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Tony Kihl: Welcome back, everybody. We're here with the in the flat podcast. I'm your host, Tony Kihl joined as always by Jess and Jordan. A great week one. It was I would say much better than week zero game so I have a lot to talk about this week with some really good week one contest we had some good matches that lived up to the hype some that didn't some teams that surprised some that disappointed so we'll get to all that this week but first let's kick it off with a week one.
Look back here. Starting off with our top five games of the week as we previewed. So i'll jump into these and then we'll um let's talk a little bit about each one. So start off first with Georgia, number one, Georgia won 34 to three over number 14, Clemson. I would say to me this is a pretty decent game for a half to two and a half.
Quarters then Georgia just turned it on and won this. I would say Georgia's defense looked good. Clemson's defense looked good for about a half. But Clemson's offense did not look good. Cade Klubnick is continuing not to have the answers at only 142 yards in an interception.
To me, Carson Beck looked okay. I expected more from him at another year starting here with only 278 yards, two touchdowns, but it was against a good Clemson defense. I think that the news that came out of this beforehand was Etienne, the you know of the starting running back for Georgia end up being suspended So they had to go to a true freshman Nate Frazier who ended up doing pretty well 83 yards and a touchdown here Overall again good win for Georgia there that I guess neutral site Contest there in Atlanta, but what did you guys think of this one?
Jess, we'll start with you What are you thinking of Georgia's win here over Clemson?
Jess Sabin: I think it was a very impressive win by Georgia to win that dominantly. Like you said, it was a defensive battle for the first half, first two and a half quarters or so. I think it's going to be, I think we're going to learn a lot more about Clemson in the next few weeks than we will about Georgia.
Everybody expected Georgia to be great. There is, I don't think anybody had. Georgia missing the playoffs, people like me had them like essentially finishing second to Texas, but no one had Georgia as even a fringe player. They're going to be in the playoffs. They're going to be great. I think over the past three years, three, four years, they've only lost two regular season games, both to Nick Saban, so the fact that they. One, this game doesn't tell me much that I'm the guy here that had Clemson winning the ACC. That pick is not looking very good right now. Cade Klubnik, I had expected him to take some step forwards. And while it's going to be hard to truly gauge where someone is at coming into the season week one against what's probably going to be the best defense in all of college football.
He did not look good. The entire offense did not look good. They could not pick up like anything. It felt like if they were in anything beyond third and two just punt it.
Tony Kihl: Yeah.
Jess Sabin: So I think Clemson, we're going to really see, is it just that they're not in the Georgia tier or have they truly gone the way of those late 2000 to early 2010 Texas teams where they had a streak of great quarterback play and then all of a sudden despite being able to recruit these five stars, they're just not panning out.
We went from Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence to now DJ and Cade Klubnik. Clearly two different groups there, two different tiers of quarterback. So we're, Clemson really needs to figure that out.
Tony Kihl: Jordan, what do you think here about this game?
Jordan Schultz: I'll keep it short and sweet because Jess just talked a lot.
I just think it's another, dabbles, not going to that transfer portal. It's another where, they're not getting better. They're staying the same. We're going to see the same clumps that we saw last year. We see this year, nothing's changing. K didn't jump, step up.
They got a new offensive coordinator. It didn't look like it panned out enough. to be able to put up points. But big win for Georgia. Yeah, it was the second half kind of adjustments they made. Their next biggest test is against Alabama in the next three weeks. So, right now I think Georgia is the best team.
Just they have the best defense, their offense looked consistent enough until someone challenges them and beats them. I still think Georgia is number one and probably right now, depending, they don't play Texas until later on in the season. So, right now, I think Georgia has that mindset that they're number one and they're still going to be that number one team.
Jess Sabin: I have to disagree with you there, Jordan. I don't think it's because of the the transfer portal. I've listened to everybody talk about this. It's the number one thing. It was what was it? A first take it up. Everybody is lambasting Dabo Sweeney for his lack of transfer portal usage, however it was.
But if you look at they are ranked, they were ranked like fourth or fifth in composite talent score last year. They're fifth this year. I don't think it's because They don't have, they're not using the transfer portal. They probably could have, gotten some death that prop depth that would have helped them out a bit towards the end.
There were clearly the defense was tiring out because the offense couldn't get anything done. But I think it's far more about the quarterback situation. Maybe they need some more skill guys who can just get open. I don't know if you heard what what was it like Rodney White was saying about Clemson?
He was saying that the offense They have too many white people. Too many white Too many white guys on offense to be explosive and I don't know if that's it necessarily, but, But just They could use some more talent on the offensive side of the ball, but I don't know if just because look at Colorado.
Look at Florida State. These are teams where They're really relying on the transfer portal and
Jordan Schultz: But look at Georgia. Georgia got, took, got 11 players out of the transfer portal this year. And they're still competing. That's the thing, you're not, you're How many of
Jess Sabin: those guys are the starters though?
But
Jordan Schultz: how many guys do we see that are 5 stars that go into college football and are dominant freshman year? How many do we see? So if you're getting 5 stars or 4 star recruits at Clemson, How Yeah, great, but you're not You
Jess Sabin: need to be able to develop that talent, because I'm not talking just about the freshmen here.
It's total composite, like how much talent is on the roster. Okay, true. And we're still top five. Yes, that's true, but here's the thing. Look at the Notre Dames, Ohio States Those guys are not using the Transfer Portal. To fill their entire team up like Colorado and some of those teams are, what they're doing is they're taking, I have these holes.
Tony Kihl: I'm going to fill them with a transfer portal person. Like for example they both Ohio state Notre Dame got quarterbacks. Then Ohio state got a safety number one safety. They're going to, they're really good now because the safety position Notre Dame, they were missing wide receivers. They went out and got the receivers.
