The underdog is howling. Let's stay for Steve and the bear. Oh yes, a home team getting points. What's better than Matt?
Welcome in week one. Stay for Steve and the bear podcast. Game week bear. A little earlier than usual, but we're here.
I want to make sure we got this out with the ample amount of games we have Thursday, Friday, and of course an absolutely loaded Saturday. You will be on the road in Pittsburgh. I don't want to say Morgan's time because I really want that game to be a Morgan's time, but I know the folks from Morgan's Town and Allaround will be there. Are we taking the bus from Pittsburgh to Columbus?
I don't know what's going on in terms of that transportation. There might be a couple of different ways of getting between Pittsburgh and Columbus after our halftime and after the game on Thursday night. I know a lot of people aren't about that bus life anymore on that group. Yeah, I probably will see if there's a seat on a quicker way of getting to Columbus.
If it was Morgan's Town, I think the bus would be the only way. That would probably be the quickest way for sure. It would be in a Pittsburgh. Actually, you want to find out people love the travel story.
Here's a good one. There is an epi-only Morgan that we've flown in there for games. We flew from somewhere. I can't remember where it was.
We flew to a Morgan Town with Oklahoma West Virginia game that night. It was snowy, miserable, and it wasn't our usual plane that we fly from from game day to the game site. There wasn't a lot of room in the cabin to keep that back and stuff. I always, when I'm done with the show, I put my sunglasses in a little mesh side pocket that has the elastic that grabs it and holds it in place.
They put my backpack in the back. When we get off the plane, they give me my backpack back and my glasses are gone. I have no idea prescription sunglasses. Obviously, we're coming from somewhere that was warm and sunny because I use them during the show or during the morning.
I wasn't happy. I was kind of glib at about it. I was like, no glasses and send a note. We didn't find them blah, blah, blah.
I don't know where they are. Then six weeks later, the charter company winds up sending a package to one of our production people. Hey, we found these glasses in the luggage hold all the way in the back, in the back, in the flight. They were my glasses.
They were in one piece. They were in one piece. They were fine. It ultimately worked out well in the end.
There's a little travel adventure for you to kick the season off there. Perfect. Very good. Just to let you know, just booked some flights to college station for week three.
I will be in the building, Vampel Sports Center to follow that game, which I'm super fired up. We can talk about that at the end. I think there's a good trans-college community there, too. I would think so.
As long as teams take care of business. That's a lot of what I see on the docket here for week one. Sorry for the yelling. I'm heavily invested in Quinn Wingingang against it in the US Open and in this particular match, and she just beat Helena as a Panko 6-4 in the third as a Panko.
I'm not going to be able to get one into the net. Now you know the exact time that we're recording this. This is a good result for you, boy. Very good.
I had Serena minus four and a half last night. Cover. Thank you. She's only a small dog on Wednesday night.
It's an absolute stay away from me because Contivate is someone who, she had the, she was the best indoor hardcore player in the world. At the end of the last year, she racked up a bunch of rankings points on that. That's why she's number two. Like, but she had COVID and long COVID.
It hasn't been fitting. It hasn't been playing well lately. I wouldn't surprise me at all this season, and also wouldn't surprise me to be Contivate Bloor Up Port. So I am absolutely staying away.
Very good. You mentioned fit. Are you more fit at the beginning of the season or the end of the season? Before.
Before, you know. And that's a bad thing these days because I'm far from my best right now. And unfortunately I fear it's only going to get worse. I'm going to have to really, really try hard.
We have to lock in. Lock in a little bit and get it done. I am. I am.
I am. All right. We're on the same page there. All right.
Let's start rank versus rank match ups. We're going to go all over the board. We'll be watching a few videos last May, right? I'll Phillip WENDS lining up.
My girls watching a 13 year old. And when they have just watched, uh, I see three of them. It's Oregon, Georgia. It's Notre Dame, Ohio State.
You'll be there, and it sits down in Arkansas. All of them are a stay away from me, but I do have thoughts on the games. I just think, and it's the same thing for Pitt, West Virginia. Unfortunately for me, uh, we'll get to that.
But the unknown bear. I just don't want to throw money around on games that have so much unknown to me. And yes, there's a reason Oregon and Ohio State. Or I should say, Georgia and Ohio State are that big of favorites.
Okay. They all they bring back the star power, the coaching stability, all that good stuff and the talent the way they've recruited. Obviously they're going to benefit the doubt when it comes to the spread. If you like the other sides, good for you.
I'm just not going to pull the trigger of what because of what's up against it for Oregon and Notre Dame. I do think it's interesting. Everybody's like, oh, Dan Lanning knows every player on that Georgia roster. Dan Lanning didn't bring one person from the Georgia staff within the Oregon.
So I find that kind of kind of weird. I think he's more worried about getting his own team right. And we talked a little bit last week about the struggles that were the spring game, whether it was turnovers at the quarterback position, not being sound on both lines of scrimmage. But I didn't see it.
