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Speaker: Welcome everybody to Warm Weather Fans, the Sunbelt Podcast.
Speaker: We are in bowl season, we are in transfer portal season, we are sort of winding down the coaching carousel.
Speaker: We'll see how that all goes.
Speaker: I am your host, Brian Stone, joined once again this week by Matt Miguez and Zeke Palermo.
Speaker: Zeke, I want to throw it to you first and then to Matt.
Speaker: How's it going?
Speaker: How are you doing?
Speaker: I'm doing well.
Speaker: I'm doing well.
Speaker: We're getting into a weird part of the year where we start to see a lot of movement from current football players.
Speaker: We're still kind of waiting on decision days still upcoming for the January period.
Speaker: But right now we're seeing a lot of movement, especially within the Sun Belt.
Speaker: So it's been an exciting, maybe not exciting, but interesting time to be a college football fan.
Speaker: And Matt, a man that is in constant rivalry with his microphone and the mute setting.
Speaker: How are you doing?
Speaker: What's up?
Speaker: And the microphone just doesn't like me.
Speaker: I spent too much money on it for it to not cooperate.
Speaker: So that's frustrating.
Speaker: But no, dude, I'm great.
Speaker: It's bowl season.
Speaker: The Cajuns get to take the field one last time against what looks to be a really good Jacksonville State team.
Speaker: We'll talk about that here in a little bit.
Speaker: Um, and you brought up the coaching carousel.
Speaker: The first wave of it is over because I still think you're going to see some moves from teams that are in bowl games right now.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: You know, there, there might be a couple of teams that are six and six and they lose their bowl game and maybe on a whim, they decide to fire their coach or, you know, leaves for a P five coordinator job or whatever it may be.
Speaker: Um,
Speaker: So I think the first wave of the coaching carousel is over.
Speaker: There could still be some big moves on the horizon.
Speaker: Yeah, you know, there's still a lot left to be determined, but let's start here with the coaching news kind of of the week.
Speaker: Number one, we talked about it kind of last week.
Speaker: I don't know if we have anything to add.
Speaker: If we don't, we can move on.
Speaker: But JMU officially does hire Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Zeke cited his record last week.
Speaker: I believe it was like 111 and 46 as a head coach, which is very impressive.
Speaker: I think that's a good hire for them.
Speaker: I think that they, at this level, show the constant level of how to do it right, which is you give a guy with...
Speaker: who is up and coming, who is coached at a lower level and has that sort of coaching pedigree and a staff fully thought out.
Speaker: You give him an opportunity to take a step up in competition, but it's not like, oh my gosh, like he's going to be starstruck by coaching at JMU or Troy or whoever.
Speaker: So like, I mean, no offense to those teams, but it's not, you know, he's not going to coach an SEC school or anything like that.
Speaker: We probably don't have anything to add about that, but something that did come out last week was, and this moved quickly, so I believe it was Wednesday or Thursday of last week, we had recorded on Tuesday night, it comes out that John Summerall interviewed for the Tulane job and was interested in the job.
Speaker: Obviously, there's a pay bump that comes with that.
Speaker: They're at a higher level of competition as far as a conference goes.
Speaker: Matt, I don't know if you've heard anything, but you live within the state of Louisiana and you keep up with athletics within the state way more than I do.
Speaker: How unexpected was this for you?
Speaker: You know, we had talked about him potentially getting the Duke job and then Manny Diaz gets hired there.
Speaker: And I was sitting there going, well, I guess Summerall is back by default.
Speaker: And then all of a sudden it comes out, Fritz goes to Houston and then they have an opening.
Speaker: So Summerall just slides right in there.
Speaker: You see, when Fritz took the Houston job, a coworker of mine and I, we were kind of talking about it.
Speaker: Because he was born and raised in New Orleans, went to a lot of Tulane games growing up.
Speaker: And I was like, man, who do you think is going to coach Tulane?
Speaker: And we started talking about a couple different people.
Speaker: And I said, well, you know, what would be interesting is that he probably deserves a promotion as John Summerall.
Speaker: He was like, oh, wow, I didn't even think about that.
Speaker: That'd be a really good hire.
Speaker: And then the next day, the news comes out that he had interviewed for the Tulane job.
Speaker: Like, okay, like this could actually be a thing.
Speaker: And then of course he gets hired and Troy fans.
Speaker: And again, not knocking Troy fans.
Speaker: I have a lot of, I have a lot of friends in Troy, you know, whatever.
Speaker: They were not, oh, I didn't realize we were a stepping stone for lateral jobs.
Speaker: Tulane is not a lateral job.
Speaker: It's not.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: It's a higher payday.
Speaker: They're in a higher rated conference, and they have tons more resources than any Sunbelt school.
Speaker: I'm not knocking the Sunbelt.
Speaker: I love the Sunbelt.
Speaker: It's just fact.
Speaker: Tulane's got more resources.
Speaker: So this was absolutely a huge step up for John Summerall.
Speaker: And what I've seen from his introductory press conference and the last couple days of him getting to know his staff and his players, and I think he's going to have massive success at Tulane.
Speaker: Tulane is a program that if they are willing to put the financial necessities into it, with this 12-team playoff,
Speaker: They could make the playoff four times in 10 years.
Speaker: They really could.
Speaker: They're built that way.
Speaker: So I think this is a huge opportunity for John Summerall.
Speaker: Now, do I think Tulane's the end-all be-all for him?
Speaker: Absolutely not.
Speaker: I think he's looking at this where, oh, if I keep them rolling in three years, who knows, I might be the head coach of Kentucky.
