Andy & Ari On3 - Are the Big Ten & SEC considering MORE realignment with the intro of the Protect College Sports Act? Drafting the Top Venues in CFB

Episode Date: June 5, 2026

Happy Friday! Before the guys head into their weekend, it’s a Dear Andy & Ari show, and our listeners have provided some great questions. First off, the guys visit the realignment discussion and if it ties into the Protect College Sports Act. Would the SEC and Big Ten try to expand in light of this proposed legislation? Andy & Ari dive into if they would and which schools would be ideal candidates to join the leagues.   (0:00) On Today’s Episode (0:54) Presenting Sponsor (2:40) Intro: Welcome! (4:50) Dear Andy & Ari: Realignment? (11:30) Should SEC just add Texas Tech? (15:26) What about Kansas? (17:50) What makes you a worthy candidate? (23:15) EA Sports College Football ‘27 Update (38:11) Recapping Video Game (39:10) What CFB title is equivalent to Spurs-Knicks? (48:07) Drafting the TOP Venues: Intro (49:09) Top Venues: Round 1 (51:54) Top Venues: Round 2 (55:52) Top Venues: Round 3 (59:49) Top Venues: Round 4 (1:03:40) Top Venues: Round 5 (1:06:52) Honorable Mention (1:09:10) Full List (1:10:51) Conclusion: Thanks for watching!   After the realignment discussion, the guys are in Chicago and after playing the new EA Sports College Football ‘27 video game, Andy & Ari share their immediate thoughts on the newest edition of the college football video game, releasing July 9th on Xbox and PS5.   To close out the mailbag show, Ari asks Andy a question in relation to the NBA Finals: What is the equivalent title of Spurs vs Knicks in College Football? Andy & Ari discuss this interesting topic.   Finally to close out the show, it’s time for this week’s draft. After Ari proclaimed that the Rose Bowl was the best venue in college football earlier in the week, the fellas decided to make that topic this week’s draft. As Ari is undoubtedly taking the Rose Bowl with his first pick, who has the better list? Watch this week’s college football draft to find out.   Thanks for watching! See you tomorrow!   Send your questions to: [e-mail] [e-mail] Our show is also presented by BetMGM!   If you haven’t signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code CFB and you will get up to a $1500 First Bet Offer on your first wager with BetMGM! Here’s how it works:   1. Download the BetMGM app and sign-up using bonus code CFB. 2. Deposit at least $10 and place your first wager on any game. 3. You will receive up to $1500 in bonus bets if your bet loses! Just make sure you use bonus code CFB when you sign up!   Make this college football season one for the history books. Make it legendary.   See BetMGM.com for Terms. 21+ only. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US) . 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel   Watch our show on YouTube! https://youtu.be/BmCV0Dm2Egs   Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari Wasserman Producer: River Bailey   Interested in partnering with the show? Email [e-mail]   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's Andy Nari on 3 presented by BetMGM. We've talked a little bit about the Senate bill. We got a great question about how that might affect realignment, because it addresses realignment, and it might actually make it go faster, which is probably not what they had in mind. Plus, Ari and I played the new EA Sports College football video game. We'll give you a firsthand account.

Also, Ari, with a very interesting question, what it would be the college football equivalent of the spurs nix NBA finals plus we draft just me and ari the top venues in college football let's see if ri and one certain precious stadium wind up together we'll find out on today's and ian three presented by bet and gm This show is brought to you by BetMGM. All the lines and totals we use come from BetMGM. And if you'd like to sign up, download the BetMGM app. Use the bonus code CFB when you sign up and get up to $1,500 in bonus bets.

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Welcome to Annie on 3 presented by BetMGM. We are in Chicago here for the EA sports unveiling of the new college football video game and got our hands on it last night, Ari. You beat my ass. I'm not that good at the game compared to you. I'm slick on the stick. I'm man enough to admit it. It's okay.

We're not good at everything. Can't be good at everything. Yeah, you've got the big brain. I've got the slick fingers. I'm good at the Who Am I game? That's what I'm good at. You destroy me in the video game. You know, Andy, this, I know we're here.

I know we play the game, and I know it's that time of year where you're most excited. But I am willing and want to and have been, before I came to On 3 to set some sort of thing up with the show and the people who listen. Yeah. And I don't know if there's a Twitch thing that, you know, River can help me with or something, but I think that that could be a cool element. Let's figure it out.

Yeah. Beat Ari's ass at the video game live. Yeah. Ari will talk trash. Ari will be like Sark and Joey McGuire. Yeah. Talking trash at you. There's nothing more sobering in life than having that headset on talking trash to a 12-year-old

and your wife looking at you going, you need help. We've all been there, right? Right? No. I mean, some of us are there. Do you think it's possible that your parents don't love you anymore when they see what's happening to in the game? Oh, man. I love the idea that this 12-year-old could just turn it all back around on you.

Yeah. Do they ever ask, like, shouldn't you be paying your mortgage? No, nothing like that. What does your wife think about you right now? Yeah, I think that, you know. Do you think she respects you? If I were 12 and playing this you in a video game, that's exactly what I say. Does your wife respect you right now, sir?

Yeah. The 12-year-olds usually back it up by beating me, you know, because they're more advanced. They've got more time. Well, they have more spare time, exactly. You're a father, you've got a job, such as it is. I mean, it's not a real job. We just answer questions from lovely. About all the honey-dew list stuff I have, too, you know.

That's true you do. All right. Well, let's answer some questions because this is a, it's Friday. It's Dear Andy, Dear Ari Day. Adam with a really good question. And so I've been writing and talking a lot about this Senate bill. We had Ted Cruz on the show last week. This is an angle of it that we have not talked about yet, that I'm kicking myself.

We should have been talking about this day one. So let me read you Adam's question. Dear Andy, I do not believe the Protect College Sports Act will pass. in its current state. But I do wonder if the proposed limitations on the SEC and Big Ten advance conference realignment timelines. Instead of waiting for the exit fee to reduce, could those threats push some ACC schools to jump ship early if they have SEC Big Ten offers?

That is a great question, Adam. And so for those who don't remember, Florida State and Clemson sued the ACC over its exit fee, they essentially created an exit fee schedule that basically made the exit fee. fee manageable come, oh, I don't know, 2030 or so. Yes. Which is about when the Big Ten's current meteorites deal runs out. The SECs doesn't run out until 2034. But I think the question we need to ask on this, Adam, is will this push up the Big Ten and

SEC's timeline if they decide they want to get bigger? Because talking to people in those leagues before all this, they didn't seem that interested in hurrying to a larger number. They, in fact, a lot of them weren't keen on growing at all. But when they get an existential threat, that's not existential, but I guess an external threat is probably the word I'm trying to come up with. When there's an external threat like they've gotten from this bill, now I wonder if they've changed their mind on that or if they're going to start rethinking that over the next few years. So this bill we've been talking about all last week and a half, Ari. the piece of it that if I were the SEC in the Big Ten would be most mad about and would make sure I opposed as much as possible.

I would make sure this bill died a painful death if this were in here is there is a clause in there that says if you distributed more than $1 billion in revenue in the past year, you cannot add members to your conference. You cannot change your conference membership. And one, I don't see how that would hold up in court if it got challenged if it was passed. But if I'm the SEC and the Big Ten, I look at that and go, okay, they are, they are threatening us. They are threatening our success. They are saying, we are going to handicap you because these other leagues are not as good at making money as you are. And I think if I were them, it would make me talk a little bit internally about okay, if this bill doesn't pass, we don't need to take anybody else on because we don't need to worry about the numbers being bigger so we can stop the TV rights pooling thing.

