Andy & Ari On3 - We pick the College Football Playoff semifinals | Who wins Ohio State-Texas, Notre Dame-Penn State?

Episode Date: January 6, 2025

You’ve had Wendy’s Nuggs dipped in sauce. But have you had them covered in sauce? Wendy’s New Saucy Nuggs take the Crispy and Spicy Nuggs you love and turn them up to 11.Choose between flavors like Buffalo. Honey BBQ. Garlic Parm. Or, if you’re a real heat seeker, try Spicy Ghost Pepper, only on Wendy’s signature Spicy Nuggs. Busy mornings, late nights, working through lunch—life doesn’t always leave room for a complete, balanced meal. That’s where Huel comes in. This podcast is sponsored by Huel, spelled H-U-E-L, The World’s #1 Complete Nutrition Brand. It’s a complete meal in seconds—just grab, sip, and go. No more skipped meals or unfulfilling snacks. Huel makes it easy with nutrition that fits into your life. And right now, you can try it for FIFTEEN PERCENT off with the code STAPLES15 at HUEL.com. Fuel up the easy way with Huel today! Axia Time is the offical timepiece for both the College Football Playoff and the Heisman trophy and probably the best kept secret in college football.   Their timepieces are heirloom quality and among the coolest designs in the college space. Axia Time has created a series of limited-edition timepieces for all 12 teams in the college football playoff.  each design is limited to only 100 pieces. Check out your team’s cfp designs at axiatime.com, but you better act fast because they will sell out. This show is also sponsored by PrizePicks, America’s most fun daily fantasy game. Use the code STAPLES to play $5 and get $50 instantly. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/ivHR/STAPLES(0:00-0:36) Wendy's Saucy Nuggs(0:37-4:36) Intro; Ari's Mic Issues, Way too Early top 10 preview(4:37-5:40) Huel(5:41-8:33) 2 minute wrap up with Huel(8:34-27:15) Jaden Rashada entering Transfer Portal(27:16-29:00) AxiaTime.com(29:01-30:19) Bracket Preview(30:20-37:22) Notre Dame vs Penn State Picks(37:23-39:10) PrizePicks Preview of Riley Leonard vs Penn State(39:11-44:41) Wrapping up Notre Dame vs Penn State(44:42-47:06) NFL Teams Interested in Steve Sarkisian(47:07-1:09:36) Picking Ohio State vs Texas(1:09:37-1:10:47) Conclusion; Previewing Way, Way, Way Too Early Top 10 The College Football Playoff semifinals are set, and Andy and Ari are picking the games against the spread. Andy’s bracket got destroyed last week, so he’s got to pick a new national champ out of the four remaining teams. Meanwhile, Ari has made clear who he thinks is winning it all and who that team will play in the final. Orange Bowl Notre Dame vs. Penn State (+1.5) Total: 46.5 Cotton Bowl Ohio State vs. Texas (+5.5) Total: 53.5 Watch us on YouTube instead! https://youtube.com/live/aPjMpImGc9g Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey

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it's gotta be Wendy's at Participating US Wendy's. Welcome to Andy and Ariane 3, presented by Wendy Monday. We got the semi-finals this week. We're picking the games today. We also have Ari a ton of stuff to talk about because there is news all over the college football landscape. We released our way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way,

way too early top 25. I stayed off Twitter for pretty much the entire weekend because I knew what was going to happen when we released that. Oh, I think we have an Ari Mike issue. Man, that's how we start the week. That's beautiful. I will vamp but we

did release our way way way way way way way way way too early top 10. And understandably, it produced some some vitriol. Some people were pretty mad about it. So are you going to talk about that later the show? He's still talking the mic still not working. It was working before. I don't even know what happened. We did test this before the show, but it was a war zone. Can you hear me now?

Whoa, there it is. You know what it is? If you touch this microphone in the wrong spot, it's got like a actual mute button on it. It's like one of those lamps in a hotel where if you touch it, the light changes. Yeah. Sorry about that. The mic was muted. Uh, there was one particular thing that people didn't like Andy and we'll get to that when we get into it but there was one because if you didn't look at the mentions you know how I am. I can't

help but look. There was one particular team in there that people were upset about. I know which team it is and I know which team they want and I think we actually need to have that discussion. I'll give you I'll give everybody a preview. I'll give them a hint because we were going to talk about this after we pick the games. There was a bowl game played the two coaches got into it pretty good. One of the teams that was in that game we included in one of these the teams that was in the game we didn't and and actually are the more I think about it and some stuff that's happened since we released this thing, I think they might be onto something. The people who are mad at us might be onto something.

So we'll talk about that. I know which team it is, and I don't even know the hint you're giving right now. Like I don't even know what you're talking about. Okay. So maybe I'm like having a blank right now. Maybe it's a different team because I was looking at some mentions and saw this team was the one that. Okay, then maybe we're on a different, we're on a different wavelength here, which will make the conversation better. But yeah, it's been weird. That felt like an

extremely long weekend. I don't know if it's because like, I didn't know what weekday it was in the middle of the week last week or whatever. But I'm happy to be back here. I'm happy to have a functioning microphone and sorry to start this week off with a more microphone grab ass, but hopefully you guys will come to love it and forgive me for it. So, it's part of the show now. That's the best part. It's like, and you think I'm like doing it on per I'm really not like, I know you're not. That's the best part. Like I would be mad.

If I thought you were doing it as a bit. I think that would bother me more. But this definitely doesn't bother me because it has now become part of the fabric of the show. Like, we expect you to start talking and no sound to come forth. That one was that one was rough because you could hear me right before we went into the show. I have no idea what happened. And I guess I just must have turned it. But hey, listen, my fighting Irish, my squad, the team that I grew up loving.

Sorry, sailor Joe congratulating Ari on his on his Notre Dame fighting Irish, which he did say, at the outset, would play in the national title game and they are slight favorites to beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl. So we will talk about that very shortly. We're gonna talk about Riley Leonard in that game specifically, and we're also gonna talk about who wins. You know, we're picking the games against the spread today.

But first, we are gonna fuel your morning with Huel. That's right, this is the Huel Black Edition, the ultimate meal in a bottle. 35 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, seven grams of fiber. We all have busy lives. And I'm telling you, for my family's busy lives, Hewl has been a godsend because for me,

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And right now you can try it for 15% off with the code staples15 at huell.com. Fuel up the easy way with Huell today. And we're gonna fuel your morning with everything you need to know about the world of college football in two minutes. Besides of course, our A&I's rankings, which are very controversial.

But oh, we got the countdown clock going. All right, producer River hit that countdown clock. Let's see if we can hit everything that everybody needs to know. The branch brothers, Zachariah and Zion late of USC have committed to Georgia, but they are not, that's not the only Ari, the only roster change

happening with the Bulldogs. Jaden Rashada, Georgia third. What are we calling him in Thurston quarterback Ari? This Mike's not working. It's amazing. This is incredible. Another roster change.

