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NCAA Reort Bowl games and Braggin rights
81 Plays10 months ago
Russ Robinson and I talk about The SEC/Missouri and the BIG Ten/Illinois. The college Bowl season and the annual Illinois Missouri Braggin Rights game.
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Transcript
Introduction and NCAA Football Bowl Season Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello there, and welcome to my spot up on the bleachers. You can smell a certain thing in the air. It's called brats cooking on the grill. The coolers are full. It is NCAA football bowl season, and it's time for an NCAA report. We haven't done one in a while, but I've got my favorite buddy from the SEC, Russ Robinson, aka Uncle Frank. So sit back and relax, folks. We're going to talk some sports.
00:00:28
Speaker
This is Gateway City 4.
00:01:23
Speaker
From Talking Sports on the Bleachers, it's time for the NCAA report with me, Don Glenn, and my co-host Russ Robinson. We are a proud part of Gateway City Sports. At Gateway City Sports, you're going to find articles and podcasts on many sports in and around the city of St. Louis and the bi-state area.
00:01:40
Speaker
Russ Robin is brought to you by the 5th Street Motors phone line at 5th Street Motors. They're going to help make your car buying experience less stressful. Located at 2044 Rose Lane in Pacific Missouri, they're going to help you find the vehicle you need no matter what brand. They believe in giving you the best absolute price on a pre-owned vehicle that's going to fit your budget. Check out what stress-free car buying can be.
00:02:02
Speaker
Give Brandon or Donna call today at 573-259-1306. That's 573-259-1306 and tell them Don Glenn from Talking Sports on the Bleacher sent you.
Mizzou's Football Season and Bowl Game
00:02:15
Speaker
Okay, folks, we are back. It's the NCAA report. And as always, from the Missouri studios of Gateway City Sports is my broadcast partner, Russ Robinson. How are you doing tonight, Russ? I'm doing just fine, Don. Thank you. How are you?
00:02:32
Speaker
Well, I'm fine up here in the, up here in the Illinois studios. We got it. We got it rocking and rolling. I'll tell you, we'll start with, we'll start with, uh, football and the sec because, um, I want you to kind of focus on Missouri first because Missouri had a, they've got more to brag football wise than I can brag. So I'm going to let you, I'm going to let you dominate the conversation for a while.
00:02:56
Speaker
Well, it's been a good year, great year for Mizzou. I mean, you know, 10 and two in the history of the program, there's only been 10 wins seasons. There's only been, let me think, one, two, three.
00:03:18
Speaker
One, two, three, four. This might be the sixth or seventh 10-win season they've had in the history of their program. And it's the first one Drinkwood's has. So yeah, anytime Mizzou has a 10-win season, it's a great year. The Mizzou fans really get excited. So I think they lost games to Georgia, and they lost to LSU at home.
00:03:46
Speaker
You know, it's possible they could have been 11 and one had they a late interception made a difference in the LSU game. That was a close game is who had to leave for most of that game. It could have been 11 one, but we can't complain too much because there was a. There's a couple of things that happened. There's a 67 yard field goal that saved the Kansas State game and then there was a.
00:04:07
Speaker
4th and 7th, I think a 4th and 16 the 4th and 17 pass completion less than about a minute to go that saved the Florida game. So they can't complain too much. We can't complain too much. But as you and I were talking, yeah. We're playing Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on December 29th in that New Year 6 when the New Year 6 Bowls and I think you know that's a good matchup for Mizzou.
00:04:37
Speaker
There's a lot of teams, there's other teams they could have played and they might've been an easier game for Missouri, but they wouldn't have gained anything by winning and could have lost a lot by losing. Ohio State, that'll give them a challenge. If they beat Ohio State, it'd be a big shot in the arm. If they lose to Ohio State, it really won't hurt the program that much. So that's kind of where we set. And I think also, Don, there's the transfer portal. We're right in the middle of it.