But do we need to talk about this? Because if the United States Senate in a bipartisan bill will target us this way, what's next? Yeah. It's kind of a scary thought. What do you think about it if you're sitting in those shoes? Well, right. And I understand nobody feels sorry for the Big Ten in the SEC, nor should you. They're very successful. They have lots of money. But if the government suddenly told you this is how you must run your business, you're going to think about, okay, do I need to do some things now? Yeah. Before the regulation kicks in. So what is the chief just to explain? The chief objective that is solved by adding more teams to that threat. You just have more market share.

You become more powerful. And the thing is, if the bill never passes, and they ultimately go to what we think they're going to do, which is ultimately collectively bargain with the athletes, whether that's the SEC breaks off, the Big Ten breaks off, whether the schools of all the leagues get together in form a Super League, it's the top 30 or top 40 or whatever it is, then I think you try to get to that sooner rather than later. If you feel like the government's going to jump in, because remember, the SEC and the Big Ten were lobbying the government for a bill

that would allow them to at least have some rules. And they thought they were going to get something they wanted, and they ended up getting something that was a complete attack on it. What does further expansion of the Big Ten and the SEC sound like to you? A super league. I mean, we're already at the point where these 16 and 18, I mean, we're already, what, halfway there. Yeah.

I mean, like, it's not like it's that. But that's the thing. If you think that if you, you know that there are forces aligning against you. And that was made abundantly clear in that Senate hearing on Wednesday that, you know, Ted Cruz, who they thought was their guy.

Ted Cruz is, is working just as hard for Cody Campbell and Texas Tech and, and probably his constituents at TCU and Baylor as he is for his constituents at Texas and Texas A&M. especially considering the fact the geographical makeup of the state of Texas I know that Cody Campbell is one of his biggest donors yep I know that there are a lot of people in the state of Texas that root for Texas A&M in Texas but there's a hell of a lot of people in the state of Texas that don't and and like we talked about when I did you

weren't there but I was I was doing solo and we were talking about Pete Pivocqua the Notre Dame athletic director explaining how a Super League would work not as the Notre Dame athletic director because he doesn't want one but as the guy who used to run NBC Sports, just saying, here's how it would happen if it happened. He was being asked questions by a senator from Kansas at the time. A senator from Kansas does not want a Super League. He wants Kansas and Kansas State to be in the club. Especially because there's two power programs that wouldn't be in the club.

Correct. Yeah, exactly. So if you're the SEC and the Big Ten, do you look a little harder at North Carolina, at Miami, at Clemson, at Florida State? at whoever else might be in this mix. Also, if you are to look, Andy,

if you are to look at teams, you're looking at the teams that would also be more attractive for whatever Super League would form. Like, that's what you're doing, right? Yeah. Can I ask you a question?

This brings up a question from Andy to Ari. Love it. If you're the SEC and you want to get what you want, ultimately, why don't you just take Texas Tech? Kind of like nip it at the source there a little bit. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, I mean, like, here's the thing. Texas Tech would belong in the SEC right now. Would fit well. More so than there are teams in the Big Ten that fit less in the Big Ten than Texas Tech would in the SEC, no? Yeah, they would definitely fit culturally. It would be purely, like, from a fan interest standpoint, demographic standpoint, it would purely be a play to stop all of the actions.

Cody Campbell is trying to stop a Super League because Cody Campbell would immediately pivot to supporting everything the SEC wants. Exactly. Yeah. And being in the SEC is the fastest trip from point A to point B for what Cody Campbell ultimately wants, which is tech to be protected. Yeah. You get there, then it's like, what am I even fighting about? Yeah. So you should write that.

I should. I should think about that. But I think the ones that you're wondering about more likely are North Carolina, who's been coveted by. the SEC and the Big Ten for a long time, but it's not been willing to leave the ACC. We'll be willing to leave the ACC the next time an invite comes down. Miami would not maybe have been on this list a few years ago, but they've gotten good at football again, good academic school. Do you know what interests me?

We've talked enough about realignment and future super leagues on our shows the last few years to know the 10 hot button teams that are being discussed. What I want to know is if it's 65, who are the bottom 15? If it's 65, it's going to be most of the power of schools. Yeah. But what if it's 40? The worst question is if it's 40. Or 45.

If it's 40, okay, let's say it was 20 and 20 in the SEC and the Big Ten. And again, I don't know that that's how that would form. I've said all along, I don't think a Super League forms that way. I think it forms in a different way where Ohio State and Michigan are talking. And they're like, you know, I don't know that we need to subsidize everybody. maybe we just call Georgia and Alabama, Penn State, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, Texas, A&M, and just see who's everybody wanting the club? Like, I can see it forming that way more than I can see it forming through the SEC

through the Big Ten. But there are, there is going to be a bottom rung in the Super League of six to ten teams probably when it happens. Yep. That are either leave or take. Who's not in the, All right. Let's ask it this way. Who's not currently in the SEC of the Big Ten, who you would want, and I'm not saying you Ari Wasserman,

who you, a hypothetical TV executive, would want in the Super League. Okay, and I don't want to go with the obvious ones. Like, I'm not going to say Florida State. Why? Well, because we know that. That's not interesting. Everyone knows if Florida State would be, or Clemson or Miami. Who else?

All right. You know where I would start? I would start in the Dallas. us television network and pick either TCU or SMU. So the television part of it's not important. No, I know, but it also gives you a geographical footprint from a recruiting standpoint to actually be competitive in the league. But you're in Texas already. You're going to have Texas and Texas A&M.

Does it matter? So that's a bad, maybe that's a bad pick. I'm not saying it's a bad pick. SMU is what I was going to mention. Yeah. SMU, not even taking TV money from the ACCC right now is one of the best programs in the league. we know they're good when when you can pay players they're pretty good so i that that's one i would think about that i don't think most people would be thinking about now i'd like to throw one of the

ones we were kind of referencing out there what about kansas kansas has money well the thing that is great at basketball it's a you know it's a big part of the country that's open i mean if you're taking the big 10 schools and i mean don't in a Super League, you're going to take Nebraska and you're probably going to take Iowa anyway. But that's still a lot of country that you're leaving out. Well, when the Super League conversation happens,

how much of the percentage of that discussion about who gets invited, it comes down to basketball. Or how much comes down to geography? Because if it's basketball, then Kansas is a layup. Well, in Arizona. Arizona. Yeah. So you have other secondary things to consider,

but, you know, Kansas makes sense. But I also can't envision Kansas, although they've gotten much better. Yeah. Like competing. It's not purely on football. Yeah. It's more on brand. But yeah, what our hypothetical TV programmer is going to say is do people want to watch them play?

Yeah. And I'm not sure where they're going to be at on it. Here's a weird one. Okay. Just weird. Okay. What about BYU? Oh, I think you take BYU.

Yeah. The question is you take BYU and Utah. And that's the other question. I would say take them both. But again, you and I, we already know, we're playing, you guys who watch us know we're playing a little devil's advocate here because we think it should be a bigger tent. We think it should be 138 teams like it is now. Yeah.

It's probably not going to be. Well, especially if you get to a point where a super league is formed one way or the other, and you take one attractive program and leave out their rival. That's the hardest part is, like how many rivalries are going to, naturally being the Super League. You're going to have Michigan, Ohio State. Yeah. You're going to have Alabama, Auburn, assuming, well, you're going to make Notre Dame and USC play.

Mm-hmm. But there's not a lot. Texas and Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, I think. I mean, that's, but it's not a lot. Like, a lot of rivalries still get left on the table there. Yeah. So it's a really uncomfortable conversation. And I frankly, you know, I feel like I know a little bit about college football.

