Andy & Ari On3 - Can the Big Ten win its THIRD STRAIGHT National Title? Big Ten Media Days 2025

Episode Date: July 22, 2025

It's time for Big Ten Media Days to start in Las Vegas, and Andy & Ari will be live on the scene for the week. Teams featured today are Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, and Rutgers. What are the glaring questions ahead of the big event? What has the standard become at Wisconsin? How different will Michigan's be different with Bryce Underwood? Is this year a make or break for James Franklin? (0:00-6:11) Intro: A View of Vegas(6:12-7:57) Glaring Questions ahead of Big Ten Media Days(7:58-21:36) Real expectations for Wisconsin?(21:37-23:38) Continuing the Wisconsin discussion(23:39-25:16) Kings of the North Poll(25:17-32:24) Make or break year for James Franklin at Penn State?(32:25-34:19) Michigan's offense with Bryce Underwood(34:20-35:24) Other headlines, surprises?(35:25-38:39) Dylan Raiola big step?(38:40-43:27) Washington; ever been to Seattle?(43:28-47:59) The Full Big Ten Poll; The Moon Landing(48:00-52:39) Jake Retzlaff to Tulane(52:40-59:13) Producer River's QB Team(59:14-1:01:23) Conclusion  Also, some news out of the transfer portal came up on Monday as QB Jake Retzlaff will join Tulane's football team as a walk-on. What does this mean for Tulane's CFP odds? And what does it mean for Producer River in his QB draft? To wrap up, Producer River gives us his list of quarterbacks, and he might be able to compete with Andy & Ari. What do you think? Check out our Twitters to vote! https://x.com/Andy_Stapleshttps://x.com/AriWassermanhttps://x.com/RiverBailey01Watch our show LIVE, M-F at 9:30 am et! https://www.youtube.com/@On3sports Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey Interested in partnering with the show? Email [e-mail] 

Welcome to Andy and Ari on 3. We are in Las Vegas, Ari. We're at the window at the Luxor Pyramid. It's a beautiful sight. Yeah, I got here way earlier than you. I walked all the way up north to almost Treasure Island today. Wow. So you're getting exercise? You're getting steps in instead of just giving them your money? I didn't gamble yet. I'm going to gamble tonight.

But this view that we're looking at was my childhood. I don't think you realize that. Hold on a second. Let me let me show the people. Yeah. Show the people. When we're in the hotel room, we have, we're sort of at the mercy of the light but so there's your Luxor pyramid right there. Got the Excalibur Castle over there. We got New York, New York, all the...

Allegiant Stadium right there. This is great camera work. Yeah, I'm a professional man. And it got me sitting informally, which is not something that they typically see. I've got very nice legs, so it should be a treat for them. We're not putting your legs in the shot. Andy, but I wanted to walk through these casinos because it's been years. My dad used to come here on business when I was a kid and he would bring us up here and that was in the early 2000s, late 90s when Vegas tried the kid thing,

the theme thing. So wait, you were Mr. Papa Giorgio? Yeah, I mean, like I was younger than Papa Giorgio. I mean, I was like 10, 11, 12, and they would bring us to the water parks and we would go. I mean, Vegas was like a somewhat family environment. And I haven't walked through these hotels in decades. I just love I wish I could have been in the meetings when they decided that Vegas is going to be family friendly, like, just ignore all the hookers. But I think that that was that was peak Vegas. Part of the charm that was peak Vegas. Part of the charm. That was peak Vegas when they had luxury combined with the themes,

because these hotels when I was a kid, weren't $39 a night. And now I saw some people from another country taking pictures of the Sphinx inside the Luxor as I was walking today. And I thought to myself, if only these people knew what this place used to be, because these hotels are a shell of their former self and it got me thinking, you know how much I love this city. Oh yeah. Usually when I come with my wife and friends,

we're up on the way northern end of the strip where. You're wearing a wind t-shirt right now. I didn't even realize. You're like, I'm slumming it over here, but I go to the wind normally. But this city lost itself. It's not the same city. It used to be. It used to be about hospitality and taking care of people.

And now when you come here, the entire city is designed to bend you over a barrel. You know, I want to attach a vacuum to your wallet and a water bottle and a bag of Fritos as I was walking. And it was $19. I was like, forget this. I'm not doing this. And, you know, I'm a guy who likes his Fritos. And I used to think like back to when there was like a moat around the Excalibur and when, you know, Tupac Shakur was staying in the Luxor and

well, you know, like the bad, bad things. Yeah, that happened. That was a bad, but I'm saying like peak Vegas, when these New York, New York was bad ass and not just the cheap hotel at the end of the strip, it was about hospitality and treating people right and getting you to gamble by offering you things free. You don't have to pay to valet your car nightly now. The entire draw of Vegas used to be

that you could valet everywhere because they were so happy that you would come into the casino. And they've done so many things to the city to deter you from gambling. It's possible to come here and spend three days here and never gamble because there's so much stuff to do. And you know I'm a buffet aficionado.

Yeah. The buffets have gotten the buffets are outrageous. And it's 70 bucks if you want to do it. So you know, that's my Vegas diatribe. And another thing I wanted to say, and this is what really grinds my gears. Yeah. Yeah. And like, listen, I like going to the pool, you know, the spas and doing the nice dinners

up there on the northern end of the strip. But this is a non Vegas. This is a hotel thing. If you are a hotel and your rate never surpasses 200 a night, don't put the key thing in the elevator unless you're staying in a hotel. Well, it depends on what part of town you're in. I'm just saying like, I don't know if that's a safety thing or a bad take, but it is the most aggravating thing in the entire world. Certain downtowns and certain cities, this is not one of them. Do you know what's really cool?

What's cool? Those locks on the doors individually stop people from coming into your room. It's not that, it's somebody following you up the elevator into the hallway. No, I understand. You're a large dude. I guess I'm not a woman, so I don't have to think about it, but like it is just kind of like, I mean, so your theory is that if the, if the room is the, the cheaper, the room, the more likely you should need that. Yeah. Okay.

Cause I was like protecting yourself from being robbed or something. It's like, speaking of hotels also, you know, I always try to set up the nicest shot I can when we're on the road. And this is great cause these are very comfortable chairs. But I usually move the stuff that's on the hotel dresser. We've got the mini bar behind us. It's one of those touch sensitive mini bars. Yeah. And I started to move it. I'm like, oh no, I'm going to get charged 250 bucks if I if I move this. It is crazy how much technology goes into like, even if you want to look at the calories

or something, like you're charged. I mean, that's a, but that's also one of the joys of Vegas because a good mini bar is a thing of the past. It doesn't really exist in most hotels where you can open the door and you have every single type of drink. And the one thing I will say Andy about Mandalay and Luxor and Excalibur and stuff, what's today? Monday as we're recording this? Today is Monday. Big 10. Because you know we're lively down there. Yes. So,

like my diatribe about how it's not, you know, the themes and stuff. Like my whole thing would be if I were in charge of the city would bring the themes back and marry it with luxury. Like they like the resorts world that isn't even, you that people go, it's on destination as a new hotel. Did you see the designs of what that was supposed to be before 08 happened? I did not. It was supposed to be this beautiful, like, Wynn equivalent Asian themed hotel that was supposed to be like the most beautiful place on earth, and then they just put a hilt in there instead. And it's just like, you know, I know that financially

we're in different times, but you know, I am nostalgic for my childhood. I don't know if people signed up to listen to me rant about Vegas for eight minutes. But they signed up to find out if the big 10, which has produced the last two national champions will produce another national champion. We've got Ohio State coming to media days on Tuesday.

