Central Florida mixed in there. You know, a lot of teams, you know, we were listening to a pot going up to Vegas. A lot of people, not a lot, but some people were liking Rich Rod in West Virginia, you know, says second stint there, second year to maybe make a move. Yeah, I'm looking at the end of the schedule. Like Jason said, they got Arizona, Kansas State, Utah, Texas Tech. They could easily go 1 and 3, 0 and 4 down the stretch of that schedule. They go 2 and 2. That's a win, I think for TCU. And their quarterback did not look good. New offensive philosophy, running the ball. North Carolina is a bad football team and TCU lost to them. And something we didn't point out, but teams that typically lose that first game in Ireland, not a good year. Gone on to have terrible seasons. [00:50:25] Speaker B: Right? [00:50:26] Speaker A: I mean, Florida State had a nightmare year. Kansas State started 0 and 3. So it's not a good omen to go to Dublin and take an L. I mean, I think TC's in trouble. I think Sonny Dykes currently is on the hot seat. [00:50:44] Speaker B: Dude, North Carolina has not looked at that good in defense. That looks like a completely different team than last year, man. [00:50:51] Speaker A: I think it had more to do with the inept play of tcu. The North Carolina, they shot themselves a [00:50:56] Speaker B: lot, but they still took advantage, man. [00:50:58] Speaker A: It was. [00:50:59] Speaker B: That was pretty exciting. That was a good one. All right, Big six and then sec or just go straight to the sec. Come on. I know, with the bang. [00:51:11] Speaker A: Let's go to the pack 12. [00:51:12] Speaker B: Rome, let's go the Pac 12 then. [00:51:16] Speaker A: Is it eight teams? How many teams are in the Pac 12 now. [00:51:19] Speaker B: Eight teams, I believe. For now. [00:51:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:51:24] Speaker B: The Pac 12 is alive again. [00:51:28] Speaker C: Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Washington State, Texas State, Utah State, Oregon State, Colorado State. All the states. [00:51:35] Speaker A: All the states. I. I'll put it this way. Rome didn't do a lot of research on the conference, but I. I do have Boise State to win the conference. [00:51:46] Speaker B: Okay. Anything else to add? I'll give. [00:51:49] Speaker A: I'll give you the three teams. I'll say Boise State wins the conference. Fresno State second, Texas State third. That's. That's my top three teams in that conference. [00:52:02] Speaker B: Say it again. [00:52:02] Speaker A: Any one of those three teams could win the conference, but I'll say Boise State's the likely one to win it. [00:52:07] Speaker B: Yeah, you said Boise and who else? [00:52:10] Speaker A: Fresno State, followed by Texas State. [00:52:12] Speaker B: Got it, Jason. [00:52:16] Speaker C: Boise State wins the conference. I think they again will be. The group of. Was a group of six. [00:52:23] Speaker A: Yeah. Group of six now. Yeah. [00:52:25] Speaker C: Group of six potentially going in there. I. I will go Boise State, Fresno State. I'm going to say San Diego State. [00:52:36] Speaker B: Oh, wow. [00:52:39] Speaker A: Jason likes to go down there and party on the weekends, by the way. [00:52:43] Speaker B: Just. [00:52:43] Speaker A: Just in case anybody wanted to know. A little bias there. [00:52:46] Speaker B: All right, Jason, you got Boise saying. Who else? [00:52:49] Speaker C: Fresno State, San Diego State is your top three. Do you go four? Then I'll agree with Aaron. You go Texas state. [00:52:58] Speaker B: Fresno State, man, plus 650. If you want to go within the. Win the conference. That's kind of a fun one. San Diego State +425. Boise State's at +172. You can win a lot of money if you got Fresno State above six and a half. Wins some fun stuff. I'm gonna go Boise State as well. And that's all I got, man. That's all I got in that conference. I do like the schedule, though. They have like a round robin after they play each other. It kind of determines the rest of the schedule for everybody else. And it's aimed to a position, at least the conference winner into the College playoff. I think it's pretty fun. I don't know what network they're on, though. I know it's a mix of several [00:53:46] Speaker A: ones, but with the Pac 12. [00:53:49] Speaker B: Yeah, we'll see how it goes. [00:53:50] Speaker A: Aren't they on, like, was it CBS Sports Network? Like, that's the old Mountain west or whatever was on. [00:53:56] Speaker B: I don't know, dude. I'm still pissed off. That whole profession for the Pack to. He just messed up the whole conference, dude. [00:54:01] Speaker A: Well, you will get to see Boise State at 12:30 Saturday at Eugene Against Oregon. Yeah, we know how that game played out two years ago. That wild, like 39, 31 shootout. [00:54:13] Speaker B: It was group of six in general. You guys have some teams you're looking out for. Who's gonna win there, division, have an outstanding year. Any upsets, surprises, Cinderellas. Besides Boise State, a lot of people are up on UTSA and a lot of love for North Dakota State. Had a big win this past weekend. [00:54:41] Speaker A: They're a dog this week in North Dakota State. Rome. [00:54:43] Speaker B: Who are they playing? [00:54:45] Speaker A: I got my notes here. Let me look at me a second here to find it. Rome versus Fordham. Yeah. [00:54:55] Speaker C: North Dakota State's playing Fordham this weekend. [00:54:58] Speaker B: This. They are, yeah. So they're favorite this weekend. [00:55:01] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. I got, I got South Carolina State here, so. Wrong team here. Rome. Gotta check my notes here. South Carolina State, the underdog at Northwestern. [00:55:10] Speaker B: Got it. [00:55:12] Speaker C: Yeah. I, I think you get North Dakota State. I mean, that's a team that. [00:55:16] Speaker B: It's your first year. It's your first year in the fbs. [00:55:20] Speaker C: I think there's some hype with them to potentially be, you know, win, win the Mountain West. [00:55:25] Speaker B: Didn't they beat Notre Dame last year? Was that the. Was that the game? [00:55:29] Speaker C: No, that was Northern Illinois, who are also in the Mountain west somehow, because those, those great mountains of Illinois that are in the West. [00:55:36] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah. I mean, group of six, Boise State's gonna be a favorite. I mean, I've always been up on unlv. I don't. I'm not this year. Obviously, they lost, but no one's probably going to be talking about Memphis. Why not? Memphis as a group of six team, got a big win against unlv. At unlv. I know UNLV was a team that people, People are talking about Navy as well. Navy. Do they play Notre Dame this year? Jason? [00:56:07] Speaker C: Navy playing Notre Dame. [00:56:09] Speaker A: Wow. [00:56:10] Speaker C: You're asking me a very important question. Question that I should know the answer to because no one else plays Notre Dame. [00:56:17] Speaker A: I just know he does play Notre Dame. Okay. It seems like that's on the schedule every year, so that is. [00:56:24] Speaker C: That is one of the few standings for Notre Dame. [00:56:28] Speaker A: So. Yeah, I mean, they're on there, but I would say that the lead dog is Boise State. Rome. They return a lot of players. UTSA is an interesting squad as well, so keep an eye on that. But I, I would say the 6 favorite to get in as an automatic would probably be Boise State. We'll see how they look against Oregon here this Saturday. [00:56:53] Speaker B: That just leaves the sec, right? Yeah, sec. Lots of big dogs. Lots of crying from the SEC commissioner and managers. No love talking in the Big Ten. Let's see if they can step it up again this year. Alabama, a lot of people expecting a bounce back year from them. The Georgia Bulldogs won the handful of favorites that are completely loaded to make a deep run to win the chip this year. LSU with Lane Kiffin and he brought all that drama back with him to Baton Rouge. Ole Miss, lots of players coming back. They were at the forefront with a lot of lawsuits to bring in. Chambliss back for year five. One of the older ones. Of all the quarterbacks in college football this year, Heisman favorites, but they have a pretty tough schedule. Oklahoma Sooners, their quarterback was the Heisman favorite early part of last year. Can you get back to it? Lots of question marks there. And then Texas, one of my teams loaded schedule, but Arch Manning was tested. The whole team was tested last year. I kind of like that for the gauntlet this year, but I got them at least with two losses. So, Aaron, you can start off with the SEC who you like, who you don't like. [00:58:32] Speaker A: Well, Rom, the SEC is loaded at least top heavy again, but I mean, there's a lot of good teams in this conference. Some teams are going to lose a lot of games. But my top team in the SEC probably should be no surprise. They've been dominating for about the last six years. I like Georgia. I think Georgia is still the team to beat in this conference. Until somebody can knock off the top dog, they're the team for me. It gets interesting from there because all these teams have brutal schedules. Texas has an extremely tough schedule, but I'm gonna go number two team for me in the sec. I'm gonna go with Lane Kibbins. Lsu, I think LSU is one of the most talented teams in the country. If Sam Levitt could stay healthy at quarterback, they're gonna get to 10 wins. They know they could score. They got the. Their defense is upgraded to players. They got the same defensive coordinator that was there, Brian Kelly. That defense has gotten better progressively over the years. What are they going to the transfer portal? And I think they brought in what, 40, 48 guys or something. A record number. They're spending the most money in college football north of 40 million. They're the only known roster to be north of 40 million. That's public. [00:59:50] Speaker B: Is that true? [00:59:52] Speaker A: I do believe that's what I've heard. [00:59:55] Speaker B: Okay, well, we'll come back to that. [00:59:58] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean, I've got LSU second. This is where it gets tricky. I'm gonna Go third in the conference. Foreign. I'm gonna go Texas. Texas is going to probably lose at least three games. We talked about at Rome. They got a tough schedule, but I'm not sold. I'm not sold on their defensive coordinator. I think they brought in what Will Muschamp. I. I'm not buying that. Will Muschom's best day has been behind him for about 10, 15 years. He's living in the past, so Archmanny's gonna have to carry this team. Jason already said he doesn't believe in him, so we'll see. I mean, start. He gets. He gets. He gets a lot of credit for being some offensive guru genius. But in big games, I think his game plans have been bad, so, like, archery's gonna have to bail them out of some big games. He did it. He did. Towards the end of last year. Yeah, we'll see. You know, Rome, I've always. I've always been a true believer in Texas A and M when everybody else has not really been on them. But I'm not on Texas A. I think they're one of the more overrated teams in the country this year. They're not going to finish in the top four. Ole Miss, they're not going to finish in the top four either. Alabama, they're not going to finish there. I'm going to go fourth. Oklahoma. [01:01:20] Speaker B: Wow. [01:01:21] Speaker A: Yeah. I think they're offensively material. They're going to be better. They were on a