So again, it's an unknown for me. Obviously everybody's talked about BoNex. He's seen Georgia defense before. Has it been great going back?
I did find an interesting BoNex only did throw a three pick last year. And I think a lot of it got caught into circumstances on when he threw those. But when you look at Oregon and Notre Dame, the idea of these guys stepping in against these hostile environments and these talented teams is nothing I want a part of. If I have to take a side in my office pools, I'm probably just going to take both underdogs because of the big numbers.
Yeah, I also often also wonder if like they trusted BoNex to throw the ball at time. They were very, very cautious with what to do. But we've seen that deal against against the Georgia defense. And it hasn't been good.
And reports are that the quarter back play has been a little sketchy at best from from Eugene and Camp. So I don't know how much better it gets out of the of the those two games, George Oregon Notre Dame, Ohio State, I'd probably be more apt to lay it with Ohio State than I would with Georgia because I trust, I trust that Oregon defense. I mean, flow and and sewer, all American type players. I mean, they are legit.
And you just you have to wonder in a lower scoring game, which I think it will probably be, they might be able to hang around. You've got you've got a Georgia offense. It's going to be kind of breaking in some new guys as well. I mean, clearly the tight end grouping is fantastic.
I just don't know how many points Oregon's gonna be able to score interesting note that I pulled up. If you go back over the last five, power five, non-conference opponents, Georgia has played, it's been number two Michigan in the playoff last year, Georgia Tech twice, number three, Clemson, number eight Baylor. They've held those five teams to a total 35 points and covered every single one of the games. And even if you take out two games against Georgia Tech, a set of people are going to say, Oh, Georgia Tech, they asked for those other three top 10 opponents by a score of 70 to 28.
So like that kind of leans low, and you look, you look at the other, the top 10, 34 11 45 that being under 10, three under 26, 14 under. So I think it's an under game. I think the Oregon team total under is the way to go. So that's what I'm looking at there.
Okay. The other ranked game Cincinnati Arkansas, I see Arkansas minus six. I want no part of this game. No, no, I can't wait to watch it because I honestly have no idea what's going to happen.
But like Arkansas team with Jefferson and quarterback, I think they have a chance to be really good. Hear things about the loss of Berks being a massive impact with which if it's shocking if it wouldn't be, I love the Arkansas staff. I love, I love what they're building there. But this is a Cincinnati team that's not going to just suddenly go away and be darish.
Like, how good are they going to be on defense losing all those guys? I don't know how good are they going to be on offense now? I don't know. But that's that's the question.
Like you could you could lay though the five and a half or six whatever it is, and Arkansas can ball them out and you'd be like, son of a guy, I knew Cincinnati went in struggle or you could go the other way, you can lay it and be like, wow, I'm Cincinnati's held a lot better than I thought about these. So I can't wait to watch this game, but I want no part of that. I the more I read, I was, you know, when I first started reading on my SEC and diving in, I really thought Arkansas was going to struggle their number was seven and a half for wind total. And now the more I'm reading, I think I like that more.
The schedule is brutal. Absolutely brutal. When you look at the middle of it, it's really tough. But I think, KJ, ever too much of the coaching staff, I feel like, you know, Barry did a great job of getting those two guys.
And most importantly, keeping them. I mean, what all the jobs that were over to keep those two guys, I just feel like, coach Pitt will has his guys ready. He's going to let his coordinators, you know, call the shops. And KJ was really dependable last year.
You know, the defense fell apart against the upper echelon teams. And when you mentioned the defense, you get catalog back, why I think the world up on the back end. And I think Jane Hazelwood from the transfer of Oklahoma, he was the number one receiver, I believe in the class of 19. He comes over from Oklahoma, I think he's got a monster year.
And the more I dive into this, I think Arkansas is going to start the year two and oh, I would lean Arkansas just because I think the roster's deeper and Cincinnati obviously being hush hush about the QB situation. But it is a fascinating matchup because I don't know what we're going to get from either side. I don't I'm saying it's not a pick for either side. I would just lean Arkansas being at home in that great home crowd.
I think I think that ends up being being a difference. I also would look at the at the under in that game. Hey, one other no other no back on that game in Columbus. I would, if I had to play the game, I would lay the points with Ohio State just basing it on.
The offense that we know we're going to see from the Buckeyes, we saw it in the Rose Bowl. We've seen how dynamic they're going to be with Avery Davis, Alpha Notre Dame. Is that going to allow mayor to be the player that he's been in recent years? I don't know.
Obviously a lot of quarterback run. Watch out for 44 on the Ohio State defense to know I believe it's how it's pronounced a highly touted recruiting word is that he's like past the point of where it's chasing on the list at this point. Yeah. Yeah, that's the report from Columbus at this point.
