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Winding Down College Sports 2026, Firing up the Summer Speculation Talks
14 Plays23 days ago
The college baseball season winds down for the regular season. But that just means "Primetime for the Talking Heads". TJ and Pat make some predictions for the end of the season for Top and Bottom teams in the conference. Then, they go into the new 76 team format for College Basketball and wrap up some of the Springtime winners and losers.
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Transcript
NCAA Expands March Madness to 76 Teams
00:00:00
Travis White
everyone welcome back to the pack south podcast and yeah we're just going into it it's been kind of a weird week with sports and news and all that and diving in we missed something last week totally but recently announced the expanded march madness they are making the tournament larger now um 76 teams definitely just adding to the play in at that rate um I want to hand this right over to you.
Reactions to NCAA Tournament Expansion
00:00:29
Travis White
how How do you feel about this almost like express decision in a way kind of came up like during the tournament and then now we're a little over a month out when it was initially announced.
00:00:44
Travis White
Like, kind of. Yeah, I'm just going to give it to you. I don't i don't know what this
00:00:51
Pat Q
I don't know. I know that obviously the NCAA has been kicking around expansion when it comes to the tournament for a few years at this point, um, to kind of mixed feedback, you know, like it feels like people who only watch college basketball for March Madness are like super in favor of this expansion and super in favor of like, Oh, cool. Like more, don't know, playing games like you said, or maybe, um
00:01:19
Pat Q
you know like I really don't know how they're going to do the exact logistical structure of it without... I'll say like totally compromising the position of a lot of mid-major programs because, you know, like you might have a team like, let's say St.
00:01:31
Travis White
Mm-hmm.
00:01:35
Pat Q
Louis this year who doesn't win their conference, but has a really strong resume. And this year under the previous, I guess we should say now format, they came in and got a fairly decent seed, you know, um slotted in against the SEC team.
00:01:54
Pat Q
were able to show that they're better and played against the eventual national champion in the round of 32. But I feel like that scenario is going to be, different moving
Financial Motivations Behind Expansion
00:02:05
Pat Q
forward. I feel like more of these mid-majors who have good resumes but might lose earlier than they should have in the conference tournaments are going to be put into these play-in style games. And it's going to be sort of um an excuse, I guess you could say, to let a team like the Auburn team that missed out this year into the tournament, right? Where like, I think anybody who watched that team all year
00:02:29
Pat Q
knew that they probably should not have been NCAA tournament team. But obviously, like, Ken Palm, net rankings, those metrics really did like that team.
00:02:40
Pat Q
But I think it was pretty apparent that, like, i don't know, the discussion of leaving Miami, Ohio, for example, out for that Auburn team was pretty ridiculous.
00:02:51
Pat Q
You know, like, you're penalizing a team that literally lost one game um for...
00:02:57
Travis White
Yeah.
00:02:59
Pat Q
a slip up in their conference tournament where the other team has the backing and the reputation of a strong conference that let's say like precedes them or carries them. But like, I don't know, at some point I feel like it has to matter when we look at those numbers in the wins and losses column, you know? And like, obviously the NCAA is going to support this. It makes them more money,
Impact on Lower Conference Champions
00:03:23
Pat Q
right? Like that makes sense. Sponsors are going to like this because again,
00:03:28
Pat Q
more money, right? um But I think from a purely basketball perspective, I'm pretty against this idea of the expansion, and I'm a little disappointed that the NCAA actually did decide to go through with it.
00:03:36
Travis White
Mm-hmm.
00:03:41
Pat Q
um Like, we're... I think past the point where we're going to have watered down fields. Yes, we did see some really great games this year and some great upsets. You know, Santa Clara probably should have beaten Kentucky. High Point had that great win over Wisconsin.
00:04:00
Pat Q
I'm not denying that. But then you also look at like the flip side of the coin and the past two tournaments have been pretty chalky. um And I feel like with NIL, that gap is just growing and growing and growing. And now we're letting, let's face it, mediocre mid-conference teams into a tournament that they probably should not be playing in.
00:04:23
Travis White
Yeah, yeah, I think you hitting the NIL nail there is a very fair point with basketball. I think basketball, you are really seeing that divide in NIL rosters versus probably rosters that were made with a little less money.