But Jane Rashada is is back in the transfer portal, so if we're keeping score, Jane Rashada originally committed to Miami, flipped to Florida for the giant contract that did not exist, went to Arizona State, started a couple games there, transferred to Georgia, and now he's going somewhere else. I can't imagine that, I mean, what are the odds that he goes somewhere else after this place?

You know, I actually had thoughts and I know that we this is the two minutes so I can give you some thoughts on that. After we will have some thoughts on the back end of the two minutes for sure. OK, but. I thought like what if ASU would have made that run with Jayden Rashada as quarterback magical, although I don't think they would have made that run with Jaden Rashada as quarterback magical, although I don't think they

would have made that run with Jaden Rashada as quarterback. They needed Sam Levitt. Yeah. Sam Levitt's another news. Yeah, Clemson has fired defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin that has been sort of in the works for a few weeks, but that was announced on Monday morning right before we started this show. So Clemson has fired Wes Goodwin, a very good personnel wise defense needs a new leader and we'll see what Dabo Sweeney does with that.

We'll talk about that a little bit more as well. Also Adam Schefter dropped a little bomb on NFL game day that NFL teams might be interested in Steve Sarkisian. And oh, by the way, Jaguars fired their coach this morning. You could see some more NFL firings today. We'll find out that's two minutes. We have just fueled your morning with Hewlett. So go grab a Hewlett. Complete nutrition one bottle black edition. Love it. The chocolate's delicious. The

vanilla's delicious. give it a shot. I drank one of those over the weekend Andy and it filled me up until the next meal. Yes, it is great. That's the part I love about it because I have, especially when we're doing the show in the morning, it falls in a weird place for me because I was doing the intermittent fasting, was not doing a lot of breakfast, but the way I'm eating now, I'm kind of a grazer throughout the day. This is fantastic because it gives me everything I need for the morning and I'm good to go until lunch.

So let's talk Rashada. Arlen has a question in the chat. Why the hell would anyone want to pay Rashada to come play for them, spend the money on someone who might actually stay? Arlen makes a great point here. And this is not just a Jaden Rashada commentary, but when someone's on their third school in three years, I don't know if I'm

the steward of someone's budget, be it NIL, rev share, whatever we're going to call it from this point forward. Maybe that's not who I want to bring in. Well, you know what the actual reality of it is, Andy, is that it's not like his NIL command is going to be all that big anymore. No, like like whatever he gets if anything when he transfers, he's not going to be getting. Um, some big huge, you know, seven figure deal here. Like we've gotten to the point in his career now where, you know, I'm assuming that this is going to be a downward, I mean, it's Georgia.

So I guess there's nowhere else to go but down, but a downward move to a place where he actually could play. So, you know, I thought that the Arizona state thing was, you know, made sense in the sense that like, Hey, he thought he the Arizona state thing was, you know, made sense in the sense that like, Hey, he thought he was getting a bunch of money out of high school, go to a place that may be more willing to oblige with a good deal, but also need you more. Um, and then try to make it work there.

But then when he went to Georgia, if it didn't work there, then it's, uh, you know, I think we're at the point where it's like you have to perform before you're getting paid now. Like I don't know is that the right thought process? It is except this particular year with the rev share coming in. Everybody has more money. So people are just spending stupid money. I'll give you this isn't just like I said, it's not just a Jaden Rashada thing.

I'll give you an example from another person who was once at Georgia bearer Alexander who played at Georgia and then played at USC. He's going to Oregon. Like when I saw that he was going to Oregon, I was very surprised. Now I'm sure Dan Lanning was involved in his recruitment at Georgia. So maybe that has something to do with it. But like you kind of know what happens with this guy. Like you know what, what he he's about so Alexander at least has a body type in some production to only fall back on like I know that like it's kind of the same ilk but like Bear Alexander doesn't play the most important position. I could see a place like Oregon wanting

to take a luxury piece and a stab at somebody that they think might be able to be a very productive player in the right environment like when you're going to get a luxury piece and a stab at somebody that they think might be able to be a very productive player in the right environment. Like when you're going to get a quarterback and you're paying big money for a quarterback, you want to see the production and you want to know that that person is going to help you immediately. And like, I don't even know, like when it comes to Jayden Rashada, what is there to evaluate that Georgia didn't put him in to hand the ball off at the end of the SEC title game? Like has he been playing this year? No, he didn't play it all this year and Ryan Puglisi was ahead

of him on the depth chart for the freshman. What are you lining up at the you know at the check counter to write one for this because it's like and like listen, I don't think that he's maybe this is like just me Andy, but I feel like if a quarterback is ever rated as a top 100 player coming out of high school, that means that they have physical tools that other people don't have. And because of that, I'm always hopeful that if the light turns on or they're in the right situation,

you know, things can go well for him. Like, I don't think that it's fair to say that Jayden Rashada sucks right now. It's still very early in his career. No, we have, we don't have a lot to evaluate on. He has, you know, a couple starts as a true freshman at Arizona State. And like I actually was listening to something about the NFL, but I think it's also kind of true for college too of like what's more important in the NFL the quarterback or the offensive coordinator and like if you go look at the best quarterbacks in the country in the NFL. It's like did Sam Darnold just automatically just turn out to be really good this year or did he get put into the right? Is Kevin O'Connell really good?

Like, I mean, and he's had a great year and you know, I thought that he had a pretty bad game on Sunday night, but like it is like people are who they are, but if you put them in the right spot with the right offensive play caller who knows them, then I think that they have a chance to be successful. So I think that like Jayden Rashada could go somewhere in the group of five and be a pretty productive starter. And I think that's probably where he's going to end up going, right?

Like I don't know that he's going to be one would think like Liberty, Jamie Chadwell's offense, like, yeah, right. Hayden Salter's gone. He's gone to Colorado. Like that would, that would be a spot. And I don't think no Liberty probably has some money. Like producer river points out Malachi Nelson going to UTEP. So Malachi Nelson, this is a good example.

Malachi Nelson was an even higher rated player in the same class as Jayden Rashada started out at USC transferred, went to Boise state, didn't win the job. Now he's going to UTEP, which may be the level he needs to be at. Yeah. And who knows like with these new rules too, it's like if Malachi Nelson goes to UTEP and like throws for 3000 yards, does he like transfer back up? Like, I mean, it's not always like now that we're in a position where tape is really the most important currency here, like you go to a place that you feel like you can play.

If your goal is to play at the highest possible level and to get big NIL dollars, then maybe there's going to be people that need to go down to lower levels to prove they can play. Cause it's like, do you think that Malachi Nelson just can't play at all? Like, I don't know. Like what, what happens? I don't, I don't, I, I know that the on three evaluators are really really talented people right like we know when you think about how many players are in high school football and how

good the rankings usually are like you know how hard that is I don't think that people realize how difficult that is to rank these kids and I think you get good at it or efficient at it, or at least, you know, put something out there that makes a lot of sense because there are certain tent poles of your evaluation, right? Like, you know, if a, if position A has X, Y, and Z, then they're probably going to translate well to the league or to the NCAA, you know, level then before the league. And it's like, I don't think that people just watched Jaden Rashada and Malachi Nelson and evaluate them and go,

well, these guys don't have the physical traits to be good. Like something else has gone wrong. And with Jaden Rashada, it's pretty obvious. Like the priorities are not where they need to be. And a lot of that- you did the reporting on it. Was that him? I don't think all it's all him, but unfortunately he gets dragged into it and it's still part of his life and he's got to deal with it.

