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2024 Sun Belt Football: Week 1 Preview
89 Plays8 months ago
Week 1 of Sun Belt Football is upon us! Join Brian, Matt and Zeke to discuss matchups, pick games against the spread, and power rank which Sun Belt coach's seat is hottest heading into 2024.
We're now on YouTube!
Email the show at warmweatherfans@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction & Football Season Kickoff
00:00:15
Speaker
Welcome in everybody to another edition of warm weather fans, the sunbelt podcast. Uh, my name is Brian stone. I am your host as always. Once again, join this week by Matt Migas and Zeke Palermo guys. It's officially the start of football season. We just saw.
00:00:34
Speaker
They they like don't call it week zero anymore for some reason. It gets rolled into week one, even though in this case Georgia Tech would be playing two week one games if that was the case, which doesn't make a ton of sense to me. But football is back.
Early College Football Games Discussion
00:00:50
Speaker
We got to see you know a couple kickoff games last week.
00:00:53
Speaker
um I did not stay up to watch Hawaii play in FCS school, ah but I did watch Georgia Tech and Florida State. So kind of scratch that itch a little bit, give you give you a little bit of a taste before they they let you, you know, ah experience the whole shebang. But Zeke, how are you? How are you doing? How are you holding up? And then we'll throw it over to Matt and get started here.
00:01:16
Speaker
Um, doing pretty good. Uh, yeah, I got, got a bit of that college football itch last week. Um, but it's not quite Sunbelt stuff. I think we've got a, a fairly interesting slate of games, you know, especially early in the the year. it It can get kind of boring. i I think there, there's three or four really interesting watches for even non Sunbelt fans. So, uh, I'm pretty pumped. Matt, how's it going for you?
00:01:45
Speaker
Oh God, ah Florida Tech, or Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech and Florida State was phenomenal. ah Even got to watch a little bit of McNeese and Tarleton State, ah some little FCS action. Look, McNeese had a, they were down 17 at the half. Roared back, made it a three point game, couldn't seal the deal.
00:02:10
Speaker
uh turn the ball over four times in the first half so law of football you turn the ball over four times you only lose by three you probably should have won the game but you know i digress um college football ball is officially upon us it is insane uh that it is here because it feels like it kind of just ended uh i feel like every offseason just goes by quicker and quicker every year um But no, looking forward to a ah ah great week once late and excited to finally preview some games rather than having some speculation.
Preview of ULM vs Jackson State
00:02:43
Speaker
Yeah, so obviously we've been doing a lot of speculating up to this point. That's just sort of the nature of doing the previews.
00:02:49
Speaker
um i do I disagree with you a little bit all about the off season. It feels like post NFL draft, like it's just a slog to get back to football season. like It's like, I'm sorry, I just don't watch enough baseball for that to keep me. Now we did have the Olympics this year, so there was that to kind of hold us over. but yeah that yeah There's not enough baseball in the world that would make me feel good about sitting through 87 games in the summer.
00:03:17
Speaker
right all right So let's let's start talking about this week's upcoming games. As Matt and Zeke both alluded to, we do have some good matchups. ah There are a lot of you know Sunbelt vs. FCS type stuff as well. We can talk a little bit about those, but there's not a ton to say other than... you know, what to look for. How do you feel that this team is going to perform? So I guess to start off with one of those, Matt, your favorite team, the ULM Warhawks, are going to take on Jackson State Thursday night, 7 p.m. ESPN Plus. It's in Monroe. No betting line, obviously, because it's FCS, FBS.
00:03:59
Speaker
what Given that you're in the state, Matt, what are you looking for from ULM in this matchup? Because and know I know you're not a fan of the team, but if you were just looking at this with objective eyes and you said, I want to see if this team has improved or if they're just kind of going to keep serve with Brian Vincent, what are you sort of looking for out of the Warhawks in this one?
00:04:25
Speaker
I think the two biggest things I'd be looking for is A, what is their identity? Because any time you get a new head coach, but that's always the big question. What's his stamp going to be? you know Is he going to run a passing offense? Are you going to mix it up? So what's what's their identity? um This is a great opportunity for them to to establish that early. um So I'm really intrigued to see that. And then the other thing is is general booty.
00:04:53
Speaker
ah ah Obviously, he's on the all-name team. There's no doubt about that. um But look, his both his dad and his uncle had pretty good college careers. They didn't really materialize in the NFL, but they were good college quarterbacks. um And this is his first real opportunity.
00:05:11
Speaker
to lead a team in college. ah So so what does what does that look like ah for ULM under first year head coach Brian Vincent? I think in a game like this against Jackson State where as bad as ULM has been, they're heavily favored to win.
00:05:27
Speaker
Um, if there was a betting line, according to ESPN analytics, 96 and a half percent chance the ULM wins. Um, so in a game like that, you know, those two things are are really the two key things that I'm looking for. Zeke, what are you looking for out of this game for ULM specifically? I need them to win.
00:05:47
Speaker
I mean this is a team that we're all incredibly pessimistic about at least from just like a one year window over the long scheme we have varying opinions but this year it's a consensus that this team is going to be lucky to scrape out more than four wins tops.
00:06:06
Speaker
ah so i need them to beat jackson state this isn't the d on jackson state that one undefeated and won the conference and had all this swagger this is a very different jackson state that didn't win their conference i don't i believe the swack is in divisions um or they're not in the swack what are they in there is what the slack and They are. I believe the SWAC has divisions. They didn't even win their division. um yeah Assuming they do have divisions. um So I just need Monroe to win this game. It's not a foregone conclusion for me quite yet. I i favor them heavily, but I need them to seal the deal.
00:06:47
Speaker
So one of the things specifically I'm looking for is something that Matt talked about, and I just want to go into detail on it a little bit, is the play style of ULM. Because last year, and the last couple years under Terry Bowden, it was truly like a grab bag on the offensive side of the ball. Like you didn't know If they were going to throw the ball 40 times a game, if they were going to run it four times a game, if they were even going to run 40 plays in the game, you just had no idea. It was just it was all over the place. There was no rhyme or reason to it, at least from what I can tell from when Bryant Vincent took over for Bill Clark at UAB.
00:07:26
Speaker
um He liked to run the football and that was that was the identity for the Blazers before you know Trent Dilford came in and turned them into a Spread air raid team and that hasn't really bore fruit for them yet, but they were very very good under Clark and then under Vincent when he stepped in and and Clark stepped out as the head coach Running the football being physical, you know 12 guys
Coastal Carolina vs Jacksonville State Analysis
00:07:53
Speaker
on the line of scrimmage and and just going for it. and And they gave, I remember Southern played them that year. They gave Georgia Southern a ton of issues. I think they ran, ah they had a guy who I think has since been released by the Vikings, but he had 230 yards rushing solo in that game. And then I think they had another guy that had 60 or 70. So I think they ran for well over 300 yards when they played us.