roll till he broke his thumb or whatever. He was never the same. Couldn't really spin the ball well. [01:01:29] Speaker B: He brought him back to his fest soon. [01:01:30] Speaker A: Yeah. Second. Second year in that system of the OC they brought over with him from Washington State. We know Brent Venable's defense is legit. This defense will be great again if they can keep the quarterback standing, kind of develop a run game, keep some pressure off him. Oklahoma, I think, gets in the four. So I got Georgia one, LSU two, Texas three, Oklahoma four. That's my top teams in the sec. [01:01:58] Speaker B: I'm liking it. I'm liking it. Georgia's final record, by the way. [01:02:03] Speaker A: Let me. Let me pull up their schedule here. [01:02:06] Speaker C: Rome, 11 and one. [01:02:11] Speaker B: You got them at level one, Jason. [01:02:14] Speaker C: Yeah, and I agree with there. And then winning the conference. [01:02:16] Speaker A: I. I tend to agree with that. I think they're only slip up. I don't think they're going to lose out. Bama. I think they'll be ready for that game. [01:02:28] Speaker C: I think you're looking into the Oklahoma game or you're looking at the Ole Miss game. [01:02:33] Speaker A: Yeah, I was looking at the Ole Miss game. I think a trap game late in the year at South Carolina that's in between they play their rival Georgia Tech who's always giving them trouble here the last few years they're looking ahead at South Carolina be tricky but I'll go with Jason. 11 and one I think is realistic chance for them. [01:02:56] Speaker B: Okay Jason. So you got them winning the conference as well Georgia. [01:03:01] Speaker C: I do agree with Aaron Class of the conference continue to be I know Texas is getting all the love preseason. That Ohio State game obviously going to say a lot to Aaron's point. Maybe it's something of the Miami Notre Dame issue last year of who gets in the playoff. I don't think so. I think because they're both in conference they have the biggest political advantage for being in in that game just being either it counts for your resume if you beat him or it's just like ah we lost to a pr, you know a great team if we lose them. But the rest of Texas, Texas schedule Aaron brought it up but we've been talking about the last two years where they played nobody but they got to play at Tennessee. Then they play their rival in Oklahoma. They got to play Ole Miss, they got to play currently ranked Missouri at 25. But I feel like Missouri's on everybody's schedule this year. So Missouri's not going to be ranked by the time the end of the year goes. They get this is the only they're probably going to be ranked here early in the season but then at lsu, at Texas A and M like that schedule from Texas is hard. I mean you're thinking this is a 9 and 3 team probably going through. Aaron's right. Don't see a team going undefeated. There's going to be a slip up and I don't think Texas is in. I think with the amount of games that Texas has that are just be ultra competitive I them going 10 and 2 would be a big deal for them and they'd be automatically in. But I mean I think we could be talking through with how deep the top of the SEC is. Like they're going to get a nine win team in more than likely versus some of these other conferences. So [01:04:31] Speaker A: I [01:04:33] Speaker C: man the LSU thing is interesting. They don't exactly have the easiest conference either. But Lane at Ole Miss seems like a game he's going to get up for. Agree with Aaron about the Texas A and M of it all. So there, there is an opportunity here for LSU and I think there's a lot of Pressure on Lane to win. This is, I guess the, I don't know, is this the third dream job or whatever he's got going on. But this is kind of the, this is the pinnacle of kind of where he's built everything to come through. And you know, lsu, they demand a winner. I don't know about Aaron's, you know, dollar figure before, but I believe it considering what's going on. You had, we made the NFL joke, but yeah, you got guys being cut from practice squads or whatever in the NFL that are just like I called Coach Kiffin, I'm going back to school or whatever this nonsense is going to hear. So I don't think there's any, anything spared for LSU to be able to get in this playoff and potentially make some noise. It's a conference that's gonna get four teams regardless because they're gonna politicize their way in. But I think Georgia, lsu, Texas. Aaron writes off Alabama but like to me like Bama's only got a small stretch of the season where it's like it, all their hard games are right in the middle. They're gonna play Georgia at Tennessee, Texas A and M and then they get a week off to prep for at lsu. It's hard for me to see like Bama not going, you know, 2 and 2 in those games being 10 and 2 and automatically being in the playoffs. So I'll say Bama will be the fourth team. [01:06:14] Speaker B: Nice. Some people, some, a lot of people got Alabama's dark horse to win that conference. So pretty exciting stuff. In no particular order, just I think the conference too hard. My top is very similar. I, I, I potentially got Oklahoma winning the, the conference as an upset, as like a long shot. That's my dark horse there. But also Georgia, LSU and Texas, those are my top teams. I think Alabama has a shot too. It's gonna be really fun. No love for Vanderbilt? [01:06:55] Speaker C: I don't think so any man, sir. I mean they're gonna be what, seven, eight win team maybe Aaron. [01:07:01] Speaker A: Yeah, we'll see it. Well, they're starting what, five star freshmen. We'll see. Well, we'll see what they got. We will see what they got. I mean we'll see. I think Vanderbilt, we'll see what they got. At the end of the year they should be better. As the season goes