Well, at this point, I will say, but that is that is that good? Is that 11 warriors you got your you got your login for 22 season? Is that coming from 11 warriors? I need to get in touch with Travis.
Now that he's left us. I need a I need a I need a Buck Ducks password. But you know, Buckeye Grove, I didn't let the Warriors. Okay.
Both of them. And to what but Notre Dame away from home against top in big games against elite teams. Away from all the last 10 versus top 10 teams, all in 10 lost by 16.4 points per game. That's 11 versus top five away from home, all 11 lost by 19.6 points per game.
So it's 94, they're one in 17 versus top five. And if you go back prior to that from like 88 to 92, I think there were like 72 in those games. So it's a complete role reversal. And we'll see if they ultimately can win one of these games away from home against the top 10 team.
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So you can hit the ground running. Bring it with SAP Grow, AI Cloud ERP for any size business. All right, let's rewind and let's go with Thursday. You'll be there back to our ball is back fired up.
All the emotion you want in an opener, an out of conference game. A lot of hate feels like the hatred is passed away, but I think once those people walk in and see each other's colors, there'll be a lot of yellow. It'll mix right in with those seats at the formerly known Heinz Field. I think they're going to be a lot of West Virginia fans.
They're here. I hear like they're these seats out there that monitor ticket sales based on zip codes and area codes. We're tickets resolved and supposedly there are a lot of metrics that show that West Virginia fans bought a ton of tickets for this game. Okay.
Again, just new coordinators on both sides, new quarterbacks. You got a team that's starving for a jumpstart in West Virginia. And you got a team that I think is going to be pre-darned good, but I don't want to lay seven and a half in a game with a lot of emotion like this with Pitt. You feel like Neil Brown does need that staple win.
This will be an unbelievable start to getting that. They also have an on a conference game at Virginia Tech in a couple of weeks, but I think Pitt is going to be as loud as there is, especially in the ACC. I know Desmond picked them to make the playoff. I don't know if I was as high on a zat, but it's a sit back and watch for me.
That's all I got there. I fire up to see it. Both of the uniforms are great and I'm happy for these two teams to get back together on the field. I think if I were playing this game, I would lay the points with Pitt because I know what I'm getting from Pitt.
While I got some new new parts, I know they're going to stop the run. I know they're going to get after the quarterback. They'll be okay, I think, offensively. I just don't know what I'm getting from West Virginia.
We're one of the teams in the country where I think the ceiling and the roof are, there's a drastic difference. I think it's a massive year for Neil Brown. Slowness is going to start. You're shocked if he didn't.
But defensively, I worry about them. And I worry about their ability to run the ball on Pitt. And it's going to be, I think, a lot to ask. Slowness in his first game against that defense to kind of carry them.
So I would go with the known commodity here. If I were playing this game, I would lay the points with Pitt. Listen, look at this way too. Tennessee coming in next week for Pitt.
This is like an absolute have to have this game because you don't want to lose this game to open the air. And then over the way here comes a top 20 team who you beat last year and put up a bunch of points in a bunch of yards is going to be out for payback and revenge in a big way. Also, you could be looking to know what to start. So I think the way the situation is here, I think it would be the way I would look.
Any picks on Thursday night for you that you could see going in the column? Yes, pretty. Yeah, I like pretty much. And I'm basing it on a couple of things.
Number one, the conversation that we had a couple of weeks ago with John Murray at Westgate about the seemingly public infatuation with Penn State and the seemingly one sided ticket count there. I always enjoy being on the when the public kind of sides with a with a short road favorite like that. I always like being a little bit contrarian there and taking the home dog, especially when you're looking at Braum and how he's been as a home dog, 1988, I produced 12 outright wings. Remember last year, Michigan State came in off the big one in Michigan undefeated as short favorite and got blown out.
So like I think the situation I think this game too is big. It's big for Penn State obviously too. They got a lot of unknowns around Clifford and offense. But at the same time, I think this is a game for Purdue where Braum kind of, and we brought it up too.
There's no bell. There's no Carloff this. That's probably on both sides of the ball or Don. My inverter's gone.
But he still got it. He still got the quarterback. And I think this is kind of a like, don't forget I can still coach and build a program type of type of game. I think for Braum.
So I think I think this is a little personal. I think Braum is out to prove that his team is pretty good here. And I'm going to take Purdue plus the points. All right, I got a little inside tip on kickoff of this game because the network is not always lies about what time it's kicking off and they're saying they said seven Eastern.
I'm going to get 805. So that game's going past midnight. I'll just tell you that right now. I do have a pick bear, but the problem is the line's not out yet for a Thursday night game.
And that is my Fresno State Bulldogs. They are playing Cal Poly. And I don't care what this spread is. We're laying it.
I'm expecting it to be 31 32. I could see this thing going up to 40 by kickoff. So getting early, I'm going to try and get in as soon as I can. As soon as it pops up, sometimes those don't come till day of game.