00:04:38
Travis White
i don't think basketball really saw the same balance that football kind of saw. I feel like football kind of leveled for a little bit. That being said, this is definitely the first year that we know of like big like quote unquote super team money in college football. So we'll have to see if that remains. um But yeah,
Potential Benefits and Criticisms of Expansion
00:04:59
Travis White
i mean, that divides getting larger and larger. And my biggest concern with this is if we have like, let's say like an Ohio Valley conference champion, like you have a team that's just dominating the conference throughout the entire season. They are the shoe in for March. Like you expect them to win the conference tournament. They'll get in like 29 and three record.
00:05:20
Travis White
Well, then they lose. And they lose to the lowest possible seed in the conference tournament. conference That team then gets in.
00:05:29
Travis White
I don't want a conference champion to then be penalized and go, okay, well, we'll still get the really good team in, but then that conference champion, they're now in a play-in game.
00:05:39
Pat Q
playing in.
00:05:39
Travis White
It's like, well, they should be in the tournament.
00:05:39
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:05:43
Travis White
They should be full on, and they've already kind of like attempted that in the past with the 68, but now with the 76, this really is going to, I think, fast track a lot of those where you have a lower conference and upset.
00:05:49
Pat Q
For sure.
00:05:56
Travis White
The main team might still get in, but now you have a play in team or they're both plans.
00:05:59
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:06:00
Travis White
So I'm really concerned about that aspect of it. I mean, at least they went with a lower number ah because when they first started,
00:06:08
Pat Q
True. Could have been like 84. Yeah. Yeah.
00:06:11
Travis White
when they first yeah When they first started announcing this, it the number was as high as 128, just doubling the field. Or, yeah, 128 it was. ah Which, that would have been just a disaster. I'm glad they didn't go that route. But, yeah, I feel like this was, in a way, fast-tracked. They had soft-launched it for a few years, but then all of a sudden was like, all right, this is actually what we're going to think about doing, and then, oh, boom, it happened.
00:06:39
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:06:39
Travis White
um but I'm with you. I'm not in not in favor of this, um and I don't think that there's a way to
Spring Football: Winners and Losers
00:06:48
Travis White
go back. I think now that we've opened the box, i don't I don't think they can go lower again, so we'll just probably have to deal with this and just not enjoy it.
00:06:50
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:06:57
Pat Q
Yeah. yeah
00:06:58
Travis White
It's kind of a bummer, but i don't know. maybe Maybe we'll do it right, and they will only add in Power 4 teams. This will see some good teams from lower conferences not winning their tournaments still getting a chance.
00:07:13
Pat Q
yeah like a belmont this year maybe you know they would have made the field if it was 76 where they had a really good record um a pretty good metrics outlook um but if like you said they lost early in the mvc tournament um that kind of was the nail in their coffin right i mean like the drake team they lost to wasn't exactly super good but they weren't horrendous um So yes, maybe that opens the window for a team like that to get in. That's, we'll say, ah silver lining here.
00:07:45
Travis White
and adding the window for, you know, the teams that made the NIT Final Four, like Tulsa and New Mexico. While, sure, they're probably not really strong contenders to actually make the Final Four, but they would make some noise.
00:07:57
Travis White
They would get a couple wins in the tournament and probably one that would shake things up, at least one of those teams.
00:07:58
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:08:03
Travis White
So there is that potential aspect as well. I'm curious to see what happens with the NIT because this will now poach
00:08:14
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:08:15
Travis White
half of that field.
00:08:16
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:08:16
Travis White
um And the
00:08:18
Pat Q
And it was already not.
00:08:21
Pat Q
Oh, sorry. I was just going to say that NIT has already been on shaky ground for a few years at this point, to say the least. So i don't know.
00:08:29
Pat Q
I think it's always a fun tournament to watch. So hopefully it's not a death knell for it. um But thats that's a really good point, TJ.
00:08:29
Travis White
it has
00:08:39
Travis White
Yeah, and I mean, that third tournament that like bounces in and out every couple of years too, I think that's got to be fully in the ground at this point, unfortunately.
00:08:44
Pat Q
Mm
00:08:46
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:08:47
Travis White
um But nonetheless, we hope the NIT keeps going. Hopefully the 76 teams is not too much of a shakeup and wrong decision.
