Andy & Ari On3 - Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier both want an SEC and a national title; who has a better shot?

Episode Date: June 27, 2025

Texas QB Arch Manning said Thursday that success for the Longhorns in 2025 would be an SEC championship and a national championship. He said it sitting next to LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, and Manning acknowledged that Nussmeier feels the same way about what would constitute success for LSU.(0:00-0:58) Intro(0:59-4:00) How does Arch Manning define success?(4:01-9:40) Arch Manning or Garrett Nussmeier?(9:41-19:14) Pivot Points in the 2025 season(19:15-32:09) Could you beat Hugh Freeze at golf?(32:10-35:36) Where's River?(35:37-41:55) Transfer QBs to make a jump in year 2?(41:56-49:39) More Like championship scenarios?(49:40-53:44) Could Army build a contender?(53:45-1:05:39) Which SEC teams will be disappointed?(1:05:40-1:30:24) Random Ranking: Fictional Foods We'd Love to Eat(1:30:25-1:31:19) Conclusion Which QB has the better chance of reaching that goal? It’s a Dear Andy/Dear Ari day, so the guys answer your questions… Could you beat Hugh Freeze at golf? Which second-year starting QB is ready to take a huge leap? Is Army an NIL sleeping giant? Plus, this week’s Random Ranking is a draft of the most delicious fictional foods. Watch our show LIVE on YouTube, M-F at 9:30 am et! https://youtube.com/live/nNGiP05qu0Q Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey Want to partner with the show? E-mail [e-mail]

Welcome to Andy and Ari on three. Happy Friday. Not a holiday weekend yet, but it just feels like one Ari. We got the fresh fade. Yeah, feels good. You got to get the fade for the weekend. Yeah, it does kind of feel like a holiday weekend, doesn't it? I don't know if like 4th of July is just going to like be an extra week. But I don't know if this has just occurred to you yet, Andy. But the second you come out from the other side of the 4th of July is just going to like be an extra week. But I don't know if this has just occurred to you yet, Andy, but the second you come out from the other side of the 4th of July,

like we're in like work mode, like that's like, you know, like not that we're not always in work mode, but we're like in football mode at that point. So, um, you know, you're going to be coming, I think the day after the 4th of July weekend, right? Monday evening. And we're going to be going up to big 12 and it sounds like we've got a pretty good setup there. I'm super excited for what's ahead. Yeah. 12 media days is the week after next. So it is, it is on,

it is time and I am very excited. We're getting little drips and drabs of things and that makes me very happy. Our guy, Pete Nacos was down in Tibet, Louisiana yesterday at the Manning passing Academy and Arch Manning Passing Academy and Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeyer were talking and somebody asked, I think they, the way Pete put it to me, I think somebody asked Garrett Nussmeyer this and Arch ended up answering, but it's funny because they both want the same things and only one person can get it, but because they both want the same things and only one person can get it. But Arch essentially was asked, you know, what's a successful season for Texas? And he said SEC Championship and a

national championship. And that is a lot for a first year starter. Even though we've talked about this a million times, Texas has all the tools, Texas has all the pieces. Texas was right there last year, but that's a lot. But he doesn't seem to be shying away from it. Well, here's the thing about this. And I always like laugh at this stuff, but it's like, what if he said, win nine games? Like the world will go on fire. Like he's got, there's one answer to that.

Like, didn't you free say that we got to go to a bowl game? Yeah. Yeah. He did say that and he got cooked, didn't he? He did get killed. This is rational. Like also, he's not at Texas with the most loaded roster or one of the three most loaded rosters in college football. So I understand what he's getting.

Like here's the thing about the you freeze one, Andy, if they actually win nine games, people will be pleased with it. Like he's right. Like here's the thing about the Hugh Frees one Andy. If they actually win nine games, people will be pleased with it. Like he's right. You just can't say it, right? Hugh Frees, yes, but not Arch Manning. Arch Manning's gonna win something. Hugh Frees saying, if we win nine games,

I'll be happy, made people mad. But Auburn fans, I think if they looked in the mirror and said, hey, if we win nine games, they'll probably take that. No question. They're like, yeah, they just didn't want. They didn't want him aspiring to win six. That was the part that pissed them off.

Do you know? I'm sure you know this because you have the steel trap memory, but how many big 12 championships Texas has? Like from their time in the big 12, how many on the first one in 1996 and then from 90s and in 2000, they went in 2005. They wanted in, in the last year, they were in the big 12. So there's at least three, I want to say four or five. They want it four times in roughly 20 years of being in the big 12.

Right. And if you consider the teams that they had during that 20 year period, that's remarkably bad, right? So for Texas to have the expectation to win the SEC in year two and play on the stage in year one, I think is another illustration of the growth of the program. So like, I don't think anybody rolls their eyes. I think everybody knows what Texas's goal is. And of course their quarterback is going to echo that. Well, I'm glad to hear it.

And, but it was interesting because the way he put it, he's sitting next to Garrett Nussmaier and he's like, and I think Garrett would agree with me. Garrett's in the same boat. Like that is what LSU expects. Garrett was very good last year. We talked to Cody Belair yesterday about what Garrett has to throw to this year, which is a good group.

And Barryon Brown, according to Cody, is the guy that everybody's talking about in that receiver group for LSU. So if I had to have you handicap it, who do you think has the better 2025? Garrett Nussmeyer or Arch Manning? Who you got? That's a layup.

Is it? It might come down to one gang. Who do I think is gonna be better this year? Yeah, which quarterback? Which quarterback? That's not a way up. That's why I asked it. Sorry, I misunderstood you. My bad. Yeah. I think Arch Manning is going to be better. Interesting. Because I think that year that Nuss Meyers already has a starter is a big one, is a big help. Yeah, I think Nuss Meyers is going to be a top

five draft pick this year. So that's the interesting thing. Some people are already putting, and these are like offshore books, so it's hard to say how much thought is going into this, but people are already putting out number one overall pick the 2026 draft odds and arches is like the favorite at plus 200. And as far as we've heard, the arch isn't leaving. So, yeah, that's the reason why I'm surprised the odds are so low. Be or so well, again, it's, yeah, it's, it's the reason why I'm surprised the odds are so low. Be so well again, it's yeah, it's it's the offshore book. So it's not

but maybe you maybe if you're them you put his odds low. I think you put his odds low because everybody's gonna bet on it. I think yeah, you want people to just hand you money. Yeah, the question that I just hand you money. Yeah. The question that I have for you though, Andy, is better is different. Better numbers or better performer.

Like I think that Nussmeyer will have worse numbers, but you could make the case played better. So you're saying the supporting cast at Texas is what's gonna make- I think that it's pretty impossible for Arch not to put up a lot of numbers I think this year. I here's my thing. It's possible that LSU has a better receiving corps than Texas right now. That is possible. I think that the running aspect of this. And that that is actually the biggest question I have about LSU is is

are they gonna run the ball? They had situations last year where it felt like they could run the ball and then they just got away from it. So philosophically will they run the ball enough to win the games they got to win? Because I think you're right. I think Nuss is gonna put up his numbers. He's gonna throw really well. And I mean you basically just asked me would you rather have really good pizza or an awesome chicken parm? Right. They're both good. I mean like it's like yeah I feel like if you answer the question. You're like the people who listen to the show and people online take you answering the question as me thinking the other one sucks like and that's not at not at all what's happening here. Well, that's how the internet works. Are you?

Yeah, I know. Welcome to 2025. That's why I wanted to make the comparison because I don't want people to come away and saying like, Oh, Andy and Ari are so stupid. They think that arch is going to be better than Garrett Nussmeier this year. They think Nuss stinks and that it's like, I have LSU in my playoff. So like, I have pretty high expectations for them too. So, um, I think that the sec will have four teams in the playoff this year and you're looking at two of them right now

Yeah As long as they both get in Because if they don't oh boy Yeah, let's use got some games in the beginning of the year that are gonna gonna make things Really interesting for their fan base that LSU floor game So I put out my pivot point games column earlier this week at on three. And that's not every team's biggest game

because those are easy to find. And then you've got your end of season rival games and all that. And you've got some really interesting non-conference games in the first week. But it is the game where based on where it is in the schedule and the circumstance of the season, you could either win it and kind of launch yourself into

into something great or you could lose it and stuff could start to roll downhill really fast. Florida LSU is the first of those games for me this season. This is really good. I'm looking at your game here. These are good games. Do you want to go talk about it? Yeah. Cause is really good. I'm looking at your game here. These are good game. Do you want to go talk about it? Let's yeah. Because we got that we got the se like Florida. Let's use the SEC opener for both teams. It is LSU will have already played Clemson Florida is about to play Miami like it feels like a must win for both teams and it is guaranteed meltdown. Because whoever loses the fan base is just off a cliff.