They need to make that a better team. I feel like here, if you're looking at Clemson, they have a great team on paper, but what they need is to fill in with whole they don't have a dynamic No. 1 wide receiver. With who you are as Clemson, you should be able to go out and get a wide receiver that can at least be a top tier 2 wide receiver to make this offense roll a little more.
Or, really, if you saw what Cade Klubnik did last year, I would have said, I'm not sure about him. I'm gonna bring someone in to push him. At the quarterback position because I feel like yeah You have a lot of young guys on a team that could do something But they haven't proven it go out there use five transfers They're the only team outside of the military academy is not using the transfer portal.
That's why everybody's on Dabo Sweeney because he's not using it all go out and get five people that can make a team better
Jess Sabin: They, granted, they didn't, get a lot, but Dabo has brought in he brought in a couple guys the year before, he brought in a couple guys the year before that. But zero this year.
He's not super reliant on it. Zero
Tony Kihl: transfer, zero people. You gotta have some holes on your team. His issue is, he feels like he recruits better than anybody in the country. And he doesn't feel like anybody's gonna be better to his players He needs to look in the mirror and say listen, I made a mist on some of these positions I need to fill in with some transfer portal players I'm, not saying he needs to go out there and get like 20 transfer portal players.
I'm thinking if you get five Starters that can make this team better or hey get a couple three or four backups. That will be good depth pieces that will help you improve. That's what he needs to go out and do, but he's just stubborn and doesn't want to do it, and I think that's hurting him, ultimately, I do.
Jess Sabin: think the big thing for him is just the quarterback, though. Could they have gone out, their run game didn't look good either like a Riley Leonard or something to improve that position. They could have, but at the same time, if a guy has one bad year and then you immediately turn to the transfer, you gotta think about what kind of signal that sends out to.
But it's
Jordan Schultz: not even that. You don't, you can go to the transfer portal and get a Riley Leonard or get someone. And that might light a fire under Cade Klubnik to actually get better, but there's no one behind him. Here's the thing, Ohio State and Notre Dame and some of those top teams, they're don't care.
Tony Kihl: Look, Oregon, Ohio State, Notre Dame, all top 10 teams, right? They didn't care about the young players behind them. They want to make, they want to make competition the best it could possibly be. So they're going to go out on the portal, they're going to get a top tier player. If they're going to push them and the young guys comes up and beats them that's great.
If they don't, then you have someone there. I remember a couple years ago, another game went into the season with Tyler Buckner as their quarterback. Cause that's what Chip Brian Kelly left him with. They could have went out to the portal, but they didn't want to upset the young guys in the quarterback room.
Guess what happened? That quarterback room sucked that year and that team sucked that year. You have to go out and get those players. And push your team to be the best it possibly can be. You don't want to just upset players. They gotta know this is a competitive world. We're gonna bring people in to either make you better, or make the team better.
I just feel like he's not doing that. Yeah, we're in the college football world where if you don't do that, you're at a loss, and that's what Clemson is right now. Alright. Alright. Next up, our Our last game of the week Notre Dame over Texas A& M. I will say, I was at the game, great atmosphere.
I, I think Texas A& M, they were loud. I will say I didn't know how loud it would be, but my watch was going off non stop of over 110 decibels, and it was like, and pretty insane that you could hear anything around you. But it was a great atmosphere. I felt yeah, Notre Dame won this one 23 to 13.
I felt like coming in, everybody said they're going to lose because of the offensive linemen, and I felt the offensive linemen did not, they did well. They did allow any sacks. They, at, towards the second half of the game, they started pushing back on that defensive line and that's when the running game started coming alive and I think Notre Dame, they did, they came in with a game plan, they weren't going to pass it down the field.
It was going to be quick passes all night, that's why you had Raleigh Leonard with 158 yards passing, 64 yards rushing. It was just about, taking care of those offensive players, not making mistakes, not throwing turnovers. On the opposite side, Connor Weigman, only free for 100 yards, had two interceptions.
They tried to throw it downfield, but I mean you can't throw it on this secondary so they just were they weren't successful. So hey, I Just because i'm there as a fan doesn't mean anything. I will say I just felt like you don't throw it on benjamin morrison you just don't do that.
It's a terrible mistake if you do and then I just felt like the pieces around them the linebacker crew has been younger but more explosive for their name I didn't want to you know call out to say an m's defensive line. I felt like That's probably one of the better defensive lines I've ever seen.
They got after it all night and made things hell for the running backs and for Raleigh Leonard there on the Notre Dame side. So they gave it all, but I think eventually Texas A& M will probably need to make a change at quarterback. They have some, they have a young guy on their team.
That's more athletic. They can run the ball a little more. I think that's probably what they need for this team. Cause I don't see a dynamic, like number one receiver for Texas A& M right now. They have a bunch of. Two and threes that are not, if you and you match up against a good quarterback group like this It's gonna be really hard for you to get you know, get things going but yeah, what you guys thoughts what you guys saw on tv?
So sorry you jordan What do you think of this performance in our game? What do you think of texas a& m?
Jordan Schultz: I'll start with text. I think texting them. Like you said, they're one, getting that Quarterback, I think that'll help a lot. They have a good defense they have a really good defense they played so well the offensive life notre dame had a lot of work cut out for them The biggest thing for me is notre dame just looks sloppy.
They had 11, penalties that game a lot of just sloppiness and a lot of different areas
Jordan Schultz: I think down the stretch, we got, Notre Dame's got a couple, easy games to get those offensive linemen into more of a cohesion group. But they did turn it around at that, after that second, at the end, the fourth quarter, end of the fourth quarter, they had a better game plan.
The offensive line, like you said, started pushing back. I just think they Texas A& M started getting tired started, and Notre Dame took advantage of that. Offensive line pushed back, a lot of rushing yards. I think the biggest thing with Notre Dame is Riley Leonard is you just can't tackle him.