00:09:00
Travis White
Ultimately, it's more basketball, which I guess in March we can't be totally upset with.
00:09:06
Pat Q
Can't be too mad. Yeah.
00:09:07
Travis White
So, all right. enough of that. We're in spring time. We talked about it a little bit last week. Uh, I think now everyone is finishing up or last spring games are this weekend for, uh, football.
00:09:17
Pat Q
Mm-hmm.
00:09:23
Travis White
Um, I think it's easy to now kind of look at who won our spring and who lost our spring. we'll go two winners, one loser. Uh, I'll start it off with my, uh, yeah, I'll start negative and get positive from there. Um,
00:09:39
Travis White
I'm going with Clemson. I think Clemson is my loser for this spring. Obviously going in, we knew that the talent wasn't going to be what we're used to with that Clemson team. And they've already been slowly declining in the NIL era in the last couple of years.
00:09:55
Travis White
um They attempt it to really start the recruiting and diving into the transfer portal. I just don't really think that Dabo understands it. And I don't really know if he cares to understand it. I've,
00:10:08
Travis White
would be shocked if he kind of hangs it up at least at Clemson in the next couple of years. Um, that fan base is getting very vocal about getting back to where they were the late 20, uh, tens.
00:10:21
Travis White
I just don't see it happening the way that they're constructing their rosters. I think offensively they are going to really lack, um, defensively they should still be able to play some ball.
00:10:27
Pat Q
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:32
Travis White
Uh, they'll keep games closer than maybe they, could deserve to be but i mean quarterback play is going to be a huge question mark he's going to really need to step up this season and think Dabo's really just got the face of music of times have changed you got to spend the money and you got to like you got to play the game like got to play the game within the game And he hates it. He's been very vocal about it.
00:10:59
Travis White
And I feel like he's more focused on taking shots at other schools, actually doing the and and NIL system in the transfer portal than actually working on Clemson during this era.
00:11:05
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:11:12
Travis White
So I think Clemson is kind of our on and off the field loser for this season and, or for the spring session. So we'll see what they
Spring Football Analysis and Expectations
00:11:21
Travis White
can do in the fall. But I, if I'm a Clemson Tiger fan, which I am not,
00:11:27
Travis White
I'd be concerned. Anyway, positive note now, as I kind of said all that negative stuff with a smile, I like the Florida Gators. think the Florida Gators will have a better than expected season.
00:11:37
Pat Q
Thanks.
00:11:40
Travis White
I think their fan base is still kind of, what's the word? Kind of like having lower expectations still. I mean, it's year one. They have a very tough schedule.
00:11:51
Travis White
but I think John Summerall is going to do a great job over there. I mean, we see what he did at Tulane. We see what he did at Troy. guy's kind of a winner, and he's a quick builder. I think that Florida's going to get a couple wins that maybe they shouldn't on paper.
00:12:06
Travis White
um i still think that you're looking at probably an 8-9 win year, and that's, if I'm a Florida fan, I think that's a great great year based on how the past few have gone um and just kind of what you had going into the spring.
00:12:15
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:12:21
Travis White
um my second team if yeah pat it's got it's got to be lsu um i really don't know how it can't be i mean we had uh what was it a little bit of drama with in the wide receiver room during spring ball but i just
00:12:29
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:12:46
Travis White
I mean, it's the exact opposite of what Clemson has. I mean, LSU is playing the game. They're doing what they need to in this era. And obviously, definitely at times, it's not pretty. I mean, Lane Kiffin had a second smuggling out of a city.
00:13:01
Travis White
he I mean, but LSU is like, he's our guy. We're going to pay the roster. They're paying the roster and then some from what they initially said they were going to do.
00:13:10
Pat Q
Seriously.
00:13:11
Travis White
um i just don't think you can deny what LSU is trying to get out of the season and what they're building to from last year. i think that they are definitely a spring winner. um And then we'll just to see if they can fully do that this fall, like they kind of expected it to last year.
00:13:31
Pat Q
Yeah. I'll follow your lead and start with my spring loser. um And then we'll say ended on a more positive note with my two winners. So my loser is actually going to be, you know, the more I thought about it in this week, since our last podcast, um a team we talked about last week and a situation we talked about last week.
