VT 2026 Season Preview, College Football Road Trip

Ryan and Jared break down Virginia Tech football ahead of the debut of James Franklin as head coach. They also talk about new head coaches, which coaches are on the hot seat, and they choose their destination to go for a road trip each week during the season.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

What's going on, everyone? Happy July today, the end of July. It's summertime for us in the sports world. Not much going on, but we've got college football to look forward to. And I've got the best guest possible for a college football pod, Tusca Aurora's first ever, am I right? The first ever Girls Club football coach, Jared Rogers, is joining me. Jared, what's it like drawing up plays and when are we going to expect a championship for your Huskies?

SPEAKER_02 0:37

Um well, they're still deciding on what a championship even looks like, so that tells you where the league's at right now. But uh we made armbands today. Uh and I were cutting up the plays and putting them into little wrist coaches. So we are the system is being implemented. We are excited. We've got so much talent that I have to cut some of it. So it's gonna be good. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Well, then they now you know going forward, a lot of girls are gonna come out and want to have tryouts and stuff like that. So that's exciting. Yeah, yeah. Very good. All right. Well, if you know us, you know we talk Virginia Tech, you know we talk college football, and it was a big fall into winter, into spring, into summer for Virginia Tech. Obviously, they hired James Franklin as the head football coach, kind of a hire that no one would have seen coming about 11 months before it happened, considering he was in this national semifinal with Penn State. It goes awry at the beginning of Penn State season in 2025. They let him go after a home loss to Northwestern, and about a month later, he arrives on campus in Blacksburg as the new head coach. Uh, Jared, I don't know if I've had a chance to talk to you about it, but just since that's happened, what was it's been kind of surreal to know that James Franklin is our head football coach.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

You know, the funniest place that I like realize it is playing EA College Football 27, and I like he's like the coach on the sideline for EA College Football 27, and I'm like, what's James Franklin doing there? And I was like, Oh, that's right. Like he's the the guy now, so it's so weird. Um yeah, a really weird but really necessary 11-month stretch. Um I think it says a lot about where we're at as a school, where we're at in terms of where our priorities are gonna be moving forwards, and I think I think that's exciting. I think it's also risky, and uh there's a lot of that is riding on this. Um, so I hope it goes right.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Yes, it does. I think a lot needs to go right, but he has already made some sweeping changes, you know. He wants to like it, it was down to like the little things, like getting the facility painted a different color, you know, stuff like that. He wants to make it a championship atmosphere. And some people might say, Oh, okay, you're doing a little too much now. But I I think we needed to get every ounce of not winning football out of the building and get winning football in, no matter how unconventional it is. So I'm fine with these changes he's making.

SPEAKER_02 3:14

Yeah, I mean, uh the people are gonna look at that as oversight, and honestly, right now, most college coaches have oversight, like whether you like it or not. Like Nick Saban was calling most of the shots at Alabama what was happening athletically with him. Like, that's something that's been happening at other schools for a long time. It's just nobody ever bat an eye. But because it's Virginia Tech, because there were so many problems already, it just becomes this big issue where, especially where he's marketing it to the public, like, hey, here's how bad this place was. Like, you know, he he's marketing himself. I don't think there's anything else.

SPEAKER_00 3:51

He's CJF for sure. Like, that's that's the brand.

SPEAKER_02 3:54

There's nothing wrong with that, but he better back it up. I mean, you know, you you you better back it up. If you're gonna do all that talking about how much program saving you're doing, I just hope results follow with it.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

So that kind of leads us to, you know, let's go to year one expectations first before we do the other thing. Um, just kind of, you know, I understand, and uh you know, I'm glad I'm talking to you about this, because if it was someone younger than me, I don't think I'd be able to get through to them about this topic. You know, yes, Virginia Tech is used to three wins, six wins. But if you're gonna hire a coach like James Franklin, year one, maybe a bowl of sweet, you know, consider considering where the program is, but come on, year two, we better get eight, nine wins out of this thing. I think that should be an easy expectation. And especially if you make that kind of hire with the roster turnover you have and how easy it is to do in college football now. I don't see how we can't be, especially if this playoff gets even more, gets even worse, we should be competing for a playoff in the next three, four years.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Yeah, I mean, I think I mean I think just creating consistency would be nice. That's all I ask for. I don't know if I'm necessarily ever going to be asking for college football playoff appearances personally, just because until the system changes to the point where I feel like we're at that level, I don't think it's a reasonable like expectation right now for us to say we need that year in and year out. But I think eight and nine wins is like you said, I think that's a reasonable place to be. And I think a bowl this year is a very reasonable place to be. This schedule is gonna play itself very kindly to getting to a bowl game. Yes. So you need to be able to do that. You can't bring in $75 million on one donation and not make a bowl game. That's embarrassing.

SPEAKER_00 5:50

That that'd be a bad look in year one. Not to say that any changes are gonna be made, but it just would look really bad, and then we're just going, then there's not, there's, you know, there's not the momentum, you know, there's not the optimism in year two. It's like if it were a first ever head coach, like if it like Brent Pry, his first year, we go three and eight, there's like, okay, but the guys, you know, they won that Liberty game, they played hard for him. Like, you know, he could build something. If James Franklin, a well-established coach, has been head coach in the power five for 20 years, goes five and seven in year one with all the money, you're like, ooh, I don't know if he still got it. Like, was that an aberration? You know, so which kind of leads me to this. Now, maybe it's just maybe it's my fault uh that Penn State Twitter is all over every Virginia Tech, they're so obsessed with us. I don't understand. But Penn State football for that? It's more no, it's my fault for thinking that I'm just so seeing Penn State football going like, oh, what a bum of a coach. Like, he's so glad we got out of him. He's he's Mr. Cliche, he's all that. When do we start to worry about like okay, he can't win big games? He is just like a sh he's just he is James Franklin's the fighting Franklins, it's not the Hokies, like he just he's all about himself, and it it was to his detriment of Penn State. I do think he got tuned out there, and when you lose that big game to Oregon, and I I think the Oregon game is what ultimately got him fired, you you you show up so flat, but then you get it to double overtime, and you have the lead in overtime, and then you lose that game, and then you lose as 28-point favorites to UCLA the next week, then you lose it to Northwestern, and it's over. Like, so I think that was clearly it. But just I need to know, like well, I want to know what he's done to get over that.

SPEAKER_02 7:33

I mean, you make a you I mean narratives are made based off of the context of where they're made. So Penn State has a history of winning football games, which I say in air quotes because they really kind of.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Well, they are one coach that won big.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

And they anyway. And well back when welders played football, but anyway, yeah. Um that was a shout out for your dad there. He would enjoy that one. Yeah, for the fireman and the butt like I mean it's just I it's like okay, how much do I care about what a fan of a former team says? I don't I don't like if you're still doing that two weeks, three weeks, four weeks into the year, you need to look at yourself in the mirror about the state of your football program. If your football program is so boring that you're spending time talking to fans from another team, that says to me that your program is in the dumps. So I we'll talk about him later. They need to worry about Matt Campbell. Yes. And they need to worry about what he's gonna be and what narrative he's gonna bring because I'm sorry, did he win big games?

SPEAKER_00 8:50

But they'll say they'll say Iowa State had a ceiling. But this is the point.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

They'll say anything they want to say. I've learned something about multiple different groups of fans, and Penn State fans are one of them, Clemson fans are another. They'll say whatever they want to say to make sure that they make themselves happy. And so at the end of the day, I don't care what they say. Now, results-wise, that's now these are two different things. I don't care what they say, but I also care about the results. So, like he needs to win. For me, he needs to win consistently first, and then in a big game show that we can carry our ourselves. We're not gonna be playing five ranked games a year. I mean, we're just not. It's just the nature of our conference until we go to another conference, which that will happen. But I think overall he needs to worry about this place, we need to worry about this place, and we don't need to, we really don't need to engage with them. Like, it's just that's the that's the Twitter hook that people are falling for right now for no reason.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

So I think that's totally fair. Again, like I said, it's probably my fault that I'm reading it too much and not worry. I'm not even worried, I'm just like, ooh. Well, they're ever present.

SPEAKER_02 10:11

There's so many of them. That's the problem. It's like when you get to these bigger schools, there's so many fans that they have time. Like there's there's one person out there that has time. Like, it's just it's just sample size stuff.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

But to your point, real quick on the we won't play five ranked opponents every year. This year we could play four. Four.

unknown 10:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

I think I think Clemson SMU could be ranked.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Miami could be SMU Miami.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

Georgia Tech, maybe, maybe at that point could be no UVA, maybe could be ranked.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

UVA could be ranked. Yeah, so um, shoot, who's the other one? Cal?

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Could Cal be? I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Cal because of all the stupid momentum behind this stupid team and their stupid quarterback.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

Stupid left-handed quarterback. But hey, if you if you mirror the video, he looks pretty sick now. You have to admit he looks sick when you mirror the video. All right, let's uh let's wrap up the um overarching VT athletic official thing. They hired a new athletic director, Brian White comes over from Florida Atlantic. I do like that, like, no, he didn't come from a bigger program necessarily, but he's been an athletic director before. Like he knows, like he's not like some deputy assistant from Clemson or from Georgia that's taking this job for the first time. He knows his stuff and he's got a great attitude, and I I think this hire could be a good one. What's your what I mean? He hasn't done anything but in your head a grade of the hire.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

I actually disagree. I think he's done it quite a bit because if you look behind the scenes, I mean, he's hiring a lot of other scaffolded positions that are going a long way, I think, in the long run of making this team better. I think there was a structural problem at our school involving a one, JB, um, who was involved in so much that Justin Bieber? That's crazy. You know who. I know who, but he was involved with so much that it felt like at times that we did not have the proper structural support. And I guarantee you, James Franklin was in there going, Where's your deputy of this? Where's your guy that's in charge of your NIL exclusively? Like, where's And we were like, uh we don't have that? You can do that. Like, so I think that's where I've been most encouraged. Um, the new leader of the Hokie club? Is that who it is?

SPEAKER_00 12:37

Yeah, is that guy from Georgia?