on, the quarterback gets more experience. That's a game for me. Alabama, Vanderbilt's kind of gotten up. That's their new rival. Really? Alabama. [01:07:26] Speaker B: Right. [01:07:26] Speaker A: Ever since Nick Saban said, you know, if you want your, your Own fans. [01:07:29] Speaker B: Well, that was last. Well, that was last year. Yeah. [01:07:32] Speaker A: I think Vanderbilt's taking that seriously. Alabama goes there late in the year. I think that's a game that Vanderbilt might be able to win. That knocks Alabama out of the conversation. [01:07:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:07:42] Speaker A: Alabama's got a young quarterback too, that they're starting defensively. Bama to me's got a lot of question marks. Household. Household are they on killing the boar and household, is he on them? There's gonna be a lot of nice jobs opening up. One here at USC that might be opening up. [01:08:01] Speaker B: I think it's a very pivotal year. [01:08:02] Speaker A: One in Tallahassee that's opening up. Does Kellen DeBoer find a way to get exit out of Bama for somebody that never really wanted him there to begin with? That's. That's why I think Alabama right now has a lot of question marks going in. [01:08:16] Speaker C: Didn't he just get a raise? [01:08:18] Speaker B: I did, actually, yeah. [01:08:21] Speaker A: Raise every year in their contract, right? I think so. [01:08:25] Speaker B: We'll see. One thing I will say, LSU did get a lot of transfers and I think Lane Kiffin is going to get up for this. This is like a. The complete arc though. I think this is the last stop for Lane Kiffin because he's kind of following like the Nick Saban, you know, circle and now he takes over his former mentors program. Nick Saban has vouched for him, has even talked positively about him. They have their differences, but it seems like Kiffin's got the backing from some of the greatest coaches in history. So I'm really excited for that. [01:09:01] Speaker A: LSU goes as far as Sam Levitt can stay healthy. [01:09:04] Speaker B: I've heard that's the biggest question mark. [01:09:05] Speaker A: This guy got Arizona State to the playoff. If he stays healthy. I have no doubt in my mind that I think LSU makes it to the playoff. If he gets hurt, then Lane Kiffin, he could be looking at a 7 and 5 to 9, 9 and 3 type team without him. But with them, I think he gets to 10 wins. [01:09:24] Speaker B: I can't remember which article that I, I was reading or podcast, but I did hear that Ole Miss was actually spending the second most in nil in college football. It was either in college football or the sec. So I was really curious. [01:09:39] Speaker A: I think it's sec. I mean, I saw a list. I, I think I got it on my. Give me a second, see if I can find it. [01:09:46] Speaker B: Because that was like one of Lane Kiffin scribes. Like, yeah, they were spending a lot, but not as much. And, and then, and then they kind of like spent a little more. They kind of, I mean, look at [01:09:55] Speaker A: LSU is spending the most money. Yeah, they are. I think Oregon is up there, Ohio State's up there. Texas Tech, as Jason pointed out, they are spending the most money in the Big 12. So you've got multiple teams in the 30 plus million. LSU is the one. I heard that was over the 40 million. They're not, they're not going around. And now they're paying NFL contracts too, so. [01:10:22] Speaker B: Well, not yet. They haven't signed anybody yet. I think that's all of it, man. We covered all the major conferences. [01:10:33] Speaker C: You only got one thing you're missing. Rome. [01:10:37] Speaker B: Notre Dame. You want to talk about the independent teams here, Jason, you want five minutes? [01:10:43] Speaker C: I don't need five minutes, Rome. [01:10:44] Speaker B: All right, tell us about Nord Dame. How are they gonna do? [01:10:48] Speaker C: Undefeated. [01:10:49] Speaker B: Undefeated. [01:10:51] Speaker C: Undefeated. Aaron, Aaron, Aaron had the caveat. He said no one in any of the conferences was going undefeated. [01:11:01] Speaker A: Set that one up. Yeah, I do. I agree. Oh, we lose Rome there or what? [01:11:08] Speaker C: I guess so. He was so, he was so shocked at what was happening at there, you know, between ruffling his papers every, every 30 seconds into the microphone and everything going on. Just didn't want to be on. So he said, I had five minutes to discuss Notre Dame. But yeah, Aaron, I, I, I just don't know. I mean, transparently, Notre Dame, not the hardest schedule. No one can say that. No one really even wants to schedule Notre Dame anymore. So I think that's why they had to kind of make nice with the acc, because, hey, we need people to put on this schedule. There's no incentive for Big Ten teams and mostly SEC teams to schedule Notre Dame. Even though I think like Bama and Texas and somebody in the future years are going to be having Notre Dame on the schedule. But I mean, this year, you know, Miami and smu, their two hardest games of the year, I guess byu, maybe their second hardest game. So those, that's kind of the, the, the core. But that game in Wisconsin at Lambeau Field to start the season, Wisconsin, not a good team. They play Rice, you know, should be an easy win. Michigan State, not exactly the elite of the Big Ten. At Purdue, same thing. Then at North Carolina, no matter them winning. So there, there's just a run all the way basically through Stanford where Notre Dame's going to go into that, that BYU game six and oh, and then they're going to be able to be set up nice going at byu and that'll be probably a prime time game. They get a week off and then they get to play Navy and then they're in at Miami and that's really the heart of the schedule. So I just think, you know, they started a freshman