Speaker: I might be able to go back to Kentucky and be the head coach or, you know, whatever it may be.
Speaker: But this is a big hire for Tulane.
Speaker: It's a big move for John Summerall.
Speaker: And honestly, I'm kind of excited to see how it plays out.
Speaker: I can't remember.
Speaker: Are they one of the teams that are getting moved into the big 12 next year?
Speaker: So there's, there's staying to the American.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Zeke, this was one, I don't know if you have really any thoughts on it, but,
Speaker: As a fan of a program that had a coach leave for Tulane, this still seems kind of like an obvious step forward to me.
Speaker: And, you know, I guess I'm just saying that because it's already happened to me.
Speaker: But all the things that Matt said hold.
Speaker: How surprised were you that he decided that, you know, Tulane was sort of the next job for him?
Speaker: I was...
Speaker: My initial reaction was shock because I really do believe what you guys said is true about Tulane in that, at least from a national perspective, they're kind of the face of G5 right now.
Speaker: Cincinnati was that a couple years ago.
Speaker: I think it's now shifted to Tulane.
Speaker: So from a national perspective, it is a step up.
Speaker: But I think if you really get your hands in the dirt,
Speaker: outside of the financial perspective, like Troy, if Summerall stayed, Troy could have become what Tulane is now.
Speaker: I don't think that's an outlandish projection.
Speaker: So I was a little disappointed from the Sunbelt perspective that
Speaker: we have teams that could be at Troy's caliber, right?
Speaker: A couple of years ago, we were talking about app in coastal in that conversation.
Speaker: Right now we're talking about Troy and possibly James Madison in those conversations.
Speaker: And to have the coaches leave before that, James Madison, obviously losing Cignetti to Indiana, leaving before those programs could become those national programs,
Speaker: the national powerhouse that they are kind of on the doorstep of as is, is disappointing because you're really putting the ball in the one yard line and then just say, giving up on it.
Speaker: And I'm not, that's not to say Summerall gave up on Troy.
Speaker: He spent his time there, did a spectacular job.
Speaker: But I was definitely disappointed to see us lose one of, if not the best coaches in the conference to the,
Speaker: Again, from a Sunbelt perspective, a direct competitor.
Speaker: It was definitely disappointing from that perspective.
Speaker: I think Matt's right.
Speaker: Tulane is going to be a very, very good team for the coming years and will absolutely be making the playoffs.
Speaker: Sumrall said they're going to win a national championship.
Speaker: I don't know if that's necessarily in the cards for them, but I.
Speaker: Right now, they probably project to be the G5 team in the playoffs next season.
Speaker: So, you know, you can't be upset at him.
Speaker: I mean, Tulane just on a whole pays their coaches swaths more money than Troy ever could.
Speaker: So there's that perspective to it.
Speaker: But from a football perspective, it was disappointing to see.
Speaker: So I'll say this.
Speaker: I guess one of the reasons I didn't even consider it was there was so much more that happened than just Willie Fritz getting a pay bump when he left Southern.
Speaker: Like there was he was in direct like conflict with the AD.
Speaker: AD didn't want to extend his contract and give him a raise.
Speaker: And like all of this stuff came out.
Speaker: And then that year was the first year they lost to Georgia state for the first time.
Speaker: And this was when Georgia state was like a perennial, you know, three, four win team.
Speaker: So I, I guess I hadn't even considered it because I was like, well,
Speaker: You know, a coach had moved there before, but it had less to do with money and had more to do with, like, conflict with administration.
Speaker: So I guess I was a little surprised initially, but it makes sense for all those reasons, which is...
Speaker: I mean, I think he's still, you know, if we're including the American in it, I mean, between him and Chad, well, they're the two best G5 coaches at this point.
Speaker: I mean, there's not really like a one or there's not anybody else that really stacks up.
Speaker: So, yeah, I mean, it'll be interesting to see how he fits in there.
Speaker: I mean, I think they're getting a heck of a coach and he's obviously super, super accomplished in the short time that he's been a head coach at Troy.
Speaker: So I guess I have this question, you know, maybe we don't have anybody in mind, but do we have anybody in mind for Troy's next head coaching job?
Speaker: Like, you know, so the last two times they went SEC offensive coordinator, SEC defensive coordinator.
Speaker: So basically what I'm asking is what SEC coordinator is getting poached for the Troy job next?
Speaker: Do we have any thoughts on that at all?
Speaker: I've got no ideas that come to name.
Speaker: Honestly, my first thought was that they might stick with the guy they named in interim Greg Gasparano because he's the incumbent defensive coordinator.
Speaker: He's been around coaching for a while, but this DC job was really his first big break.
Speaker: And I guess it really comes down to whatever the powers that be.
Speaker: Do they think it was Gasparano's defense or Sumrall's defense?
Speaker: But if they think Gasparato did a good enough job, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he kept the full-time gig.
Speaker: I mean, I know I'm a broken record when I say this, but I'm always very suspicious of hiring a guy whose coordinator job is the head coach's specialty.
Speaker: Whether that's, you know, like you said, Gasparato under a defensive-minded head coach or...
Speaker: you know, any, any number of guys that have been offensive coordinators under offensive minded head coach, you know, Troy's previous coach, Chip Lindsay immediately pops into mind where he was under Gus Malzahn.
Speaker: And guess what?
Speaker: He gets to Troy and it's like, Oh, I can't just copy off of Gus's paper anymore.
Speaker: So like now I'm in real trouble and I don't know what I'm really doing.
Speaker: So that that's sort of where I sit on it.
