College Football Live - Are You Smarter Than a Tailgater???

Episode Date: September 5, 2024

Victoria Arlen has Sam Ocho and Trevor Matich join in studio to go over some huge matchups in Week Two. How will 3 Texas fair against 10 Michigan in Ann Arbor? 24 NC State is taking on 14 Tenn as well, can NC State make a name for themselves in not only ACC Basketball ? We also have Joe Fortenbaugh joining in to give you his insights on who is best for your picks this Saturday. And are you smarter than a Tailgater? Don't worry if not, we have tailgates tips for you to make even the most casual fan sound like a die-hard while eating your nachos and wings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you're flying Emirates business class, sipping your favorite cocktail at our onboard lounge, you'll see that your vacation isn't really over until your flight is over. Fly Emirates, fly better. Welcome to college football live. Happy Thursday. I'm Victoria Arlen. It's time to go out the tunnel. Week two has a lot in store, including a huge top ten matchup between teams hoping to return to the playoffs.

Can the reigning champs defend the big house? Find out what we think. Plus, that isn't the only ranked matchup. in week two. Coming up, our analysts give you their picks for some of the biggest games of the week. And finally, it is a Thursday tradition. We give you our tailgate tips that are sure to help you out at your team's pregame bash. College Football Live starts now. College Football Live is presented by Dr. Pepper. You know it's a good Thursday when Sam and Trevor are with me in studio. Week two is here.

No rest for the weary, especially for a new SEC. team who is going on a big trip for an even bigger matchup. Now with the trip consisting of over 1,100 miles, Texas' first big test of the 2024 season comes this week at the hands of the defending national champs at the big house. And both teams know the challenge that awaits them. We're super excited for the challenge. We know we got a really good football team coming in all three phases.

Coach Sark has done a really good job with the program. And, you know, on offense, they present challenge. because the way he calls the game and what he does is creativity, rhythm. Obviously they have a really great quarterback. Skill players fast everywhere. The O line is as good as you'll see in the country. So I know our defense is excited for the challenge. This is a heck of a challenge for our team, but this is why you come to Texas is to playing games like this.

And to think this is the first time and the history of college football that Texas is going to play Michigan in the regular season is pretty awesome awesome and pretty humbling to to be part of that. And so we're definitely looking forward to the opportunity. You know what's also awesome is that this matchup has major playoff implications. A loss could drop

the Longhorn's playoff chances from 77 to 53%. Meanwhile, a Wolverine's victory would more than double their shot at the postseason surging from 23% to 48%. Now Trevor and Sam, would you please break down this playoff altering battle for us? Well, Michigan's offense has a lot of work to do. They feature a new starting quarterback, Sam, new starting offensive line, all five of them.

And in the opener, they weren't quite ready for prime time. And it starts with the pass. The passing game never fully got in sync down the field. And that's a problem. Now, they've got an opportunity here, a big opportunity, because you've got a lot of space out here for the receiver. Here's the football. And if that ball comes down somewhere around here, he runs underneath it. and then they're probably goal to go if not a touchdown.

But look where the ball goes. It's a little short and it's inside. So that affects the running game because here's what happens. This guy here is an extra guy. He could be back here with his buddy, but he's not afraid of the deep pass. So they don't have enough people to block him. So what they're going to do is run away from him.

And the blocking scheme is like this. Little guys are going to block here. and here on the way to that guy. Then, double team with the offensive line here, and one of them needs to come off for that guy. And then, one guy, two guys, and one of them needs to come off, and block this guy. And, of course, this guy, they don't have anybody for.

But what I want you to watch is what in the world happens here, because it just doesn't work out. This tight end loses his block. So this guy is going to double team with him and leave him unblocked. This is a good double team, Sam, but nobody comes off to block him. This is another good double team.

Nobody comes off to block him, and of course this guy, they can't block at all. So I want you to watch these four guys and this poor running back because those four defenders, those four defenders in the back are unblocked on an inside run, and it gets stuffed.