So we'll see them. We'll see Indiana, which made the playoff last year. We will see Illinois, which won 10 games last year. This is going to be a very interesting next few days because there are a lot of teams with very big expectations coming in and look, they can't all make the playoff. They can't all win the national title, but there are some that definitely feel like they are in that mix. And we set it all through the playoff last year.

The Super Team era is dead. What you saw from Ohio State, that type of roster you're not going to see again. But does that mean New Blood might be able to win the national title? Yeah, well, I mean, if you look at the big 12 graphic that River just had up there, you like look at the big 12, the big 10 graphic. Sorry, we're in big 12 land is still in my head. How many teams do you see there that has a conceivable hope right now to go to the playoff? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Let's name them. Let's name Illinois, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Let's name them. Let's name them. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Nebraska,

Penn State, USC. I mean, they think so. Yeah, I mean, USC fans' expectation is to do so. So whether or not that's a reasonable thought right now, I think they would be on the list. And then I think even Washington would probably be on that list. Yeah, Washington was in the national title game two years ago.

It's, it's so easy to fall back into that trap of, well, they weren't very good last year, but like, you know, but, but at the same time, we know how fastly teams can rebound and be different the year after. And I think you could even make a case that Wisconsin thinks that they're, they're a team that should make that case. I think you'd look at Wisconsin schedule and not make that case at all. Yeah. No, I'm saying like Wisconsin fans though, view their program as a team that should be,

Oh, I don't know. I think, I think we may have to do an informal poll of Wisconsin fans who, who watch and listen. I think Wisconsin, no, and I don't mean for this upcoming season. I think that everybody knows that's probably not going to happen. You mean, you mean year in a year year out they want to be contenders? I think that Wisconsin fans are more in the expectation of year in and year out we're contending for the playoff than I would say Indiana and Illinois. I didn't think we were going to get here so quickly. That's what's so fun about the podcast. You never know where we're going to go.

But let's talk about that because we are going to talk about the Ohio States and the Michigan's and the Penn States and the teams that might be able to compete for the national championship. But let's talk about Wisconsin and expectations because 10 years ago, Wisconsin's expectation was to win 10 games a year, but never compete for the national championship. Now they can't win 10 games, but if they ever could, they'd be in the playoff. If Wisconsin could morph back to what it was in 2016, they would be an annual playoff team. Yes.

Year over year. Now, the knock on the expanded playoff to me was always letting teams in that weren't great have a seat on the dance floor. If this system existed in 2016, they would crave a win or two in that playoff. But now they've reverted back to being so out of what they used to be that they would die to be back to what they were. River, put that schedule up again, by the way.

This schedule is nasty. Nasty. If you're listening in podcast form, they've got Alabama in Tuscaloosa at a conference. They kick off Big Ten play with Maryland. That's it for easy Big Ten games. And I don't even know if that's going to be easy for them. It goes Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota. After that, that is a brutal schedule.

We keep asking what Big 10 team would trade its nine game schedule for an eight game SEC schedule. I don't think most of them would. I think Wisconsin would trade for quite a few of them because Wisconsin schedule is awful. The toughest thing about Wisconsin schedule isn't necessarily the fact that they are incapable of winning most of those games is that there's no reprieve. Back in the day, playing Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota would have been buffer games

in between. This is like the Oklahoma schedule. This is like that back half of the Oklahoma schedule where it's just the last, it's the last eight for them. It's just nonstop. If you really want to dive into the Wisconsin discussion, let's dive into it. Yeah, let's do it. You know, we were recording an episode late last week where we were going through and kind of coming up with some teams identities, right? Right. And you know, your, if you remember correctly, or if I'm remembering correctly, your Minnesota one was run the ball well and play great defense.

Right. It's like what is Wisconsin and Iowa still that it's supposed to be, but. Luke fickle tried to get away from that. And I understand why I understand why, because divisions were going away. He's trying to build a team that can win the big 10, but they never got players that, that worked in that offense. They never had any speed on the outside Like if you're going to do that if you're gonna run an offense like that

You need to have a lot of speed and they didn't have it Well, and it's it's to me. I you know who I don't ever criticize and is Luke Fickle And I think that he probably deserves to be criticized But if you put yourself in his position I think that there is a debate about whether or not moving away from what was working to get you to 10 games was a smart decision. But if you go back to the way in which Wisconsin fired Paul Crist, the amount of money it took to get Luke Fickel, who at the time was one of the hottest coaches in the carousel, they didn't, they, they hired him to be better than me. My thinking was they hired him and also he took the job because they were going

to put in the, the resources to get good players in this era where you can pay players, pay the player, pay a bunch of players. And they haven't done that. They have not been super active in the transfer portal to try to get, I know Big Cat said he had a conversation with John Mateer trying to get him to Wisconsin, but Oklahoma tried a lot harder. Let's be real, Miami tried a lot harder to get John Mateer.

You know, we're gonna be this year a podcast that says the, I had an epiphany today that we're gonna say the things or I'm going to, you know, go on for the ride that are usually, you know, meant silent, but we're going to be entertaining. Okay. Yeah. Do you think if Luke fickle were in this room and we shut off the camera, that's getting to a weird place, but I think he would, he would rest. He would punch us and leave and turn out the lights. You gave him an honest question. Yeah. Do you regret taking this job?

What do you think he would say? Oh, I don't know if he would regret it, but I do wonder if he would say, this is not what I was told was gonna happen. Because on the surface, I think about it. But how much of it is him and how much is the administration? We don't know that.

We don't know that. But here's my thought on it. They should be spending the way Penn State and Ohio State are spending. They're also rich. I know that it's very easy to fall back into the portal talent accumulation conversation, but I want to go. Well, it could be high school talent, too. I want to go bigger, though. Okay. I want to go bigger though. OK. Luke Fickel had a really good thing going at Cincinnati. I think in large part because Cincinnati, especially when it was in a group of five team, can I say the unpopular thing or the potentially unpopular thing? I think I was going to get there, but you can go for it.

How much of it was Marcus Freeman? Oh, that's not what I was going to say. That's what I'm that's what I'm asking. No, what I was going to say is that most coaches that went to Cincinnati were successful because it was up in a way the most right. Since Cincinnati was a very well run program at at its level and it allowed its coaches to do really well so we're talking about Mark D'Antonio talking about Brian Kelly butch jones

uh senator tuberville did not do well there but then looked at it and then but he coached my homes though uh and recruited oh wait, he didn't do either. But Marcus Freeman was also on those early staffs at Cincinnati. Are we sure? There's no way to quantify. That didn't have something to do with it? There's no way to quantify that.