Yeah, early in the season. This is also pretty exciting because LSU will could already have a loss at this point. Could win that says, oh, this is this might be a playoff team because if LSU beats Clemson, then I think that maybe the meltdown, I don't know, the SEC loss in the opener to Florida would be an absolute like there's no way around it. So yeah, and that's the thing you look at. You look at the rest of the schedule and you're like, Oh, if you didn't win this one, are you going to be able to go through the rest of this with

only one other loss? Yeah. I'm trying to remember because I don't remember this off the top of my head. I'm sure you do. So yeah, Florida plays Miami after. Okay. Florida plays Miami right after. Then Florida has an open date. Then Texas comes to Gainesville. Then Florida goes to College Station that following week. So Florida's stretch there is really rough. Right down the barrel of a pretty impossible run there. So yeah, no, that's a good one. All right, go to the next one. The next one's the same thing. It's just a different conference.

Illinois and Indiana, September 20th. It is, you know, is Illinois this year's Indiana? It can't be if it can't beat Indiana. Right. I don't know that either team will melt down to the same degree. No, but I think that in terms of which direction are you headed? Like, is Illinois going to make the playoff this year? Is Illinois or Indiana going to be in the conversation in November? I think we are going to get the answer on that day. Which one is and which one isn't? Yeah, and they both have some very tough games after that. But I

think you got to win this one because the schedule is harder for Indiana this year or it should be. I mean, again, last year we were looking at the schedule for Indiana thinking it would be very hard and didn't turn out that way. So that's a fun one. Auburn, Oklahoma that same week is another fun one. It is one that both teams expect to win. Kind of same as last year. And the Auburn meltdown in that game sort of told you

what the rest of the season was going to be like. Oklahoma still had a lot of bad things left to happen to it. But the Jackson Arnold revenge game were Auburn, Oklahoma. Both think they're going to win that game. All the subplots of Jackson are coming back to Norman. John material gets a really good defense. Oh, it's so good. It's so good. That is one of the sneaky games of the year, dude.

Yes, I agree. Like that is maybe it won't feel sneaky the week of September 20th because everybody's going to just latch on to the Jackson Arnold aspect of it. But I think if you latch on to the Jackson Arnold aspect, you're missing the bigger aspect, which is what if Brent Venable loses to anybody there? Yes.

Like if Oklahoma loses games that they should probably like Oklahoma is probably going to be favored in that game, right? I would assume. And we got the Auburn schedule up. Look at what Auburn has right after that. They play Texas A&M. They have an open date. Then they play Georgia. Then they play Missouri. Like if you lose that you're in danger of it. It may be rolling into a four game losing streak. I got news for you Andy. I think I'm going to go to that. Whether you call on you depending on the time to like if it's well,

actually sooner scoop folks hooked me up with their studio last year after a night game. Remember that that was incredible. Listen George and Eddie and carry are the best. They're the best. So yeah, maybe I'll go up no matter what, but that's a, I remember last year, I was writing a column about how I thought

Tennessee could win the national title after that game. Yeah. At four in the morning. Cause you go to the stadium, then you walk to the student, sooner scoop studio after interviews, and then you do the show and then you walk, get to back to your car and go to the hotel. I was up all night,

but it was one of the best nights of the year. So, All right. This is, this is, this is interesting. Alexander in the chat. This dude be hating on us on every video about him, by the way. Uh, which one? There's two of us. Also, did we just say we thought he's gonna be a top five draft pick? I reading comprehension is a lost art, but listening comprehension shouldn't be that hard. Yeah. Yeah. It's okay, dude.

It's okay. That's just you know what you said. It's the internet and like that's what drives me insane. Like don't be that stupid. Andy, that's why I argue with people on Twitter. Yeah. Like that guy, cause it's just like, do you hear me? Alexander says he was talking crap to somebody in the chat. Come on, bro.

Thank God. Except you didn't identify the person. You said this dude. All right. Well, thank you. Thank you for your words on us. But like that's Learn how to learn how to identify people in the chat, I guess.

So, okay. Well, thank you, Alexander for being here and I'm happy you weren't you weren't misunderstanding us. Okay. All right. September 27th. Oregon at Penn State. Big game for Penn State. Big game for Penn State. Can Penn State win one of these like? Because here's the thing. Penn State has Ohio State, Iowa, Indiana still to go after this game.

All actually they play them. In a row, I think there's an open date in the in there. Yes, between Iowa and Ohio State, but If you don't win this game, the playoff is not a guarantee at that point Yeah, uh, I Might write a column about this but I might save it for September That like actually Penn State doesn't have to beat all Oregon or Ohio State this year. They have to win the one in January.

Uh, well they don't, they don't have to, but I don't want, I don't like the idea of leaving at Iowa and a game against Indiana as much as, as like you have, those have to be your gimmies, like, cause they're not going to be gimmies. I think if, if Penn State goes 10 and two, they will be in the playoff this year. Yes. Yes. Yes. They'll have one and it'll be fine. So even if they lose to Oregon and then they have Penn State or

I mean, Ohio state in Indiana, and you have a chance to win one of those games, I think you're still in a pretty good spot. So, but I do think that, um, for Oregon and Penn State, you're going to figure out who you are, uh, this year pretty quickly. Um, and I love that that game is going to mean something, but I don't know for Penn State to me, like there's going to be so much put into Penn State must win or must get over the hump or must do this. What Penn State does the regular season is only a measure of whether or not they get in the playoff. If they do enough in the regular season to get to the playoff, they will be ultimately judged

as Oregon was last year by what they do in the playoff. Is that a fair thought? It is very fair, perfectly fair. But I think Penn State's the poster child for this, but this is really how it is for everybody. This is how it is for Georgia now. Like, Georgia's gonna probably get in the playoff, we think. We think they're gonna be good enough to get in the playoff,

but they got beaten their first game in the playoff last year. Do they advance? Like that's how these types of programs are gonna be measured. It is interesting though, because if Penn State would have beaten Ohio State last year and then Penn State would have lost a game that they didn't expect in the

season would have played out the same way. They would have had the same seed and gone through the playoff. Do you think that the thought process about Penn State being a semi-finalist would be different had they had a big win in the regular season? Probably, or if Penn State had had a different path than the playoff and they'd had to beat. Somebody a little tougher, they're asking me or Boise State.

People are negging Penn State because they lost their biggest games in the regular season. And then, uh, or like they lost their biggest game in the regular season, they lost the big 10 championship game and they were the beneficiary of an easier path. And the second they played a really good team, they lost. So you could still make the case that even though they made it to the CFP semis, that they lost every game against a equitable team that they played, which is bad.

So I think if Penn State were to win one of these regular season games and beat Oregon, like to illustrate your point why it's a pivot point game. If Oregon comes in to Happy Valley and Penn State beats them, that'll be the type of game that Penn State has failed by and large to win during the James Franklin era and thus would set the table moving forward. Yeah. It just sets a tone for the rest of the year.

Because even if they lose to Ohio state after beating Oregon, they're still in prime playoff spot and like they had a big win, which is what I think all people. Well, I, you know, and I don't know how much big 10 titles matter to people. I think they still matter quite a bit. Ask Oregon. If you beat Oregon, you're probably going to make the big 10 title game. Even if you lose to Ohio state, are Oregon fans prideful of their big 10 title right now?

I think they are, but I think they, you know, they know you got to, you got to do something in the playoff too. Yeah. I think that Penn state with this team, if they go into the playoff 10 and two with losses to Ohio state and Oregon would be really disappointing. So, uh, their story would get to be written. Their story will ultimately be written by by what they do in

the playoff. But you really, if you're a Penn State fan, if you want things to feel different, that's how they feel different winning one of those. I don't even think they have to win both. Just win one of them. And it'd be very hard to win both. But who knows?

I mean, if they win, we'll be the number one seed in the country. Or you win all of those games last year, and it didn't help them come playoff time. So. Yeah. All right. It is a it is Dear Andy and Dear Ari Day. You guys have asked some great questions and also some other folks have thrown some questions in here too that just made it very fun. I actually went to the message boards for one Ari

because there was one issue that arose this week in the college football university. We haven't gotten a chance to talk about it yet and it utterly fascinates me. So I'm gonna go with the poll that y'all trippin' put up on the Auburn live message board this poll that y'all trippin put up on the Auburn live message board this week. Y'all trippin y'all trippin. Great.

Great handle. Could you beat Hugh Fries at golf? His scores were pretty well known. I believe I saw where he's usually low to mid eighties. How regularly could you beat him? Can we get into the Hugh Fries golf thing? The Hugh Fries golf thing is amazing to me because it is a perfect June college football story.

And it is utterly ridiculous and sublime and it has all of the things. So al.com did a story this week, Matt Stahl wrote it. And it happened to dovetail coincide with people decommitting from Auburn from Auburn's high school recruiting class not having very many commitments in it. They've gotten some more sense. But it used an app that people use to determine their golf handicaps to determine how many SEC coaches were playing golf

and how many rounds they were playing. And Hugh Frees led the way with 11 rounds in June and then posted another score. So it went up to 12 the next day. And the Auburn fan base just went berserk. Yeah, everybody plugs in their scores on the courses they play. And then the app like has an algorithm that tells you what your handicap is. And they're all public.

