Andy & Ari On3 - Who will RUN the SEC in 2025?

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

When it comes to making the best hamburgers around the basics matter and Wendy’s?... well they’ve really got those burger basics on lock and boy does it show. So what’s the secret to all those hot and juicy hamburgers? Simple. Wendy’s always crafts their hamburgers with that fresh, never frozen beef they’re famous for. The result? Hot and juicy beefy hamburger perfection - every time. No matter which hamburger you order from the Wendy’s menu, you already know that thanks to those Wendy’s burger basics, it’s gonna be exactly what you were craving. Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Canada; not available in Hawaii.(0:00-0:56) Wendy's(0:57-2:11) Intro: SEC Mike Joins(2:12-9:10) How many CFP spots for SEC teams?(9:11-16:11) Who NEEDS to make the CFP from the SEC?(16:12-23:26) Pulse of Tennessee heading into 2025(23:27-29:24) Auburn's Vibe (29:25-34:33) Concerns for Alabama?(34:34-41:25) Belief Meter in Texas?(41:26-48:50) Will Texas A&M change the narrative?(48:51-56:33) Is Oklahoma BUILT for success?(56:34-59:14) SEC's Boogeyman?(59:15-1:00:04) Conclusion Happy Monday! On this edition of Andy & Ari On3, JD Pickell fills in for the two as Andy & Ari wrap up their vacation. JD is joined by SEC Mike and the two go through the SEC as a whole. Who is your SEC champ heading into the season? Let us know in the comments below! Watch us on YouTube instead! https://youtube.com/live/8hd3mtoXAtM Hosts: JD Pickell, Michael Bratton (SEC Mike)Producer: River Bailey

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Welcome in to Andy and Ari on three in for Andy and Ari myself, Jake Bichel and the man, the myth, the legend. Glad to have him here in Nashville. My name is SSE Mike, but Mike Braden from that SSE podcast. What's up, man? Thanks for making time to jump on here on a Monday morning. Talk, uh, talk some Baldy. We're stoked to have you in studio.

Yeah. I just hope I don't lose your entire audience here without Andy and Ari here. So thanks for having me. Yeah, well, I'm not a regular here either. So we're both essentially just in the in the temps. Yes, a substitute teacher for today's show for Andy and Ari on their way back from some well-deserved RNR. But man, we got a lot to jump into. It's the off season. I put in air quotes. You and I both know there's always something happening in the world of college football and You have the best SEC podcast at best SEC show in the business I want to tackle specifically a bunch of topics across the southeastern conference with you today First things first y'all make sure you are subscribed here to the author YouTube channel Andy and Ari bringing you a show every single weekday Morning with myself as well produced a lot of content here on the channel for you, man, we got a

Tend to jump into but one thing I wanted to start with with you Mike College football playoff gonna change Ross Dellinger reported. I believe it was last Sunday That's you see Big Ten throwing their weight around probably both gonna get it right around four auto bids I want to get your take on this because I heard that it made sense But if I'm the sec, does four auto bits not limit their potential to have even more teams in the playoff because you also give some more, some more bids to the big 12 and the ACC. And at that point you're like, okay, well that's that in itself is 12 spots.

Right. And then you give another spot to the G five. Like what's your take on this? If you're the sec, is that the right move? What's the number you would go for? I thought we were getting away from participation trophy and awards and all this stuff, you know? So, uh, when I heard four automatic every year, I'm right there with you. I hated it. And I thought that meant minimum four, but I think you're, it may just be max of four because there's, we don't know how big the playoffs getting yeah

So getting to 14 is it getting to six if they go to 14 and big 10 gets for obviously SEC gets for Spots are running out quick. Yeah, and yeah, I think it's fair and I'm the biggest SEC Homer out there I don't think they deserved for this year. Yeah now more often than not. I don't think that's gonna be the case I think you're hitting on something important. I think most years, if it goes to 14, especially if it goes to 16, the SEC is going to deserve five, six, there may even be years where they deserve seven. Probably not many, but four, I don't understand limiting it. And I hate this idea that they're tossing around a potential championship weekend because what you're going to do is you're going to have again potentially six to seven SEC teams that are capable of winning a national championship.

And instead of letting them try to earn that on the field against the rest of the country, they're going to knock each other off. I don't understand the logic in that. That's going to be really curious to see how they put that together with like the play in weekend versus conference title weekend. But to go back to what you were saying, if you look at the final college football playoff rankings from the end of this regular season or the end of the conference title weekend,

you had six SEC teams in the top 15. And for those of you that are still trying to piece together the math of what we're talking about here, if you go to 14 teams, you would have four teams from the SEC already spoken for, four teams from the Big 10 already spoken for. Okay, so you're at eight. What it sounds like right now,

Big 12 and the ACC could be in the range of getting two spots guaranteed each. Again, this is all pending some confirmation from the powers that be. So you're at 12. G5 probably gets a spot in there too. So you're at 13. There's one at large spot that That's probably for Notre Dame.

Right. And if you're, I mean, if you're Ole Miss, South Carolina, Alabama, and I'm not lobbying for any of those teams who have gotten in from this season, I get the committee's logic. But if, if I'm one of those teams like, Whoa, hey, we are, why are we limiting ourselves if we're expanding the play? Like, Hey, let's, let's give ourselves as much room as possible to go get ours. And if I'm Greg Sankey, I'm like, I want as many SEC teams as possible as well. Right. And another point that I think is being overlooked. And again, I'm the biggest SEC homer out there. I want all the SEC teams in there so that we can get an SEC champion. But there's going to be years where the ACC doesn't deserve to. I mean, yeah, we could be

getting the number 24 team in the country. We're putting them in because the ACC has got to have two and we're knocking the SEC team that's ranked ninth out of the playoff. That doesn't make any sense. Now there's going to be years where the ACC probably deserves three, maybe even four. If the ACC, I don't know how this would never happen, but if it did, if the ACC had four of the top 10, put them in there. That's it. That's what this sport is.

You get earning on the field. Now going back real quick to that championship weekend Instead of Georgia, Texas what they should have done last year and what they should do moving forward It should be someone like Alabama Ole Miss playing each other for a spot one playing game Yeah, and if you win it you're in you get that last bid out of the SEC I'm in favor of that I was down there for Atlanta, for the Texas Georgia game. And I mean, it was a great game, went down to the wire,

but there was no juice with that game. Cause both those fans knew they were, there's more to be played. It was, I don't know. It was, it was the most lackluster SEC championship game I've ever experienced. And to be fair to what you were just saying, like if I'm Georgia and Texas to put another point on it,