Now, not in sync. The passing game complicates the run, running game. The new offensive lineman, they're not working together with chemistry yet. You know who is working together and what does have chemistry? It's Quinn Ewers and the Texas offense. Quinn Ewers is playing with extreme confidence. I'm going to switch sides with you so I can talk about this offense. He's playing with so much confidence. He's making throws that he shouldn't make. He's choosing the harder right for the easier run. You're going to watch right here. This is Matthew Golden runs a route on the inside, really on the outside. This route to Isaiah Bond could have been

wide open, but Quinn Ewer says, you know what? I'm going to make the harder throw. Right here, wide open, but no, I'm actually going to throw it over the top in a pass that really should not be completed unless you're completely confident. That's Quinn Ewers. Look at his excitement at the bottom. But then he ones up himself, Chopper City Juke, I see it. Okay, go ahead, go ahead. He wants up himself. Look at this. So eyes are here.

Everything you think is going to go to this side. But instead, Quinn Ewers throws a no look pass to you guessed it to Matthew Golden. All the, all the defense is going one way. But what Michigan is going to try and do, they're going to try to cause confusion so he's not so sure. What do I mean by that? So you look, it looks like it's man to man. It looks like it's man and man, man, man to man, man, man, man, man. It also looks like all these guys are blitz, blitz, blitz, blitz, blitz.

That's not what's going to happen. What's going to happen is you're going to see he's going to drop to the deep. He's going to drop to the deep middle. And Jair Brown, Jair Hill, excuse me, is going to play a squat corner. They actually adjusted this play because they thought it was man. Ooh, that looked like it hurt. They thought it was a man-to-man defense. But no, Michigan disguised their defense.

They showed man, they ran his zone. And Jair Hill, ooh, right in the back. The confusion that's caused is going to try and slow down that Texas offense. So that's where the battle, I think, is going to rest. Don't forget to catch Reese and company live from Ann Arbor to get you geared up for this game and the rest of week two. That's starting Saturday, 9 Eastern on ESPN. Now, after opening the 2024 season with an easy 69 to 3 win against Chattanooga, Tennessee turns its attention to NC State.

The Wolfpack are looking for a rare win against an SEC team, and NC State has won just one of the past 10 meetings against that conference dating back to 2000. All right, let's focus on the QB situation for the Bulls. Sam, what impresses you about Tennessee's quarterback besides that very impressive display, fellas? Well, what impresses me most is his accuracy and his velocity. So Nico Iama Valleah is extremely talented. He set a record for Tennessee for passing yards and a half. That's better than Peyton Manning did, right?

And it was his accuracy. I get it. They weren't playing as supreme opponent. But I'm saying it, right, or we're going to work on it. We got a tele-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a. Hallelujah, thank you. We got some tips on this later.

It's extremely accurate for a quarterback who's getting really his first full season of experience. He's accurate, plays with velocity. He's strong, and I was so impressed by him in week one. And he's a young quarterback, right? Lots of talent, right? On the other side, NC State, Grayson McCall has been around forever.

He's been through the battles. Before he transferred to NC State, he was a coastal Carolina. And in his years as a starter there, he was top five in completion percentage and yards per attempt. And the thing that he gives them in terms of advantage is his experience against a new secondary for Tennessee. I mean, off of last year's team, just the defensive backs, Tennessee lost nine transfers, one drafted, and then one injured. That's 11 guys that are gone from last year's team, a bunch of new guys, Grayson McCall, with his experience. needs to be able to compensate for Nico Iamaleava's telling with knowing where to go with the ball and being just a grizzled deceitful veteran.

Ooh, okay, grizzled and deceitful. All right. Well, how will this game impact Tennessee's playoff chances, Trevor? Well, Tennessee's playoff chances, it hurts them more than NC State, I think. Because Tennessee has a much more difficult route to get to the automatic birth with an SEC championship. If NC State loses, their path to the ACC championship, game is much better than Tennessee's path to the SEC championship game. All right, we'll keep an eye out for that.