00:08:21
Speaker
I just want to see if if they're going to adopt sort of that bully ball mentality and just say Offensively, we're just gonna blow you off the ball and we're just daring you to kind of Shoot these gaps. So that's that's I think what what is gonna be most interesting to me Zeke as you said like the talent level for Jackson State has taken a total nosedive but that was kind of to be expected once shador and Travis hunter and all those guys moved on but I'm just kind of interested to see how that all pans out. Obviously, there's no there's no pick involved because it's FCS to FBS. But I think it I think it will be a very interesting just to kind of get a a temperature check on ULM and kind of see where they're at right now. um Now a game there is a line on an hour later on CBS Sports Network, eight o'clock Eastern Time. Coastal Carolina is traveling to Jacksonville, Alabama to take on the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State.
00:09:18
Speaker
jacksville state is a two and a half point favorite over under is 55 and a half um i saw a thing today um that
00:09:31
Speaker
Coastal's coach hasn't yet named a starting quarterback, but I think he implied that Vasco is sort of the leader in the clubhouse. So we'll have to see how all that pans out. I thought Vasco was pretty good in limited duty last year. And we we even talked about it on the preview episode. It didn't really make any sense that he, that in theory, that he would just kind of be shoved to the back of the line after playing pretty well in the system last year. So that's going to be one thing that's interesting to see for me is Quarterback-wise, where are we at? like what Finally, what does it look like when you have a guy that has a full camp, off-season, all of that sort of stuff, instead of half Grace and McCall. you know He's in, he's out, he's concussed. Jared Guest was in the mix. Vasco was in the mix. If you can settle down and settle on one quarterback, what does that sort of look like? So that's that's what appeals most to me about this game.
00:10:28
Speaker
That and just seeing if they can keep the momentum that they had started to build at the end of last season up with with sort of a really new roster. I think we talked about 66 transfers for this team ah since last year. It just feels like a new team from top to bottom. So that there's going to be a lot to watch in this one. But Zeke, what are where are you kind of stand on this Jacksonville State and Coastal matchup?
00:10:53
Speaker
i I think Jacksonville State is really going to dominate this game. ah This is a team that pounds the rock. I mean, they ran for 237 yards on the ground last season on average. ah Coastal couldn't stop a nosebleed on the ground last year. they They were very porous defensively in the front seven. And I've seen nothing that to that indicates to me that that's going to change.
00:11:21
Speaker
I really worry that, I mean this game could end up like a 7-10 point differential, but Jacksonville State's gonna have the ball for 37 minutes.
00:11:33
Speaker
um i
00:11:38
Speaker
I as we talk about the spread, I like Jacksonville State against the spread. I don't like the optics of that pick. Like as I say that, it doesn't feel right. I think, you know, and maybe this is just a vibes call is, you know, I'm prone to do it. Coastal should beat Jacksonville State, but I think Jacksonville State is just way too much rushing wise. That's what Richard likes to do. ah They're not going to be able to stop him. Matt.
00:12:08
Speaker
Yeah, you know, Jacksonville State's a team that I got to watch last year in the New Orleans Bowl. And, you know, that's kind of, ah I agree with Zeke there is the way that Jacksonville State's able to run the football is going to cause a lot of issues for Coastal. um And then the the quarterback thing is interesting. here For them, you're three days away from your game and you can't even tell the media who your starting quarterback is going to be. Now, maybe it's one of those things where they know and he just doesn't want to say, and and that's probably the likely scenario, right? um But, you know, I'm interested to see how that's all going to play out. You got to go on the road. You got to play a team that had a really good year last year. um Granted, they play in a weak Conference USA. It's going to be them, Liberty, and everybody else.
00:13:04
Speaker
um And so, you know, what does that look like week one? um and Because Tim Beck had a lot of expectation going into year one, and I don't know that he really delivered. So what what is what does year two look like ah for Coastal? They need to start off in a big way on Thursday night in Jacksonville.
00:13:23
Speaker
I mean, i if I was to give him a grade on his first season, I probably would give him like a B minus as a coach. I think there was just a lot of weird things that all happened kind of conflated around the same time where it was like McCall wanted out. He was looking at Auburn and, you know, going to play for, you know, Hugh Fries and those guys. And then he couldn't get out. So he came back and.
00:13:49
Speaker
that you know he plays okay for I mean he played fairly well for him like early in the season they lose a bunch of games for some reason and then he gets hurt and they kind of put it together team wise later in the season so that was it was just a strange like up and down I i'm willing to give him sort of the benefit of the doubt until i see one way or another this season um but again i i think the large amount of roster turnover we'll we'll have to see how how all that churn you know eventually pays off um i'm gonna i'm gonna make a pick here
00:14:25
Speaker
I'm actually going to call for the under here of 55 and a half.
App State vs East Tennessee State & Georgia Southern vs Boise State
00:14:30
Speaker
ah This could come back to bite me, but I think Zeke, unless Jacksonville State rips off a bunch of really long runs, if they want to control the clock and, you know, if Coastal's run defense is as bad as it was last year, I think they're just going to try to keep Coastal's offense off the field.
00:14:48
Speaker
So and also the spread so tight and we haven't seen either of these teams play. I'm going to take the under in lieu of actually making a pick on one of these teams because I don't really have a feel for Jacksonville State or even really Coastal at this point. Like we don't we don't know what kind of Coastal team we're going to get. Matt, I do want to throw it to you before we move on from this game. Do you want to make a pick on one of these like over under or spread?
00:15:17
Speaker
I'm going to take Jacksonville State minus two and a half. um I really liked what I saw down the stretch from them last year. I mean, they took South Carolina to to the edge. Say what you want about South Carolina. That's that's an SEC team on the road. And you played them really hard. Obviously got the win over the Cajuns and the New Orleans Bowl.
00:15:39
Speaker
fought through giving up three defensive touchdowns and still found a way to win. Like that's just, that's a good football team. Um, and, and Rich Rod's got some good things going over there. And I think they start 2024 off the right way, uh, with a win over a Sunbelt opponent on TV. Um, give me, give me the game Cox minus two and a half. Zeke, your, your pick was Jacksonville state minus two and a half, right?
00:16:06
Speaker
Yes. okay He looks like he's agonizing over that pic on the video. Again, i i loved it i I'm prone to make calls based on vibes and like Jacksonville State should not be beating Coastal. That's fine. I mean, people have made picks off of it. but give me People have made picks off of dumber dumber things than vibes. I mean, you know it is what it is.
00:16:31
Speaker
All right. That is true. So let's get into Saturday's slate. ah This is one we don't have to spend a whole lot of time on. But at three thirty yeah ESPN plus ah app state is welcoming in East Tennessee State and FCS school.
00:16:46
Speaker
um I don't really have a lot to add on this game. I expect App is just going to absolutely smash this team. um I don't know anything about East Tennessee State. Hand up. Sorry, FCS diehards. like I stopped keeping up with the FCS after ah Georgia Southern and App moved up 10 years ago.