He escapes, he can extend plays. I think I was listening to something they were talking about. I even pun it anymore. If Riley Leonard could extend a play to get that first down, if you're fourth and two, no matter where you are in the field, He's going to get to that first time majority
Tony Kihl: unless the replay says he did across the line when he's like a foot past the line But
Jordan Schultz: and then you look at it.
Yeah, but like I think notre dame Offensively it was hard to play against texas a& m throw the ball. It's loud. That's a lot some of the penalties, it's just loud. That's like you said tony. It's a loud stadium It's hard to play even if texas a& m was If notre dame was unranked if texas a& m was unranked the stadium would be as loud as that was but I think Notre Dame took a huge step this, this year.
Ryley Leonard is a good part part to that. And I think there was a big win, especially, I thought it was going to be a little closer, but Notre Dame's defense really stepped up. And we could have saw a third pick at the end of the game. It was right there, but huge win. Texas A& M is, like I said, one, one part away in that quarterback is, the huge thing.
Tony Kihl: I saw a lot of fans from Texas A& M bashing Mike Elko already, his first game as head coach of Texas A& M. I feel like he's going to have that defense playing like this every week. You got to give him a little bit of time to get the right pieces. He's inheriting. Whatever was left from Jim O.
Fesher. I think he needs to get the right quarterback, the right wide receiver pieces. And his run his star running back is out for the season, too. So I think you gotta give him a little slack there. So I wouldn't be as hard on him. And I think some people just don't like the fact that they lost in their game at Texas A& M.
It's that place that they like to lose. But that's another story. Jess, what did you think of the game?
Jess Sabin: I thought it was, I wasn't blown away by either team, but I think this is a very big win for Notre Dame. I think this is gonna be potentially like your most important win that you're able to get over this hump, because of the youth that had to start on the offensive line going up against what might be one of the best defensive lines in all of college football.
Florida State, I think, is your next tough game, and they, at least as of right now, from what we've seen from You should win that and then you end the season with USC. And I think they were more impressive than we really thought, but I think as a team, Notre Dame is a better team than LSU. So I think the fact that you guys went in got the win wasn't the prettiest, but you did what you needed to do.
Tough football, I think you guys have shown that you can compete with just about, anybody. You have the talent. Is this year you finally get it done? Time will tell, but I think you definitely have what it takes to go undefeated this year and get that fifth seed.
Tony Kihl: Okay sounds good. So let's move on to the next few big games here.
Miami beat Florida first of my many incorrect predictions coming up here, so Miami beat Florida 41 17. I have this team. Flabbergasting it Florida looked as bad as they looked but cam Ward did not look bad. He had on 385 yards free touchdowns Take a touchdown rushing 33 rushing yards look really good here.
I think Graham Mertz did not 91 yards Interception, I think you said he got maybe a concussion in this game as well, right Jordan so again, I'm not surprised I guess that Miami won. I guess I'm surprised that they beat them this bad in the swamp. Like I just wasn't, I just wasn't expecting it. But Hey, I know Jess, I think you called this one a little bit.
So we'll let you talk here about this win and how you think Miami showed in this game.
Jess Sabin: Yeah, I was really impressed. I think that while teams like Florida state and Florida, I think they actually, if you, again, if you look at the talent composite rankings they're above Miami. But the difference was the quarterback, Cam Ward played fantastic.
He had that one bizarre interception decision. I think it was in the first quarter where he really got fancy with it. It looked like he was, he rolled out, he tried to sidearm it and he kept doing that sidearm pass, after that first interception, it seemed to be working.
It was
Jordan Schultz: it was across his body. That's what you do it across his body.
Jess Sabin: It was, there were some. He's plenty talented and I was very impressed that, after he threw that interception, seemed like his heartbeat never went above what is it 50, 60 beats per minute, whatever the normal heart rate he was not shaking at all playing in the swamp.
I think right now, despite me having picked Clemson to win the ACC, Miami just looks like the best team. The ACC was looked really disappointing in week one and I guess week zero. But Miami looks like they could win this conference handedly. Like it, like I was saying about Clemson, if they can figure out the quarterback, they've got the talent.
Miami seems like they have the quarterback and they have the talent. I don't know if they're gonna be able to stack up with a Georgia or an Ohio State, but
Tony Kihl: Now before we get too far ahead here in Miami, they were playing a Florida team that looks like they gave up already on this season. Do you feel like Will they look different when they go against, say, Clemson or or a Florida State or even like a Georgia Tech, ACC's terrible, but I think for the most part ACC, I agree, but do we feel like if they go up to somebody with a little better defense, that they'll have the same type of performance? Do we feel like it's, performance is because of Florida or because of Miami? I guess is what I'm asking.
Jess Sabin: I think it was both.
I I don't know about you Jordan, but I think it was both that Miami has the talent and now they have the quarterback to go with the talent. But I'm not sure, I'm still not a hundred percent sure if it was if it was confirmed that the image was real, but you had a, there was this image that was going around after the game of a Florida player in the locker room after the game.
He was showing the bird to his Snapchat and then it was captioned, F this team. And if they, I totally missed
Tony Kihl: that. So I don't know if that's real or not. So
Jess Sabin: that was, it was going around. It wasn't a good look, but I think it was one of those things where I think Miami is going, I don't think Miami is going to be as good as they looked, but.
I don't think they would be looking that much worse against a better defense. I don't know about you, Jordan.
Jordan Schultz: No, I think Miami has, this was their, the first real test for them. They have Florida state. They don't play Clemson this year. They have a home game against Florida state. I think Cam Ward was their answer.
This year, the interception, I think was a fluke. They only punted twice. Yeah. this whole game. They took control right away. And I think the biggest reason is, the same thing I say about Riley Leonard, extending plays. Cam Ward extends plays. He doesn't, he makes mistakes here and there, but he extends those plays and makes the team offensively better in the sense that now they don't have a quarterback that can't get out of the pocket.