Speaker: Matt, do you have any thoughts on potential coaching?
Speaker: Golly, man.
Speaker: Kevin Barbe?
Speaker: Who's that?
Speaker: So he was the coordinator at AP in 22.
Speaker: This past year, he was the office coordinator at Mississippi State under Zach Arnett.
Speaker: Since Zach Arnett got fired, Kevin Barbe probably got canned too.
Speaker: So he might be looking for a job.
Speaker: Maybe he's run good offenses at his previous stops.
Speaker: Well, I mean, I mean, I guess you could do worse.
Speaker: But like I said, you know, it's sort of a coin flip.
Speaker: Like, you know, you grab grab an SEC coordinator once it doesn't work.
Speaker: And then you go grab another one a different time.
Speaker: And all of a sudden you hit, you know, the all five numbers on the powerball.
Speaker: So like, who really who really knows how it's going to work out if you decide to go that route?
Speaker: Um, so yeah, that that's pretty much that we'll, we're still keeping an eye out on who Troy eventually hires.
Speaker: And we'll discuss that on the podcast when that time comes.
Speaker: But the last little bit of news before we jump into these bowl games that are upcoming is Grayson McCall finally is no longer in Conway.
Speaker: He no longer pisses teal.
Speaker: He now pisses red, which that might be something you need to see a doctor about.
Speaker: Oh, God.
Speaker: He goes to Raleigh.
Speaker: He's going to be the next quarterback for NC State.
Speaker: I want to say this is a good move for him, I guess.
Speaker: Like, NC State, I feel like, is one of those teams where every couple years I'll hear, like, preseason hype about them, and then they just win, like, eight games.
Speaker: And I'm like, this is what you guys were freaking out about?
Speaker: Like, this has been going on for years now.
Speaker: So, like, I'm glad that Dave Doran gets to keep his job for life because he wins eight games every four years or so, but...
Speaker: I just don't feel like the ceiling in Raleigh is very high for a quarterback for the Wolfpack.
Speaker: So I don't know.
Speaker: Do you guys have any thoughts on that?
Speaker: I'm with you, particularly because they haven't had a guy really stand out statistically as a quarterback over the past couple of years.
Speaker: It's been kind of lacking in the stud quarterback department.
Speaker: If this was a team...
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: I really don't know if they still do this, but like Western Kentucky is one of those jobs where I'm like, if I'm a quarterback, I want to go there because they're going to let me throw.
Speaker: And you can't help but feel like this is a bit of a letdown because this is Grayson McCall, who last season was, you know, passing one class away from going to Auburn.
Speaker: So, yeah.
Speaker: I suppose there is no I suppose.
Speaker: It is a move up for him because this is an ACC team.
Speaker: Mind you, NC State finished, I think, third in the ACC.
Speaker: They were not a poor team.
Speaker: But it does feel like a bit of a letdown for a guy that has one of the best Sunbelt careers ever to just kind of end up in a middling P5 instead of
Speaker: You know, something that could have been a little sexier.
Speaker: I thought Liberty might have even been in play.
Speaker: I don't know what their quarterback situation, but, like, Liberty could have even been in play for this and would have been probably a step up from where Coastal is right.
Speaker: He said no thanks to all those mandatory religious classes, I think.
Speaker: He was just like, I'm out.
Speaker: I don't need to read about the Book of Exodus in my class.
Speaker: I'm good.
Speaker: Ha ha.
Speaker: Matt?
Speaker: Caden Salter, their starter from this season is also only a sophomore.
Speaker: Ah, that would exclude you from it.
Speaker: They're in good shape at the quarterback spot.
Speaker: He had 2,700 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only five interceptions.
Speaker: So he had quite the year.
Speaker: Well, we'll see what happens with Grace McCall at NC State.
Speaker: Like I said, the last notable starter I can remember there is like
Speaker: Jacoby Brissett, I think.
Speaker: They really haven't put out much at the quarterback position in the pros.
Speaker: It's been like a million years ago, they had Phillip Rivers, then they had Mike Glennon, and then they had Jacoby Brissett, and those are the guys that I can remember.
Speaker: Well, they had Russell Wilson for a couple years, and then he moved on to Wisconsin.
Speaker: But, I mean, I don't know.
Speaker: It seems to be, if your talent is far and away,
Speaker: you know, can outdo the coaching staff, like you can succeed there.
Speaker: But if you're just like, man, I hope I fit into a system, it doesn't feel like the system is going to come save you.
Speaker: So we'll see how all that goes.
Speaker: But let's go ahead and transition into bowl games for this upcoming week.
Speaker: We are talking about the bowl games that run this coming Saturday, the 16th until Tuesday, Wednesday.
Speaker: Let's start with the first bowl game of bowl season for the Sun Belt.
Speaker: Georgia Southern takes on Ohio, the Bobcats, in the Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway, South Carolina.
Speaker: Georgia Southern is a three-and-a-half point favorite over under 48-and-a-half.
Speaker: There's a very key reason why Georgia Southern is favored in this game, and the line swung completely the other direction when all of this stuff came out.
Speaker: Five of Ohio's best players jumped into the portal the minute they ended their season.
Speaker: So their starting quarterback is in the portal.
Speaker: Their starting running back is in the portal.
Speaker: Their top receiver is in the portal.
Speaker: And their second most leading tackler on the defensive side of the ball are all in the portal.
Speaker: With that said, go ahead.
Speaker: Their starting quarterback actually committed today.
Speaker: He's going to Indiana.
Speaker: Good for Signetti, I guess.
Speaker: Kind of thought McLeod was going to end up there, but who knows?