SPEAKER_02 12:38

Yes, yeah, yeah. I mean, that's a great hire. Like, I don't care who you are. You bring a fundraising person over from an SEC school, you are doing a good job. So I I I I love the hire. I think he's uh going in the right direction. I think we got a lot of good years ahead with him. And I think he understands the business of the sport. He talked a lot about revenue and ACC kickoff, and whether people like it or not, your daddy and your granddaddy's football is gone. Like it's true, a vast majority of it. There's still traditions, there's still all that sort of stuff. But the the business model is so important now that you have to embrace it. And if you don't, you're gonna get left behind. So I think Justin Fuente noticed that, I think Brett Pry noticed that, and I think everybody led to this moment, so that now VT can be like, okay, we can't do Frank Beamer part two. We wanted to, but we can't. So we gotta move on from it.

SPEAKER_00 13:42

Yeah, we can't. That's just non-feasible in this day and age. And that like you said, the people that were there before tried to recapture it with the hires of Fuente and Pride didn't work out. James Franklin helping. I think he's I think James Franklin was the acting athletic director until White was hired.

SPEAKER_02 13:57

Like pretty much. Speaking of which, is the 25 dead?

SPEAKER_00 14:01

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

I haven't heard about it. I hope the 25 is dead.

unknown 14:04

I can swear.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

The drive for 25. No, not the drive for 25. Oh, oh, the number. Well, we won't know that till Thursday again before VMI.

SPEAKER_02 14:15

So I thought that was the dumbest thing.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Franklin might keep I don't know. Maybe well, you know, God make sure he's healthy, but Frank Beamer is still alive, so it's like might be a might be a request at the the Beamer house will be stupid thing, but it's just like let go.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Like you gotta let go. The guy's got a statue out front.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Could we change it to where like he wears it in practice or something the entire week? I don't know. Like there's gotta be put a patch on his patch. Oh, a patch would be good.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Like it or a sticker on his helmet. That would be good to do like something like that that doesn't require it feeling. I know it sounds like I'm comfortable.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

No, no, no, it's it's it's a good point. Like I like I agree with you, just change everything, tear it down to the studs. Why'd it be do everything?

SPEAKER_02 14:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:59

I like the uniforms though. They just change the uniforms. Yeah, that's fine. Don't change the uniforms. But do have the throw a throwback with the number in the like the 99. I want a 99 throwback. Like the one they wore a couple times in Fuentes last year.

SPEAKER_02 15:13

The Syracuse game.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Yeah, I loved that jersey.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

Yeah, that one's nice.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

All right. All right, let's talk about the roster a little bit. Now, uh new coach, well, really every year, but really a new coach, you're gonna get big turnover. I don't know the exact number. It's gotta be 40-50 something new guys in here. Do you know the number?

SPEAKER_02 15:32

Yeah, I want to say 44. 44? That sounds right.

SPEAKER_00 15:36

I think I've heard that number before. But you know, kept some good players, kept Kamari Copeland, you kept um Aiden Green, you kept Overton and Hawkins in the backfield. You know, you got some key guys, but obviously there's some newcomers coming in too. An entire new quarterback room, which is exciting. Um, got another you know, running back, bowling ball, Bill Davis, a couple of wide receivers, a guy from Duke.

SPEAKER_02 15:59

It's only 27.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

Is in transfers or new total new players?

SPEAKER_02 16:03

Incoming transfers, which is transfers.

SPEAKER_00 16:06

So that doesn't include the high school class.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

No, but that's what I would consider.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Okay, that's that's about average then. Interesting. High school classes.

unknown 16:13

Not really much about it.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

Interesting. Okay. 27 transfers. And then uh the receivers with Quashawn Brown and then Luke Reynolds at tight end, among others, and on the offensive line, too. Got some guys coming in. So uh what have you noticed about the type of guys that James Franklin has wanted to bring in? They previously wore blue and white, and they played in Happy Valley.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

A few of them did, sure. I mean, for the most part. I mean, you know, if if they're not actually It's not a ton of transfers that played.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

It's high school kids that were committed to him that flipped. Yeah, I feel like it's where I saw it more.

SPEAKER_02 16:53

Yeah. But I mean, I actually would say, you know what I'm really proud of? I'm counting it right now. Yeah. One, two, three. Three so far. Sorry, it'll take me a second to four, four players, five. Five of the transfers are from non-power five schools. I mean, that's really big. That's honestly probably the most important at that point. Because in the past, it's like, we got a guy from North Carolina A and T. I hope he works out. He hated Newton, by the way. But um, you know, we're banking on all these like low-level school guys to take a step. Whereas this time it's let's take those guys that are high-level school guys that have seen those types of programs, bring them down to here, and then hopefully they work out. So I am encouraged by that. Um, I think Oakan Lola is probably the most underrated player in our transfer portal that isn't a Penn State guy. Um he came from Pitt and then Colorado after that. He is very solid. I think him and Hilson are both really solid. I think really all three of the defensive dudes that are like the big three people are talking about. Jaquez White is the other one. That's yeah. They he's they're already calling him a starting corner, which is crazy. So wow. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

So that's exciting. So um, let's talk about um more of the quarterbacks of, like I said, totally new room. Uh, you know, Bryce Baker from UNC, Ethan Grunkemeyer from Penn State, uh Hune, the kid, the the high school kid. Um, you know, I think Grunkemeyer, we we think will be the starter. And you know, we we watched some of his tape. We Jared watches a lot of tape. I watched the Grunkemeyer tape, and I think you and I came to the same conclusion. Was it a Rocky start? Absolutely. He was taken over for Drew Aller, who was a fifth-year senior, and his first few games were let's check it, um, Ohio State, Iowa, and Indiana were like the first three games, right? Or something like this. Yeah. And obviously, after those three amazing defenses, he turned it around and played like a better quarterback. So I think, yeah, a big thing. I have the stats right here: 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns, and four picks last year. Now, the stats aren't great, but again, it's only what seven games started. Two touchdowns to one interception. So it's not awful. So it's not awful. And he got better throughout the year. I don't care about the competition he played. It's first time starting. So I I think he's gonna be a solid, he's a pocket passer guy, he's not gonna run a ton, but I think that's kind of what maybe that's what Franklin wants in his offense with this new offensive coordinator.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

I mean, I think you're gonna see a lot of heavy personnel. I think you're gonna see a lot of two tight ends.

SPEAKER_00 19:45

Two tight ends, Benji and Reynolds.

SPEAKER_02 19:49

I mean, we got way too many running backs this year that are too good to be able to just hold what.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

That's it, I know. Like, I know like there's a lot of like Hawkins and Overton and Bill who all wanna play.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

We became so quarterback dependent that now I don't know that we know how to operate without them being a superstar. I don't necessarily need a superstar. Uh like Penn State won ten games a year with average quarterbacks. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Yeah, no, no, like the quarterbacks that didn't lose you a game.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

Like they just yeah, Christian Hagenberg was an average quarterback, Drew Hauer was an average quarterback. I mean, even Trace McCorley was fun.

SPEAKER_01 20:31

He was fine. He was fun, but he, you know, had his moments.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

He was and then who's the kid that was there a long time? Who's the kid between the Yes, he was not good, but he won a lot of games.

SPEAKER_02 20:45

But like, I don't think you need him to knock your socks off. I think you just need him to do the things that a quarterback at MT hasn't done in a while, which is push the ball downfield, not run so much, and allow yourself to be the orchestrator of the of the offense and not feel like you have to do everything.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

So I agree. Just yeah, don't feel like you need to do everything, I think, is big. I think he'll start, I think he'll start every game this year.

SPEAKER_02 21:19

Yeah, he's he's our starter. I don't know. That's the only thing I was telling you guys. I don't know why we haven't made that.

SPEAKER_00 21:25

Um Do you think Bryce can come in for like goal line stuff or like wildcatch? I don't want to see him to be honest. You want to see much gadget stuff? I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

He's fine. He's got a lot of aura.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

Yeah, he does. See that that Mike Vic jersey he wore in the photo shoot.

SPEAKER_02 21:42

Yeah, but anyway, I think Hume's got a good future. I think then we're gonna get bored up.

SPEAKER_00 21:50

Borked up.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

That's that's a long ways away from now, but we gotta get bored up with it.

SPEAKER_00 21:55

I can't I can't imagine Hune and Bork are on this roster. Like I like Like, who do you play? Well, like, who do you play?

SPEAKER_02 22:04

The real problem is going to be next year when Grunkemeyer probably transfers. When Grunkemeyer comes back, and then you've got Grunkemeyer and Hume and Bork.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

He has to come back, right?

SPEAKER_02 22:12

Well, he's only Bryce Baker's like a freshman, isn't he?

SPEAKER_00 22:15

No, I think he's a sophomore. He played, he was on the UNC roster. Yeah, yeah. He'll be he'll play for sticking around. He'll play for like Elon or someone next year. Like, you know, who knows?

SPEAKER_02 22:27

He also wears number 22, which is disgusting.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

I don't, yeah, I don't like that for disgusting. My dad would hate that if he saw him play be like a quarterback wearing 22. Like he hates Bear Bachmeyer. Oh, well. Because he wears 47.

SPEAKER_02 22:39

Because he's more no, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

No. Okay. Um, X Factor, your biggest X Factor on this roster that you don't know. Maybe people don't know their name now that they will, or one you just expect to be great.

SPEAKER_02 22:52

Oh, Luke's. I mean, Luke's. Yeah, that's a dog. I mean, Luke is already getting called first team all ACC. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

He's barely played at Penn State.

SPEAKER_02 23:01

Barely played. I mean, he's gonna be a dog. Um, let's see. Who else do I really? I like Quash.

SPEAKER_00 23:07

I like Quashawn Brown. I like that pickup.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Yeah, Quashawn's getting kind of weird because it's like he's not getting the press that I feel like he's gonna be. I like the pickup though.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

Like, I don't think he's gonna be a 50-catch guy, but he'll be a I think he's gonna be a pretty 30-catch guy's receiver.

SPEAKER_02 23:22

I mean, I 30 catches for 600 yards, like it'll be a duck and I'm gonna duck and cover when I say this. He's better than Jalen Lane. Technically speaking, and route running wise and physicality-wise, he's better than Jalen Lane. Jalen Lane had mediocre tape. Oh man, I'm really ducking now. Coming out of Middle Tennessee.

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Oh, come yes. He had the one play against Miami that it looked really good. Remember that?