00:13:56
Pat Q
ah So if you listened, you probably know where I'm going with this. I am picking Texas tech as my spring loser. I'm not saying that I think, the red Raiders are going to have a bad season this year. Um, like I said, last week, I still think that this team could surpass expectations and potentially get back to the big 12 title game, potentially get back to the CFP. Um, if things click in that quarterback room, but that's looking like a real big if right now, you know, I think it's pretty safe to assume that Brennan Soresby is not going to suit up for Texas tech this year. Um, but,
00:14:37
Pat Q
because of his off the field issues. And now, kind of like we said last week, it becomes a question of okay, well, do you trust a kid who's coming off a torn ACL?
00:14:50
Pat Q
Or do you trust a kid who's transferring from Tulsa and had a decent year but was probably projected to be your third-string quarterback before all of this happens?
00:15:00
Pat Q
um
00:15:01
Travis White
you
00:15:01
Pat Q
So I think just because of the way expectations have probably had to be adjusted a little bit in Lubbock, they're going to be my loser for the spring. ah But again, this could very well wind up being – maybe they don't get back to the CFP, but a top 15 football team come January. You know, like I'm not saying it's a lost season and they're going go like six and six or something like that. i think that would be a little foolish. um They still have a pretty solid defense despite losing some bigger pieces. Um,
00:15:37
Pat Q
and they've done a better job trying to get some offensive weapons to not have the same thing that took place against Oregon happen again if they did get back to the CFP.
00:15:50
Pat Q
But still, it's a big hit when you get a huge name out of the portal to be your starting quarterback, and then before they can even take a snap in the spring game for you, you're hit with this news that they probably won't play for you at all.
00:16:07
Pat Q
Um, so just because of that situation, I'm going with Texas tech there. And then for my two winners, um, I'll start kind of like you did with one with, let's say like slightly lower expectations.
00:16:22
Pat Q
Um, and I'll say Tennessee. So we're going with rivals here. You know, you picked Florida, I picked Tennessee.
00:16:25
Travis White
Yeah.
00:16:27
Pat Q
Um, Obviously, there's a little bit of a sour note um in the, let's say, taste or the mouth of Vols fans following last season. They did sort of feel like they should have gotten back to the CFP. um But then again, they also lost their starting quarterback,
00:16:48
Pat Q
in spring season and had to scramble to find a replacement from App State. I mean, the kid played really, really well, but it was sort of a cobbled together effort, pieced together offense. um Now, I'm not saying I think Tennessee is going to make the CFP next year, but I do think that they can overachieve.
00:17:09
Pat Q
I think people are sleeping on them a little bit. I think it's been proven to this point, like, yes, in the bigger games, he makes some questionable decisions, but Josh Heupel is a winner.
00:17:20
Pat Q
Um, he knows how to win games.
00:17:21
Travis White
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:17:22
Pat Q
He knows how to recruit. Uh, and those are two huge things for building a sustainable program in this era with NIL. Uh, so i do think Tennessee is going to be good this year.
00:17:34
Pat Q
um I'll have a chance to see them in person when they come to Williams-Price Stadium. So that should be fun. Hopefully they don't surpass expectations in that game.
00:17:46
Pat Q
But um I do think that they are going to be probably, I'd say like a nine fringy 10 win team this season.
00:17:46
Travis White
surface
00:17:54
Pat Q
And I mean, I really feel like they could be Alabama this year. You know, like Alabama is kind of a question mark for me. We're not really sure.
00:18:03
Travis White
Nice.
00:18:06
Pat Q
how good they're going to be. um i think that a lot of the SEC falls into that category. And because of that, I think for the same logic you're trusting in Florida, that's why I'm trusting in Tennessee to come out of this spring session a winner and sort of carry that momentum into Labor Day weekend.
00:18:27
Pat Q
And then my second team is going to be Notre Dame, which is a little bit of a shocker, probably, to the casual football fan because they just lost both of their key running backs, Jadarian Price and Jeremiah Love, to the NFL draft. But this roster is really, really deep, particularly at skilled positions.
00:18:49
Pat Q
It's another fast, talented defense. that Marcus Freeman has put together and all indications out of spring practices and especially out of, um, kind of like the spring games, spring competitions, let's say, or like more serious practices, uh, are that CJ Carr has taken a big step forward during the off season.