And as well, Cam Ward is, he put up big numbers against Florida at the swamp where It's the same thing as playing at Texas A& M. It's loud, humid, you just, you can't hear yourself breathe, talk. And I think Xavier Respirito probably, yeah, I'm not even going to try anymore. And put up big numbers. He was part of the ACC first, uh, team last year.
Put 120 or 12 yards with one touchdown. I think he's going to be big. For Cam Ward. And I just think that Miami has a huge path to the ACC championship and even winning it. All right. All right. Moving ahead. Let's talk about Penn state in their 34 to 12, one of West Virginia, just let me down.
Tony Kihl: Why do I bet on West Virginia? Any Virginia team. I'm just going to stop talking about it at this point. But. Drew Owler was 11 of 17 for 216 yards, three touchdowns. Nicholas secretary one foot ran for 114. So yeah, a decent game here for Penn state. What I'm reading, everybody is on the Penn state bad wagon at this point.
It seems like a lot of national media is thinking that this is the year Penn state takes the step forward and it wins one of those big games. Start with you, Jordan, what do you think this is based on this performance or it's Penn state taking that next step, or are they moving forward?
Jordan Schultz: I don't think so.
I think it's the same thing we see always. Penn State is going to be losing to the teams they always lose to. I watched some of this game live, and it was right before half, and their hit, their dweller threw a 55 yard pass to score basically before the half, and they showed replay, and the receiver pushed the guy out of his way, and he didn't throw a flag.
So I think, Just a lot of things didn't go West Virginia's way on certain things, but I think Penn State did take a step forward in, in a sense, but it's West Virginia. I don't know what a step forward against West Virginia really is. They did look better than I thought, better than Tony thought, everybody.
Just so you know, Tony did pick West Virginia to win. I did, just going to repeat that. Hey, but Drew Allard did the same thing last year. Just, so I, I don't know, this is not a game that I could really tell. It's If they were playing Ohio State early in the season and they did this, then yeah, it's different.
It's, they still have to beat those better teams. It's like Ole Miss, they have to beat those, Alabama's, Georgia's before I can say that they're a hundred percent back or a hundred percent there. Yeah. So I think Penn State doesn't play anyone. Don't play anybody UC.
Tony Kihl: That's what,
Jordan Schultz: October 12th.
They play Ohio State.
Tony Kihl: They don't play anybody to us in Ohio State. November
Jordan Schultz: 2nd.
Tony Kihl: Yeah, but look, they play Bowling Green, Kent State, Illinois, UCLA, and then they finally get to USC. They're gonna, if they, that's gonna be a tougher game than I probably, people probably thought, so that's gonna be a tough game.
Jordan Schultz: I know, Tony, you're gonna say probably not, but honestly, I could see that Purdue game at Purdue being a tougher game than you think later on in the season. No,
Tony Kihl: not happening.
Jordan Schultz: I think Purdue will look good this weekend, man. Yeah.
Tony Kihl: Hey, I don't judge some of these teams until they play somebody of a pole.
Hopefully, as a Purdue alum, I hope they're better than I think. But I think they're gonna be terrible,
Jordan Schultz: the next game they play against someone with a pole is Notre Dame,
Tony Kihl: we'll see how good they are then. All let's move ahead. Cause I'll do time here. What's finishes up with LSU USC.
Obviously the game Monday night or Tuesday, Sunday night, sorry. If I get my days so Tuesday night. USC won 27 to 20. Miller and Moss look pretty good at this one, 378 yards and a touchdown. They're running back Mark, 68 yards and two touchdowns. Garrett Nussmeier actually looked pretty good for LSU as well, 304 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Overall, I thought this was a pretty nice back and forth game. I don't know what to think of either of these teams yet. I know Brian Kelly was very angry with his team, pounding the table after the fact that he, it's his fault for not coaching well, but then he blames players. You know how he usually does.
USC, I think they played better defense than they did last year, and you don't know if their defense is really data proof or if LSU just struggled a bit than they should. I don't know. We'll see as the year goes along here, but sorry, you Jess you're, you follow USC pretty closely.
You're, What did you think of this USC performance?
Jess Sabin: Yeah. I am so invested in USC being that I live in New Jersey. Literally. The other side.
Tony Kihl: You always talk about him, so I figured you just follow him on an ongoing basis.
Jess Sabin: I talked about Caleb a lot. All right. But
Tony Kihl: who's your favorite player?
Was like Reggie boy. Yeah. .
Jess Sabin: Growing up when I did. All right then We're we don't have time for my.
Tony Kihl: We don't, my
Jess Sabin: whole college football back story, I dunno
Tony Kihl: why you got started on that. Cool.
Jess Sabin: Yeah. You know me rambling on and on. But I was both impressed and not impressed by both teams.
It's week one, so I imagine both teams are gonna look a bit better down the line. Like Ohio State didn't look great in the first half or so, or again, who I think we were talking about all these games in a little bit, but, all these teams working out the. Their issues in week one.
They're gonna have a lot more tape. They're gonna have real tape to go over now going into week two. But I think both of these teams are gonna even out to be in that second third tier of teams or maybe their fringe playoffs, but they're clearly like Just not quite there with the top teams. I think USC having a better defense is going to be very big for them.
I was very impressed. I had predicted LSU to win this game off of the back of that. I thought Nussmeier would have a lot of time to work from the pocket being that LSU has, I think the best, either the first or second best left tackle. And I think he has, they have the consensus best right tackle.
In all of college football right now, at least according to early projections and PFF scores. But the USC's defense it's definitely not nothing. I, the fact that USC gets to avoid Oregon, who else did we say they're avoiding? Ohio State. Were they avoiding them? Yep, they are. So they're avoiding like the top dogs in the Big Ten.
Maybe they get on a run, maybe they go on a roll and they end up in the Big Ten Championship game through luck. I think that Penn State USC game is going to be really big. I think that's going to determine more or less the third place, the third and fourth place teams in the Big Ten.