SPEAKER_02 23:50

I think Quashan could be better than that. Could be. And then defensively, Oak and Lola. They're all talking up Ace and Stevens.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

I just don't see this I would have said I would have seen it by now.

unknown 24:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:05

I'm sorry. I don't know. That's not gonna be.

SPEAKER_00 24:07

What about IBM?

SPEAKER_02 24:09

Yeah, they're saying he's getting better.

SPEAKER_00 24:11

I think I think with good coaching he'd be great.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah, I think um I think the only other person that I think I'll be interested to see is El Hodge Fall. Because they're finally putting him at D tackle. Yes. I'll be interested to see how he plays. I don't know if it will work in the end.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

I don't know. Yeah. Um, I'm worried about pass rush, should I be? Is that a is that a roster? No, it's not a roster weak spot in your theme.

SPEAKER_02 24:38

Because Brent, now that Brent's back, which we didn't even like really mentioned that Brent's back at DC, he uses linebackers a lot to do things with coverage and blitzes and stuff. I don't think we need to worry about it. Now, what I will say is we don't have a game wrecker outside of Kamari, and even Kamari isn't a game wrecker unless he's an inside, he's more of an inside guy. Unless he is this year, and then great.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

Maybe he gets seven sacks. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 25:12

Maybe, but I don't I just don't think it's gonna happen. So just expect average good, solid defensive line play.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

Yeah. I that's a bad job by me. We should have talked about that. Brent Pryde back as defensive coordinator. It's kind of a big I hate to say it because it's been so long and he like has so much aura again. He looks like a defensive coordinator. I still think it's weird, a little weird.

SPEAKER_02 25:36

The players say that he's a completely different person.

SPEAKER_00 25:38

I under yeah, uh, that's what I'm banking on.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

But the people say that he doesn't even look like himself. They said that he looked like a completely different guy, like that he has been rejuvenated by the fact that he doesn't have to be the head coach anymore. And so for that, I say, let me see it.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

That's great. I just think it was just such a weird.

SPEAKER_02 26:01

That's I mean, we play VMI first. So plenty of opportunity for you to go out there and show us that you haven't lost a step. That's all I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 26:12

He he was hired at Virginia Tech because of us his success as a defensive coordinator with James Franklin.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

So he was, but then he wasn't put into a position to be the defensive coordinator, which was a mistake.

SPEAKER_00 26:24

So he called the defensive plays year one, right?

SPEAKER_02 26:28

Year one he didn't think he picked them up. Uh he had a DC still, because it was Marv. Marv, yeah. Yeah. He still had a DC, but then he was when Marv started kind of fluctuating, Brent took over. And that wasn't really by that point, you can't well and the thing is you gotta keep in mind when it comes to coordinators, and I have learned this now being a head coach.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

There you go. Coach, coach at coach at coach hat for a minute.

SPEAKER_02 26:55

When you're a coordinator, you get to spend the proper amount of time with your unit. If you're a head coach, you are spread so thin, you're over here, you're over there.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

You gotta worry about recruiting, you gotta worry about NIL, you gotta worry about you know ticket sales, you gotta worry about the built out for that.

SPEAKER_02 27:13

No, you know, he never was. So let's I love it. I am I am about it. I think it was best case scenario. Because here's my question. Would you would you rather, would you have rather had James Franklin and an unknown commodity at defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator since we have both, or would you rather have James Franklin back with his original defensive coordinator and defensive line coach? Don't forget that. That's the biggest hire.

SPEAKER_00 27:43

Coach Chaos.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

Coach Chaos being brought in with that is the big thing. I mean, I don't hate it. I don't hate it.

SPEAKER_00 27:50

I just think it's like, ooh, it's so unconventional.

SPEAKER_02 27:52

Yeah, but it really won't feel unnatural.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

I'm excited. I'm excited to see if they play with an edge.

SPEAKER_02 27:59

When they hit Midnight Rider for the first time on that Friday on that game against VMI, it's gonna hit like no other.

SPEAKER_00 28:07

I mean, it's just let's get to it. Um, schedule now, schedule time. Odd schedule. Not really because it's like backloaded.

SPEAKER_02 28:20

It is backloaded.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

It's and you know, that's that will really tell you a lot about your team. Um we can go with the first couple. VMI should be a win pretty easily.

SPEAKER_02 28:30

No uh Well, can I just say one thing though, real quick? We have their old coach, though. We do have their old coach, we have Rocco. I just hope that that game is a big blowout. I just hope that isn't like the 59 to nothing. Yeah, I don't need the olden days of like 29.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

24 to 34 to 7.

SPEAKER_02 28:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:50

Give me 59 to nothing. Make a statement.

SPEAKER_02 28:52

Please.

SPEAKER_00 28:53

Let's also make a statement in this next game. Old Dominion at home. Gotta blow him out. Gotta blow him out.

SPEAKER_02 28:58

And it's at home.

SPEAKER_00 29:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 29:00

God, it's at home.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

James Franklin's gonna want to stick it to old Ricky Ronnie there.

unknown 29:05

Ricky.

SPEAKER_02 29:06

I still kind of wish that would have been our OC.

SPEAKER_00 29:08

I do too. I think that was gaining momentum. I I think he's happy in Norfolk.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

Like it was gonna be a thing, but we didn't have the money yet. Now we have the money. We could have been able to do it.

SPEAKER_00 29:19

We could have snacked so. Hey, if if um wow, I'm blanking. What's our OC's thing? Hi, Howl. Howl. If he gets like a head coaching job or a bigger OC job somewhere else, Ricky Ronnie, come on down. You can't do much at ODU. Come on over here.

SPEAKER_02 29:33

Yeah, especially if he gets fired.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

He's not he could be.

SPEAKER_02 29:38

Colton Joseph carried that man.

SPEAKER_00 29:40

Oh, yes. But like they went nine and three last year. Like they're gonna quarterback next year. Where did Colton Joseph land? Wisconsin. That's right. Oh, he's gonna be bad there because they have bad offense.

SPEAKER_02 29:52

Correct.

SPEAKER_00 29:53

It's not gonna be good. That was a bad decision.

SPEAKER_02 29:56

Wait, what does that say?

SPEAKER_00 29:59

What is it?

SPEAKER_02 30:01

I'm looking at Jackson Potter. Does that sound right?

SPEAKER_00 30:06

I mean, I've yeah, that sounds right. Jackson Potter, yeah. I was because I was watching like Sunbelt Media Days, and his name popped up on the quarterback, and he is a freshman. Oof.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

So we are gonna kill him. Oh, he's 6'5, though.

SPEAKER_00 30:21

Oh, he'll stand in there. Dot us up a little bit. Alright, so I still think it's a win, and I think it's a big win.

SPEAKER_02 30:27

Oh, he went to Washington State. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

Maybe you know what I mean for a reason.

unknown 30:32

Anyway.

SPEAKER_00 30:33

So he's a redshirt freshman, then. Okay.

unknown 30:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

A game I will be at at Maryland. A night game at Bird Stadium. Sorry, it's not called Bird. I can't call it that anymore. Siku Stadium. In the past, in the Fuente years, that's a guaranteed L. Road game power team. We're this uh man. Malik Washington is a talented quarterback, and they've got a talented tight end in Fleming, too. I think we win, but I think it's not as pretty as some might want to think.

SPEAKER_02 31:06

Didn't they have a good DN too? Didn't they have the number one DN in the street?

SPEAKER_00 31:11

This game, we could be down like 13-3 at half and have to like adjust. I'm just like, people are gonna be like grumpy.

SPEAKER_02 31:22

If we end up losing that game, though, you're not gonna see me jumping ship. I do want that on record. For anybody that pays attention to this podcast, please put let me allow me to say that now so you can read me later if I'm not. But if we lose that game, I am not jumping ship on things completely. Because that team is projected to do well, and there are people, media pundits out there, who are claiming it will be an upset game. So I'm not gonna like I'm not gonna lose it completely. Now, ODU, if we lose ODU, I'm uh that's concerning serious conversations on this point already about just everything.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

I'll say if if tech loses to Maryland, bad luck for me in this house. Yeah, it's bad luck.

SPEAKER_02 32:10

Let her win. They never win anything.

SPEAKER_00 32:12

Her entire family will be there. So it'll be fun. Maria's first football game.

SPEAKER_02 32:17

That's exciting.

SPEAKER_00 32:18

That will be Maria's, that'll be Maria's first football game. Oh, off topic. I have a gripe against Virginia Tech. You we cannot take her as a lap kid right now.

SPEAKER_02 32:28

Yeah, they you have to buy a ticket. That's ridiculous. Not good. I don't like that. We could we could spend an hour talking about it.

SPEAKER_00 32:35

I don't like that. Maryland, she doesn't need one. Good. Hey, good. We can we take her with us.

SPEAKER_02 32:40

Good on him.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

Um, first conference game at Boston College, a very untalented Boston College team.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Watch yourself. My former student's a wide receiver for Boston College.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

Aside from the one Jared former student, an untalented Boston College team.

SPEAKER_01 32:57

Boston Pew, shout out my boy.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

Is I'm not in the mix. Is O'Brien still the coach there? Yes. We should have written him on our list.

SPEAKER_02 33:06

They're terrible otherwise.

SPEAKER_00 33:08

We need to write him on our list.

SPEAKER_02 33:09

He's not even a hot seat, Ryan. He'll be gone by halfway through the seasons. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:14

That's a win. Again, that's but that's one more with you on the Maryland one. If we lose, I'm like, it's Chestnut Hill. It's it's a rough, it's hard to play there because there's no atmosphere. That's fair. Oh, we'll travel.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

Oh, we will travel.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

I know we will travel, but like if it's like a noon game, like it's gonna be hot. Like no one's no one juice. I I can see that being a noon game on ACC network right now.

unknown 33:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

Friday night under the lights at Lane Pitt. Scary one, because Pitt's always scary. What do you think?

SPEAKER_02 33:47

Scary, but if there's one coach that I think will want to have Pat Narduzzi's number, it's James Franklin. There's a weird Penn State pit thing that has existed for a while that I think James Franklin will carry over to this new job. And I think we will win. I think they lost their more talented quarterback. I I know that's awfully controversial to say because I know the other kid was playing better, and I know the other kid is now at UVA as a backup, but I don't know if that kid's good. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 34:24

Yeah, I don't know. I don't think they're um I think we'll win. But like under I but it has are we gonna start 5-0? Is this team that won three games last year gonna be 5-0?