Carson Beck gets hurt at half of that game. Right. In hindsight, 2020, I think Notre Dame was a force this year in the playoff. Like I'm not insinuating Georgia would have gone further than they did. I'll say they would have beat them. You think so? You think there would be no today? Really? Okay. Why got it? The SEC didn't win. I got to have an excuse somewhere. That's one of my excuses. I got right there. I love it. I mean, I mean, it's all hypothetical, right? Right. Hypothetical. But no, I mean, wrong. You can't, you can't prove the guy wrong at that point. Yeah. I mean, I think that's the other part. Like if I'm a top two team in

the SEC and I'm Greg Sankey, I don't want my best horses having more tread on the tires. I wanted to be as fresh as possible. Now, of course, no team with a buy from this past playoff won their college football playoff game. So we'll see how that whole thing ages. But and shout out real quick, Lane, please for saying, you know, we don't want to go to that. The SEC tape. They took care of that themselves. Way to go. Kiffin did a good job. Didn't have to

play in that SEC JP chip. Yeah, yeah. I guess cross those T's and dotted those eyes if you want to put it that way. So Mike, last thing I want to say about this, if it were me, if I were overseeing college football in general, regardless of conference, I'd love to see just no auto bits. I'd love to see it be about teams. Let's reward those teams not reward conferences. Where do you fall now? What's the perfect, like the perfect way to approach if

you're, you know, overseeing it make you the commissioner? What are you doing? Yeah, I mean, I love that idea. I don't know what the number is. I am. I was one of those people I was fearful going to 12 was going to invalidate some of the regular season. And it did to a small extent like Ohio State, Michigan, that would have killed Ohio State in years past, obviously didn't. And they won the national championship. But there were so many games at the tail end of the season. Ole Miss, Florida, that was that was essentially a playoff game for Ole Miss. They fell short. Tennessee Vanderbilt. That was essentially a playoff game for Ole Miss. They fell short. Tennessee Vanderbilt.

That was essentially a playoff game for Tennessee. On and on and on, we could go down the list. There were so many great games at the end. So I think we're in that sweet spot. 14, I guess if they expand, that's the number I want. Cause I don't want it to go to 16 and we're kind of invalidating the regular season. But I'm right there with you.

Get rid of the auto bids. I think that's foolish. I think that's on American quite frankly, give me the best 14. Let them play it out on the field. I thought that's what we were doing. Free market. Yeah. Right. Let's, let's, let's let them handle it, uh, between the lines.

And one more thing to say to, I know we keep going out of rabbit hole here, but I'm like, man, if it was the 14 playoff and Ohio state misses it because the Michigan game, what happens with Ryan Day? He's gone. Does he leave on his own? Does Ohio State say one apart ways? Like that whole discussion is super interesting because of the multiverse that it was, but instead, 12 team playoff, they do what they do and they win the national championship. So I don't know, you know, college football powers that be. I see Mike is ready to be your commissioner whenever you want to make that happen. So we talked about the playoff a little bit.

I want to pivot to this other thought though around the playoff as it pertains to the SEC. A lot of, a lot of entry across the conference this year, Mike, you got a bunch of new quarterbacks. You got a bunch of young quarterbacks going into their second year as the guy. I think that Florida has got to make the playoff this year. I think with all of the, the open, the openness, if you will, of the

conference, like Texas, new quarterback, Georgia, new quarterback, Alabama, new quarterback, those are the top 3 teams when it comes to odds to win the conference. They're the team that I would probably look at most closely, not from a perspective of Billy Napier has to make the playoff or he's in jeopardy losing his job I think it's if you don't make the playoff right now with this window you have I don't know if you're gonna have a better chance With DJ to lack way your thoughts on that. Yeah, I mean I Think DJ lag way. I don't know if he's the best quarterback in the country next year But I'm almost certain he will be by his junior year. Like I think he's on that fast of a rise He came in immediately made a huge impact. Who knows how their season would have played out of grandma. I'm not happy that

grandma got injured. Yeah. Had he not gotten injured? Maybe they beat Tennessee. Of course, DJ like we come in there and looked really good. So but he is he's a superstar. And I think he could be the best player in the country next year. You're right. And this is with that schedule, though, it's difficult. And this is where if I'm, it's difficult and this is Where if I'm Billy Napier, I'm so happy that We've got this revenue share coming and we can't afford to fire coaches right now and pay the buyout So let's shift that money to players. Yeah, and that is clearly what they have done in recruiting and the transfer portal

They're going all in LSU is another one. So there's a lot of coaches I think are saving their, their hides, so to speak, because of this revenue shares coming. People don't know where this sport is going so that they're going all in on the field. But you're right. I mean, what are they just won eight games and they're building them a statue. I remember Steve Spurrier, they ran him off for winning. What was it?

What'd he go? 11 and one, I think, or 10 and two is last year. Urban Meyer, the same thing. Ten win is not enough for this fan base. Now we're here. You're for winning eight games and Billy Napier is being, you know, they're holding parades for him. You know what I mean? So, yeah, they've got to take a step up. The excuses are over.

If you got the best quarterback in the SEC, you better do something with it. But unfortunately for them, you know, I love the SEC expansion. I love getting Oklahoma and Texas in here. But one problem, the imbalance of the schedules. Sure. If you gave Florida, Missouri schedule, oh, my God, Ole Miss schedule or Tennessee schedule, they're in the playoff. Oh, they have now. They may not make a ballgame, you know what I mean?

Like, it's that daunting. That's kind of I think like a double edged sword here looking at that schedule. Florida and maybe Oklahoma is the other team I would put in this category. Nine and three for them. You don't want to be nine and three, but with that schedule where you play LSU, Texas, A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, like if you can go nine and three with that schedule and have it look the right way, Florida may backdoor their way into the college football playoff because of how difficult that is. Yeah, I mean, they're going gonna be right on that cutting edge. I think for that, a team like them, we gotta see how hot they are at the end of the year. Sure. Like that's why I think

South Carolina, now would they have made some noise in the playoff? Who knows? But I think South Carolina should have been in. They won their final six games, beat Clemson, which made the playoff, at Clemson. Those are the teams that deserve to get in when they're playing. I know they lost Alabama I know they lost to Ole Miss they never lost a game there on out So Florida can do something similar even like you're saying if they lose three games Maybe they win their final four final five games. Mm-hmm I think we should reward the teams that are hot going into the college football playoff I don't think that's crazy to say, especially with the way that the playoff is changing. If we even expand it to 16-20, however many teams it's going

to go to, there has to be, I think, some just nuance to how we evaluate these teams to where, okay, if a team's playing the best at the end of the season, that probably deserves a little bit of credibility with the committee. So I'm curious to see how they evaluate that here going forward. I gave you my team, Mike, who I think needs to make the playoff from the SEC. Are you are you doubling down on Florida with me? Who's the team that you're like, Hey, bro, this has got to be the year where they get in from the SEC. The number one that I hear from? And I don't think they're gonna do it is LSU. Really? You're out on LSU? Okay, yeah. LSU. Okay. Yeah. I'm not saying out, but I just don't know. I don't think Brian Kelly is an elite coach. I think he is very, very, very good, but I don't think he's elite. We live in a world where like you're elite or you're trash. And I don't buy into that. His

record, his resume is it is what it is. It is an outstanding track record. But is he a championship coach? I think Notre Dame upgraded a little Marcus for, I think they hired the wrong Notre Dame coach down there at LSU. But again, will they there another one? Like I said, I don't think they would have fired him. But things were going sideways on them, yelling up players on the sideline. You know, he's, is he a fit down there? I think that's starting to bubble up. They're all in. They're bringing back Garrett Nussmaier, which I think is the perfect move for him. I think it's the perfect move for LSU. Going in the

portal. This is a year after he said, well, we don't buy players. Now he's paying to buy the players. How many coaches are putting up their own money unless Kirby Smart's not giving his own money because things are going well. Sarkeesian's not giving his money

because he doesn't have to. Brian Kelly's got to do it. If they don't make the playoff, I think this could be the final year for Brian Kelly at LSU. Wow. Really this year. I mean, so, um, I am a lot more bullish than LSU for what you just said. Garrett Nussmeyer, the portal.