quarterback last year with Carr. Experienced quarterbacks, good quarterback play. It's what's going big money in the transfer portals right now. And last year, you know, Carr almost beat Miami in the opener and that's really what kind of kept him out of the playoff. And so now he's going to have basically the rest of this full season he had last year. And I think this is a guy, you know, super deep dark doors. If you're looking for a Heisman candidate, probably not this year is going to be maybe next year. But I think Notre Dame, all the cards are for them to go undefeated this year. Even if they had to slip up in one of these big games versus BYU or Miami, I mean, they're basically locked in. I think if they get What a top 12 it is now, Aaron, if they're top 12 in the whatever the college football ranking, they're automatically in. So they are in the playoff and yeah, that's it. Rome, you were speechless and you logged off because you didn't want to talk Fighting Irish football. [01:13:32] Speaker A: Yeah, I, I agree. I mean, Notre Dame is a lock for the playoff. And you know, Jason, you know, he caught my little hint there where I said no team From a Power 4 conference would it go undefeated. Yeah, I agree. I think Notre Dame is. I be. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked if they did lose one game. I would be shocked they lost at byu. BYU just doesn't have the athletes to play the speed team like Nordame. We've seen that from Texas Tech. Miami could be interesting because Miami has shown under crystal ball on the road. Big games in the playoffs. They went into Texas A and M got a W, so they know how to win big games on the road. That will be Notre Dame's biggest test. I think it'll be a tight game like it was last year, but Notre Dame likely probably pulls that out. Smu, they get them at home. So. Yeah, I agree. I think Notre Dame runs the table and likely finishes 12 0. [01:14:25] Speaker B: Nice. Any other comments? You guys want to talk about the playoffs or we'll just kind of save that for like later on down the line. [01:14:31] Speaker A: We can do playoffs or national championship picks, whatever you got. [01:14:34] Speaker B: Rome, who do you got playing in the national championship then? [01:14:39] Speaker A: You want me or what? Man, there's a lot of good teams, man, there's really a lot of good teams to choose from. I'm gonna go. I mean, I could go back and forth on this. I, I like, I like Notre Dame a lot this year too. I'm gonna say Oregon versus Georgia in the national championship. [01:15:07] Speaker B: Who ultimately raises a trophy and hangs a banner? [01:15:13] Speaker A: Georgia. Wow. I think, I think no one's talking about Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. [01:15:20] Speaker B: I bet it against them so many times last year, man, they screwed me over at least three of them. They should have lost so much more. I don't know yet on Georgia. I have to dig in a little deeper before I. [01:15:29] Speaker A: Speaker 3. The SEC finally meets the Big Ten in a championship game and gets back to winning. I. I'll take Georgia to win the national title. [01:15:41] Speaker B: Wow. Okay. You want to do like semi finals 1. Let's just leave a championship, huh? [01:15:48] Speaker A: I mean, yeah, we can give you more. I can give you more playoff teams if you want Rome, but I'll say that, I'll say. Or Oregon vs. Georgia with Georgia winning the national title. [01:15:56] Speaker B: Okay, Jason, who you got? [01:16:01] Speaker C: I agree with Aaron on Oregon. As I said in the Big Ten, think they win it and they're able to get through that. And then I think they will play Notre Dame in the national championship and Notre Dame will win the national championship. [01:16:17] Speaker A: Notre Dame is my third choice. [01:16:20] Speaker B: Nice. Nice. Who? [01:16:23] Speaker C: You got room? [01:16:25] Speaker B: I don't know, man. I got nothing this year. I think it's, you know, I'm rooting for Texas, but that's such a tough schedule. It's the war of attrition. So I'm not sure how much other team will be left. I mean, Nordame got kind of got screwed last year. They should have been the playoff. [01:16:50] Speaker A: I mean, asking Rome these questions is tough. I'll say Rome while you're waiting. If you wanted my final four. [01:16:56] Speaker B: Yeah, let's hear it. [01:16:58] Speaker A: I would have Oregon, Oregon versus Notre Dame with Oregon beating Notre Dame. And then I'd have Miami versus Georgia with Georgia beating Miami. So that, that would be kind of my semi final matchup. [01:17:11] Speaker B: Okay, hold on. So you see at Oregon beating Notre Dame and then Georgia beating who? [01:17:17] Speaker A: Miami. [01:17:18] Speaker B: Miami. Okay, got it. [01:17:19] Speaker A: And then with Georgia beating Oregon for the title. [01:17:23] Speaker B: I do my. I, I do think Miami is going to be one of the final four teams. [01:17:28] Speaker C: I would agree with that. [01:17:30] Speaker B: Who are your other two teams? [01:17:31] Speaker C: Besides, I would say my. I would say Georgia as well, too. This is very uninterest and uninteresting. [01:17:39] Speaker A: If you want a dark horse, Rome, while we're still waiting on your pick. [01:17:44] Speaker B: You there? [01:17:45] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm here if you're looking for a real, real dark horse. [01:17:50] Speaker B: I thought you froze because you didn't move at all. [01:17:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm looking, man. This is so many, like, teams here. [01:17:55] Speaker B: I was like, dude, I don't see the sweat dripping off that bald head anymore. [01:18:00] Speaker A: I mean, I. I don't think they do it, but they'd be an interesting storyline. I mean, LSU