00:17:05
Speaker
So I don't know anything about East Tennessee, but if we if app ends up being as good as we anticipate them to be, I just think they're going to run roughshod over them. yeah Is everybody kind of on the same page? Cool. All right. So getting into, you know, another of the real actual games, ah Georgia Southern is going to welcome Boise in at four o'clock ESPNU to Paulson Stadium.
00:17:34
Speaker
Boyzie is a 13 point favorite on the road. um i have I have my pick, but I want to throw it to Matt because I don't know if he saw this, but if he didn't, I want to burst his bubble live on the air. Malachi Nelson is not starting for the Broncos. Yeah, it is a I know it's Maddox.
00:17:54
Speaker
Madsen or whatever. Matt, would you like to take a guess at how tall matt Maddox Madsen is? I looked this up like five minutes before we started recording. Isn't he obnoxiously tall? He's five ten. Oh, OK, he's obnoxiously short for a quarterback. Got it. um For a quarterback. million Look, well, look, hey, if you got to run it back into five, 10, like you're fine. You're okay. That's, that's, that's fine. Um, look, I'm not going to knock a five, 10 quarterback. The cages had a five, 10 quarterback for a couple of years that diced up the sunbelt. So, you know,
00:18:34
Speaker
We'll see. um I'm very surprised am Malachi Nelson's not getting the start. a Highly touted prospect, went to USC. um And really, you felt like the only reason he left USC was because he was buried and under the depth chart with Caleb Williams and Miller Moss. um Just didn't really think he would ever see the field. um So kind of thought he was a shoo-in to be the starter at Boise State. So a little shocked by that. But I think this 13-point spread is kind of lively. There's a ton of unknowns about Boise State. Obviously, there's questions around Georgia Southern as well. Brian, you know that pretty well. The end of their season on a five game losing streak last year. I just... Paulson's a weird place.
00:19:28
Speaker
Paulson has got a long track record of just some freaky things happening. I'm not gonna say George Southern's gonna win the game. But week one, everybody's knocking off the rust, mistakes are gonna get made. I'm not picking Boise State minus 13. I'm just not. ah So my pick for this game
00:20:01
Speaker
I'm going to take the over. Um, I feel like both of these offenses are going to be able to put up points. Uh, Georgia Southern's proved that under Clay Hilton, uh, with their air, they, they score points in bunches. Um, I think Boise state will be able to do the same. Uh, so I'll take the safe pick here and give me the over.
00:20:20
Speaker
I think this spread is ridiculous. i I mean, I feel like Southern could very much win outright. ah I don't know what about Boise and the Mountain West has created such hype. i know I think last week or two weeks ago, Matt, you'd mentioned that you think Boise could be in the playoffs this year. I i don't see it. i I personally believe Southern not only covers, I think i think they win outright at home.
00:20:51
Speaker
All right. I just, i I think their aerial attack is too much. Boise's got a pretty solid secondary um from a talent perspective. Phil Steele has him has them as ah the best secondary in the Mountain West, but I i i don't see it out of Boise. I i know they're fun. I know everyone wants, college football is at its best when Boise State is good, but I don't, 13 points is ridiculous.
00:21:20
Speaker
Yeah, I I don't know where it's coming from. I agree. Where where are the 13 points coming from? I I I don't know. I'm gonna I'm gonna go ahead and say I'm picking Georgia Southern plus 13 at home as well ah You know for all the reasons Matt mentioned, I mean they They're if you go look at their all-time win-loss record up stadium, it's it's ridiculous like the the the difference between their winning percentage at home and on the road, it's gotta be one of the highest splits like in college football period. um And I know other teams have ah really good home field advantages. Matt, you're LSU Tigers. like I know Death Valley is crazy. However, LSU doesn't drop off a cliff performance-wise all the time when they go on the road the way that Georgia Southern does. So that's that's part of the reason why I'm like,
00:22:15
Speaker
Yeah, there is a real difference in playing these games at home versus on the road. um just some Just a little background, JC French got named the starting quarterback.
00:22:26
Speaker
um yay dude i i like I actually like that decision more than I would have if Dexter Williams or one of these other guys would have played David Dallas. um I think he's got some real room to grow, French does.
00:22:42
Speaker
i think I think for one, he's not going to be as turnover prone as either Bryn or Vantreese were. I think he's got like a real, not conservativeness, but I feel like he probably sees the field a little bit better than both of those guys and is less willing to just kind of chuck it up in the air and just hope somebody comes down with it, which sort of became the hallmark of the Georgia Southern Air Raid the last two years, which is just trust your playmakers and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
00:23:15
Speaker
This could be totally coach speak, but I watched an interview with ah Helton ah and why he chose French. And he said that out of, I think he charted like 150 snaps. He said that French had one turnover on the 150 snaps he took in ah fall practice leading up to this game. So it seems like the decision was pretty plain.
00:23:38
Speaker
the only real downside that I can think of is number well a couple of things number one if it does turn out that French is very good last year is gonna look even worse in hindsight than it already did because they kept just throwing Davis Brin out there and he was absolutely awful and they just kept doing it anyway and number two I think Boise's running back is really good Ashton Jean T, John T, I don't really know how to pronounce his last name. I think he's he's really good and and he's going to be he's good on the video go be a problem for Georgia Southern to shut down because they really struggled up front, like being physical against opposing, good opposing running backs last season. So I think that's going to continue.
00:24:23
Speaker
To me, that's the biggest area of concern. I'm not as, and I i could be totally wrong on this, I'm not as worried about Madsen dicing them up in the secondary as I am them just giving up six yards every play on the ground. And and you know, Boise's running back is getting 30 carries, 40 carries between them.
00:24:44
Speaker
So, that's my pick. I'm looking forward to this I think this would be a really good like actual measuring stick for where Georgia Southern and JC French and, you know, if Hilton keeps the job going into year four, potentially, because It could this season could go a lot of ways for him. He could either over perform and end up, you know, on in a P five like again, he could underperform be fired or he could be eight and four, seven and five and just barely keep his job at the skin
Old Dominion vs South Carolina Preview
00:25:15
Speaker
of his teeth. So it's, it's, it's very interesting. I mean, i I don't know that we've had a coach in a long time that have has as many potential outcomes as
00:25:25
Speaker
Helton does, and it's just because they've been hovering around 500 every year. All right. Okay. Next game for 15. SEC network. The Old Dominion monarch Monarchs are going to travel to Williams Bryce stadium to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks, not the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, the South Carolina Gamecocks. Uh, South Carolina is a three touchdown favorite. Over under is 52 and a half.
