The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - College football predictions

Episode Date: July 25, 2024

Colin gives some predictions for the college football season Thoughts on how people were wrong about Jim Harbaugh   Guest: Bruce FeldmanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It's a Thursday live in L.A. It's the herd. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. So, J-MAC, Big Ten Media Days, S-C Media Days last week, Big Ten this week. College football going to a 12-team playoff this year. That's number one.

Number two is the sports going to be, really feel more like the NFL, and this is what the networks wanted, including this network. They want to construct an AFC, NFC looking college football, too haphazard, too many conferences. Texas, Oklahoma moving to the SEC, four-pack 12 teams moving to the Big Ten. And don't be shocked if the Big Ten doesn't eventually add Notre Dame and the SEC adds Florida State and Clemson. And then you've got a 12-team playoff and two or three teams at the bottom, you know, our teams with no shot to win it, but they get in.

The first four teams will have a buy the next day playoff. So I do think, J-Mac, that there are teams that you can almost pencil in now. We went and looked at all the schedules, starting quarterbacks, recruiting momentum, what they did last year. I do think you've got to be careful with bottom teams that, you know, they're just going to get in. There are going to be some upsets in this bad boy. I just looked at your list. This is pretty mind-blowing stuff. I'm excited.

So I think it's, listen, in college basketball, you didn't know us have 68 teams. teams getting in. Every time they added teams, there were more complaints. And in college football, you had a four-team playoff, and there was always a complaint about number five. I can't believe, you know, Georgia or Alabama lose late in the season. You know those guys are top four. So just because you're adding 12 does not mean you won't have arguments. So the two teams that better be careful, I think they're both really good. Tennessee, Iowa are really, really good football teams. But Tennessee plays Georgia late.

And the SEC, they're not going to put in six SEC teams. They may put in five. I think for sure they'll put in four. So a team like a Tennessee is going to look the part, but that Georgia game late, if they don't win it, and I don't think they do, could be a team that's absolutely top 12 and doesn't get in. Iowa.

Iowa's got a really, really easy last four or five. games probably wins all of them. They'll probably knock off one of the 12 teams potentially, or at least one of the top 15 teams. Iowa and Tennessee, when I look at their teams, the quarterbacks, the coach, and the schedules, boy, they better get some early season momentum or they're going to get left out. So here to me are the 12 teams that you're going to see. We'll build a graphic later and show you the brackets.

But I think Oregon is going to be the best Big Ten team. Georgia, Ohio, State, Texas, and Bama. I think those five teams will feel better than everybody in college football. Oregon, Georgia, Ohio, State, Texas, and Alabama. Florida State, I believe, will win a very weak conference, excellent coaching staff, good recruiting momentum. They'll get in. Penn State, again, really soft schedule early, really soft schedule late,

and their offense has some eye candy. I think they get in. LSU's interesting. I'm betting on the coach Brian Kelly. They lose Jaden Daniels and they've sort of struggled defensively. I think they get the defense right and they get in. Notre Dame, I do not think is a great team. But I think Notre Dame schedule, if they beat USC in their final game and it's in Los Angeles,

the rest of their schedule, I have a hard time believing Notre Dame will be left out. It's a money grab. I know you don't want to believe it, but that's college football. Ole Miss with Lane Kiffin, a lot of eye candy, NFL quarterback, 40 points a game. They're getting in. Utah wins the Big 12. Like Florida State, they win a weaker conference. I think they edge out Kansas State and represent the Big 12.

K-State's pretty good. And then I put in Liberty from the conference USA. The rule state, you have to take the group of five conference. champions. So the group of five is SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Conference USA. So it's going to be Boise State or Liberty. Now the last time we saw Liberty in a big game, they got boat race by Oregon, and then they couldn't compete. But I think it's going to look like that. Now again, I've got Georgia, Texas, Bama, LSU, and Ole Miss. I have five teams. I wouldn't be shocked if Tennessee replaces LSU,

but I think there's going to be a very, very good SEC team left out in favor of Utah and Liberty. And so you're going to have plenty of arguments. And with that, Bruce Feldman, Fox Sports College Football Reporter, The Athletic, a great read.