Speaker: So I was telling Zeke before we started recording, I literally flipped a coin on this game because I know Ohio lost their linebacker, who was the second leading tackler on the team, but statistically they're like top 10 in every defensive category.
Speaker: I don't think that that's going to diminish that much just by losing like one key contributor.
Speaker: I think this is a Davis-Bryn special.
Speaker: I think this is like three interceptions.
Speaker: I think he throws you out of a game against a guy that's... The quarterback that's projected to start for Ohio is throwing 10 passes this season.
Speaker: I think Bryn's going to throw them out of a game because when he plays good defenses, he just shrinks.
Speaker: And Georgia Southern's defense is not going to be able to keep Ohio, even with all their backups, out of the end zone because their defense is just...
Speaker: kind of that bad.
Speaker: So I would take Ohio plus three and a half here.
Speaker: I also kind of like the under.
Speaker: I don't think there's going to be a ton of points scored in this game.
Speaker: I don't see how we hit 48 because if you think Ohio's defense is good, Georgia Southern is not going to be lighting up the scoreboard.
Speaker: And if you think Ohio's offense is bad because they have all these backups that they're playing, they're not going to be putting up points either.
Speaker: So I kind of like both of those.
Speaker: How do you guys feel about it?
Speaker: Zeke?
Speaker: Uh, I hear what you're saying.
Speaker: I like Southern here based really on the fragility of Ohio's schedule.
Speaker: They went nine and three with all these impressive accolades, but you look up and down and remember they're playing in the back, right?
Speaker: They finished the year against Buffalo, Central Michigan, and Akron.
Speaker: I mean, there's not really any win here that's like, man, congrats, guys.
Speaker: You know, this is a very ugly schedule.
Speaker: As you mentioned, Brian, the guy that played or that is going to be starting this game for Ohio, when this team played Long Island University, he only passed for 60 yards.
Speaker: You mentioned that to me earlier, Brian.
Speaker: So.
Speaker: I think this Ohio team just looks a little better on paper because of how poor their schedule is.
Speaker: So I like Southern here.
Speaker: So I have a really good friend of mine that is the play-by-play voice for the Ohio Bobcats.
Speaker: So for that reason alone, give me Ohio.
Speaker: Um, and also because Brian, you've said it multiple times this year and I've actually gotten to sit down and watch a couple of Georgia Southern games and I, and I see it.
Speaker: Davis Brent is a turnover machine.
Speaker: Um, and I, I understand the whole, you know, Ohio's quarterback has only thrown 10 passes or whatever, but I think like you said, Davis Brent is going to find a way to give this game away.
Speaker: And if Ohio's offense can just keep them in it long enough for Davis Brin to give it away, then I think Ohio wins the game.
Speaker: Yeah, I was writing up my my preview for this game this morning.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Davis Brin has the second most pass attempts in the country this season, and he is tied for the country's, the FBS lead in interceptions this year.
Speaker: So this, that should be more of an indictment, not only on him, but on the offensive coordinator as well.
Speaker: The fact that they saw that and was like, what if we just kept throwing the football and hope it went away?
Speaker: I think says a lot.
Speaker: And I, and I think it's going to say a lot about the way this game is kind of going to head.
Speaker: Um,
Speaker: So there's that.
Speaker: Let's get on to this next game here.
Speaker: Saturday, 2-15.
Speaker: The R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
Speaker: Matt, this is your game.
Speaker: Jacksonville State is traveling to Louisiana to take on Louisiana.
Speaker: Jacksonville State is a 2.5 point favorite.
Speaker: Over-under is 58.5.
Speaker: Matt, how do you feel about this one?
Speaker: Because...
Speaker: I'm kind of leaning in Jacksonville State just because of you guys' quarterback situation.
Speaker: Like, I'm not going to lie.
Speaker: So how do you feel about this one?
Speaker: I'm nervous.
Speaker: That's how I feel.
Speaker: Because, look, you look at this matchup and everybody's going to say, oh, you know, Jacksonville State's an FCS call-up.
Speaker: Oh, Jacksonville State's only in this game because they didn't have enough 6-6 teams.
Speaker: Both true points.
Speaker: However, they're 8-4.
Speaker: They went 6-2 in their conference in the first year they played in it.
Speaker: And they rushed for 230 yards a game.
Speaker: Then on top of all of that, this is the first bowl game in program history that is going to bring an extra level of juice to this team.
Speaker: that I strongly feel could propel them to victory.
Speaker: Um, now look, the thing that's interesting with bowl games is you just never know how the two teams are going to show up because it's been three weeks since they've played.
Speaker: Um, so, so it is kind of a wait and see thing, but man on paper, I totally understand why Jacksonville state's the favorite here.
Speaker: Uh, rich Rodriguez.
Speaker: I mean,
Speaker: We all know what Rich Rod's capable of doing from his time at Arizona and Michigan.
Speaker: And even the two years he was at ULM, they had a pretty decent offense.
Speaker: And he won 17 games in two years at Jacksonville State, which, by the way, is in Alabama, not Florida.
Speaker: The first time I ever heard of Jacksonville State, you know, many moons ago, I was like, I didn't know there was a college in Jacksonville, Florida.
Speaker: I was I was wrong.
Speaker: There actually is, though.
Speaker: It's Jacksonville University.
Speaker: The Dolphins.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I went to a baseball camp there when I was in high school.
Speaker: That's the only reason I know.
Speaker: I didn't even know there was a Jacksonville University.
Speaker: You learn something new every day.
Speaker: They're a D2 football school.
