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00:00:01
And Then There Were Two.
17 Plays4 months ago
The last PAC-South Podcast of the College Football Season. But FEAR NOT, TJ and Pat and continuing through the College Basketball Season AND College Baseball with the College World Series!
But the Playoff is sure to get a great send off, Miami, completing the Cinderella Run at home or Indiana winning their first Championship in history in what has been a record-breaking season! TJ and Pat also discuss our top Portal performing programs so far AND introduce the standings for the PAC-South Basketball Conference for the men's and women's seasons up to this point.
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Transcript
Impact of NIL Era on College Football
00:00:01
Travis White
Hey everyone, welcome back to the PAC South podcast. And just like that, we are down to the final two teams of the college football season. um Wow, this this has been another great season. n NIL era, I think continues to create this insane level of parody that only the year 2007 was able to create.
00:00:22
Travis White
um Pat, how are we feeling Miami and Indiana are final two teams?
00:00:26
Pat Q
Yeah, I think, um, I think this is a great matchup. ah Indiana kind of has turned itself into a juggernaut this year. i think a lot of people, myself included, thought that Oregon had a decent shot at maybe knocking them off. And I now feel very foolish for picking the Ducks to beat the Hoosiers. Last week, Indiana just looked like an absolute team on a mission, totally cohesive. And you can tell that You know, Kurt Cignetti's backing up his quote from before he was hired.
00:01:00
Pat Q
You know, look me up. I win. He's proven that very, very true in his short time in Bloomington.
00:01:07
Travis White
Yeah, no, 100%. And on the on the flip side of things, this has been a great, definitely like second half of the season for Miami. They had some like faltering there in the middle, but great second half of the season.
00:01:19
Travis White
The committee does show them love and put them into the playoff. And everyone's kind of like, oh, this is not right. um Notre Dame should be here. Alabama should not.
00:01:30
Travis White
Miami should not. There was lots of conversation about that this season.
00:01:33
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:01:34
Travis White
More than probably others. Last season, we had a lot of conversation about 9-3 SEC teams. But this was all teams that had over 10 wins. So by last year's metrics, all deserving. But...
00:01:47
Travis White
you know Still a conversation starter, but they get into the playoff and they did what they needed
Path to the National Title Game: Miami vs. Indiana
00:01:51
Travis White
it to do. They go to College Station. They get a win. um They get another upset win in the quarterfinals. And now they they're here in the finals after they a a great semifinal victory. So Miami's a great story. Kind of a David and Goliath for a national title in a sense.
00:02:09
Travis White
um First time we've seen this since TCU and Georgia.
00:02:17
Travis White
Yeah, we we know what happened there. Do we think that there's a repeat of that? This is like two two differently like sized teams.
00:02:25
Pat Q
I'm going to say no. I think Miami will keep it competitive. They've been playing, like you said, a lot cleaner, a lot better football um since their two stumbles, I guess you could say, that I think most ACC fans didn't even see coming. Yeah.
00:02:43
Pat Q
And I think this is a Miami team that just like Indiana is highly motivated to prove that they belong on this stage. They belong in this national championship. Um, granted it's not going to be a home crowd ticket wise because of the way that NCAA runs it, but it is in Miami, right? Um, it's not the old orange bowl in terms of home field advantage, but at least they're playing at home and a familiar place. They don't have to go through travel and things like that. Um,
00:03:12
Pat Q
So I think it'll be a really good game. I think it's going to be an interesting one. I know we're holding off on score predictions for a little bit, but I do think it's going to be competitive.
00:03:22
Travis White
Yeah, no, it's. we'll We'll get into um a little bit more specifics, obviously, later. But, yeah, I think this is not going to be a TCU Georgia, but it is kind of the same vibe going into it.
00:03:34
Travis White
We just are kind of a little wary, I guess, here on the podcast because of what happened in that game. Somehow that national title game is the largest margin of a defeat for a bowl game in history.
00:03:48
Travis White
So pretty significant stuff there from the Georgia TCU game and then mirroring here.
00:03:49
Pat Q
Uh-huh.