00:05:05
Speaker
A lot of people are transferring out and Mizzou hasn't been hit by the transfer reporter at all. They've lost some some backups, a few, but everyone that's important to stay in. So that's always good news for him. Now where did Missouri Missouri end up ranked in the where they end up ranked 9th, 10th, 9th, 9th in the round, 9th in the. In the college football playoff poll, and I think nothing associated press post so
00:05:35
Speaker
Uh, yeah, it's just been, it's been a special year. It was not really expected to do this. Well, I think most fans would have been satisfied with eight and four.
00:05:46
Speaker
Um, and they got 10 and two. So finishing in the top 10 going into the bowl game. Yeah. They were really, everybody's really pleased with that. I know, I know drink, which has been gotten getting a lot of heat over the last couple of years. Does this maybe calm those people down for a couple of years or are they, are they, are they going to expect a similar season next year? Well, that's two, that's almost two different questions. Yes. It's been calmed down. People aren't jumping on drink with, they're pretty happy.
00:06:16
Speaker
The question will be, what can he sustain? What kind of level is he going to be able to sustain? No one would really expect him to win 10 games year in and year out at Mizzou. That's just not done very often. As you and I were talking before that we started recording, Mizzou had a, this is only like the, I think, fifth or sixth time they've had 10 wins or more in the history of the program.
00:06:43
Speaker
So I don't think anybody would expect it. What kind of consistency he's going to develop over the next few years will
00:06:55
Speaker
You know, will eight and four or something like that be the floor of the program as opposed to six and six? That's what that's what people will be. I think we should be looking forward to see because Gary Pinkle. That's kind of what he set up. He set up kind of an eight and four floor and they had a off year at eight and 475 was off year if they had a you know the 10 10 plus wins were a really good year. So that's why consistency you know.
00:07:23
Speaker
in the program. That's that's what they'll be looking for. And I think drink with his seat was warm going into the season. It's not warm at all anymore. He's he's in good shape. So yeah. What player I mean, I know you guys had the quarter of the the early so-called quarterback controversy, which became a quarterback, not nothing burger really from way I am. I understand it. So
00:07:51
Speaker
What do you have coming bad? Is, uh, was it, uh, was the horn is the quarterback? No, Brady cook is the quarterback all year. Horns. The horn was the red shirt. Okay. Yeah. A lot of people were expecting Brady cooks got one more year and all the kids he's coming back. Okay. Uh, horn. Oh, you know, he's a baseball player too. A very good baseball player, a pitcher, and he plays on the Mizzou baseball team.
00:08:18
Speaker
That'll be a question to see what he does. He decides to focus on. On baseball or come back and try to play football again, he's going to be waiting another year unless something happens to Brady Cook. So I'll be an interesting say, but Brady Cook is this, you know, lot drink with. The pressure the criticisms are off. I mean there everybody's everybody's happy with Brady. You know he he stepped up. He was healthy this year.
00:08:47
Speaker
that shoulder problem he was having last year, you know, was corrected with surgery. Right. And I also think what helped him and helped the offense was the offensive coordinator drink which hired Kirby Moore. And it seems like that they that he brought something to the offense that hadn't been there before. I mean, we just saw Cody Schrader, the all big
00:09:13
Speaker
All-American running back. He just made the Associated Press All-American team. He kind of came out of a crowd of running backs. A lot of people thought it might be one of the other guys this year. And he kind of came up and had a great year. So he's a senior. He'll be leaving after this year. But yeah, Brady is established now. And I don't think the criticism has gone away, has magically gone away.
00:09:43
Speaker
Uh, kind of turn over to the sec a
SEC and Big Ten Bowl Game Matchups
00:09:46
Speaker
little bit. Um, you know, there was last year, you know, jury, it was all the talk about Georgia, you know, the Georgia, this quarter that they, you know, they, they were everywhere. I had them crowned King before the season even started. I want to get your take on, on, uh, how Georgia fell out of favor with the championship committee. Well, you know,
00:10:12
Speaker
You know, when they lost to Alabama in the SEC championship game, they put both teams at 12-1. So I guess, you know, the committee decided they were going to take one SEC team. They weren't going to leave the SEC out. No more they would leave the Big 10 out. They were going to take the SEC champion.