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Speaker: So yeah, like just kind of going back to what I was saying, the first ever bowl game thing kind of makes me nervous because just 12 years ago in this very building, UL was in that same situation, right?
Speaker: Granted, it wasn't the first bowl game in program history, but it had been 50 something years since UL had been to a bowl game.
Speaker: So it was a big deal.
Speaker: and UL hit a walk-off 50-yard field goal to win it.
Speaker: So the circumstances around this game are nerve-wracking, and I think that if the Cajuns don't show up, Jacksonville State is very capable of beating them because not only do they run the ball for 230 yards a game, but they do it with five different players, including two quarterbacks.
Speaker: So you never know what you're going to get from them, and that's another concern as well.
Speaker: Also, players not being available.
Speaker: Kendra Gant entered the transfer portal last week, so obviously he's not going to play in the bowl game.
Speaker: I think that's a big loss for this team.
Speaker: But it'll be an interesting matchup.
Speaker: They're pretty even, right?
Speaker: But yeah, you're right.
Speaker: The quarterback matchup's a big part of this.
Speaker: Can Chandler Fields step up in his final game at UL in his hometown and put on a show and walk out with a New Orleans ball?
Speaker: So are you taking Louisiana then?
Speaker: Are you pleading the fifth counselor?
Speaker: 68 and a half.
Speaker: over under 58 and a half.
Speaker: These two teams can score points.
Speaker: Give me the over.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Zeke.
Speaker: This is tough because Louisiana has scared me the past couple of weeks.
Speaker: I'm still not over the loss to Southern Miss.
Speaker: I'm still not over the loss to Arkansas State.
Speaker: Old Dominion.
Speaker: Gosh, Old Dominion.
Speaker: Please don't remind us of that one.
Speaker: That one nearly ruined my anniversary.
Speaker: Poor guy.
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: This is a tough one.
Speaker: I like Louisiana gear.
Speaker: I remember watching Jacksonville State when they played Coastal much earlier in the year, and they looked really good.
Speaker: I remember that game being a lot closer than the scoreline indicated.
Speaker: I think that
Speaker: Coastal ended up winning that one by two touchdowns, but that game was a lot closer than the score ended up being.
Speaker: So... Oh, gosh.
Speaker: I like Louisiana here, if only because they're playing in New Orleans.
Speaker: I think that's going to be, you know... Albeit, you know, it's not too big of a drive for the folks from Alabama.
Speaker: I like Louisiana here because...
Speaker: I've got a feeling their fans are going to travel well.
Speaker: I'm going to take Jacksonville State.
Speaker: It's a bummer that Matt's quarterback is out because we would get to see Zion versus Zion, which I think would be great.
Speaker: But I think...
Speaker: I think Dick Rod is really going to lead them to a win in this one.
Speaker: So give me Jacksonville State.
Speaker: Dick Rod.
Speaker: He coaches the Gamecocks, dude.
Speaker: How easy are these jokes?
Speaker: Like, come on.
Speaker: Um, 338 on ABC.
Speaker: We've got the avocados from Mexico cure bowl.
Speaker: I love that name.
Speaker: Um, not wordy at all.
Speaker: Very rolls off the tongue.
Speaker: Just real easy.
Speaker: Uh, Miami of Ohio is taking on Appalachian state.
Speaker: This game is in Orlando.
Speaker: App is a six and a half point favorite over under is 43 and a half.
Speaker: Um, I know Miami of Ohio was first in the Mac this year.
Speaker: good for them and all that.
Speaker: Their schedule's dog crap.
Speaker: I think App absolutely rolls them.
Speaker: I'm looking who's their best win this season.
Speaker: Cincinnati, who had a down year with Satterfield?
Speaker: Who's your best win?
Speaker: Akron?
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: I don't know how these teams play.
Speaker: I'm taking App against the spread.
Speaker: Six and a half.
Speaker: I think they roll Miami of Ohio here.
Speaker: I'm with you there.
Speaker: I think you're right there.
Speaker: I am just learning that Miami, Ohio has Brett Gabbert.
Speaker: brother of Blaine at quarterback, although he absolutely killed his leg a handful of weeks ago, so he's obviously not playing.
Speaker: I like App here.
Speaker: I mean, I know I've been very critical of them, but App's a very, very good football team, and I already did my part in dunking on the Mac.
Speaker: So 11-2 with a Mac schedule does not impress me.
Speaker: give me the Mountaineers.
Speaker: Oh, you bring up Brett Gabbert.
Speaker: Funny story.
Speaker: In 2019, when he was a freshman, he was named the Mac Freshman of the Year.
Speaker: UL played against him in the Lending Tree Bowl.
Speaker: And kid's good.
Speaker: Kid's really good.
Speaker: I saw the play that he tore up his knee on.
Speaker: That's
Speaker: that's awful.
Speaker: Um, no, look at app state's going to roll in this game.
Speaker: There's no question about it.
Speaker: Uh, because Brian, like you said, the max a week conference and they don't have any notable wins in Cincinnati.
Speaker: I mean, good for you.
Speaker: You beat a power five, but like Cincinnati was, was way down this year.
Speaker: Um, that's like beating Vandering.
Speaker: I think Joey Aguilar, I think Joey Aguilar comes out and has a big game.
Speaker: And, um,
Speaker: Have you seen their helmets for the game?
Speaker: No.
Speaker: Yeah, so since it's the Cure Bowl and it's like breast cancer research and stuff, the helmet's black and they got the big A on the sides.
Speaker: And in the A, they put a pink ribbon inside the A. It's so sweet.