00:25:54
Speaker
I think I'm going to take Old Dominion plus 21. And it's not because I love their their team or any of that. South Carolina has a history of playing down to these schools that they don't really have a business playing down to. they If you look, they don't blow these team teams like this out very often. So I think at the very least, they're going to let Old Dominion hang around. And I wouldn't be surprised if they won by two touchdowns or 17 points or something like that. i just don't South Carolina has never been the type of team that will just hang 66 on an opponent in the middle of you know playing a game for money. Matt? I would agree with that. Go ahead. I would agree with that. I'll take i'll take Monarchs plus 21. Okay.
00:26:43
Speaker
uh i hear where you're coming from give me under 52 and a half because uh i while considering that south carolina's not going to hang a ton of points um i'm not confident that old dominion is going to keep it within 21 but they're certainly not going to combine for 53 uh old dominion just doesn't have the ability to get those points on the board uh to get you up there to 52 so unless south carolina hangs you know 49 or I guess like 42 would be reasonable. um There's no way that Old Dominion's doing the rest of the work. um And as you just said like South Carolina isn't going to go out there and put up 42. They're going to score 28 in
Marshall vs Stony Brook & Coaches' Hot Seat
00:27:27
Speaker
the first like quarter and a half and then coast the rest of the way.
00:27:32
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they they're just not, you know, among the Oklahomas, the Texas's, you know, they're they're all in the same conference now. But those teams knew and still know how to step on another team's throat and really just run it up. And South Carolina does that thing, Zeke, that you described where They get a little bit of a lead and then they just kind of totally take their foot off the gas. And we we talked about it, you know, when they played Jacksonville State last year, it it was just they were just letting him hang around way too long to be comfortable. So that's sort of where I stand on it as well. um All right. Next game on the docket, five o'clock ESPN plus. No line on this game. Marshall is welcoming in Stony Brook to open up its season.
00:28:19
Speaker
I'm probably gonna take the only point that's even worth talking about in this game. What does Cole Pennington look like in an air raid scheme? Like, even against lesser competition, like, I just want to see what it looks like because you don't have Rashina Ali to lean on anymore. You don't have, you know, the you don't have Kaylen Layborn from two seasons ago. Like, he's going to have to make some plays in the air raid. The air raid is not the type of scheme where you just hide your quarterback.
00:28:47
Speaker
so Given how bad he was last year, especially touchdown interception ratio, I'm just interested to see what that looks like. So I'll be keeping an eye on that one for sure, just because the scheme doesn't seem to fit the personnel. And we'll see, I guess, if that all bears out or not.
00:29:08
Speaker
So do we have any, I mean, yeah, I, I guess I think you're right. The Marshall story this year is quarterback play and you know how that shakes out. And I think this is an opportunity against an FCS team. Um,
00:29:24
Speaker
you know It's always beneficial because you get you get to try a couple arms. Each guy can get a quarter if you've got three guys in the race or even two. So you know you go see Pennington out there, you put out Mitch Griffiths for a little bit. um So we'll have a better idea of you know what this quarterback situation looks like next week after we see this week one play. I think Charles has jobs on the line this season.
00:29:51
Speaker
um I think this is a year where, you know, he's he's got to produce and look, you know, you look at the schedule and it's not it's not kind. ah You got to go to Virginia Tech. You got to go to Ohio State. You go to Georgia Southern. um Your conference schedule gets a little bit easier. ah You play app, but it's at home.
00:30:16
Speaker
um You get ULM in Georgia State, you get Coastal and Old Dominion. um So i mean Charles Huff's gonna have to play really well down the stretch ah you know if he wants to keep his job. um And you know is that Cole Pennington? Is that Mitch Griffiths? Is it maybe somebody else that we aren't talking about? um but That's what we're gonna have to kind of Figure out but they're gonna figure it out quickly because like we said after Stony Brook you go to Blacksburg and Columbus That's not gonna be like Well, I have two questions I just want to double-check on something wasn't Mitch Griffiths the one that stepped away from football Isn't he no longer with the team? I? Thought that was oh he is isn't he doesn't yeah in my trip in or does he if can't that's right. So it is is that it right It's just Pennington then right? Oh
00:31:14
Speaker
um I mean, unless you look at a guy like Braylon Braxton, a junior transfer from Tulsa. So no one that's like been in that conversation. Not shoot. That's not that I've seen. OK, so now and now again, that's that's why I'm so interested in this because Pennington does not seem to be the guy that you want slinging it 45 to 50 times a game. Like that just doesn't seem to be it you and do yeah conducive to winning. It feels like that could be.
00:31:46
Speaker
Yeah, hindrance, ah let's let's say. um There's something really quick. ah I just had an idea that I want to do with you guys. If we were to power rank, I want to go around to each person. If we were to power rank the three coaches that were in most danger of losing their jobs this year from three being the least likeliest and number one being the likeliest, what would you guys's top three be like?
00:32:13
Speaker
Zeke, I want to hear yours first. OK, I'm having to run through the teams, right? um I agree that. I have my three, I can go. ahead and go good You go, because I got to run through these teams. I think number three is Clay Hilton. And we we talked about it. I mean, it's two seasons of average ball. If for some reason the J.C. French ah experience doesn't pan out, if they if they win fewer than six games this year.
00:32:47
Speaker
people are going to be at his house with pitchforks and you know torches. like It's going to be a bad time to be anybody involved with the Georgia Southern Football Program if they win fewer than six games again. Even if they win six games, there's going to be a lot of people that are ready to get him gone.
00:33:04
Speaker
Two I would say is Charles Huff because we kind of talked about it on the Marshall Preview episode. He basically has had one outlier season where they won nine games and then everything else has been hovering around 500. So if he continues doing this,
00:33:23
Speaker
It's that that nine when season is gonna look more and more like an aberration than we originally thought So that he's my number two and then the number one is just will haul I mean I I think it's a matter of when not if with will haul I don't think the team is very good Um, the schedule's kind of hard. Like I think there's just a lot of real problems here. And I know Matt, when we did the Phil Steele interview, he was, he he gave us that little anecdote about Will Hall being like, if I can't win with these guys, I need to look for somewhere else. Buddy, you need to start speaking Boca Raton because you, you might be out of a job very, very soon. Yeah, no, I agree. Um,
00:34:05
Speaker
I'll go ahead and go because i've I've made up my mind on my three. I'm gonna start from one to three. Brian, I agree with you. One is Will Hall. I mean, his tenure at Southern Miss has not been good. His roster doesn't look like it's improved. um there's There's just a lot of a lot of question marks and not many answers to be found in Hattiesburg. Number two, I kind of have a 2A, 2B situation.
00:34:35
Speaker
because I feel like they're both kind of in equal hot water. And that is Charles Huff and Clay Helton. I think they're in similar situations, right? They've both done some pretty good things, but nothing earth shattering. And so it's one of those things where you need a good year. But if you have a okay year, your AD might go, okay, well, you know,
00:35:04
Speaker
Maybe give them one more kind of situation. So we'll we'll see. And then I think my third one, this may surprise some people. I'm going to go with Michael Desermo. Two years of six and seven. It's one of those things where.