SPEAKER_02 34:40

I think we're starting 4-1.

SPEAKER_00 34:41

So you think we're losing to Maryland?

SPEAKER_02 34:43

Yes. Then I will say why I said though that this is such an easy bowl win schedule because I can see us going 5-0. I I that's hard to go into a Cal game.

SPEAKER_00 34:59

I'm gonna say this is a loss because I don't see us going 5-0.

SPEAKER_02 35:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 35:03

I can see a short week. I I could see it happening. Okay. Let's do that. Cal. That's a loss.

SPEAKER_02 35:16

That's a loss.

SPEAKER_00 35:17

At Cal is a loss.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

They're pissed about it.

SPEAKER_00 35:19

It is it is not yet right. They do JKS is a talented quarterback for whatever.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

No, he's not. He's not a talented quarterback. He is not. He has mobility, and that is it. He is not a talented quarterback.

SPEAKER_00 35:36

You know what's gonna suck about that game for us? That'll be a 10-30 kick, I'm sure. A 10-30 ACC network kick.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

We're gonna have to stay up till like good football at least. October 10th.

SPEAKER_00 35:49

We'll look at that when we're doing the thing at the end. Um, that is a loss, though. So four and two. Um we come home for Georgia Tech. See, if that's a win because I think we're losing to Pitt. I think if we I think if we beat Pitt, we would lose to Georgia Tech. You're telling me Mendoza's brother is gonna be their quarterback?

SPEAKER_02 36:08

That's hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 36:09

Hey, you never know what these Mendoza are out chasing. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 36:14

All you have to do is be related to somebody to get a power force starting job.

unknown 36:18

Anyway.

SPEAKER_00 36:19

Here's the rough stretch. At Clemson is a loss.

SPEAKER_02 36:24

But it's close. And I'm gonna go.

SPEAKER_00 36:27

I would hope it's close. Because it's a new coach.

SPEAKER_02 36:31

I think they may be on an interim. A different coach. I think they may be on an interim. No way. Have you we'll get to it later.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

I know you did, and I I just have thoughts about that.

SPEAKER_02 36:43

I know. Because good old body network, I get it.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

So this is more than a mini-buy, because they it's the next Friday, so it's basically a bye week. SMU is still a loss. Kevin Jennings big game.

SPEAKER_02 36:57

At the Kevin Jennings uh sports complex industrial center, sponsored by Kevin Jennings. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 37:03

Um that's a loss.

SPEAKER_02 37:07

That's that's a because if we won against uh Clemson, what what would we be? We'd be seven and two?

SPEAKER_00 37:17

If we beat wait, if we beat Clemson, yeah, six and two, according to us.

SPEAKER_02 37:22

What would SMU be at that point?

SPEAKER_00 37:24

Seven and one, probably. They're really good.

SPEAKER_02 37:30

Anyway.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

No, it's a Friday night. It's a Friday night. Oh, damn. Which is why I think Friday night, it's a it's gonna be a not that SMU is like a I mean with how many teams? They could be like a sleeper, I guess, if they get to the ACC title and win it. Like, you know, it'll be like a national stage, like, wow, SMU is scary. Six and three. Six and uh five and four.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Five and four.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

Mm-hmm. Oh, because of the I have Clemson, I have Clemson L, but do you have him as a win?

unknown 38:00

No.

SPEAKER_02 38:01

I like I said, it just depends on how the season shakes out for them. I don't know if they're good. But I know. I don't know if their quarterback's good. I mean, they're trusting a new quarterback. We'll see.

SPEAKER_00 38:12

Um Stanford comeback home win.

SPEAKER_02 38:14

Big win. I'm gonna be there, it's gonna be awesome. There you go. Fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 38:19

It'll be a nice 50-something degrees.

SPEAKER_02 38:22

We're gonna kill them. Good fall day. I'm telling you right now, that team is terrible. Terrible.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Alright. At Miami L. That's the that's the ooh, we're not as close as we think game.

SPEAKER_02 38:39

That's also the I wish this game was at home game. Because if that game was at home, it's sneaky, I would be all over it.

SPEAKER_00 38:46

But it's sneaky, like we we can ruin Miami's playoff bid, but no. That's a 38-17 oof.

SPEAKER_02 38:54

That that's not six and five.

SPEAKER_00 38:56

We're at six and five, so we're at a bowl game for UVA. Oh, we're winning that game. I think so too.

SPEAKER_02 39:03

We're winning that game. I will never, ever, ever. Ever, ever.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

Even last year I picked us to win.

SPEAKER_02 39:08

Yeah, I'm never ever picking them for anything. Except for biggest loser. And then I will pick them.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

We have seven and five in year one of Franklin. Yep. And that sounds about right.

SPEAKER_02 39:20

Seven and five realistically, eight and four, nine and three being ceiling, six and six being basement.

SPEAKER_00 39:25

It's six and six, yeah, because like let's say the other loss is to Georgia Tech or Virginia. They're not losing more than that. So that's six and six. So that's seven and five. I'll take that. So I'll take that.

SPEAKER_02 39:44

Oh, for sure. You have to.

SPEAKER_00 39:46

If you lose to Old Dominion, though, we're changing everything. Oh, we're yeah. We're that's two and ten. That's I don't know what I do at that point. Oh no. I'll take seven and five in year one of James Franklin. Hopefully the fan base does too.

SPEAKER_02 39:59

With a you know, recognize with a with a schedule that's not very nice on the back.

SPEAKER_00 40:04

No, with because we st according to me, we start four and oh if it is seven and five. So that means we lose five of our last eight.

SPEAKER_02 40:10

That sounds like a James Franklin schedule. Anyway. That was that was great.

SPEAKER_00 40:16

No, it's a no James Franklin's were they'd play Stony Brook, they'd play like North Texas and win those games, then they'd be seven and oh and they play Ohio State, lose by a million, then they'd play Iowa and Illinois, win those games close, then they'd play Michigan and get bludgeoned, and then you know that's that's James Franklin.

SPEAKER_02 40:34

You're right.

SPEAKER_00 40:36

Okay. So the VT centric pod is over. We're 40 minutes in, so we're gonna do the rest of the college football. So we're gonna talk 40 minutes. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. So now we know James Franklin is one of the many, many first-year Power Five head coaches at a new program. Not necessarily they've been a first-time head coach. Um, some names I have listed here. John Sumerall at Florida, Will Stein at Kentucky, Ryan Silverfield at Arkansas, Eric Morris at Oklahoma State, Alex Golish at Auburn, Lane Kiffen at LSU, Matt Campbell at Penn State, Kyle Whittingham at Michigan, and Pete Golding, who took over at Ole Miss. I'm sure there's more, but we don't need to. Those are the headlines, right?

SPEAKER_03 41:19

Those are the big lines.

SPEAKER_00 41:20

So my question is, and we can decide who we who wants to go first on these. I want to know, like, this one we could probably take out because Lane Kiffin's going for Power Power to Power Five. Which one will pop immediately? Like, as in year one, they are sneaky conference title game, sneaky fun. My answer in that conference is Morris. Because he's got MestiMaker coming with him from North Texas to Oklahoma State, a program that say what you want about Mike Gundy these last few years. He was a very successful head coach and they care about football there. That is a program that wants to win. And in that conference with Texas Tech and all the crazy stuff that they're in right now is gettable. I'm not saying they're gonna win the conference. I can't say that. But Mastermaker being his QB, and I believe in Eric Morris as a coach, he will pop immediately and they will be a team that people were like, wow, look at him go.

SPEAKER_02 42:13

Yep. It's gonna be a big gamble to put on uh Texas Tech this year.

SPEAKER_00 42:19

Anyway, um man. Someone wait, wait, wait. I saw um they posted uh QB1. I guess it was the kid that was a backup last year, and someone just replied, why what happened?

SPEAKER_01 42:31

What went on?

SPEAKER_00 42:34

Do you have a different answer, or is there one you'd like to share with the class?

SPEAKER_02 42:37

Um I I mean Kiffin's gonna pop.

SPEAKER_00 42:45

Yeah, that's why I I kind of had to take him out of that one.

SPEAKER_02 42:48

Yeah, he's gonna pop. It's it's just a matter of how much does he now will he win a national title?

SPEAKER_00 42:55

Right. I don't know if that's I don't know. I don't know. Lane Giffen teams have had ceilings. I think Goalish could be good. I do too.

SPEAKER_02 43:04

I I just don't know.

SPEAKER_00 43:05

He's my answer for the second one.

SPEAKER_02 43:07

Yeah, I just don't know. I don't know. We'll see.

SPEAKER_00 43:09

Yeah. So then my my second question then is which one will need time to get it right? Like a year or two or three. Goalish is my answer for that.

SPEAKER_02 43:18

Golish and um Stein is my other answer. I think Stein too. I like Stein there. Stein is gonna be really good for them. I think people are underestimating him because he was like something that he said at SEC Day bothered people. Oh, they asked him why do you think why do you think the team will win? And he was like, Because of me, and people were thinking that was like a like why is that so outrageous to say? Like they are Kentucky, they play basketball.

SPEAKER_00 43:49

Yeah, they that's not a football school.

SPEAKER_02 43:51

Like who are getting recruits left and right. Like he's making a difference.

SPEAKER_00 43:56

Josh Pate used to say he's he would he because he gets asked a lot of. Football questions. He said, Well, what do you think is the best job of the country? And he always said Kentucky. You just gotta go seven to five every year, baby. That's all people like that was his tongue in that was his tongue-in-cheek answer was Kentucky because like all you gotta do is win seven games and they'll love you forever.

SPEAKER_03 44:15

Makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 44:16

But like the real job, like you know, Georgia, Texas, you know, those jobs are best. But he said, hey, Kentucky, all you gotta do is win seven games.

unknown 44:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:23

Um, all right. The flameout coach, which one is gonna be a failure? My answer is Silverfield. Yeah, I mean I don't think that works in Arkansas. I don't think Arkansas works right now.