Maybe it did, maybe it didn't, but what I do know is, if you break down Luke Fickel's decision to take the Wisconsin job, that he was gonna modernize what they did well and make it better, if the best fit for him is going to a place and trying to change the identity of what worked so well. Like that's the thing,

that's not just taking a job, you're taking a place and you're fundamentally having to shift everything that worked for them to make them better. You can do that, but you have to get the talent to play that way. And I, this is why I, I, I refuse to lay this completely the feet of Luke Fickel. Cause I I'm sure it can't all be him.

It can't be Luke Fickel came in and was like, well, we're not going to spend any money, but we're going to radically shift the scheme. I don't think that's what happened. I think Luke Fickel went in with the idea that they were going to try to compete the way Ohio State competes, the way Penn State competes, the way Michigan competes,

and they are not trying to do that. How do we know that? Because they're not getting any of the players that those teams are getting. Well, Luke Fickel also went into it with Wisconsin being a much different place than it is right now. When Wisconsin, when he took it, he wasn't in his mind,

probably thinking that I have to fix a fractured program. And maybe part of the evolution of what's fractured. He has said that multiple times. That has been made very clear. Because we were talking when he was a free agent, hey, Luke Fickle doesn't have to take the first job. He can pick and choose what's right. But the thing that I-

That's what I assumed is he popped the hood on Wisconsin. I think I said that a million times. He popped the hood on Wisconsin like what he saw because he could have just stayed at Cincinnati. Now I'm not so sure because I'm not sure I understand why when you paid for Luke Fickel and you paid a lot of money for Luke Fickel, you didn't give him the rest of the stuff He was gonna need to compete in this era and if he would have taken a job and I'm making stuff up right now but just try to picture Luke Fickel being at USC or Luke Fickel being at a place that didn't have to alter its identity be to be successful and he could play Cincinnati football there

I'll also be given the resources if which took the wrong job. Which, by the way, Cincinnati football was not like some boring, they got really good athletes. Yeah. Better athletes than, than Cincinnati had been getting, even though Cincinnati had also been recruiting well through those other years. They had like Sus Gardner and Desmond Ritter, they had NFL players on that team. They had dudes, absolutely. I think Jerome Ford was on that team. Yeah. I mean, you had NFL players that were on that team. But I just, I just keep coming back to,

Luke Fickel had no choice but to try to change things. And then maybe he effed around and found out that trying to change the thing that they were is impossible. And the reason they were that thing is because doing it the other way was impossible. And you might be arrogant enough, and not that that's a bad thing. I would be arrogant enough in a power in his position, too, to think you can change it. But all the money in the world, they're rich program. They're still not going out and getting a receiver that can jump over and grab a ball for somebody in Alabama. I don't know why not. But what program has successfully altered who they are throw the money in somebody.

But yes, I agree many and look we see what they're doing this year. They are trying to get back to it. So the hiring of Jeff Grimes, who was at Kansas last year to be their offensive coordinator, Jeff Grimes is an offensive line coach by trade. He's been a good offensive coordinator. He was at BYU when they were really, really good. And they also, I mean, they ran the ball well and they threw the ball well. So it's understandable what they're doing now that they're trying trying to get back to what they do well. They're trying to develop offensive linemen the way they used to. And I think... It kind of reminds me of like going on a GPS path. You type in a road trip, and then driving, you know, 2 hours in the wrong direction without the map realizing it and having to go U-turn. And like your No. 1 goal now is to get back to where you started. So you can build off of that again, because you veered too much off the path. I don't know if that's a good analogy, but it feels like the goal for Wisconsin is to

remember again what they were when they fired Paul Crist, which is insane. Like it's an insane thing to think about. They weren't what they wanted to be when they fired Paul Crist either. So they want to be back to what they were early Paul Crist era, Red B-Lama era, Perry Alvarez era. Yeah. When they fired him and who they hired was an implication that the 10 win thing wasn't enough. Yeah. And they can still do this because you can pay enough and get people to come play for you. That's, that's how this works now. So.

I don't know if this is bad podcasting or going to make me look stupid. I couldn't name a single receiver on their team this year. Well Will Pauling was the one you could have named and now he's a Notre Dame. So who is it? Who's their number one target? I'm not trying to put you on the spot. I'm already admitting that I don't know. Who's their quarterback? I don't know. Billy Edwards Jr. He came from Maryland. I knew that. I knew that. Um it's it's it's a very it's it's it's a very it's it's it's a very different

situation. And this is not different situation. And this is not what they're used to. they're used to. they're used to. Billy Edward Jr. was the guy that people Jr. was the guy that people thought was going to go to

thought was going to go to Michigan, right? There was Michigan, right? There was talk. Yeah. Yeah. And then and Michigan. Signed under Michigan. Signed under Wisconsin. Got him. I Wisconsin. Got him. I remember

that now. Yeah. And I don't know if I bill and and Billy know if I bill and and Billy Edwards Jr. I mean, but I'm Edwards Jr. I mean, but I'm trying to think my trying to think my Glock's Glock's has been pretty clear

has been pretty clear like Billy Edwards Jr. the the Billy Edwards Jr. the the feelers were out for him feelers were out for him during the season last year. during the season last year. I'm trying to think. I think been pretty clear like Billy Edwards Jr. The the the feelers were out for him in during the season last year. So I'm trying to be vulnerable and by being vulnerable

because there are a lot of sports people out there in my position that would never admit to not knowing something or or not they're being wrong about something. Heaven forbid but we're in year three or is this year four? This is year three.

Year three of Fickel and I can't name a single receiver on their team. And that was supposed to be the difference. So I don't know if it's a Fickel problem or if it's a Wisconsin problem, if it's a money problem, but something like I wrote the column last year when we went to cover the Bama game. I was like, I watched this team play and they fought hard, but it felt like watching four quarters of a team trying to figure out what it was. And now the quarterback during that game, it's what it mattered. Honestly, it wouldn't have mattered. Not in that game.

And maybe, maybe because the quarterback got injured, it was harder for them to, to process what they wanted to do or execute their plan. But it was like, were they trying to run the ball? Were they trying to throw the ball? It was just like, I didn't know... Vinny Anthony, by the way, I actually had a pretty good year last year. So somebody does. 39 catches for 672 yards. This is 17 yard average. Pretty good, given the circumstances. Yeah, so, but somebody has to catch passes. Yeah, so that's that's the situation there. So their schedule is brutal. The good news for Luke Fickle is he's way too expensive to fire. So any more years is that true for it's true for a while. Like probably two more years. Okay, I want to say 31 million this year. So what's the goal for Wisconsin football this year? Survive and what a survival look like six and six maybe I mean, this is a tough schedule. This is awful. Got Miami win, middle Tennessee win, Maryland. Hopefully a win

That's three and then you go and then everything else is hard. Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. That's the hope But that doesn't get you to six. Is that five bad about it's only five? Yeah, yeah, six would be good. I guess but all right. Let's we've we've tortured the poor Wisconsin fans enough. Hey, but you know what that wasn't planned. That was that was organic and I like organic conversation. Well, and we're going to have this conversation too because as that season goes along and maybe they'll surprise us because here's the thing if you can play well against that schedule win seven or eight games against that schedule

Then you should feel pretty good going in it. Don't and this is the thing that's so tough about college football It's not like Luke Fickle sucks as a coach. No, you know, a lot of it is is circumstance and timing Well, and a lot of it is and we've talked about this with other coaches who got hired around the same time, the whole world changed. So the thing that made them successful might not have made, it might not work anymore. Also you pop the hood on the program, but what's under the hood changes because of other things that happen. Right, or they can say all these things in the hiring process, but then the world changes on you and you're like, well, maybe we can't.