So and that's the problem is like. I'll here's a great example. We'll go with the Georgia quarterback room this year. So Ryan Puglisi, the quarterback we mentioned earlier who was number two on the depth chart in the sugar bowl behind Gunner Stockton. Here's Ryan Puglisi's recruitment. I'm committed to Georgia. Oh, Dylan Raiola is also committed to Georgia.

Don't care. I can beat him out. I'm still committed to Georgia. Don't care. I can beat him out. I'm still committed to Georgia. Dylan Ryle is leaving. Okay. Jane Rashad is coming in as a transfer. Don't care. I can beat him out. Who do you want more? Don't care. I can beat him out. Who you've already evaluated as a like there's obviously a minimum physical threshold, but Ryan Puglisi clearly surpasses that. Do you want that or do you want flipping from Miami to Florida, flipping from Florida, Arizona State, flipping from Arizona State to George?

Like what do you want? That seems pretty easy to me. Yeah, I I went to and like Puglisi is an elite 11 kid, so it's not like he's like something exactly we're not talking about a ham and egg here that following his dream like he so it's not like he's like some love. Exactly, we're not talking about a Hammond Eggert here. Or that following his dream like he's Rudy or something like he's a really good player too. Yeah.

So like that attitude with that talent I think is important. But then it like opens up Pandora's box and it's like, are you saying you wouldn't want Dylan Raola? Like where do you draw the line between who you want and who you don't want? But the thing is like you could you could have both in college football. This isn't the pros., you can have both in college football. This isn't the pros. You can have both. And Georgia was gonna have both till Dylan Arrelo flipped.

Goatdog says he's ready to yell Pug Life and call him President Pug if he wins the starting goal. Shout out to our guys at Pardon My Take with President Pug. But yeah, that's the thing. It is, you can have them both. And Mac Jones is kind of the example of this because Mac Jones was the same thing. Mac Jones is like, Oh, Jalen Hurts is already coming to Alabama. It's okay. I still want to go. Oh, they got a commitment from Tua in my class. It's okay. I still want to go.

Like I, I still want that person more than I want the person who goes to a bunch of different high schools and then decides they want to go to a bunch of like it's not complicated if you've gone to we'll go back to the bear alexander example if you've gone to five different high schools it's a glaring red flag but you're also like literally describing the entire program foundation for nebr now. I know. Am I am I confident in Nebraska winning a national title? Nope, well, that's not his fault. I mean that there's too far away to win a national title anyway. Well, right, there's there's a lot of golf left, but like so you actually do think that if

you if a player transfers a ton that you are just not just with Raul. I'm just saying as a blanket. No everybody. Yeah, bunch of different high schools. It's a red flag. Now a lot of times it is their parents dragging them different places. So it is I don't want to put it all on the player necessarily, but you look at and there are situations where transferring is right, but a lot of, most of the guys who transfer and it works out transfer once. And it's they were in the wrong place, they went to the right place, and that was that.

But even from the high school level, though, you're already like, okay, red flag, don't want them. Or if you've done it multiple times. Yeah. Yeah. Like I would need, if you were at three or four different high schools, I would need like a really detailed situation.

Like, oh, they fired the coach right before spring practice and they switched from an air raid offense to a triple option. Like, okay, I get that, that's fine. But I would need like a detailed description of why every single time. And they need to check the boxes because if

it is just it's not the ideal situation and I'm gonna blame the parents I'm not gonna blame the player in this situation if if you're the parents and you're going it's not the ideal situation I'm gonna yank my kid all over the place that's your fault like that's bad parenting it's a true showing them that that when things get slightly difficult, go try, you know, don't try to ever gut it out. Yeah. So, yeah.

Yeah. And that's the thing. I'm Mr. Pay the players, Mr. Transfer all you want. But I also think if I were the GM or the coach, and I had a player who is really good and said, I want to be here and another player who's really good and said, I've been here, here, here, here, here. I know which one I want. So it's yeah, I think I think that the. The high school level is a little bit different, but I wonder if in 10 years

we'll just accept that people leave for leverage plays for financial motivation. I don't know that transferring now is 100%... I also don't think it's going to be like this. I don't think it's going to be like this in 10 years, because I think schools will eventually come around and accept that they got to bargain with everybody and they'll have a CBA and You'll you'll be able to get there will be a point. I would think when the next 10 years where they have contracts and They're not going every year and they can't make a leverage play every year Yeah

so I think that's That's probably gonna come like Like, this is sustainable. Off-season discussion about this, Andy, at some point, but like, do you... I don't know. Like, on one hand, it's like this was an awesome season and everybody was engaged and it's like the whole ruining the sport narrative is stupid because nothing really ruins the sport, you know, because people want to watch it and love it. But on the other hand too, it's like of all the threats to college football's, you know, health and engagement outside of Paul Feinbaum, I'm wondering like what do you actually think is the biggest, I'm joking about Paul Feinbaum, but what do you think is the actual biggest threat to fan interest and engagement? Do you think that?

Transient they make it not football. They transfer it to a different sport. They can they can dick with it as much as they want and metal with it and do whatever they want and like nothing else you're going to do on Saturdays. John and the chat says Congress will step in at some point and pass a federal law stopping all this nonsense. John, you're so naive. No, they won't. They might pass something. It's now set up where they can pass something, but they will not stop all this nonsense. sense that if it need, if it's going to be fixed, the schools actually have to

decide they want to fix themselves. They continue to decide not to fix it themselves. They know what they need to do to fix it. They keep refusing to fix it. Well, here's the thing that I'm curious about, and I didn't go to Wharton. That's it. But at a certain point, I wonder if you know how John says they've already started working on it. So you're gonna Yeah, John, we know. We talked about all the various bills that came through that nothing happened on. I don't know how to break this to you.

But Congress has a lot more important things to worry about. So restricting the economic rights of college athletes is not really high on their list. And I mean, they're going to try, but the court system is going to have it say, like, the way to fix it is collective bargaining. They're going to have to do that at some point, whether they make the employees, athletes employees or not, they don't have to do that. But is there ever going to be a place where it's cheaper to make them athletes and to bargain than whatever's going on right now? Make them employees. Yeah, I think it's probably common. That's how they change their mind, right? That's cheap. Oh, yeah. Yeah. As soon as it's cheaper, that's what they'll do. Yeah, right. Because the

coaches, like, it's not the coaches that are the problem anymore. The coaches are like, dude, do whatever it takes. So we get these dudes under contract. And I don't have to deal with somebody coming to me once a week trying to get a race. Just from a fan experience standpoint, I don't know if I'm old fashioned. But like, it's exhausting in the off season to be like, oh, he's here, he's here, he's here. Well, it's too much change.