00:19:09
Pat Q
And I feel like that's huge for Notre Dame because if you look at the games that they lost last year, Not so much Texas A&M. He played pretty well in that game. But Miami, that was a rough first half that CJ Carr had.
00:19:23
Pat Q
And think maybe he doesn't have those jitters.
00:19:24
Travis White
Mm-hmm.
00:19:28
Pat Q
Obviously, he was his first start ever and things like that. But he plays a little bit better in that game. Notre Dame wins. Who knows? Maybe it's them competing against Indiana for the national championship in January instead of that Miami team. um Obviously, a big hypothetical there. But...
00:19:47
Pat Q
My point is, i think that this team is still extremely talented. And if CJ Carr can take that step, then I think they're definitely legitimate top three to five team in the country this year.
00:20:01
Pat Q
think LSU is probably our clear-cut number one talent-wise. But I think Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Texas are not too far behind.
00:20:12
Travis White
Where do you have Indiana and all that?
00:20:15
Pat Q
I'd say Indiana is like, right below them in terms of i'd say talent right or expectation um but like we talked about gosh it might have been two weeks ago um or two episodes ago i do think you have to rank indiana number one in the initial poll just to give them that respect as the reigning national champion you know um
00:20:35
Travis White
Sure.
00:20:42
Pat Q
Everybody knows preseason polls don't really matter anyways. So give them their flowers, acknowledge the amazing season they had. um But as we kind of mentioned, for me, like Josh Hoover is a question mark. i don't I don't think he's going to derail everything that SIG's built, but is he going to be as consistent as Fernando Mendoza?
00:21:03
Pat Q
That's kind of my hang up there.
00:21:06
Travis White
Do you think they still slot in at like a four seed for like the first round by or are they at home?
00:21:13
Pat Q
I think they would... i think they'd be playing at home. I think Ohio State's going to probably be my favorite to win the Big Ten this year.
00:21:18
Travis White
Okay.
00:21:24
Pat Q
um
00:21:24
Travis White
Okay.
00:21:25
Pat Q
And I think...
00:21:25
Travis White
I mean, three points off of the last year.
00:21:27
Pat Q
Yeah, seriously. And I think... God, I hate saying this because I feel like I say this every offseason slash early start of the year.
00:21:38
Pat Q
i don't know. I just feel like this Oregon team might... finally do something, you know? um
00:21:44
Pat Q
i mean, granted, they won the Big Ten their first year, but then they laid an egg in the CFP. And then last year, they finally get over that hump, win two CFP games just to get blown out by Indiana. So, like, ah who knows what's going to happen with Oregon, but that's an immensely talented football team from a purely roster standpoint. So I think Indiana is going have some fierce competition for the Big Ten crown.
00:21:44
Travis White
Okay.
00:22:11
Travis White
okay That's all we have for football right now. um Obviously, we'll get into it a little bit more as we get into the summer and finally closer to season, but that's our spring football takes for 2026.
Baseball Season Predictions
00:22:25
Travis White
We'll now hop over to baseball and we'll actually finish up with some predictions for the first time in a few weeks.
00:22:31
Travis White
um Last week we talked about how Florida State is kind of getting up there towards the top of really clinching the regular season. And this past weekend was pretty good for them. Obviously, Florida State winning their series and UCF in a key series against Arizona State.
00:22:48
Travis White
They dropped two out of three, needed to win the rubber match on Sunday, could not do so. So the Seminoles and Knights are really the only two teams that have a chance.
00:22:59
Travis White
Oregon State looking very good just by our conference standards. Like with the ranking of teams, they need to be in a conference. It really pulls them back. But the Beavers are having a great season, I must say.
00:23:09
Pat Q
They are.
00:23:09
Travis White
I think they're really like destined for a nice postseason run.
00:23:09
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:23:15
Travis White
Um, but nonetheless, we'll focus on the Seminoles and Knights right here. Seminoles at Clemson this weekend, UCF at Baylor, um, Baylor and Clemson, Clemson, especially definitely a little bit down for baseball this season than what you've come to expect with them. Baylor, not as much of a baseball program. They do okay in the big 12. Um,
00:23:41
Travis White
I think UCF, this is a must-win series. I hate for them that it is on the road. um I like Baylor two out of three there. I think Baylor is going to get upset.