He's at the Big Ten Media Days. All right, let's start with this. Anything of those teams jump out to you as an egregious error in judgment by me? I mean, five SEC teams, Colin, is a big, bold statement. Honestly, I was a little surprised to see you have LSU in there.

Missouri would be the team that I think is the one to watch. I mean, they finished last year, you know, with a great ending. You know, they got the best of Ohio State. I have almost everybody back. Great receivers. Ready Cook's a really good quarterback, really good offensive line. You know, the schedules are also really, really favorable. It's hard for me to look at their schedule and know what they have

personnel-wise and not think it worse they'd be nine and three. You know, I look at LSU, they lost three first-round picks. They were terrible on defense last year. I do think Blake Baker, the defensive coordinator, who by the way came from Missouri is a good addition. But I'm not seeing them as a playoff team. I think if there is a fifth team, and that's a big if, because for one conference to have five playoff teams,

I think it feels like it's a little bit of a reach at this point. is what will be what will be your forecast for the big argument who will be who will like I said there's a lot of eye candy with Penn State they got a good quarterback a very easy late season schedule so if they stumble against an Ohio

state they could reel off four big pretty wins at the end of the year so could Iowa they won't be as pretty but they could do it is there a team you look at and say man Tennessee to me if they lose that late Georgia game is there a team to you that you think is going to be on the outside looking in and they're really, really talented? Yeah, I mean, I'm curious what happens with Old Miss, right?

They have a talented quarterback. They've upgraded in the trenches through the portal on both sides of the ball. Way better defensive line, and some really good offensive line. And they took two who are starters on that team that played for the national title at Washington. But, you know, the expectations on this team are really building. You know, you look at them and say, okay, this should be the year Lane Kiffin makes a playoff team. I mean, the last time Lane Kiffin had big expectations on them was when he was at USC and they were preseason number one. And that team didn't even finish in the top 25.

I think Lane Kippen's come a long way from that. But I also think that they're still an SEC team playing a really rough schedule and to get through it when now all of a sudden, you know, there's all these big expectations on it. That's going to be interesting to see how that program handles it. So Lincoln Riley yesterday or the day before had a quote, and I'm sure people at USC didn't love it where he said, listen, we've come a long way, but we've got to upgrade facilities and the NIL. Well, I know for fact that USC doesn't have Oregon's NIL, but they're somewhere between 12 and 15 million. They've actually done a really good job rebooting that in the last year. And it did sound a little to me. It landed like, okay, it's a little excuse making.

Harbaugh won 10 games overnight at Michigan, and there was no NIL. Like, you're a big brand, it's L.A. Where are you with Lincoln Riley and this team? Boy, they are, Bruce, they are young offensively. It's like freshmen and sophomores everywhere as they venture into a much tougher conference. Where are you on Lincoln and the Trojans? You know, I think it feels like a reset right now. They're three years in, and it feels like it's kind of,

back to square one, perception-wise. And look, Caleb Williams and Jordan Addison and Lincoln covered up a lot of flaws because they were awful before he got there. I mean, Brock Heard and I were part of the crew that did the last USC UCLA game. And it was a mess. The culture of that program was toxic. And I think when Lincoln got there, I think there were steps that were taken.

But there was still a lot of flaws within it that he inherited, that were still there. And I think, you know, again, I think Caleb Williams' greatness, you know, overcame a lot of that. But then last year, you know, the defense was, the personnel was, is awful on defense. And I think that was something that they just could not overcome. The offensive line was worse last year. And the schedule got harder.

So I think that's why we saw them, you know, struggle to be, you know, there were a seven-win team at the end of the regular season. They got beat by UCLA. You know, I like the hires that Lincoln has made on defense. Danton Lynn did a really good job at UCLA. The challenge is I think Danton Lynn had better talent at UCLA than he's going to have this year at USC. And there's no lie to lot to on that USC defense. There's nothing close to that in the defensive front.

And I think that's going to still be a problem for them. You know, can they be an eight-win team? Yeah. Can they be a real playoff contender? I doubt it. You know, and they have good. young receivers. I think Miller Moss will play well.