Speaker: It's funny that they couldn't come up with a more applicable sponsor than Avocados from Mexico.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: Couldn't this be like the Susan G. Komen?
Speaker: What's she up to these days?
Speaker: What, Susan?
Speaker: I think she's been dead a while, brother.
Speaker: No, it's just like, why wouldn't it be like the Relay for Life Cure Bowl or something along those lines?
Speaker: Or the Red Cross Cure Bowl or something like that?
Speaker: I don't think Susan's real.
Speaker: Then being like, eat guacamole, also check your breasts for lumps.
Speaker: Like, I guess, is like the message they're trying to send with this one.
Speaker: We're all on app.
Speaker: That's fine.
Speaker: That's kind of what I expected.
Speaker: So, Monday the 18th at 2.30.
Speaker: These are perfect time bowl games, too, because you can sit at your desk.
Speaker: You can put these on a different screen.
Speaker: You can kind of work like... Yeah, she...
Speaker: She's gone.
Speaker: So you can put these on a second screen.
Speaker: You click away when your boss comes by.
Speaker: You click to an Excel spreadsheet.
Speaker: You do the whole deal.
Speaker: Monday, 2.30, Western Kentucky plays Old Dominion in the famous toastery bowl, whatever that is.
Speaker: Every year, these bowls get more insane.
Speaker: I have no idea what this is even advertising.
Speaker: Famous toastery.
Speaker: It's like this breakfast place.
Speaker: It's like a chain.
Speaker: It's like a fast food.
Speaker: Why did you say so?
Speaker: It's like a fast food gourmet breakfast place.
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: It's weird.
Speaker: But I saw a post from Western Kentucky's communications guy.
Speaker: Their luggage tags for the bowl game.
Speaker: You know how they make special ones for the bowl game?
Speaker: It is literally a piece of toast.
Speaker: It's in the shape of a piece of toast.
Speaker: But I'm telling you, every year, like, we'll talk about this next bowl game.
Speaker: I'm like, I'm sorry, what?
Speaker: Like, the names of these bowl games, I'm like, who are these companies?
Speaker: Well, I think this is formerly the Bahamas Bowl, isn't it?
Speaker: No, the Bahamas Bowl was in the Bahamas.
Speaker: This game is in Charlotte.
Speaker: No, this is formerly the Bahamas Bowl.
Speaker: The Bahamas Bowl is not getting played in the Bahamas this year.
Speaker: Oh, okay.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: I was confused.
Speaker: I was like, what is he talking about?
Speaker: It's in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Speaker: Either way, Old Dominion, somehow, someway, is a two-and-a-half point favorite.
Speaker: Over-under is 54-and-a-half.
Speaker: I'm taking Western Kentucky.
Speaker: They put up points.
Speaker: Old Dominion, I know, is so, so hot and cold, so they could show up and look like absolute gangbusters in this one.
Speaker: However, I've watched Western Kentucky work.
Speaker: They know how to throw the football.
Speaker: They are the...
Speaker: They are the version of what Georgia Southern aspires and always has failed the last two years to be a team that can throw a football at a high clip and also not turn the ball over every other possession.
Speaker: So I just don't think, I think if Western Kentucky starts putting points up, I don't think old dominion is going to be able to match.
Speaker: I think is, is my big thing.
Speaker: So I'm on Western Kentucky plus two and a half.
Speaker: Um, um,
Speaker: unless we find out that Austin Reed is opted out or transferring or something like that, if they have their players playing, I don't see why Old Dominion should be favored here.
Speaker: I think you're spot on.
Speaker: This Western Kentucky team scores points, and as we've said all year, Old Dominion doesn't have a quarterback, doesn't have the weapons that is going to be able to keep up with any semblance of a team that
Speaker: that scores at a high clip, like you said, Brian.
Speaker: So I've got Western Kentucky here for sure.
Speaker: I think two and a half is a really, really generous spread.
Speaker: And I think of the spreads we've looked at thus far, that's the one I'm loving the most is Western Kentucky's two and a half point dogs.
Speaker: Yeah, that's absolutely wild to me.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Austin Reed is this incredible quarterback, and Western Kentucky has run a solid offense for the last couple of years.
Speaker: And look, Old Dominion has much improved from 2022.
Speaker: You know, I mean, they doubled their win total from last year, which, you know, kudos.
Speaker: But you're not going to win this one.
Speaker: Give me Big Red and the Hilltoppers.
Speaker: I love the mascot.
Speaker: Looks like a giant grimace, but red instead.
Speaker: Love that.
Speaker: Those helmets were sick from a couple weeks ago.
Speaker: I like all of their color combination stuff.
Speaker: Their uniforms in general are just awesome.
Speaker: And there's also a soda here called Big Red that they sell.
Speaker: And I don't know if it came from, started in Western Kentucky, but it's sold all around the state.
Speaker: It looks like absolute garbage.
Speaker: Big Red is delicious.
Speaker: I've never had it, and honestly, I feel like I would lose my teeth if I took one sip.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, it's Red 40, like 110%.
Speaker: If you have ADD, it'll kill you.
Speaker: But it is good.
Speaker: So at least it'd be a good one to go, right?
Speaker: It's red cream soda.
Speaker: Yeah, dude.
Speaker: So good.
Speaker: So good.
Speaker: You guys ever had Cheerwine?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Cheerwine.
Speaker: Yeah, brother.
Speaker: I'm from South Carolina.
Speaker: So I've never had it.
Speaker: But I saw a TikTok today of these... I'm off topic here, but I saw a TikTok today of these two British dudes that have moved to America temporarily.