Yeah. So here's the thing. I understand when presidents get catch flack for playing too much golf. It really doesn't matter which president is everybody seems to be bipartisan. Yeah, I've seen I've seen Democrats and Republicans rip for playing golf. I do think that there is something to the notion that there are people on welfare and like the leader of the country is enjoying himself too much. Like if you sign up to be the president, like I understand why that would

bother it should be it should be a slog. Like it should be miserable. You're trying to help people. Like I understand that everybody, including the president, probably deserves a day or two off. But when you sign up to be the president, I think that like there's a responsibility there that's an inherently different than being a college footballer. Well, an SEC football coach is the president a lot more than the president. Okay, well, an SEC football coach is the president more than the president. So here's the thing. What do you think is an appropriate round number for a coach in June?

Uh, the appropriate number that people know about is zero. You can play as much as you want. Just don't plug it into the app. Well, I mean, I don't even have a problem with him playing 13 rounds of golf in a month of June. I don't either you can recruit on the golf course. Here's my thing about it. And look, I went to Florida in the Steve Spurrier era. Steve Spurrier played a lot of golf in the off season, but he

won, so nobody cared. That's the thing. If you freeze goes nine and three, it doesn't matter how much golf you played this June. Yeah. The question that I have too is that if you're playing golf, what are you not doing? And there's nothing that you can't do on the golf course that you could be doing unless you're not at a camp or something that your university is hosting, which I would assume

is not the case. So like you could make phone calls, you can text on the course, you know, and if this is the way he pulls off steam, like he's a human being and like also to didn't he just have like a pretty major health scare? Like if he wants to get out, he has cancer. He's being treated for prostate cancer. So, yes, let him live a little bit, you know, like, I don't know. I'm not an Auburn fan and I'm not like desperate to win.

So maybe that's just me. Well, here's my thing with this. Cause I had to make some phone calls on this the other day because I was curious about what is going on with Auburn recruiting and you know, how's this working? Cause it actually reminded me of some of another school last year and it felt like they're in a fairly similar situation. So as of Monday when Dexter Carter's son was

committed to Auburn, he flips to Florida State where his dad played. That's when everybody went nuts. That's the day that the golf story came out. And you know, Auburn only had five commitments as of that day. It is, I'm checking to see where they're up to now. I think they're up to seven now, but they had a quarterback named Peyton Falzone flip from Penn State to Auburn yesterday. Yeah, they're up to seven now. So here's the thing. Auburn is probably not going to have the greatest high school recruiting class for

2026 right now. Like you saw Alabama got a bunch of really good players to commit to them in the last week. You're going to see Michigan get some in a few weeks. Auburn's probably not going to do that right now. And here's why. And this is going to be how things work from now on, I think. They're not sure about Hugh Freeze. The money people aren't sure about Hugh Freeze

because he's not one to the level that they want. This was exactly the same case with Florida and Billy Napier last year. Billy Napier was on the hot seat. If you look at Florida's high school recruiting last year, this time, and through the season even, through the first months of the season, it was pretty dismal.

Because if you are the people putting the money together, are you going to make competitive offers for people that a coaching staff wants when you don't know that coaching staff will be there? Once it became clear Billy Napier was coming back at Florida, all of a sudden recruiting picked up and they ended up, I think, with the number 10 class in the country.

They started flipping people like crazy. That will happen at Auburn if they win. Like if Auburn wins and it's very clear that you freezes is the guy and he's going to be back, I guarantee they start flipping people like crazy. And that recruiting ranking goes way up. And this doesn't, uh, apply to the modern era Andy, but like in the past, this would be stupid because it was harder to transfer. Now you don't want to sink money into players that

would be maybe more willing to leave if you fire your coach. Correct. Cause they were coming to play for that guy. And yeah, right. Yeah. Which is kind of ironic because they're actually coming for money. They're not coming to play for him. And then, you know, I mean, you can put yourself in a pretzel thinking about whether or not you should, like I think that the goal should always be to get as many people who are really good at football in line to play for you.

And whatever happens, you deal with as it happens. But like my theory is always sign as many or get as many commitments as you possibly can from players to come play. And then if something bad happens, then try to mitigate that at that point. But like taking the slow route, though probably more effective now with money involved than it ever was before is just kind of an interesting thought process to me. I get it. If I were when I do exactly what Florida did last year, like if Auburn starts winning games and it looks like they're

having a good year, that's when you say, all right, who do we want? Who do we really want? And you put together some very attractive offers. Also, Hugh is very in tune with the notion that if they don't win, he's fired this year or could be fired. So, right. Like if he wants, if he thinks his time is best spent playing golf in June, just understand that like as he's swinging his driver, there's nobody

more keenly aware of the expectations of what needs to happen, um, you know, this season, and this is what he thinks is the best use of his time. Also. Yeah. I mean, I think that's the frustration with them is that they're worried he's checked out and that he's just resigned himself to this, this being that way. But I don't think that's the case because I look at the roster and they can be very good.

Not just okay. They can be really, really good. So, and again, you can kill yourself right now trying get players to to come and commit to you. But the fact of the matter is smart players are going to stay away until they know what the situation is going to be next year. Yeah, and that will not reveal itself until this season. I think Auburn is going to be good enough for him to keep

his job this year. I do. I really do, Andy. I agree. I agree. I think Auburn can be a nine win team, potential fringe playoff team. Like eight and four seems like almost a disappointment, but eight and four is probably good enough.

Yeah, it's going to be a hell of a banger to watch in Columbus, Ohio on August 29th. Yeah, yeah, Baylor on the schedule right out of the gate on the road in Waco on Friday night. Exactly. Well, you may be in Columbus. I'm probably going to be in a high school football field and joining you that morning. Oh, you do have to be in a high school football field and joining you that morning. Oh no. You do have to be at the high school game. Yes, I have to miss as few of those as humanly possible. Oh, by the way, just so you know,

I talked to somebody who listens to our show last week, and he said that he really respects how you prioritize your family during football season and that it makes you more relatable and likeable. I just thought you know. I appreciate that. Yeah. I appreciate that and who knows if the kid keeps going the way he is the job and the family may coincide so yeah but it goes that way for you. But it's been it's going to be very interesting to see what Auburn does because I think, I think the roster is so good that it also actually makes the decision easy if they don't win because the roster is really good.

So that will tell you all you need to know if you wind up going five and seven or six and six. The fact that you could sit here on June 27 and say the roster is above average or really good I think is an illustration that he's done a good job so far now that good job has to matriculate into results. Yeah, yeah, that's that's really all it is. And so he can play all the golf he wants. Again, I don't know that I'd be posting scores.

Posting rapid. You don't have to do that. You really don't have to do that. Yeah, I don't think he's aware of what people are saying. If I'm being honest. Well, the thing is, if you're in Auburn, or in any SEC town, like the small SEC, Auburn, Gainesville, Tuscaloosa, Oxford,

Starkville towns like that. Everybody knows everything. Everybody knows what everybody's doing. Yeah. I don't have, I'm not going to get fired up about it. I just think it has been highly amusing to me all week to watch. And like, if you go to AL you go to ale that like you type in ale comm you freeze golf There's the original story. There's multiple columns. There's so many photos of playing golf Did you answer the question though, could you beat him? I don't know. Do you golf ever there's no shot I can beat him I'm terrible. Yeah, I'm I'm awful There's no shot I can beat him. I'm terrible. Yeah, I'm work.

I'm awful. Yeah, if he if he shoots in the mid 80s he's destroying me when I go play 18 holes which is becoming more frequent lately. My goal is to have five really good shots through the entire round. I think that's a good way to do it. Like. Because listen. You can keep score, but if you don't play very often, you're just going to be mad and

disappointed. I mean, there are times where I won't even finish the hole, like I'll be so far off, or I'll lose the ball or whatever. I'll just drive the cart to the green and meet my friends who are really good. And then we'll go to the next hole. Like, yeah, that's where I'm at. Golf requires reps. Like if you're not getting the reps in, you should just catch your great shots as the victories. I've thought about getting lessons though because it seems like when you do get a good shot, it feels really good. Of course it does. It makes you come back.

All I would ever want is to shoot 90. Like good enough to enjoy the day. And I think that would be fine because I think that's most people. Yeah, just good enough to enjoy the day. And I think that would be fine, because I think that's most people. Yeah, just good enough to play a functional round where you're not losing your ball. You have a bunch of good shots. You can have your beers and have a good time without being embarrassed and holding other people up. Yeah,

no, I agree. So Hugh Free's already already there on the golf course, just needs to get where he needs to be on the football field. Visual of Tiger Woods at the Masters. Just like what what's that? What's that relating to anything we're talking about? River's not playing around.

No, I know. River's getting a big head because everybody's talking about how great he is at firing off that B-roll at just the perfect time. Oh, man. I will say, River had a moment in whose team is it anyway when there was a no, actually, no, it is not who's him is it's one of the shows

that you're going to see next week, where one of our guests is talking about a particular offensive lineman picture of the coach comes up and that offensive lineman and you can read the name on the back of his jersey is the one the coach is talking to. It was I don't know if that was on purpose or not, but if it was, you know, he's he's killing it. So it was perfect. We're at the end of the show too. He's got exactly right because we got random ranking coming up.

fictional foods all lined up and he's going out tonight ladies just so you know in Nashville, Tennessee, he's going out tonight and he's he's looking he's looking around for his future bride. So if you're listening, sweetheart, he's gonna be out and I'll tell you where he is. We'll ask him when he comes on later where he's going tonight. We should have a Where's River feature

like on our social media. Like where is River right now? If the ladies wanna come see him. Yeah, right until we find, my goal is to create the best podcast we possibly could with the most listeners possible so that On3 is prosperous and our show is great. And to get River Married.