SPEAKER_02 44:38

Really? Because I just don't know if he'll work. It's different, it's a different less miles when he went to Kansas. Yeah. It's a really good comparison. I'm glad I thought of that because I did not write that down.

SPEAKER_00 44:55

But everyone forgot he went to Kansas after he got fired from LSD.

SPEAKER_02 44:59

I don't love that. I think he could be a weird one, and I just I think whoever's coaches the Florida Gators is destined for the boom for the rest of time.

SPEAKER_00 45:10

I like Summerall though, like as a guy.

SPEAKER_02 45:12

I do too, but yeah, I just think he's destined and he likes to get pedicured. No, I'm just giving you that was a big talking point on Twitter yesterday for some reason.

unknown 45:19

Anyway.

SPEAKER_00 45:20

So the kind of the coaches we didn't we kind of talked about like Summerall. Um what's like we didn't mention the one very I know we're we're gonna we're gonna talk about the ones we didn't really mention. Um Summerall. I think that I do think it was a good hire though. I think it's the polar opposite of Napier there. Oh, it's and it and I think I think he'll be good.

SPEAKER_02 45:39

Now who's their quarterback is the problem.

SPEAKER_00 45:42

It's not Lagway anymore. No. He's at Baylor. I don't know who their quarterback is. That's a good question. Florida. Yeah, now we're gonna do some research here. I think I think Summerall has the right. Oh, the backup.

SPEAKER_01 46:02

Oh god, who is not good?

SPEAKER_00 46:05

Hey, if if Sumrol makes him look good, he might be Jesus. Like, I think that's the thing. Like, if he can turn Philo into a winning quarterback in the SEC, you know. All right, I'd be a great let's like let's talk about the one where we're I'm shocked that neither of us said for either. Matt Campbell takes over at Penn State. Everyone's telling me, oh, what an upgrade. They handled this hire so well. I think they totally butchered this whole process. There were several guys they wanted that turned them down.

SPEAKER_02 46:33

They made fun of the very thing that they ended up doing. So I don't I don't have time to waste my life on them. I really don't. You are criticizing that James Franklin took a bunch of play Penn State guys that were either not playing or playing in one and more playing time and took them with you to the to the Virginia Tech job, and you criticize that. And then you turn around and now you have Rocco Becht playing quarterback for you under Matt Campbell with all the other Iowa State guys.

SPEAKER_00 47:08

That's a good point. Give me a break. If they don't pop at Iowa State, like are they gonna pop at Penn State? I'm gonna tell you right now.

SPEAKER_02 47:17

If they win, good for you, Penn State.

SPEAKER_00 47:19

But I'm here's the thing with that. Have you seen Penn State's schedule?

SPEAKER_02 47:25

No, I should look at that.

SPEAKER_00 47:27

It is very easy.

SPEAKER_02 47:29

Of course it is.

SPEAKER_00 47:30

It is I think they don't play Ohio State or Michigan.

SPEAKER_02 47:34

Marshall Temple Buffalo?

SPEAKER_00 47:37

What they play their tough, oh they play at Michigan and USC are their only tough games and at Washington. They're winning a minimum of nine games. Based off purely schedule alone.

unknown 47:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:50

Like they're not losing to Minnesota and Rutgers and Purdue.

SPEAKER_02 47:54

They gotta go to the new Northwestern Stadium, though.

SPEAKER_00 47:57

Is that not the first time that I think that's the first game there?

SPEAKER_02 48:01

Your first game for it. That's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 48:03

Because I think it's like not going to be done. I'm looking at the end field.

SPEAKER_02 48:08

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 48:08

Yeah, Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is when they play South Dakota State and Colorado.

SPEAKER_02 48:14

Well, they end the year on the road at Maryland. That's kind of fun.

SPEAKER_00 48:17

That's that's funky.

SPEAKER_02 48:19

That's kind of a sneaky game.

SPEAKER_00 48:20

Yeah. Anyway. Speaking of the breath on him. Speaking of the like the Maryland like home games, I've told Solomia this. Be prepared for 90% Virginia Tech fan at that game. Like it will be a takeover. Which is wild.

SPEAKER_02 48:36

They have good home games this year, if I remember correctly.

SPEAKER_00 48:39

Maryland? Yeah, it doesn't matter. I think Virginia Tech. I'm not Virginia Tech. I think Ohio State. No. Michigan? Who did they get at home? Oh my gosh. I'm looking this up. UCLA, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Penn State. That's not bad. I mean, that's not bad. They have to go to Ohio State this year. Maryland does.

unknown 49:02

No.

SPEAKER_00 49:04

Oof.

SPEAKER_02 49:05

Anyway. I don't want to waste any more breath on any of these newbies. They don't deserve my time.

SPEAKER_00 49:11

All right. Let's talk about some coaches that have been at their places for probably too long, as their fans would say. So I do a hot seat meter. We're going to do one through ten. Ten being he's got to go mid-season, one being, yeah, yeah, I don't know if we why he's on this list. All right. Let's start with Mike Norvell at Florida State. I'm going to go away 15.

SPEAKER_02 49:31

I'm going to go 51. And that is in honor of the contract buyout that he has.

SPEAKER_00 49:37

Is it still $51 million if we're going to be able to do that?

SPEAKER_02 49:40

He hasn't been let go from that job yet.

SPEAKER_00 49:43

They screwed themselves. They thought he was taking the Alabama job when he was never going to take it.

SPEAKER_02 49:49

They flinted him.

SPEAKER_00 49:51

Yes. He was never going to take that job.

SPEAKER_02 49:53

It's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 49:54

And he screwed him. Mike Norvell, let me look at Florida. Ah, jeez. They're going to get bludgeoned in week three by Bama.

SPEAKER_02 50:02

We're looking at Florida State's schedule.

SPEAKER_00 50:04

I'm trying to figure out when he's going to be fired.

SPEAKER_02 50:07

He can't. He cannot be fired. That's the problem.

SPEAKER_00 50:11

Well then why? Why did I put him on this list?

SPEAKER_02 50:14

No, find your crystal ball to know when they can find the money to buy him out. That's the only way he's going to get fired.

SPEAKER_00 50:21

They're going to start two and three. They're going to start two and five. Yes. Maybe even two and six. Yes. Here's what's going to happen. They're going to start two and six. After that, they play on the road against Boston College. Oh, Dawson Pugh. Two and six. And you tell me the players haven't quit by then. If you're two and six on the road against Boston College, they're going to lose that game and he's going to be fired then.

SPEAKER_02 50:49

Dawson Pugh's going to go for like 200 yards receiving. That'll be great.

SPEAKER_00 50:55

Listen to the schedule.

SPEAKER_02 50:56

I might hate watch that game. What day is that?

SPEAKER_00 50:58

What week is that is November 7th. Yes. Here's their schedule because I just kind of said numbers. I didn't tell you who they're playing. They open with New Mexico State in week zero. They're going to win that game. Labor Day night, they host SMU. Loss. The next week they go. They have a buy there? They have a bye before they go to Alabama. Loss. They need the buy. Home for Central Arkansas, whatever. Two and two. Here are their next four games. Virginia.

SPEAKER_02 51:29

Loss.

SPEAKER_00 51:30

At Louisville.

SPEAKER_02 51:31

Loss.

SPEAKER_00 51:32

At Miami. Loss. And Clemson. Loss. That's their next four games.

SPEAKER_02 51:38

And then they get they get Boston College out of the ball.

SPEAKER_00 51:41

And then after that, after that two and six start, they play Boston College in Chestnut Hill.

SPEAKER_02 51:46

And then they play who do they play after that?

SPEAKER_00 51:48

At Pitt on a Friday night.

SPEAKER_02 51:50

Loss.

SPEAKER_00 51:51

NC State at home. Could be a loss. And then at home for Florida.

unknown 51:58

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 51:59

They're going three and nine.

SPEAKER_01 52:01

They they might go two and ten.

SPEAKER_00 52:03

Two and ten is on the board.

SPEAKER_01 52:04

Two and ten is on the board.

SPEAKER_00 52:07

Like we keep saying, if they're two and six by the time they go to Boston College, they will not care about that game. Florida State, is it not? Um is Castellano's not still there?

unknown 52:17

Ashton Daniels.

SPEAKER_00 52:19

Oh my god, he's bad. He's bad. He's been around the board. Okay, we spent way too much time on Norvell.

SPEAKER_02 52:24

Yes, we did.

SPEAKER_00 52:26

Luke Fickle at Wisconsin. I'm gonna go an eight.

SPEAKER_02 52:29

I'll go seven. Colton Joseph might save his job.

SPEAKER_00 52:33

That's the only thing. Because they were gonna fire him, but then well, the the AD did what you never want to see from your program vote of confidence.

SPEAKER_02 52:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:42

A statement.

SPEAKER_02 52:44

Colton Joseph could save his job. I'm not joking. That kid could very well save his job.

SPEAKER_00 52:50

You never want to get the vote of confidence statement from your AD, right when you're hoping you've got full belief in Luke. Okay. Wow. No, I don't know. Calen DeBore at Alabama. Two. Really?

SPEAKER_02 53:05

Stop it. Yeah, he's fine.

SPEAKER_00 53:08

I don't know if he's fine, dude. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 53:10

They're overreacting. He's fine.

SPEAKER_00 53:12

They've lost eight games in his two years.

SPEAKER_02 53:15

Okay. He plays in a loaded SEC. Nick Saban didn't have to play the SEC that he's playing now. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 53:25

Nick Saban didn't have to play the SEC that he's playing. He's adding in Texas and Oklahoma who have been parading.

SPEAKER_00 53:32

If you're Alabama and you're once you get through the early portion of the schedule, they're probably going to start 5-0, 4-1, maybe. Then it's Georgia, Tennessee, AM, LSU. They can beat four straight rough games.

SPEAKER_02 53:48

They can beat AM. Where's AM? At home?

SPEAKER_00 53:50

That's at home, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 53:52

Oh, win. And then they can where's uh who is the second one?

SPEAKER_00 53:56

The Alabama game, the the sorry, Georgia's at home, too. Tennessee's in Nealand. Tennessee's in Nealand. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:03

I mean they might win the Georgia game.

SPEAKER_00 54:05

Okay, so you're all right.