00:10:34
Speaker
You know, in my opinion, you know, depends on what you consider the four, what the criteria is to selecting those four teams. My understanding is supposed to be the four best teams in the country they'd like to match up. I do think Georgia's won the four.
00:10:49
Speaker
But I just don't think they, you know, who would they boot out? They already booted out Florida State and they took a lot of heat for that. I don't know, I mean, who would be next to be boot out, Texas or Washington? I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, probably Washington if it was going to be booting anybody. Yeah, that's a 13 and 0 team too. So they took enough heat taking
00:11:11
Speaker
I guess, replacing Florida State with Alabama. I think it was the right call, but I watched that Florida State Louisville game and Florida State just, they just, they are not one of the top four teams in the country. I'm not even sure at this point they're a top 10 team. But yeah, Georgia fans have been kind of unusually, unexpectedly,
00:11:36
Speaker
calm or quiet about it. They haven't all the focus has been on Florida State, as you probably know, all the flags been coming about Florida State. So, so yeah, I think Georgia, you know, could have a case that they should be in. But, you know, I just think the matter of the politics of the situation, they just weren't going to put two SEC teams in there, you know. Yeah.
00:12:01
Speaker
We were talking about it before the show, you know, we've got six bowl games of the major bowl games that I call them. Um, where we're featuring not only sec, but big 10 teams, but it's the, you know, it's the sec teams that we're looking at. I mean, uh, as we talked about, you guys have Ohio state coming up in the, um, uh, cotton bowl, cotton bowl. Yeah. Um, and we've got.
00:12:31
Speaker
You got Kentucky in the Gator bowl. Uh, now they're playing Clemson. That's not a big 10 team, but you've got a lot of teams going to bowl games this year. Auburn, Maryland, and the music city bowl, uh, Georgia, Florida state in the orange bowl. Uh, Wisconsin LSU and the rely quest bowl, uh, Tennessee, Iowa, and the citrus, Alabama, Michigan, of course, in the Rose. Um.
00:13:01
Speaker
You know, that's a lot of high profile for the SEC. I mean, you know, the SEC better than I do. Are all those teams that good? I'm not sure this is the best, the deepest year for the SEC. It's hard to tell because when they start playing each other, we know Georgia and Alabama are the blue chips of the league right now.
00:13:29
Speaker
And then after that comes Ole Miss and comes Missouri and LSU is pretty good. So I don't know. Tennessee had a down year. Texas A&M had a disastrous year. You know, they were supposed to be pretty good. So I don't know this is the deepest year for them. But like I said, Don, sometimes it's hard to tell when these guys start playing each other. Right. You know, so it's really it's hard to measure. It's hard. It's unfair to look at early in the season.
00:13:59
Speaker
how some of the teams performed against non-conference teams, because teams get better. Some teams get better. Right. Georgia got better. Alabama got better. Missouri got better. So it's really hard to tell. So I would say it's probably, in my guess, my opinion, is it's not as deep, runs as deep this year as it has in the past, the conference has it. So, you know, that goes, that varies from year to year.
00:14:28
Speaker
Right. Well, and of course the SEC now can boast a Heisman player again. Has it? Yeah. How many, how many, I don't know how many players have been a Heisman out of the SEC, but it's been a bunch. Can you talk a little bit, a little bit about our Heisman winner from the SEC? Well, Jaden Daniels and that is thing from LSU. From LSU.
00:14:51
Speaker
Yeah, he's he is outstanding and he's the sole reason Missouri didn't win that game in Columbia. They just the defense never could. Quite put the stop on him and the reason LSU. I think they finished 9 and three. The reason they were that good this year strictly because of Jay Daniels Brian Kelly. I think it's going to get that program going really good and he's going to recruit well and he's going to get players there.