So just keep your eyes out. Keep refreshing your apps wherever you get your lines. I'm taking Fresno. That's an official pick.
By the way, I can't wait for next year, come NFL draft time. You'd be nuts to pass on Shaker. Like you the coaching that he's got, but Kaitlyn DeBore, Jeff Tedford, coaching quarterbacks. Like this guy, I don't know what round he's going to go.
I don't know how high, how low was going to be like Bryce and CJ. I'm sure it'll be the high guys. He's the offensive. He's run with the offensive minds and the coaching that he's got in the last couple of years.
I want to thank you. Yeah, I like them from Mountain West two and we didn't get to the power fives. I just I like I love everything about them. They've showed me a ton last year.
So I'm in on the Bulldogs Friday. I have an official pitch. You're going to hate it. It's going to be opposite a pick on winners Thursday night when Mr.
Van Pelle, but they have a game under their belt, under a new office coordinator. I know Wyoming wasn't the best team, but I'm taking the points with Illinois. I thought it was going to hit because it's not the right side, you know, those people right side. They're going to get on the line.
Just going based off of I thought they look good last week. Is Wyoming good? No, but I love the speed they have at their skill guys, man. Chase Brown is a difference maker.
I love what I saw from the veto. They really tried to some tough throws early in that game to extend drives and just off the fingertips. I love the system. They love they were just run some funky stuff with with with running call into plays.
So I I like Illinois. I think the defense is better. I love the guys they got up front there and I expect them to go in and win the game on the Moneyline, but we will take the plus three with Illinois in Bloomington Friday night. I already gave that out on the triple option.
I'm going to wait yesterday. Oh, I got to go yesterday. I agree. I mean, Indiana, I think they averaged like 11 points a game last year in big end play.
Like the their offense without Kaitlyn to born out clear and yes, they had increased the quarterback position, but I think they've got some problems. And ever since that they had that great season, the 2020 abbreviated year covered every game, won some games that they probably shouldn't have, they failed to cover 11 or last 12 games. And the only win against an FPS team was a 2.1 over kind of average at best Western Kentucky team. So I don't know, Indiana's got a lot to prove with a new quarterback, new running back new receivers.
And I think a lot of questions. So all right. Good. Friday, other games on Friday is for a touchdown.
If you have any official picks, Old Dominion, they get your interest at all getting eight and a half. Yeah. You got the Ricky Ronnie Brent pry and Penn State coaching times. What's that over under?
49 and a half. I'm fascinated to see what Virginia Tech looks like. I don't expect a lot of things from this year, but hey, they could use that motivation and get it against everybody else. So I'll be watching that.
And do you still, since you started the steam on TCU three months ago, do you still like them? What is this line done? Is it double tripled? I think it's I am I'm waiting for it as long as I can.
And I'm going to figure out at this number, I'm in the middle. I wait seven, seven and a half. And I'm absolutely 13 and a half. That whatever it is.
I am absolutely middle again. Okay. So yeah, we saw some big line moves in week one with Vandy and with a and a but the other Illinois, we saw those big moves be right money and right side and easy winners. But we'll see here.
I'm going to play around here. I bet this game is seven and a half slowly knowing, expecting the number to hit 10 and a half or 11, but a 13 and a half now, whatever it is, I got a I got advice of that. Okay. Very good.
All right. Saturday, your picks, I'll let you go first. Go ahead. Washington, lay on the 21 and a half against against state, like say a prayer for an African state, Washington, Oklahoma, Georgia, non-con that's your non-conference schedule.
We need wind horse to raise his alumni donation there to have them avoid playing this type of non-conference game every year. But we hit on Kaylinda Boor earlier. Everyone hits on Clay Helton and some of the other fellow corporate coach, LSU, some of the recently coaching with bad hires, the bocals, the Jimmy the Jimmy Lake experience at Washington did not go over well. And I think there are still players there at Washington defensively, I think on the front seven, they're still going to be good.
They can't help but be better offensively now with the bore call on the shots and Michael Pennick's quarterback. I don't know how up front Kent State is going to be able to slow them down. They're kind of in a little bit of a transition year themselves in the Mac. I'm going to lay the 21 and a half with the Huskies.
I think this is a chance for you to get right. I'm going to be a little contrarian here as well. You're probably going to hate this pick. Maybe you want to say that.
This is going to be on the board, I think on on one or one. I'm going to take North Carolina to pick now that it's down to a pick. People I think are over reacting to what we saw. We want to game that tutorial probably didn't even know they were playing for sure on Friday.
So of course they were going to come out a little sloppy and they did against an overmatch team. Now look, they got some things to address on defense, need to clean some things up, need to be able to stand up and run the ball a little bit better. It stopped to run a little bit better. But I thought they looked OK at quarterback.
I think the fact that the numbers move down now, and I'll have to beat them a couple of years ago. But I think this is a good buy low spot on North Carolina. So I'm going to take the heels out of pick up here. Okay.