would be fun if they won, but I'd say the dark. A dark, dark horse would be Oklahoma. Oklahoma's a team that could get to the Final Four. They could be like a Miami. If they get. If they get back in there and get the right matchups and they're healthy, Oklahoma could be dangerous. [01:18:28] Speaker B: I'll give you guys my Final Four. I don't really have, like, a pick to win it this year. Right now I'm rooting for Texas. I'm rooting for lsu. [01:18:36] Speaker A: We know, we know. You're always on Texas is Jock Rome. It never fails, bro. [01:18:41] Speaker B: Not always. Nah, man. [01:18:43] Speaker A: I mean, since we've been recording the show for the third college football season, I haven't heard you say anything bad about Texas. [01:18:49] Speaker B: No, I've been. I've been true to Texas. And you guys just, like, take jabs, low blows. It's all good. And that's why I'm the. [01:18:57] Speaker A: We won't be taking any jabs at Texas this year because the schedule's legit. It's legit for the first time on this show for three seasons. Yeah. [01:19:09] Speaker B: Yeah. I think Notre Dame's in there. I do got Miami in there. I think Texas actually cuts through as a Final Four. And then I will throw in. I will throw in a wild card. I say Oregon as well. Actually. That's not wild card. [01:19:37] Speaker A: I forgot. [01:19:37] Speaker B: I forgot Oregon. I was gonna do like a wild card, though, for, like, to make it the Final Four. [01:19:40] Speaker A: But your wild card, Roman, would be Michigan. Let's just not kid ourselves here. I know you love Michigan. Let's just stop. [01:19:51] Speaker B: That's on wild card for the playoff for sure. [01:19:53] Speaker A: But I think if Jason touched on, if you want like two teams from two conferences, Penn State, if they get in the playoff, easy schedule, who knows what they could do. But I think a second team out of the acc, whether it's Louver or smu, one of those teams could be a team that could get in the playoff and win a game R2 and get to a semi final. SMU or Louisville, they. They've got enough talent to. If they get the right matchups, I think they could do that as well. So Penn State smu, Louisville would be three teams or you can probably get really, really good odds on that. I think could sneak into the playoff and win a game or two and you could just head that hedge that future bet if you have it. [01:20:35] Speaker B: Well, the game would be a quarterfinal. But you're saying semi, final, Final Four. Yeah. I just don't think Penn State has the medal for that. Even with the new coaching regime. It's going to take a few years. I don't see that turnaround. [01:20:50] Speaker A: Well, I, I'm not high on them. [01:20:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:20:52] Speaker A: But like Jason pointed out, that schedule is soft. [01:20:54] Speaker B: It, I mean it, it spells at [01:20:57] Speaker A: a minimum 9 should be 10 win team which gets them in the playoff. [01:21:01] Speaker B: I would put money for them to win the game. I think that that would be pretty good odds. Most definitely. Any dark horses? [01:21:11] Speaker C: To me it's tough to say. I mean last year was. Last year was chaos and who got in. But it's tough to say there'd be two ACC teams in because I think from the, from the political perspective, just conspiracy theory for me right now. Like the Big Ten and the SEC get four each automatically. So we're already talking about that's eight of the 12 teams already spoken for. Now you have to do automatic conference winners of the Big 12 and ACC. So we're saying that's going to be Miami, Texas Tech. I'm telling you Notre. And Aaron is going to tell you Notre Dame is going to be in. So that's 11. And so the 12th team has to be the group of six teams. So we're saying Boise State. And so the only way that you know you're getting some dark horse out of the ACC or Big 12 getting in is, you know, Notre Dame getting out or somehow the big Big Ten of the SEC not getting teams in. And I think you just see where these guys pull rank where like the SEC commissioner is talking about like I deserve seven teams in this playoff and everything like that and where they're trying to go through. So I think it's, it's tough for me to say dark horse in this manner. Aaron kind of took it there with Penn State. I think they're a team, they're not the ones talking about. They probably sneak in as a third, potentially third or fourth team in the conference. It's tough to say any of these SEC teams are a dark horse. I like your guys pick with Oklahoma because I think there's not a lot of people talking about that. So they got in. Yeah, I could definitely make a run. So I think, I think that's ones if them saying a dark horse in there. [01:22:41] Speaker B: I'm kind of lean on the Big Ten only getting three people in this year. [01:22:45] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean to Jason's point, if it's four, four, it gets tough. But smu, Louisville, I'm not saying they're going to get in, but SMU has a game late in the year against Notre Dame. Okay. They also play Louisville. Louisville opens a season with Ole Miss. If these teams do go 10 and two or better and lose to Miami and win some of these games against a Notre Dame or an Ole Miss are really, really competitive. I think One of those two teams at 10 and 2 would get the edge over a 9 and 3 team because their schedule isn't soft. If you got these out of conference games, I'm not going to say it's going to happen, but that's what I'm saying. [01:23:28] Speaker B: It's. [01:23:28] Speaker A: It's a real dark dark horse bet whatever you want to go. If you think, you think they can get in the playoffs because we'll see. I mean Texas, no guarantee they go nine and three. That could easily