Recruiting Strategies: LSU and Texas Tech's Success
00:03:53
Travis White
We're going to go on now to our portal performers. We're both going to list off two of what we think are top performing teams. And I feel like I have to start off with the most talked about team lately, and that's LSU. LSU has really been making their splashes now. They're getting their playmakers.
00:04:14
Travis White
Probably behind the scenes pulling the strings with the Damond Williams situation from Washington.
00:04:19
Pat Q
Mm-hmm.
00:04:20
Travis White
Yeah. but nonetheless they have stayed out of that as a confirmed party. But they get their quarterback in Sam Levitt. He does officially commit a couple of days ago ah to the Tigers. They have backups in place for him as well.
00:04:36
Travis White
The guy guy out of App State and the kid from Southern Cal as well. So, i mean, they have a pretty good quarterback room now and they're continuing to load up on options. Lane Kiffin has,
00:04:48
Travis White
put himself a pretty nice staff together on short notice and with the weird Ole Miss on rental situation. So, I mean, given what he has and what he has had through this process, I think Lane Kiffin LSU has done a very good job in the portal and using the resources that LSU committed to ah Lane and part of the reason that he's in Baton Rouge. My other team is going to be Texas
Team Enhancements at Oregon and South Carolina
00:05:14
Travis White
Tech. Obviously,
00:05:15
Travis White
Texas Tech has been talked about through this entire n NIL era was just how much money they are pouring into the program. And, you know, they're getting their dividends immediately. First big 12 championship in school history. Now, you can be a Texas, an a whoever fan, and say, well, you had to wait for us to leave to win it.
00:05:36
Travis White
I don't know if that would have played a part. I think Texas Tech still would have been on top of the conference this season. I mean, had they played either of those two teams, I – Not saying they would win every matchup, but I think they would be favored in the matchup.
00:05:49
Pat Q
Yeah. Baron Morton.
00:05:49
Travis White
So Red Raiders are doing a great job. They basically doubled down on, what's his name, Blake Morton? Not Blake Morton, Barry Morton. As a quarterback, and one got Brendan Sorsby, proven guy out of Cincinnati.
00:06:06
Travis White
really plays a almost identical style of football to Morton. So that offense is going to transition from one to the other, I think very smoothly. They're continuing to get weapons on that defense, just continuing to keep that identity that the Red Raiders have ah following in Jacob Rodriguez and, uh,
00:06:24
Travis White
I forget the D lineman's name in classic TJ fashion, but really continuing the Red Raider tradition of these past couple seasons in building the same defense, the same offense. So I really like Texas Tech and LSU this cycle.
00:06:39
Pat Q
Yeah, I'm going to go um one team, I guess, that's kind of keeping continuity, preventing a lot of, we'll say, like so star guys from leaving in Oregon. They made that great run this year, proved to a certain extent that Dan Lanning can win against...
00:06:57
Pat Q
we'll say top opponents and in big games, right? Obviously the Indiana loss kind of dampened that a little bit. But getting Dylan Raiola out of the portal was a huge get for them, securing the quarterback position.
00:07:03
Travis White
you
00:07:09
Pat Q
It kind of seems like that's the Oregon formula to success is just pay a lot of money for guys who are kind of fully developed already to come in, play quarterback for you.
00:07:19
Pat Q
But I mean, you can't argue with the results. This their second CFP in a row. Um, if Michael Penix didn't exist, uh, who knows, maybe they would have really ran the PAC 12 in its last official year.
00:07:34
Travis White
Yeah.
00:07:35
Pat Q
Um, things like that. You've had good quarterback play the past few years, right? And you're securing that they get, um, a big safety transfer out of Minnesota. um I believe he was the number one safety in the portal. So you're seeing Oregon sort of shoring up some areas that could have been potential concerns for them moving forward. I'd like to see them, um, sure up running back a little bit. So we don't have a scenario like happens against Indiana where you've got two defensive guys in the middle of the week, switching over and playing running back. Um,
00:08:12
Pat Q
I saw a video out there of somebody breaking down tape in that game where one of the substitute, I guess you could call them, or emergency running backs, whenever it was a pass play, he wouldn't put in his mouth guard.