00:35:24
Speaker
if he has an improvement, I think he's safe. But I mean, if you decline again, and you know you go five and seven, four and eight, or worse, ah ah and look, as much as I love Mike, I just, it's hard to justify keeping that, ah when arguably this is the best roster that he's had. With two with two proven guys who can play quarterback, no less.
00:35:53
Speaker
Correct, correct. ah Ben Woldridge was announced the starter today. So we'll see how how that goes. Hopefully you know he can stay healthy ah for the Cajun's sake. But um I don't think Mike's in severe jeopardy. but But if the season doesn't go well, there could definitely be a conversation had. Yeah.
00:36:14
Speaker
So I think my my one and two, ah most in most danger, second most danger, are the same where it goes. Will Hall and then Huff slash Helton because they're in similar situations.
00:36:30
Speaker
ah My threes butch Jones I've not been shy that I don't buy the butch Jones hype he had a good I mean six and seven last year was good I if he if they go on if they go Five wins this year. I think yeah, I I don't understand the patience. He's been given He was not exceptional at his previous stops So it's not like he's got a pedigree that you can lean on I I I've not been shy about this. I think they win five games or less. He has got to go. I actually agree with that. Honestly. Five games or less, I'll i'll agree with, but I just don't see a world where they win less than five games.
00:37:12
Speaker
Yeah, I mean here's the thing they that's the thing is they better not I don't think they will better not easy schedule They've got Jalen Rayner who's a frickin stud. They've got tons of receivers Cory Ruckers back I think like they've got the guys we've talked about this. I said this earlier They've got the guys, but I'm tired of it Five wins or less butch Jones out of town Yeah, the only the only reason I didn't throw his name in there is because I just don't see a world where they play that badly. sure Well, I'll say this. I didn't throw Desermo or Butch Jones in that pile for me because I just don't think
00:37:52
Speaker
there's a world where either of these teams either of these teams really underachieve given how kind of weak the conference is overall. Whereas I have seen Helton and Huff and guys at Will Hall guys like that underperform almost against all odds like everything was going in Georgia Southern's favor last year when they were I think six and two and then they lose five straight and the fact that you know in the back of your mind that's always potentially in play makes me makes me think that like the train can go off the tracks in Statesboro at any time it's just
00:38:31
Speaker
trying to trying to figure out if slash when it's going to happen. All right. So that was a fun little detour.
North Texas vs South Alabama & Arkansas State vs Central Arkansas
00:38:37
Speaker
I just wanted to see kind of where everybody was out was at with the coaches and and sort of where we stood on that. um Moving on to another five o'clock kickoff, North Texas is traveling to Mobile ah to take on South Alabama, a brand new South Alabama team. I think they I think we said during their episode, they returned three offense and three defensive starters. So like six out of the 22 possible positions.
00:39:02
Speaker
did not play well last year really underachieved um Matt you've had the strongest I don't know opinion here say like I don't really know what what to call what you've what you've brought to the table like it's not it's not a rumor or a fact and it's just like I don't know about him this major Applewhite character he did I don't like the cut of his jib
00:39:27
Speaker
Yeah, look, we'll we'll see. um We'll see how that kind of plays out. I really like Gio Lopez, a quarterback. I think he's a really talented player. ah And I think that the bowl win at the end of the year last year maybe gives them so some confidence heading into 2024. And look, i just um I'm going to be honest, I don't know a whole lot about North Texas.
00:39:54
Speaker
um ah South Alabama is a five point favorite at home over under 65 and a half. That feels high. So I'm going to go ahead and take the under in this game strictly because I don't know a lot about the Mean Green.
00:40:12
Speaker
Yeah, I like the under here as well, ah because we talked, we had a whole episode about South Alabama and where they're at. And North Texas is just depleted. I, like Matt, don't know a ton about them. um Former Sunbelt team, fun anecdote, I suppose. um But their new quarterback, Io Adeyi, who is now a Sunbelt player, James Madison,
00:40:37
Speaker
Uh rush the ball a ton last year gone top receiver gone. I I do i don't usually like taking the over unders because But I don't know north texas well enough to say anything here. Um It appears to me that north texas has no production uh available to them week one and I I mean We you again south alabama is in a very odd spot right now. So give me the under Yeah, I'm going to take the under as well ah for all the the reasons that you guys both mentioned. um I like Gio Lopez, but they don't return a whole lot around him. Zeke, you talked about North Texas. I don't really know anything about North Texas as well, but the fact that they've lost kind of their two key offensive playmakers makes me think that they're going to have real trouble moving the football. I think both of these teams are so.
00:41:32
Speaker
I also feel like that early in the season that the defense is favored to the offense unless you're playing an FCS school and are just going to stomp them. um So when you're when you're playing kind of a mono a mono type game, I feel like it's yeah it's probably going to be a lower scoring game than anticipated. I think this is a game where you have two really good quarterbacks.
00:41:56
Speaker
and then everything else is just a giant question. Because again, if you remember with North Texas, you have TCU transfer Chandler Morris at quarterback. So Chandler Morris and Gio Lopez, two really good quarterbacks, but the question is, what do you have around them? Because a quarterback can't do it by himself.
00:42:17
Speaker
You got to have an offensive line to protect him. He's got to have receivers to catch the ball. So you know that's what it's going to come down to. Who has the better supporting cast in this one? Yep. I couldn't agree more. um You can have the best quarterback in the world. And if you don't have pieces around him, you might as well. You might as well go ahead and throw in the towel now.
00:42:36
Speaker
um Correct. 7 p.m. Eastern time. We've got Central Arkansas is traveling to Jonesboro to take on ah Zeke's favorite team, the Arkansas State Red Wolves. ah Central Arkansas is an FCS school, right? Yes. OK, correct. um I was just wondering why yeah ESPN has a betting line listed. um I noticed that i thought Arkansas State is all because Arkansas State is so bad.
00:43:03
Speaker
Here we go.
00:43:08
Speaker
All right. Arkansas State is only a nine and a half point favorite according to ESPN. I don't know where they got this information from because I didn't think they set lines on these games. um Can someone, ah since I'm talking right now, can someone just double check that Central Arkansas is an FCS school and are in fact? They are. All right. Well, if the spread, I'm not going to write this down because I think this is either a glitch or or something like that on the site. If it was nine and a half, I'd take Arkansas State all day and twice on Sunday. um But i'm I'm not going to treat it as if it's a real pick because frankly, there shouldn't be anything there.
00:43:44
Speaker
um But I think offense wise, I think Arkansas State's charged up, Jalen Raynor, Cory Rucker, you know, all of those guys, I think they're just gonna, I think the real the real question is, how bad does the Red Wolves defense look when it comes out? Because that has been what has hamstrung them the last couple of years, along with not having a quarterback. And it's like, now you have Raynor, you need to figure it out defensively or you're just gonna waste his time as well.