00:23:50
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:23:51
Travis White
i UCF, this team, when they're playing really good ball, they're playing a really good ball. And unfortunately for them, this past weekend, they needed to play excellent ball.
00:24:03
Travis White
And they just didn't show up. And we've seen that in other parts of the season where they all of a sudden have like a span of I don't know, five, six games where all of a sudden you're like, what? are Why can't we put this together?
00:24:17
Travis White
And they followed up with the series loss on the weekend with a midweek loss to Florida Atlantic. So I don't like where the Knights are playing right now. I think that they're just going to get through the regular season and then try to get things back on track for the conference tournament.
00:24:32
Pat Q
It's fair.
00:24:32
Travis White
Still toward the top of that conference, but – it was key for Arizona state getting that to kind of run away from the big 12 and obviously UCF losing their position in the pack. South Florida state.
00:24:46
Travis White
I think they're playing really good ball. Um, obviously it helps that this Clemson teams a little bit further down, uh, Florida state, I think with a sweep this weekend would statistically clinch the pack South regular season title. And, um,
00:25:03
Travis White
I think they are going to do that. I think Florida State's in really good form right now.
00:25:04
Pat Q
Oh, wow. Okay.
00:25:06
Travis White
I think they get a sweep on the road. um This is kind of a key sweep for them with ACC play keeping around Georgia Tech. And also next weekend and they have the Miami series. So they need to probably get the wins this weekend because next weekend will be a fiery end of the season series for the Seminoles. So I like Florida State to sweep, get a but bigger gap, burger gap.
00:25:33
Travis White
And Baylor taking two out of three in Waco from UCF. how How do we feel about the top of the conference teams, Pat?
00:25:42
Pat Q
You know, i share your ideas on Florida State that they're in really good form right now, that Clemson is not in the position we've sort of come to expect from Clemson baseball over the last decade or so, um especially the last half decade.
00:26:01
Pat Q
ah I don't know. I just feel like it's really, really hard to sweep an opponent on the road – in a major conference like the ACC.
00:26:14
Pat Q
So I'm going to go two out of three, a little bit more conservative for the Seminoles.
00:26:17
Travis White
Okay. Oh.
00:26:19
Pat Q
And I'm actually going to go against your pick with UCF. I'm taking UCF to take two out of three there. I don't, like I just said, I don't think they're going to pick up a road sweep, um but I feel like I don't know. This can go one of two ways, you know, like that mid week loss that you kind of mentioned to FAU can either be a wake up call for this team to kind of have them sort of get it back together, get to playing solid, consistent baseball headed to the big 12 tournament, or the wheels could just totally come off the bus.
00:26:58
Pat Q
Um, I think that they use that as kind of a motivator, a learning moment, grow from it and take two out of three from the bears in Waco.
00:27:09
Travis White
if they do go the bad route, how much work do they need to do in that conference tournament to make sure that they're in the regionals?
00:27:18
Pat Q
I would say if if it goes South, like if they lose this series and then the following series next weekend, um, feel like you would probably have to at least make the quarterfinal, maybe a semifinal.
00:27:34
Pat Q
I don't know. What do you think, TJ? Yeah.
00:27:37
Travis White
Yeah, I mean, I think UCF, you're you're probably looking at a semifinal appearance to kind of slot in as a three or a four in a regional somewhere. um And as good of a season as they've had at times, it would be very disappointing.
00:27:53
Travis White
And to be honest, if it does go south where I could kind of see them falling in would be that Tallahassee regional, which would just be brutal for really really all parties.
00:28:00
Pat Q
That'd be tough.
00:28:06
Travis White
so should be interesting to see um so that concludes our top of the conference now we go over to our wooden spoon race and we have some usual suspects over here um washington being the only kind of exception they usually play pretty decent ball uh in all the other sports baseball not so much they were on the road at penn state this weekend St. Louis, obviously, great men's basketball team. Women's basketball finished bottom of the conference for us.
00:28:37
Travis White
They are currently at the very bottom. They have Fordham this weekend. That game is, or series, is also on the road. And you've come to expect them. Charlotte is down here at the bottom as well. They are on the road at UAB. b so My question is, who's going to at least stay away from the wooden spoon? St. Louis is five points down from both Charlotte and Washington. They are sitting at 38 points.