But if we live in a world where we're sitting here this time next year, Mike, and it's like, Hey, LSU missed the playoff with the best returning quarterback, the most proven commodity in the, in the conference, the guy who threw for 4,000 yards last year, um, it'd be uncomfortable. And I've been the guy here that sat here for the better part of the last couple of years and said, it's a matter of when not if LSU wins a national title under Brian Kelly. And if they don't get it done this upcoming season, kind of the same vibe like, not they have to win the national title, but just to make the 12 team feel like if they can't do that in this conference. I'd have my questions.

I think I hope it's 50 years from now. I'm not I don't wish ill on anybody. But when Brian Kelly passes, may he rest in peace. It's gonna be on his grave. They had Jay Nails, Malik neighbors, all these guys, and they didn't even make the college football playoff. What a waste. I think that's gonna be that's gonna be his legacy at LSU. That's a brutal tombstone. That's that. I mean, somebody in the Kelly family has got to make something happen if that's also a lot of names. I mean, Daniel's neighbors. I mean, it was the best offense in the country.

Oh, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, a season ago they had a national title level offense and this is, I mean, so I don't want to cut you off. And they lost three games. Lost three games. Ridiculous. 100%.

That's an elite coach. And that's the problem I think if I'm an LSU fan is like, Hey, we have this awesome offense, but what has LSU always been known for is their defense. Like you think LSU, you think honey badger, you think Glenn Dorsey, you think bad intentions downhill, and they sort of lack that for the better part of the last couple of seasons now took a step forward last year, obviously with the new defensive coordinator. But yeah, man, just, I think 2019 for a lot of us made us just assume, Hey,

if LSU gets a quarterback, they're gonna win a national championship and had a quarterback now the last couple seasons and hasn't been the case. Moving on to another team that I want your take on here because you are a Tennessee guy. You are as dialed in as it comes when talking about the Vols. What's your pulse on Tennessee in 2025? I think they're in the toughest spot in the sport because they're not championship worthy, but they're close and getting that next step after years and years and years of futility. They are an upper echelon SEC program, but they're not an upper echelon national program, if that makes sense, but they're right there. And I think that's the toughest hill to climb. Yeah. and fans will turn on you if you don't get there. And I thought going into this 12 playoff model, it's going to expand again, apparently, you make the

playoff, the fans are going to be happy, everything's good. But when you go and get embarrassed on national television, with your fans seemingly think you're going to go up to Ohio State and win, all of a sudden, there's a lot of negativity. Now, I'm not saying they're out on hypo by any means, but it's almost like Ole Miss fans are more confident in their program. They just missed the playoff. Missouri fans are more confident. They just missed the playoff. Yet Tennessee is the one that made the playoff, but they left such a bad taste in the fans' mouth that they're wondering, where does this program go? And their line of scrimmage, particularly on the offensive side, has been devastated. The receiving core has been devastated. They had arguably the best running back in the country. He's now in the NFL. So there's some doubt on whether

Tennessee can repeat another playoff run. But if they do, I think you have to kind of vault. I don't know why Josh Hypple doesn't get the respect. But if they can go to the playoffs two years in a row with this Level of turnover particularly on the offensive side of the football I think he's he cemented himself as one of the top ten maybe even the top five coach in this game right now Yeah, I mean, I think he's top ten coach in the sport right now I actually do especially because of what Tennessee was when he got there and then two of the last three seasons

Double-digit wins made the playoff, New Year's six bowl win, and he's done it with a bunch of different quarterbacks. I align a lot with what you just said. I trust, I think the big picture with Hypal because they're always going to have a quarterback the way they're recruiting right now on the line of scrimmage. I mean, they're the most recent recruiting class. One was the highest ranked under Hypal to their top two commits were on the offensive and defensive line.

So I trust like the vision. The tough part for me is in 2025, for them to get back to the playoff, I would need to see a lot more from Nico that I'm still projecting that he can do. But it's all happening in my mind's eye. Like I haven't seen it happen on the field just yet. And the defense was awesome last year and it'd be great if it was awesome again. But I don't know if that's what you want to depend on. If you're a Tennessee fan, where are you on Nico? Are you thinking he could be a top guy in the conference or are you thinking, Hey, I need to see a little bit more from the guy kind of where I'm sitting right now. Well, going back to what I said, if you're either your leader, your trash,

yeah, which again, I don't believe in that, but a lot of people do. Uh, so that automatically puts Nico in the trash category Yeah. Which again, I don't believe in that. But a lot of people do. So that automatically puts Nico in the trash category for not Tennessee fans. But I see it a lot from SEC. I think with the NIL with all the hype, the Tennessee Tennessee fans, all the expectations they put on Nico, all of a sudden, this guy's a bust, he can't play. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. Yeah, I think he was a freshman. I think he led his team to the playoff. And they wouldn't have got there without him last year. No, now he wasn't the driving force. But who is in their first freshman year as a quarterback in this

conference is, it's basically unheard of. So I think he's got the potential to be one of the best. And if he is, Tennessee can do that. But you're putting a lot on his shoulders. Again, they're probably going to have four new starting offensive linemen. They're going to have basically an entirely new receiving core and their star running backs gone. So can he do it all himself? That this is not a game where you can do it yourself unless you're Cam Newton or something like that. And he's far from that at this point in his career. So I would put them probably in the top five of the SEC quarterbacks, which

this is a really good year for SEC quarterbacks. He's got the potential to be higher. I don't think we've seen enough to put him much higher than probably number five. It's tough because of what you just said. When Nico got to Tennessee, everyone was expecting him to be the equivalent of a Cam Newton in terms of impact. They're saying, oh, this is the top player in America. This is a guy with, you know, that we beat out Alabama and Georgia and whoever else for like, this is supposed to be the guy that changes the entire complexion of what Tennessee football is. And you just mentioned like he was good last year. I think they made the college football playoff, but with what his expectations were coming in, it's a very, very difficult bar to reach. The other thing I'd say is there's no Jaylen Hyatt

for him. Like we give Henning Hooker so much love, he deserves it. He's a guy that had played one, a lot of football, and two, had a Blitnikoff award wide receiver next to him in that formation. And also had a Cedric Tillman. They were stacked in 2022. That wasn't the case last year. And I think the big question for Tennessee fans looking back at last year, Hypal clearly changed the scheme to kind of protect him. Now, was that because they had Dylan Sampson and they had this great offensive line and they had a great defense that they could rely on? Or was it because they didn't trust Nico? You know, it could be both or it could just be you're playing

to your strengths, which a lot of coaches don't do. And I think had Lane Kiffin done that a little bit more last year, I think Ole Miss would have made the playoffs. So I credit Hypal for making those adjustments, but that's what's in everybody's mind. Did they have to protect him? Because Nico is not who they thought he would be. That's the million dollar question going into next year. Do they unleash him? Do they give him more free rein? And they need receivers like Mike Matthews, who maybe could be a Jalen Hyatt type. Jalen Hyatt wasn't Jalen Hyatt right out the gate either. And people were wondering, you know, he's supposed to be the critical piece in this

offense. He was not that effective his first year, second year, arguably the best season for Tennessee receiver ever. A hundred percent. Yeah. And I mean, I think what you just said is, is on the money in the sense that you look at how Tennessee ran their offense last year. Mike last year, four wins for Tennessee

Scoring less than 30 points the entirety of Josh Hypol's time in Knoxville before last season one win that way so that they totally changed like you just said the Approach for how they were going to win football games when you got a top five defense, too I don't think it's I don't think it's malpractice to say hey We're gonna let our first year starting quarterback and arguably the toughest conference in America. We're gonna let him hand the ball off to Dylan Sampson. We're going to maybe take a little bit more off his plate.