00:08:20
Travis White
Yeah.
00:08:24
Pat Q
So Indiana, obviously, I'm sure, cued on that. And that helped a little bit in their defensive domination. But I like what Oregon's done. And then from a different perspective, I like that South Carolina has totally sort of revamped their offensive line under Kendall Bryles. We know how much of a struggle it was for them.
00:08:44
Pat Q
This past season, to protect Lenora Sellers, to really establish any type of consistent run game. So hopefully for Shane Beamer and company, this means change is coming in that regard. um Obviously going out and getting Jabri Coleman from Penn State. um That's a... Not Penn State.
00:09:06
Pat Q
Yeah, Penn State, Jeffrey Coleman. Yeah. That shures out the running back position a little bit. Getting the top offensive tackle, not interior offensive lineman.
00:09:15
Travis White
Yes.
00:09:15
Pat Q
And Jacarius Peake from NC State, that was a huge get as well. And then getting some other, we'll say bigger transfers, right? Sam Dixon coming from Ohio State. That's who I was.
00:09:27
Pat Q
At running back, you've got... um
00:09:32
Pat Q
Turbo coming in to sort of sure up the wide receiver position a little bit, give some exclusive nitro, whatever.
00:09:36
Travis White
Nitro. Nitro. The other thing in the car.
00:09:39
Pat Q
ra hold them yeah
00:09:43
Travis White
but
00:09:46
Pat Q
But regardless, shoring up wide receiver, giving some options besides Nick Harbor for Lenores to throw it to. um I just like what Carolina has been able to do in establishing depth and replacing, obviously, a lot of guys who left in the transfer port portal on that offensive line.
00:10:08
Pat Q
Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing remains TBD, but I like the progress that they've made.
00:10:15
Travis White
One note I'll make on South Carolina before we move into our next little category. South Carolina really putting a large emphasis on offense, obviously with keeping Lenore Sellers. That was probably the selling point was they needed to.
00:10:27
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:10:28
Travis White
build around him and I would say that they have in this portal but you had a few guys late declare for the draft on defense those are holes that need to be fixed South Carolina currently quiet in those categories so it should be interesting to see how they finish the portal process with this offense they're building and the defense that now has a couple question marks Moving to our next category, though, if you watched, listened, or both last week, we finally debuted what we've been working on in the background, and that's the PAC South
New PAC South Conference System and Duke's Championship
00:10:59
Travis White
Conference. So if you did not listen last week, um we have some temporary members and we have some permanent members, but every season we have anywhere from 10 to 14 football members and
00:11:10
Travis White
Additionally, two to four basketball and baseball members. We announced our twenty twenty five twenty six college football, college football champion, PAX South champion, Duke. um Duke had a great season. They really led the way in points.
00:11:25
Travis White
um that's right i said points is a points-based system for how you get it because these teams don't have head-to-head matchups and it's a kind of way to balance out our power four games our group of six five and a half games so we're now moving into basketball season as if we had all the the shine on the duke blue devils last week we'll talk about kind of our mid-season performers We'll start in women's basketball for the Pac-South Conference.
00:11:54
Travis White
All the teams are the exact same that were in football that we listed last week, except Providence and St. Louis are both permanent members of the Pac-South Conference as well.
00:12:04
Travis White
So as we're looking to the women's basketball standings,
00:12:08
Pat Q
Thank you.
00:12:09
Travis White
team we just mentioned in St. Louis, they are down there toward the bottom with 21 points, not lassoed as Florida State, Florida State shockingly having a bad season ah at women's basketball, obviously South Carolina portals, the number one guard in the country top score from Florida State.
00:12:28
Travis White
Very obvious that that was the key part for the Seminoles. They were not able to answer that ah that question mark. Speaking of South Carolina, number one currently in the standings, they have 122 points. Those points can fluctuate up and down depending on where teams fall in the quads.