The Proleagues haven't figured out. The NBA and the NFL, their free agency, it's enough change, but it's not too much change. Change is fun. It's enough to keep things spicy, but it's not so much that it's a complete change. If I had to like fall back on like nobody can transfer ever or transfer all over the place, I would pick transfer all over the place because change is inherently entertaining. But somewhere in the middle where it's like, yeah, yeah, somewhere where

maybe a big time quarterback, you know, changes the team like once every cycle or I don't know how to how to do it like what like what does when you collective bargain the collective bargaining agreement like what would that do with that restrict you from transferring like you would have to it's a two-year deal with a school option for a third or a three-year deal with a school option for a fourth or whatever. How do you want to do it? And then you just have to adhere to the terms of the contract. Yeah, and if you sign a three- or four-year deal, because I'm assuming you would get to four years at the beginning of careers, depending on who you're going after, right? Yeah. That person would have to be compensated appropriately for taking the risk of not being able to move and all those things.

And then you would have to naturally. If you're a, like, if you're a high three star and you know you could be really good, maybe you take the lower offer at a one year deal at a school, ball out, and now you're free. Like, it's the same thing. It's it's deciding what works best for you. And then all of all of those contracts will be public information so that we can actually play the roster game of

like, here's who's coming up for free agency at the end of the year and all that stuff. And like the NFL contracts are not officially public. But it they're public agents and the teams have found out it's in their best interest to leak it all out there anyway, so everybody knows what's up. So I think that's probably how that would go. But that's the most logical way to do it. Like, John in the chat thinks that the Congress is going to pass like an antitrust exemption. They're not going to be able to do that. Like Major League Baseball has an antitrust exemption that doesn't allow a salary cap. So if you think

there's going to be an antitrust exemption that allows a salary cap and allows all this restriction, it's not going to happen. So they're going to have to work with the players at some point. And the problem now is the players have it so good. Like if I were a player, I wouldn't want anything to change. Right. So they've gone, it's gone completely the other direction because the schools were so dug in for so long and they got last in the courts. Unless the employment contracts offer a certain level

of guarantee income that makes you an employee that outweighs the hassle of having to go acquire all your money the way that they do now too. Cause like also it's like getting sponsors. I mean, it's not an easy thing to do. I would imagine, right? I guess for some people it probably is, but like for backups and stuff, like getting an IL deals can't be an easy endeavor. I mean, I guess it depends on who your agent is or you know, how hard they're working at it. We're going to get sued because of the rankings.

Yeah. The ranking system has been around for 25 years and nobody's filed a lawsuit, but sure, you're going to start now. They could have. I think it's enough. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, John, John's wish casting here. So all right. You know what should be on your wish list? A beautiful watch from Axia time.

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Take a look. They've got all of the college football playoff teams this year. They've also got like the one I've got is a plain Navy face. I'm wearing the orange band they gave me with me, but I've also got a stainless steel one. I've got is a plain Navy face. I'm wearing the orange band they gave with me, but I've also got a stainless steel one. I've got a blue leather one.

It is amazing, and you can just dress them up, dress them down, however you want. I'm telling you, wherever you go, people go, where did you get that? And you just say Axia Time. Send them to the website, axiatime.com. Ari, let's pick some games. Let's do it.

This is a so my bad. My bracket is busted completely. Because I had a Georgia Oregon National title game, so I'm out done. I gotta pick a new national champion and a new runner-up. You still have one of your teams from the final in that's Notre Dame. You have basically decided somebody's somebody else is winning national title. Yeah, like that's the thing with

these brackets too. I think in football, maybe even more so than basketball because like I don't know if in the basketball tournament do teams like play really well in the first two rounds and then you're like oh crap that changes my entire perspective of how they're going to do for the rest of the tournament like or I think we've seen that a couple times. Like you've seen teams turn into buzz saws in the tournament. I'm trying to think the last, like not this past Yukon national title, but the one before, I don't feel like they came into the

tournament with everyone thinking they were just going to crush everybody. But by the, by the end of the second round, you're like, oh crap, they are going to crush everybody. Yeah, I took a lot of shit for this bracket. It's pretty sweet. Look at it. Yeah, because your finalists are still in, though I have a feeling. Well, let's okay. Should we? Well, let's do it chronologically. Let's start with the orange ball. Andy, if I had all the information on Ohio State going into this, I would have gone 100%. Oh, I know. I know. But let's let's figure out who's going to play the winner of the cotton ball first. So we're going to talk about Notre

Dame and Penn State. This I said when when the Notre Dame Georgia game was set for the Sugar Bowl, I wrote that this is a Spider-Man meme game, like we're the same guy pointing at the same guy. Ari, is this more of a Spider-Man meme game than that one? Can I dare to just ask you a question right out of the gate here? You may. Is Penn State a better version of Georgia this year? That's where I might be headed with this

because as I was doing the written version of this, Ari, I kept going down the list like player for player and you know, unit for unit as like, wait, Penn State is Georgia. It's that they have Tyler Warren. Yeah. And Tyler Warren is a better playmaker than anyone that okay,, of these three teams, Penn State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Tyler Warren is the best playmaker on any of those rosters, correct? Correct. Okay.

That's where I'm going with this. So Penn State's a one and a half point dog in this game. Again, the Spider-Man meme thing, Notre Dame opened as a one and a half point dog in this game. Not again, the Spider-Man meme thing Notre Dame opened as a one and a half point favorite just like it did against Georgia. Now the difference is in that game, within like 20 minutes, it had flipped to one and a half in favor of Georgia. And then when the game kicked off, the sharps had come in and it was back to to Notre Dame minus one and a half.

Somebody in the chat said that Jeremiah love is better than Warren and I don't think that's what you meant if you want to clarify. I think you meant in terms of just an alien who can do things that nobody else can do. But like, we don't even know if he's 100% healthy. Like, okay, let me ask you this Ari. The current health status version of Jeremiah Love, who we saw limping off the field at the end of the sugar bowl, Anjadarian Price or K-Tron Alan and Nick Singleton. Yeah. Price is actually running the ball really hard this year too. Robert in the chat goes Tyler Warren best playmaker hmm Robert

who in this game is better? He said he's wearing an Ohio State hoodie. I think yeah, okay. We know Jeremiah Smith's better We're not he's not playing in this game So I think the running backs are a wash can we just leave it at that I mean, they're both yes I think that's I think that's that's that's what I was getting at. It's yeah Spider-Man me Here's a question That I have for you, too Mm-hmm

And I don't know if Jeremiah Smith is just gonna levitate over everybody else But if you could take one player off of any of the remaining four teams, why is it Abdul Carter? like I don't know if anybody like has been paying attention to Penn State close enough to realize they might have the best player in the playoff on their highest draft pick of any the highest pick in this next

draft of anybody who's remaining in playoff. Yeah. And like having that guy like I don't know like I picked Notre Dame, but like I. Might be wrong about that. Um, Penn State's got a lot of pieces. When coming together the right way. Means going to the national title game.