00:44:13
Speaker
So for sure. All right. Another seven p.m. kick.
Nevada vs SMU & Troy Rebuilding Discussion
00:44:19
Speaker
We've got Nevada who played pretty frisky against SMU the other night on Saturday ah traveling to Troy to take on this Troy team.
00:44:32
Speaker
And i I hate to say this, I'm going to take Nevada plus eight on the road. um I kind of liked what I saw the other day from them from SMU. I mean, they they fumbled it away at the end. But I don't think anybody has factored in quite how much Troy is rebuilding.
00:44:54
Speaker
I think people are kind of just helmet scouting and saying, Troy's been good last couple of years. Right. But they don't have any of the pieces that helped them get there. So I'm going to take Nevada plus eight. I don't know that Nevada ends up winning the game, but I could see this being a, you know, a field goal difference between these two teams.
00:45:15
Speaker
Nevada would win the game if they were starting Chubba Purdy at quarterback. And yes, by the way, he is the younger brother of rock party. His name is Chubba Chubba or Chuba Chuba. It's like Chuba Chuba doesn't matter. It's like all the huard whenever whenever Matt sees a fun name, he gets ahuba oh a always talking about the old name team, this guy.
00:45:45
Speaker
We're gonna have to put an E next to the ah the episode title for this one. du But Matt, if if this keeps up. I don't know yeah i don't i don't either. So I'm gonna i'm in a transition because I'm uncomfortable. Matt, if if ah if we if we do talk about, if Chuba Purdy or Chubba Purdy follows his big brother's footsteps, that means he's absolute butt cheeks in college, and then he gets drafted with ah to a loaded football team in the pros, and is it gonna be amazing? so Yeah. Yeah. I mean, what ah what ah what a way to to carve out your football career. And look, you know, Brock Purdy wasn't cheeks. He was playing next to Breece Hall and they were like struggling to win football games. Oh, I know the cage. Right. But that's what I'm saying. Like he played next to Breece Hall and they were like barely edging out Big 12 schools.
00:46:42
Speaker
No, I mean, I agree. um Look, I think that Nevada is interesting. You talked about them playing against SMU the other night. ah Very, very close game, a lot closer than I think many people thought it would be. um Brendan Lewis is obviously a quarterback that can do a lot through the ball.
00:47:04
Speaker
OK, only 132 yards on the air, but he didn't have any turnovers. He threw for two touchdowns. He added 80 yards on the ground. um So I think that that's an interesting dynamic. And then with Troy, you know, how do they look under Jared Parker? What's what is Goose Crowder able to do um at quarterback? How do they, you know, kind of go through this transition? That's going to be interesting to see. I don't have a whole lot of you know, fought on this game based on what I've seen already. I would probably have to take Nevada plus eight um in this one. And, you know, I mean, up obviously hoping to see ah good things out of ah out of the Trojans on Saturday night.
00:47:51
Speaker
Nevada, let's, let's keep in mind a very poor Nevada team over recent years, four wins over the past two seasons. I think I for i do want to correct something I said earlier. I said it was not, it's not Mitch Griffiths with cancer. It's Chris Lewis. Mitch Griffiths just left football for his own, some other unknown reason.
00:48:12
Speaker
um I think Troy a step backwards is still better than Nevada. They they played frisky. I mean they were like 28 point underdogs to SMU and then played them within five points, which is exceptional.
00:48:27
Speaker
um i While obviously down on Troy compared to recent years, I think they still have pieces in place like the infrastructure is still there. This is not a team that while saw large turnover, I don't believe was as decimated as say a James Madison.
00:48:48
Speaker
Um, where, I mean, that entire roster is gutted. There is still infrastructure from that old Troy regime there. Um, so I like Troy here. I think it's very feasible that Nevada covers. Um, I'll still take Troy for our records. I think it's very feasible, but I think Troy wins this for sure. Yeah, I'm not. Yeah. And I'm not saying that Troy wouldn't win this. I just don't think if they did, that they would win by.
00:49:14
Speaker
you know, almost double digits is what's kind of implied here. um All right. A 745 kickoff on S
Kentucky vs Southern Miss & Georgia State vs Georgia Tech
00:49:22
Speaker
&T Network. Southern Miss is traveling to Lexington to take on Kentucky. um From the Sunbelt perspective, I think it's about the only game of the weekend where we just feel like the Sunbelt team just is going to absolutely get crushed.
00:49:38
Speaker
Um, because we frankly don't feel that, you know, South Carolina is going to do that much damage to Old Dominion. So I just, I'm not impressed with it. I haven't been impressed with anything that Southern Miss has given us in the last couple of years. And I don't really see foresee any reason for it to change until I physically see it like on Saturdays, especially with Frank Gore, Jr. ah Now playing for Zeke's team, the Bills. Um.
00:50:05
Speaker
I mean, I just it it's like an even worse version of what Marshall is dealing with. And I don't know, like I just. Oh, it's it's it's so bad. I don't think that this is one that we have to spend a whole lot of time on. I think we're all three in agreement that Kentucky is absolutely going to roll.
00:50:29
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, yeah I just don't see a way in which Southern Miss puts up enough points to even make this semi competitive. Correct. For a pick perspective, I will take Kentucky minus 28. Agreed. Zeke.
00:50:50
Speaker
Yes, I'm looking through their history because I you know when when you've got this type of spread as we talked about earlier um It's important to just figure out whether it's in that team's DNA to roll teams or not in Kentucky's a bit of a mixed bag. I mean as recently as What is this 2021 they played Chattanooga within five points? um But I haven't My Southern myth miss thoughts are well documented. So give me a give me Kentucky. Okay. Um, eight o'clock on ACC network at Bobby Dodd Zeke. It is your Georgia state Panthers traveling to take on the Georgia tech yellow jackets, having just come off of a big win over Florida state in Ireland, walk off field goal.
00:51:42
Speaker
Zeke, I hate to say this and I'm pretty sure you know what I'm gonna say. Georgia Tech is absolutely just gonna run the ball straight down their throat for 60 minutes. I mean, it's gonna be really ugly, I think.
00:51:54
Speaker
this has This game has the makings of an upset in inner city. I mean, theyre these stadiums are within 20 minutes of each other. ah Georgia Tech coming off a huge win. like This has the brewing of an upset, except Georgia State sucks.
00:52:16
Speaker
like the lines 21 I don't know if they're gonna score 21 I I mean there are the the Georgia state contingent on Twitter um certain folks in particular Brian certainly knows what I'm talking about I are gonna have they're gonna be banging the drum all day but I like i Georgia State might be lucky to score two touchdowns here because Georgia Tech, as you said, is just going to absolutely pound the ball, hold the ball for what is it? I said 37 minutes. Jacksonville State was going to have the ball against Coastal Tech could have 40 minutes of the ball. I mean, easily, easily.