Andy, but I don't really know if you had to make, how about this? Why don't you rank the five most important things that you have to determine about a place before you decide whether they're worthy of inclusion? Number one, do people want to watch you on television? That's far and away number one. Number two, historical success. Number three, recent success. Does recruiting footprint matter anymore?

No, I don't think so. So what else would be on that list? Alumni base population, fan-based size, maybe? Because again, it's UCF, like, more attractive. UCF and Arizona State are both interesting in this aspect in that they are going to have a lot more alums than everybody else in a generation, but that's not right now. Yeah.

It's fascinating and scary discussion, and I really hope we're not having this one day, but certainly if you ever get into a, financial situation or a power struggle situation that forces the hand of the people who are most powerful, then it's when things go off the rails a little bit. If I were Greg Sankey and Tony Petiti, I would have a plan right now. It's not something you execute right now, but you have a plan. You have a folder in your desk that says, here is what we look like if we feel like we need to grow right now. Is there a little bit of

letting the wolf into the hen house deal going on here when it comes to the U.S. government? Well, yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, I've brought this quote up a bunch of times since all this started. Ronald Reagan saying the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, I'm from the government. I'm here to help. Like, you're not going to get what you want from the government.

You are going to get probably something messy and bureaucratic. And this is a prime example of this because the SEC and the Big Ten chipped in a lot of money. Now, the NCAA did too. The ACC did. The Big 12 did. the other leagues have. They've all lobbied. But the SEC and the Big Ten

chipped in a lot of lobbying dollars and they got something that was a direct attack on them in a lot of ways, which is crazy when you think about it. Yeah. Crazy. And basically they were politically outmaneuvered

by Cody Campbell and by the Smash Sports Group, which is the private equity company that's trying to be the one that sells the bundled up TV right now. of all the conferences. Like, they got out maneuvered by them. Yeah.

And I'm assuming that those people who outmaneuvered them are probably more close to the actual people writing the bill and more better at maneuvering that sect of the world. Probably more experience at it, yeah. And that's the thing. But you know what the SEC and the Big Ten have more experience at? Having good football teams. Stealing schools from other conferences.

Yeah. So guess what? If you push them, they may push back. Just so we're all clear on this to whoever went watching. This is very toxic and like. Yeah. But unfortunately, this is this is way, the way we have to think because it's cutthroat. It is a cutthroat business.

And especially when you see what you just saw where you had, again, nobody should feel sorry for the SEC in the Big Ten. They were pumping money into lobbying, trying to get what they wanted from Washington. Somebody just did it better than them. but they also have a way to respond, and it's a way that the other leagues are probably not going to like. Yeah. It's just like the pumping of money from the SEC and the Big Ten

into fixing all the issues that they were actually the best that like capitalizing on. Just seems ass backwards to me. Well, and that's, again, why I've said all along, stop asking Congress to solve your problems, solve your own problems, because when you ask Congress to solve your problems, you just make more problems. And the sport is durable, but also getting picked apart a lot right now.

Right. But the thing is, if Michigan plays a game, 100,000 people show up. You know, if Oklahoma plays a game, that same is what, 802? 82, yeah, 82,000 people show up. And millions of people watch it on TV. So there's a lot of value in that. It's not going away despite what every politician seems to be trying to tell you and every athletic director needs to be trying to tell you.

It's not going anywhere. It's a billion-dollar industry, multi-billion-dollar industry, but they are going to probably have to figure out a different way to run it. And if I'm the SEC in the Big Ten, part of my plan for figuring out how I'm going to run this thing in the next five years is going to include an emergency break, in case of emergency break glass,

these are the teams we're taking. Like we are taking Clemson and Florida State and North Carolina and Miami if we need to get to 20, tomorrow if I'm the at the SEC like that's that's happening and the big 10's probably going to have a similar plan and I know it doesn't sound fun and nobody wants to to hear about more conference realignment but that is kind of where they're being pushed so thank you for that question because it is a topic we probably should have brought up the day the bill came out yeah yeah great question all right now it's time to have a little fun we are in chicago up here

here for the EA sports launch of college football. 27. Here's me and Ari from the Navy Pier in Chicago. But the star today is the EA Sports College Football 27 video game. We got to play it for the first time. And Ari, we played the mascot game. Masked game's back. That was one of my favorite functions of the older game.

You don't, it's not something you're going to play every time, but it's fun. Yeah, well, the one big breaking news, piece that we have for you guys is that you cannot tackle the Duke mascot or the James Madison mascot Duke by his cape. Which you should be able to. Should be able to strangle him with it. That's part of the game. But we did play it, Andy, and you have played it intermittently. I've played it. Certainly played it a heck of a lot more in 25 when it first came out. But this is 27. What were your initial thoughts of the game? So the thing that jumps out at me the most is

quarterback play in the pocket. The thing it always drove me crazy is that I would have a quarterback who I knew is a good runner who was a good athlete, and he's just sort of wobbling around and looking very robotic in the pocket. You have to press a button if you want to scramble, and then you can move, but then you can't throw. And that always bothered me. And now it feels like when you play as an athletic quarterback, he can move.

Like I was playing as Trinidad Shambliss when we were playing L.S. you will miss. And that playing as Trinidad, you could move around in the pocket. He could escape and still throw. He could keep the play alive to throw, which we talk about quarterbacks all the time. Like in real life, that's what you need to be able to do. In the game, you kind of had to decide, I'm going to throw this or I'm going to run this. There wasn't a lot of escapeability. Now it feels like there's some escapeability. Yeah. And as you're looking at you're watching on YouTube, a perfect outpass with the James Madison Duke all the way to the house. Sorry about that. But the thing that I noticed about this.

Yeah, you couldn't tackle Eric Singleton Jr. when I was playing in Florida. Let's be honest with them. Okay. It is a game that if you're expecting massive year-over-year changes, that's not what you're getting. They're not going to do that because they know you like the game. You've bought a lot of the copies of the game. They know you want to see, like, you want to see Lane Kiffin at LSU. You want to see new guys in new places.

And it's funny because there are so many new things. players in new places. We played as Ohio State at Texas. We set that game up that week two game and I was Ohio State and you were Texas. And like when I got on defense and saw Quay Rusaw coming off the edge for Ohio State, I was like, oh my God, he transferred from Alabama and Ohio State. That's right. And the mechanism in the game too where they put stars underneath the star players. Yes. There were a lot of them on the field at the same time. But what I wanted to say, Andy, is for me, something that matters a lot to me is graphics. And as we've continued on into this new 21st century of amazing graphics.

They got sharper, I thought. The uniforms were crisp. The player movements were more smooth. It felt to me more realistic, more smooth. As you were mentioning with the quarterback play, I thought that it was a really well-done sharpening of the actual visuals of it. Now, there's a lot of changes when it comes to the dynasty mode and how you recruit and all the things they do. We'll get into that as you get closer to the game because they didn't let us get a chance to play with that as much today.

So we'll get into that as we get closer. I think that in the menus and in the dynasty mode is where the majority of the changes are going to be. But for college football nerds like me and you. Yes. People listening to the show, it's just cool. Like in the B-roll here, you see Lane Kiffin coming out of the tunnel at LSU. You see new graphics. Kurt Signetti's in the game.