be an eight and four, seven and five team and same. You know Oklahoma's got a tough schedule. I know. I think Jason was high on Bama. So maybe Bama gets in there at 9 and 3, 10 and 2. [01:23:54] Speaker B: If, if the SEC gets four teams in, we're definitely getting a 9 and 3 team in and I'm. [01:24:02] Speaker A: They're gonna probably get two teams at 9 and 3. [01:24:05] Speaker B: Possibly. I, I think it's, I think it's a little. [01:24:07] Speaker A: So I think the, I think the SEC in the Big Ten could possibly get one. But the ACC gets two to three teams that are 10 and two or better. Which Miami should be 11 and one. And if they can get Louisville to SMU at 10 and two or better and they have tough out of conference opponents and they play each other in conference. I think one of those two would get in over a second team that's nine and three in the Big Ten or sec. [01:24:38] Speaker B: Final comments [01:24:41] Speaker C: Just for the chaos of it all, as you guys were talking through, you know, the SEC being nine win teams. Do they get a fourth team in if they would only get three teams in? There's this whole thing being talked about the SEC basically like annexing themselves and succeeding from the union and from, from college football and stuff. Like what's, what's the conversation like when they got 9 and 3, Texas 9 and 3, Texas A&M 9 and 3. So and so and then. But we're talking about 111 SMU and 11 and, you know, 12, 0 Miami or whatever like that. And they start taking these spots away. You start getting, you know, all this money we're pouring into Ole Miss and LSU and Oklahoma, Alabama and like. And we're only getting three spots in this tournament, like, at that. This. I. I was just. For the chaos of it all. What's the fuel to the fire if that happens at the end of this season? [01:25:36] Speaker B: I think we get it this year. I think there's me a little chaos. Yeah. [01:25:40] Speaker A: I mean, we're gonna get controversy regardless. But isn't the SEC kind of shooting themselves in the foot by not letting the playoff expand to 24? Aren't they the ones that are holding this up? They're going to 24 teams. [01:25:51] Speaker C: Are they holding it up? I mean, I wouldn't be surprised, but. [01:25:53] Speaker A: Because, I mean, I know the Big Ten, the ace. I mean, obviously the ACC wants it because that gives them at least two teams in the playoff. But it sounds like the SEC is. Wants only 16 teams. And the Big 12 ACC, Big Ten are proposing 24 teams in the SEC [01:26:13] Speaker B: is basically like, I think 16 teams would be great. I think anything more than that's a little. So ridiculous. [01:26:19] Speaker C: Yeah, I agree with Rome. I think I. 20, 20, 24 sounds ridiculous. 16 seems fine. Yeah. You start getting into these clutter teams that don't deserve to be in. I mean, we saw the. The group of five stuff in the nonsense last year and indicating some of that up in the tournament. I would say whatever we can do to get rid of the conference championship games, if that. Because that's the part of the proposal. That's what it needs to be. Because these games absolutely mean nothing. You only lose stuff, you know, you only lose unless you win, but you don't lose. Like Alabama, like getting waxed in the SEC championship game, but doesn't count against them, but it does count against, you know, who lost in the Big 12 championship game, like, all that type of nonsense. Like, it's a game that just doesn't need to be on the schedule for everyone. So if we get a better playoff, that's because of that. That's what I'm for. [01:27:03] Speaker B: Their biggest argument, that it's all about tradition. But in college football, we used to not have a playoff and we used to not have conference championships. Whoever won the regular season won it. And that was your championship. It was just all about money. And it just keeps on expanding it. So it's not about tradition. It's stuff that we keep on adding. But for the sake of the playoff, you have to eliminate it eventually. [01:27:22] Speaker A: Well, I think we brought this up last year. If I remember towards the end, you know, Jason talked about getting rid of conference championship. I think we brought in like get rid of conference championships, but maybe have a play in. Right, A play in for two spots where four teams on the bubble play against each other. So you get rid of the conference championship, four teams for two spots playing that week to get into the to the main 12 man field playoff. I think it'd be a lot more entertaining than like Jason just said, oh, Alabama doesn't matter. If you win, lose, you're in. Like, okay, how about Alabama goes, plays Texas or whatever and Vanderbilt goes. Plays Notre Dame or Miami and those two teams are in. [01:28:08] Speaker C: Yeah, there's a way to do it. But Rome already mentioned it's all about the money. You know, do they replace the, the conference championship games with money elsewhere? There's obviously a way to do it. Anytime they keep adding games, it's more. And it's more content for the networks who are going to bid and pay for it. And the sponsorships, it's all there. I love the chaos of college football this has become. I love the grandstanding from all these people that want to take, continue to take money from these athletes and everything. But we'll let venture capitalist on all these other forums and everything ruin all these other teams. But God forbid we just let these guys get, you know, a couple million dollars playing college football. Like, I don't know, even though it's dirty and ugly and all the game, I love that it's over the table and we're just paying whoever to play for these colleges. Like, like let it go, let it happen. I love it. [01:28:55] Speaker B: All right, I'll do