00:52:55
Speaker
i If this Haynes Haynes Haynes King's legit this Georgia Haynes King's legit this Georgia Tech team is legit I Obviously it was an upset over Florida State this Georgia Tech team is legitimate and I will make will win the ACC Probably within the next three years. This team is real Matt Yeah, I mean I can't agree more ah with what Zeke said. I mean Georgia Tech looked fantastic against Florida State, a team that many people thought would roll over Georgia Tech.
00:53:33
Speaker
um you know i i I wasn't one of them. i didn't I didn't think that Florida State was gonna be all that great. And I was really liking what I saw out of Georgia Tech's ah offense you know on paper coming into this season. um And so like I said, I really liked what I saw in motion on Saturday, Georgia State. I just don't have any confidence in them in year one.
00:54:01
Speaker
Do I think that they get better in return to being a top team in the Sunbelt East? Yeah, I do. um But you're one under Del McGee, probably not. ah yeah I just think that Georgia Tech's going to pretty much do whatever they want against Georgia State on Saturday. So I'm going to take what's the only 21.
00:54:26
Speaker
Yeah, I think I'm going to have to take that. I'm taking it as well. Georgia Tech minus 21 and a half.
Louisiana vs Grambling & Georgia State Fan Turnout Speculation
00:54:31
Speaker
um you know Zeke, I can already tell you what the playbook is going to be. And you know what I'm alluding to back as well. I think the playbook is going to be hype them up, hype them up, hype them up. They get smashed. Oh, well, this team just lost a floor or just beat Florida to State last week. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to hang your head about.
00:54:50
Speaker
I think that's going to be a frustrating. ah Every fan base has one, but it's super frustrating. Sure. um All right, Matt, we we don't have a lot to talk about here, but, you know, you're Louisiana raging Cajuns are welcoming in. Grambling eight p.m. Eastern time ESPN plus.
00:55:07
Speaker
um I don't have anything on this game, like other than, you know, Ben Woldridge has been one out in the quarterback spot, but kind of give me give us both of us, I mean, like what you're sort of looking for in this matchup. Hey, the crowd will be nice. um Because if you don't know, Cajun Field is still severely under renovations. It is a construction zone. Capacity has literally been cut in half.
00:55:36
Speaker
Cajun Field will only hold about 20,000 people this year. And you know when you look at Grambling, they're a very passionate fan base. They travel well. This isn't a very far drive for them, it's about three and a half hours.
00:55:51
Speaker
um They're going to bring their band, which is always fun. Their band's about 500 members strong, so that'll be a sight to see for sure. ah This is always a fun game when you get to play in-state opponents like this with a passionate fan base. It just creates a really fun environment.
00:56:11
Speaker
But look, on on the field, Grambling's got a ton of questions. Mickey Joseph comes in first year head coach. um Their quarterback is back from last year, ah who was a really good player, Miles Crawley. But outside of that, they've got a lot of new faces. I think I read over 45 transfers. um So I mean, and that's almost a brand new roster.
00:56:36
Speaker
So it'll be interesting to see what they look like for the Cajuns. Like I said earlier, I think this is the best roster that Mike Desdemo has had. I mean, there's just there's talent up and down the board. So I really look for the Cajuns to kind of flex their muscle early, put their stamp on this game, ah show the rest of the Sun Belt that although it's against a SWAC component that, you know, they're not going to mess around this year and they're going to be a force in the Sunbelt, which a lot of people think that they will be. And I think they show that on Saturday night against Grambling. Grambling at the very least is going to bring their marching band, which is going to be, you know, one for halftime and all that sort of stuff. But yeah, I i think Louisiana is going to run them out of the stadium. But yeah, ah Zeke, I meant to ask you about this.
00:57:29
Speaker
If you had to put a percentage on it, because I was talking to Matt about this before we started recording, if you were to put a percentage on the number of Georgia State fans that make up Bobby Dodd on Saturday, would you go higher than three percent? I'm just generally asking, like, I don't know. Right. That's that's a good question because you also. I think Georgia State may have a higher attendance at this game than they do at their own home games. I think that's it. I'm shaking my head because I believe you. I i believe it too. i mean That's why I'm laughing. I mean, shoot. my i mean My sister went to Georgia State. Her best friend while leave living in Atlanta went to Georgia Tech. I mean, this is a game that like families and friends are going to go out to
00:58:24
Speaker
you don't families and friends don't go out to george state games um percentage shoot man i mean i'd have to look at capacity numbers and stuff um but i'll say i'll tell you right now i i give it a 60 40 chance there are more state fans at bobby dodd than there will be all year at uh center park or turner two so according to ah According to Georgia Tech athletics Bobby Dodd has a capacity of fifty one thousand nine hundred and thirteen fifty one thousand three percent of fifty one thousand is what fifteen hundred yeah yeah you don't think they're gonna have fifteen hundred fans they're wearing in blue or bright blue I hope I would hope they do but I don't mean mean like
00:59:16
Speaker
i I'm going to say under because I mean, it's not going to be a sellout, right? There's going to be like we're certainly not going to capacity. So well like will you be there this Saturday? Probably not. I don't think so. I want to be. I don't believe I will. Well, my issue is and and we'll move on because we got two two final games to kind of wrap up here. You know, as we wind down, my thing is always.
00:59:43
Speaker
People that are not UZ because you're not like this, you know, again, we probably all know who I'm talking about. The certain like Georgia State diehards claim that the attendance stuff is overblown and it's just not. Like just look at the pictures from the games. Like the the number that they announce attendance wise is nowhere near where it actually is.
01:00:07
Speaker
Like, I know every team does that, but it's never more apparent than when you go look at pictures of center park or turner field or whatever i think that is maybe not resolved i think it's going to be better this year from what i've seen del mcgee is like on campus getting in with the the student groups there was a photo of him on twitter the other day with like some of the sorority and fraternity like presidents like he's out there he wants he's coming from georgia he wants people to care about this football team where i
01:00:40
Speaker
I don't want to say Sean Elliott didn't want people to care, but i I never heard any reports of him with boots on the ground on campus. The dude's family didn't even live in Atlanta. So I think it'll be better. I think this year will be a serious uptick, but there is a ways to go, a ways to go.
01:00:58
Speaker
Well, my my issue is not how involved the coaches on campus. My my thing is Georgia State is a commuter school. And i I think a lot of the people that go to the school or even remotely interested in attending a game are not going to show up for a 3-4 win football team.
01:01:21
Speaker
and I think that's about the long and the short of it. like I wouldn't be surprised based on what you said, one of the things we didn't we didn't really bring up, one of the things you said about why there would be so many Georgia State fans at this Georgia Tech game, I think some of it too is the bandwagon factor, which is Georgia Tech's just coming off of this huge win in Ireland over the number 10 team in the country pre-season. I think at the very least,
01:01:48
Speaker
you know besides the fact that it's still in Atlanta I think you could be like make the argument that some Georgia State fans would say hey I want to I want to see this Georgia Tech team play in person and and also they're playing my team and I think that's kind of first and secondary those priorities should probably be flipped.