SPEAKER_02 54:07

I just think people are wrong. I think he's at a five. If after this year he's not winning any of those games still, then I will be on board with you. I think I am a two going on an eight. It just depends on how this year goes.

SPEAKER_00 54:21

Fine. You wrote this name down. Ryan Day, one. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 54:28

Three.

SPEAKER_02 54:30

I just think it's not one. I think there are people who are tired of him. Winning national campaign. And I just don't think.

SPEAKER_00 54:46

He's been there ten years, right? Like he's been there a long time.

SPEAKER_02 54:49

But I'm saying like the next ten. So I don't know. I think the only way it was gonna happen, it was gonna happen with what's his name, who went down to South Florida. So I guess it didn't, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 55:02

About Heartline. Well, I mean Heartline could still do well at USF and then I just maybe Ryan Day's like, hey, narrative is a big one.

SPEAKER_02 55:11

The Michigan narrative is a big one.

SPEAKER_00 55:13

They beat Michigan last year.

SPEAKER_02 55:15

I know, but the Michigan was throttling them for years. I know. And people started asking if he could like be the coach because of that.

SPEAKER_00 55:24

So I think if they didn't win the national championship, what was that, a year ago, I guess, two years ago, when they just won it, he might have been gone. Yes. Because that that run.

SPEAKER_02 55:38

I think it's a one. It's not totally a one, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 55:41

Not a one. Okay, you don't think it's a one. They lose to Michigan at home this year. It's something. I'll say it's something. It's something. Michigan in turmoil, everything. Oh this is a funny name I wrote. Uh Bill Balichek.

SPEAKER_02 55:52

Uh 10.

SPEAKER_00 55:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 55:55

Whatever his girlfriend's Snapchat score is. Anyway, moving on.

SPEAKER_00 56:03

Um, this is the one I we're gonna talk about for a while. Lincoln Riley.

SPEAKER_02 56:07

I put him, and I was like, how did you not put him down?

SPEAKER_00 56:10

I didn't think about it, and that's a good one to put.

SPEAKER_02 56:14

And if he does not seven, if he does not do well this year, he will be an offensive coordinator for an NFL team, and that will be it.

SPEAKER_00 56:25

Yeah, the their their schedule is tough, though, is the thing. Well, tough shit. I mean, they got they they got Oregon, they've got Washington, they've got to go to Penn State and to Wisconsin. They signed up for that.

SPEAKER_02 56:40

I don't have any sympathy for any one of those coaches anymore.

SPEAKER_00 56:46

They have to go to Indiana in November.

SPEAKER_02 56:49

Don't I don't care. They're not gonna be. I just I don't like when people say, oh, they got a tough schedule. And I'm like, yeah, because they joined one of the mega conferences. I don't feel bad for you.

SPEAKER_00 57:03

That's fair, that's fair. I don't feel bad for you. Well, what's what's the threshold then for him? Like what how many games does he need to win? Does he have to beat Ohio State on Halloween? Does he have to go to Indiana and win? He's gotta win nine.

unknown 57:16

I think he's gotta win nine.

SPEAKER_00 57:18

I think I think he has to win that Oregon game on September 26th. It's at home. You've you people say their quarterback is just as talented as Dante Moore.

SPEAKER_02 57:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 57:28

That that's a that's a big one for Lincoln Riley.

SPEAKER_02 57:31

I just I just don't think I it's up to get it. He's the James Franklin of the West Coast. If we're gonna start buying it into the narrative, he can't win big games either.

SPEAKER_00 57:41

He's never made it to the playoff as a USC coach, so which is unfathomable when you have Caleb Williams.

unknown 57:47

I'm out.

SPEAKER_00 57:48

I'm so out on him. So you think he's like done? Like you don't think it's gonna work?

unknown 57:53

No.

SPEAKER_00 57:53

Okay. I'll go seven because I do think he loses that Oregon game, and probably to either Penn State or how. Um arrogant for me.

SPEAKER_02 58:07

He's Lane Kiffin at the Tennessee point of his career.

SPEAKER_00 58:12

He's he's Lane Kiffen, but more like animated on the sidelines.

SPEAKER_02 58:17

But I'm saying, like, career-wise, he's at the Lane Kiffin point in his career of like Tennessee Oakland.

SPEAKER_00 58:24

Is he not older than he was then? Like, is he? I mean, Lane Kiffin was like a kid.

SPEAKER_02 58:29

I'm just saying, like, progressively speaking, I think he's at that point in his career. Lincoln Riley's not old though.

SPEAKER_00 58:36

He's he means he's in his 40s, I think, but like, yeah, not that one. Okay. Last one. Dabbo Sweeney at Clemson. What's your number?

SPEAKER_02 58:46

Ten.

SPEAKER_00 58:47

Ten?

SPEAKER_02 58:48

They they like I'm telling you right now, the the the changing of the guard is gonna happen. And I'm telling you right now, the only thing you're not gonna like is that I'm telling you, if if UVA has another good year, yeah, and Tony Elliott's and uh you think he'd go to Clemson?

SPEAKER_00 59:13

He's been there. I know that's they'd offer him a lot more money and they care about football at Clemson. They sure do. They do not care about football in Virginia.

SPEAKER_02 59:24

They don't want somebody that's gonna thump his chest and be like they need to update. They're realizing it really quickly, too, that they need to update. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 59:35

Fork in the road moment on the Clemson. I'm new. I know you don't like me doing this. I'm looking at I'm looking at their schedule.

SPEAKER_02 59:41

It's us. We are their fork in the road.

SPEAKER_00 59:43

No, it's but it's before that. It's Miami at home.

SPEAKER_02 59:46

No, see, because Miami is Miami. No, I'm telling you right now, if they lost that game to us, that tells Clemson Faithful, your model is dead.

SPEAKER_00 59:59

Because James Franklin just got here and lapped you onto your field.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:01

And he just did exactly what your coach says he won't do. He embraced the new version of college football. Your coach didn't, but you need to figure it out. I'm telling you right now, if Dabo underperforms Clemson's standards, he's gone. Two national championships, it doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:24

That doesn't mean anything. It's college football in 2026. No one cares about anything. I understand.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:31

I'm trying to think of my head. Has anyone that's had two national titles, not for scandal or anything, have they been fired with two nattties?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:43

I almost would encourage you. When was the second one?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:49

2018 with Trevor Lawrence.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:51

I would encourage you to consider that not even the same generation of football.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:57

I mean, NIL was not a like a collect. They were doing soft.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:05

No, but now the parody of other teams is much more close now, though. That's the big difference. Maybe SMU was not. I mean, outside of the ponies.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:13

They made SMU three three titles in four years. That's because the ACC was bad. National titles? That uh Oh, national titles. Yeah, sorry, national. They won like eight straight ACC tournaments.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:26

That's because they had Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun and they had a good run. That's great. They've also recently had Cade Klubnick and um what was that big lanky kid, number two?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:39

Uh Klubnick was number two. What was that? Not DJ U.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:44

Well, they had DJ U, who was a travesty.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:48

That's those are the only quarterbacks I thought they've had. That's it. Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:52

Kelly Bryant. They had Kelly Bryant. See, they haven't had a good quarterback since Trevor.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:58

No. They are that's just crazy. They early spread, they're seven-point home dogs to Miami. That's that's crazy to me.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:09

That's not crazy to me.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:11

As in, like, not as in like that. I don't I disagree. I think like that's just wild to see how far they've fallen. I take Miami minus 12 names. They're my they're plus ten and a half at LSU Week one. They're double-digit dogs. Clemson is double-digit dogs in week one. You're down on Clemson. You don't think they're making a bowl? Interesting. Alright, let's talk about the teams this year. Jared, you you could probably you have this overrated, you're talking about teams? Teams that are overrated, underrated, properly rated. Now, to be fair, we don't have a ranking yet.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:49

No.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:50

But we have like an idea. Like if we want to go to like the ESPN, like the FPI or whatever. Is there rankings for that? College football. Rankings 2020.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:01

I was just gonna say in general.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:03

Okay. Let me see if there's like a list.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:06

There's FBI index. Somewhere.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:09

Yeah, that's FBI index. Okay, I've got this. Okay. Alright, so Jared, who's your overrated team?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:16

Clemson.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:18

Okay. What are they? What do people think they're gonna do this year, though?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:23

I mean, they think they're the 23rd best team in the country.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:28

And you think they're much lower than that?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:30

Fine, fine. If you want me to answer for real, it's Tennessee.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:35

Clemson could be your answer.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:37

I'm just no Tennessee. It's Tennessee.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:39

Tennessee? Okay. Who's their quarterback now? Is it still?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:46

No, it's Faison Branett, that new their five-star freshmen.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:50

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Ugh. There it is. Five-star true freshmen in the SEC. Yep. That's that's something. My overrated team will be I saw them on here. Oh. We talked about Michigan, because I don't think Bryce Underwood's good.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:13

Well, I mean, that's I just don't think he's that good.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:20

And they're ranked in the top 15 everywhere. I see. I don't think I think they've got a tough schedule, and they're gonna I'll tell you an even hotter take.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:28

I'll tell you the hottest take I probably have. I think there's a player who made a very big mistake. I think Trinidad Chandless made a huge mistake.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:40

And not going to LSU? Really? You're not an old miss guy this year, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:04:46

I think he's gonna regret playing for Ole Miss this year.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:50

I think they're overrated to you a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:55

Really?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:57

Not a Pete Golding fan?