But next year, I think it's got to be Nico Tripp. I think it has to be. And let's credit, you know, they got coaches on the other sideline too. I mean, this is the SEC adjusting to Hypal. Yeah, we're not going to let you beat us over the top. You got to dink and dunk. You got to go 12 plays, 14 plays. If you're going adjusting the Hypal. Yeah, we're not gonna let you beat us over the top. You got a dink and

dunk, you got to go 12 plays, 14 plays if you're going to score a touchdown on us. And that's what they've had to do more often than not, that explosive that we saw in 2022, the explosive plays have not been there. Because of the way the defenses have adjusted, playing that two men over the top. So how does Hypal combat that? That's another million dollar question. We're gonna find out man, but they're the most curious team.

They're one of the biggest wild cards to me in the SEC. Like they could be a team that gets back to playoff. They could fall back to earth and win seven games. Like that would be surprising if they won seven games, but I think the Delta between those two is very, very possible in terms of what they could be in 2025. Let's pivot to another team in the SEC.

We spoke last summer about Auburn. I was buying stock. Hand up. I whiffed. Swung and missed, folks, on Hue, Freeze and what they were last season. I'm ready to get hurt again. I think that Auburn in 2025, I think they've done a lot of the right things behind closed doors. And I'm not much of a gardener. I don't have a

green thumb. But I do know the basics. If you water a tree for a long time, you may not you may not see some fruit for the better part of a year, maybe two years. I think they see some fruit this year. Where are you at on Hugh Freeze? Because I know you were very bearish a season ago. Are you still not really feeling the? The vibes with freeze or where you at with him? Daddy, can you read what's he pulling up some numbers here? Yeah, what's what's his record at Auburn? And what's his record in the SEC?

His record when he inherited Auburn is now at 11 and 14 and his all-time This is no I didn't omit games that, that vetoed by the NCAA or anything. What's his sec record? We got him at 24 and 32 all time. Why, why do people have this guy as some elite coach? I'm not, again, I'm not saying it's not trash or elite, but he is average. And his resume is built on, he beat Nick Saban twice. Well, guess what?

He lost a Vanderbilt twice too, during that time. Sure. He won 10 games one year at Ole Miss. He lost to Memphis that year you know what I mean, this is he's a good coach, but he's far from elite and All I see from him is throwing people under the bus and I'm just trying to figure out who's he gonna throw under the bus This year because he's fired everybody or got rid of his quarterback. And hey, we got a new quarterback that

What was the problem last year at Auburn turnovers? Yeah. So let's go get the most turnover prone quarterback in the portal. And I like Jackson Arnold. I think he's, I think he was kind of done dirty, not dirty, but the situation at Oklahoma, they fired his coordinator halfway through the year, the, the offensive line was a train wreck. All the receivers got hurt. I don't think they had a difference maker at running back. How do you evaluate Jackson Arnold after that?

I don't know. He could be the most underrated quarterback in the country. He could be maybe the worst in the SEC. Like he legitimately looked like it at times. They had to go to a true freshman Michael Hawkins who was a dynamic athlete but a very limited in terms of his development as a quarterback at this point in his career and he was an upgrade. Yeah. So what is Auburn? I think a lot of it relies on on Jackson Arnold and how quickly Hugh Freeze Throws him under the bus because you know, it's coming. You know, it's coming. They open at Baylor. That's such a tricky game and

This is one of the years Auburn always does better when they have Georgia and Alabama at home, obviously Two big games. These are the years they make them run. It's the years they're away. That was another reason I was down on Auburn. I was like, they ain't winning at Georgia. They went in at Alabama. Of course not. Of course, they they nearly did. But this is this is a year.

If it's not this year, when's it going to be for all Hugh Fries? And then it's just it's one disappointing loss after another. I mean, all last year we were saying, oh, they're going to be four. No, it's a cakewalk? Yeah Yeah, Cal Arkansas at home. Come on. Those are easy. They lost both of them, you know what I mean? So he's gonna lose games. He shouldn't he's gonna win a game or two. He probably shouldn't he's an inconsistent coach This is an inconsistent program and my favorite thing to say about Hugh Freeze right now is I think he's doing a heck of a job Loading up the roster for the next coach. It's probably going to be John Somerall in about a year.

Well, that's the interesting thing is you look at me. Let's just say Hugh Freeze is good coaches. What B plus territory is that, is that a fair place to put them in your mind? B plus B be minor. Where are you putting you freeze? Give him a little bit of a later grade B minus. So B minus coach called it a plus recruiter, a plus recruiter. So he has what? A minus roster B plus roster at this point. I yeah, it's a B plus a minus. So I'm wondering good coach, really good roster, massive question market quarterback.

We'll see what that is. That's a huge variable. I'm not so sure Auburn can't go find a way to win eight games. Now I said that a season ago, again, I'm putting my face back in the fan. If they win eight games, I'm like'm like okay they just missed a bowl game had a top 10 class like did they end up finishing with like a top five class if they win eight games like that's the curious part to me about Auburn is okay can can the roster elevate them to a place that they just haven't been in the last three four or five years. If they don't go eight and four or better, it's a horrible job, I feel like. Absolutely. Absolutely. It has to be at least eight wins.

Yeah. In my opinion. Unless they have to work around the quarterback who, again, who may not be very good. I think he's supremely talented. And one thing, this, you know, one thing that really caught my attention last off season, maybe it's because Oklahoma's new, I don't know, but they brought Jackson Arnold as a freshman to SEC media days. Yeah. And I don't know if they, they understood how unprecedented that was.

I've never seen a freshman quarterback at SEC media days till Jackson Arnold. It may have happened somewhere, but to my knowledge, I was the first time and I thought, man, they really believe in this kid. And then a couple months later, they didn't believe in him at all. So again, where's the truth with Jackson Arnold? I tend to think he's a really good player. And I think he fits what Auburn is going to ask him to do a heck of a lot better than what Oklahoma was asking him to do. I'm rooting for him, but I just don't know how you put stock in it right now. The psychological side too, for Jackson Arnold, because after getting benched in the SEC,

and then being asked to go save essentially what Auburn is in 2025, you got to think the confidence is starting to, you would hope it's starting to bounce back under a new staff. So if he has success, he deserves a ton of credit, but if he doesn't, then you and I are aligned in the sense that the vibes may not be as great on the planes. And I said a lot of bad things about him. He was a hero against Alabama. Oh, 100%. Again, so he's beaten Alabama. Let's we're Auburn. Let's go get him. You know?