But I thought both quarterbacks played well. I thought, but I don't, like I, I didn't have either of these teams in the playoffs and I don't think that's going to change.
Tony Kihl: I honestly, my mind has changed a bit on USC because they play a little bit of defense and looking at their schedule, I feel like if they get past Penn State, they're in the Big Ten Championship game.
I just, because I feel like they'll beat out Oregon. But that's just me and my Oregon hate.
Jordan Schultz: It's that Michigan, don't forget they play Michigan too guys.
Jess Sabin: Yeah,
Tony Kihl: I know I was high on Michigan last week, but after seeing them I'm not as high as I feel. It's
Jess Sabin: week one, so we can't write on Michigan. But,
Jordan Schultz: that was not a pretty
Jess Sabin: performance.
Yeah,
Jordan Schultz: if they put up a fight, and if they lose,
Tony Kihl: I don't even know about that.
Jess Sabin: But,
Jordan Schultz: I think
Jess Sabin: you guys are a bit higher on Michigan. Tony, especially because I was. Tony loves
Jordan Schultz: Michigan. I was.
Jess Sabin: But, if they go out and then they get smacked around by Texas, that's not going to tell me, I don't think that's really going to tell me much of anything.
Jordan Schultz: Yeah, if they get smacked around by Texas,
Jess Sabin: That would be one of the four best teams. I have Texas in the championship. But
Jordan Schultz: if they're close, even for three quarters against Texas, then it's different.
Jess Sabin: That would be something, yeah. But if, if Michigan goes out there and it ends up being like what Georgia did to Clemson, where maybe they keep it close for, The first half and then, in the second half, Texas really just runs away with it.
I don't feel like that's going to tell me much about Michigan. So I think I just have Michigan as right now, I think the fifth, sixth team in the big 10 right now.
Tony Kihl: Oh, okay.
Jess Sabin: I think they're too talented to fall to the
Tony Kihl: fifth or 16 in the big 10. Okay. Who's the, I don't know.
I don't know who The two teams ahead of him would be, at that point. But, I, we're gonna Rutgers, yeah. Rutgers, yeah. Ruck That's right, I forgot Rutgers was gonna lead you're right.
Jess Sabin: Maybe, it's not impossible.
Tony Kihl: It's not. It's not impossible.
Jess Sabin: It's not.
Tony Kihl: Everybody gets lucky here every once in a while.
All right let's move ahead here
Jess Sabin: You should get their first game of the big ten. Just put that out there.
Tony Kihl: Yeah, that's Feels like decades ago at this point. All right.
Jess Sabin: It was a decade ago
Tony Kihl: let's talk about some different games i'll quickly run through them and maybe a little color commentary some of them but We're going to do a little bit of buying and selling some of the directors of the, some of these teams here.
I would start on Thursday night. Missouri scored 51 in their route of Murray state, 51 to nothing. That's how you beat a bad team. You don't play with them the whole game and then pull away at the very end. You just beat them. That's what you're supposed to do. Just Utah, they scored 49 in a win over Southern Utah.
So nice win there for you to Cameron Rising. Had a five touchdowns, 254 yards. It's nice having Utah back with an actual quarterback playing the position when they're, and everybody seemed pretty healthy. So a lot. Again my Utah prediction there for the Big 12 still looks good to me. Kansas beat Lindenwood, apparently that's a college 48 to three.
So good win for Kansas there. North Carolina State we'll We were, we've been pretty high in North Carolina state. They scared us a little bit, first half but they did end up pulling away, winning 38th to 21 over Western Carolina. But as I bet you guys in chat, I think this is just what North Carolina State does, it feels every year, that first one or two games, they just struggle.
Sometimes they lose a bad game. Sometimes they just hold on and barely win, but then they just continue to approve for the rest of the year. So I think that's what's gonna happen here.
Jordan Schultz: See guys, they don't, NC State does not need to win every game, just every conference game.
Tony Kihl: Very true. They don't even, they can just go lose all their, I'm not a conference until they have a playoff.
So I'm not, that's very true. But Grayson McCall ended up 318 yards, three touchdowns. I'm interested to see how he improves with this offense because I feel like at one point he was one of the better quarterbacks. And then the last year he really struggled with injuries. I want to see how he does the rest of this year, but decent start there with Fort North Carolina State.
Friday night you had Oklahoma with a 51 to three win over Temple Jackson Arnold. I expected more, but he didn't really have to do much. He had 141 yards and four touchdowns. So he did his work and got out. Saturday night you had Saturday you had Ohio State winning 52 to 6 against Akron. I watched the first half of this game and I was not impressed with how Ohio State played.
They ended up pulling away obviously in the second half and did really well. But, they, I don't know. Like they did last year. I think we talked about it many times in the podcast. The one thing that about how to say last year is they always started slow. Every team had a chance in the first half and then they use their talent to pull away.
And I felt like that's what they did here. I expected more just because they brought in all the transfers and there's a lot of people come back. And I just felt like this is going to be a veteran team that would have happened, but something to keep an eye on as we go through the season. Oregon and barn burner 24 to 14 over Idaho.
Yeah tough Idaho, those are always a tough out. Dylan Gabriel has 380 yards and two touchdowns. I'm just going for it out there. I keep saying I didn't think Dylan Gabriel could lead his team to multiple playoff wins and this is this adds to my arsenal there, guys. I know you guys have a different opinion, but this is my feelings there.
Texas scored 5, 200, win over Colorado State. They look good. Quinn New York's 260 yards, three touchdowns. The great man, Arch Manning came in 95 yards on the touchdown. Decent performance here for Texas over Colorado State. They have the big one as we talked about against Michigan next week.
Alabama beat the crap out of Western, Kentucky. They went 63 0. I think was the score. Gentlemen, Gentlemen Rowe, looked very similar. He only threw it seven out of nine times for 200 yards. I just, you would expect him for more, but I guess you don't need to, you don't need to. At 79 yards rushing.