When you pop the hood on Wisconsin football because he took this job before USC in Washington, Oregon and UCLA showed up, right? So when you pop the hood on on Wisconsin football during his hiring process, is the radiator different because those four teams are in it now in the conference, right? Like everything changes, right? And that and that might have changed how you viewed the automobile stick with that analogy. Yeah. I mean, that's everything has changed for everybody.

And when you got hired, like Luke Fickle was named the coach Thanksgiving weekend, 2022. So that was before. Yeah. Yeah. So no, it wasn't before NIL, but no, it was before UCLA USC, right? I think we knew they were coming. We knew UCLA and USC were coming. We did not know that Wisconsin or that Washington Washington, Oregon, yeah, but so, but he knew, he knew divisions were going away. He, he worked for a divisionless like that was the whole point.

He was going to change everything. We was going to, he, he had to stop trying to win the West because that wasn't going to matter anymore. And it was about trying to compete in the Big Ten at large. It was about beating Ohio State. Exactly. But they haven't done anything. And in fact, they are worse than they were when they were trying to win the Big Ten West. So that is the issue now. All right. We're talking about national champions, though. This conference has produced the last two.

You I believe have a big 10 team as your number one in your most recent way too early poll right or way too early. Yeah my last top 25 is Penn State. You have Penn State which brings us to our friend Doug Lane Maurice, the Kings in the North podcast. He did a great poll. So at least two beat writers from each team, 20 national writers. This is what happens when the conference doesn't do a poll. You know, the big 12 got rid of theirs. The big 10 hasn't had one in a while. So it's been up to the writers who cover the big 10 to

canvas the electorate for content for them to. Oh yeah yeah and Doug does a great job with this and asked a lot of good questions. So I was shocked when I saw the results of this. Penn State I thought would be picked first. You did. Yes but I had no idea it would be this overwhelming. 35 first place votes for Penn State. 18 first place votes for Ohio state, one first place vote for Oregon. So out of 54 voters, 35 voted for Penn state first, which makes me feel less insane for putting them number one. Cause I got a lot of flack for that. And I mean, I truly believe.

And I have a story that's going to be running on On 3 on Tuesday morning, and I wrote this, but just some storylines to sink our teeth into going into the year. And those storylines, one of them is, is this a make or break season for James Franklin's legacy? And I don't know. I know that you talk radio topic, which great. We're on a show. If they, we can talk about, they don't make it make what? Well, I have a hard time now because making the playoff is all but certain. I say what's make it. What, what does make it mean in this context? I think making it means, uh, making it to the semi-final and beating a very good team along the way. I don't even last. So essentially last year, but a tougher road, beating an equitable opponent. Right. I think that one in 18 or whatever it is, the record against top five opponents, it's, it's gotta stop. It's gotta stop. And they're going to have a couple of regular season games. And obviously you'd rather win the playoff ones than the regular season ones but you start winning some of the

regular season ones too. They play Ohio State, they play Oregon, they play Indiana which will also not be easy. They play at Iowa which also will not be easy. We've had this discussion too because they could be 10 and 2 with losses to Ohio State and Oregon and still make the playoff. Probably still would. I think I would almost guarantee that. And then he would, all the same narratives would be happening going into the playoff and then maybe they won't have the charmed path and they can write all the wrongs. With the straight seating, I think that probably ends the possibility of the charmed path. If you come in at 10 and 2, you're going to be sitting there as the 6, 7 or 8 seed, 9 seed. You might be playing Texas in the first round.

Yeah, you're going to be playing somebody really good in the first round. So they still, even if they go in two against Ohio state and Oregon, they had now are given the benefit of life to write that wrong in the postseason. But if Penn state goes 10 and two, and then has their first round exit or first game exit, whatever that is against a elite level opponent and their own three against top five opponents, quote unquote, like that is a disaster. This is the best Penn State team I think that he's probably had on paper going into a year. I know 16 won the Big Ten. Yeah.

But we're coming up on a decade since then. And, you know, James has been on the show and we've asked him about this to his face. But you have a quarterback, you have the best running back tandem in the country. You went out and got a receiving core. You've got a good offensive line, you've got a great defensive line. One of the best interior back tandem in the country. You went out and got a receiving core. You've got a good offensive line, great defensive line. One of the best interior defensive lines in the country in St. Durant. You got to install Ohio State's defensive coordinator. I'm telling you, like if you're a Penn State fan, this is the year that you go into it.

I think every year Penn State fans go in hoping that they can beat Ohio State or win the big 10. This is the first year where I think it's rational to expect them to. So, you know, I don't know, legacy, here's the thing. I think that Penn State is the most consistent program potentially, you know, or one of the five most consistent programs in terms of getting what you, you know, getting their floor. But they're one of the most inconsistent programs in the country in reaching their ceiling, which is, you know, never. Maybe we're judging James Franklin

on not reaching the ceiling well, you know, miscategorizing what that ceiling is. But Penn State's ceiling is national championship to me. And eventually, you know, he has to do it. And how many times, you wanna talk about knocking on the door, James Franklin's been knocking on the door for a decade. Well, I'll give you like, yeah, I'll give you another thing too. So Doug had the offensive and defensive player of the year voting in this poll.

Jeremiah Smith was the runaway winner for offensive player of the year. 39 first place was, but the other two players who got first place votes. Drew Aller and Nick Singleton, Penn State players. And I'm assuming without the list in front of me, Andy, that there's Penn State players all over the defensive. Oh, yeah. So you had denied Dennis Sutton was the second leading vote getter for for defensive player. They're behind Caleb Downs from Ohio State. Zayn Durant tied for eight. Zayn Durant is the one I voted for him. Oh, yeah, I did too. He's, he's really good. He was dominant in the playoff.

So this is going to be a really fun year because they're balanced. They're deep there. They have top end talent and, uh, they have one of the best home field advantages. I mean, at what point is the expectation and the Oregon game is a night game. So yeah, like that's going to be. And listen, amazing Andy, you know this Good teams play good teams a good team has to lose. Yeah, so I don't think that you have to say Hey, you must beat Oregon or you must beat Ohio State

But what I think you do want to see because even though they play Ohio State tough typically and I'll give him credit for that They're usually within the spread Penn State is always like that thing where the older brother is putting his hand on the younger brother's forehead and he's swinging, but it's like he's within distance. It doesn't feel close. Last year, I mean, they get to pick six and it looks like they got a shot and then it was just, they couldn't do anything. I almost feel like you can lose and still feel better about it if it looks different., Ohio state, Penn state play a game in the regular season, that looks like last year's Ohio state, Oregon regular season matchup and Penn state loses. I think that you can live with that.