00:12:49
Travis White
um South Carolina followed by Iowa State at 73 points and Duke at 70. So there's a pretty large gap currently between first and second. South Carolina and Iowa State, both teams that we are picking later on.
00:13:02
Travis White
Going over to men's basketball, I don't think that there's much surprise in men's basketball. Central Michigan, currently one of the worst programs in the country, and it shows in our standings. They are currently bottom with six points only when you have Duke at the top with 137 points.
00:13:12
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:13:19
Travis White
Not far behind, though, Iowa State. Iowa State having good men's and women's basketball this year, 119 points for them. Then UCF, a fringe top 25 team right now, in third place at 82.
00:13:32
Travis White
something of note, which we may talk about more in depth just on its own. So Florida State women, they were down there at the bottom of our PAC South standings. Florida State men, second to bottom, what's going on in Tallahassee? Those are two basketball teams.
00:13:51
Travis White
They're usually really good in the men and women, both not getting it done. What what have you seen Tallahassee?
00:13:57
Pat Q
I think ah Florida State's kind of, i guess, struggled a little bit identity-wise for a few years in basketball. The end of the Leonard Hamilton era wasn't great. and They fell off pretty sharply from, like you said, a perennial tournament team, a team that made some sweet 16s and lead eight runs.
00:14:16
Pat Q
um to a team that now struggles for, you know, like, I'll say like a solid identity. um
00:14:27
Pat Q
They did play Duke close a few weeks ago. However... close doesn't really count when we're looking at our points tally and they wound up losing to Syracuse yesterday night. And this is not a great Syracuse team. So don't know. FSU is definitely floundering a little bit on the men's side.
00:14:51
Pat Q
They've got a fairly young coach. I want to say he's in his mid thirties who is an alumni. So hopefully he can turn things around, get them trending in the right direction, but it's ah it's not looking great for FSU hoops right now.
00:15:06
Travis White
Would we say that this is a direct effect from Florida being a now top team in college basketball again, now that they've rebuilt, winning the national title last season. You have a UCF program in the Big 12 now that is kind of starting to live up to Big 12 basketball standards. I mean, it's kind of you do or you don't, you're either going to get left behind. and I mean, UCF has some good wins. They've played, I think, or this upcoming week, they've played the number one and number two team in the country. So we will know exactly what UCF is after this week. Obviously, other programs like South Florida trying to build themselves up to a power conference. is this
00:15:43
Travis White
Is this a cause from Florida State or is this just poor coaching?
00:15:47
Pat Q
I think really the issue was that Leonard Hamilton was such a legend at FSU. It was kind of hard for them to fire him or push him out the door. You know, um he did establish really strong patterns for success. He was consistent with making the tournament. um They weren't really that bad last year. Yeah.
00:16:09
Pat Q
They were kind of like a fringe, very outside chance bubble team, but there were some conversations around Florida State last year. But I don't know. It's it's just a tough position. and feel like almost, in a way, like,
00:16:29
Pat Q
They just haven't recovered since the COVID season, if that makes sense. like They were a pretty good team that year. They were on track to make the tournament the following season, 2021.
00:16:40
Pat Q
They do make the tournament. However, they haven't made it since the 2021 tournament. um I don't know. I feel like they almost just got complacent, got stuck a little bit. And like you said, there are some more complaints.
00:16:53
Pat Q
teams vying for prospects or recruits in the state of Florida. Now it's not just UF and FSU UCF spin on sort of the come up since the taco fall era slid back a little bit, but now seems to be riding the ship.
00:17:07
Travis White
Yeah.
00:17:07
Pat Q
USF had some really good years,
00:17:07
Travis White
Yeah.
00:17:11
Pat Q
Unfortunately, their coach passed away, and that kind of like threw them into a period of, I guess, confusion. But again, they're a pretty solid team this year. so I think competing against all those other guys, f ah f FAU, now that they're in the American, coming off a Final Four run, I think FSU definitely has to consider spending some more resources on men's basketball. Because as a whole, their athletic department is really just floundering right now, outside of baseball.