But the problem I think perception wise, Colin, is it doesn't look like they're recruiting that well and it doesn't feel like for all the talk about the NIL part, you know, it was all over the place when Lincoln got there. That is not his fault. I think that was

you know, you had an athletic department that was in disarray. You know, I think it was a great move for them to get Jen Cohen, the AD who came from Washington. Now there's like real eight real people in the athletic department. Before it was kind of like all smoke and mirrors. So I think there are some promising signs,

but how are U.S. fans going to feel if their team goes seven and five again? You know, I think that's a tougher sell, but they need to see, and it's a tough sell to recruits also, especially on the defensive side of the ball. You're not turning down Georgia or some of the SEC schools to go for a place that defense has been really bad the last few years. So they got to get, I feel like they got to get to good before they can even think about being a playoff contender at this point. And that's why I feel like it's really kind of a reset for Lincoln right now. Okay. Ryan Day lost his last three games to Jim Harbaugh.

And in all three games, no question. Michigan was the more physical team, took over the games in the second half. Ohio State was pretty and was fun and was talented and has great recruiting. but I didn't feel like, I didn't know what Ohio State was other than talented. I sometimes feel that with Sark teams. They're talented.

That Harbaugh, Sabin, Kirby Smart build cultures. Sark and Ryan Day to this point build rosters. And that matters too. But I look at Ryan Day and I'm like, okay, you lose that game in Eugene. Are the wolves out?

I know it sounds ridiculous. because he only loses the Michigan and maybe a Georgia. But I do feel like there's some heat. I think people look at this conference and go, two teams have way better players and way better NILs. That's what it feels like to me. Like Harbaugh puts almost more weird pressure on him because the best coach is gone.

Am I crazy? Well, you're crazy, but be that as it may. I think what would you have to, losing to Oregon at Oregon, it's not like all of a sudden he's going to get fired. or his seat's going to get that much hotter. It would be losing to Michigan, especially they lost the entire offensive line, no JJ McCarthy. A lot of the leaders are gone.

And obviously, Jim Harbaugh now lives by us on the West Coast and is coaching the Chargers. I think they'll still be a good team. I don't think they're a top five, top 10 team at Michigan. So if they were to lose that game and that game is in Columbus this year, you know, then that would be a brutal one for him. But I still think, you know, you look at the success he's had. I also like some of the moves he's made. He made some tough decisions.

You know, he gave a play calling. And I think to bring in Chip Kelly, who, by the way, is as good in the run game as anybody in college football. I think that piece will be critical to them because if you're going to be good in the run game, you're going to be physical. I think that kind of sends a tone. I'm not saying that Ryan Day, certainly when he had C.J. Stroud and some of the other great receivers that also they have there was like playing 7-7. I don't think that's that's fair. I don't think their problems to me are not what like USC and Lincoln's problems are in terms of like that perception. They still have really talented receivers.

Everybody's raving about Jeremiah Smith. He'll be the next great star. There is a freshman receiver, but they have a lot of really good defensive players who decided I'm going to hold off on the NFL and I'm going to come back for one more year. To me, I know who you have as your preseason number one. This would be my preseason number one. I think they are, this is the year, I don't want to say it's national championship or bust, because I think if they lose, you know, in the playoff, deep in the playoff after beating Michigan,

I don't think you can turn the page on a guy who has the success he has had. And also, by the way, you know, one of those years when they lost to Michigan, they came within a field goal of beating Georgia, a team that were beating by, you know, two touchdowns going into the fourth quarter. And if they make that field gold at the end of the game, they're beating TCU and they're winning a national title. So I think people there know he's a terrific coach, and I think they know there's a lot of good things, you know,

in place, as you mentioned, NIL. They really ramped up. I think they have some new leadership in key places there. You know, the Oregon game will be huge, but I don't think win or lose. It's going to, to me, the Michigan game, again, will be the one where it's like, that's the must win. You know, it's not, you know, again,

it's a long way between now and then, but I think that you're going to see this team as, much better than it's been because there will be multi-dimensional and they will be physical in the run game again they haven't been that way for a couple of years they will be this year i want to talk about sark and not not the scec just sark i think the 12-team playoff is a huge benefit for sark and here's why because he's going to make this playoff with his recruiting every year he's at texas and he may never win a national title when it's a four-teaminer and you can't get in with the Texas budget,

that's a punitive off-season. But like college basketball coaches, you can go to your donors, your boosters, your AD, and say, we've made the tournament 12 years in a row. I think more than any program, Texas tends to be almost delusional in its belief system, and they have good players, but I think it really benefits Sark,

because I think he'll win an Addy. But I think Georgia's loaded, Kailin DeBore's great, Oregon, Ohio State are equally as good and maybe an easier conferences. Let's talk about that. Texas runs through coaches. They've got multiple billionaires in their donor group. I think the playoff, more than any coach, it's an advantage for Sark and the impatience of Longhorn Boosters. What say you?