But I think that at the very least, if you're a Penn state fan, you want to see your team in a Titan fight with another Titan and you want to see them knock the other team down a little bit. Um, and the thing is that the Notre Dame game last year was that kind of game. And Penn State was dominant for half. Yeah. They just could not get it done at the end. It makes it hurt a little bit more, which, you know, and again, if you have one

reliable receiver, besides, besides your tight end, obviously Trevor Pena last year, their national title game, right? Yes. If you have one receiver who can get you a catch who can, you know, move, move the sticks just a little bit or keep a drive alive a little bit longer, let you bleed clock a little bit longer. I mean, think about if they had not allowed, if they just had the ball a little bit longer, Notre Dame hadn't been able to score at the end of the first half. Like it would have made all the difference. So I just I think they have everything they need The James Franklin in big games thing

We got to see him win one It's been a long long time Absolutely, we got to see him win one of these and you can decide whether or not you think it's his legacy Maybe his legacy is being consistent Like they're gonna fire him and he's going to have a good team again next year and the year after that. So that's why when I hear the legacy question, well, they will not be going into next year what they are right now. Correct. In this era of it being very hard to stack a super team, to have a roster this

top to bottom loaded is hard. This is as good as it's going to get probably for them for the next three years. I know we're also not very smart at times and we aren't, it's hard to look ahead into the future, but go and peruse Oregon's roster and tell me what you think about their 20, 2016. Right. Like, you know, Penn State is, this list will not look like that. It's going to be cyclical like this. And that's the thing, like, Ohio State may be taking a step back, or may not, because they recruit really well, but they have so many new role players, so many new people

in new roles. And then in 2028, Ohio State will... Well, in 2026, they're gonna be awesome. No, I know, but imagine 2027 and 2028 when're not when Julian saying as a second year starter like this is an opportunity here, but this is also an opportunity for Michigan. I think this year now I got an argument with a Michigan fan saw that on Twitter today because he he's like he's mad at me because I didn't take Bryce Underwood when I because

I took Blake Horvath because Blake Horvath was the one I took because I had to take a group of five quarterback and you had just taken Bryce Underwood so I couldn't take him. So that was in our QB fantasy draft. He was mad at the way I argued about Bryce Underwood because I said, I don't know that he's going to throw that many touchdown passes because that offense, even when you have a quarterback with an elite arm, doesn't need to have the quarterback throwing a lot of touchdown passes when things are going well.

But also they don't have a lot of receivers that scare you. And the guy's like, well, you know Michigan has great tight ends. I'm like, yeah, I get it. They do have good tight ends. But name a receiver who scares you. It'd be my hope too, is that maybe he rushes for 13 touchdowns.

He also might. Yeah. He also might. But this is where I think this gets interesting. It's probably a bad fantasy pick though. I'll put my hand, without Austin Simmons not being on the floor. I thought about that. If it's a good fantasy pick, Michigan's a playoff team.

Yeah, that defense is going to be really good. We know they're going to be able to run the ball. If he's good, they are a playoff team. I don't think I'm there yet. I can't. I don't. I'm not there. Well, a big if. He's a true freshman getting thrown into this. I think that the more likely scenario is that he's very good. And he puts up numbers and you see sparks of greatness, but they don't have the team around him to get there. I don't know that they have the receivers. Again, like the guy arguing, I kept saying name a receiver and he wouldn't name one because there aren't any who were proven yet. Yeah, I think Michigan is probably two years like not this

year, but the year after I think they'll be very good. So who surprises us this year? Because the thing is, like we know about Illinois, they won 10 games last year. I think I'm certainly coming around in Indiana when I do my next way too early top 25 They're gonna be in it. I left them out and now I feel stupid because it probably should be in in the Making the playoff range or that we have attending for the playoff range and we don't do because it's impossible Yeah, because we have so much work to do on Saturday nights, but me and you should do a poll first every Monday We should do our own poll.

We should doing polls is fun. Well, I got to do the projected playoff every so that's I do the that's the top 12. So yeah, yeah, but the question though is who surprises us. I don't think Illinois can because we're expecting them. I don't think Indiana would be surprised either. I've got one Washington is the team. Yeah, that could surprise us. I don't know who else we're forgetting. Tobon Williams. Nebraska fall under that category? Yes, I think it would be surprising, but this is the year, if you look,

if you know your mat rule history, year three tends to go very well. Your three tends to be double digit wins. And another one of the bullet points on the, uh, the storylines angle that's on, on three in the story is does Dylan Raiola take a bigger step forward with Dana Holgerson as their OC? Which I think that's a, that's a big question. And it's a good question because Dana Holgerson tends to be quarterback friendly. I think Dana Holgerson tends to do it. It's interesting because Dana Horace and obviously tied to Mike Leach played for

Mike Leach and how mummy helped develop obviously tied to Mike Leach, played for Mike Leach and Hal Mummey, helped develop that offense with Mike Leach and Hal Mummey at Valdosta State, was with Mike Leach for years and years. But if you look at Dana Holgersson's history as an offensive coordinator and as a head coach, he veered far away from the true air raid. He kept the bones of it, but he would take whatever he had and build around it. So when he got to Oklahoma state in 2011, they had. Or it was a 2010, 2010. Yes, 2010. They, they had really good backs.

So he did that diamond formation. He would put three backs on the field at the same time. He moved Tavon Austin to running back just to get in the ball when he was at West Virginia. So that's the part I like about Dana Holgersen. When you have a young quarterback who's trying to find his way, Dana Holgersen will take what's around Dylan Raiola and get the most out of it. And I think that's, that's important when you have somebody who's

trying to figure out what they are. Yeah. Uh, and the quarterback development piece, you know, we'll see, but I think Dylan Raola is a player that has some really impressive tools and he has some shortcomings. And I'm very curious to see if those shortcomings are something that he can approve on to go on to that next level because if they get the Dylan Raola that we were hyping up a year ago at this time, or at least fantasizing about what it would look like if it actually came to, you know, or if it materialized the hype, that could be a playoff team. So, you know, we don't, see something special. Yeah. And I think the reason it hasn't left the station yet is because. We're just not sure.

We're just not sure what it's going to look like. But I do think if you look at what they got through the portal, they certainly improved the talent around and they improved their line, they improved. They got Dane Key from Kentucky at receiver. Like he could be a big time deep thing. You say that he was like one of your five most impactful transfers. Yeah. Yeah, I think Dan key could be great. And then you get Elijah Pritchett from Alabama to play offensive

tackle. You know, you got they got Rocco's do they get Pat Cougar to Rocco Spindler. I think they got Spindler. They got Rocco Spindler, who started for Notre Dame in the national title game last year on the offensive line. Pat Cougans at Indiana. So that's what you got to do. You have to put the pieces around the quarterback. And I think they've got better pieces.

Now, defensively, look, new coordinator, almost all new personnel. So it's going to be. Interesting on that side of the ball, but you know, I I think they're going to be it's not remember they're not. Changing coordinators went and hired from elsewhere. You know, this is a promotion from within situation. You mentioned Washington, though I do want to talk about them. Demand Williams was awesome in the two games.

He started at the end of last season. They did lose both those games, but he was awesome. He was averaging like 10 yards per attempt through a bunch of touchdown passes, especially that bowl gaming is Louisville. It's going to be fun with them. Yeah, the big 10 is hot coaching changes that we spent hours and hours and hours talking about three years ago that we spent hours and hours and hours talking about three years ago that we've lost steam on.