As well. Ole Miss scored 76 in their win against Furman Jackson. Dar had six first half touchdowns. It was 22 or 27, 418 yards, so great performance there. We talked a little bit about Michigan. They struggled a bit here at Friends of State. It was a close game in the second half till they were able to pull away a bit.
I would say the one, one thing I, we were talked about before that we would be concerned about is the running game. John Edwards only had 11 carriers for 27 yards. You'd suspect nothing else if the quarterback position needs time to develop that you would be able to Line up with that offensive line and run the football.
They were not able to do that I don't know if that's on denim networks the offensive line or play calling but something to keep an eye on they go to Texas Was Texas come to them next week? Tennessee won 69 to 3 or Chattanooga Nico had 314 yards and three touchdowns good performance by him Oklahoma State won 44 to 20 over South Dakota State Ollie Gordon, 27 carries, 140 yards, 2 touchdowns, good performance there.
Kansas State, 41 6 win over UT Martin. Avery Johnson looked pretty good, 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. Arizona, what a I would say a pretty thrilling game against New Mexico, 61 39, high scoring. That Pac 12 after dark feel to it for sure. But Noah Fitta had 422 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception.
So I think outscore people. I don't think their defense is going to be there this year. Iowa scored the most I think they ever scored in history. I don't know if that's true, but they scored 40 points in their win over Illinois State. Cade McNamara had 251 yards and three touchdowns. I bet Michigan wishes they still had him, because their quarterback did not look as good.
And then some Game 5 teams that we obviously have talked about for the playoff. Boise State won 56 45 over Georgia Southern. Of note here, Ashton jeanty had 20 carries for 267 yards and 6 touchdowns. Great performance. If you had College Fantasy going, hope you had him. He had a great day. And then Liberty, 41 24 for Campbell.
Good performance for Liberty. With that, let's go a little around Robin here with buy or sell. We talked a little bit about North Carolina State. And we, over the last few couple weeks, we've talked about their chances to win ACC with Grayson McCall. That offense and that defense coming together.
Based on their performance this week, where are their chances? Are you buying or selling or holding, on North Carolina State? We'll start you, Jess.
Jess Sabin: I'm selling. Honestly, I think that's more just about how good Miami looked rather than NC State. I, like we were going to be talking about in a few more of these, and as been said, it was week one.
I'm not, they got the win. They pulled it out. I'm not going to hold too much against them. Although it did raise some concerns. I'm selling NC State winning the ACC. I think it's going to come down to Miami clubs at all.
Jordan Schultz: Jordan. Oh, I'm gonna stay neutral because I already bought them, you can't sell them back now.
It's a no return policy. You're not selling. Hey, I still am high, I think. First game, like we just said, first week is always weird. I don't know what it is. Teams getting used to playing actually a competitive game. They only got Clemson this year, and if we get, if they get the Clemson that Georgia got.
I can see NC State somehow pulling it out. I still got, I'm buying, keeping, never returning to NC State, all the way baby, never changing my bracket. Grayson McCall for ACC player of the year. I didn't want to say Heisman, I was about to say Heisman, I was like, okay. Nope.
Tony Kihl: Alright I'm going to hold, I'm going to hold NC State.
They play Tennessee next week. And so I want to see how they do against Tennessee next week. They perform well there. Then I'm going to, I'm going to either buy or sell at that point. Jackson Arnold, next one, Jackson Arnold being the quarterback that Oklahoma needs to compete in the SEC based on his performance.
So Jordan, are you buying or selling Jackson Arnold being that quarterback that Oklahoma needs?
Jordan Schultz: I'm selling. I didn't see enough. I'm gonna hold, I'm not going to sell. I'm going to hold cause I didn't see enough. He didn't pass enough. They just, it was a dominant performance at home for Oklahoma.
I need to see more. I think we won't see really anything, they tell you Tulane next week or Houston next week. We won't really see a lot of what Jackson Arnold really is until Tennessee later on this month. I'm gonna, I'm gonna hold with Oklahoma. I think Jackson Arnold could be that guy, but he needs to even put up more numbers and then let him sling the ball more, or we need to see him against a better team.
Tony Kihl: All right. Jess, what about you, sir?
Jordan Schultz: Yeah, I'm pretty
Jess Sabin: much the same. It was against, what was it, Temple? Yes.
Tony Kihl: No, it was Western Carolina, wasn't
Jess Sabin: it? It wasn't like Oh, no, this was Temple. Like Ole Miss did, it's not like they played Furman or Arkansas Pine Bluff like Arkansas did, but Temple, that really didn't give me any answers, like They he went out there.
He was efficient did well. Let's see it again some better competition.
Tony Kihl: Yeah, i'm selling. I don't see it I see cave club nick all over again. They played in very similar areas I just see the same thing, but i'm selling ohio state being the favorite to win the title this would be interesting.
So jess, are you buying or selling ohio state being the favorite? I think you picked him to win. Did you not?
Jess Sabin: Yeah, I can't exactly buy anymore and i'm not selling right now Slow start did what they needed to do I need to see a bit more from Will Howard, but it wasn't like it was bad enough that I'm feeling you need to sell all of a sudden.
So I'm just staying pat with that with Ohio
Jordan Schultz: State.
Tony Kihl: Jordan.
Jordan Schultz: I'm selling. I didn't see enough out of that run game. They need, they talk about all this, they have Trevor Henderson, Quinton Jenkins, and they both didn't even rush for over a hundred yards. One had 65, one had 55. I need to see more of that run game.
That's should have been their thing. If Will Howard. Is not going to be the best quarterback they've ever had so i'm gonna sell I don't I just didn't see enough Out of that run game.
Tony Kihl: All right, I am selling I just I think they're just too much of a finesse team As I mentioned, I do think they'll still win the big 10 But I don't know if they just have to change the play calling.