Let's keep things looking forward, and we're going to take a look at our Dr. Pepper Championship Drive game of the week preview. Arkansas faces Oklahoma State in Stillwater. These two schools separated by less than 200 miles, and they haven't played since 1980. The Razorbacks look to slow down Cowboys running back, Olly Gord, in the second, who rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns in their opener against South Dakota State. Staying in the Big 12th, Commissioner Brett Yormark said this morning that the conversations of adding Yukon as a member have stalled. Pete Famil reports that this is in large part due to timing with the season underway and schools facing decisions in the House case, all while figuring out revenue share.

Adding membership simply wasn't a priority. The plan would have had football coming into the league in 2031 and sooner in other sports. What a great triple header we have for you Saturday on ABC, starting with Arkansas, Oklahoma State, and South Carolina at Kentucky and the SEC conference opener at 3.30 and Tennessee NC State wrap things up at 730. A big early season test for both. Coming up, the two star QBs taking the field Saturday and Lincoln. Find out what one player had to say about who has the upper hand. College Football Live is presented by Ice Cold Dr. Pepper. College Football. It's a

pepper thing. And in part by inspire, no mask, no hose, just sleep. This is college football live, presented by Dr. Pepper. We don't have tomorrow. We don't have the next day. No, next year. We have enough. Diversity will come at some point.

It's time to cut it loose. That is absolutely ridiculous. Unreal! We've got a great week, too, ahead, including the matchup of the weekend number three, Texas at number 10, Michigan. Michigan enters with a 32-game win streak tied for the fourth longest by a team entering a regular season matchup versus an AP top-five team. The Wolverines have beaten their last three AP top-five opponents all coming last season. We are bringing in Joe Fortinbaugh, ESPN betting, analyst, a friend

of our show, and Joe, we heard the guys talking about this Michigan matchup. Is it something to be said about Michigan being in trouble? Yeah, I would say the betting market indicates that. That game open with Texas has about a five-point favorite and immediately. Texas money early, Texas money often. Up to seven through seven to seven and a half. Now we talked about this last week, key numbers in sports spending, which are very important. Seven is one of those key numbers outside of three. Why?

How many games end on a differential of seven, right? 24-17, 28, 21. You see it happen a lot, so you want to make sure you're on the right side of it if you have the opportunity. And that's going to be problematic for Michigan and to keep this game close. If they have a one-dimensional offense like you were talking about earlier, maybe they can run the ball here, but are they going to be able to throw it? Because in that Fresno State game, it was a little dicey. I think the big tell here is the total, also known as the over-under,

42 and a half. That's very low for a college football game. Michigan might struggle offensively, but that defense can still play. And if that defense can play with the crowd noise, Quinn yours may be struggling a little bit, they keep it tight, maybe they cover. But I think it's a lower-scoring game. I think you bet the under here. Which is wild because Michigan had one of the best offenses last season.

They were averaging, what, 35 points per game in their undefeated runs? and most of their guys, I think it was almost half of that or most of that offense has gone 10. Yeah, it was gone. So we shall see how that turns out. All right, let's keep it rolling a year ago. The Colorado Nebraska game got personal. As Nebraska players gathered midfield, Colorado had the last laugh, though, winning 36 to 14. Now, this year, the coaches heaped praise on one another, avoiding any chance of providing bulletin board material for the other team.

However, Nebraska linebacker Mackay Bayer missed that memo. Take a listen. Does Phil facing Dylan help in the sense that, like, you know, I mean, he could throw off. And sure. Dylan could throw too. Yeah, you can't compare Dylan and Shadour Sanchez. Don't do that. That's, Dylan is a different man.

What he played, when he goes out there in the tag. Hardly different. Just Dylan is a guard. You know that. You'll see it on Saturday. Well, Sam, besides confidence, what is the key to win this matchup? Oh, the key for Colorado is going to be Travis Hunter and Shadour Sanders. I know what's the game.

going to be want to be played in the trenches. But if Colorado can't match up physically from an offensive and defensive line perspective, it's got to be Travis Hunter doing what Travis Hunter does, which is everything on both sides of the ball. Travis Hunter, last week, you saw this amazing touchdown catch versus North Dakota State. He does it on offense. He's a two-way player, at receiver, but also as a defensive back as well. He's an outstanding tackler, outstanding in coverage, and just an all-time great football player. Remember last year versus TCU, he had an interception to help seal that game on a play that wouldn't even his play to make per se. And so I think if Colorado wants to win this game, then he Travis Hunter to play big and

Shador to play big as well. I think Nebraska will win the game in the trenches and that'll be important. The problem is they had a better game in the trenches against Colorado last year and they lost. But that was because of four turnovers and really poor quarterback play. Right. And so they seem to have improved their turnover bug. But Dilla Raola, the freshman quarterback for Nebraska, last week in their opener, was lights out. I mean, he, If you throw a pass under pressure into a tight window and it drops in the perfect spot once, maybe you got lucky. You do it twice?