Can they like, it's like, let me give you a coaching change that affects Washington that I'm sure a lot of folks who follow the big 10 aren't even thinking about Ryan Walters got fired as produce head coach. He is now Washington's, uh, defense coordinator. Ryan Walters was a very good defensive coordinator in Illinois. Yeah, very good. I don't think that Jed Fish doesn't know how to coach anymore. Like Tom Allen didn't forget how to coach. He got fired in Indiana. He was a great defensive coordinator at Penn State last year. He's going to be a great defensive coordinator at Clemson this year. to be a great defensive coordinator at Clemson this year. Like Ryan Walters going to Washington is a big deal. He's replacing Steve Belichick who joins

Dad in North Carolina. But the defense... That's a place I would really love to see a game Andy. Oh Washington it's beautiful. Never been there. I've never been to Seattle. Oh it's gorgeous. I think it's the only major American city. When you're flying in you look out the plane window and see Mount Rainier. Just it's gorgeous. It's the only major American town, city that I have. We need to schedule a trip When you're flying in, you look at the plane window and see Mount Rainier, it's gorgeous. It's the only major American town, city that I haven't been. We need to schedule a trip there. Ad sales, we need something in Seattle. Find us a nice Seattle company like Starbucks.

See if Starbucks wants- Do you have any major American cities you've never been to or have you been to all of them now? I think I've been to all of them. Minneapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis you've been to. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio. Yes, Boston, Seattle. I've not been to Albuquerque. You've never been to the border. I want to I want to go to Los Armanas. You want to go see all the Walter White, you know, Gus Fring spots. Yeah, I

got one. So look at look at that stadium. If you're watching on on the YouTube, look at Washington Stadium. It's so beautiful. It's right on Lake Washington. They sailgate. Andy, I've never been to Tampa. You've never been to Tampa. I've never been to Tampa. I was in Tampa. I was in Tampa today. I'm thinking it's a wonderful town. I'm thinking about all the major cities I haven't been. Oh, I gotta take RE for Cuban sandwiches in Tampa. But I've been to every every major city

in the up the northeast like like Maine, Vermont. But we gotta get you Seattle. Seattle's awesome. It's so beautiful and the Sioux Falls count never been to Sioux Falls. I think only to Kaylinda Borg. Yeah, so Washington is one to watch but I heard it's the most beautiful stadium like in the country. It's like literally way up there.

Beautiful. Yeah, it's way up there. It's it's such a gorgeous but anytime you have a coach that you know, when you're to turned around Arizona the way that he did and I think having way up there. It's way up there. It's such a gorgeous. But anytime you have a coach that you know, in your two turned around Arizona the way that he did and I think having T Mac on your team helps with that. But you know, I trust Jed fish though. Yeah. I didn't have a young, exciting, athletic electrifying quarterback like anything's possible and I think

that they'll be well coached and like Washington stunk last year for Washington standards, especially one year move from the national title 21 starters replace that had something to do with it yeah they were they were they were very good at home yeah they need to be better on the road they were very good at home so yeah this is going to be such an exciting problem looking at Mount Rainier or Lake Washington yes an active volcano that can erupt at any moment are you thinking are you thinking about Rainier or Mount St. Helens? I'm thinking about Mount Rainier oh okay right now wowens? I'm thinking about Mount Rainier. Oh okay. Right now. Wow. So we're gonna text my wife who lived in Seattle for part of her childhood. She would she can fact-check you on this. But I mean I think

that like it's not imminent. Okay. But it's active. I just know they have just really good cherries from there though. The Rainier cherries, the yellowish ones. Do you think if the volcano were in danger of erupting like they there would be enough time to react to that? Yes. OK. I think we have the technology now. Look, even when Vesuvius erupted in Pompeii, I think they had a little bit of advance warning.

A little bit. Are you looking that up now? Vesuvius or Mount Rainier? Which one? I don't care what happened in the past. I want to know what could happen in the future. You want to know if we go to Seattle? Could we be trapped in a volcanic explosion?

Mount Rainier is an episodically active composite volcano, also called a Strat Volcano. Volcanic activity began between one and a half and one million years ago, with the most recent eruption cycle ending about a thousand years ago. All right. Although Mount Rainier has not produced

a significant eruption in the past 500 years, it is potentially the most dangerous volcano in the Cascade Range because of its great height, frequent earthquakes, and active hydrothermal systems. Oh, I don't want to hear this. Yeah. Listen, I want to go see... Look at that. That's liquid hot magma. I want to see... I want to see Daman Williams play in that stadium. I don't

want to be thinking about volcanoes erupting. I know. I'm sorry. I'm such a bad podcaster. I do want to go see them play in that stadium though, and Daman Williams makes them even more exciting. So Ari, we do have to talk a little bit about some of the other conferences. We're going to be talking Big Ten most of the week. We'll be here interviewing players, coaches. Andy, before you move on though, read the list of the way it ended. We didn't, did you go through like the poll just so people know as I went? Yes, we should do that. Yes. And this is, this is the hard part of divisionless football is you don't have, you don't have the division. So you can't just be eighth. Like somebody's got to be

eight teeth in the big 12 or in the big 10. Uh, somebody has to be 16th in the big 12. But so number one, Penn State, two Ohio State, three Oregon, four Illinois, five Michigan, six Indiana, seven USC, which is not that bad, but they didn't paint Lincoln Riley 10 million a year to finish seventh in the league. That's the problem with an 18 team league, uh, eight Nebraska, nine Iowa, 10 Washington, 11 Minnesota, 12 Wisconsin. So getting back to Wisconsin discussion. They're not paying Luke fickle all that money to finish 12th, 13 Michigan state, 14 UCLA, 15 Rutgers, 16 Maryland, 17 Northwestern, 18 Purdue.

18 Purdue. It's a lot of teams. That's a lot of teams. That's the team's motto this year. Yeah. 18 Purdue. Um hey you know what if Arizona State taught you anything Purdue it's hey don't give up. That's right. You know like Arizona State was picked to finish 16th in the big 12 last year and finished first. You know it's the cradle of quarterbacks right? I mean I don't know if you knew that. Purdue? Yeah. Also astronauts. Lots of astronauts. Is that true? Oh yeah. Tons. Like 27 astronauts. You're looking up stuff on Wikipedia right now. Look this up. Okay, let me look this up real quick.

All right, I'll vamp. Did we really land on the moon? Neil Armstrong, I believe, is a Purdue grad. Did you see that buzz all over his face? I saw somebody in the face in public because they were questioning whether they landed on the moon. It was like 20 years ago.