00:15:19
Speaker
But, uh, you know, without Jane Daniels, I'm not sure that's a, that might be a six and 16 because their defense really wasn't, wasn't all that good, but their offense was outstanding. And that's because of Jane Daniels. And, you know, usually the Heisman winner, Don goes to some, one of the teams that may be in line for a national championship, uh,
00:15:40
Speaker
But this year, I think he was just so outstanding, so stood out. I think they just could not give it to him. There's no way they couldn't give it to Jake Daniel. So, you know, it's a, you know, they've had their fair share of Heisman trophy winners. But so is a big 10. I mean, so are some of the other conferences too. So. Oh yeah. No doubt. No doubt. When you talk about the big 10 and the last, at least the last couple
Big Ten East Dominance and Illinois' Struggles
00:16:08
Speaker
of years,
00:16:09
Speaker
It's always the big 10 East. I mean, that's who's been ruling the, the, the, uh, press inkings and the radio time and the TV spaces is your Michigan Penn state and Ohio state. Um, I think this year it was, it was just more of the same, uh, the big 10 West was, uh, pretty much, I mean, when you've got an Illinois team.
00:16:34
Speaker
has three has three conference wins going into the last two games and still can win their division in the conference. You know, it's a weak division. I mean, yeah, you know, and and Illinois, you know, we we did our quarterback current controversy in reverse Altmaier played most of the season did very got hurt in the Minnesota game. He got got a concussion and
00:17:04
Speaker
John paddock came in and in three plays, uh, brought Illinois back, won that ball game, got to start in the next game. Um, actually started the rest of the season after that. Um, and you know, the, a lot of, a lot of people were talking about what's, cause he just literally threw it for 500 yards against Indiana. You know, of course not people are gonna say that's Indiana. Well, you know, you're right. But.
00:17:32
Speaker
The one thing he was able to do that I think that that endeared the fans is he had a very quick release. But then again, as I've said, he had a very short drop because he was not Altmaier can run.
00:17:47
Speaker
That's his biggest thing. He can run. He gets into trouble. He can make a play out of nothing. He can extend a play, get a, for a receiver to get open. Haddock doesn't have that ability. And he's a senior though. So he's not going to be able to, he won't be back next year anyway. He was a trans friend from Ball State and his grandfather, I want to say his grandfather and great-grandfather played for Illinois.
00:18:12
Speaker
Uh, back in the day, so he had a little bit of Illinois connection, our running game this year, you know, we knew it was not going to be the same without chase Brown. I mean, that was, that was going to be an obvious. Uh, we thought we had a pretty much a three headed attack. We had a Reggie love and Josh McCray. And then the freshmen, uh, Kayden Feigin early on it, just like last year, injuries started taking the toll and we were, we were down to bringing in a defensive safety as our backup running back.
00:18:43
Speaker
because we had had so many injuries. Kevin Fagan really did a very nice job as a true freshman, came in and just established himself. He's a strong, when I say strong runner, he's strong. I mean, he would go through the line and you have not guys just missing tag. He's breaking through guys. He's carrying guys. He's 6'3", I think, 250.
00:19:12
Speaker
And, you know, not, not the fastest guy on the field, obviously, but he will run you over. I mean, that's, he, he reminds me a lot of Franco Harris really in, in that respect, he doesn't care who's in his way. He's just going to run. And if you happen to be the one he steps on as he's walking to the end zone, that's, that's, that's the way it goes.
00:19:30
Speaker
The receiving core was much, I won't say it was much improved. It was improved over last year, a little bit, because we had a couple of guys that were a little more experienced than in tune. Pat Bryant really had a good year. Casey Washington had a very good year. Isaiah Williams, he was shut out the first five games at once. He didn't have a touchdown for the first five games, I think.
00:19:56
Speaker
And, uh, but, but he ended up coming back, uh, strong in the second half of the year, had a couple issues in a couple of different games, you know, uh, an issue at Minnesota where he fumbled the ball on or return. Uh, like I said, that, that game ended up being a win though. Um, so we had, you know, we had some good things there, the defense. That's where a lot of people thought weeds would, would, you know, would still be okay.