Those are my two goals in life. Those are two admirable goals. And I think we're in good shape if we achieve both of them. And I think we can achieve both of them. I'm at the point where like, I'm gonna like get his pictures and I'm gonna make a Bumble profile and like geo located to Nashville and just swipe for them.

Cause I'm good at that. Like I could, back in the day. You have experience on the apps from your single day. So. I was a sniper on those apps. I did the treadmill where you hold the phone and you would go like this with your hands. You don't even look. You just swipe this way with your fingers because I want to choose from the girls that want to talk to me. I don't want to. I'm not

going to waste time. Now, granted, I matched with a lot of, you know, not so attractive people. They might have said the same about you. Yeah, maybe they were doing the treadmill. I don't know. But if you have like 30 girls that you can choose from and three are attractive, that's a pretty good ratio. Sailor Joe says, Andy, the the road to glory deep dive is today from EA Sports College Football 26. Are you going to talk about your experience? I know this is one you wanna talk about. Sailor Joe, I'm glad you asked that. Yes, there will be a video dropping right after this show

talking about the new road to glory. So stay tuned for that. Yep. All right, next question from Travis. We've seen transfer QBs take big jumps in their second year in the system. Joe Burrow and Dane Daniels most famously, Michael Pennex and Bo Nix recently as well. Are there any QBs this

year where you see a potential second year jump? Quick search through the 2024 QB class on three, some candidates Aidan Childs at Michigan State, Eli Holstein at Pitt, Brendan Sorsby at Cincinnati, Taylor Green at Arkansas. Does Jade Myava count? PS, LSU is not allowed to blame NIL or bag dropping for losing out on recruits this year after they spent $261,950 in jello shots in Omaha. Hey, those were for good cause. Those jello shots are for good cause at Rocco's. So good job.

$200,000. 1000 yellow shots. Um, it's a year old time starters. Um, so Sam Levitt's the answer, by the way, of the transfer guys of the guys who transferred and then became the starter at their place. Sam Levitt's the one I'm most excited to see in his second year as a starter at the new place. I actually think we can expand this category to include somebody we were talking about at the top of the show.

Because I don't think it's just second year as a starter at the new school after transferring that matters. I just think it's second year as the starter quarterback. Because I think that's where you make that big leap. So that's Garrett Nussmeyer, that's Lenore Sellers. Could be DJ Lagway if we've got the biggest, if we say his sample size was big enough last year to count last year as his first year as a starting quarterback.

year to count last year's first year as a starting quarterback. Yeah, so it has to be transfers. Well, that's what Travis is saying. He's saying Joe Burrow, Jane Daniels, Michael Panics, Bo Nicks. Yeah, second year as the starter at the new place. Was when they really took off. Yeah, because I have some thoughts on guys that aren't transfers that could make a second year jump. But like the thing that's so funny to me is like I think Sam Levitt played much better than Joe Burrow did in year one.

Yes, I agree. Like Sam Levitt is further along. Joe Burrow and Jaden Daniels were both OK. Like OK to above average in that first year and then and then incredible the next year. OK to above average to like the single greatest offensive seasons in the history of the sport is pretty remarkable. It is incredible. Now, I think some of them had a couple first round receivers. Oh, yeah, I mean. Things have to come together to be historic, you know. Jane, my office, an interesting one, interesting one too because USC didn't end up going to get a quarterback in the portal, but they did sign Husson Longstreet who it sounds like they're very excited about.

So I like Jaden Maiava did not set the world on fire when he was the starter at USC. So I don't I don't know if he takes a jump or. Is who's on Longstreet? Breathing down his neck. Oh, oh, here we go. This is a good one from in Dennis 133 Sawyer Robertson at Baylor. This will be. Year two he you know he has a transfer he transfer from Mississippi State.

I believe this is year two is the full-time starter for him. Yeah, I'm trying to think there's guys who were like going into year three, maybe that you could. Yes, definitely. Year two is a full-time starter for Sory Robertson. He took over from Blake Shapen. Well, he took over Blake Shapen kind of midway through 2023. So you may call this year three for Sory Robertson. That's, that's the only thing. And you know, it's hard with this because you have situations like Jade Myava, Sory Robertson, DJ Lagway, where they take over mid season and they are the returning starting quarterback, but they were not starting quarterback all year. What about Diego Pavia?

That's a good one. Already too good. It, and the, but the interesting thing about Diego Pavia and Aiden Childs is it's not their second year in the system. They played for those OCs at their old schools. Yeah. So like, should we expect, I don't think we should expect a bigger jump from Aiden childs this year because he was already playing for these guys at Oregon

state. Yeah. I'm, I'm like looking at quarterbacks that I've met come to my mind. And a lot of these guys that are popping in are like going into the third year, like Haynes King popped in. Yeah. I'm, I'm like looking at quarterbacks that I'm, that come to my mind. And a lot of these guys that are popping in are like going into the third year, like Haynes King popped in the third year. Um, Eli Holstein at Pitt is definitely one that popped in my head, but that's third year, right? Yep.

So, yeah, I mean, I guess Sam Levitt would be the answer. I think Sam Levitt has a chance to be a star. Like he wasn't the star of his team. And I think there's some people out there that are probably like iffy on him because they did have Bo Scataboo last year. But he also was operating at a pretty high level without Tyson for a large portion of the last year.

Yeah, Jordan Tyson missed the big 12 championship game and the Peach Bowl. Jordan Tyson is their best receiver. He'll be back this year. And no Cam Scadaboo, but that's where Sam Levitt has to make that jump. That's where he has to be able to take the, that's right, Kenneth pointing out that Sawyer Robertson did take over Daycon Finn last year. So yeah, we can have Saw have sorry Robertson on this list and

that was Jake's Babatollah's first years though see it Baylor too, so I Think sorry Robertson actually it probably is One to to watch and yeah, what did we mention? When we're talking Auburn Friday night week one there at Baylor that is going to be a very interesting game. Yeah Yeah But yeah, I think Levitt's the guy one, they're at Baylor. That is gonna be a very interesting game. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, I think Leavitt's the guy. Yeah, I think so too. I'm very excited because he does have to be the star

of that team now that the campus cattle is gone. Yep. So William wanted to continue a conversation that we had earlier in the week, but flip it a little bit. What's more likely a team winning three out of the next 10 national titles or a team that currently is not a generally considered top 25 program winning one? Three of the next 10.

Right, cause you still have Ohio state, Georgia that are going to recruit. Three out of 10. 10's a long time. I just don't know that there's going to be a three. I don't know that somebody's going to get three. Like think about how good Ohio state was from 2014 to 2023. That's 10 seasons. Yep.

And now you can make the case that, uh, actually winning the national title was more difficult than it's ever been. Getting the playoff is easier than it's ever been, but winning four games in a row is hard. Yeah. Yeah. So that's the thing that I don't know that we're going to see a team win three in the next 10 years because it's just I think it's going to be hard to have

that much talent stacked up that comes back. I just have a really hard time taking the leap that a team that we, that isn't considered a top 25 program right now is going to grow enough to do it. Right, right. Cause that's the hardest one that took that leap is Clemson. And it took 10 years. It was still a pretty good program. Like the reason they fired Tommy Bowden when they did was because they had high

expectations for that team in 2008. They thought that team should compete. I mean, you actually think about the spirit of the question, Andy, it's definitely three out of the next 10 because like, listen, Florida, Auburn, Miami, Ole Miss, even Nebraska, Tennessee, these are all top 25 programs. They have to be further down the rung than those teams to win one in the next decade. That's really, really hard to imagine. It would be hard, right?

Because, yeah, like we've got SMU up in the top 20. We know they're good now. I'm just trying to think of like what like what like would Colorado even be fringe top 25 or would it have to be Colorado? Colorado, maybe, but I still don't I still don't know that a big 12 teams going to be able to do it. I just feel like Colorado is the best horse for long shot that you can come up with a team that no one thinks can do it. But actually if you were going to put your money on a long shot, long shot,

long shot, like Colorado is probably the best place to harbor that cash because of their recruiting potential. But like, I just don't know who else would fall into that category. They could potentially have those, those nine, 10 elite players that you need. They don't right now, but they might get there. Indiana might get there, but yeah. I mean, Indiana made the playoff last year. So like, like, like Arkansas, like a team like that Kentucky.