Yeah. And they had a sack rate a lot of 13% last year. I mean, you put Peyton Manning back there. He may have some issues. He's getting sacked 13% of the time. But we move on from one side of the Iron Bowl to the other. I'm not concerned about Bama just yet. I'm not. Now last year wasn't great. Last year was bad in every single sense of the word.

You lose 40. You lose to Oklahoma, we just mentioned. Lose to Vanderbilt. The fact they weren't able to bounce back after the loss of Vanderbilt the way that I would like to see them bounce back and they just sort of took South Carolina down to the wire before South Carolina was South Carolina. I'm not convinced that the board is all the way moved in yet. Jalen Miller, I think held them back tremendously last year.

He's a guy that wasn't really built for the board system. Now you got your new OC. You would hope you can have a better receiving core. Yeah. I'm not selling my divorce stock just yet. Where are you on the tide? Well, you hit on something important there. They're all held them back Who's who's that on to me? That's on the board interesting?

Okay, you adjust to your talent in college football, you know, if you don't that's a poor coaching job and man, I Keep in mind. I'm not the one having to pay all these buyouts But I've you know, this is another guy probably fire if they don't if they don't make the playoff next year He's gone fire into board the greatest dynasty in college football history to missing a playoff two years in a row and He's not cut out for this and I'll tell you I'll tell you J to people that matter down there in Alabama They hate him. They hate him. They hate how

Different he is from Nick Saban So the people that really matter, they will make moves if they have to. They've got to make the playoff. And I've seen several different metrics that rate roster talent that have Alabama as the number one roster in the country for next year. Interesting. Now I don't know if that how accurate, again, I've seen two different models that say that. I don't know if I buy that, but they are probably top five without a doubt. Every big game they won last year, what do they do? Like the Georgia game, which they blew nearly.

They turn around and lose to Vanderbilt. They beat Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Oh, what a great win. Then they get pounced by Michigan. You know what I mean? It's just every time they did something right, they did something wrong. That's on coaching. Yeah inconsistencies They were undisciplined. You said it yourself. Jalen Milro who you know at times looked like the best player in the country against Georgia

He looked like the best player in the country Maybe his receiver was but he'd be number two then at times he looked totally clueless back there like against Oklahoma So that's on coaching in my opinion. Don't put the guy out there if you can't trust him to execute your system. My concern is, well, who else are you putting out there? Because apparently you didn't feel good enough about a Ty Simpson or an Austin Mack, or you good on the list there of Alabama's quarterback depth chart of season to go to, to roll with. But Alabama last year, trying to run the board system, they just

clued, didn't have a guide to do it. And then on top of that, I didn't have any receivers to do it. Like Ryan Williams had half of Jalen Milro's touchdown passes a season ago. Like he threw 16 and Ryan Williams who's 17 every single broadcast beat that into our school, he caught eight of them. And so I'm sitting here, I'm like, man, I don't doubt DeBoer can coach football. The guy's like 116 and 13 all time. The question was, could he recruit? And he just landed a top three class. So to me, it's just,

it's still too early for us to even know what he is. Please. Yeah, I'd love to. Cause it bothers me when they say, well, DeBoer, man, he just landed the top class. DeBoer, the way I hear it, I don't, I don't know if there's a Alabama high school head coach that even knows DeBoer is. I don't think he's out there. They all know Hugh Freeze. Alabama landed the number one class. Alabama's got the resources. Every one of these kids grew up. Alabama is the program. Alabama's offering us, I don't know how much money they got according to the AD. He's collecting coins on the side of the road for their NIL. So I don't know if it's paychecks But I would imagine there's paychecks coming there because they don't want to have to buy

Buy him out of his massive buyout. It's again. What did I say about Florida LSU? It's much more Financially responsible to buy players. So they're funneling it more to the players. That's how you get a number one class you come to Bama This is the program. It's how you get a number one class. You come to Bama. This is the program. It's in the sec. Again, I'm not saying to Boris like inept at coaching or recruiting, but I'm saying I don't give him credit for number. I think it's Alabama. I think it's the brand. I think it's the logo.

I think it's the sec why Alabama had a number one class. I think there was the Bama bump for them. Like you just mentioned, like the logo definitely helps, but if they don't have success this year, that bumps gone. They've recruited saying, well, that was Bama under Saban. I still liked the logo, but they just missed the playoff two years in a row. And we're going to see them just plummet down the recruiting rankings. Again, I'm still, we got to see who the quarterback is, but I'm still, I'm not so sure that Bama is not going to, with how much talent they still have in house with all the dudes, a lot of stars next to their name.

Yeah. They're not going to be in better position with Ryan Grubb now calling the offense, but you're, you're saying after next year, like, Hey, if it don't, it doesn't go how I want it to go from Alabama fan, uh, I'm ready to cut ties with the board, let's call urban. I mean, he doesn't have a job right now. Get them off the big noon set. It was a, Hey, you're not here to Alabama.

That would be, that would be wild. Absolutely wild. Okay. Well, we'll see what happens to Alabama here in 2025 from one, uh, one sec power to the sec runner up. Where are you? Where are you at on, on Texas? Like you talk about being elite versus being trash and everyone had to take

and still has to take on arch manning. Are you thinking Texas is a team that can be sustainable and be back where they were a season ago playing for the title or whatever that looks like here in the future? Or are you more so thinking, see a little regression without a Quinn Ubers, without a lot of those receivers they had from a season ago?

Yeah, well, the way college football is set up today and it could change tomorrow, it's like seemingly changing by the month. But I think it really suits programs like Texas for two huge reasons, NIL and the support and all that. And they have not won a championship. And that's why you got Alabama AD out here asking for coins for the NIL because those fans have won so many championships. I don't think they're eager to donate. Georgia, same deal. This is the first time George has really went into the portal.

Kirby, we don't have to do that, which he hasn't had to, so more power to him. But Texas, they don't have those championships. So they got that money down there. They got Arch Manning. They got Sarkeesian, who is probably the best play caller in the sport. Yeah. I don't, I still kind of reserve judgment is probably the best play caller in the sport. Yeah, I don't I still kind of reserve judgment on how good he is as a head coach. I think he's

obviously much improved. He's what people that put him like top three, I think that's kind of ridiculous. Interesting. Adam top three. So let's let's talk about that. Let's talk about that. One of those. Yeah, talk to me about that. Let me let me ask you this. What game did they win last year? Were they were an underdog? Were they were an underdog? I mean, if you're a good team, you're not an underdog, right? I mean, if you have a roster that's put together the way the Texas is was like, you're not an underdog in a lot of games. Well, when you're spending $20 million and you lose three games, you're underdog.

Then that's a failing of coaching again. So which games are you saying he's a failing of coach? Well, he can't beat Georgia. And the only one that really mattered was Ohio State, he couldn't beat them either. Sure. So in that sense, do you put that on Steve Sarkeesian? Or do you put that on? Hey, we got us down to the spot where it comes down to margins, the ball bounces a certain way. Like the Queen you were strip sack fumble for a touchdown where they're you know, down there on the what was seven yard line like, and that's a whole that we can go back and forth about that. But that was something where I'm I'm like hey if I'm a Texas fan I just sit back and say

as Ohio State's you like Jack's for an 80 yard strip sack for a touchdown okay like this must be the Ryan Day special right but when it comes to Steve Sarkeesian I'm looking at how he has continued to replenish that roster and have the line of scrimmage at a spot to compete in the SEC I look at the way that he's got that quarterback room set up for the future. I think Sark, what he's done the last two years, making the playoff each the last two years. I think he is absolutely a top three coach in the sport 110%.