I understand where you're coming from. I can't touch that game. And the reason I can't touch it is I'm not a Chase Bryce fan. If the quarterback situation was different with App, again, I'm not keened up on the on the roster.
Everybody. I mean, everyone. Everyone. I'm sorry.
I'll go ahead. You think everyone thinks of that drive that he had against with an NC State comeback when he had going to Trevor God heard. Where was it got hurt? And he had to go in and save the year?
Or was it was not even to Sean hit? I forget. No, that was Trevor. That was Trevor.
And I had to go in and save the and save the season. I had the fourth and eight or whatever it was. And like people have that image of them, but he's an ample opportunity to do other things and just pass it pan out. And then I got one more for you.
I got one more. And I need to, I know Danny Sheridan said any basically said I need to have my head examined for my thoughts in week one. But I'm going to lay the 23 with UCLA against Bowling Green. This is another massive line move.
I think this opened it like 34. It's down to 23. Like Bowling Green, I think people think could be a sneaky okay team in the Mac this year. But there's a difference between being like sneaky okay in the Mac and maybe contending for a spot in the Mac championship game versus going to UCLA and the season opener and dealing with DTR and Sharba day in that running game.
You know chip, I know chip. It wouldn't be past shift to just be sitting there kind of all off season taking notes about USC and Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams and Addison and Dye and wow this offense coming to LA. It's going to be off. It's now you don't think chip would come out in the opener and put up like 60 and kind of be like oh remember remember us the team that team that scored 62 on SC last year and had like 600 you did.
We're kind of okay to you know if you don't think the chip that you and I both know in love would kind of take that a little bit personal would you? I just would say I think he enjoys all the limelight and attention the team across town is getting and I will leave it there which gets to me and one of my picks for Saturday and I have four words to back it up. I just have to take Rice plus 32 and a half. I got to do it.
I have to do it because I'm more than likely going to have SD against Stanford the following week and I just have to take Rice knowing I don't again I didn't dive in on the Rice roster. I just know coach Bloomberg's been there. I think he knows we're frustrates USC teams and I'm not saying they're going to win the game. I think they're going to frustrate SD to a point where they could score some points and hang around enough.
I think the defense will be playing way off and just trying not to give up the big play. I think Lincoln Riley's you come at that and gets a big place. I think SD fans are going to be really happy with what they saw but I'll uh North Carolina the other night. I went back watch the tape.
I just thought the Florida and M quarterback was a better quarterback on the field the way he threw the ball. I mean guys for the Rattlers were wide open and I think Carolina's got a lot of button up to do in the secondary. I think SD is going to come out sky high. I think Rice is just going to come in and try and do what they do and run the football and win time of possession by hopefully 20 minutes and keep the ball away from number 13.
So I'm taking Rice plus the 32 and a half. I did like it when it was at 35 but maybe some people are on this before me but I'm taking it. Saturday also I think it's the wrong side but I don't care. I'm taking it based off of last year based off I think the advantage is with Louisville and the coaching staff.
I do like center field as a coach. I think Syracuse is one dimensional. I think Louisville's defense is going to be a hell of a lot better than it was last year and I love the capability of their offense and center of it at center fields you know onus on both sides of the ball. I hate giving points on the road but I'm going to take Louisville.
I was at five now it's down to four and a half. I'll take I'll lay the four and a half with the Cardinals on the road and another I just have to I know they didn't look great last week but can the minors from UTEP help me out a little bit this week they scored 13 against North Texas and they scored 10 against Oklahoma. Yes they absolutely can because I think your back to your up circuits low game that is an absolutely fascinating game to me because I think you've got two coaching staffs that think they can have a winning year and like both know that they need this game in order to get there. So I'm really really intrigued by by this game and I'm glad you brought up UTEP Oklahoma.
Look back the last couple of years. Last season opener there was 31 points they were over to Lane and won by five. Time before that that they were 30 plus points favored versus an FBS non-conference opponent army in 2018 they won 28 21 once in overtime right? Yes.
We'll close it on the pay for the channel. So yes so last two times they've been a 30 plus points favorite over a non-conference team from the FBS they won by five and seven points. Now maybe they'll be a little bit of a different urgency with Venables and Levy and maybe the team is more on the on the same page here now but there's certainly reasons it's really impressive. A lot of roster turnover so I mean some of these players are not there but we've seen Oklahoma come up short quite often as a big figure.
Yeah so I'm gonna take the over. I just need UTEP to help me out. I think that pedal is gonna be on the guitar or foot sound of gas for Norman. I think they're gonna come on you know that place is gonna be nuts.
Venables I hope he doesn't tear both hamstrings run out in the field because that guy is gonna have so much juice running out and I do think they're gonna play with a ton of fire and now offense is gonna be ready to go and I like the over I think I saw 57. I think Oklahoma scores 50. I'll just say that and that could probably be the worst prediction ever but there was could be worse things from last week people telling me that Hawaii was gonna cover against Vandy and that didn't happen. So let me just go down before we get to some other games.