00:17:41
Travis White
Yeah, I mean, obviously, yeah, baseball has been kind of that anchor for Florida State, which is funny, historically speaking, yes, baseball has been very good, but usually they can still fall back onto a very good football team and or a very good basketball team. And right now it is only spring sports that is keeping the Seminoles afloat. So very interesting there. One final parting question for you.
00:18:02
Travis White
Our five, six and seven teams, we have New Mexico, St. Louis and Notre Dame. of those teams who do you think can get into the top three in the conference
00:18:14
Pat Q
I would say St. Louis, because I know we do put a pretty heavyweight on there for being, I believe for basketball, we might do it a little differently, but like being regular season champ for your conference and then obviously like winning your conference tournament, potentially earning a bid, stuff like that.
00:18:27
Travis White
yes right
00:18:32
Pat Q
um And I think St. Louis is in a really, really good position to do that. The A-10 is strong this year. um Dayton is a good team despite some losses. VCU.
00:18:43
Travis White
ah We mentioned them a few weeks ago, we were like, where's Dayton?
00:18:43
Pat Q
Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:47
Travis White
dayton Dayton's shown back up.
00:18:48
Pat Q
yeah Yeah.
00:18:48
Travis White
They're back again.
00:18:49
Pat Q
I mean, VCU is a really strong team. um They lost the other day, but still had good results. George Mason is kind of like the surprise of the year. and They're having a fantastic season right now. I believe they're still 13 one. Yeah.
00:19:06
Pat Q
So they're vying right there with St. Louis for the top of the A-10, but I think St. Louis has the best shot out of those teams. You know, the Mountain West is really deep this year. New Mexico is certainly near the top, but Utah State just looks like an absolute juggernaut.
00:19:21
Pat Q
um And San Diego State is always a really solid program. So I feel like it'll be tough for New Mexico to win the Mountain West. um And Notre Dame has shown flashes, and then they just kind of lose games and lose to teams that it really shouldn't, like Purdue-Fort Worth.
00:19:39
Travis White
Yeah. Yeah, very true. You mentioned Utah State, so I have to bring this up. This was a crazy, funny, like not scandal, but like kind of like thing that happened. Boise State offered essentially free attendance to any student anywhere in the country to like if you had a valence to an ID, you could get into the basketball game for free. That game was Boise State versus Utah State.
00:20:01
Travis White
Utah State was like three hour, four hour drive from Logan.
00:20:04
Pat Q
No.
00:20:05
Travis White
Yeah, we'll go. So Boise State tried to scramble to like change the policy to only Idaho students, only Idaho IDs. Didn't matter. Utah State like not fully took over the arena, but like they were They had a presence.
00:20:20
Travis White
They were very loud. And Utah State did end up winning that game.
00:20:22
Pat Q
no
00:20:24
Travis White
And there's a pretty funny picture of all the Utah State students that were there and the ah and the team after that matchup. So Boise State thought they were going for something, and it was a great idea on paper.
00:20:35
Pat Q
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:36
Travis White
However, it was a little too good idea because everyone else saw it, and Utah State took advantage of it. So very funny. We love like stuff like that from college sports. And that is, I believe, a rivalry that will go to the Pac-12 next year.
00:20:50
Pat Q
Yes. Yes.
00:20:51
Travis White
So that's very good for basketball. Boise state kind of up and coming and not up and coming, but like they're like just on the fringe. And then Utah state, I feel like has had a little bit more success of a, on the fringe team more so bubble team at that point.
00:21:05
Pat Q
Hmm. Thank you.
00:21:07
Travis White
So it should be interesting to see pack 12 basketball, um, kind of who can dethrone Gonzaga. I feel like at that point, um, Neither here nor there. That is next season. We are on this season and this channel. Once again, we want to talk about our new YouTube channel, the PacSouth Podcast. We are moving everything PacSouth from 626 Productions over to this new YouTube channel.