I know, I saw the clip last month. And the dude deserved it. So, little peek behind the curtain. I send Ari clips sometimes, he sends me clips sometimes. The clips I send him are usually people getting knocked out. And Andy's secret pleasure is watching fights on YouTube. But it's not just watching fights. Because if it's the nice person trying to break something up and make sure nobody gets hurt and they get clocked,

I don't wanna see that. I wanna see jerks get their comeuppance. I want to see the hand of justice. There's a lot of like burger clothes into a fist. Oh, I saw a great Burger King. Yeah. I don't know why like Burger King. I guess Waffle House. There was a great Burger King employee when we're the Burger King employee was being verbally abused and he'd see some crap. But why is burger? It's always Burger King. I don't know what it is about Burger King and the crown. being verbally abused and he speaks crap. But why is it's

always Burger King? I don't know what it is about Burger King and the crown. You saw the the clip of the guy wearing the crown on the airplane. The Burger King's got a dark dark twisted uh little you know undertone of aura to use that

word. So this but this is what I send Ari. This is but if you talk **** to somebody working at Burger King and you're berating somebody, you deserve what happens to you. You deserve it. This man deserved it. How did we get on this? I don't know. Oh, because Buzz Aldrin killed some, I mean, punched somebody. He didn't kill him, but he did punch him and the guy deserved it. All right. I mean, if you think about risking your life to make it to the moon.

Yes. And some guy telling you it was fake. And some guys you didn't, like, think about risking your life to make it to the moon. Yes. And some guy telling you, sometimes you didn't like think about like, but are we a hundred percent like, where are you on that? Like we're in the conspiracy. I think I think they probably landed on the moon. But why haven't we gone back? What? There's nothing there. No, I know. But like if there were money on if there were money and going to the moon, we go to the moon all the time.

OK, so you think it was like, well, we went and then like that. Why was the flag waving? I don't know. There's no gravity, right or whatever. There's no gravity. I mean, not as much. There's no like it shouldn't have been flapping. I don't know. I'm not an expert on this but do we have Buzz Aldrin by the way went to army West Point guy. Okay. So I think Neil Armstrong went to Purdue, though. That's where we that's where we started.

That was who I wrote my first paper on as a kid. Neil Armstrong. We have the same birthday, which was Sunday. Happy birthday, Ari. All right. We do have to talk about some other leagues and we're going to talk about one early, but this also affects multiple other leagues.

Some of the biggest transfer news, Neil Armstrong and I do not share a birthday. I don't know why you said that. Alan Shepard maybe? August 5th, not July 20th. I don't know. Wally Schirra? I thought the reason in my head that I can name astronauts all day. Sally Ride. Okay. Okay. So Tulane originally got TJ Finley for his 17th year as a quarterback, but he got arrested and left the team and then their quarterback situation was thrown into flux. Does he still have eligibility? He does. TJ Finley? Yes. So he can come back next year somewhere? No. I think he has to do it this year. Oh, okay. But Jake Retzliff, we've talked about him a lot, his situation, where he was accused of something, the person dropped the lawsuit when it became clear that BYU was going to suspend Jake Retzliff for seven games.

He was a civil suit accused him of sexual assault. In his defense against the civil suit, he admitted to having consensual sex outside of marriage, which breaks BYU's honor code, which put him potentially on the hook for a seven game suspension. So he leaves BYU's team. He is going to Tulane. He committed to Tulane on Monday. This changes a lot in terms of who we think, at least who I think is going to represent the Group of Five in the playoff, and I realize it's not officially like that. There's not one spot for the Group of Five. You could have two Group of Five champions

make the playoff. But more than likely. Yeah. If they did your playoff bracket tomorrow, you would put Tulane there. I would put Tulane there. And it is kind of ironic when you think about how much money Darien Mensah got paid to go to Duke.

And for them to backfill that position in this way is kind of a remarkable time for that. Now it's still very hard for him to come in, for Jake Retzel to come in and learn the offense. But this is a very talented quarterback to be getting at this late stage. When your quarterback situation was very much in doubt. Yeah, and Tulane apparently vetted him extensively too.

So. This is the one place really that you could have gone in the whole country where you don't blow up the quarterback room because it already got blown up this off season. Yeah. So is he just so I'm probably supposed to know this, but I don't. Is he a walk on? He's going as a walk on. Yes. Okay. Now I think you'll pick up some NIL deals. So this is, this changes that because Tulane already had one of the better rosters in the group of five but we weren't sure what was gonna happen at quarterback. So I think this instantly makes them the

favorite in the American. Now look, they still have to deal with Memphis. They still have to deal with Army, Navy. I think USF is going to be pretty good this year, but there's a very good chance that Tulane could be the best team in the group of five. So I think that that changes the math on that. I think if you're, you know, Boise state, you got to worry about it. And anybody who has designs on the mountain west championship, you worry about that question designs on the sunbelt. You got to worry about that.

Yes. So does Jake Retzlaff have a more likely path to the playoff now than he did two months ago. I would not say so because I think as BYU's quarterback the big 12 was anybody's ball game if he was the returning quarterback at BYU competitive that conference is very competitive, but the Americans pretty competitive too. But what do you think is more competitive the whole G5 being the best team in the whole g5 or winning the big 12. Ah I think it's probably a little but they're probably pretty even now. Here's here's the thing two lanes got to do

They got to win one of these power conference games one of them is against their former quarterback Darien Menson Duke and That's at Tulane. That's crazy. And then they are at Ole Miss. So Austin Simmons. So the question is, can they beat either Duke or Ole Miss? Because if you beat one of those and you win the American, there's a very, very good chance you're in the playoff. Tulane was very much in the game with Oklahoma last year, if I remember. And obviously Oklahoma turned out to be all that good.

But they could have won that game, if I'm remembering that correctly. Tulane had a bad end of the season, but was very good kind of beginning to the people six weeks in a row. Toward the end. Yes. The very end was bad for them.

I wouldn't want to play Tulane if I were Ole Miss, though. No. That's not a great G5. I wouldn't want to play Tulane if I were Ole Miss though. No. That's not a great G5 game. I wouldn't want to play Tulane if I was Duke. Cause, remember, Duke has Illinois and Tulane in the non-conference. Yeah, and Duke is a team that was nine and three last year

that brings a lot back. And that got Darien Mensah. Darien Mensah, so, you know, talk about surprise teams. I think Duke is a underappreciated sleeper. Yeah, so those games in September, Tulane, Duke, Tulane, Ole Miss, pay special attention because those are gonna be big ones. And by the way, this also affects something else.

Our quarterback fantasy draft, remember, it's not over because Producer River gets to pick a team from all the guys we didn't pick. And by the way, because this happened today, he could, oh, he didn't do it. River. I didn't do it. I did not do it. Why did you take Jake Retzel?

I already made my list before the news came out. I mean, change it. They would have made you a new graphic. Yeah. I am giving you, if you They would have made you a new graphic. Yeah, I am. I am giving you if you want. You can sub out Jake Renssela for Malik Murphy at Oregon State. Your choice. I'll do it. I'll do it. I'll take it. You're taking Jake Renssela. I'll take it. I'll take it. He's going to kill us. Well, you gave him a really good quarterback for his G5. Well, I listen. It's a natural segue, Ari. I needed to use the natural segue and I look at his list I'm like wait, you didn't put him on here. What's wrong with you?

He took all the players that we could have drafted yeah, and we might lose this is this is This is telling of how deep this year is for quarterbacks River All right, let's go through your list and River picked them in the order. He would have picked them Yes as they're available. So River let's go through your list and River picked them in the order. He would have picked them. Yes. As they're available. So River, let's go down your list. Okay. At number one, we got Luke Allmeyer at Illinois. We'll see him this week. Number two, Austin Simmons, Ole Miss. Yep. Number three, Josh Hoover, TCU, big returner in the big 12. Number four, I got Carson Beck at Miami.