That's the thing. Like, could somebody like that who's in the SEC or the big 10 who has money, who just gets through, well, Indiana, if we asked this question before last year, we never would have said, suggested Indiana would even make the playoff but Indiana might be that. Well let me let me rephrase it this way. Do you think a team will successfully in the next decade go from average to great enough to win the national title in a single offseason? Not in a single offseason no. Because this is the, this is going to be the- But what I think what they're asking is somebody who's not

perennial top 25 now wins a national title sometime in the next 10 years. It's not, did they do it overnight? It's somebody now who makes the right hire or makes some of the right choices where eight years from now they win the national title probably after being good for about five years. My number one question is it pertains to this type of roster building.

Yeah. Flash in the pan, a good jumpstart to building. Like I think Indiana is going to be an interesting case study, but we saw what Florida state did two years ago. We saw what they were last year. But Indiana did Indiana didn't lose. Most of its impact players. No, I know, but it was also starting 20,000 steps ahead of where Indiana started from.

True. Like I just like, I'm trying to think, like, do you think that getting a group of six transfers who are fricking awesome and lead your team to the playoff in one year and then leave, is that a good enough starting point to build from? Or do you start over when that happens? That's like I don't know. I do think you're you might disagree with this. I think flipping your roster in a year or two period is infinitely easier, but I think building sustainability is even harder now than it's ever been. I agree.

The way that you build sustainability is through high school and through having players on your team for multiple years who develop and signing and stacking classes. Like getting four players as rentals does nothing for your long-term build. It's also what we've talked about with Clemson. Like one of the reasons you and I like Clemson this year is that team, that team's been through some stuff together. Like, yeah, I just, how many other teams have at this point? This is the thing that like used to drive me insane when we would go into this

discussion about is the expansion of the playoff better for parody? And it's like, I think people thought that if you made the playoff one year, that all of a sudden the following year, do you think people look at Indiana differently? I mean, some do maybe, but like most people are like, Oh, Indiana shouldn't have made it last year. I suck. They're Indiana. Like it takes years and years of years of sustained success year over year to change your perception as a program. Do you think SMU is looked at differently nationally from the average fan they

worked 12 months ago? Like maybe to some, but not really. Like as Boise, like it's hard having a good year is not enough. Like making the playoff is not enough. You have to stack good years. And that's the question is, can somebody stack four or five good years in the next 10 and maybe become a national title contender? Someone will.

Like there's gonna be somebody new in the club at some point. Clemson can't be the last one to ever get into the club. Unless the club is exclusive and the room, maybe it's the Amex, uh, Centurion lounge. It's full. Is, is that the lounge that got you ripped off on the shoes? No, that's where you sit in the airport and get, I'm joking.

I'm joking. Like I did get ripped off. Oh, by the way, just so you know, a former Oregon football player messaged me last night and said, Hey, I've got team issued Oregon shoes. He listens to the show every day. And I don't want to say his name because I don't want to give his identity away. But if you're interested in buying team issued only Oregon shoes, uh, I'd love to sell them to you because I love your show.

And I was like, that's awesome. But he's also sitting on shoes that are like thousands and thousands of $1000 and I had to tell him like find your spot should probably yeah, yeah, yeah, make some make some money yourself. Yes, they I guess they or him once because they made you wear them to the game. But over like the Jordan threes with a duck feet

on the back. Have you seen those shoes? All the only guarantee that he wants those three rappers LeBron James and the Oregon football team. Yeah. They're collector's items. Yeah. We're going to show them on the show when he gets home.

He's out of town. I want to show them on the show. I want to be the broker that helps him sell them legitimately. Listen, somebody will jump on those, I guarantee you. So here's an interesting question, something I had not thought of. And I'm curious if you thought about this.

This is from Sam in Chicago. Ari's thoughts on BYU's potential to open the money gun got me thinking, you know, another school is associated with an entity with a massive budget. The Army Black Knights. The military is struggling with an enlistment and a killer football team could be great. PR is one of the most respected schools in the country academically. The program has a history, in fairness, an ancient history of national championships and Heisman winners.

And for following recruiting, I know there's a ton of elite prospects with veterans for parents. Plus, this presidential administration feels primed to make a move like this. Who says no? I think the Army might say no. And I'll tell you why. Because if you, let's say you did that, and you suddenly got all these elite recruits going to Army, well, first of all, they then need to have to do the service commitment. Like, I don't know that suddenly they're going to let them go play in the NFL right after they finish at Army.

And people who are good enough to change their program enough to win a national title want to play in the NFL. Yeah. But don't you, you have to be there for three years, right? To be obligated to fulfill your service or is that correct? Correct. And then also there's a deal if you leave and I can't remember what the threshold is, how long you have to stay. But there's also a deal where if you stayed a certain amount of time and you leave, then you owe the government money back. Because everyone at the school, not just the athletes, everyone at the school is on a full scholarship. So didn't David Robinson have to serve in the Navy before he went to the NBA? Alexander asked. Yes, that's true. David Robinson did that. They've had some situations

where somebody has been able to go play in the pros immediately out of the service academies and then and then be in the reserves but I don't know that that's something they would do another person had to go do a tour in the middle east after this well another another person in the chat pointed out that thelistment is at a high right now. It is recently at a high. It had been dipping. Now, I was reading up on this and there's kind of a basic fact if you look at how things have worked since the draft was abolished.

If the economy is down, enlistment goes up, if the economy is good, enlistment goes down. That's just, that's how generally these things work. So I, enlistment's on an upswing, which I don't know that that's not necessarily good news for the economy. That's a hundred's on an all time high today. Just, you know, I know, I know. I saw that. I saw everything went up yesterday, but that's why it is. It's a good idea in theory, but I think because of what you have to do in terms of the service commitment and then not lately, not really being willing to bend on the service commitment. I don't think you'd get those kinds of players who expect to just go to the NFL. Or if you got the type of players that came and then left after year two,

you're kind of like bastardizing the process, which I'm not sure the army wants to do either. So they have to think of all the other students at the academy as well who do have to do this stuff. Also, I think it takes a special type of person and a type of person that I have tremendous amount of respect for to sign up for that. So, you know, you know, I don't know if I'm a bad American, and a type of person that I have tremendous amount of respect for to sign up for that. So, yes, absolutely. You know, I don't know if I'm a bad American, but like I would not last five minutes. Like I watch those those basic training videos and I'm like, I would die. It does not look easy.

Okay, you know, imagine me in basic training, Andy. I would watch that movie. It would be the greatest basic training movies and stripes. I don't have a jelly donut in my foot locker. OK, like I would. Yeah. All right, all right. Is that a.

I don't do I get into my early early first now I can by the way. I can recite the entire private cowboy speech. Do it. Right. That's right. Yeah, we'll we'll we'll keep you from anyway. Right, sir.

Texas, sir. Texas. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So Robert, sir, Texas, sir. Yeah, that's where it stops. I know the next line and we're gonna move on to the next question. Oh, I could go the whole way. You and basic training would be spectacular. Like when you got KP duty and you're peeling potatoes.

There's two things that could happen in basic training. And like, listen, we didn't grow up in World War II times or times of great desperation, though, you know, the world is kind of off kilter at the moment. But I think that when you grew, the people who grew up in the 40s and the 30s who like went into basic training, felt an obligation and a connection

and a responsibility to this country that I don't know that the youth today does. Um, but if you go into the army, basic training in that type of scenario, you might not be equipped to, to be there when you get there, but the entire purpose of being there is to get you ready for what you've got to do. Yes. It's like go crazy and be Gomer Pyle, or maybe I would turn into like a ripped killing machine by the time I'm done. I don't know.

Gomer Pyle wound up a decent Marine at the end. Yeah. I'll be honest with you. He did. Well, I mean, until it fell out, fell out, you know, went off the rails. Singing voice too from Jim neighbors, by the way. Yeah, but he lost weight and got in shape in the movie, right? I haven't seen it in a long time, but. Oh, you're talking about Private Pile in Full Metal Jacket. I'm talking about Private Pile, not Gomer Pile. Gomer Pile USMC. Did Private Pile got into shape before? Private Pile is Vincent D'Onofrio, right? I don't know. I don't know that. Yeah, so yes, he does get in shape, yes. And Private Pile is excellent, excellent at cleaning and reassembling his rifle. Yeah.

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. Okay, go with it. This is my rifle. This is my gun. Sorry. Are you actually proud of your game? Interesting question from Dan.

I understood this one. There you go. Interesting question from Dan. If I remember correctly, Ari had every team from the SEC ranked in his top 25, except for Mizzou, Vandy, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Arkansas. So assuming the other 11 teams that he ranked don't lose to any of the unranked teams, someone has to be 11th in the conference standings. Who would you predict is most likely going to be disappointed? My personal guess is either South Carolina or Oklahoma. Auburn is probably the right choice, but that doesn't seem like a fun prediction.

And it's an odd year, correct? Auburn gets Georgia and Alabama home this year. They could both go seven or even eight wins on the season, but I could see either fan base being disappointed because all the hype sellers and Mattir are getting along with some of the other pieces on the team like Ott and Stewart. Okay, this Ott and Stewart. Okay, this is really fun. All right, I'm looking at your top 25, making sure that he's correct, it is 11.