But you, but you're, you're not, not so, so keen on the guy. It's, is it the Ohio state game that irks you? Is it the Georgia game? It's the fact that they got a cakewalk schedule and they beat who they were supposed to be. And I don't know why the SEC set it up this way and they decided to give Oklahoma the gauntlet, but it is what it is and they got it again this year.

Of course they play Ohio State to their credit, you know, but again, he doesn't win enough big games for me and I to me that's coaching you spend 20 million dollars go, you finish in the final four. Is that what you're spending $20 million for? Oh, go ahead, I cut you off, sorry, go ahead. I think you're paying all that money to win the national championship, aren't you? Yeah, absolutely.

I think he lost the coaches that are ahead of him though. Like for the record, I have Kirby as number one, I have Ryan Day at two. And so if you're losing to the coaches that I think currently you're behind, if I'm a Texas fan, I'm not okay with it, but sitting here with no dog in the fight, like, I don't think any less of Steve Sarkeesian for losing to a ready-made national title roster in Ohio State and the best coach in the sport right now in Kirby Smart. Yeah. Well, and then I even

go back the year before losing to Brent Venables, losing to Washington. That's bad. They were favored in that one, too. I'm just saying in these big time games, I don't know if he's there. And again, I'm not saying he's horrible. I would probably put him closer to 10th than I would number one. Really? If that makes sense. You know what I mean? Okay.

Are you having top five? No. Top seven? Where are you seeing your top 10? Off the top of the head, where would you put Steve Sarkisian? Well, again, I try not to speak out of school. I really don't follow the rest of the country.

Sure. I do SEC. That's fine, yeah. So I put him third in the SEC behind Kirby and Lane Kiffin. I think if you put Lane Kiffin at Texas, I think he would have already won a national championship. You put Sark at Ole Miss, I don't think they would have done anything close to what they're doing right now in Oxford.

What has Lane Kiffin done that is more impressive than Steve Sarkeesian, winning the Big 12, making the SEC title his first year in the conference, making the playoff twice? Is it a resources thing for you? I don't think what you're saying is all that unheard of. I think Lane Kiffin and what he's done at Ole Miss, no secret, Ole Miss resources are not the same as Texas resources. Is that what it is to you or where do you fall in that conversation? So overall program management being a head of NIL transfer portal program building, I mean Ole Miss was remember the entire staff got fired last time

because a guy dog peed on the field. Sure. You know what I mean? And now they are they are the third most winningest program in the SEC over the last four years behind only Georgia and Alabama. And that is largely due to Lane Kiffin and the program culture there. And remember, Pete Golding, Alabama fans were ready to run him off. I think they would give anything to get Pete Golding back because Ole Miss is better on defense than Alabama now. Yeah. You know what I mean? So I think the guy really has now he fell completely on his face

last year. How he didn't remember we were talking about Graves again. I love Lane Kiffin. I hope he's at Ole Miss forever because he's great for guys like you and I. I hope he's this doesn't happen to 40 or 50 years but on his Graves is going to say they missed the playoffs in 2024 with a top five roster in college football. That's disgraceful. So that is bad. But I mean, they whooped Georgia. The problem is they fell short in critical games. I think their their quarterback, which is apparently rising up the draft boards, he came up short in just so many big games. Yeah. And I think a lot of that was a failing of Kiffin. Not like I said, with Hypal not

adjusting to the strengths of his team, being so aggressive on fourth down. And really what really killed them, I don't know why more people don't talk about this, they were so ready to bash Jokins and throw him under the bus. And I know he, behind the scenes, sounds like, you know, it's not like he was an A-plus character guy for NIL purposes, but the guy just won the National Championship. And where was Ole Miss biggest failing? With short yardage goal line. Had they had that, Junkins last year, they would have made the playoff.

Maybe they'd meet Kentucky. You know, I was dunking on Steve. I mean, the Steve Sarkisian venable thing is back a button. It leads to Kentucky. I mean, that's something. I'm excited to hear more about that with you as we get further and further into this part of the year. Let's talk about A&M a little bit though, because you and I were getting ready for this show. I sent you over a rundown and you said, hey, let's throw A&M in there. A&M has kind of had this seven and

five, eight and four label. I really like Mike Elko. I look to the next three years of college football, I think they're a top 10 team I think that we talk about resources we talk about The staff and the structure and the culture and all those things like I think Mike Elko brings exactly what they've been missing. I Get that it's kind of unpopular to talk about them being a force in the SEC in college football But like Mike Elko wasn't there for the the seven and fives and the eight and fours as a head coach Where are you on a no? Well, here's the thing. You're right. We can't blame Mike Elko for the failures of A&M in the past, but he got off to a great start and then he just repeated the process. Sure. Yeah. I should have looked this stat up to get it exactly right, but shout out Brad Powers. He found this stat and I've been quoting it all offseason I think it's 25 of the last 27 seasons A&M has lost four or more games 25 out of 27

So that's an A&M problem and they have got to shed this eight. I call them Texas eight and four now I mean, how can you call them anything other than that? That's what they are every year including last year where they were seven and one They were in the driver's seat for the SEC Championship. They were in the driver's seat for the college football playoff, and they lost every meaningful game starting in November. But what does that mean? It's an A&M problem because I'm looking at animal located now. They have a different ID, different coach.

I got a different quarterback like I don't think that the uniform is the problem. I don't think the place is snake bitten. Like they were also in the spot where now granted to your point, they came up short in the biggest moment, but they were also in a spot where if they beat Texas or Atlanta, play for the college football playoff, like that in itself, your first year under new head coach, I'm sitting here saying, I love Texas saying I'm having that jumping off point under,

under their, their first year in the Elko era. Like that to me gives me a lot of confidence. They, they had a better season at A&M last year, as good as season, I should say, as Jimbo Fisher ever had A&M if COVID never happened, like COVID was the one year where if you're an A&M fan, you're like, okay, hey, this is where we get excited, this is where things start to get rolling. But last year for Elko, like they went eight and four and that was as good a year as Jimbo Fisher ever had outside of the COVID year. Yeah. Speaking of COVID, I mean, it was such an

outlier. Jimbo looked like a good coach that year, but, uh, yeah. So it sounds like you're not superstitious, but, and I'm not necessarily either, but I'm a little stitious. And yeah, again, 25 out of 27, eight and four, I, that's a program problem. And what did we have to mean? We have seen someone get off to a hot start We've seen Jimbo get off to a hot start remember. I think it was his second game They took Clemson that was I think a future national championship They put took him to the wire and we're thinking oh god this he's got it rolling already at college station and yet they never get over that hump and

I don't know if the beliefs there I don't know if it's a cursed program But they're right there with Texas haven Haven't won a championship in forever. Have NIL, have all the resources, the facility, the stadium's fantastic. It may be a top three stadium in the SEC if not the country, yet they cannot stop losing in critical situations. So you got to shed that somehow. And I don't know if there's demons in the building, they need to have an exorcism.