00:21:32
Travis White
And obviously, if you listened last week, we are now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Substack. Coming soon. So little bit of issues there, not 100% sure, but that will be coming soon. Um, but yes, we are very happy with all the support on all the platforms and we look to continue like creating new content and new ideas for you with the new YouTube channel and being able to kind of more easily distribute our podcast onto these other outlets. So thank you all so much. if you could give us a like, subscribe, follow down, whatever it is on certain platforms. It would mean the world to us as we continue to figure out what we're doing is kind of just now to talk some sports and we're doing this and in the meantime. So again, thank you for all the support thus far.
00:22:23
Travis White
Um, and that path brings us over to our predictions for this week. So kind of a in between episode because of the national title, um, But we will start with our men's basketball. This game is on Saturday, January 17th.
00:22:38
Travis White
We have number 19 Florida against currently, it's good change, number 10 Vanderbilt in Nashville. First of all, for Florida State is not putting their athletics department.
00:22:54
Travis White
Vanderbilt is certainly taking advantage of it.
00:22:56
Pat Q
Yeah, definitely.
00:22:57
Travis White
Great football season. um currently the best basketball team in school history, best start. They're breaking records left and right for the Commodores. um Unfortunately for them, this is a bad time to play Florida, I think. I think this Florida team is starting to get their themselves in gear. It was a very slow start.
00:23:18
Travis White
Maybe we can blame that on a national championship hangover to start the season.
00:23:22
Pat Q
Amen.
00:23:23
Travis White
um I do like for Vanderbilt that this game is at home. But the pressure is really starting them out, an undefeated record in any sport is hard, let alone basketball, and you're running into a very good, very hot team in Florida. So I like the Gators to kind of spoil this part of Vanderbilt's season.
00:23:44
Pat Q
Yeah. um I don't know. I've kind of been going back and forth on this one. Like you said, Vandy's a really, really good team. I believe they're top five in Ken Palm this year, just to kind of highlight how the advanced statistics um and net ratings sort of perceive them. And,
00:24:03
Pat Q
If they are top five, that means they're in a group with Michigan, Arizona. I know they lost yesterday, but Iowa State's still clearly a really good team. So they're really in that upper echelon um of college basketball. I'm
00:24:20
Pat Q
kind of back and forth because i I did share the same ideas that you did. Florida is meshing really well right now. They're playing solid basketball. Um, Zavian Lee seems to be kind of figuring it out a little bit. Boogie flans getting more and more comfortable, but this Vandy team is just such a, i don't know, fun story. They're very cohesive in the way they play.
00:24:43
Pat Q
Um, and it seems like every time they need a big shot, they get one. You know, I was at the Vanderbilt South Carolina game to start sec play South Carolina trimmed it to as few as three points at one point. And then Vandy just went on this crazy run. And next thing you knew it was 19 points. Um, so it just kind of shows the offensive firepower that they really have and kind of the defensive tenacity they play with. Uh, so for that reason, and because it's at Memorial, I'm going to go with Vandy on this one.
00:25:12
Travis White
Okay. We'll take a split in our first game. Second game, a Super Tuesday matchup, January 20th. We have number 25, Seton Hall. Currently, that's Seat or ranking could change by the time this game tips off 25 seat in the hall versus St. John's, uh, in the big apple.
00:25:31
Travis White
Um, Personally, i don't really have a lot going into this game outside of, I really like what Rick Pitino has done. Obviously he has reinvigorated himself in this kind of like second part of his career.
00:25:38
Pat Q
Hmm. Hmm.