I would agree. I also think, Colin, what you have is they came off a great year last year. I know they didn't win the national title, but they came within a play of getting to the game. And I think considering where Texas has been, and honestly considering where he had been, you know, when he got to Washington as a first time head coach coming out of USC, the program was awful. They didn't win a game.

He went, he took them from awful to respectable, but then he kind of hit a ceiling, and then obviously he went to USC, and it was a debacle, you know, for issues from, you know, off the field for him personally. He seems like he's grown a lot since then.

And I know he's grown a lot as a coach because he took a lot of the things that he learned under next day. We also took some of Nick Saban's best coaches and brought them to Austin. So I think he's got a really good staff. And, you know, towards that part of the playoff, I think Sark is a guy whose reputation, like, they will be able to recruit really well because they're going to be kids who are going to say, hey, you know, this guy knows exactly what he's doing offensive.

He's a great play caller. I think that's going to make it attractive for guys who sit there and think about NFL as much as NIL. And, you know, you're right. I don't think they need to. Now, at some point, he's going to have to win a national title. And I honestly think, after seeing what I saw last year, I think at some point, he is going to win a national title. I don't know if it's going to be this year. I mean, I want to see Quinn Ewers take another step. He took a big step last year.

But I think they're in position because what he's done really good is he's, Texas used to have one of the most disappointing, you know, offensive lines in college football. It's Texas. You should have good linemen. They didn't. They do now. And I think that's something they keep building. on. So I think they're going to be, you know, I don't want to say that SEC is up for grabs because Kirby's still there. Obviously, Saban's not. But I think right now for recruits who don't remember

when Sark was at USC, much, you know, certainly don't remember at Washington. I think they only know of, you know, recent history. And to me, that's something they can really sell. And I think, like you said, the money people, I think at Texas, they're all on board. Plus, they have a really good who's really good at raising everything in the support piece of it in Crystal Connie. So I think these are good times right now for University of Texas football and especially for Sark. Great stuff. Bruce Feldman, Big Ten Media Game. Hey, good seeing you, buddy. Good seeing you, Colin. We'll see you soon. Yeah, the 12-team playoff in a strange way reduces a little bit of tension for coaches is that you're Sark and you're like, dude, I've made the playoffs seven straight

years. Hard to fire that guy. And you're, I mean, Sark would win games in the tournament, right? Like, it's, it's harder for an athletic director. College football has always been like, great, or if you don't make the top four is a power conference or a power team like Ohio State. I mean, like Ryan Day is getting heat. He only loses to Harbaugh and Georgia. But a 12-team playoff, virtually guarantees Bama, Ohio State, in my opinion, Oregon, Texas, Georgia, those five are going to make it every year. And I like that because I think the carousel and the heat on the coaches is ridiculous. 12 more playoff teams you have, it's harder to fire coaches. And there are certain brands in college football.

I got news for you. Ohio State's making this puppy every year. if Sarks at Texas, they're making it every year. Kalin-Dabor and Bama are making it every year. Kirby Smart in Georgia every year. Now, there's a second tier of teams like an LSU, a Penn State. They should make it two out of three years. But again, James Franklin is going to be in this thing a lot.

There's just the bigger these conferences get, you have a very weak middle and end. I mean, you go look at Penn State schedule. Penn State faces one team on their schedule with better players. That's it. I mean, you start looking now at a lot of these conferences that are going to have 16 teams and eventually like 20 teams. You've got like 6 Ws guaranteed. If you can split your big games, Ohio State's getting in. You just don't want to lose back-to-back games at the end of the season.

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the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations,

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follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us a lot.

us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get to flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, I said, you figure it out real quick.

Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm George Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody!

Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions.

Sike! I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riffed. Grant recommends some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit.

Hey, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, a lot of stuff going on right now. James Jones will join us in studio. Former Raider and Packers going to be joining us today. Camps opening up. Russell Wilson's hobbling around.

Justin Fields getting snaps today. Aaron Rogers has some interesting video coming out, lighting it up at Jets practice. Without further ado, J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So you've been teasing it for 90 minutes. Here we have video footage of Aaron Rogers deep to Garrett Wilson.

Streaking for the easy touchdown. Now listen, if you want to get excited as a Jets fan, forget the pass, forget the catch, forget the bad coverage. Look at the clean pocket Aaron Rogers is operating from. Look at that. Couldn't get through Tyron Smith at left tackle. I mean, the offensive line jelling like that is bad news. Looks like a cement wall. Basically, yeah, you've got to get through that to get to Aaron Rogers.

That feels good, doesn't it? Yeah, I'm sure Aaron Rogers is happy. Legs look fine and look gimpy. Doesn't look panicked in the pocket. Look at that. Easy action for Rogers. Oh. Now, some people, of course, are going on lines.

What about the coverage? It was horrible. Well, I guess they expected the defense to get through. Wilson's fast, but it's going to come down to the offensive line. It's not a sexy topic, but that's really the jet season in a nutshell. Yeah, I think we both agree. Rogers was running for his life. early in the four snaps he played against Buffalo last season.

So if they hold up, you know, maybe they penetrate your Super Bowl bubble. They're close. They're on fringes. I know you're excited. Very excited. Just one question. In all honesty, are you, you don't root for teams, but are you rooting for the Jets given their sad sack history? Yes, I root for stories.

I'm rooting for Harbaugh to, and if you look at their schedule, to get off to a really good start. I mean, I talked about this yesterday. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and J.D. Vance and whoever the Democrat VP pick is, it is going to be the most turbulent, nasty. It's already. It's already. Oh, God, it's brutal. Brutal. And so the bottom line, that will suck viewers from sports shows in September and October.

Now, the election's like November 4th, so we'll be fine. But the first 30% of our season is going to be. to some degree, overwhelmed by this tidal wave of angst and anger and venom and the presidential debate. So there are stories I'm rooting for. I said this yesterday. Harbaugh getting a thrush start. Really nice start. Chicago, Caleb Williams, looking like the next star quarterback. And I think Aaron Rogers getting hurt or playing poorly hurts us. I think a big major market, New York team, and it's not going to be the Giants. the Jets have better personnel. If the offensive line is good, the Jets are going to be a nice team.

Great, I don't know. But I don't think it serves us. And I'm loyal to ratings. What are the factors that enlarge the audience? And I think for us, we need a New York team. Can you imagine a Chicago team and a New York team? All locked in on their star quarterbacks playing great. That is great.

Because right now, it's funny. a lot of the best quarterbacks are in smaller markets. Undesirable. Yeah, I mean, or like historically like Detroit and Green Bay and Kansas City and Cincinnati and Baltimore. A lot of the great quarterbacks are in small markets. What's really interesting is the NFL's popularity as both New York teams stink, D.C. stinks. Chicago's been stinking forever. Like major markets have not delivered.

are good, but it's hard to get major fandom in Los Angeles. It's so distracted, so many teams. It's interesting. You said small markets have some of the best quarterbacks. Those small markets, you know what else? They don't have? A lot of them don't, right? And, you know, NFL's

America's sport. They don't play football around the world. Like, I think people are going to latch on it. Doesn't matter whether the market's good or not. But I will say, it's interesting. We saw the New York Knicks in the playoffs. How they galvanize that city. Can you imagine what the Jets would do to an NFL

city that they haven't had a lot to cheer about. In the last five years, the Jets and Giants have been two of the worst teams in the league. And the Yankees, I mean, outside of Aaron Judge, who consistently hits at the top of their lineup. So if the Yankees season ends quickly, that's another reason people...

So I'd say it again. I am rooting for the Jets to be good, and if you look at their schedule, one of the best things that could happen to any sports show Aaron Rogers and the Jets upset the Niners. Just be competitive. You lose 24-23 on a late field goal. That's fine. That, to me, is like a win.