I don't know if it's all's demons in the building. They need to have an exorcism. I don't know if it's all those uh male cheerleaders they have. I don't know. They got to they got to mix something up because again I believe the status 25 out of 27 years they've lost four games or more and that's unacceptable and I think Mike Elko it's way too early to put him into the elite category but his early resume at Duke and the start they got at A&M suggests he is an elite coach They're gonna have all the talent in the world This is a huge year for A&M and now that Texas They had a 12-year head start on them. Yeah, never made the SEC Championship Texas makes it year one A&M still hasn't made it again. That's not a Mike Elko problem. That's an A&M problem

It's a problem to a degree, but I'm sitting here saying, speaking in Texas terms, a lot of people kind of thought the same thing about Texas for a while and now they had the national title. So there's some, some differences there, but there was always this discussion around Texas of, well, it's just the logo is why they get thrown into the preseason conversation. There's always a preseason hype in the Texas. When seven games, when eight games, maybe it's real bad and they miss a bowl game

like Steve Sarkisian's first year. But to me, the difference with Texas, how they got it right, how they fixed the Texas problem was they hired the right guy. And I'm sitting here from an AM fan. I'm saying scanning through the text, Ag's message boards. I think we hired the right guy would be my feel. Like I said, brings culture, brings toughness at Duke. He did way more than you should ever do as a Duke head coach. Like for them to win nine games and to do with, with, with Ryland or what they did to get as far as they did and him having success, he had at Notre Dame. Like I give Mike Elko even credit for that. So I see what you're saying. I have a hard time

buying the, the, but everything you just said that color station snake bit, everything you just said, aside from toughness, we could say about someone. We could say about Jimbo. They came in there. I mean, I never even heard of Kevin Selman until he was A&M coach. They caught the world on fire. Now, again, maybe we give most of that credit to Johnny Manziel now, but Kevin Selman was the coach and the same thing Jimbo.

I mean, they, they were much improved right out the gate And then it just fizzled. So the question is, will it fizzle again, under Mike Elko? I I'm not rooting for that. But 25 out of 27 suggests that is going to happen. So we I don't know how. That's why I wanted to talk about this. I mean, it's, it just feels like that that program needs an exorcism or something. A little stitious. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that. Yeah. I mean, my one pushback on that when it comes

to Jimbo is watching A&M with him as the head coach. I feel like I did not know who that team was. There was no identity. There was a plan. There was a strategy, but I couldn't sit down and give you adjectives that I felt like adequately described A&M. And I don't think that was something that you could sit me down and then have 10 other't sit down and give you adjectives that I felt like adequately described a and them and I don't think that was Something that you could sit me down and then have ten other people sit down and give you the same adjectives I think with Elko it is structure. It is toughness. It is culture, which are all cliches But again, I think that's what a and M's been missing now

I think what they're missing now is some poise and the experience in those big moments and You hope if you're an a and M fan that pays off here in the future Well, I know for a fact too, Jimbo got enamored with the stars. Shout out on three and the rest of the services. He wanted stars. He wanted five stars. How do they fit? Who cares?

We want to be number one. And a lot of these coaches, Nick Saban included Blaine Jimbo for how this is all come about blowing up the market, paying astronomical figures for these players before they proven anything in college football. So, uh, yeah, thanks Jimbo. all come about blowing up the market, paying astronomical figures for these players before they proven anything in college football. So, uh, yeah, thanks, Jim. And he got what? 90 million, whatever to, to who knows what he's doing, but more power to him. You know, you know what it is to probably get the bad juju out. They probably have to burn that national title plaque that they gave him because what it said, like national champs 20. And

then it just had fill in the day, I was like, man, I don't know if you want to do that. And then fans are A&M folks, if you're listening, let's throw that in the trash. Let's light that on fire. We can kind of have an exorcism with that statue. That's what we need to do. Get Billy Lucey to to serenade the process. Get him on the horn. Yeah, you play Lucey out there and make it happen What would you want to talk about here? Speaking of looking for success in the SEC one more team that you wanted to make sure we hit on

Oklahoma. Yeah, are they built to have sustainable success in the SEC? Where are you out on them? I don't even know if they're built to have success, you know, because I talked to these Oklahoma fans They're like man We loved the idea of coming to the SEC. Everything that was going to bring now that they've experienced it for a season, they want out. You know what I mean? Can they even compete in this conference? I mean, I think that's a fair question to be asking right now.

And I think Brett Venables in any other era, I think would have been viewed as a borderline elite coach. He may be the best defensive mind Probably you still got to put Kirby over him, but he's a good animals is right there with him Yeah, what he did at Clemson and what he's actually doing at Oklahoma Remember Oklahoma was soft as tissue paper under old Lincoln Riley. They have fixed that but he's not on board with the NIL He's not on board with the transfer portal and that's fine. Most of the audience is not on board with that But if you're gonna be that and you're to lead this program, that's a huge mistake. Again, that's why I credit Len Kiffin because he does these things. Sarkeesian does these things,

Hypal, they lean into it. I'm just wondering if Venables is built for this. And again, it's so funny because I talked to their fans, they are totally against NIL. Because I think they're getting that from their coach. They're getting it from their administration. Yet the way I hear it, I mean, it was out, it was Oklahoma that was cheating for a hundred years. Now that it's all out the open, now they're upset with it, you know? That's the tough part for me around Oklahoma is

if we want to hold Brent Venables to the Oklahoma standard, and we should, they should expect to be in the conversation every year for conference titles They should expect to compete for the playoff and all that because that's what that logo demands But if we're not going to arm him with the proper nil resources It doesn't matter if it's venables if it's nick saban if it's urban meyer Like if they don't give him the tools to be able to compete with some of these You know big boys across the sd SEC that they want to eventually beat.

I don't know how you even move forward. It's not a Venables problem. To me, going back to our A&M conversation, now I'm saying it's an Oklahoma problem at that point. Right, well, I think, and I think this is, again, the sport could change tomorrow, but I think the way it is structured today, it's hard to ask people for money

when they don't have belief in the direction of the program and the coach. And every Oklahoma fan that I speak to, they like Brent Meantable as the guy, they question Brent Meantable as the head coach. So they're not giving right now. And why would you? If you're an Arkansas fan, I love Sam Pittman to death. I hope he's there forever.

I hope he wins more games, otherwise he won't be. But why would you give to that? It's you're throwing money down a well is what you're doing. Now if you're Texas, let's go win something if you're a and M You're Tennessee again. We are so close, but we're coming up short. Let's donate That's that's where the sports at right now And how can you ask Oklahoma fans to give right now? And I'm not so sure that this isn't the year where they jumpstart some of that belief. Like going out and landing a John Matier and I'm sure he wasn't a free 99 price point.