Speaker: They're just kind of hanging out in America.
Speaker: And they're in North Carolina right now, and they're like, we found this stuff called Cheerwine.
Speaker: Is there wine in it?
Speaker: And so they crack it open and try it, and they're freaking out.
Speaker: They're like, we don't have drinks like this in England.
Speaker: It was so funny.
Speaker: That's got to be such a shock to the system.
Speaker: Their body has never taken in that much sugar in one sip.
Speaker: One of them took a sip and he freaked out.
Speaker: He goes, oh my god, that's more sugar than I've ever had in my life.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: Now you know why obesity is an epidemic in this country.
Speaker: The last game that we have to talk about before we do our cutoff, and we'll get back to these games
Speaker: starting next Saturday, next week, but the last game that we have on the docket, UTSA is playing Marshall in the Scooters Coffee Frisco Bowl.
Speaker: Again, just rolls off the tongue.
Speaker: You can't write better copy than that.
Speaker: UTSA is a 13-point favorite.
Speaker: Over-under is 52.5.
Speaker: I think I'm taking UTSA.
Speaker: The games in Texas, they're going to have more fans.
Speaker: Their quarterback is head and shoulders better, even though Zeke probably disagrees, than Marshall's.
Speaker: Frank Harris is so much better than whatever permutation of Cam Fancher, Cole Pennington...
Speaker: I guess Fancher's not going to be there because we didn't even talk about this.
Speaker: No, the Charles Huff stuff?
Speaker: Somebody else sent this to me.
Speaker: Fancher basically got ran out of Huntington on a rail.
Speaker: This was a crazy story because I thought what was most astounding is Charles Huff, the head coach, comes out and says just point blank, the fans hated him, which is I've never heard a coach say anything like that.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: I think he came out.
Speaker: I'm looking now.
Speaker: He came out a couple of days ago and kind of, you know, reeled it back, apologized for it.
Speaker: What a crazy thing to say as a head coach.
Speaker: Well, how about the fact that he prefaced it by saying, not only do they hate him, but the NIL money here is not what he wants.
Speaker: And I'm like, I'm sorry, this guy's thrown 11 touchdowns and 11 picks this year.
Speaker: You don't get to dictate what your NIL money is.
Speaker: And the fan base freaked out, by the way.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Like, his family had to release a statement and everything.
Speaker: It was a lot.
Speaker: It was bad.
Speaker: Well, I mean, if anything, shouldn't that play into exactly what Huff was talking about?
Speaker: Like, the fan base flips out and cusses you out on your way out the door.
Speaker: Doesn't that kind of prove your point?
Speaker: Like if they were all like, you know, we have some bad apples online, but, you know, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker: What, you know, best of luck to him.
Speaker: The fact that they had to release a statement and everybody's walking everything back, I feel like almost proves their point a little bit about the fan base.
Speaker: Anyway, if Colv Pennington is playing in this game, which I assume he's got to be the only quarterback left on the roster at this stage, I'm taking UTSA.
Speaker: I'm taking UTSA.
Speaker: Marshall's allergic to scoring points.
Speaker: We've talked about it all year.
Speaker: They're not going to have the fan advantage.
Speaker: There's going to be single-digit fans coming from West Virginia to Frisco for this game.
Speaker: Frank Harris is a bomb quarterback.
Speaker: Yep, Matt's all over UTSA as well.
Speaker: Zeke, how do you feel about it?
Speaker: Yeah, give me UTSA.
Speaker: Marshall's got not just Fancher, but they've got their third string, Chase Harrison, also in the portal.
Speaker: This could get ugly if, for whatever reason, Penny, goodness gracious, for whatever reason, Pennington doesn't have it or gets injured, this could get really, really ugly.
Speaker: Give me UTSA for sure.
Speaker: going to look like the 49ers in that NFC Championship last year where McCaffrey was taking quarterback snaps because they literally were like, we don't have anybody else.
Speaker: We've run through all four of our quarterbacks.
Speaker: They got Rasheen Ali playing the Frank Gore role.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Get that arm loose, buddy.
Speaker: You got to uncork one.
Speaker: We got to keep this defense on us.
Speaker: Does he enter the portal after the bowl game?
Speaker: I think he's kind of doing himself a disservice if he doesn't, right?
Speaker: I mean, his stock's down low, right?
Speaker: Yeah, but I don't think you can waste your time with this type of team where they're just like, we don't really care about offense.
Speaker: They don't have anything at the quarterback position.
Speaker: They have nothing to take the heat off of him.
Speaker: Yeah, I think if I'm Rasheen Ali, it's a look.
Speaker: There's no hard feelings, but this just isn't going to work.
Speaker: I know a team in Atlanta that needs a running back.
Speaker: Oh, yeah, do you?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Do you?
Speaker: Hey, while we're on that train, I know a team in Lafayette that doesn't really need one, but they would take Rasheen Ali.
Speaker: Well, Zeke, on your note, I hope Georgia Tech ends up landing Rasheen Ali.
Speaker: Anyway.
Speaker: Anyway.
Speaker: Hey, they're back.
Speaker: Tech is back, baby.
Speaker: The Jackets are so back.
Speaker: That was awesome.
Speaker: I mean, that was the last bowl game.
Speaker: You know, like we said, we'll be back next week to talk over.
Speaker: Hopefully Troy reels in a head coach at some point before the offseason ends.
Speaker: You know, early signing day is next week, right?
Speaker: Like it's next Tuesday.
Speaker: Wednesday.
Speaker: Next Wednesday.