00:20:23
Speaker
because we had the law firm up front, Newton and Randolph. But what I tried to tell people, what a lot of other people try to tell people was, hey, you know, the secondary is where we're hurting because we lost three guys that are pros in the secondary. We lost both safeties in the corner back in the secondary.
00:20:42
Speaker
Uh, to the pros last year, uh, in, um, I, um, uh, Witherspoon, uh, Brown, and I came over to the third guy's name, but they all went to the NFL. So we had, we were playing back there with freshmen and sophomores in the, in the defensive backfield. And a lot of them were holding their own cause a couple of them played in the bowl game last year. But then Matthew Bailey went down with an injury and he was one of the guys they were really counting on. And so that kind of hurt the defense.
00:21:09
Speaker
Illinois never seemed to get going this year. I mean, they, they started out, they, they won an emotional game over Toledo and people are saying, how do you win? How do you call that a good win when you have to do the last second field goal to beat Toledo? Well, you know, Toledo was lost one game this year to Illinois. I mean, they are the top Mac team have been for a long time.
00:21:31
Speaker
We, you know, we went to Kansas and got beat. We turned around and we, uh, beat, uh, or it got beat by Penn state, which we figured we would, um, you know, then we have to, we kind of outlast a Florida Atlantic team, um, get into the big 10 schedule. We lose to I or to Purdue badly that, and that game, if anything, that game probably hurt.
00:21:55
Speaker
fans, the motor had the biggest uproar with the fans, uh, was because of the fat course, Ryan Walters went to Purdue. He's now the head coach at Purdue. And, uh, Illinois w went into West Lafayette and Purdue just, I I'll put it bluntly. They manhandled.
00:22:14
Speaker
They flat man have beat us by 20 points. People were saying that shouldn't have happened and it really shouldn't have. We should not have lost that game that bad. Then they turn around and they lost to Nebraska, only scored seven points against Nebraska. Now, Nebraska is getting better, don't get me wrong. They're getting better and I think that team's gonna, if they can stay on the plan, I think they might be all right in a couple of years.
00:22:42
Speaker
Uh, but there's no way we should have only scored seven points against Nebraska. You know, then we turn around and we beat Maryland at Maryland.
00:22:51
Speaker
So it's kind of like this whole season has just been an up and down, up and down, up and down. So, you know, not really surprised. We didn't make a bowl game, uh, after the season started before the, the fourth, the season started. I, I would have said eight wins was a, was a pretty good mark that they could have made, uh, six and six was the definite guarantee. Uh, but you know, when you go in and you're playing.
00:23:13
Speaker
at home against Northwestern and you give them basically two touchdowns on back to back fumbles by your special teams, you're not going to win a ballgame that way. And, you know, so I think Beelam has got a lot of things to clean up for sure. Uh, cause you know, we're more than likely not going to have Randolph and Newton back. So, you know, there's basically our front, our entire defensive front is gone. Uh, cause I think the other guy's a senior.
00:23:41
Speaker
We lose, I think, Seth Coleman has gone, one of the better linebackers. The offensive line, we're losing a couple of guys off of it. I've already heard, I think, Reggie Love has already entered the transfer portal. So pretty much, that's gonna be a situation running back next year. They're trying to keep Isaiah Washington around. They're trying to get him to exercise one more year and stay.
00:24:08
Speaker
Uh, because I think one of the other receivers, I think it's Casey Washington. He's leaving. He's a senior. So, you know, there, there are going to be a team in flux. And I think one thing that Beelam was going to have to do, he's going to have to take a page out of Brad Underwood's book.
00:24:23
Speaker
And that is, you know, Underwood last season, I was talking with Dion Thomas and he said that Brad had came to him and said, you know, I got to get and change my way of thinking. I've got to make this team old in a hurry. And I think that's what Beelan was going to have to do with the football team. He's going to have to make it old in a hurry. So he's going to have to bring in the transfer portal, bring in some, instead of finding guys that are going to be for, he's going to have to go back to doing, getting guys for a couple of years, a year.