I'm sure he probably came with a little, a little price tag to him. That to me just gives me so much confidence because we talked about it earlier, but last year just so much that you were hoping for coming into 2024. So much that you were trying to hypothetically put together in your mind and say, okay, if Jackson Arnold plays this way, and if the line gels this way. I sat here last year and I said, they're going to go six and six. They could be better if things break a certain way, but they're going to be six and six. And we caught, you would have thought that I just, I mean, cursed Oklahoma and just said I'd never win anything ever again. But it played out how it played out. And I've

changed my tune on them this year, because I think you have a lot more that you can bank on. I bank on John Mattier. You mentioned Brent Venables in the defense. I think that that's going to be in a much better place. I'm not saying they win the SEC, but we mentioned Tennessee in the wildcard they are. I view Oklahoma in that same way. I think John Mattier is so good. And a lot of people haven't had a chance to see him. I think he could totally change what Oklahoma is in 25 and they could be a 9-win.

Yeah, and they may start a trend. You land the quarterback, land his offensive coordinator, you land his quarterback coach. They're all in Norman now. So you can jumpstart the installation of the offense in the spring. Well, I mean, you won't have to jumpstart it for the quarterback. It's getting everybody else on the same page now The way I understand it. They made him keep the offensive line coach. So that could be a failing now He has a great reputation. So he's a good track

I'm not saying he's a bad offensive line coach But how does that gel with the offense and the quarterback and the play caller? That's gonna be the million dollar question for Norman But that's why I'm optimistic if I'm an Oklahoma fan because of John Matier because of the system it's it should be a day one install essentially for the key pieces of the Oklahoma football program which could lead to a lot better success right out the gate on the offensive side of the football they just need to be competent on off I mean they were just so bad with the defense they should have with Brent Venables this

could be an eight nine win team I mean this could be the team No one's talking about that surprises everybody in the SEC next year and Mike You know what happens if they if they do win nine games at that point the free trials up If you're the powers that be in Oklahoma, you put your hand out and you say you want to win some more some more games Hey, I'll bet you go ahead and put the money in the bag and we'll we'll make sure we get you that but the free Trials up subscription is, uh, you have to pay for some more wins going forward.

The schedule we had up, there was something to be noted. Michigan. You got it. Got to play them. You got to play Auburn and they're kind of a wild card. Obviously you're going to play Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Bama, you finished with LSU. They're there in the same boat to me as Florida.

If they go nine and three, they're in the discussion for the playoff Let me ask you this because this is something that we talked on our show October 11th, they played Texas. Yep, is Oklahoma gonna be favored in any game the rest of the way I Could see them. You know what? I'm pretty bearish on Ole Miss. I could see them being favored at home against Ole Miss. I could see them being favored against Missouri. Tennessee probably is a two and a half point game. Maybe you lean Tennessee because it's in Newland. But no, I see what I mean. It's not going to be a bunch of just layups for Oklahoma the rest of the way. And no, no. I mean, I think they're probably favored a couple of games.

So we're probably two and five, just spread was yeah, potentially after October 11. I mean, good luck. You know what I mean? So you're gonna have a you can have an astronomically good season. And you know, kind of split went for those last seven. So I guess that depends on how you start then like, do you think you can beat Michigan your your, you know, second game of the season at home and he better what is Bryce Underwood in that spot? Can you beat Auburn because if they're if they rolled into Texas and they're what five and oh and then let's say that you

End up beating Ole Miss you're at six you beat Missouri. You're at seven. Yeah You got to find a way to beat either Tennessee or South China I mean, I guess we're just talking through the back half of the schedule now. I just, I think that the uncertainty at quarterback, I have no idea who Bama is going to be. I have no idea who Ole Miss is going to be. I have no idea who Missouri is going to be with Bo Pribula. Like I get the logos are intriguing. I don't trust a lot of those quarterbacks and Nico Iamaljava unfortunately is included in that discussion for me. How about that September 20th though?

Auburn comes to Oklahoma. Who's under more pressure? Hugh Fries, bread, vegetables, or even you could throw Jackson Arnold into that. Come, you know what I mean? It's what a game about the, the revenge spot there. If you're Jackson Arnold, the chance to just, just how do you like me now to the folks in a, he may get his coach, ex coach fired that day. You know, if they beat him that bad.

Can you imagine the plot there? The Jackson Arnold movie with that being the final scene where he says you didn't believe in me and now you gotta go look for a new job. Well Mike, one more question for you man before we get you out of here. We appreciate all your time. This has been an absolute blast. Yeah, this is great. We've talked much better than my mom's basement.

It's a nice basement by the way. It's a great production setup. It's a great production setup. It's a great production setup. It's got up to your mom. Is there a team across the country? Cause we've just talked SEC for the last hour or so, if you're thinking SEC boogie man, is there an Ohio state? Is it a Penn state in 2025?

Who is the biggest obstacle for the SEC getting back to the mountain top? When a national title in 25. I think the only one. I think, you know, Michigan obviously two years ago and then completely fell off the map. I think Ohio State, man, their fans are, they watch my show more than SEC fans. Just to dunk on me every show. I think they're going to do the same thing. I think they're going to fall, especially opening against Texas. I think they're going to come to earth. I'm not saying they're going to be awful. They're in an awful league. So they'll get back to the playoff, but they're not going to be a national JV on the big 10. Come on, come on. Indiana. I mean, come on.

That was their third best team. Give me a break. And James Franklin, don't get me started on him. That's that's supposedly our next one. Isn't he like one for 20 and top 10 games or something crazy like that? So yeah, that's that's your elite coach up there. But if there's one program that I think everyone should be scared of that, I don't know why they've not quite gotten it right, but they're so close. I think it's Oregon. Cause I think Phil Knight will outspend anybody to win a championship before he passes. So I think Oregon with Dan Lanning before he comes to the yes, you know, he's going

to come to the yes. You see, he'll be the next Georgia coach or a&M if it doesn't work out for Elko. We'll get him eventually. But for now, I think he's a rising star in his profession. He's got all the money in the world to play with. I think Oregon is that team to watch. I think Dan Lanning not taking the Bama job, whether it was a real offer to talk it through, to not even entertain the Alabama job, he looks smarter and smarter

every day with that Nike money keep honeying with those resources in the way college football is trending like Oregon is I know that it's in Eugene. So you're not having a bunch of ballers in your backyard, but it don't matter when you can do what you do on the NIL front and have that brand. So I'm with you. I think I have you been up there. I have it. Have you? Tennessee played a couple years ago up there. Tennessee that was like a 30 point

underdog. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead. I was talking so much trash and then Oregon scored like 60 consecutive unanswered points. So yeah, those people are fantastic. I love the scenery. I loved everything about my trip up there. It's awesome. That's the Mario game. Is that right? When they broke out like the neon yellow. Yeah. When I saw that in person, I said, if you're not running this offense in college, you're a fool. This is the future. And it's kind of turned into that. Absolutely. Yes, it absolutely has. Well, Mike, we appreciate you may make some time and coming down here in studio and shopping it up. Yeah. Andy and Ari back on the airwaves for you tomorrow. We appreciate you'll spending some time with us again. Subscribe to the channel if you haven't

already. Hey, go subscribe to that SEC podcast. Mike and the team doing a phenomenal job and you undersold the production value to like your mom, say your mom's basement. I've seen your studio. It's next level. I love it. So we appreciate you coming down here, man, and talk to talk some ball and chopping it up and we'll do it again here real soon. Yeah. Anytime. Awesome. Well, for us here at the on three studios for SEC Mike, producer River Bailey on the ones and twos. We'll keep this party rolling and we will see y'all.