So Texas is one, LSU is two, Georgia is three, Alabama is four, Florida is five, South Carolina is six, Auburn is seven, Oklahoma is eight, Ole Miss is nine, Tennessee is six, Auburn is seven, Oklahoma is eight, Ole Miss is nine, Tennessee is 10, and Texas A&M is 11. That is correct. You have 11 SEC. So who finishes number 11 in the conference standings, Ari?

So here's the thing that I hate doing this because I'm gonna get hated on. Like you're just setting me up to like a dragon. If you look at your ranking, it's either Tennessee or Texas A&M because that's who you have at 24 or 25. Yeah. But he asked which teams are going

to be the most disappointed. I think Tennessee River can come up and correct me, but I think Tennessee is bracing itself for what could be a disappointed season. Like I don't think that they're coming. I think they're coming in a little gun shy. So like I don't know if they're like level of disappointment, like Tennessee isn't in like a winter go home mentality with Hypal, right?

Like they're, they're already resigned. Like, so that's not the question that, and I think A&M would be disappointed for sure if they finished 11th. Go ahead, River. Well, how do Tennessee fans feel about the season coming into the year? Um, I mean, they're not expecting the playoffs. I had, I had a group message this morning that a lot of people said eight and four, and if they do that eight and four, maybe seven and five, I mean,

they're not going to make the playoffs. I don't think, I don't think they're expecting eight and four might be four and four in the league, which might put them in. Yeah. Yeah. Which team that I have on my like disappointing list? Hmm. And I'm not going to break their hearts, man.

I love them. But South Carolina, I think is like prime candidate for like. You can't hurt South Carolina people any more than they've already been hurt. But they're really amped for the season and they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country and maybe the best defensive player in the country. They lost a lot of juice on their defense, dude. A lot. And I think that like in order to navigate and traverse the SEC in a way that is an improvement from last year, I think they're setting themselves up for disappointment. So Nick Emmenwary, Kyle Kennard,

Honka Hemingway. Yeah, those are big losses. Big losses. And I don't know if they replace, maybe they did. I don't know. Maybe I'm not, but I just, South Carolina has to have a better year than last year for them to be happy. And I think that that is setting up for some disappointment. That's all. They have a tough schedule.

Yeah, because nine and three is a good year at South Carolina, especially given the way the SEC schedule has changed and the fact that they put Clemson every year. South Carolina is kind of gearing up for playoff, right? Like that's what they're where their minds are at. And I don't know if I think they're going to finish 11th. I'm not going to go that far. But in terms of the spirit of the question, which which team is going to be most disappointed like LSU, Oklahoma, Bama, Ole Miss, A&M, and then finishing the year off and Clemson's a hell of a fricking stretch, dude.

Like I don't know, man. Like I don't know. I just don't know that I see it. I think that South Carolina could be the 14th best team in the country in fall and the rankings behind teams like tech and ASU and BYU because they just play a tougher schedule. Like it's just, it's going to be a tough year for them, I think. Or they're going to.

Yeah. Sellers takes the think. Or they're going to. Yeah. Sellers takes the next step and they're awesome. But, but that's the fine line, I think in, in the SEC, even more so than the big 10. Like you can have a couple games that are the difference between you being a playoff contender and you being incredibly disappointed in how the season went. But if, if South Carolina goes seven and five, which against that schedule would not be an absolute disaster. Cause that means you beat Mizzou.

You probably beat Virginia tech. You beat Kentucky. Uh, maybe you get Ole Miss in the middle there, but you lose to like LSU, Oklahoma, Bama and A&M and Clemson. Like, dude, I don't know, man. Like, I just think that the expectations and what actually has to happen for them to meet them is they don't, they don't know man. Like I just think that the expectations and what actually has to happen for them to meet them is they don't equate to me.

It's a lot. And the thing is, you know, we talked about Auburn and Oklahoma already too, those expectations are high, but I think both those fan bases suffered enough last season that if things don't go right, they're like, Oh yeah, okay. South Carolina fans are jacked for this. Yeah.

Just to put it in perspective too. And river sent this to us behind the scenes. Florida is in the same boat here. Like Florida fans are as excited as they've been about a season, but I think they're, they're also like the Auburn and Oklahoma fans like, Oh yeah. The piano could fall on, on us at some point. The fan duel win total for a South Carolina is seven and a half. If you want to put in perspective of what Vegas thinks you're going to do and what you think you're going to do.

Right. So you cash a ticket at eight and four, but you're not happy with it. I do think that the win total game that we should play is. Is over a disappointment. Or is over something that makes you happy? Because I think if over is a disappointment, then you probably should hit the over. Yeah, unless, yeah, that's right.

That's right. But if you play that game in real life and you lose your bet, then you're, you're out of money and you're sad. Don't bet on your favorite team. Kids. That's all we do. That's all people do. Don't don't emotionally bet.

Your favorite team. Everybody bets on their favorite team. It's the best part. Your team wins and you get money. That's great. Uh, but yeah, that, that would be my answer in the sec. Um, you know, I've been critical of the sec for the past year. I think that without question, it's definitely the deepest conference this year.

It'll be interesting to see if they have any secondary, truly elite teams to go with Texas by the time this is over with. And they probably do maybe Alabama, Georgia, you know, maybe Alabama is very talented. Maybe Florida will surprise people and be awesome this year. I don't know. But it I've just had South Carolina in the back of my head of like these people are really excited and they're the proposition of what they have to do to cash in on that excitement is very they but they listen, they're veterans at this. They've been excited and they've been heartbroken before. They've been doing this since before you were born. And I see Andy in the chat that people are saying Oklahoma, Oklahoma has the hardest schedule in the entire country and maybe the history of the universe.

The last seven games for Oklahoma are the hardest seven games any college football team has ever had to face. So I think that Oklahoma is going into it like, well, I hope we're better, but shit. Like, you know what I mean? I think that's kind of the, you know, you heard the preview we had with Eddie and the boys. Like they were just like, yeah, we understand. Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee,

Bama, Mizzou, LSU all in a row. It's so brutal. Like, it's just not fair. It's so not fair. It's so not fair. Not to mention they have Michigan and Auburn in the first half. So the first half of their schedule is certainly important. But Oklahoma could suffer some very big disappointment by losing to Michigan in the second week of the season. And that has nothing to do with the SEC standings, which is why I didn't put them there.

And that's the thing. In the SEC now with some of these schedules, if you can't build the kind of depth that you used to be able to build, which I don't think you can, when you get a stretch like that, that's where that gets exposed. By the way, somebody, I was talking to somebody on the phone the other day, they pointed this out to me and I hadn't thought about this. But you know, if the if the CFP doesn't figure out what they're gonna do, the SEC is gonna have to make schedules for 26 and 27. And so they'll make an eight game schedule for 26 and 27, but it's not really going to conform to any kind of rules. But all we do know

is the the teams that have the brutal ones are probably going to get a little easier one, and the teams that have the little bit easier ones, get ready. Missouri, you're about to be in a world of pain. In 26 and 27. Yeah, it's a cycle. It's married around, you know? And that's what makes the sport fun too. It's like if you have 11 teams that are in the top 25 in the SEC and that is a consistent trend, then the schedules are gonna turn out to be far more important than they've ever been in the past.

So yeah. And it's not like Missouri plays nobody now. Like Missouri has to play South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Oklahoma. Like their schedule's not easy, but it's gonna get way worse. Yeah. Cause they're not playing Texas,

they're not playing Georgia, they're not playing LSU, they're not playing Florida. Like it's, this is not, yeah, it's gonna be tough. All right, random ranking time. It is Friday. This one from Michael, shouting us out from the land of 10,000 lakes. He said sign me up for a return of random rankings either as a new blockbuster media property or just

as a return as a segment to the show. I have a random ranking for your consideration. What meal or food item real or fantastical from a piece of fiction be it a movie show or a book would you most want to try? Water from an Alaskan glacier blessed by an Eskimo medicine man, the imaginary food from hook, the fizzy lifting drink, one of the 20 layer sandwiches that Shaggy makes in Scooby Doo leave the gun, eat the cannoli. Michael's choice has always been the steak eggs and mashed potatoes breakfast from twister, which is a fine choice.

So we were going to do this as a draft because I worried about overlap, but then producer River says we have no overlap, so I think we can do this as a ranking. Will go from five to one for each of us. I gotta find my list that I sent to to River because I can't remember exactly what order they're in. Here we go. OK, excellent. So would you like me to start any, but like in the past when we ever do these random rankings, Okay, excellent. So would you like me to, oh go ahead Ari.