But I mean, when you have a. Great one to punch at running back, you have the best, you know. Receiving option, that's not just a pure receiver in Tyler Warren, you have a quarterback who. Is playing his way into the first round of this year's draft, even if he's not going to be participating into it, you've got the best edge rusher in the sport. Your defense is solid like. I don't the only overt weakness that I see with

Penn State is lack of explosive receivers. Yes. And when your problem has that problem, then it kind of washes out because it's not like Notre Dame is lighting the scoreboard on fire with an uncoverable receiver themselves. Like, I think it's possible that Penn State might have the edge here. Like I, this is a hard game to pick. It is. And I picked Notre Dame and the written piece that we did. I don't know. Like I will say, okay, if we're going to talk about entire receiving core.

So if let's, uh, and we'll include Mitchell Evans, who's Notre Dame starting tight into this, like I will take Bo Collins, Jane, great house, Jordan phase on Mitchell Evans. Yeah. Over all of Penn State's options, but on one play, I need this play. I'm going to Tyler Warren and I don't know as good as Notre Dame secondary is, and it's really good. He's an alien. Andy, here's another question. I think that we both would agree that Drew Aller has a higher NFL ceiling than Riley Leonard. Who is a better quarterback right now?

Riley Leonard. And that is where the edge is, right? Like you can like go around the entire roster and go position group position but like Riley Leonard who the design runs. He's a crazy good runner like II think that that is why I'm leaning toward Notre Dame because I think in totality Notre Dame's lines are good. They have well, you know how much I love the Notre Dame offensive line and and remember they've dealt with two season ending injuries along the offensive line. And remember, they've dealt with two season ending injuries along the offensive line and have not lost a step at all.

And I think that Abdul Carter existing, takes that advantage that they would have that would just be a stark advantage kind of away because Abdul Carter is going to win 12 reps no matter who they're playing. But I think that the quarterback advantage here, just in the sense of who can make you a play with when things break down and stuff, Notre Dame has as an advantage there. Yeah, I, because I'm still going to take Riley Leonard as scrambler over Drew Aller, although I think Drew Aller has shown us as the season has gone on that he's actually a pretty good scrambler. He's a pretty good athlete, but I would still take Riley Leonard on a broken play

over him. Riley Leonard running the ball against Georgia was really the difference. But assigned runs against Georgia were really the difference. Like, I mean, there were certain plays where it was just flat out quarterback draw where he'd make a man miss

and go up the middle of the field for 15, 20 yards. Like he, coming into the year, I think we talked about this like I thought that he was the best or one of the best running threats at the quarterback position in the entire sport. We didn't see it a lot because of injury concerns. Well, let's let us. Let's look at this through the lens of our friends at price picks. With Riley Leonard. Download that app, use the code staples,

play $5, get $50 instantly. So I sent Producer River the prize pick squares for Riley Leonard for this game. 160 and a half pass yards, 47 and a half rushing yards. So very similar to what Riley Leonard was expected to do against Georgia in the sugar bowl. Now he very much surpassed that rushing number and passing. He didn't need to throw much against Georgia. He threw for 90 yards against Georgia and they won comfortably. Like the way Notre Dame is built. He doesn't have to throw for even 200 yards and Ari given what we see from Penn State, like he, this is not going to be a

shootout. I don't think as long as it doesn't get weird. So like I'm not even worried about him doing more than the 160 and a half as long as he's more than 47 and a half. That's that's where I think Notre Dame is OK. Yeah, yeah, last week I think the price picks number for his rushing total is 43 and a half and he blew past it. Yeah, he had 80 I believe and I think that Marcus Freeman.

And the staff is going to know hey, if we're going to make it to the national title game he needs to rush for more than that and I think that they'll design an offense that puts him in a position to do so. So I really like that one specifically. Yeah, it's it's going to be fun to watch. So that's Riley Leonard against Penn State.

Pay special attention to that. I I don't know that you need to worry about the passing number. I think you should definitely worry about the rushing number. Alright, let's get to the game itself. Let's let's let's pick the game here. This is.

We go back and forth. It's a one and a half point spread. It's basically a pick them. Ari. Do you stay with your original Notre Dame to the national title game pick? I mean, what am I gonna do? Am I gonna back out now? This is the hardest game in the playoff to pick I think Like since the beginning

I'm gonna stick with Notre Dame because I love Riley Leonard and what he can do. If you have a college quarterback advantage, even if it's 10% better, you take it. And, you know, Notre Dame is just a solid, very good team across the board. And the thing that I think was really revelatory. And, you know, truthfully speaking, we got to say this, like Penn State is here in large part as a result of a very easy path. Like we've seen Notre Dame physically exist and and win the physical battle with Georgia. Like, in terms of like what we know about these teams. I don't care who Indiana played. Yeah, like we. We don't know. We don't really know what Indiana was like. What if Notre Dame just comes in here and bashes Penn State?

Cause there. They're used to this level of county. I don't know. I don't think that's going to happen, because I think Penn State either. I think Penn State can exist in that type of game. I think it's going to be close. I like Notre Dame to win and I think I like the under too.

I love the under love the under. It's 46 and a half is the total. Love the under in this game. Notre Dame, Georgia was it was 33 total. That that makes perfect sense like that feels like a good number here. 40 feels like a good number here. But Ari. I don't know who's going to win this game. Like I said, it's a one and a half point spread.

It's a toss up. So I'm going to take the biggest alien on the field. I'm going to say Tyler Warren does something that makes our jaws drop and Penn State squeaks it out. Give me Penn State to cover. Give me Penn State money line. I got the nitty lines in this one. Give me Penn State to cover. Give me Penn State Moneyline. I got the nanny lines in this one.

We always talk about Andy. How cool it is to cover games where no matter who loses, it's going to be a dumpster fire. But you're covering a game too, where no matter who wins, it's a it's a revelation to the program. Like I think that like it's not always got to be the negative.

Like this is huge for whoever wins. This game is going to the national title game They were not a team that even midway through the season Anybody but Ari like Ari had Notre Dame being this good all along I don't think a lot of people did and I don't think a lot of people were thinking Penn State after they lost to Ohio State would be in the national title game, but It's a coin flip game and the winner is going to play for the national time. The thing that I think I have to say too, and we've mentioned it, but

let's mention it again, like all the Notre Dame predictions happened before their roster, like lost four really good players and they still did it. If that gives you a sense of how well they've been built differently, they've been built from, from the recent past. Yeah. So I agree. This is going to be such a fun game. I'm so excited. I can't wait. James Franklin, everyone's like, Oh, it's a big game for Frank. Like this is like the place where James Franklin does some crazy stuff, right?

Like James Franklin, people make fun of him for not being a good big game coach. And I think a lot of times when that becomes your reputation, people latch on to everything you do in every big game, and it gets like kind of overblown. Penn State got a little wonky with their offense against Boise, didn't they? I don't know. Like, are you on alert for,

like, who's got the coaching advantage here? Listen, James Franklin has been doing this a long time. He has. Marcus Freeman has not been doing this a long time. Now, I, I, I wrote this. Marcus Freeman has grown considerably as a head coach. The the stuff he pulled with the running the punt team off bringing the offense on to ice the game to get Georgia to jump like it was beautiful. He had Georgia's sideline in a blender, but I'm I I'm not I've never been out on James Franklin.