You know what game I didn't realize is this week and I guess it's on ESPN plus very interesting game Army at Coastal. Do you believe in the shots with a whole offseason to prepare for the Army offense? Yes I do. I think there's a if I remember correctly there there were some rules changes put in place in the offseason to kind of mitigate and reduce shop blocks and such.
That could have a massive effect on these military academies in the way they run the option the way they block their schemes so like that that might be that might be an actionable like I don't know if that's something that's going to be baked into the line or not but when you see these numbers posted or bookmakers or Ozmakers are remember this or they think it's a factor but if it's not that just might be something to follow along earlier these teams that use a lot of shop blocks go down for a lot. Their offense could see some penalties and they might be if not the immediate plays against the start the year certainly worth monitoring to start the year. Very good. Yeah to me I think it's more of those big plays say the full back or and all that just not being a big plays.
I think they'll still you know get their chunks of yardage but when 7 o'clock Eastern ESPN plush at Old Brook Stadium Conway South Carolina I will have that on its side TV. I'm pretty sure that's very interesting. You mentioned the game last week that was your most interesting Utah Florida. Any thought change of thought on that one?
It's a stay away from me. It's an absolute stay away from me. It's the same time it's also the for obvious reasons that the ranked team that I think has the biggest chance to lose to an ranked team but for that reason it is a stay away again fascinated by the game Utah I think is better at the same time. How are they going to handle the heat and humidity in Florida that time of day?
I don't know at the same time I think that Florida is a little concerned about their depth from what I hear so that doesn't necessarily bode well for Utah and the punishment style of football that they play. Again my Arkansas Cincinnati can't wait to watch the game. Is it wrong? I shouldn't say this but I already did.
Is it wrong to say that I'm like kind of rooting for Utah and it has nothing wrong with me going to Miami? Nothing to do with it. I want to see it's good for the sport to have but the legitimate contender from the Pac-12 make a playoff run or win the Pac-12 again. I love Kyle Whittingham.
I love watching Utah play. You and I have talked about it a million times. We're so sick and tired seeing this conference. It's absolutely dribble down their leg when they're in the limelight and have an opportunity.
They got a massive opportunity here. They got an opportunity with Oregon. I think the sport benefits and that's why I say I've got to root for you the sport. There's a whole benefit if Utah wins center.
If not, if they lose then it's like that conference is going to help playoff defender. That beat the team is probably going to finish third or maybe fourth in the SEC East. They don't want to do coaching change and roster isn't flux. That conference team will also end up.
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Find your advisor at IGprivatewealth.com. All right. You came up with a list. I want to do it every week.
I think it's really interesting and gets a chance to talk about the games or actually give thoughts on games, even though they might not be official picks. But is that your let's go underdog to win outright? Is that yours Florida? Well, the underdog.
You can't really get the other dog in terms of the favorite that I think can lead the right team that the least one I want to team. You can't get this much likely game. I want no part of the best of July. The other favorite I'm most confident in here is in Washington.
Okay. I'm going to go underdog to win outright. I'm going to give you another one because I'm not as high as everybody else's. And that's the road runners.
UTSA over Houston. They're at home. Three thirty game. I've heard a lot of Houston in this game.
Yep. There's a lot of Houston's playing for. I would not be shocked if the road runners win that game game I want. No part of.
There's a million of them. But I think it's got to be either one of the big games. The Oregon, Georgia game or Notre Dame Ohio State, I just have zero interest in that. I'll be watching them.
Obviously, I don't want any action. That's exactly what I thought of with Northwestern Nebraska. I want to know part of that game. And I was really mad when I just did check the halftime line and saw I think Northwestern was plus 200 to win that game and halftime in they were up three.
So I didn't get that one in. Favorite I like most. Whatever it is Fresno State. I just think a lot of this team and Ted heads are back and I just I love the talent on that team and ranked team to most likely lose to an unranked team.
I think that would be I would also take I would take the road runners for that one. All right. Although although. Can I say he's Carolina.
You can see whatever you want. That's not I'm not I'm not pulling trigger there. Any thoughts on Sunday or Monday? That's one of the that's one of the games that you could look really bad because while we look while we are like apologists recently when we started the whole nailers train three years ago and everybody else six years ago.
I think it was we might have exactly exactly like they could get blown out. Yes. They really legitimately might not be able to stop at the state office. So like that that would worry me.
Yeah. Sunday and Monday. Sunday and Monday. I I want to play Clemson.
What's the line? 21 and a half. Okay. Like Georgia Tech is so like I think they're going to be terrible but until you see their offense like you what do you want to lay you're basically saying we think Clemson's defense is good for a touchdown.