SPEAKER_02 1:04:59

You don't think I don't know if he has the temperament to Lane had to hold a guy like Trinidad in check.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:07

Alright. Number one pick, though. Trinidad Chamberless.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:11

Well, he he could have been a very good pick in this past draft.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:15

I know. Underrated. I I have a very interesting answer for underrated. I want to know what yours is, though. Mine is very interesting. You're gonna be you're gonna turn, you're gonna be like, what? How could they be underrated?

unknown 1:05:26

Go.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:26

I mean uh my answer is Indiana. Damn it.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:33

That was my answer. You that's good.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:36

That means we agree. Yes. I think Josh Hoover is gonna be better than Fernando Mendoza.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:41

Dang it, you're stealing my takes. We need to talk about this first. I think Josh, I think Josh Hoover's a better quarterback than Fernando Mendoza is. I agree with you. I agree, but people think that's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:54

No, it's not that crazy.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:55

I think he's so talented and he's a dog.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:58

The only reason Fernando Mendoza is. Mendoza was the number one pick, was because they won the NCAA championship.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:04

Okay, so early Raiders take on Jared, low on the Raiders, under the window. Not a fan. Okay. Not the QB of the future for the Raiders. Well, I don't know about that. Okay. I don't know. My answer was Indiana. Damn it. Well. Good job.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:22

That's not a good job. It's just we agree.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:26

We do. Okay. Um properly rated uh Notre Dame, I guess. I think they're gonna be really good.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:36

Like I think that's our answer for that one. Like they're they're up in the top five. But see, I thought me saying Indiana is underrated coming off the national championship and you're real knees. Yeah, I thought the take of Josh Hoover is gonna look better in the offense than Fernando did.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:53

No, I think that I think they're looking at the case.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:55

Alright, so it's a universal I like it. I like that it's universal opinion. Yeah, they might lose a game or two that they break.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:00

You need to be lower on Clemson. We're 32nd in FPI. That's not bad.

unknown 1:07:09

Huh?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:10

That's a little that's a little overrated.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:13

What? That's crazy.

unknown 1:07:15

What?

SPEAKER_00 1:07:16

That is crazy.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:18

That's insane.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:20

Alright, let's talk about the we talk about how college football is ever changing. And it's gonna change again. We're gonna get more playoff teams. Now we're gonna go to 24, and I don't like that. I think the number, and I've been saying this when it was four, I think the number's 16.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:39

12 is fine. 12 has seemed like a lot. We've seen some games in the playoffs the last couple of years. Like, how did this team make the field? They don't belong in here. But I think 16 is the right 16 is the right number, and I'm not sure you have to college football leaders hat on. I don't think you need a group of five team in there every year. JMU had no business being in that playoff last year.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:07

Would it be bad if I said would it be bad if I said that a top two group of five champions play for the buy-in spot?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:16

I I just think they have to be deserving, not just the best group. Like, I need a group of five team that is like, ooh, we beat like a big thing.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:23

But so here's where here's where I don't understand, though. You're also the same person that will enjoy a march upset.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:34

Yes. Basketball is very different. A team can get hot from three, and a the other team can get cold from three. When you have just different athletic bodies on the field when you're hitting at full speed, I just don't that's not gonna it's just not gonna happen. I don't think a JMU last year would ever I think if you put that JMU Oregon matchup in the playoff 20 times, Oregon wins 20 of them. Where in basketball, if it was that kind of talent differential.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:11

I don't have a problem with saying that. I just have a problem with leaving them out altogether.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:16

If they're deserving. Like if it's a team that's how you make them. It's a 13-0 team.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:22

This is how you make them deserving. You have them play the other top ranked. Maybe.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:26

I wouldn't hate that.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:27

That's what I'm saying. Just have them play the other top ranked.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:29

But that's just another game. So then are you getting rid of conference titles?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:33

They're the the NCAA. They want more games.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:37

No, who doesn't? Coaches and players.

unknown 1:09:40

Tough shit.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:41

They're not in charge. Okay, so. They're not in charge. So do you agree with you must agree with me 16 is where you want to go. 16 is where I want to. So how would you format that then? If you want this by so how what what's the format here?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:56

Okay, so the top, the each power conference champion.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:00

Okay, let me write this down. SEC, ACC. Are you including the Pac 12 in it? Or no, not yet. No.

unknown 1:10:08

Not yet.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:09

So we got four. We got four.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:11

So those are your top four seeds.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:13

Do you want those to be the four seeds no matter what? The conference champions is the four seeds. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:17

I do. Because I think at this point in NCAA, I think that matters.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:23

Okay. Winning your conference should matter. Got it.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:25

That's just Matt. That's just me.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:26

Okay. And then yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:28

Then from there, it is the next 10 ranked.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:35

Next 10 by CFP rankings. By CFP rankings. Okay. Okay, so that's that 14.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:43

And then the last two spots will go to my two top group of five champions.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:50

Who will play a play-in game.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:54

So we got a 15-16 play-in spot. To play the number one team? Well that doesn't quite add up. Does it? I don't think you'd have to have like another play-in game or something.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:14

Further than it would know, it would give buys to the first four, wouldn't it?

SPEAKER_00 1:11:19

Okay. I'm like trying to write a bracket down. So math.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:23

I teach history.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:24

Yeah. So yeah, let's say the ones and the two and the three and four get a bye. So that would be a good one. So that means 15 and 16 will play then five. Six would play. Five. So it'd be five, sixteen, six, thirteen, seven, twelve. Wait, six, fourteen, right? Six fourteen, yeah. Six fourteen, seven, thirteen, eight, twelve, nine, eleven.

unknown 1:11:56

Yeah. No, never mind.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:58

No. Do we do like okay? 16 and 17 are the group of five teams, and the winner of that gets the 16 seed. Yes, that's what it is. There we go.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:10

I was like, I know that I had it where it worked. Yes, that's what it is. 615, 246.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:16

There we go. 13, 9, 12, 10, and 11. Yes, that's it. That's it. That's it. So then. Oh. Then who would play the? This might be bad podcasting because I'm trying to figure it out. Who would play the one seed then? Would it be would it be like the NFL playoff? Or it's like 8-9 in basketball. Well, it's like 8-13.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:43

Well, that's still.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:44

How did we mess the because we gave them bys. That's what we did. We screwed we screwed up.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:47

Well now we don't have to.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:48

So let's not do bys.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:50

Yeah, now we don't have to. So one would play 16.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:52

Yeah, there we go. Alright.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:54

That's it. Okay, so just no buys. I don't hate that. That's all I know. So then I think we could do. So that'd be 116 and then 1-8. The first two rounds could be on campus.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:05

Yes, correct. That was my dream.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:07

So then we get the final four.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:09

That was my dream.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:10

Final four. Final, well, not well, yeah, it would be semi. That'd be semi-finals. Wait, no. It'd have to still be the first round, wouldn't it? Because four. There's six New Year's six games, right? So the second round would be four.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:34

No, no, but see, this is where this will get different for me.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:37

The Rose Bowl is in the national championship from here on out.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:41

Ooh. That's a great spot to have it.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:44

That's it's it's the national championship from here on it.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:49

So there'd have to be some just contracts worked out because they're gonna be some New Year's six games kicked to the curb here.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:56

Not really, because now doesn't that open up? That's one.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:58

Okay, so that's that's one. So then this da-da-da. So really all it would do is elevate another game to the new next. Yes. Yes. Which would be the Pop Tarts bowl.

unknown 1:14:13

Alright.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:14

True. Shout out my Pop Tarts Bowl. Pop Tart Bowl. Okay, yeah. So then I think we figured it out. Yeah. The Pop Tart Bowl in there.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:23

Or the chick bring the peach. Well, no, the peach is already on.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:26

Peach is already in there.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:27

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:27

Anyway, but yeah, the whole point of all this was yeah, I'm just kind of like writing stuff down. This is gonna have brackets, yeah. But I think, yeah, 16's the number. They want to go to 24. I think if you go to 24, that it has to eliminate conference championship games, which sucks because I like watching the conference championship games.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:47

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:48

Right? Like, I mean that I don't think there's a way around that.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:51

Or you're shooting yourself in the foot.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:53

Yeah. I'm not gonna talk about it any more than that.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:55

That's just dumb.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:56

I don't like the 24 team. That's just dumb. Alright, let's wrap up this pod by doing a fun little game.

unknown 1:15:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:03

We're gonna do. I've seen some people do this, but I like the way we do it too. College football road trip. We go somewhere different each week. And I believe the rule is we can't even see the same team twice. No.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:18

No, wait. We can't go to the same campus twice.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:23

Oh, but we can see the same team twice?

SPEAKER_02 1:15:25

Correct. Okay. Yes. Let me get a new piece of paper out so I can write this down. But you can't, yeah, you can't go to the same team twice because that's just dumb. It's not like college game day where it's like, oh, I'm going back to Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:42

Okay, so we go to the same place once. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:46

And if I may, this is on the case.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:48

Are we doing a draft or do we have to agree?

SPEAKER_02 1:15:51

Uh we can just do this as an agree that way.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:53

Alright, we'll agree. Yes. I don't think we'll have. I mean if we have one we can debate, we will debate it.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:58

That's fine. Here I'm gonna send F to you though, because it's a lot easier to look it up this way. It's got a nice week-by-week breakdown. It's not so bad. Oh, I see.

unknown 1:16:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:08

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:09

Well, week one week zero is easy.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:12

Oh, Ireland.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:13

Yeah, we're going to Ireland. That's not even a question.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:15

Dang. Week one.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:19

Even if it's awful football.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:21

I think we have the same answer for week one. There's not many good games in week one. I mean. My pick would be Baton Rouge. Yeah, wait. For Clemson LSU? No, see. We're gonna get to that. But we're getting to that. No.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:42

Is that a different campus?

SPEAKER_00 1:16:44

That's in Oxford. And that's my week three trip. So I I think unless. Ooh, ooh! Wait, venue, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:16:53

No, wait, we could go see Wisconsin at Notre Dame at Lambeau. That's pretty sick.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:57

Or Louisville Ole Miss in Nashville.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:00

I don't care about Nashville. Nashville's a dump. Anyway.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:03

I just was there. It's fun. Okay. Do you want to go to Green? Do you want to go to Green Bay or Baton Rouge?

SPEAKER_02 1:17:08

I think we'll be able to go to Baton Rouge later. Let's just let's go to let's go to Northern Blue Green Bay?