I've never been one of those people who's like, James Franklin can't do this. I always think if he keeps knocking at the door, I said this about Kirby Smart before he won the national title, like, I feel like if you keep knocking at the door, you eventually get in. This is the first time in a long time. James Franklin is continually knocking at the door.

Knocking on the door. I did once watch him throw a fade route the door knocking on the door. I did once watch him throw a fade route to a five nine receiver on fourth and goal of the game on the line like six years ago so. Hey don't bring up the read option against Ohio

State on fourth down. That's the one that led to the presented speech presented without opinion. So I got you. But if James Franklin wins the game and shut up about it. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. All right.

That is one game. I've got Penn State. Ari's got Notre Dame. Let us head to Ari's town where Ohio State and us head. To Ari's town. Where Ohio State and Texas will meet at Jerry World, Bevo will be allowed in the building. Because Jerry Jones, despite being an Arkansas grad, is a responsible businessman in the state of Texas and is not going to keep Bevo out of his building.

Steve Sarkisian also had a cameo in Landman. I don't know if you're caught up yet, but Jerry Jones. I'm caught up. No spoilers for Landman. No spoilers. It's nothing that would change anything about knowing what's going on in the show, but Jerry Jones has like a 92nd cameo in the show and he was like a really good actor. Please tell me he's talking to John Ham or Demi Moore. Or maybe Billy Bob. He Bob. I take it on ham. Yeah. Okay. Now I'm excited about that.

Electric, yeah. But Steve Sarkisian, you had Adam Schefter drop this little turd in the punch bowl on NFL countdown on Sunday. NFL teams interested in Steve Sarkisian. Ari, I can smell an agent trying to get a coach a raise a mile away. Like the last time this happened on this particular weekend

with Adam Schefter dropping that particular turn in the punch bowl was Dan Mullen January 2021. And it was the downfall of Dan. It began the downfall of Dan Mullen at Florida. I do not think that's going to happen with Steve Sarkisian. I began the downfall of Dan Mullin at Florida. I do not think that's going to happen with Steve Sarkisian. I don't, I think he's in a good spot, but this also screams we're trying to get our guy a raise here.

Yeah, you're better at like sniffing out the, is this a raise play or is somebody, or did an NFL GM say he's interesting? He, I mean, he is interesting. I like the way he's developed Texas, but I mean, he is interesting. I like the way, the way he's developed Texas. But I also think we don't know necessarily, like, there's nothing that says screams great pro coach versus great college coach. Like the things that he's done at Texas that are really good building NFL draft picks, uh, recruiting offensive lineman well and then scheming him up like.

I don't know the roster construction is unique to college. Like he's not going to be able to construct rosters like that in the NFL. So I think it's probably more of a let's get our man a raise play. But this also is a game where we're going to see his roster construction tested because Ohio State is loaded at every position. And as you mentioned Ari time and time again, the past week, Ohio State is in buzzsaw mode, Texas is going to have to be its absolute best to win this game

or to keep this game close. What's the path Andy? The path is you disrupt Will Howard you get Will Howard on the ground and they have look Texas has you know Baron Sorrell Colin Simmons like they got dudes who can do this. Mm-hmm. They can do this like they got dudes who can do this. They can do this. What's what's Ohio?

If Ohio State has a weakness at all, it's the offensive line, though I would argue the offensive line has been outstanding in the playoff. But Texas front seven versus Ohio State offensive line. Texas front seven front seven has to win that. It probably gets the advantage

going in right? I would say so. Yeah. I'm not so much concerned about like I don't know that Ohio State is going to drop forty. I don't know how Texas is going to score man like here's the thing about Ohio State. This is the issue no one is talking about because Jeremiah Smith is that good. Their defense is insanely good like Ohio. It was good all season, but it's gone up a level in the

playoff the way that Ohio State's defense played against Oregon is the story of that game. It's not Jeremiah Smith. Jeremiah Smith is really, really good and you can say it from the mountaintops 100 times. My saucy take in week three of the

season was he's already the best receiver in college football. People thought that was nuts. Here we are like he is the he is a player that I believe could start in the NFL tomorrow. Like that's how good he is. Ohio State's defense, the way they played against Oregon,

made for the best offensive unit. Look foolish for a large portion of that game. They were arriving at the football, they were hitting, they were containing, they were covering, they were they were doing everything imaginable. And like that's the defense that has been constructed here, you have a front seven on Ohio State's defense that has four or five players in that front seven that should be in the NFL right

now. Right? JT 2 Milan, Jack Sawyeryer were so freaking good against a very good Oregon offensive line. Like Oregon has like Josh Connelly and Johnny Cornelius are NFL tackles. And obviously Texas has NFL tackles too. I think cam Williams at right tackle is going to be back. Obviously Kelvin banks at left tackle, maybe the highest draft of tackle in the draft this year. So this is going to be a great match. And I'll point this out too.

It's not just this is going to be a line of scrimmage game, even though there are think about there's so many star playmakers, whether it's Jeremiah Smith or like Matthew Golden the last few weeks for Texas has been awesome. But there's so many star playmakers, but this really will be decided at the line of scrimmage. The Texas offensive line, if it's the Texas offensive line we saw at Michigan, you and I were there in Ann Arbor. They were pushing around a team full of elite defensive linemen, elite. And Texas's offensive. Push them around. If that offensive line shows it for they play like that. There's a path for Texas,

but they said that you gotta have that. This is a Michigan fan trolling, I think, but also might be making a good point here. If Texas tries to out finesse, this is smash the numbers Ferris con if Texas tries to out finesse the finesse Ohio State team,

they will lose. They need to smash. Hopefully and Wink Martindale is consulting with Texas right now. Is there a smash mouth route for Texas where they run the ball and they stop? Yeah, the Texas we saw in the Michigan game. They ran the ball well, but they also were explosive in the past game because they were running the ball. Well, yeah. were explosive in the past game because they were running the bowl well. Yeah. And I don't know like the thing about it is that like Oregon, how would you categorize Oregon on the

finesse scale? Because I actually think that they're pretty hard nose team. Like they're not a finesse team. Like Oregon's not a finesse. Now, the Evan Stewart only playing one snap in that game. It seems like that he was part of their game plan and then he couldn't go and then they had a problem. But also Ohio state just had them locked down. Like that, like I've said this before, but the behind the quarterback shot from the Ohio state, Tennessee game and the Ohio state organ game, like it looks

like complete misery for the quarterback because there is an Ohio state player covering every single person and well, like there's nobody open. The thing that scares me about this is that everybody thinks Ohio State is going to beat the crap out of them, and that always means that we're wrong. So I'm trying to figure out like. What? Like how many points does Texas have to score in this game to win? 38 times they have to set 38.