00:25:45
Travis White
Um, And, and like he, he's a winner, like everywhere he goes, he wins. Um, Obviously, St. John's has had a little bit slower of a start, you could say, to start this year. And Seton Hall is kind of like, I feel like, in a a bad bad position, you could say. Mainly in the sense of this 25 ranking, I'm pretty sure this number is cursed this year. i believe over the last six weeks, ah once someone gets ranked,
00:26:13
Travis White
25th i believe four of them have lost so just bad numbers for the pirates here um so i'm gonna go with the johnnies i like st john's get it done at home on again these tuesday games are weird i get it it's basketball we're playing a lot of games but like first in college these kids midweek games it's a little different a little different traveling's not great
00:26:37
Pat Q
Yeah. um I actually am going to go in a different direction on this one. I'm going to go with the Hall here. i think Shaheen Holloway has done a really good job answering some questions that were raised about him validly um after a really down year last year for Seton Hall. They pulled in some transfers that were supposed to compete and bring them to a high level like Garway Duol from Providence. And it just never really clicked and meshed for them last year. um so I think Holloway really came in with a target on his back. And there were some questions, you know, if it doesn't s start going well, is he going to get fired? And he and this team have responded really magnificently. um
00:27:17
Pat Q
Obviously tough loss last night to UConn, but still hanging with a top five team. keeping it to a really close game and only losing by five.
00:27:29
Pat Q
I know there's no such thing as moral victories, but you know, it makes you feel good as a program that you are trending in the right direction. um Most of the time I'll say that maybe not indicative of Providence, but I digress. um Regardless, I really liked the basketball that Seton Hall has been playing.
00:27:46
Pat Q
um They've got some really good wins under their their belt, particularly in Maui. So yeah, give me the Pirates.
00:27:54
Travis White
Okay. Moving from men's basketball to women's basketball, our current number one team in the PAC South Conference, South Carolina, will host ah number four ranked Texas, two juggernauts this season.
00:28:08
Travis White
First time they are on the court together. um i think this is going to be great. This is happening tomorrow night, so Thursday, January 15th.
00:28:16
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:28:19
Travis White
If you're able to watch it, this is going to be At least one of these teams will be in the final four of this season. This is going to be a great display. South Carolina has kind of shered up their bigs question with the injury to Chloe Kitts.
00:28:34
Travis White
And actually, funny enough, South Carolina has released a video of her rehabbing three months after her injury. She might be ready for a tournament run with how well she's coming along. So we are not 100% sure there.
00:28:47
Travis White
If she does actually decide to come back and play, that would be huge for the Gamecocks. Obviously not available in this one.
00:28:52
Pat Q
so
00:28:54
Travis White
Don't think that that's going to matter as much. South Carolina's really getting their scoring in gear, and that defense has continued to be just a brick wall for them. I don't think the Longhorns will be able to score enough through that defense to keep up with what the Gamecocks have typically put up on offense. So, therefore, give them the Gamecocks.
00:29:15
Pat Q
Yeah, I think this is going to be a really good game. Obviously, we saw this matchup one time already with Texas coming out to Victor in that one. I think this year for, we'll say the SEC, really, because these are kind of the top dogs. um We're going to, i don't know, see this matchup quite frequently. right We saw it, where was that, Vegas, where they played the first time. Um, and then we're going to see it again here, probably see it the SEC tournament.
00:29:47
Pat Q
Um, probably see it at some stage of the NCAA tournament, right? Especially if these are two one seeds that might meet in the final four.
00:29:58
Pat Q
Um, i don't know. I think the fact that this is at colonial life or in Columbia helps South Carolina here. i think this is going to be a close game, but I like South Carolina to win this one in conference play.
00:30:12
Travis White
Okay, first one together there. Next matchup, women's basketball again. This is our typical kind of Sunday matchup that i associate so much with, like especially bigger programs in women's basketball. It's number 19, Iowa State versus Oklahoma State.
00:30:28
Travis White
I don't need to spend much time on this one because, as I mentioned before, South Carolina, our number one team in the Pac-South rankings, Iowa State. At number two, Iowa State looks very good, both men's and women's basketball this year.
00:30:42
Travis White
Women's, I feel like, is going to be kind of like one of those sneaky teams where they're kind of going to be lingering like a three or a four seed, and they're going to get some wins in that tournament. Obviously, we're not tournament time right now, but Oklahoma State, not where you want to be right now.
00:30:56
Travis White
Not where you want to be. I like the Cyclones big.
00:30:59
Pat Q
Yeah, I like Iowa State here as well. Audi is just a menace in the post. Absolute footwork. off the charts. um You see her play and it's just so fundamental in the post. She knows how to use her advantages to benefit her. She knows how to use her footwork efficiently. i think she's a really fun player to watch, even though she's not the most explosive player on the court. So yeah, give me the clones.