You can start Andy, but like in the past, when we ever do these random rankings, I always kind of missed the point by 5% and I might've done that again. Okay. The sequel one, I was like, these are all the movies I want more of and like everyone's like,

those are terrible movies to have sequels for. So like I don't know why I did that. So many people were mad at you for the idea of a Shawshank Redemption sequel because the Shawshank Redemption is such a perfect movie Yeah, and I they're right. They're right. I messed up. But I I kind of went off the deep end a little bit again So just a forewarning for you because that's like my personality is a little bit weird. But okay

All right, you start Andy. All right. Number five for me is the flaming Moe from the Simpsons This is the drink he accidentally invents. I believe he steals a recipe from Homer and I believe Homer says the secret recipe or the secret ingredient is cough syrup. So essentially it's purple drank set on fire. That's a flaming Moe. That sounds like a party. I don't know. Yeah, I thought that somebody was gonna put Duff beer on their list. So the Oh, yeah, like,

I was Duffman for Halloween when you're and that's why I thought you were gonna draft them because I knew that was a Halloween costume for you. But yeah, like lit on fire like cough syrup. You know, Lil Wayne almost died over this drink dude, like you gotta be careful. But yes, I would- Marcus Russell threw an entire NFL career for it. Yeah, I mean, it's highly addictive I think.

But that's a good pick Andy. River, what you got? I have, sorry, I did not know how it's going quite yet My number five pick is ratatouille from the movie ratatouille. I considered this My daughter was mad. I left it off the list. She actually wants to make ratatouille at home I'm not sure as a non French chef that I'm I'm capable of it, but uh What it did look good. I've never seen this movie. What is it supposed to be? it's like the rat gets inside the chef's hat and helps him make the food and like he's the mastermind behind these great dishes at a restaurant and

It's really the rat just making all the food in place. What is that on the plate? It's really the rat just making all the food in place. What is that on the plate? Ratatouille. Ratatouille. It's a French dish. It's like a classic French dish. OK. Yeah, no idea what that is.

Yeah. Ari? OK, I guess I'm up. My number five is Little Nero's Pizza from Home Alone. Oh, yeah. That's weird or not, but they show the pizza. They don't show the pizza like from the delivery guy, but I think it's the same pizza he ordered in the limo. And I don't know if I'm just a fat kid who

just like looks at the food, but like when they show him in the limo with the pizza, because it's his favorite pizza place, it just looks like a classic New York slice. And I'm assuming that there's something. Well, no, but they order a little Nero's at home at home, right? They're in suburban Chicago at home. Yeah, right. So are we to assume little Nero's is a national chain I don't know all I know for sure in that moment When he is at home and it's freezing cold outside and it's Christmas and you have this dude standing out there with all this This this pizza like my mouth was watering watching this. It's glorious Now are you a freak like Kevin McCallister who

only likes cheese pizza? Uh as I get older, I'm starting to prefer cheese pizza but what I found is that really elite pizza. Um cheese is fine. Bad pizza cheese doesn't get the job done. So, if you go to a a crappy chain or something and you know the pizza is not very good, then you wanna add pepperoni for flavor but if you get like a really good New York slice, cheese gets the job done for me. All right. My number four. Kevin's chili from the office. Description of this. I hand roast

the chilies. It is. It sounds amazing. Now it looks like dog food when he spills it but it sounds incredible Was this one of the shit was this like ever a moment when you watch this and you just got like secondhand embarrassment From watching it like you just felt bad for him like he felt just awful when he drops the whole terrible I've ever felt so bad. I'll tell you what, one time this is, this is the second worst I've ever felt for a fictional character. Okay. The worst I've ever felt for a fictional character is for the John Favreau character in swingers

during the answering machine scene. That is two, two dates. Still the most uncomfortable movie scene for me when he keeps calling. Andy. So Landis is in here, shout out Dullaby, and he goes fictional foods are he picks real food. So am I did I miss the mark because a few of mine are are like that. Well all of my only one of mine is something you can't actually recreate or get like in real life. Yeah, but all of mine are integral to the plot of the movie show they're in.

Oh, okay. I don't know that mine are, but we'll keep, I mean, maybe we'll see. They work, Ari. We'll see. I just don't want, I don't want to get strays from Landis on our podcast, you know? Yeah, river number four.

My number four is a Good Burger with Ed sauce from the movie Good Burger. I figured one of these was coming up. And I'm too old for it. This is just past my generation. Didn't watch Good Burger. Peak Nickelodeon childhood here for me. So, grew up on this movie.

Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. Can I take your order? Yeah. Yeah. And the good thing about this is that we're kind of like stretched like Andy and I aren't that much different in age, but like I think our pop culture like references were different because I think like we're 10 years different. That that is in pop culture. That's essentially a generation. Yeah. And like River and I are 10 years different. So like like this, I watched this when I was a kid, but like that, that looks like Mac sauce to me. So, um, why is everybody's secret sauce just thousand Island dressing? That's, that's what I want to know.

The best always the same color. Well also to like thousand Island dressing is absolutely an utterly elite and you're, you're, and a straight up garbage is just your mayonnaise and ketchup. Yeah. okay. My number two would be, or number four, sorry, my second one would be Los Poyos Hermanos. Oh yeah.

Breaking Bad. And we saw Chicken, I think, a few times in the show, but you wanna know when my mouth was actually watering, which is the most bad thing in the world. When you're watching Gus Spring clean everything? No. He just kicked it. There was one scene where they're transporting drugs in I think the fourth season. And there are people in the back of the van and the van gets shot up from the outside. And the

meth is in the batter like remember when they put the bags of meth into the batter and they shoot bullet holes through the buckets that are actually filled with the batter and you see the batter come out of the of the buckets I'm like god that is I would smash that just batter and everybody talks about how good the fried chicken is on the show and everybody's not chicken isn't it right like rotisserie chicken or is there like broasted chicken I can't ride it's fried chicken. Yeah, OK, I think there's one scene where they got it for. For. The Hank Schrader that I was just God, I would say I would say OK, so we're mixing that up is El Pollo Loco.

The real chain that's in California is a rotisserie chicken place. Yeah, no most Pollo's from Anos. I think it's like. Fried chicken with Mexican Chilean spices. I'm in. I like, I and Gus just took such great care with the restaurant. Like nobody worked this hard on their front ever. Yeah this front was, I mean they had like a whole plant for batter and I mean like it's it's good food okay. because it had to be good for the front to continue like if it was a bad restaurant then like they were opening up chains and like by the way the entire final season of Breaking Bad when they walk through the uh Madrigal the main uh German

conglomerate that there was like nine different logos of fake fast food joints that all looked amazing by the way uh but yeah like, Gus is him and his food. If he put half as much effort into his food as he did into his meth, you can imagine. Well, that's the thing. I mean, it's terrible as being a major meth distributor for the Southwestern United States is- The pride in that meth.

At least some great chicken came out of it. Yes, and I actually went to Albuquerque once and went to the Los Poyos Hermanos building and ate at the restaurant that was actually in it. It's called Twisters and it had a tremendously good burger. Highly recommend. I was like, I was blown away by how good the burger was. This are you didn't go off the deep end on this.

This is great. Okay. All right. Just got in my head a little bit and I was already a little bit nervous before uh, before I was like, I, cause I texted the river last night, like am I missing the plot here? But I just said, no, I was going to kick your ass at it. I just don't know what flows poyo's from on integral to the plot line. Like you said, it's very much so. Yeah, absolutely.

And it looks good. Like, yeah, you, you kind of want to go eat there. Yeah. like you want to grab Walter Jr's Walter Jr's Dodge Charger and go eat there. Yeah. Alright, Andy. You're number three. The Ziggy Piggy from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. This is the greatest ice cream Sunday of all time. Napoleon winds up eating it. This is where they stash Napoleon when they're trying to go get some of the other historical figures.

And basically Napoleon houses this entire ice cream Sunday. I'm that looks like elementary school. Yeah. I'm late elementary school at this point, when this movie comes out, this is all I ever wanted in the, in the world. Uh, it kind of reminds me of the Kevin McAllister ice cream that he got. Yes. Uh, but yes, like that. It's colorful. That's the thing that makes it so good. And it's

so many scoops of I there's like 12 scoops of ice cream in there. Yeah. Yeah. No, this is a good choice. Alright, so my number three is Scooby Snacks from Scooby Doo. Just classic. Roller Raggy. Roller Raggy. But yeah. Scoob. Yeah, these are classic. Those are vanilla wafers.

You don't know that. You never, you ever had Scooby Snacks? You can look back. We, although they did create dog treats that they branded as Scooby Snacks. I never ate one. My dogs didn't like them. They were not their favorite treats.

I've got to imagine that whatever they had an idea for in that cartoon is better than anything they've tried to recreate in real life. So well, listen, gotta be. We're all on the same page now. Like we all realize that Shaggy and Scooby were complete stoners and had the munchies at all times. Like every time they got in trouble, it was their stomach lead in there. Yeah, that is true. Landis just texted me, Omi just picked dog food. They dog treats. Landis is a funny dude.

He's a funny dude. That dude is like, he's very understated and quiet, but you hear things that come out of his mouth. and I almost picked this one too. It's a Hawaiian burger joint and the way he, it just looks so juicy and so delicious and there isn't a fat kid out there in the entire world that watched this movie and was like, God, that burger looks good. Oh, it looks amazing. Real food, but I don't know if there's like a pineapple slice or whatever they do to make it Hawaiian with a Hawaiian bun. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it.