Yeah. Kurtzignetti leading the Hoosier mascot team out was pretty spectacular. Yeah. And some of the pre-game checks on defense are in different places. You've got to readjust. Oh, yeah, it was driving Ari crazy. Ari's, thinking he's going to lock me down. He's thinking, you know, I'm going to look at Andy's

formation and I got him, I got him completely locked up. So much of this game is about muscle memory. Yeah. And what you remember from previous games and stuff. So yeah, both you and I were using hurry up. Both you and I were, we're trying to go fast. So if you don't have that set up, if you don't have your favorite set of play set up, you're going to be in trouble. Yeah. But a lot of college football people around here. We got Chad Ojo Cinco right here. Yeah, Cam Newton is just over. And Every single time I see Cam Newton in person, I can't believe that's an actual person, but it is. Somebody had to tackle him. Yeah, and I don't know who or why they would want to ever do that.

My career would be over. But we also got to hang out with Michael Vick for a little bit. We did. He's going to be on Monday's show. Yeah, one of the greatest video game players at all time and one of the coolest players I've ever seen play football. So that's Andy recording Michael Vick. I mean, sorry, Cam Newton at the buffet. And he likes Tater Talks.

Who doesn't? Let's be honest here. This was my heaven over here. Exactly. You love this place. So a couple of things that are changing. And we can start with one of the pregame screens. And that would be when you pick your commentators.

So you're picking your style of game. Do you want your commentary to be? Your regular broadcasting, Reese Davis, Jesse Palmer, David Pollock, like last year. We mentioned that Kirk Earp Street not in the game this year. So if you go a big game, you're going Chris Fowler and Joel Clayton. And Holly Row on the sidelines. That's pretty awesome. One day, Andy will be in this game.

As what? The podcast in the middle of the games in Dynasty mode? Talking about the coach getting fired. We are going to be the podcast in the game eventually, right? Yeah, that's why I hope is. We have to be. It has to happen. It says it's in the game, but they don't have podcasts.

I was talking about which coaches are going to be let go in the middle of the off season. Exactly, or in week three in the case of real life right now. Yeah. So, you know, we have a long way to go, Andy, but I think we can get there. But the Chris Fowler, Joel Clatt combination, I got to say it sounded kind of good. Yeah. And it's weird because, like, in real life, we know that ESPN and Fox are kind of mortal enemies. And the idea of those guys actually working together seems pretty far-fetched

because it's number one talent from both company. And I don't know that they would ever let either one go. But it was pretty fun. And both of them are Colorado grads. Yeah. Yeah. But it also makes you feel like you're watching a game on TV, which is kind of what they want.

You know, they want you to feel like you're in that moment, in that environment where you're watching the game. Yeah. So it plays well. Holly Rowe, by the way, in the game this year, which was awesome. So congratulations, Holly. And that also makes it feel like a bigger game because they've set up the beats of the game when you get into it. Like you have a Holly Row commentary coming right out of the tunnel right as the teams are taking the field,

which is exactly what they do in real life where they throw down to Holly. If it's if it's Chris and Kirk or if it's if it's Gus and Joel, they throw down to Jenny. And it's pretty cool that they again, this game is made by people who, who listen to this show, people who love college football, and they get the beats exactly. That's the sort of stuff they care about that you don't even know you care about

until you're playing the game, and you realize they've done it. Yeah, yeah, and it's just like it's seamless. Yeah. It mirrors how it feels to watch a big time on television makes it feel natural while you're playing it. All right,

let us, let's take a look at a simulated big game. Ari and I played where we sent Ohio State to Austin, which is going to happen in week two. Ohio State's going to play at Texas. I was the Buckeyes, Ari was the Longhorns. And I got to say, this new look, Buckeyes D-Line got after Arch Manning's ass. And then we brought out Jeremiah Smith.

All right, we are setting up week two in Austin. I'm just going, there's nothing to even. It's perfect. Yeah, we're not editing uniforms. They're perfect. Ohio State uniforms, correct, obviously. Broadcast team. Let's go.

It's the games at night, right? Is the game at night? Games at night? Quarter length. All right, let's go ahead. Do you want to make it bad weather? Oh, no. Okay. It's Austin. Like, what are we doing? We're going to try to keep this as real as humanly possible.

And I've got to say, I'm the favorite here. Again. Vivo looking real there? Bevo's looking feisty. I've got to say, as somebody who played the game, the last few years, like, the graphics have gotten sharper and better. You know, I know that, like, the criticism for EA sports a lot of the times is that the games don't change a lot year over year. And that might be the case with some of the plays and stuff, but it's getting smoother and better and more refined.

Yeah, the people look. Look at the helmets here. I mean, it's like, the detail on the players is a lot better, but even the detail on the people is better. And they got Ohio State's brand new uniforms in there, Randy, which, you know, they got the piping on the sleeves. Oh, yeah. There's called the, it's just what they used to wear in the playoff, but what they used to wear before. the playoff and now we're back at it full time. Yeah, some, some teams I like to mess with the uniform.

That matchup, I don't want to mess with the uniforms. Yeah, the heritage stripes. It was escaping me. But yes, perfect uniforms. And of course, there was something super realistic in this game, Andy. Yeah, me making a terrible throw, but Jeremiah Smith bailing me out. All right, Ari, you want to take the folks through this play? Yeah, it's something that people haven't seen before. It's Jeremiah Smith doing something ridiculous in traffic. This is not my best throw.

Julian sane making an ill-advised throw with the defender. in front of them, Jeremiah Smith just pops up ahead and... Mossing. Mossing somebody. Does what Jeremiah Smith does. So here we go. And, you know, it's early in the game. We're at home. I've got Arch. I've got Cam Coleman. You haven't heard of him yet. By the way, Ohio State's defensive line from one series, I can tell you, is highly overpowered. Quay Russo, Alabama transfer, getting after Arch Manning. Getting after him. Okay. Well, and of course, Ari, we could not have done this without setting up the game that

every single human being on Earth wants to see. And that is when Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford, Mississippi in September. I got to admit, the stadium pulse was rocking for Vaught Hemingway, which is not a big stadium pulse stadium, if we're being real. We did make one critical error, and we played the game during the day. Yeah, we did. But everything else, exactly the same. I don't know if there's like bottles being thrown in the video game.

That place is going to be an absolute war zone in real life. I think they did a pretty good job of recreating. We did not see any mustard bottles flying. Yeah. Oh, I got to go to white. I got to get a white jerseys. You got a white jerseys. Oh, no.

I'm going to make you play in purple jerseys just because you left me. Yeah. I think with Ole Misses that there's a lot, a lot, a lot of uniform combinations that are very pretty. One of the most beautiful uniforms of all of college football. Which direction are we going here, Andy? You know what's direction. Powder blue. Powder blue helmet.

Let's go. Yeah, I'm making, because LSU wants to wear white, I'm going to make you wear perfect. Yeah. Trying our best to recreate the most intriguing matchup of the 2026 season here. I can't wait. I mean, we've gotten to see Sam Levin a little bit in video game land. We learned a few things up. So we played Florida Air Base.

Arizona. We did an alma mater matchup. They had Aaron Philo as QB1 for the Gators. Do they have Intel there or what? I don't know if they have Intel. I think they're making assumptions. Tremel Jones Jr., you can pop him in there as a starter if you'd like, and that may very well happen depending on how the first couple of games ago. Where they are wrong on rosters, they do update after it comes out. Yep. So things, but you got to pick one. I mean, what are you going to do? You can't just, you know, but he picked the Florida. I went Florida throwbacks. I like the Florida throwbacks. And it turns out that my Arizona Wildcats still aren't quite big, strong or fast enough to play in an SEC. We're not fast enough to tackle Eric Singleton Jr. That's for sure. That's another kind of new face, new place. We mentioned some guys the other day that we're excited to see in their uniforms. That's Eric Singleton Jr. who played at Auburn last year, was at Georgia Tech before that. We probably should have mentioned him. Yeah. Because this is a Florida receiving corps that Dallas Wilson's there. Vernel Brown, the third is back. But I think Eric Singleton Jr. is going to.

make them quite a bit better. Yeah, and it's also one of those guys, too, where it's like I knew that Eric Singleton went to Florida, but when you're playing the game, one of the joys of it is like, oh, crap, Eric Singleton's out there. The funniest part of that particular play when we did it is he's lined up to the left off screen a little bit. I know he's there.