it. College football preview. Plus Aaron's week one picks already. [01:29:03] Speaker A: Hey, I got a lot of picks. Week one, Rome. I mean, I don't know if you've seen this list, but I'm already handicapping games. I'm already out here handicapping games, bro. [01:29:11] Speaker B: That is ridiculous, dude. [01:29:13] Speaker A: Hey, there's a second list too, man. [01:29:16] Speaker B: That's ridiculous. [01:29:17] Speaker A: Page two, man. [01:29:19] Speaker B: ESPN Games to watch, man. [01:29:22] Speaker A: Nah, games to watch. It could be a shorter list for sure. These are just games, you know, this is the contest. Rome, you didn't tell. You didn't tell Jason. We ran into the guy that won fourth place last year in the college football. He was hanging out the pool. [01:29:34] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [01:29:35] Speaker A: So got a nice $40,000 check. So that's what we're playing for here [01:29:39] Speaker B: Rome, he said he was pretty bad the first three weeks. Only won a couple games each week and then just went on a tear. I'm like, that's funny. That was the opposite for us. But. But he went. Yeah, he made it to fourth one. 46 big ones and he's running it back. [01:29:58] Speaker C: Maybe we can get Rome to get his picks ready by Thursday night before the Friday like noon cut off this year and have a little preparation. [01:30:05] Speaker A: I agree. I mean Rome, I will be sending over the lines for the pick games on Wednesday evening. I think they come out four or five o' clock so you'll get those to you. So hopefully you have your picks by Thursday on the showroom when we debut that week one games to watch in our pigs. I mean I've already got three games. I think I might have already given them away on the show here for this college football preview. [01:30:28] Speaker B: But I've got more than three games. Dude. [01:30:29] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:30:30] Speaker B: Gave three games. Yeah, he definitely gave more than three games. [01:30:32] Speaker A: Yeah. But [01:30:36] Speaker B: Jason, before we go Heisman favorites. [01:30:41] Speaker C: I think he already spoiled it. Like Dante Moore to me, I, I think is the one you're looking at with or my pick to Oregon to, to run to the national championship. I think he's going to want to be able to put him on his back. I think Arch will be in the conversation. I think if Texas is able to go on the run, I think the momentum behind will be there. But I just don't see Texas winning the games. I see Oregon winning and I think it's going to help Dante Morris candidacy. My dark horse, I think is Notre Dame with CJ Carr. They go undefeated. This offense looks good. It was a team that was built on a running game with Jeremiah Love and Price in the previous couple years. But with those guys both gone to the NFL, you know, is there an aerial attack in Notre Dame that they're going to have against, you know, to average opponents throughout the year? I think C.J. carr can make a little name for himself and potentially be on that stage. [01:31:29] Speaker A: Nice house in our names. Run game going to be this year. [01:31:31] Speaker B: Jason? I know they lost a big guy. [01:31:34] Speaker C: I feel like it's still going to be good because I mean they're still going to get have. There's still an emphasis on the run game. You know, if you look at a bunch of Notre Dame's history where they've always gotten good solid running back, so. But I think it'll be, you know, potentially a little bit more of a committee. But I, I still think you like the passing game. A little more out of this Notre Dame team this year. [01:31:53] Speaker A: Yeah, I think I, I think I gave you my Heisman list. Right? Rome. You got that somewhere? [01:31:58] Speaker B: You got it. We'll put, we'll. We'll put out Coach's Hot Seat. Aaron's favorite Heisman list. [01:32:03] Speaker A: I think I had. I think I had more number one. Is that correct as well? Trying to remember what I put together there in Vegas. [01:32:12] Speaker B: I know I. I know we already covered a lot, so I don't want to like, go over everything, but we'll release that on. On the socials, including Hot Seat, new coaches, new teams to look out for. And Aaron's Heisman favorites. You do not have him listed number one. Okay. [01:32:28] Speaker A: I have up there at one. [01:32:29] Speaker B: I got C.J. carr. [01:32:31] Speaker A: Okay, there you go. [01:32:32] Speaker B: Because he made the graphic. [01:32:34] Speaker A: There you go. So cars might my one and Morse buying number two, right? Yep. [01:32:39] Speaker B: 100. [01:32:40] Speaker A: All right. Who is three and four? I'm trying to remember. [01:32:48] Speaker B: You got Arch Manning and then Trinidad Chambliss. [01:32:51] Speaker A: Okay. And then five, the guy at Oklahoma State. Right. [01:32:55] Speaker B: You got Drew Master Maker. That. That's how you pronounce it. And John Matier to round it out. [01:33:05] Speaker A: All right. [01:33:07] Speaker B: C.J. [01:33:08] Speaker A: carr. Man, that's my Heisman favorite. [01:33:09] Speaker B: C.J. carr. Beautiful. I'm picking. I don't really try Charge. I don't really trust it. We'll see. We'll see. It all depends. All right. I'll do a source from the sofa. Year three kicking off. Collegeable peer review in the books. Be on the lookout for our picks later on this week. And then college football bets from here on out, including. We'll be inviting a few guests, including Sniper west back on the program pretty often. It's gonna be a fun season. I think we'll plug in Aaron's sports betting link as well. You can subscribe and get some winning picks. We'll try to get some of that stuff going. Last comments. Are you good to go? I think we're good. Source in the sofa. We are out.