Maybe you got really lucky. He did it over and over again. And that means he's just really good. Yeah, I'd say so. From a betting perspective, similar in this game to what we saw in the Michigan, Texas game, right? Nebraska opens is a five-point favorite. Immediately it's bet up to seven for good reason. Two huge problems here for Colorado, both of which don't translate to wins.

Number one, the offensive line. They gave up seven sacks last year in this game. That was at home. What's going to happen with the crowd noise in Lincoln? Number two, defense doesn't travel well. Last week against North Dakota State, they gave up almost 500 yards and 26 points. What are you going to do against this offense? The total's moving up.

It suggests that this is going to be a high scoring game. I'd be looking to Nebraska here. One thing I will say, just to the point of the defense and what Colorado can do. Colorado, if they start scoring early, can make it into a Dylan Rayola versus Shador Sanders type of match. They can take out that physicality. in that run game that they wanted to be last year and really part of who they are, and they can force the game into Shradur's hand, which I think could be beneficial for Colorado.

And pro tip for Dylan Raola, stay away from Travis Hunter. Yes, he's a human highlight reel. Well, we talked a lot about the noise last week. That didn't seem to stop Notre Dame. Week one was filled with big upsets as Notre Dame knocked off Texas A&M despite the noise on the road and moved up into the top five with that win. USC took charge late in their win over LSU in Las Vegas, jumping 10 spots in the latest AP poll to number 13.

But that was just week one. Now both teams have momentum going into week two. So, Joe, any concern for Notre Dame or USC? So this is what we call a classic flat spot or at least potential for a flat spot here. Team coming off a huge win, right? Notre Dame standalone game at night. Everyone watching them win at A&M. Phenomenal victory, rest of the schedule sets up easily.

Same thing with USC. Stand-alone game Sunday night. They get past LSU, a lot of celebration. next week you come home, you draw Utah State, and you draw Northern Illinois, your favorites of 28 or more in both games. I'm not suggesting either team loses because they're too good to lose these games, but to cover 28 or more points, four touchdowns in a game where you might not necessarily have the motivation you did last week.

You and I used to talk about this all the time last year. I'm curious, could you see a flat spot here for either team? You know what? For Notre Dame, I think not because of what they need to work on. Even after everything you just heard. Right, because Notre Dame's office. line against Texas A&M. They fought like crazy, but it was

three glorious drives in the second half that made her good performance by them. Two touchdowns and a field goal where a big run was the key play in each of those drives. But that offensive line still is very, very young, and they need a whole lot of experience. I expect Notre Dame to try to get that experience

and pound the ball, pound the ball, pound the ball, and that's why I think I might like the under. 44 and a half. Low scoring game here? I think so because Notre Dame will shorten the game because of what they need to work on, the running game. Yeah, and if Notre Dame is going to go under, USC you've got to go over. Did you watch Miller Moss last week?

This dude is outstanding. He's phenomenal, but that's not why USC is going to cover in this game, in my opinion. I think it's going to be because of their defense. We all know, maybe we don't all know, but I know that defense travels, right? Offense, okay, up and down, you know, but defense travels. We always talked about when I played pack the defense. You're going to go play at the game, aren't you, to pack that defense? USC's defense was outstanding under Danton Lynn last week.

Well, that's who Danton Lynn is. He did it at UCLA. And yes, I understand USC played a better game last week, but there's still some things they need to work on. They need to work on the run game, especially up the middle. And so I'm confident that Dent Lynn is going to say, hey, we're not going to rest on our laurels. Let's go out and get better.