If you're not paying attention as you're calling your defense, you don't know he's there. And I just threw him something a little. I just dumped it off in the flat, and he's just gone. Yeah, if there's any way to try. to learn where everybody is. It's about a one week, 40-hour session on this game.

Then you'll be fully caught up. But, you know, there were a few times where Andy was sneaking in some transfers that I forgot around certain teams and making some plays there because he's sneaky. But, yeah, that's, I mean, that's the biggest, most wonderful part of the game, is that it's so close to real life that when you actually get to play it when it comes out, you know, weeks before the actual season starts, you get to actually see people in those positions for the first time. Well, we got to see it.

We're going to have to wait like everybody else until this thing comes out early July. And I got a feeling that July 4th weekend is going to be pretty well booked for me. Yeah, well, we did strategically take the week before it off, so maybe they'll give us the game. Yeah, we don't take a lot of vacations. So, yeah, EA sports folks, if you want to toss that over in our inbox. Yeah, throw a Kodar a couple days early, just, you know, for your pals, Ari and Andy.

we're not bad guys no yeah not bad but yeah fun game can't wait to see the full version can't wait to start my career my dynasty mode i what was my team going to be this year kent state probably i like okay no no you should pick a team my my thing with picking a dynasty always is visually yeah we talked about us on thursday show yeah visual stadiums so i like having beautiful stadiums and a lot of these stadiums and that are right i got it i got it i got it I'm going to be playing on the teal in Conway, South Carolina. Coastal Carolina. That's a pretty good one.

I think I'm going to go like Colorado State. Yeah. Or somebody that's got mountains because you know, I'm a sucker for mountains. They got to put the sunset in there, I think. I, it always comes down to the sunset with you. All right, Ari. We've played. I have a feeling once that game launches in July,

I'll probably spend a little bit of time as we prepare for this. I mean, it's worked. for us, right? Like, it's how we get to know the rosters. That's how we explain it to our wives, correct? Yeah. Now, for me, it's just bonding time with my son. You have a really good excuse.

As he kicks the crap out of me. You know, I remember I told you, I tried to hoodwink, Brit, when we first met about how watching the NFL was important for my job. Yeah. And then one day, she walked in and was just like, hey, do you ever write about the NFL? And I was like, no. And she goes, how does this impact your job? And I was like, you know, it's just good to be aware.

She goes, you don't need to watch the shit, do you? I'm like, no, I don't. But we do need to play the video game. Yeah. We absolutely need to play the video game. One more question, though. Speaking of watching a pro sport, you had a really good question

that came into your head while watching game one of the NBA finals the other night. So what is that? So the other night, I actually had peak father time, which is escaping temporarily the craziness of being a parent and a partner and having a hotel room in a big city to yourself.

While a big sporting event was going on. While the NBA finals was going on. So what did I do? A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Got a got a pizza and watched the game. And I just lay there with my shirt off in the air conditioning at 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Did we need the image? Did we need it?

But I feel like it's very relatable. The AC blowing your chest tear. Is that not relatable to everybody who gets woken up by a child at 5.54 a.m. every day? Yes. I don't know what that is. But I have a lot of intrusive zone out. The thing I love about watching other sporting events that we do not get to do, Andy, when watching college football,

has turned your brain off and really just enjoy the games. Yes. And while I was watching the NBA Finals game one on Wednesday night, it occurred to me. This is a pretty interesting matchup because you have San Antonio Spurs who have won five NBA finals before. But then had to tear it all down. It tore it all down from a legendary coach as a new coach,

but they ended up finding this alien of a human being in Wembe. Yes. And Wembe is 7-4 and moves his body in a way that I've never seen somebody that large move it. And it does look like Slender Man on TV. And then you have this other thing, which is this huge cultural pop culture team. Yes. That has the entire city of New York like shutting streets down, watching it together in community. It's on the subway.

It's in pop culture. It's in fashion. It's the one New York team that every. agrees on because nobody cares about the Nets. You have a split with the Yankees in the Mets. You have a split with the Jets and the Giants. But it feels like the entirety of New York City is on board here. And it's been.

Apparently the last time the Knicks won in NBA. Did you see this on Twitter? I did. The last time the same day, the last time the Knicks won an NBA finals game. It was the O.J. Simpson chase, the same day. Oh, that was the last time they played in the finals. I was, I do remember that. I watched, I remember watching the Bronco going down the 405.

During the NBA finals? Yes. Oh, I didn't know. See, I was a kid. You were young. I was in high school. And I vividly remember watching the Bronco chase. So I don't know if that meant that they won or won.

They didn't win the championship. They didn't win. The last time they won was in the 70s. But I didn't know if they won a game in that finals. But either way, it happened a long time ago. And it's a team that like really does capture the attention of the entire country, but also hasn't won shit and what? 40 years. More than that. More than that. So what would that look like in college football terms,

I thought to myself? It's a great question. So who would be the Knicks and who would be the Spurs? So the Spurs are a team that was really good in the early 2000s that has fallen off. I got two for you. Okay. I got two for you. I have got one. One hit, I feel like a rockier rock bottom than the other, but they both, I think, qualify. Okay. Well, one has to be Florida. One is Florida. Yeah. Florida hit the rocky rock bottom. Florida was awesome in the early 2000s, 2006, 2008 national title. Tim Tebow Heisman, sandwiched in between those things. And then you also had iconic players like, Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, Brandon Spikes, who were the equivalent of

Manu Genobley and Tony Parker. Yes, yes, yes. And then Urban Meyer was pop. Yep. And then they've kind of vanished for a while. Exactly. Yeah. The other one is USC. That's another good one. Yeah, the Pete Carroll USC teams, very analogous to those spurs teams. And I don't think they ever got as bad as Florida's gotten a couple times during that stretch. But it's the same thing. Like if they suddenly were competing for the championship again, if they were about to play for the national championship,

we would look at it very much the same way. I think those are two perfect examples. Now, let's go to the other side, which is the culturally significant team that hasn't won anything since I was, before I was born. Yep. And one comes to my head. And I don't know if it would it would captivate the entire country

in the same way that New York City, the center of the universe does. But I've got one. Okay. Would it be A&M? A&M, have they ever won? No, but their only national title is pre-integration. Who's a big?

I think it's Nebraska. Okay, it could be Nebraska. I think it's Nebraska because they were on top. Now, Nebraska was more dominant than the Knicks ever were. Like when Nebraska was dominant in the 80s and 90s, they were far more dominant than the Knicks were. But they have fallen off. They were iconic.

And now they are an also-ran, or at least have been an also-ran. And so, and they have, in terms of fan base, like what you see in the streets of New York, the entire state of Nebraska would do. Yeah, that's a really good example. I'm trying to think, because Florida State has won too recently for that to matter. Well, and here's the other thing. Penn State or Notre Dame would be the other kind of obvious choices. they've come too close to winning the national title recently. Yeah.