Speaker: So they need to get somebody on the staff or else those, those commits are going to kind of start eyeballing elsewhere.
Speaker: But yeah, I mean, that'll pretty much do it.
Speaker: Do you guys, you guys want to kind of sign off any last thoughts and then we can get out of here.
Speaker: Brian broke me.
Speaker: Yeah, man.
Speaker: No, we're, we're in an exciting time for,
Speaker: college football.
Speaker: And yeah, I guess the biggest thing we're looking at going forward is this Troy job.
Speaker: You can hear my thoughts about it on Twitter at Zeke Palermo, Z-E-K-E-P-A-L-E-R-M-O.
Speaker: You can follow me there.
Speaker: I post about the pod.
Speaker: I post about Georgia State.
Speaker: I post about the Sun Belt and the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker: So we're recording on a Thursday night talking about Troy's coaching vacancy.
Speaker: The Las Vegas Raiders currently lead the Los Angeles Chargers 42 to nothing.
Speaker: So could Brandon Staley be looking for work this weekend?
Speaker: I mean, I've got a question.
Speaker: Would Troy want to take the hit in the coaching ranks to hire Brandon Staley?
Speaker: They might be downgrading at the head coaching spot by taking Brandon Staley.
Speaker: Oh, man.
Speaker: You can find me on social media.
Speaker: You can find me on social media at Miguez Matt.
Speaker: My Twitter page is getting blown up by the great folks in North Louisiana that think that Michael Desermo was taking a direct shot at Shreveport, Louisiana with his comments on Monday.
Speaker: Absolutely not true.
Speaker: He was referring to the fact that it was 12 degrees for the Independence Bowl last year, and fans would much rather sit in 72 degrees inside the Superdome.
Speaker: So let's not take things out of context, folks.
Speaker: But...
Speaker: Outside of the Cajuns, I talk a lot about college football, the NFL, how the New Orleans Saints are in desperate need of a new head coach, and that has got to happen sooner rather than later.
Speaker: It's a great time.
Speaker: Matt, I know you posted this clip.
Speaker: We're closing out, but I wanted to ask you about this on the record.
Speaker: What did you think about Desermo's comments about the fans getting bored of going to the New Orleans Bowl and stuff like that?
Speaker: So the question was posed by one of our media members in Lafayette because, you know, every year, the last couple of times that they've gone to the New Orleans, oh, it's like, oh, man, the New Orleans Bowl again.
Speaker: And so he was like, well, you know, fans can get kind of bored.
Speaker: You know, how do you look at that, coach?
Speaker: And so Dez said, well, to our bored fans, if they went to Shreveport last year, they better –
Speaker: something about their asses would much rather be in the superdome or something like that um and again he was referring to the fact that it was 23 degrees with a 12 degree wind chill not that the independence bowl was a bad experience or anything like that um
Speaker: because I've just seen so many people take it out of context.
Speaker: Oh, he, he hates North Louisiana, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker: Not at all.
Speaker: True.
Speaker: Not at all what he was saying.
Speaker: Um, but look, you know, when, when you go to the same bowl game six times in 12 years, it to the fans perception.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, it can get a little stagnant, right?
Speaker: Um,
Speaker: But look, this is an opportunity that every player that grows up in the state of Louisiana dreams of.
Speaker: I mean, I know when I was a kid, but while I still played football, that's what I wanted.
Speaker: I wanted to play in the Superdome.
Speaker: That's where the state championships get played when you're in high school.
Speaker: That's where you want to go.
Speaker: And so this is an opportunity for them to do that and capture another bowl championship.
Speaker: And you get to do it in front of your friends and family.
Speaker: And I think that's really important.
Speaker: So, you know, to some people, you know, the New Orleans Bowl isn't sexy, and that's okay.
Speaker: But all that matters is that the 150 players and coaches sitting in that locker room want to be there.
Speaker: Well, I'll say this.
Speaker: Georgia Southern was in the, I guess what's now the Crampton Bowl last year in Montgomery.
Speaker: And I didn't hear a single positive thing that people had to say about that bowl experience.
Speaker: So I will go out on a limb and say probably the worst bowl of the Sunbelt invites.
Speaker: Oh, the Camellia Bowl.
Speaker: I've been there twice.
Speaker: On Christmas Day.
Speaker: It's crazy and cold and miserable.
Speaker: You said crazy like not in a good way, though.
Speaker: No.
Speaker: I love that he said that with a smile on his face.
Speaker: It's crazy.
Speaker: And bold.
Speaker: I think I'm the only person to go to two consecutive Camellia Bowls.
Speaker: And it was quite the experience.
Speaker: Bravo?
Speaker: I don't know.
Speaker: Dude, I went 2020, the year of COVID.
Speaker: We were like, what are we going to do on Christmas?
Speaker: No family can come over.
Speaker: You guys want to go watch some football?
Speaker: And then the next year, and so the next year, Georgia State played, and I'm like, well, guess I got to go get my big boy pants on.
Speaker: Let's go.
Speaker: And it is, it's a nice little venue, but it's in the middle of Montgomery.
Speaker: So use your imaginations.
Speaker: Zeke, you're a sick puppy going twice in a row.
Speaker: You can find the show on Twitter at WarmWeatherFans.
Speaker: You can send us emails, questions, comments at WarmWeatherFans at gmail.com.
Speaker: You can follow me personally on Twitter at WatchTheStone.
Speaker: We will be back next week to talk over the next slate of bowl games starting on the 23rd and recap the games that did happen this past week.
Speaker: This has been another edition of Warm Weather Fans.
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