I don't know who that is I know chip kelly is there I thought he would change things up and make more run oriented and really lean on those guys, but I think Eventually they're gonna have to move to Julian Sane, the young freshman quarterback that's on the bench. If they can move to him, I'll feel more comfortable with them going all the way here.
But until then, I'm gonna have to sell. Alright, Oregon's ability to win in the playoff. Jordan, I'll start with you. Will you buy or sell him?
Jordan Schultz: I can't sell him. I'm gonna keep it even because I have them winning the national championship this year.
Tony Kihl: You better get that return on investment there, sir. I
Jordan Schultz: don't think so. Dylan Gabriel still had a great game. Do for 380 yards, 41 and 49. I still think they still got it. I think it's, it's hard to pick on the first week. But yeah, I think they still Oregon still got this.
Tony Kihl: All right.
Yes. You agree.
Jess Sabin: I don't have them winning at all, but I do have them making it decently far in the playoffs. Yeah, I'm, I can't, I'm not gonna buy anymore, because if I buy anymore, I feel like that means I'm like seeing them making it to the championship, which I don't, but I still think they'll be able to win at least a playoff game, if not multiple, depending on where they finish in the Big Ten.
Yeah, I'm gonna stay pat with them. I think they're a playoff team. I think they'll win at least a playoff game, and I don't have much to take away from week one. Week one was weird. It was weird.
Tony Kihl: Yeah, I agree. I'm selling. Give me a dollar if you have them. Alright. Yeah, I
Jess Sabin: agree. I'm selling.
Tony Kihl: Yes, we already talked about it. We're good. Yeah, we're good. I already gave my V's in Oregon. They're terrible. I'll move on. No, they're not terrible. I'm just saying, I just don't see it with the quarterback. That's all I'm saying there. Maybe they'll prove over the next few games. We'll see.
Alright. Having the best offense in the country. So start you Jordan. What are you saying here? That's offense by herself.
Jordan Schultz: I'm buying. I think they scored 76. I think they're going to score 55 to 60 points a game. They literally play LSU who we just saw two weeks ago. Average. Oh, those cornerbacks are not gonna be able to stop this team.
I will say Geor, they play Georgia. They could score 10 against Georgia, but 55, 60 against everybody else and still be fine. So I think they're another best offense just due to the fact that their schedule is bad.
Tony Kihl: Just agree.
Jess Sabin: I, I don't know. With the schedule I think that could definitely beneficial to 'em, but I don't know if I'm gonna buy into that level of stock with Ole Miss just yet.
They played Furman. Can anybody name where Furman is? South Carolina.
Jordan Schultz: Furman, South Carolina. Come on, bro.
Tony Kihl: I grew up in Georgia. You should know that. You went to East Carolina, man. Come on. I've never
Jess Sabin: even heard of Furman until a few years ago. And I didn't know that was a school. It's not like I was invested.
I went to North Carolina. I don't know where Furman is. But either way, they don't have a good football team. 76 to 0, maybe they'll, if Ole Miss can, over the next couple of weeks consistently put up even against, slightly better competition, I'll start buying into that. But I don't have any stock in it.
So i'm gonna be staying neutral because it's not I can't
Tony Kihl: sell all Yeah, I don't have I don't have a boo thing i'll just do this instead
All right, moving ahead here tennessee Being back to being one of the best teams in the country with their new quarterback Thinking back to when they had hannon hooker and they were rolling. That's what i'm thinking here Are you buying or selling that you're back to that? level of a team, starting with you, Jess.
Jess Sabin: Again, I don't want to be a little, I don't want to be hypocritical, because again, it's not like they, I think they played Chattanooga. So it's not like they played some crazy competition and still looked that good. But, I'm going to stay neutral, but I think them being a top 15 to borderline playoff team, I think that is more likely than Ole Miss having the highest scoring offense in the country.
If they look this good against NC State, that I'm gonna start buying.
Tony Kihl: Alright. Jordan, what about you, sir? What do you think?
Jordan Schultz: I'm buying. I think Nico's gonna be a better hand and hooker. More accurate. Their team looks a little better this year than when it was hand and hooker. They can run the ball.
With running backs actually, so
Jess Sabin: It's really important concept. Yeah guys,
Jordan Schultz: just so you know, they can run them like If I remember correctly that when it was hennon hooker, they couldn't run the ball It was a lot of just passing And I think they're getting to the point where they're going to be consistent And I think they're going to be one of the best teams in the country just this but the schedule is going to be rough.
They play nc state, oklahoma Alabama, georgia, they got tough SEC ACC mixed schedule in there. But I think they, if they can come out with, losing two of those games, they're still going to be one of the best teams in the country because it's going to be losing to Alabama, but it's home for them and then losing away at Georgia.
Tony Kihl: All right. I'm hold, I want to, I do, I want to agree with, I want to see what they do in the next couple of weeks to get some of these tougher opponents, but I like, I think they're moving in the right direction for sure. Now, we'll, they get back to where. They're scoring as much as they were pen and hooker.
Maybe not but to your point I think they'll have more well rounded offense or team to go with that So you may have a better, the opportunity to be better than they were before. All right let's talk quickly here as we're running out of time. Our picks for heisman. So the I think in the past we talked a little bit about our picks so i'll pass it over to you jordan who's your favorite who's your long shot to win the heisman
Jordan Schultz: so my favorite Right now is Cam Ward.
I think he really blew, his up with his performance against Florida right now on the MGM He's third with plus 950. I just think that if he continues to be Elusive and healthy. That's the biggest question mark is all these quarterbacks if they are elusive. Are they gonna stay healthy? That's the biggest thing for me.
He had 385 yards three touchdowns this game. My biggest long shot is Aston Gente, six touchdowns, 267 yards. If he can continue these performances, not six touchdowns, but two or three and a good a hundred, 150 yards a game around there averaging, I think he's going to be, he could squeeze him there. So those are my two.