They're probably going to hold Georgia Tech to 10 or less and they held Georgia Tech to 10 or less last year and they only won by five points. I wasn't 14.9. So I want to lay it with Clemson but I think I kind of need to see it before I entrust myself into doing it. Yeah.
Doesn't it doesn't feel like LSU is like everyone's on this. Yes. Probably would be it probably would be the side that I would play but you look back Brian Kelly. That's 40 times.
He's been he's won 40 straight games as a favor. Is it when his team's been fake? Yeah. So like I don't know it's in the Orleans like it feels like that could be another one that might be on your boys.
Your boys board on Thursday night. Yeah. And they got a game on their belts. I know they lost.
They had a couple injuries. I think one on all line one on the D line before the game against Duquesne. But yeah, it's it's a say away from me. Here's what I'll say when you say you want to lay with Clemson.
Why do I have to keep watching Georgia Tech in prime they don't deserve any of that in real estate. Whether it's these games or Thursday nights, or I always get stuck watching Georgia Tech. I mean anybody else. I'd rather watch Duke and Georgia Tech.
You know what that is? That's that's probably network programming people going down the entire hey you want to play Clemson? I'm gonna do that. You want to play Clemson?
And they got down to like the ninth pick. You know like hey, Georgia Tech, you want to play Clemson? I'm gonna do that again. Yeah.
We know you know you know you had that ACC network game. Let's roll that back. Uh, Jeff Collins is doing it for us. Programming once you get once you get publicity.
But I don't know if this is going to be the best publicity that they could possibly get. Would you rather later take it Utah State Bama 41 and a half? Initially, I was thinking take take. But at the same time, I guess in recent years, it's kind of been a little bit of a shift with say like there was a run where he would never run it up.
Yeah. On some of these non-conference big games, it's like a 35 40 points favorite. But from 2011 to 2019, there were 515 and one against the number as a favor to at least 35 points in 9,000, 9,000 teams. Last four instances covered all them out score the opponents 237, 27.
So it's been a little bit of a change. The only thing you just because you're going to get is probably all down the backups playing the last quarter, quarter and a half. And they're still going to run their stuff. Like they're going to be like, they're going to be in these I'm not high on Utah State this year.
I think the fact that you can't jump down to a quick lead on him last week. Hey, now Huskies, it's a bad size. I would if I had to play it, I would like it. I think it's just a matter of how fast Nick gets the 42.
That's all like it's a if they're 42, nothing four minutes left in the second quarter. The foot's off the guy. He's not he's not risking anything going on the road to Texas. I think it's just a matter of how fast he gets there and looking at the depth chart, you know, a lot to is out at tight end, which is going to be starting there and the receivers that that that chart came out, I'm interested to see those guys.
And what I really want to see is Alabama secondary. I saw Kool-Aid. I saw Kool-Aid is going to be the pump returner. I'm fired up for that.
But I just I don't know. It's it's this fascination I have. And when I knew, you know, people on the staff, it would be like last week, I would always read out like, who are the new guys? And now I just want to see those guys wearing that uniform and seeing it read about them.
And this guy's going to be this and fill these shoes. It always seems to work out there. So I just I'll be watching that game Saturday night for sure, just to see the new faces and numbers. Crazy.
Stay away from me. Late Boise, in Corvallis. Very interesting. Brock, Brock Meyer still that Boise.
And is this an overreaction or is this me? Western Kentucky minus 16 on the island against Hawaii. It's definitely it's it's a reaction for sure. Is it I think it might be a little bit of a no reaction?
But this one is I was going to ask you your thoughts on how you moving forward are going to handle Hawaii and and done the brassica. Because I don't think you can over adjust enough for Hawaii and how bad they are and how talented of the way they are and how far pogram and that programming to the ground and how far they have to go to be competitive. So do I want to lay 16 with a kind of a mediocre type team? No, but at the same time, I certainly I certainly wouldn't take it.
And then the brassica, I probably been to take a little bit of a of a different spin on Nebraska. Like I think moving forward, people pro it's not I don't think it's a how we're eating type issue or a line issue with Nebraska. It's just being able to stand there and get kicked in the stomach for 15 times in a row. Again, like I'm gonna walk to the window knowing they're gonna figure out a way to lose a close game or is frost is gonna make a bad coaching decision.
And just how many times you want to do that to yourself? Because it's clearly offensive is gonna be good with time set of quarterback. And then it was the game because of a stupid decision for outside kick a fumble that shouldn't have been a fumble and interception off of receivers hands. Like but that's like the DNA of the brassica right?
Like do you want to like put yourself through that and it's not like okay, there gonna be three and 10 now or whatever three and I and they're awful. Like if you if you want to take like the positive spin from last week and like if you were not that anybody's going into the mindset into the season saying I want to bet Nebraska against Oklahoma. Well, stay thank you for last week's result because you probably just got another couple of points on the number for what you would got. So I don't know I'm not immediately gonna jump off of that and say I'm never gonna consider them again.