00:29:07
Travis White
i don't With the caliber of these teams, I don't really like any of these series. I think really Charlotte has the most winnable series going down to UAB.
00:29:15
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:29:18
Travis White
Washington going across the country, and they have some pretty brutal first pitch times for the West Coast team going east.
00:29:24
Pat Q
They do.
00:29:27
Travis White
And, I mean, Penn State, not a historically great baseball program. However, watching this Washington team play for the last few years, there's not a lot going on. It's more of the same this season again. Yeah.
00:29:42
Travis White
and St. Louis pulling Fordham. Fordham just below.500, but they've had some pretty good series. Two weeks ago, they had a sweep over George Mason or Washington.
00:29:53
Travis White
Now i'm getting confused right now.
00:29:54
Pat Q
A George.
00:29:55
Travis White
I think George Mason. George Mason. um So, I mean, the Rams have played pretty good ball. I think this is the worst-case scenario for St. Louis in this weekend compared to these teams. I like a Fordham sweep.
00:30:10
Travis White
I also like a Penn State sweep over Washington. So I'm really not being favorable to a lot of the teams in our conference. I mentioned before, I like Charlotte.
00:30:23
Travis White
That matchup at UAB the most, I still think the Blazers take two out of three. I think that we'll have something to play for on Sunday. i just don't think Charlotte's going to have enough firepower to get a series win. So They're going to get a little bit of relief from the bottom, but it's still going to be pretty close going into the final week of the season next week.
00:30:48
Travis White
How are you feeling there?
00:30:51
Pat Q
I have similar thoughts. I do agree that Penn State is probably going sweep Washington. um That Washington team has looked pretty pretty lifeless that since Big Ten play started. and As you mentioned, going east and getting some early morning starts on West Coast time is not exactly the remedy for Bad baseball.
00:31:17
Pat Q
So I don't think they're going to turn it around in State College.
00:31:18
Travis White
Yeah.
00:31:21
Pat Q
um
00:31:23
Travis White
I mean, they're getting the bad travel ball team first pitch treatment.
00:31:26
Pat Q
Yeah, seriously.
00:31:27
Travis White
Kind of what they're getting from the Big Ten.
00:31:29
Pat Q
The old 8U special after you lost 13-0 the night before. oh But I do think i don't know. I think St. Louis will take one off of Fordham.
00:31:47
Pat Q
Um, I feel like it'll probably be the Sunday game.
00:31:49
Travis White
Thank you.
00:31:52
Pat Q
Um, just because Fordham might be in a position where, you know, like they're probably not making the NCAA tournament either. Um, you're going against probably their weakest starter.
00:32:06
Pat Q
It's a gap or it's an opportunity to win if you're St. Louis. So I'll go with St. Louis one out of three. And I will also agree with your idea that Charlotte only takes one out of three off UAB, who also isn't great. But Charlotte has not exactly been lightened up in American play this year.
00:32:29
Travis White
No, they, i was kind of hopeful. They had some glimpses early on. And I guess also maybe I was getting mildly optimistic was how some of their basketball, especially on the women's side was going.
00:32:34
Pat Q
It did, yeah.
00:32:41
Travis White
i was like, Oh, maybe Charlotte, we can translate this in the spring. ah not really, not really. And unfortunately for them, football season is getting very close for the 49ers. So yeah,
00:32:55
Travis White
need something to happen here soon for baseball. Hopefully they can get a few wins, little conference tournament buzz and go into next year with a little bit of momentum.
00:33:02
Pat Q
as
00:33:03
Travis White
So there you have it. There is our PAC South kind of predictions. We will, uh, probably be officially crowning Florida state next week. If they haven't mathematically really done that themselves anyway.
00:33:16
Travis White
um And then we'll really start getting the conference tournament, see how all of our PAC South members might fare in their actual, ah actual conference tournaments.
00:33:28
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:33:28
Travis White
But that will be actually in two weeks, we will take the week off. So we'll have a little bit of a gap actually now that I'm remembering our schedule. ah You're welcome for dropping that at the end of this episode.
00:33:44
Pat Q
yeah
00:33:44
Travis White
um for Pat, I'm TJ. We'll see you in two weeks, apparently.