And so for me, I think that's why USC not only covers, but I think they're going to put up points on offense too. Yeah, I agree, but for a different reason. Because I think Lincoln Riley, quarterback for U.S. or excuse me, the head coach for USC, coached two Heisman trophy winners and a number one pick, the number one picking the draft, both of them at Oklahoma. plus Caleb Williams, who's the third Heisman trophy winner, number one pick in the draft, right?

I think he wants another one. And so with Miller Moss on the national stage last week against LSU playing as well as he did, I kind of tend to think they're going to want to keep the momentum going for him. Was 40 to 1 to win the Heisman for the LSU game, now down to 25 to 1, lost in the shuffle of all of this. I came in, I laid out very good points why those two teams could struggle. You both crapped all over me. You both crapped all over.

I just want to make that. I want that on the record. Thank you, Joe. We hope you'll still come back next week. We hope you'll still come back next week. All right, let's get to our weekend lineup brought to you by Wendy's Saucy Nugs. Now, with starter Graham Mertz sidelined and in concussion protocol after lax week's game, Florida freshman QB DJ Lagway will make his first career start at home Saturday against Sanford.

Florida has been preparing all week for this with Lagway taking first team reps and we will keep you posted on the status of Mertz heading into week three. And just 25 miles away from the University of Georgia, the unthinkable happened on Wednesday. Two students and two teachers were tragically killed in a school shooting. One of those was Appalachie High School Football Defensive Coordinator, Ricky Aspenwall. Kirby Smart was at that field just a few weeks ago for middle school football game, so this tragic news hit close to home. He said earlier this morning on the radio, you never think it's going to hit near you.

And then it does. Just praying for all the people there in the community, the law enforcement, the families that lost. people, scary for all of us. And we are all keeping those affected in our thoughts and prayers as well. We'll be right back. From Searchlight Pictures comes Rental Family, now playing only in theaters. Earning rave reviews at TIF, rental family is emotional, funny, and the feel-good movie of the year. Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser stars as a lonely American actor living in Tokyo who struggles to find purpose until he starts working for a Japanese rental family agency.

Along the way, he forges some surprising human connections and discovers unenegenerated. expected joys within his built-in family. Experience rental family. Now playing only in theaters. Get tickets now. College Football Live is presented by Ice Cold Dr. Pepper. College football.

It's a pepper thing. And in part by Jimmy Johns, the sandwich of sandwiches. Have you ever gone to a tailgate and realize you don't have anything to contribute to the discussion? Well, we here on college football live have something for you,

and we call it tailgate tips, where we give you some necessary tips of knowledge to sound smarter and impress your friends every Saturday. You can thank us later. I just have to say, too, I am standing amongst football greatness here. I can barely catch a ball,

so we're going to keep going with the tailgate tips. It was like, you didn't use your hands at all. You cut it with your elbows. No, I used my body. I use my body. All right, Sam, what's your tailgate? So my tailgate tip is this. If you want to know how to pronounce this dude's name,

he's about to be a Heisman Trophy candidate. I would try it, but I messed it up earlier. I'll let Nico tell you how to say his name himself. Tennessee quarterback, check it out. I'm Nico I-Male-Ava, and the correct way to pronounce my last name is I-A-Male-A-A-A-W. Super helpful, super-helpful. I-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-B. Trevor, give me yours.

I'm going to go with an easy name to pronounce Drew Aller, quarterback Penn State. You want to be smart at the tailgate. You know that this game against Bowling Green is critical for Drew Aller because he needs to continue what he started last week, which is throwing the ball deep down the field, which they didn't do successfully last year. And for Penn State to get to where they want to go,

that deep ball is critical. They want to keep it going against Bowling Green. You know who's keeping it going is Alabama, because Sabin Field, the winningness coach in NCAA football history, Nick Saban, a friend of our show, is getting a much-deserved honor. The universe of Alabama will formally dedicate saving field at Bryant Denny Stadium this Saturday.

What a fun week with all of you guys. Thank you so much for hanging for Sam, Trevor, Joe. I'm Victoria. Enjoy the games this weekend.