Tony Kihl: All right. Jess, how about you? What's your favorite? What's your long shot?
Jess Sabin: I think I'm taking a Jackson dart. He's currently plus a thousand as my favorite. We just talked about Ole Miss. I don't necessarily believe they'll have the highest scoring, but I do think he's going to be putting up some monster numbers against the likes of Middle Tennessee, Georgia, Southern.
I think he can do it against Florida and Arkansas. And again, being an SEC quarterback, there's going to be some bias there. I think he's going to be able to put up good enough numbers. I think Ole Miss is going to be a good enough team that his name is definitely going to be in that conversation. And I think Maybe if, the likes of J.
L. Monroe, Quinn Ewers, don't put up those kinds of numbers, then I think he could easily run away with it. My long shot, I have the wide receiver out of Arizona, T Tetaroya McMillan. Started off the year with, I think it was 10 receptions for 304 yards, and all four of Arizona's passing touchdowns were caught by him.
I think, we've seen a wide receiver Devonte Smith win the Heisman a couple years ago. I think he could have that kind of season. I think he's going to be putting up Monster numbers this year. I think he's gonna, we're gonna leave this season with him as the number one wide receiver in the country.
And I think, if I had to bet on a non quarterback to win it, with how the passing offenses are, I'm leaning wide receiver over running back, and I think he's the best one.
Tony Kihl: Alright I couldn't agree with your favorite Jackson Tarr, but if I had to pick another favorite, it would be Quinn Ewers.
I agree. Didn't have to do as much but I feel like that they're gonna be able to really beat down some teams this year at Texas so I think I'll have clean yours as a secondary favorite to Jackson dart and then I guess a long shot for me. I still have camera rising just hanging out there scoring touchdowns with Utah And I think if they can win the bing 12 and get some sort of playoffs that could be a could be opportunity So it could rise at the board.
All right, so let's do a rapid fire here week to pick them we'll see if we can come back this week with some breakdowns of these games, but let's just do a round robin, pick them right now. Jess, Texas at Michigan, who do you have? Give me Texas. Texas. Jordan?
Jess Sabin: I don't think I need to say much.
We've left oh, sorry. Yeah, there we go. Texas, go. Texas!
Tony Kihl: Yeah, Texas! I pick Texas as well. We'll see what Michigan has in their sleeve. They may be, they could bring something out. But Oklahoma State versus Arkansas. Arkansas did look good in their game this week. I forgot who they played, but they beat the crap out of that team.
It was never bad. Arkansas, Pine Bluff. Pine Bluff, right? Yeah, okay. Oklahoma State, Arkansas. Jordan, what do you got? Go Pine Bluffs.
Jordan Schultz: I'm gonna, I'm gonna go to the upstate, Arkansas.
Tony Kihl: Wow,
Jess Sabin: okay. Dang, going with the upstate. I'm gonna take Oklahoma State here.
Tony Kihl: Okay. Where's this game at, Jordan? Arkansas, no, Oklahoma State.
I was going to pick Arkansas with you, but if it's at Oklahoma State, I don't want to pick Oklahoma State. Utah versus Baylor. Jess, who you got?
Jess Sabin: I'm going Utah. They're just the better team.
Tony Kihl: Jordan?
Jess Sabin: Utah.
Tony Kihl: Alright. You're very confident with that fake, it sounds alright. Iowa State. This slobber knocker should be great.
So jordan who you got here iowa state
Jordan Schultz: I have iowa because that offense is back. That's right
Tony Kihl: Best scoring team in the country right here All right, jesse you got
Jess Sabin: I'm going with iowa. I mean in iowa with an improved offense I can't remember the last time they had like an average offense. So If they can have that oh boy
Jordan Schultz: I don't think they ever
Jess Sabin: did
Tony Kihl: back in the fifties forties.
Maybe they had that. This is when they only had to run the ball. That's right. That's right. It's at Iowa state. There's no way Iowa state's winning this one. Iowa's winner. Tennessee at North Carolina state. Give me North Carolina state for the upset. Jess, who do you got?
Jess Sabin: Ooh, give me Tennessee.
I think that I just did not love what I saw from NC State. And if Tennessee is going to be back, I think this is where they prove it.
Jordan Schultz: Jordan, what do you got, sir? Give me NC State. I think, I know I talk big about Tennessee, but I think Grayson McCall is going to step it up this game and really show that he's going to be that dominant force for NC State.
Tony Kihl: When that Heisman starts here. Alright, Oregon. Boise State. That's an interesting matchup. Jess, what do you got? Oregon, Boise State.
Jess Sabin: Give me Oregon. I, they're, it's Oregon. I have them in the playoff, then I'll lose them to Boise State here.
Tony Kihl: Alright, Jordan,
Jordan Schultz: what do you got? I have Oregon, but if we get the same Oregon that we saw last week, I would pick Boise State, but I don't think it's gonna happen, so I got Oregon.
Alright, Jordan.
Tony Kihl: If this game was at Boise State, I'd pick Boise State. But if it's at Oregon, I'm gonna go roll for Oregon, yep. Because, Bluefield is deaf,
Jordan Schultz: aston Janti, though, is gonna rush for seven touchdowns at their home. Yeah, he's
Tony Kihl: gonna rush for seven touchdowns against Oregon.
Jess Sabin: If he rushes for seven touchdowns and Oregon still wins, that also raises questions
Tony Kihl: about Oregon. It does. We'll see. But that's the top matchups next week. Won't be as juicy as this week, but I think game day is at Texas and at Michigan. So it should be, You know pretty decent matchup there Outside of that you have tennessee north carolina state as a rake matchup.
Not much else is happening I say I think you probably have to wait to week three and four till you start getting some more juicier conference matchups. So look forward to those but like I said, we'll try to get back to you this week with me some more deeper breakdowns here But until then we will talk to you guys soon.