Totally agree. I said this on Scott's podcast last night. Listen, I get it in this day and age of and it's why I don't go on Twitter don't matter is and I didn't last Saturday is then I see trickling out yesterday of these are the top three candidates to replace Scott Frost and this I get it. He made a terrible mistake.
He tried to defend it. It's indefensible. You can't do that. I'm a believer in outside kicks or get the ball back when your defensive struggle.
They were struggling where they can man starting to get man handling offensive line a little bit but you were up 11 letting Northwestern prove they could go all the way down the field. And that's what I said like that this is what happens bear with outsiders that aren't in it. Like these guys have worked off all season all off season for these 12 games and things that go their way one one time I thought they were a better team but they didn't win. And that's the problem that people get that get caught up in this and people get mad at coaches using cliches.
We got to take this one game at a time now and that's what the brass guys do. You have to get yourself better the next two weeks because you still have a way to write this September month as Oklahoma comes in at the end of the month. I thought before the year they would win that game. Am I just confident now?
No, but it's definitely still a win-able game. You got to worry about yourself. You can't worry about what the other team is doing and what points they're scoring. Get yourself right.
You know your crowd will be behind you and play well that day and then you got a whole new season to look forward to. So I'm not as down on the brass because other people are and that's that's that's the tough things that happen when you're the only game in town really in week zero and that's all people are watching and want to talk about. So I'm not there. Have you seen Iowa State?
No, I'll probably go up on one Thursday night of Friday. That's what I was going to say. FCS team more likely to pull an upset on Saturday or Friday or Thursday. South Dakota State who is number two in the S and Iowa.
You see Davis at Cal. You see Davis is ranked. Mercer also ranked at Auburn. I think those three have a legitimate chance to beat one of the Power Five teams and you think?
Which I saw a number. I wish I saw numbers on these games. Yeah, that's clearly would help. Yeah.
Something interesting to follow. I would guess South Dakota State is getting like 10. That'd be right. Yeah, that's probably right.
11 maybe. By the way, shout out to James Madison playing their first game as an FBS member of five and a half point favorite for Rebel Tennessee. You landed double digits with BYU at USF. No, I'm already invested enough on on software.
I love teams that won two games last year like come at me on Twitter for saying like they're not going to win five games this year. You win four games double. You went a little from last year. I had a couple UCF guys that I'd come at me like nice.
Yeah, exactly. Go goals. Good. Good luck.
All right. They went fine. I could deal with it. Sean, I have a little friend of the leader on it too.
So nice. And then I'll talk about the TCCU middle before another game that I bet specifically knowing that I was going to have a middle opportunity with Texas State Nevada. I bet Texas State plus seven a few weeks back. Now it's pick them.
That is terrible. I got Nevada season one total under. So again, I can have a nice seven point middle in that one right now as well. So that's the reason you can guess right as to which way these lines are going to go.
You have yourself a nice opportunity here in week one. So I got a couple to figure out what I'm going to do now. Because you know what happens a lot of times when it comes to this stuff? You guess that's what happens people.
Yes. Yes. You guess and you hope you say yes. What do you think about your next resign and RJ Barrett?
You're in on that. So a lot of shows talking about that today. First week of college football they want to talk next. Didn't they didn't they train for down to the initial?
I don't think so. Oh, I thought they did. Yeah. That's we're good.
We got games this week people. I saw a show that was on the other day too. And they were talking about whether the Cowboys were better than the seventh best team in the NFC. But that was a pretty important topic at the time of the year.
College football it's real. Big Mike Happy Recap. All right. Big Mike Happy Recap.
I'm going to start Thursday night. I'm laying whatever it is for Fresno State. Friday night I'm taking the points with Illinois and Saturday I just have to take rice. And I will lay it with Louisville.
I know this is early in the week. If there's any questions please hit us on Twitter at stammercieve82 at Chris Feliga Bear. Your big Mike Happy Recap. Go ahead.
Dig in a Purdue plus three and half. Take North Carolina at a pick. Take an Illinois plus three. And I'm laying the big number with Washington 21 and half.
UCLA 23. And again, the favorite almost happened in Washington. Under God I'm going to copy them with an upgrade. So Illinois game will like no part of the state of Arkansas and the ranked team will cycle to lose to an ranked team I think with the Utah.
Back 12 on the big stage again. Got to have multiple TVs and starts this week people get your TV situation right and get it right is don't forget your sling also get your sling. Got all the games on sling. Well Tennessee real quick.
I want to get this in there. They're laying 33. I need you to do my math air for me because I haven't seen it yet. Okay.
I believe they're laying 30. They're not right. So what's their team total? 50.
53. Wow. Around there. Okay.
50. 50 would be 50 to 18. That's 32. 50 to 17.
Okay. That's what you're looking at. All right. I'll keep my eyes on that one.