Because Notre Dame played for it in Penn State lost Notre Dame in that semi-final just two years ago. Yeah. So maybe it would have been like Florida, Notre Dame two years ago would have been perfect. Yes. But here's the last. Yeah. Right now, Nebraska, well, as someone who I didn't join the Florida team until the, you know, summer of 1996. So that was after they'd played Nebraska.

but having been on the team with some guys who played against Nebraska in that that Fiesta Bowl, I don't think Florida ever wants to play Nebraska again in football. So here's the other thing that I'm going to throw a curveball at you because I hadn't even brought this up to you before we recorded. Yeah. But the team that is Florida or USC who was successful, you know, some time ago at the highest level, has Wembe. What position is Wembe and what does that look like? It's a quarterback, right? It has to be a quarterback.

It's either a quarterback or it is, it is an endemican Sue level the tackle. Yeah. Who just wrecks everything. And I'm trying to think of like players in the last 15 years or so that were insanely good, but also we're like, wow, I've really never seen something like that before. And that be Cam Newton. Yep. Yeah.

That's that he's the one that pops to mine most easily. I'm trying to think of other people who like, Wembe is just physically unique. So that's what makes him feel a little bit different. But yes, like Cam Newton. Newton, I think. There were players that were... Vince Young, I think was like that. Yeah.

So they would have to have like a... Like a Florida, G.J. Lagway would have been what we thought he was. Maybe that would have been a good example of it. Yeah. What everybody thought he was and then... And then a little bit more. Yeah. So, but it's a fun thought exercise because I remember I was in journalism school

at Arizona. And I'm sure this was something that everybody was taught all the time at journalism 101 about about localizing things that people are talking about. And I was just like to think, like, this is the NBA finals. This has nothing to do with my job and never will. But it'd be really fun to talk about it. Well, it's been a fun NBA playoff so far. And I mean, not as much fun watching the NICs just run through the Eastern Conference, but watching the NICs. Because the NICs play a very pleasing style. You can't not like Jalen Brunson. You can't not like. Dog. You know, like they got so

such cool role players too. Like Landry Schammett doesn't look like he should be a star in the NBA. What's the power of friendship? Yeah. Exactly. But and then Carl Anthony Towns is just a fascinating person. So I love watching them. And then the Spurs was just this incredible story of it's a great organization, but time caught up. Duncan retired, Genobley retired, Parker retired, and you had to figure out what to do next. And they did. They had to, they had to raise it to the ground and then build it back up. And San Antonio, you know, isn't a huge NBA market. Like, that's the thing. But they've always found a way to be successful. And I don't know if that's great coaching or drafting, but you know,

great lottery luck to get Wemby. But yeah, it's also having Stefan Castle there. It's also having the assets to go get the ear in Fox. Yeah. It's trading for Champagne. Yeah. Like there's no.

Did they trade? Or do they pick him up? I think the six just had to release him. Like, I mean, they just have been really good organization. And you don't. Yeah.

It's, it's been really cool to see them. Because the spurs were Darth Vader when I was a kid. Yeah. You know, they just kicked the crap at everybody. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, about like, you know, David Robinson and Tim Duncan. That's why I thought about the P. Carroll USC teams. And I think maybe USC makes the most sense because they were Darth Vader. I don't know. Florida was for two or three years. They were too. Yeah.

You know, I, but that was fun. That was. And look, it's going to be fun watching the rest of the finals. I hope it goes seven games like the Western Conference finals did because I thoroughly enjoyed that. And, you know, look, we love all the other sports on this show. But of course, we love college football the most, which is why it is now time for another draft. Now, this one, Ari and I are together. So we're going to do this one solo.

I've got my big board here. Producer River, I apologize to leave you out. You know, maybe one of us is going to think about you and your boys. We'll see about that. Yeah, I feel like, you know, that would have been a number one overall pick had he been involved. Oh, 100%. Now, we don't know who is going to pick first. Rock paper, scissors, best of three.

So the one thing I wanted to This isn't a snake because there's only two of us, right? Right. So just every other. Okay. Let's do a little rock paper, Cizor action. Okay.

I mean, it doesn't really matter. Does it actually matter because I know you're not taking the thing I'm taking? Are you sure about that? Yeah. You go first. No. Go ahead. You go first.

I picks the same either way. Go first. So I'm going to take the Rose Bowl. What a terrible picture. I'm just that we're after we're drafting my favorite Rose Bowl yeah you can have Tiger Stadium and then am I up again hold on I'm going to take Tiger Stadium explain why when the sun finds his home in the western sky Rie does not get it he's never been there but I think if you've watched it on

TV you know a Saturday night football game at Tiger Stadium is better than is a better environment, better atmosphere than the best Rose Bowl ever played. By the way, I was at the best Rose Bowl ever played. I can tell you the pregame run-up, the everything, like the best Rose Bowl ever played was four a national championship. So that was great. It had that going for it. I've been at games between Alabama and LSU that ended in shutouts at Tiger Stadium, where the pregame run up was a billion times better than any Rose Bowl. Best tailgating, best atmosphere loudest, there's nothing better. I've actually heard that the sunsets that are really pretty, too.

Who cares? I'm just, but you don't think that, so we talked about this on the walk home from lunch with our friend Dan Rubenstein. Setting and location also are part of my thought process. If they're not to you, that's fine, but I will.

I have been to many night games at Tiger Stadium. I've never once even considered the sunset. Well, you're soft. Not even once. Well, I'm soft. Yeah, you're all about feelings. I'm all about football. I like atmosphere.

I like location. Tiger. Like part of my list is like what I want to live here. I would want to live in Tiger Stadium because the tailgators would feed me and it would be amazing. They'd feed me gumbo. They feed me gator. They'll feed you steak too.

We did a thing for SI once where we were highlighting some of the better tailgators at LSU. And so we're walking around the RV lot on Friday night. People will just throw a steak at you and be like, here you go. I would love to. experience this one day. Yeah. Also, you're number one.

And I will tell you this. I've had multiple acquaintances who I would tell them, Tiger Stadium's the best atmosphere. It's not close. And they say, yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. And then they go to a game and it's like, oh. Yeah. Oh.

I can't doubt you because I've never seen it. So one day, I've been to Baton Rouge. I've eaten at restaurants in Baton Rouge. I've had Cajun food. I've never experienced a night game at Tiger Stadium, but I would have had it on my list. It is on my list here, but I is your number two pick. Also, you knew what I was taking.

Now that you've wasted number one. I'm going to take Beaver Stadium. Good choice. Number two. Excellent choice. Beaver Stadium is sneaky pretty, by the way. Yes. If you're into feelings.

Well, it has the erector set thing going on, but the setting is pretty. Right. The scenery around there is absolutely beautiful. The view is incredible. Traveling in to Beaver Stadium is actually a pleasant and beautiful. through the mountains. The food is very underrated in that part of the country. Gas station, you know, culture.

It is where Wawa and sheets collide. Yes. More sheets right around. And I've also had the pleasure of covering multiple Ohio State Whiteout games there. And I will say, and I've been to some SEC venues that are impressive and loud and amazing. This is the loudest, most intimidating environment I have personally witnessed. It's easily the loudest and most intimidating in the Big Ten, and it is up there with all.

And I've also not always been to the SEC stadiums that have had the best most hateful game. You have to also imagine that when Penn State was hosting Ohio State as either unbeatens or one-lossed teams with the Big Ten on the line, that was the best atmosphere possible at the place. So, and the way that the white out looks aesthetically from the press box, it's just in the press box shakes. They scream and jump in unison. It is unlike anything else I've ever seen in all of sports. I know it exists at places that might be on your list. But Beaver Stadium from a experience standpoint is the top icon of what I view college football to be. And the other thing that I like about it, Andy, is that it's unique just in the fact that it's kind of in the middle of nowhere.