I think that I think it has to be a shootout for Texas when they lost. There's no way. I think it has to be and look, you can say that 38 points, Andy. They're not. We have seen examples in the college football playoff of defenses that were dominant all year. I'll give you a great example. 2015 Alabama. That's the one that beat Michigan state 38 to nothing in the cotton bowl.

The defense had been just suffocating all year. Alabama still won the national title that year, but only because Nick Saban brought a sky kick off onside kick out of his bag of tricks. To start the fourth quarter because they had to steal a possession from Clemson because he knew they couldn't keep stopping Clemson's offense. We've seen these games. We've seen games where a defense that was really good ran

up against a really good offense and all of a sudden now is this kind of offense? That's the question matchup. We see a really elite dominant defense with 10 players who are going to play a long time in the NFL versus an offense that can't score like they went three and a half quarters against their it's not that they can't score it's that they take they just have these lulls and they can score but as you said against Arizona State they just took two and a half quarters off it stopped and it broke their defense by the way like imagine Texas sustained some drives in the third quarter I don't

think Arizona State ever comes back um. Do we want to discuss Quinn Arch or do we just want to let it play? Why not? It's YouTube. Let's go. Why not? It's YouTube. Do you think that let me set a line here and this is from the Wasserman made up lines book. Over under offensive snaps that arch will take on Saturday for any reason at all. Nine and a half. It's under it's going to be under where would you set the line?

I would actually set it at one. Cause they'll like obviously if Quinn yours gets hurt, he has to come in. That's not really a discussion. We're talking about a Steve Sarkeesian choice. They don't have a package for him where they would run ten place. They don't have to use that.

They kind of needed it against Arizona State. They were not moving the ball and they didn't use it. And like a certain point, are you just good? Why can't you just believe Steve Sarkisian when he's like Quinn's my guy and also too. I read a really good column from our former colleague, Sam Khan at the athletic and he wrote about Quinn Ewers and I thought it was a really good point that Quinn Ewers has kind of always judged through the lens of what he isn't because of where he was ranked and who

he's compared to on his own team and he's never viewed through the lens of what he is. I think that people overly neg him because he's not Peyton Manning or he hasn't turned out to be the greatest quarterback that's ever played like his recruitment promised. But like also too, could we like give the guy a round of applause for five seconds for that like big nut energy there when he threw that touchdown pass?

Or 13, like I mean like, I don't care how open the guy was. And like he had, like, I mean, if Quinn was soft or sucked, like he would have like choked probably, right? Like they, he has come through a lot for them. If Quinn was soft or sucked like he would have like choked probably right like they He has come through a lot for them. So like I understand Steve Sarkeesian's point of like this is our guy We have won a lot of games with him. He's a ton of experience. He's never too hot. He's never too cold Like I like all that. I'm not saying bench him

But if you if you brought out in the middle of the second quarter After Quinn played the first quarter arch manning and had like 10 good plays with him that you felt really good about Where you exploit his ability to run on designed runs? But also catch Ohio State off guard by throwing it in situations where it feels like you're running Isn't that the time and place for it? Like if you like prepare for it, you hammer it, you spent the entire playoffs getting to a point where you feel good about it. Isn't this the time and place? The time and place for Arch Manning wasn't throw them into the game in the second quarter of the Georgia game. That's not the time and place. The time and place is knowing

you're going to do it, knowing you're going to rely on it, trying to count on catching your opponent off guard. Why wouldn't they try it, especially if they get into another offensive law? Like I think that he will play more than one play on Saturday for non injury related reasons. Okay, we'll see. But I think Steve Sarkisian has made his intentions pretty clear. Unless he's been sandbagging, unless this is this is the the Okidoki is going to bring out. I don't think that bringing Quinn in for

12 plays to as a change of pace quarterback. Means that he is not. That wins out there guy like I don't think it's one or the other. I think you could be both. We'll see. I think that so it wouldn't bench Quinn fully. Ferris in the chat says the only way Texas wins is a low scoring game, which is I understand Ferris is a Michigan fan, so. He's why I don't know that we're ever going to see that again

from this Ohio State team, because I don't know that we're ever going to see that again from this Ohio State team because I don't think Ohio State like I think they've learned enough to not get roped into that game. The thing that Michigan has done is rope them into that game. The thing that Michigan has done to Ohio State and there is a mental element to this and they might not like hearing it. Michigan has done a tremendous job from a culture standpoint, roping Ohio State into playing their football game. And I think that there is a major mental element in that from the coach and

the players in that game. And with the pressure that's in that game, you are more susceptible to having to be in that game. And with the pressure that's in that game, you are more susceptible to having to be in that situation. I don't know if duplicating what Michigan does is a reasonable ask for other teams. And that's a respect to Michigan and their culture, right? Like, and the fact that Sharon Moore was able to do it in year one without Jim Harbaugh and win it last year

makes me feel really good about the prospect of his long term success there. This isn't like a negative thing. This is a positive, but like I don't know if like you could go to Texas and be just do what Michigan did because I think it's a very deep and complex environment that is not something that you can duplicate through trying to run hard. I think it's right. I also think Ohio State has figured out what it did wrong in that game and I hope so. Yeah, I, I, I, and I realized it's, it's so super simplistic and I'd love to, to give Chip Kelly and Ryan Day truth serum and be like, is it really as simple as you guys just didn't know to throw to the guy that no one can,

you know what I think it was? Because like, like listen the thing that was really interesting to me about the Ohio State Michigan fallout and he was everybody who was watching the game was like throw it to Jeremiah Smith downfield like everybody was yelling that right or try to open up the defense by throwing it a little bit like because Ohio State threw the ball I think statistically more than they did against Tennessee and maybe Oregon in the game, but it was when they threw and how they threw they kept trying to run the ball on first down and I feel like Ryan Day like this is my truth serum for him.

And here's my theory. You tell me if you think I'm nuts. We joke about the Lou Holtz thing, right? Like I want to know where Lou Holtz is right now. I think Ryan Day is a very competitive person. And even though he is subdued in news conferences, I don't think that people actually know that he is a psychopath when it comes to wanting to win.

But I think in that specific game, Ryan Day is convinced not only does he have to beat Michigan, he has to do it by playing the way that they do. I think he wants to outrun them. I think he wants to beat them at Smouth Mouth football. I think he wants to prove that Ohio State is tough. And the problem with that is that Ohio State's roster is not constructed to exist in those type of games. Ohio State's roster is constructed to play like they did against Oregon and

it's constructed to beat teams like Oregon and Tennessee and Texas, especially where you match up athlete athlete and you have better athletes. And the thing that's so crazy about that game Andy is is that Ohio State has a patchwork offensive line and you were running into the two best defense interior defensive lineman in the entire sport for four quarters. And it's like, I think that it was so important to him to show Michigan that Ohio State is better than them

in that regard that he forgot about winning. Honestly, like that's my because that's the only rational thought I can come up with on how that happened. Well, it doesn't matter because the Michigan games over like that's in the pan. I know, but as it pertains to Texas is, there will be no duplicated. There will be no wings helmets. There will be no hail to the victors.