00:24:51
Speaker
You know that that fifth year senior guy and that they've already brought in a couple guys, but. And go to junior college route. He's going to have to start getting in some older players and just hope like it can keep the freshman happy. The one freshman I was worried about Malik Elsie.
00:25:08
Speaker
I think he's going to stay at least through the reports have it. He's not going to enter the portal, which I thought he would because they started, they started playing him in the first few games. And then all of a sudden he's become, he became a forgotten man. He became the Casey Washington, Pat Brian and Isaiah Williams show.
00:25:26
Speaker
And, um, you know, so with, with one of the, with, with a couple of those guys leaving, possibly Isaiah leaving, I think, and I think Elsie may have seen that, okay, I can make my hay next year. So hopefully he will stay and that'll help there. As far as the rest of the big tent, a lot of people were surprised that Michigan did well without Harbor on the sidelines. You know, let's face it.
00:25:48
Speaker
Yeah, they got into a big stink and they got a problem and, and he got, he got smacked for it. But, you know, at the end of the day,
00:26:00
Speaker
He doesn't have a bunch of nobodies as his coaching staff. You know, you miss him for a couple, three games with the talent that team has and the coaching staff he's put together. You know, I was not surprised they didn't, they didn't lose out. I mean, a lot of people said, Oh, we'll see how they are without him on the sidelines. I was like, okay, you know, guys, look, um, it's not going to be any different.
00:26:25
Speaker
You know, that, you know, and up until the house day game, they really hadn't played their schedule. Wasn't that bad.
00:26:33
Speaker
Now, you know, the Ohio State game, and of course that's always a big one for them. And I think that's just a pride game in Michigan's eyes, you know, for this year. Penn State, I thought, did what Penn State always does. They presented themselves very well. You know, they were a couple of plays here and there from, you know, maybe upsetting a couple of the big boys. Ohio State.
00:27:01
Speaker
a little bit of a down year for them, even though the record wouldn't, wouldn't suggest that, you know, they, they, they, they just, this didn't seem like they were playing Ohio state football this year for some reason. You know, I really don't know why that's the case. Um, but, uh, that's just, that's just what it seemed like to me. Um, well, it seems like Michigan just kind of sucked up the, uh, uh, the energy or the, uh,
00:27:27
Speaker
or the news in the big 10 all year long because of their issues.
Michigan's Performance Amidst Harbaugh Scandals
00:27:32
Speaker
No, they were they were winning. But with Jim Harbaugh issues and with the with the scouting scandal and all that, they just sucked up a lot of energy, a lot of publicity. Yeah, out of the the big 10. And you know, it's Michigan, Michigan, Michigan all year. And it's kind of like everybody expected them to run through that schedule. And they did.
00:27:55
Speaker
And I agree with you. Harbaugh is an outstanding coach. And I think it reflects well on him that when he wasn't there, and I forgot how many games it was, I think it might have been up to six games he was out. Three in the early part of the season and three in the middle part of the season, I think.
00:28:13
Speaker
Yeah, at the end, or yeah, something like that. The scouting, there was a recruiting, there was a recruiting scandal about something about visiting players he wasn't supposed to. Right. Yeah, that's what kept him at the first three games. And then the last three games, it was the whole sign stealing thing. Yeah, sign stealing scandal and the coach who ended up on central Michigan sideline dressed up as a central Michigan coach. Yeah. Which is kind of funny.
00:28:42
Speaker
You know, he's so well organized, so well prepared that like you said, he has his assistants, they know what to do. You know, he's certainly one of the elite coaches in the college football. And he's probably up there with Nick Saban and probably up there with Kirby Smart. Those are the type of guys that know how to prepare their teams and have the right assistant coaches in place. And if something happens like that,
00:29:11
Speaker
the machine just keeps rolling. So yeah, you know, that's a compliment to him. But not to interrupt you, but to get back to one thing on the big 10. And I guess this is the SEC too. You're talking about the weakness of the, was it the big 10 West division? Is that the one? You know, divisions, that's a problem with having divisions in college football.