And it like kind of speaks to what the spirit of college football is. And I think you're right. And I've got a few on my big board that basically they're the largest building. building in town. They rise out from the landscape. And it's going to be a unique looking building, too. No other places really looks like that. But and the sheer size of it. Okay.

My second pick. It's going to be a homer pick. I'm warning you right now. The Swamp. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field. Now Steve Spurrier Field. Orange walls. Incredibly loud crowd when they're good. Kind of quiet when they're not good.

But when Florida is good, it is one of the craziest places in the world to watch a game. They added the Tom Petty thing to go with the We Are the Boys between the third and fourth quarters. Really awesome. But just sounds like a jet engine going off when Florida is coming out of the tunnel. And the rub the gator head come out of the tunnel to just an explosion of sound. It is incredible. It's a really tight stadium. Probably not as tight as Boone Pickin Stadium at Oklahoma State.

but I would think tighter than anywhere else. Like the fans are right on the opposing team. They're right behind your bench. It is just incredible. You know when you're watching a game from Florida, you see those orange walls. And I remember the first time I went in there is I had no rooting interest. My dad had gotten tickets to the Florida Auburn game in 1992.

I was a South Carolina fan. And walking in that place, it was like, oh, wow, this is different. And then obviously I've experienced a lot of games there. The cock block 2006, Jarvis Moss blocking Ryan suckup. Tony George intercepting Peyton Manning and taking back 89 yards in 1997. These are some of the loudest I have ever heard any stadium. And yeah, when the swamps rock and it's really tough to beat. Did we reach there?

I told you it was a Homer pick. Okay. It's a good pick. The thing that I regret the most about it is is that I've only seen them lose there. Well, I mean, fairly recently, if you go to a big game, so you don't know what you're going to get. My number three, I don't even know if this one would be on your big board,

but I am going to put it there just because I find it to be unique, and that is Notre Dame Stadium. That's a great pick. Now, I don't know if that is on your list here. It's been very tempting not to cheat off your paper. Yeah. I'm a man of honor. flipping my iPad.

I'm a man of honor. No, I love this pick. It's interesting because it's not because it's loud because it's not. They had to tell their older season ticket holders to please stop yelling at the people for standing up and cheering. That was a few years ago. This isn't a ranking of what stadium is the loudest to me. The atmosphere is got better. But everything about the Notre Dame game experience is incredible, watching the band come across the campus.

It's awesome. It's like I know that like I'm not as over a more sentimental problem. probably than you are in terms of, but like when I think about what college football is. Oh, yeah. Like Notre Dame is like it's the fall in South Bank. Yeah, if you're a college football fan, you need to see a game at Notre Dame. Like if you, to to really, the dome. Get the full.

Everything. It is just like a really cool place. It's not the loudest. Although I have seen some pretty exciting games here in the last. Yeah. The campus I think is amongst maybe the most beautiful campuses I've ever seen in my entire life. Yes. The people there, that community, everything.

The thing that I love about Notre Dame more than anything is that Notre Dame has its local grad contingent of people mixed in with people who love Notre Dame because they're Irish or Catholic. Yeah. Oh yeah. And they all come in together and they're kind of like all one and the same. I know quite a few Notre Dame grads and their network and the way they treat those home games as many reunions. It is awesome. It is so much fun.

They know how to party. Great fight song. everything about it, to play like a champion. Like, I just, you know, if it was the loudest stadiums list, I think that our lists would be different, but I think there's something romantic about that place. I think that's a great choice. I love it.

Here's one. It's also loud, but it's not that big. I don't know how it gets this loud. It's a marvel of physics. I think I know what you're going to pick, and I don't know how it gets that loud. Austin Stadium at Oregon. First of all, like, the whole game day experience is cool there,

but I do not understand. how 60,000 people sound like 150,000. Is there something with acoustics or something? I think it's the way it's designed because it's a little bit like, you remember the big sombrero, the old Tampa Stadium? Yeah, yeah. It's kind of got that going on. And it feels like the sound just kind of bounces back and forth.

But like when the Joker and the thief cranks up right before they kick off, your heart just races. Like it is one of the coolest places in the world of watch a football game. And especially when they're playing somebody really good. Like I've been to some fun game, Oregon USC and when Stanford was really good, the Oregon Stanford games were awesome. Like it is just so cool. And so that's one.

And again, like I know the people who go like a lot of people who are fans of an SEC team who've been to most of the stadiums in the SEC, they go, well, how in the world can that compare to all of these incredible palaces in the SEC with 100,000 people? I'm telling you, it sounds just like it. Yeah, it's, it is one of the more unique places, too. Yeah. Because Oregon in it of itself isn't. Oregon is a beautiful place.

Like, you're just driving around. It's beautiful. I just, I'm shocked every time. And like, when I go and it's not a game day, if I go to just interview players at Oregon, I love running that prefontaine trail that runs around this, you know, behind the stadium and through. And you see it. Because you're jogging on the trail and the stadium all of a sudden comes out of nowhere. And that's a good setting pick too because Oregon's one of the better beautiful states in the union.

Yeah. Yeah. Okay, Andy, my turn. Yeah. River, stand up, bud. Oh, boy, here it is. Stand up, River. Come on. Andy loves to say, I've never been to the moon, but I know it's beautiful.

I've never been to Neeland Stadium, but I've never experienced through the television what Neeland Stadium has to offer more than when they beat Bama with Hendon Hucker a few years ago. I've never felt more FOMO in my entire life. I know based on the interactions with the psychopath fans that that place probably gets as loud as any place in the country. I love what they do from the patterns they make with their shirts in the stadium, the Ball Navy. This could have been in other drafts, maybe the number one overall pick. It's so much fun. I've covered a bunch of Tennessee games. Just be a Tennessee beat writer early in my career.

Neeland Stadium, great tailgating. The sailgating coming off of Tennessee River in the Wall Navy. And then what they've done with the fireworks and other stuff, but what producer river is showing right now is then running through the tea at the beginning. Yeah. Just sitting there watching that because the pride of the Southland band actually forms a bunch of different teas before they get to naughty. It's just so much fun. The end zones.

Everything about it is peak college football. And as you know, Andy, I'm also thinking about scenic. I know that there are parts of Tennessee that are as pretty as any places in the country. It's a not stillsville's a great smoky mountains. The great smoky mountains. You got the Voln Navy thing going. Like I am actually, every place that we've all picked, I think, outside of what you think of the Rose Bowl,

seems to be an iconic place and they're all beautiful and amazing in their rights. But like getting Neeland this far down on the list seems like a pretty big gift. The next one I'm going to say, I think a lot of people are going to feel the same way. The big house, Michigan Stadium. And it's not, okay, it's not the loudest. It is the largest. It's definitely not even close to the lot of us.

Not even close, yeah. But it is an iconic venue. It has some features that make it really fun, like the fact that there's only one tunnel. That's right. The teams coming out of the single tunnel. Now, look, there's very little in college football cooler than when Michigan runs out and slaps the banner.

But it's also fun when the teams go into halftime, and they're about to fight. Like every single time when there's a tight game or it's a Michigan, Ohio State or Michigan, Michigan State, and I realize what happened, you know, with the Michigan State thing, what happened in the tunnel, okay, whatever. You decided to have one tunnel.