Hey, we're in the right direction. We're facing one of the best teams in the league. You've got rebuilds at the top. Tennessee, Denver, New England, Minnesota. You beat San Francisco go 5 and 0. That is doing us a solid. Look at it this way. The Jets are facing Will Levis, Jacoby Brissette, Boe Nix, Sam Donald.

Like, that should be four straight wins. I don't want to hear any, no excuses. With that defense, it should be. Absolutely. All right, next up is there's a report that indicated Jalen Hertz and Nick Siriani are still trying to find common ground. Interesting, alleged beef here. According to the athletic, their relationship is a work in progress due to their different personalities.

Eagles Camp opened this week, and Jalen Hertz cut off the first question at his press conference to make a statement. Which side to feedback? excited to go through this journey and go through this season with everyone here, you know, from everyone. You know, and I truly trust Mr. Larry. I trust Howard, I trust Coach Sri Lianian to lead us in that right direction. But I think to win championships, to be the team we want to be.

Everyone has to bind to that role and everyone has to, you know, be fully committed to do another part in helping the team. And so I'm excited to go on that journey. I'm excited too I'm writing up a piece for foxports.com NFL MVP bets Jalen Hertz currently plus 1,500 we talked about the schedule

by Halloween Jalen Hertz could be like clearly the best quarterback in the NBA team. I'm actually excited for Sequin Barkley who was played in his career behind the bottom three offensive line every year so now he has a better quarterback

he has a better offensive line and tremendous perimeter weapons. What does that mean? Safeties can't stack in the box. So not only in New York do the Giants have a bad offensive line, like beyond bad. They had no perimeter weapons, so it allowed safeties to cheat in playing the box.

So now it's great O line, better quarterback who often on those, you know, on a lot of the carries keeps it. I think Sequan's going to pop. I think the last place the Giants wanted him to go was Philadelphia. If he stays healthy, he will lead the league in rushing.

That old line, those weapons, no safeties in the box, he's going to have a huge year. That's a take, leave the league in rushing. Just the injury history. They're not going to want to wear him down. Save him for the playoffs, right? Not quite running back by committee, but I don't expect to see a lot of tush push action with Jalen Hertz.

Remember, Kelsey's gone. So now you have Barclay who you feel more confident handing it off to. It's a by team, Eagles, keep an eye on him. Final story, Colin is in the NBA. Kevin Durant returned to Team USA practice as he returns from that calf injury. He participated in non-contact drills and was part of scrimmages. If you go on Instagram, there is a good video of like an inter-squad scrimmage

and Durant look pretty damn good. Steve Kerr said Durant look great, but he is unsure if KD will be able to play Sunday versus Serbia. Here is the scrimmage. To have a seat there. Oh, that would have been great to watch. I love, I love Olympic practice video. Oh, yeah.

I mean, it says all great players practice video. I still watch that Michael Jordan Magic, Larry Burr laying down on the side of the court dream team video. No, I think you pointed this out. Our bigs are not necessarily perimeter guys, BAM and AD. So to have length and shooting

is kind of the thing missing with this team right now. I think their defense will be fine. But most of our bigs are true bigs. Bam and AD are true bigs. Embed thinks he's a three-point shooter, but he's also a true big. He can just handle the ball better, but we need length that can shoot to pull out their bigs.

So a week from today, we get our first preseason game, I'm pretty sure, right? Next Thursday. And this Sunday we get USA Serbia. So next week, starting Sunday, USA Serbia. I know we smashed him, but Colin? Bogdanovich didn't play. Yokic, I think he might have

sat out the entire fourth quarter. Like, it was, it was a weird situation. I wouldn't be betting this game. I think it will be close. USA Serbia on Sunday. And it sounds like Durant probably won't go. I'm a little nervous, Colin. I'm excited, but a little bit nervous. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. This is such an interesting time of the year. It's the cross-your-fingers time of the year when camp starts. You're not going to going to get any great news over the next month.

Nothing's going to happen that's going to be great. You could get horrible news. In a season, you can get great and horrible. But this is the only time of the year in the draft. What are you going to get? What's horrible news in the draft? What's horrible news in free agency? There's really no horrible news.