Well, yeah, you go with the sweet roll, but maybe you put a grilled pineapple slice on it too. That would be really good. And that is a sweet roll burger before the King Hawaiian roll thing became a fixture in fast food, like Arby's does the King's Hawaiian rolls, I think, and stuff. Yeah, and the way that he slammed the Coke too,

cause that's what I do. Like I'm a big soda drinker. So, and he said, and even he said, that's one tasty burger. Check out the big one. That's one tasty burger. Yeah, oh yeah. Okay.

Oh, that did look so good. Now, granted he's holding a gun on everybody. He was able to enjoy it. Yeah, it looked amazing. Onukuno in the chat. It was a sprite, Ari. Yeah, the slurp on the dude. Yeah, it was a sprite. It was a whatever. It's soda. Coke and soda where I grew up were interchangeable but yes. Yes. Alright. My number two. The old 96 are from the great outdoors. Throw in some Paul Bunyan hats for the kids.

Ah, I want to eat this steak so bad. That's what I want to eat this steak. What's that? Our the 96 ounce steak's a 96 ounce steak. It's a 96 ounce steak. Now there's some fat on it that John Candy tries to not eat and the chefs like that's good meat right there. So, but it is, I've always wanted to do this. I never have there. There, I was in Amarillo, Texas at one point there is that place where they have the I think is a 72 out steak you have to eat the 72 out steak a salad the baked potato Yeah, the hardest part about Amarillo is is that the wait is longer than it would take you to eat the steak

We went there and drove by just I wasn't gonna try the challenge But I just wanted to eat there because it's like a tourist trap and like the wait was like two and a half hours to get a table in that place So maybe one day we'll go to Amarillo and you'll try to take it down, Andy. But yeah, the steak thing for you is a good angle, for sure. I just love this scene so much. This is just a Dan Aykroyd as obnoxious as possible as Roman, John Candy in his element,

John Candy, RIP, gone way too soon, but oh, I love this scene so much. I want this steak. If we could recreate this scene for the show with you as Dan Aykroyd and me as John Candy, I would be all for that. Yeah, no, I'm definitely always about you in your eating challenges and watching it in amazement. Right in your wheelhouse, Andy, for sure.

All right, so my number two is the most iconic cartoon burger there is. Give me the Krabby Patty from SpongeBob. So the thing about this Krabby Patty is, because SpongeBob was a little bit after my time, is that crab meat? No, it's beef, which is it's underwater, so I don't even know how they get the beef. OK, you know what the secret ingredient is, everybody, right?

The secret ingredient is love. Oh, yeah, an iconic burger. Can't beat it. Mr. Krabs made, who knows how much money off of it. He's just a money hungry guy. I was just saying he didn't, he didn't spend any of it. He just made it. Just kept it.

Yeah. Maybe I can time and watch this. Maybe my daughter will get into it. Okay. So your daughter's too young. Wait until she's probably like eight or nine. I will put this out there as an office

like workplace comedy Spongebob Squarepants is up there with the office They were on the same level very as a workplace comedy subliminal jokes in that show for sure. Yeah Yeah, I'll have to check it out one day. I missed it completely But but I am aware of what the Krabby Patty is. So it's an iconic choice. As long as you know what it is. All right. Are you number two? My number two. The only reason why I know this exists is because my wife helped me with this. It was an assist from her because we were talking about it. But my daughter is currently like watching Disney movies. And this one actually scared her and we stopped watching it,

but have you guys seen Matilda recently? I have seen it and actually my daughter's school did it as a play, but yes, the Matilda cake. Is that where we're going? Yeah, I don't really, I don't pay attention when she's watching, but like, that homie, as Atlantis would put it, like that is a very good looking cake to me. Oh, yeah,

it's uncomfortable. But the cake, you know, I think that that that and I'm not a sweets guy. It's a chocolate cake looks amazing. It really does. Yeah. And like, it's an uncomfortable scene. Like he doesn't seem happy eating it. But I think I would smash that entire thing. Oh yeah. Oh, that's beautiful. All right. My number one, and I have one of this since I was a very young child.

This can, this show actually came out before I was born, but the reruns were on every day in my house. This is from the credits of the Flintstones. Brono Ribs. When they're at the drive in and they order Brono Ribs and she puts them on the side of the car and it tips the car over. That's, give me those. Give me those because I could eat on those all day.

I saw the picture in the graphics area of the stream. I'm like, oh, that's a good, that's a good hit. I forgot about this. That's a good, that's a good hit. I forgot about this. That is a fictional food that would- Look at the smile on Fred Flintstone's face. So satisfied. Yeah.

Fred was a pretty wise man. He- Fred did all right for himself. Wilma was something. He was ahead of his time. Yeah, good pool, Andy. That's a good one. River, you're number one. Oh, River's number one. My number one is probably the best looking pizza there ever has been in a cartoon, but that is the cheesy pizza from a goofy movie. I was thinking about doing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pizza,

but I mean, this cheese and and this pizza like after he pulls that he picks up the bottom of it and just wraps it around the slice. It's phenomenal and this is- I dream of being able to do that. Oh I mean it's- Isn't that kind of what the Ninja Turtle pizza also did though? Didn't they? Yes they would stretch it out wide. Yes. But yeah that looks good and I'm always good for pizza. Yeah just gotta get a slice in there. Yeah. And just so you know, Landis said Goopy would have been his first overall pick. So I respect Landis quite a bit. That's why I keep bringing him up.

We've come a long way since me picking dog food. Let's go. Yeah, you picked dog food and then you rounded out good. Two spots, Lanny. You've totally redeemed yourself. All right, all right. What's your last one? My number one is not an actual food and I might have missed the plot here. Okay. you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going to be like, you're going

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There is nothing that hits harder. Nothing on earth than a home-cooked, legit Italian meal. And I don't have a specific dish. I don't have a choice. I'll one-up you here. There's nothing better than going to the old school family Italian restaurant. Yeah. And they take away the menus and they go just trust us here. And it hits every single thing. Like there's a place in Vegas and I cannot remember.

My buddy took me to it. I can't remember what the place's name was, but it was an old school like mob feel Italian place. And he got a chicken parm dude. And I took a bite out of this thing. I didn't even have to chew. And it's like, there is nothing on earth that is better than Italian food that's done right.

And like, when you watch this show, the entire show is you jealous of what Tony Soprano was eating. Like, I would die to go there. I was in the midst of a 50 pound weight loss when I binged The Sopranos. Bad idea. He's eating at every scene! And it always looks so amazing!

Yeah, and it's always like the four... But this would be my... This is the first thing that popped into my head when it came to fictional food. And it's real food. There's real Italian... Oh no, this this is you did not miss the plot at all Like I a meal at Vesuvio would be incredible and it eventually burned down I think if I remember the show correctly, but it It really is a hidden gem to me. I

Was gonna I was gonna add further spoilers for the Sopranos, but that's another show's bit. If you're a human being who hasn't seen the Sopranos in 2025, then you're just... I don't know. But somebody in the chat here said the Goodfellas Jailhouse pasta spaghetti that they were making where they cut the... When they're slicing the garlic super thin. Oh yeah. Is that Paul Sorvino slicing the garlic super thin. Oh yeah. Is that Paul Sorvino slicing the garlic?

Yeah. And he like presents the wine like that would be a hell of a hell of a dinner too. But that's the same concept right? Italian by Italian people done the right way. Yeah. This is no overlap though there were a few on each of yours that I would I actually considered picking and I'm kicking myself for not picking but this is great this is a great list everybody yeah we put this out there and actually do a poll and see who they think won but yeah because I think there's gonna be I think it might

break down along generational lines because the rivers gonna get all the young people yeah but I going to get all the young people. Yeah, but I'm going to get all the old people. I don't think you might get a lot of the old people too. Yeah, the thing about yours is like it depends on how if you suspend reality, but like the foods that don't exist that you can't recreate like the bronto ribs. Yeah like Like that might get you the win. Cause like I can see why somebody would be like

that food doesn't exist. How many days could you eat off bronto ribs? That's what I'm curious about. Like, and how do you store it? Yeah. I think that you would probably find a way to finish the whole thing and then not need to store it. But yeah, I'm happy. I think all three of us did good. River was talking a lot of smack about how he was going to roll us. I don't know. I think he has iconic ones,

so he might, but he also has dog food. He has dog food. And like, like, I looked at the Ratatouille picture and I'm like, that't like that doesn't. Well Ratatouille is like a vegetable stew. Like it's it's not what most people would consider something awesome. Three of your five picks don't make my mouth water. Which I think is where you might lose. Maybe. We'll find out. Let's put it out. Yeah we'll see. We'll let the people we'll let the people decide. Gentlemen it's been a hell of a week. By the way We'll let the people decide. Gentlemen. It's been a hell of a week. By the way, Texas State going to the Pac 12.

It's electric. There's a real alignment for the day. Yeah, I think we need to next week deep dive week another deep dive week. We are going deep into five different teams for 2025 with our experts from our various sites. We are looking at Georgia, at Clemson, at Texas, at Penn State, and at Oregon. It's going to be a lot of fun, great shows. You're going to learn a lot. You're going to be a much

better prepared college football fan for 2025. You can be much more excited this season. And oh by the way, it's still media days. Only a week and a half out. See you on Monday.