I have no problem with people fighting in the tunnel if you're going to only have one tunnel. Yeah. There are certain challenges about this venue that make it harder for us than it would be for a fan because the interview process is very far away and all that. I'm just thinking about the experience of the game. The Michigan students, section does, has all these things they do. Yeah.

Like, that's, that's fun. I love when, I love when fans have different, you know, obviously Texas A&M is probably the, the, the, the biggest one here in terms of fans essentially having their own language. Do you know what I think the coolest thing about Michigan Stadium is, and I know they've done a lot of renovations, I should say, sorry, in the last five years, is that when you walk outside the first time you've ever been there, and you see it by standing next to it or across the street from, you know. It does not rise above the landscape.

You look like, what the hell is that? Yeah. And then you walk through the doors and look and it's like, holy shit. This was here the whole time? Yeah. Yeah. And like it's gotten a little bit taller on the outside now because of the renovations and the brick that they put in. But it is, you know, the most iconic.

And I got to say, I know some people are sick of it. And I know it's actually a fairly recent tradition because the song wasn't released that long ago. The Mr. Brightside thing's cool. Yeah. I love it. Of course it is. Yeah. Okay.

I'm up last and I have like nine other stadiums. Oh, there's so many. We let we have a very long. And I really don't know whether I should go scenic here or whether I should go loud here or I should go blue blood or whatever. But I'm going to go scenic and I'm going to go to a place that I've never seen a game. Okay. And that's Rice Eccles Stadium. Oh, this is on my big, Lord.

This is a great choice. You got the mountains. You've got passionate fans. You've got a big city, but you got a small conference feel. And from what I understand with all. the ways that these games have gone is it's apparently hell to play in at night. It is hell to play in at night. And like you can you can see this from TV because you can see how bad the cameras

are shaking. And it's not like it's not completely made. It's not a high school stadium. Like it's not completely made out of metal and it shouldn't be like that. It's actually pretty well constructed. But it is so chaotic in there and the must the mighty Utah student section is so active. Like it's great. I think that is an excellent choice. That's one I don't know that a lot of people would necessarily have on their list. And you're picking last year, Andy, and I want to, can I just like, it doesn't matter because you have one more pick.

Here are some of the other stadiums that we've, I had on my list that we didn't get to because we only picked five. That's Husky Stadium. Yep, that's a good one. And I didn't pick Husky Stadium. I got to. Kyle Field. Kyle, Field. Lovell Edwards Stadium, BYU, looks unbelievable.

I still haven't gotten to cover a game there. I'd love to see a game. Folsom Field and Boulder. Yeah. Lane Stadium and Virginia Tech. California Memorial Stadium is very unique in that, but it's not very loud. Maybe the best view of any stadium. And then Kid Brewer Stadium, App State.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, pretty cool. So those are on my big board. Andy, you have the floor. One more. And this is a place where on certain days, it does not matter how good the opponent is. They'll never win. Auburn's Jordan Hare Stadium. When Jordan Hare Stadium is truly rocking,

it might be the most intimidating place to play in the country. The flight of the eagle at the beginning, the hairs on the back of your neck will stand up. It is awesome. It is truly awesome. And when that place gets going, again, I think back to 2017, when Georgia came in their rank number one, there was no shot.

Georgia's going to win that game. No shot whatsoever. And the fact that they, you know, remembered 10 years earlier that in Sanford Stadium, Georgia had played Soldier Boy to mock Auburn as, as Georgia was winning the game. When you first heard the little, don't, don't, and the whole crowd knew exactly what was going on and just brah. Like, there's a dance party between the third and fourth quarters. I'm telling you, it is one of the coolest places you will ever see a game. And it's tough because, like already said, there's a lot of stadiums that could have made this list.

Like Lane Stadium, you mentioned. When Metallica cranks up, it's one of the greatest things in the world. When at Williams-Sprice Stadium in Columbia, when that 2001 Space Odyssey theme gets going, it's awesome. Yeah. You know, and I didn't even mention the stadium that I covered games in for 10 years. Ohio Stadium is another one. Ryan Denny Stadium in Alabama. One of my favorite moments in college football is not during the game.

It is before the games at Alabama. I can't remember if the teams are still on the field warming up or if they've come off and it's between the warm-ups and before they come back out for the kickoff. But they start playing Sweet Home Alabama. And it's pre-game. And you're just like the sun's shining down and the crowd's just kind of there not because everybody's just sort of getting to their seats and then you're that and everybody starts shaking the pom-poms and it is and then it's like okay it's on it is

time yeah it is time and then right before they bring Alabama out they've got they have this video they play and it's got bear Bryant yeah I mean I was going to say I never been nothing but a winner and pull I will say this because I don't know I've only covered a few games at Bama but the Bear Bryant voiceover at the beginning of the game I don't know if they do that every week. They do, which is because it's big. No, they do every week. But Alabama, I think, has done the best job of in-game experience for the fans as it pertains to the stadium music, the entertainment, the lasers, all the things that they end up doing.

I thought, by the way, I thought Georgia has really improved that as well. Georgia is another place where it's really tough to play. It's a very big stadium similar to Michigan Stadium where it's, I believe it's dug into a gulch. basically. So if you're driving by at street level, you're on the mezzanine. You're looking at the mezzanine. And just the upper deck is coming out of the ground. And it is, it's pretty spectacular. Yeah. So, you know, this one is going to fire people up like they all do, but that was fun. And I didn't embarrass myself, I don't think. Well, except for the Rose Bowl. You could have picked a real venue. Let me ask you, and be honest, if I wouldn't have picked the Rose Bowl, number one, would you

eventually have taken it or would I have been able to get it? Absolutely not. I would have just been able to get it whenever. We could have gone 20 picks and you could have gotten it. I know, but I would have taken it number one even with that knowledge. Yeah. Because I want people to know that I'm soft. Fellows, we need to read off the entire list before we go with this segment. Ari, you had the first pick with the Rose Bowl.

Second pick, Beaver Stadium at Penn State, Notre Dame Stadium, Neeland Stadium at Tennessee, and Rice Eccles Stadium at Utah. Andy, you were the second pick. pick, your team is, or your venues are, Tiger Stadium at LSU, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida, Austin Stadium at Oregon, the Big House in Michigan, and Jurdon Harris Stadium at Auburn. Love it. Love it.

Beautiful list. Yeah. So we'll put it on Twitter. And we'll get yelled at. And then we'll go into the weekend and then we'll start again on our podcast on Monday. This is one where I do not feel like, you know, there's been a couple where I'm like, oh, I definitely won this one. I don't, I don't feel that way.

I guarantee you there will be people who hate my list, who love your list. I mean, I'll show you my big board right now. I mean, outside of the Rose Bowl, I mean, are you telling me that like we didn't have like all the same teams? Oh, Mikey Stadium. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you didn't mention Mikey Stadium Army. Yeah. It's another one that that is an iconic venue.

Kyle Field. I mean, yeah, Kyle Field. And Kyle Field, especially since the renovation since they enlarged it, is so intimidating. Like, I think as the years go by Kyle Field May, Texas A&M. is also 0 and 2 in my appearances in that stadium. So that's also part of it. We're never going to be invited back. Yeah, I don't know.

They played two really good teams. I mean, that is part of the problem. Yeah, I mean, one was a playoff game and one was Texas. So, but this year, maybe we'll go back and there'll be a little bit of a different fortune. Who knows? Who knows? But, and maybe it'll climb your list and you realize it's, it's better. No, it's Rose Bowl.

Better than Rose Bowl. Rose Bowl is just iconic. And if you can't see that, I can't explain it to you. Been at the best game they ever played there. Don't care. We'll talk to you on Monday.