There's one month of the year where it only goes in one direction. You can only have your season ruined, not elevated. I mean, you could say, well, our rookie right tackles really look good. That's not great news. That's hope. This is the only month to five, six week period of the year in football. It only goes one way. The traffic goes one way.

Horrible news. If you found tomorrow, C.J. Stroud out for the year injury. Terrible news. What's the best news you could get? Well, the offensive lines cohesion's been excellent. Doesn't mean anything. So to me, this is the finger-crossing expedition. of the football season.

All I do is go on all day and look at injury reports and depth charts and it is what it is. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, we're Kavino and Rich. Fox Sports Radio every day, 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to. And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Overpromised.

You see, we're having so much fun in our two-hour show. We never get to everything. Honestly, because this guy is over-promising things we never have time for. Yeah, you blubber lips. Blame in me. Well, you know what? It's called over-promise. You should be good at it because you've been over-promising women for years.

Well, it's a Kavino and Rich after show, and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course. But we're also going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over-promised. Well, if you don't get enough, Kavino and Rich, make sure you check out Overpromise, and also uncensored, by the way. So maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's going to be the best after-show podcast of all time.

There you go. Over-promising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to Overpromised with Kavino and Rich on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skisks. hits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs.

I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball.

Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show.

I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real House Wise franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the T, everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day,

when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Saturday, it's baseball night in America on Fox, another chapter in one of the groups. greatest rivalries in sports unfolds.

As Aaron Judge and the Yankees take on the Red Sox, or the Mariners take on the White Sox. It all begins Saturday at 7 Eastern 1-5. So 12-team playoff college football, it's going to be a bit quirky. The four highest conference winners get buys. Doesn't mean that the four best teams. Here's what I think the bracket will look like.

Here's my prediction. Obviously, it's not going to be perfect. but I think Oregon beats Ohio State in Eugene wins the Big Ten. I think Utah wins the Big 12, edging out a very good Kansas State team. Florida State wins the weaker ACC, and Georgia wins the SEC. So those teams will get buys, Oregon, Utah, Florida, State, Georgia.

The highest rated team that doesn't get a buy as Ohio State, but they'll get the weakest first round team, Liberty, from Conference USA, Utah, who will, in my opinion, be the weakest second matchup. So Ohio State will actually get two easier games than an Oregon team would get in their first game, which I think they'd play Penn State that would beat LSU. But for our radio audience, we have a little bracket here. You know, my guess is Alabama beats Notre Dame and faces Georgia.

I don't know who I take. Texas beats Old Miss and then beats Florida State. Ohio State hammers Liberty and probably beats Utah. talk convincingly. Penn State beats LSU. I'll take Oregon to beat Penn State. So I think in the end, I think we're going to get Oregon, Ohio State in the final four, along with Texas and Georgia, is my guess. I think Alabama is better than people think. I think Kalin-Dabor is a rock star as a head coach. So that's kind of where we go on it. Remember, you say Liberty, what about this? I would have no problem with six SEC teams getting in. Now, I'm taking a bit of a flyer on LSU because I think

Brian Kelly's a good coach. They upgraded coordinator. Bruce Feldman said, keep your eye on Missouri entirely possible. I think you have to keep your eye on Iowa. I think you have to keep your eye on Tennessee. But Tennessee plays Georgia late in the year, and if they don't win that game, they're not going to win the SEC. Tennessee is not as good as Bama, Georgia, or Texas, and I don't think they're as good as Old Miss. They may be, but if they lose that Georgia game late, my gut feeling is Tennessee is going to be the best team left out, and Iowa is going to be the second best team left out.

Now, where is USC? I think USC got a scheduling break, and let's talk about the Trojans. No Oregon and no Ohio State. Huge break. Michigan and Washington lost star quarterbacks and most of their offense. So those are tall.

totally winnable games, even though they play in Ann Arbor and in Seattle. They open up with an LSU team. I think they lose that game. But USC got a huge scheduling break. They also get Penn State at home and Notre Dame at home. So this idea that USC is going to be a seven-win team, I think if Miller Moss is healthy, they're going to win nine games just on schedule. I don't think they beat LSU. I'm not sure at home if they can beat Penn State or Notre Dame.