00:31:29
Travis White
Okay. Riding together for women's basketball. Now, obviously the biggest thing on our show in college football this week, period. Uh, this is the national championship with the 10 seed at Miami hurricanes against the number one overall seat, Indiana Hoosiers.
00:31:49
Travis White
Um, We already mentioned this game is being played at Hard Rock. So this is a de facto home game for the hurricane. So the players can stay at home. Obviously they have that comfort level.
00:32:00
Travis White
Indiana says, screw it. I don't care about comfort level. We're just going to go somewhere and just put on a clinic. They went to the Rose bowl, destroyed Alabama. They go to what's cotton bowl or ah where were they they?
00:32:13
Pat Q
Peach. was Peach.
00:32:15
Travis White
were in the peach.
00:32:15
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:32:16
Travis White
That's right. Yeah. Go to the peach, get it done. i mean, This is kind of a special team. You don't really see teams like this. This team full of three stars, group of five transfers that followed Signetti from James Madison, and they just fully bought into him. like It's curious. I don't want to focus too much on the future because we have this game here now for the championship.
00:32:41
Travis White
But i mean, Mark Cuban has put in a lot of money for NIL, other boosters have, and it's like, what is Indiana gonna be slash and do with now these potential four or five star recruits from high school, great portal gets?
00:32:43
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:32:54
Travis White
when they're doing this with these guys. I mean, this is incredible. Like the players, like it is essentially money ball this year, but then next year they're going to have all the money that they can ever do with. So it is crazy to think that this team is this dominant. They're the only team to win off of a bi-week in the college football playoff.
00:33:15
Travis White
So it's kind of hard to not say Hoosiers, but this Miami team, I don't know. Carson Beck playing good football. He's proven that he can win games like he did at Georgia for a national title, making these playoffs runs.
00:33:31
Travis White
um
00:33:34
Travis White
I don't know. I like that it's at home for the Hurricanes. Defense playing with that Miami attitude. I think that they can slow Indiana. But no, Indiana is still too good. I'm going to take the Hoosiers here. i like them 41-31.
00:33:51
Travis White
thirty one 41-31. Originally, it was going be 24. I think Miami will get 31 points. they will It'll be lower scoring for majority of the game, I would say. like Lower scoring is in sub-30.
00:34:06
Travis White
But I think Indiana's going to break the floodgates, and Miami's just not going to be able to keep up whenever Indiana starts rolling like that. So Hoosiers, 41-31.
00:34:14
Pat Q
You
00:34:19
Pat Q
know, you know Everything we've seen this season really kind of points to what you describe, right? Indiana is just this really strong team that plays as one unit, has pretty much embarrassed everybody that they've played in the CFP, um and is just looking like they just got to roll out of bed and show up and they'll be national champions next Monday night.
00:34:40
Travis White
Yeah.
00:34:51
Pat Q
Everything's telling me to pick Indiana, but you know they say you dance with the one who got you there. I've been riding Miami the entire playoff.
00:35:03
Pat Q
I feel like I'm an honorary Kane at this point. I got to hit up Danny Boy Kane, see if he can do something for me. um
00:35:13
Pat Q
Regardless, I'm throwing up the u Probably stupid, but give me Miami, and I'll say
00:35:23
Pat Q
last second goal to win it. last second field goal to win it
00:35:27
Travis White
Walk-off field goal for the Natty. That would be amazing. Either way, this is a great story. You're getting a Cinderella run from Miami, a team who has not won Miami. over 20 years and hasn't even really been close to the stage in that time. And then obviously Indiana first potential national championship in school history. um Yeah, this is going to be great. This is why we watch football. This is why college football is the best in college sports.
00:35:55
Travis White
So we look forward to watching it. We will go over, Whatever transpires, whatever fallout we have from the national title next week on the podcast. But for Pat, I'm TJ.
00:36:08
Travis White
Yes, I got my name right this time. And we will see you all next time.