But the question is called the vectors. Does Texas have anything to learn from them or is that an isolated weird incident? I know, because they can't make Ohio State slip into a mindset. Like you can't trick Ohio State into that mindset because there's no winged helmets, there's no the victors. Like that all the trappings of that game are gone. You are in the cotton bowl, you are in Jerry world, like Bevo is on the field. it's a completely different environment. Now the thing is, of all the

teams left in the tournament, Texas is the one best equipped to go athlete for athlete with Ohio State. And Texas also is a hard-nosed, tough, tough team. Yes. Like, so they have that, that aspect of it. They're really, really good, man. I feel like it, Texas had one Jeremiah Smith. OK, I'm not going to say that if they had one Ryan Williams or somebody that was just a gay, if they had to save your what if Ryan Wingo is that and we see it this game like is that he's a freshman too. And that would change my perspective

Yeah, his Goldins good Wingo's good I think they're gonna have Duke but they don't have a receiver that scares the shit out of you You got Isaiah Bond who's obviously made a least one He's playing Matthew Golden's been great. Yep. Silas. Silas Bolden has had his like he had the part return. I think like I get everybody wants to get back into the Ohio State Michigan thing. I think the only way Texas wins this is in a shootout because they made one fewer mistake, but they have to make it a shootout. I think people are offense has to not

fall asleep in the middle of the game. I think that people want to get into the Michigan thing because it is one of the most dumbfounding results of the modern history of our sport. I know, but it's over. It's gone. Yeah, it doesn't have anything to do with this game. And everybody wants to bring it back

But that's not this game so alright Texas is a five and a half point underdog in this game Who you got Ohio State and I might take an alter And to yeah, I think I would take like minus 14, maybe and a half if it was wow. Yeah, you would go up to minus 14 and a half. You would go up to more than two touchdowns. I'm not saying I'm not.

That's not my official prediction. I'm saying I'm not. But you think this game is the lines off on this game? I don't know. I think that Ohio State could win by three touchdowns, though. Here's my thing. I went into this thinking it was gonna be about a seven and a half point spread and was ready to pick Texas to cover in Ohio State to win. The fact that it's stuck at five and a half,

give me Ohio State for both. Yeah. Because it's not, again, I don't, take all that Michigan stuff out of it. I don't care about that anymore. If Ohio State plays the way it played against Tennessee and against Oregon, Texas is not going to win. There will be an extended period where Texas's offense falls asleep, mostly because they got choked out by Ohio State's defense.

And that will be the problem. Even if there are moments where Texas can get guys open and can make explosive plays down the field. The way Texas wins is that they continue to score the whole time. You know what this game played so well. I'm just not sure that's possible. I think it's 3820. That's like the type of score I'm anticipating, which is why I think Texas is 38 to win like 3835 is the way I see it's 38 20. That's like the type of score I'm anticipating, which is why

I think Texas is 38 to win like 38 35 is is the way I see Texas winning the game. I just don't know if they can do that against this defense. I'll take Ohio State to win and to cover. Um, but also to the line has opened at five and a half and six. It has kind of stuck there. I know there's action on Texas and I know the entire public's on Ohio State. So maybe something weird will happen.

Like you never know. So I don't know. Listen, for the viewer's sake, I hope so. I want this to be a competitive game. I don't care who wins. I want it to be competitive. Ohio State has made these games uncompetitive, which has been very, very interesting.

Yeah, this is the thing that I wanted to bring up that we didn't bring up before we picked. But like the game isn't Dallas. Yep, as Keishon points out in the chat, you know, and tickets are insanely expensive because my wife wanted to take my daughter to the game. And we looked in like upper deck is 600 bucks. I don't know like what the fan turnouts going to be.

But I'm anticipating a very heavy Texas crowd. Although Ohio State travels really well all the time. It's pretty easy flight to and and when you have that large of an alumni base, there's just a lot of Ohio State fans in Dallas to like it's yeah, but I wonder if like the game being in Texas matters at all. I don't. I don't think it that it's in Texas. I don't. I don't think that matters. I think whoever plays better is going to win. I think if Texas doesn't fall asleep on offense,

they have a chance. But if Ohio State chokes him out for two quarters, the way Arizona State did, But if Ohio State chokes him out for two quarters the way Arizona State did The Texas defense is gonna break Sooner than it broke against Arizona State and you know how much I love Texas is defense But this is this is a level of playmaking that like Texas lost twice to Georgia this year This is the the amount of talent that Georgia has on defense Plus elite playmakers on offense that Georgia doesn't have Ohio Gonna beat that oh, hi. Oh, that's a better offense and defense in georgia

Correct. So correct And I think you could make the case that their offense is 20 times better and their defense is twice as good I don't know their defense is twice as good, but it's good, it's better. Their defense is insane, Andy. You're gonna, you're... Sorry, I'm aware of how many NFL players they have in their defense, but I've also... I know, it's insane, but like, Caleb Downs just existing in the back end

is a luxury item, it's just like, unbelievable. That's, and that's why I'm picking Ohio State, because the odds are stacked against Texas in this game. Like, Texas is going to have to play almost perfectly to win it, but. Texas has the players to do this like if Colin Simmons goes crazy, right? And Isaiah Bond Anthony Hill, like it's an Anthony. Texas has got some great players too. Yeah.

But you got me in the Wingo. You got me in the Wingo chamber a little. Yeah. Wingo's he's good. Like Wingo's gonna be good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But this is what I keep saying. They gotta play perfect. That's how it that's how it happens. That's how the upset happens. Otherwise, if this Ohio State team is the team we saw against Tennessee and is the same team we saw against Oregon, I don't know that anybody left has a chance. I don't want to look at it too much. I also think it's very hard to do that three or four games in a row.

Is Ohio State Notre Dame National Championship like ratings nirvana? It's up there. It's up there. It's up there. So we'll see. That's your pick. That's your national title game. My national title game right now. You know, it's great. Is that if Ohio State wins, like I get to come on the show and be like, Yeah, I told you. But if Ohio State loses, I'm like, come on the show and be like, yeah, I told you. But if Ohio State loses, I'm like, hey, check out my bracket, like I can't lose.

Either way, it's great, it's beautiful. I have nothing, I got nothing. I got nothing, but that's okay. So we did talk about talking about our top 10 and explaining that. We're gonna do that tomorrow because that's gonna be a long discussion. It's going to make a lot of people mad.

Well, we'll obviously be comparing it to the old Andy Staples show computer laptop organized when Nexus, because it had some elements of that, even though we were not trying to be funny. Yeah. And also too, people need to realize that we do realize that it's very early and that rosters aren't complete yet And we included three ways in the way way way way too early

Yeah, for a reason like we'll talk about it and will change but yeah, let's talk about it tomorrow Yeah, we'll talk about it all day tomorrow because that's an all-day discussion Plus who knows there may be some more news We didn't really get into to Zachariah branch in Georgia's offense because Plus, who knows, there may be some more news. We didn't really get into to Zachariah branch in Georgia's offense because potentially one of the pieces they could have used badly last week in the sugar bowl. There's no such thing as off season folks. It never stops.

We'll talk to you tomorrow.