SPEAKER_00 1:17:13

Green Bay. I think it's great. Okay, Green Bay. Okay. Week two. So sorry, people. This was for Wisconsin plays Notre Dame in Green Bay, week one. Week two.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:25

That's also technically a Sunday game. We could have technically done if they're a sign.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:29

Oh we could do both. Week two. There's a couple here. We can go to Ann Arbor for Oklahoma, Michigan, or we could go to Austin for Ohio State, Texas. I think that's Austin. Yeah, I think that's the one to I think that's the one to go to. Or um Iowa City for Iowa State, Iowa, but. No, I'm not going to Iowa State. Let me write, I need to write down the one to watch. New coach, though.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:02

I don't care.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:03

I know. UNC or CC. It's easy. LSU Ole Miss in Oxford. I the there's not enough security. I won't. Alright, let's do let's do it. Let's let's look.

unknown 1:18:19

No.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:20

How much do you think the get-in price is $600. Man, it's a night. Oh, it's a night game too. That's that can't happen. A night game. Yep, $568. Yeah, I'm really good at that. Get in. Yeah. That I am so that's the problem. The problem for me. I'm at VT Maryland that night. So I won't be able to watch all of it unfold. I'll hear about it later. But that that is gonna have to rival one of the best atmosphere in college football history. In terms of the booze. It's gonna be great. And the I'm I'm trying to think of one that would rival it.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:02

I mean rivalry games, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:05

Like, yeah, that's the like Ohio State, Michigan, the year that Michigan like was a top five team and could beat them. I think we lost this game, Miami, Virginia Tech when it was number five versus number three in 05.

unknown 1:19:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:22

That was my dad says the loudest he's ever heard Lane Stadium.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:26

That's fair.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:27

Um I'm trying to think of other ones. Like there has not been like a immediately the next year, the coach leaves a program in disgrace the way he did and goes back there as a conference rival the next year. I can't think of it. I just can't. So it's gonna be amazing to watch.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:45

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:46

All right.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:46

Week four. Again, it's not a lot of great games coming up.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:53

Like, do we want to go to Baton Rouge this week?

SPEAKER_00 1:19:56

We could.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:57

We go to Georgia this week.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:59

I think Georgia might be if Oklahoma, Georgia, because I think this week. I'm looking again to make sure there's nothing better. No, there's not. Or USC for Oregon USC.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:10

No, I'm not willing to California.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:12

So Baton Rouge for no Georgia. Sorry. Georgia. Athens. That was my other underrated team, Oklahoma. I think Mateer, he's healthy now. Yeah. Big year for Oklahoma. Yes. Big year for OU coming up. Week five. The Northwestern State. I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:37

Let's see. Can we can now go to Iowa?

SPEAKER_00 1:20:41

We can go to Iowa City. I like that. Let's go to Iowa. For Ohio State at Iowa.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:48

Then we get to do the wave.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:50

Be like Big Cat.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:55

He waved for so long, man. I don't know how he didn't realize how long he was waving for.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:01

I'm gonna move through these quick.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:03

I don't want to do much. We can go to Tuscaloosa, Georgia Bama. Is there a better one?

SPEAKER_02 1:21:15

Oh Dallas. We could go to Dallas.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:17

I think we gotta go to Dallas.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:20

It's back-to-back weeks of Oklahoma, though, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 1:21:22

No, two out of three.

unknown 1:21:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:26

Yeah, I guess. Let's go to Disney.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:29

I would want to go there for the food.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:31

Yes, the fried Oreo pie or the fried pie or whatever it is.

unknown 1:21:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:34

Alright, week seven. I'm just gonna get a head start on looking.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:38

Yeah, go ahead. Week seven. Yeah, I like how we're picking destinations stuff. Neil and the atmosphere. Could do that. Yeah, let's do that.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:52

Um no, no, no, no, no. We're going to Indiana.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:57

What where's that? Ohio State, Indiana. Is it really? Yeah. So Bloomington.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:04

Go watch Coach Coach Sig. Shout out though to Notre Dame BYU. That's a question.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:11

Oh, that's on my that's the same week.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:14

Yeah, that's the good week. That's the week.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:16

Oh shoot.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:20

Why am I missing this? Why can't I see Oh, there it is. It's way at the bottom. Okay. Wow, this is a good week.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:28

Yeah, week seven is crazy.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:29

Oh, dang. Continue on week eight. Let's see. I'm thinking about switching to Notre Dame BYU. You go ahead. That's fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's fine. No, no, we'll we'll do Bloomington. That's a bigger game. But that's a cool Stadium in the mountains. BYU.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:49

This might our non-power five game.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:53

Which one are you thinking for? Texas AM. That sounds cool. No. Um, Texas still had an Estimaker.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:03

I know where I would go, but I don't like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:06

North Texas Navy. Navy is fun.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:09

I love that stadium.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:11

Boozy State, Washington State. Um go to App State on Thursday night for JMU App State. Oh, yes. Boone. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:21

Yes. Let's go to Boone.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:23

For JMU. Yeah, I love that. I love that. It'd be pretty good.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:26

Okay, week nine.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:28

Week nine. That'd be a prime like college game day spot if it was on a Saturday.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:33

Oh man. If there's nothing else, I know where we're going.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:36

For week nine?

SPEAKER_02 1:23:37

Yeah, we're going to Foxboro. Yeah. God. Well, it's never.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:43

Oh no! I forgot they moved Florida, Georgia to Atlanta this year. That is a war we lost. That's terrible.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:49

Yeah, it's terrible.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:50

Terrible. That that game is not in a I think we should go to LA for Ohio State USC.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:57

Okay, that's fine.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:59

I think that is a wild. We're going to so many Ohio State road games. That's four now.

unknown 1:24:05

I know. Alright.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:09

We have not picked Blacksburg yet.

unknown 1:24:11

We will.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:12

I think we're saving that one.

unknown 1:24:13

We will. Don't worry.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:16

Baton Rouge here for Alabama LSU. Or uh we already chose Oxford.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:22

Yeah. No, did we already choose uh no? We haven't gone to Notre Dame yet. Do Miami Notre Dame.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:28

Oh, that's this week.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:29

Catholics versus Convicts part eight.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:33

Uh South Bend. Yeah, we're going to South Bend. Um, underrated one on this list is BYU Utah. Oh my god, Oregon plays Ohio State that we'll I want to go to Catholics versus Convicts. I do too at Ohio State. We've already done enough Ohio State this year and we've seen them enough.

unknown 1:24:53

I agree.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:54

But did you but I also think BYU Utah could have been fun. Honorable mention. It's a big week 11. Ohio at Miami of Ohio. Michigan at Oregon. That's a real game? Michigan at Miami.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:11

Holy cow. Yes. I will live in Michigan at Oregon, please.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:15

Yes. That would be Eugene.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:18

Or Texas Tech at Oklahoma State.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:22

Nah. I don't think it's still working. It's sneaky. That's uh it could be an honorable mention.

unknown 1:25:28

Could be a good one.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:29

Week 12. We're almost at Rivalry Week now.

unknown 1:25:32

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:34

This is there. Um this is usually good. Could go to this could be the Knoxville one. Lane Kiffin back in Knoxville again.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:43

Oh yeah, let's do that.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:44

But I'm looking again to make sure. SMU we already are going to South Bend.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:49

Washington, Indiana, Washington.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:51

Again, I know like we've done a lot of Ohio State Road games. Lincoln, Nebraska's a fun place to watch a football game.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:57

I think let's go with your first instinct.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:59

Knoxville. Yeah. To have Lane Kiffin go back there again.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:04

Even though he's probably already been back there with Old Miss.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:07

Yeah, he did. They threw mustard at him.

unknown 1:26:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:12

Week 13. Now this might have to be another creative one. This is always a bad. Oh wait, no. This is Rivalry Week. We're going to Blacksburg.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:19

We're going to Blacksburg. This is easy. Dunzo. What a beautiful work trip. Yippee.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:28

And then we're going to Army Navy. Oh, that's week 15, though, so we gotta find week 14.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:34

Wait, there's games week 14?

SPEAKER_00 1:26:36

The conference championships.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:38

Well, yeah, but I'm I mean.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:40

Which city do you want to go to?

SPEAKER_02 1:26:42

Oh, I guess that's true.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:44

Yeah, Army Navy is in uh Jersey this year. Not Indianapolis, I'm gonna tell you that. It's either Atlanta or Atlanta for the SEC.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:53

Yeah, let's go to Atlanta. I want to go to Mercedes-Benz.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:57

Yes, Atlanta SEC title. Okay, so let's do a quick recap. I have it all here. Week zero, we're going to Ireland for UNC versus TCU. Week one, we're going to Green Bay, Notre Dame, Wisconsin. Week two, we're going to Austin, Texas, Ohio State at Texas. Week three, game of the year, LSU at Olmis in Oxford, game of the year. Week four, Athens, Georgia for Oklahoma versus Georgia. I think that's an interesting one. Week five, we're going to Iowa City for an awesome game that should be the night game on NBC, Ohio State at Iowa. Week six, Dallas for the Red River Shootout, Oklahoma, Texas. Week seven, Bloomington for a big noon kickoff game between Ohio State and Indiana. Week eight, Thursday night, we're going down to the mountains of Boone for JMU and App State. Week nine, we're going out to LA, Hollywood for Ohio State at USC. Week 10, we're going to freeze our Tushies off in South Bend for Miami at Notre Dame. Week 11, we're making the trip back out west to Eugene, Oregon for Michigan at Oregon. Week 12, we're coming back to Knoxville for LSU at Tennessee. Rivalry Week. All roads lead to Blacksburg. All roads lead to Blacksburg in week 13. Blacksburg for UVA Virginia Tech. We're going to the SEC Championship, and then in week 15, we're going to the Army Navy game. Where is that this year, by the way? East Rutherford, New Jersey. MetLife Stadium. Oh gross. Oh gross. The worst stadium in the world. But it's Army Navy. It's going to be exciting.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:24

I should have went last year.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:26

Where was it last year? MT. Was it Baltimore? Yeah. Biggest part of my life. It'll be back there one day. It does like a rotation of the teams apiece. I wonder when they ever move. They'll never move that game to the West Coast, but it'd be interesting to see how many people like show up to that.

unknown 1:28:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:42

We did it.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:44

We did it. We did the first college football pod entering 2026. Now Jared's got to get back to game planning. I got to go back to being a dad. So this will be that's true. Uh we will tune in back with you sometime, probably to do some week one stuff. Um give an update on where VT is, a depth chart will be out by then. So then we can do full depth chart breakdown. And maybe we'll make sure we've got some other topics we want to do on the pod. And maybe we'll we'll take one more look at the list and see if anything changes due to injury or something else came up if we change our mind. Jared, this was awesome. Thank you so much for joining in.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:25

All right. We'll see you all next time on Where's the Flag? Peace out.