Who could put up huge numbers this year? He's very capable of it. Number five, I got Texas A&M's Marcel Reed. I had Connor Wegman last year and this guy derailed that, so I'm going to go back down on the A&M quarterback. Marcel Reed also rushing touchdowns. Much better runner than Wegman was. And and number six pick Baron Morton, Texas Tech Number seven with the upgraded roster around him seven pick

I'm going back into the Louisville. Well, Jeff Brahms offense. Give me Miller Moss Quarterbacks play well under Jeff Brahm. They do they just do do. I had shook last year. Last year. I liked them. I had plumber played well the year before. I'll, I'll take a gamble on Miller Moss. I understand it's a gamble, but. Oh, well the eighth pick I have Rocco back to Iowa state. I love his experience. Love his experience production.

I mean, he was a game away from the CFP champion river. He also lost his two most explosive players. He did. They did have two good receivers that are in the NFL. He should be very good still. That helped last year. But number nine is the one where I look at that and go, he could murder us this year. Yeah, absolutely murder. That offense was staring me in the face and I was just like, yeah, I can't pass up the Alabama offense. Give me time.

Yeah. And the question here I think is will tie Simpson be the starting quarterback all year? And if he is, he's going to put up big numbers. They've got tons of talent in that offense. Yeah. So he's got reds. Love. And now he's got reds.

Love. Do you notice the glaring omission from all three of our lists? Try to see if you figure don don't say anything, River. There's one player that nobody drafted. I'll flash this graphic. Jade Myava. No, but that's another one. Who?

CJ Carr. Oh God, we forgot CJ Carr! Oh, that's terrible. I didn't forget him. Well, River did. No, he didn't. No,, that's terrible. I don't forget him. Well, River did. No, he didn't. He probably didn't, actually. No, he didn't.

He opted not to. I texted Ari. I texted Ari. I was like, is he a rock? Do I have to have him? Wow. Well, OK. It's true, because their defense is probably

still going to be very good. They have Jeremiah Love. They have a good offensive line. They may they may control the ball on the ground. But CJ Carr is a better thrower than Riley Leonard and not as good of a runner. So I don't know. Gunner stock that also left who I would have taken CJ Carr over on your list. Carson Beck. No, no, Carson Beck.

Carson Beck. I mean, they're going to be very Carson Beck could put up really giant numbers this year. I might take him over Miller Moss. Maybe take him over Rocco back. The Miller Moss thing is tough. Like again, the Louisville fans got mad at me the other day. And I understand why because quarterbacks play well under Jeff Brom and my thing is like, yeah, but quarterbacks also play well under Lincoln Riley and he played for Lincoln Riley. Yeah, well, I just think that it's an illustration of the depth. I don't it's not enough. Yeah, it's, it's a deep year. It is a very deep year. The fact that that Alabama's starting quarterback is going was the last guy who didn't get picked by the first two guys. Yeah, like it's it's crazy. So then our boy Matthew sluka didn't get big. Yeah, I don't know if he's gonna start some other names other names I battled with were Haynes King

Really wanted to include him as the rushing touchdowns to yeah My Ava I had a back-and-forth with CJ Carr, of course One guy that is just omitted. I really didn't consider him though was Gunnar Stockton So then that could be a huge mistake. Yeah, yeah Um, one guy that is just omitted, I really didn't consider him though, it was Gunnar Stockton. So that could be a huge mistake. Yeah. Yeah. That could be a massive mistake because that often did upgrade its receiving

court. Yeah. That offense is so capable to explode at any moment. So, yeah, that's, that's what I'm curious about. A lot of Georgia's problems last year were not being able to run the ball. Also, no Nico or Joey Aguilar. Yep. I just knew you Joey Aguilar. Yup. I just knew you weren't picking Nico.

No, never, never considered. Did you even think for a second about Joe Aguilar? Uh, for a second, but you know, just I got, I got to stay true to his receiver depth chart and was like, Nope. Yeah. I was like, just give me true to his receiver depth chart and was like, Nope. Yeah. I was like, do it. Just give me the Alabama offense with Ryan Williams and all the Jeremy Bernard.

Yeah. Isaiah Horton. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll, we'll, uh, run the graphic of all three of ours on Tuesday. I think we might lose Ari. I really do. I was getting you an R pole head ahead and you pulled away at the end.

Yeah. Cause my, my team's a lot better. Yeah. 55%. To 45. The ball knowers showed up at the end. That's all that matters actually Oh I might have had something to do with that. I don't know got into Florida Twitter and everybody's like DJ Like wait click click. That's yeah, they're very loud obnoxious fan base and they want to be

The fan base at my alma mater also very true for everybody. Yeah, but yeah very loud and obnoxious fan base when they want to be. The fan base at my alma mater. That's also very true for everybody. Yeah. But yeah, I know it. I'm super excited. Tuesday morning we're going to get in and sink our teeth in the Big Ten. We're going to get some guests. We're going to do some writing.

We're going to see some coaches. It's going to be a good day. It's going to be a lot of fun. We're here in Vegas all week. I will try to pull Ari away from the tables long enough to talk to some people. He may look a little rough. I'm warning you now. Me, I'm probably going to wake up at four in the morning because I can't. My body doesn't adjust to time zones very well anymore. That's weird. As an old

man. I was just thinking of that. It's nine o'clock my time right now and like I had a pretty active day today and I'm like not even remotely tired. I am so ready for bed right now. Well, you should go to bed early. I might do that. We watched this show Untamed on Netflix. Have you seen the previews of this? It seems like an Andy show. I have not. It's about a murder mystery that happens in... Not Yellowstone, what's the other one?

Yosemite. Yosemite, oh. Very, very... Basically, they were like, we have Yellowstone, so now we have to have a Yosemite show? Every, yeah, I mean, who doesn't like seeing a handsome detective try to track down a murder. Well, yeah Eric Banner's the I'm watching I'm watching the better sister right now. That's good, too. It's spectacular. I might try to sink my teeth into a little Netflix tonight

Here's the thing I'm going to Choctaw next weekend, which is the casino in Oklahoma for my birthday to celebrate my birthday with my wife And I'm gonna fire there. So like, I don't know. Like, it's a lot of gambling this week. I might try to take it slow here, not lose my ass because I came here three weeks ago for my buddy's birthday and I got my ass kicked. It was a absolute bloodbath. We shall see.

Who knows? Maybe I'll Maybe I'll hit the tables. I would love to gamble with you. The only time I've ever been around. I'm the cooler. You don't want me around. I am the cooler. Yeah, you tell them what happened in New Orleans. I think we've talked about this on the show.

You were up big. I showed up and you lost everything within five minutes. Yeah. So I'm gonna stay away from you on the tables. I'm gonna go far, far away. And if anybody needs me, I will be at the pool. Maybe, maybe Rep Elum is out there. If media days starts at like 10, spa,

you wanna do the, the little joint couples massage at 7 a.m. hit the steam room. Like that's, I mean, that's my speed. Not a chance in hell. I'll see you on the treadmill. Talk to you guys tomorrow.