But they don't face the Buckeyes and they don't face the docks in Washington's in a complete rebuild having lost their OC, who was great, their star quarterback, their two best receivers, their best offensive linemen, and they don't have great defensive personnel and their recruiting's been since Jedfish got there. Okay, not great. But here's Lincoln Riley this week on turning around the Trojans. You're building for the teams, you know, that you're going to play and what you feel like it's going to take to win those games here in and you're out in your coffers. but then there's also a bigger picture for us. We're building to be in the national championship race every single year, and that's what you come for at USC. We didn't take over one that was a national championship contender and just walk into it, right?

Like this was a revamp, and so this has been a rebuild from a roster standpoint. To be honest with you, it's a lot like Harbaugh, Michigan. So the year before Jim Harbaugh gets to Michigan, they're five and seven. The year before Lincoln Riley gets there, they're 4 and 8, and they are bad with almost no NFL players, certainly no first round talent. In year one, they massively overachieve. I watched Michigan Live that year. I watched USC twice live.

They were good. They weren't special. They still didn't have any NFL talent of note. In year two, they're good, but you start hearing criticisms of Lincoln. He didn't know defense or of the polarizing general. Harbaugh, have you getting hammered by Ohio State, fraud. Year three, you actually get pulledback by Harbaugh. They can't quite get the quarterback right.

And year three for Lincoln Riley, they're predicted to win seven and a half games. And the question is the quarterback position. So I think with Harbaugh and Lincoln, they're polarizing. They took over big brands that were absolutely awful. Michigan was awful. 30% of the big house was empty. The Coliseum was empty. empty. So, and they didn't have any NFL first round talent. The difference is then Harbaugh,

your four, five, six, then it started to look different. Then it was, even when he was losing to Ohio State, they had seven, eight NFL guys. And so USC, like Harbaugh is going into year three, and I think they're going into a much tougher conference, get a bit of a scheduling break, much tougher conference. I think they'll win eight or nine, but you first, forget that Harbaugh in year three. He was losing to Michigan State. You can lose to the Buckeyes. You can't lose to Michigan State. And he

was. He lost him a couple of times. There were a lot of people selling their stock on Jim Harbaugh after year three. A lot. And you were all wrong. And there were a couple people. Joel Clatt and I were a couple of people. We kept saying,

are you people out of your mind? They're going to be fine. I'll say the same thing with Lincoln Riley. USC's NIL is 12 to 15 a year. It's not Oregon, but it's really good. You start looking at their schedule. There's a lot of wins here. LSU, it's on a neutral field.

Winnable, I'll give them an L. Utah State. Michigan's in an utter rebuild, and we don't know if their coach can coach. Wisconsin at home. Penn State home. Rutgers home. Nebraska home.

UCLA and a rebuild. Notre Dame home. that feels like to me eight wins I think at Washington LSU are really really tough games Notre Dame right now has better players so you can bet on

to make the college football playoff right they have odds for those so I looked at USC do you want to guess what they are to make the playoff 25 to 1 no no 12 to 1 only plus 400 so they have like a good chance

now there's several teams ahead of the movie we haven't talked about at all but the one team you've missed is the Michigan Wolverines. I know they're replacing a lot, Colin, plus 1-15 to make the playoff. That's all you've got to do is make the playoff. They are rebuilding both their lines.

They didn't only lose guys to the NFL. They lost all their team leaders. They lost their eight team leaders. They lost seven of them. So it's not just losing talent. They lost the soul of their team. Harbaugh and all those senior offense and defensive line there. I think Michigan's going way.

I think Penn State's good in that conference. Iowa's good. I think Washington's fine. Oregon and Ohio State are great. So the only teams you see to have missed, other than Michigan, are the Missouri Tigers? Now, they're good. They just return everybody. Yeah, plus 175 to make the playoffs.

They're in the SEC. They're not in the dead ten. They are in the SEC, yeah, yeah. Clemson plus 190. I got to see this FSU team if they're that legit coming back. Well, I think they have FSU's got a great coach. I think the staff can win you eight games a year in college football. Then your talent's going to win you the next.

Three. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to the Clivert Show on the IHeart. Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. In 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. It was a wild.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.