01:02:07
Speaker
um But i just I don't know. ah just the The attendance numbers are concerning for a reason. Those aren't things that are just made up by people wanting to make jokes about Georgia State. like You can look at it.
01:02:21
Speaker
Alright, so let's wrap up here. We got two final
JMU vs Charlotte & Texas State vs Lamar Predictions
01:02:24
Speaker
games to go. Another 8pm kick on ESPNU. James Madison is traveling to Charlotte to take on the 49ers of Charlotte. um James Madison, we talked about it, a gutted roster.
01:02:39
Speaker
Coaching is different. Roster is totally different other than a few holdovers. Um, with that said, JMU is a six and a half point favorite over under 50 and a half. I'm just going to ride with JMU. I don't really, I don't feel great about it, but I know, I know, I know nothing about North Texas. I know less than nothing about Charlotte. So I'm just going to give JMU the benefit of the doubt. If it bites me, I'll just chalk it up to the game and just say it is what it is.
01:03:08
Speaker
Yeah, I'm gonna agree with you. ah Charlotte was really bad last year and even a gutted JMU roster I still think is better than Charlotte. So ah yeah, give me give me JMU here. Yeah, this this is a very bad Charlotte team and coached by Matt's favorite Biff Pogie.
01:03:32
Speaker
Yeah, I have no idea who that is. Well, he's on your all-name team, of course. He's the coach. I mean, he has to be. He's the coach of the all-name team, of course. Yeah, he has to be. Mixing the villain from Back to the Future with a pogo stick.
01:03:46
Speaker
Yeah, that sounds about right. Um, I'm good with it. Do you not get that right? Nevermind. All right. Last game, last game here. Uh, another 8 PM kick ESPN plus Texas state is welcoming Lamar to San Marcos. Uh, Texas state is a 31 and a half point favorite. Is Lamar FCS as well?
01:04:14
Speaker
That's what I was, that's that was my face. They're FCS as well. So that's sure where the betting gods are coming from. Well, if te if this was a ah real line, and I'll look it up after the show, if it's a real line, I would be hammering Texas State. ah I would be hammering Texas State. yeah Jordan McLeod is going to be on a warpath both because you know, he didn't get taken by any of the big programs that probably should have come calling after what he did last year. But also, I mean, that we we talked about, it you know, Zeke, I know you're you're more bullish on him than we are, but my concern and another thing I want to address, Zeke, I do like how you and the one Texas state guy on Twitter were just going back and forth, like making each other feel better. My my mike one little monkey wrench I'd like to throw in your system is,
01:05:05
Speaker
I don't think I was disrespecting them by saying they had the best offense in the Sunbelt. Like if that's disrespect, no then chain me up. But like, ah I'm just like, yeah, my concern is with their defense. Like that's, that's literally it. I'm fine with everything else. So Hey, shout out Bobcat Den. I know you're out there somewhere, man.
01:05:26
Speaker
No. Yeah. Yeah. It's you and me against the world. i'm We like Bob. Again, I, I was not being disrespectful by saying they had the best offense and the best quarterback and what the most explosive running back in the conference. I was just like, yeah, defensively, they need to get that. I had the same stance as I do against Arkansas state. They need to get better and I need to see it happen.
01:05:50
Speaker
So if that happens, then yeah, I'm fine picking them when Sunbelt, but at this point on paper app has a better de defense. So that's, that was all I was saying. Um, ze you, again, you're the, you're the Texas state guy. Talk about, talk about what you, what you need to see out of them, even though they're playing at FCS school. 35 point win. It's not what I need to see. it It's what I will see. 35 points.
01:06:16
Speaker
And i I don't doubt that. ah Again, like the only criticism I had was what, how are they going to perform when they're playing the other best teams in the conference? Not. Are they going to beat Lamar by three touchdowns? Like, yeah, they will. Like that. I don't have a question about that. 40, 49, 14. Uh, I mean, I like that 56 to 10. That's one.
01:06:42
Speaker
oh I like that even more. I think Ismael Mahdi, I think Ismael Mahdi, if he gets a full complement of Snaps, I think he could average 10 yards a carry in this game. Like, he was hyper-efficient last year, and the the the Lamar team, no offense to them, are just kind of like lambs being led to slaughter in this one.
01:07:04
Speaker
so I think there's way too much to contend with for them. All right.
Week 1 Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts
01:07:11
Speaker
So that's that does it. That's all the games for week one. We've talked through, you know, pretty much every possible angle. We've talked, you know, coaches that are on the hot seat. We've talked crowd turnouts. You know, we, I think we've hit like on a lot here. Matt, do you want to kind of throw in any last final thoughts and then let everybody know where they can find you on social media and then you can throw it over to Zeke?
01:07:36
Speaker
Looking forward to a fantastic weekend of of college football. um I've just got to say, watching college game day over the weekend while they were in Ireland.
01:07:48
Speaker
the The duo of Nick Saban and Pat McAfee is going to be television gold. Well, did you see what I did you see what i tweeted out on Saturday? Yeah. Oh, yeah. How long is how long until Nick Saban reaches over and just tries to strangle him? Like how many weeks? It's going to be fantastic. I can't wait to see it because it's going to happen.
01:08:09
Speaker
Pat's gonna say something and Nick's just gonna reach over and it's gonna be awesome But anyways, you can find me on social media at me guys Matt Got some great stuff coming soon with again with college football getting fully underway. ah So be on the lookout for that Yeah, I'm on Twitter as well at Zeke Palermo, Z-E-K-E-P-A-L-E-R-M-O. um There's certainly some folks out there that are going to the ah the Georgia Clemson game at noon in Mercedes-Benz, getting lunch, and then heading over to tech. So, i've man, I wish I could be doing that with you all. That that sounds like a great time.
01:08:45
Speaker
That sounds like me asleep like the second I get in the car to leave Bobby Dodd. I've never pulled the elusive doubleheader college football game. So usually one is enough for me.
01:09:05
Speaker
tailgating wise, specifically. i feel that well Well, that Georgia Clemson game will be high energy, drain a lot out of it, and then you can go get watch watch state get rolling, kind of kick up your feet. Eat some Chick-fil-A, maybe go get the varsity at the concession stand.
01:09:21
Speaker
ah All right, as always you can find us on Twitter the show at warm weather fans of sorry ex We are on YouTube as a reminder um At warm weather fans on YouTube again, we have for the video portion we now have this little scrolling banner it basically has every contact for us you can email questions comments to the show at warmweatherfans sorry to warmweatherfans at gmail dot.com
01:09:52
Speaker
Feel free to send those over. Feel free to tweet at us. We appreciate everybody that listens to the show. Please rate, review, subscribe at your pod catcher of choice. And again, you can always always catch us on YouTube. We will be back next week to talk over all of these week one games and then get into week two on warm weather fans.