00:29:41
Speaker
You know, it's not so much acute in the SEC, but they've had years when one division has just been a lot stronger than the other division, right? I guess that I know the SEC next year is not is doing a wave of divisions. I think the big 10 is too. Yeah, I mean that that'll be good. That's the talk, you know, is that is least in at least in the football end of they're going to do their basketball to probably or all sports are going to read. Probably not do divisions next year and rethink the idea,
00:30:10
Speaker
You know, my thing is if they expand to 20 teams, uh, a couple of years down the road, they will have to think about divisions at that point again and, and revisit it because I don't see any way you can have a 20 team. League and, and have any kind of decent competition, uh, you know, competitiveness, I should say, uh, you know, from teams in the bottom half of it. I mean, I just don't know how that happens.
00:30:37
Speaker
Yeah, I know, you know, uh, with Purdue winning, I think Purdue won that division last year with an eight and four record. Um, yeah, it creates a problem when you've got your, uh, your championship game is, is an undefeated team. And then, uh, eight and 14, you know, who, you know, it's not near as well. Iowa was 10 and two going, I think I was 10 and two or 10 and two. Yeah, they were 10, 10 and two overall seven or two in the conference. Yeah.
00:31:06
Speaker
But they didn't measure, I mean, they really didn't measure up to Michigan, Ohio. The natural championship game would have been another Michigan, Ohio State match. Yeah, and I think that's what they want to try to do. They want to try and get that. But as a lot of people have said, it kind of borders on the redundancy factor when you always have Ohio State and Michigan at the end of the year.
00:31:32
Speaker
And then you turn around and play them. You want to, you want to play in the championship game. Now there's talk of having a 14 big 10 conference playoff. Um, how they would work that I, again, I don't know. I mean, it would, obviously you're, you're, you know, you're going to see Michigan state and Ohio state, but now next year we got four new teams coming in. So you got to figure that into it. Um,
00:31:57
Speaker
Um, you know, that's what, and this is what has a lot of people, Illinois, um, a little bit apprehensive is when, you know, we're not just bringing in any four teams. We're bringing in, you know, pretty much for top football, their top sports teams, really top football teams with UCLA, USC, Oregon, and, and Washington. Um, you know, people are saying, well, where are we going to fit into all this? Cause we're already looking up at Michigan, Ohio state, Penn state, um, you know, and.
00:32:27
Speaker
So I don't know how that's all going to, how that's all going to work. We'll see how, how it plays in the whitewash. Uh, we're going to take a quick break here and then we're going to come back and we're going to do a little, uh, uh, I won't say prognostic and we're going to try and figure out how this, how this all shakes out in terms of, uh, the bowl games. You heard of hydration multiplication. That's what you get from the number one powdered sports drink in America. It's called liquid IV.
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Bowl Game Previews: Texas A&M, Clemson, and More
00:35:03
Speaker
All right, now we're back and we talked a little bit about bowl games, Russ. So let's kind of get into some of them.
00:35:09
Speaker
As I go back to try and find my bowl schedule that I had here, there it is. Uh, you know, we're not going to, we're not going to try and do like we did the couple of years ago and go through every bowl game. Cause that just got redundant. We didn't really know half of the teams that were playing in some of them. So, uh, we'll just kind of say with the, with, with, with, with, you know, with, with the new year's six and a couple of the other, uh, um, known bowls, if you will. So I want to start, start this with, uh,
00:35:40
Speaker
Let's go ahead and start this with the Texas bowl on December 27. That's going to feature a Texas A&M in Oklahoma state. And you mentioned earlier that Texas A&M really wasn't a really good team this year. So what's your feelings about how they can fare against the Cowboys of Oklahoma state?
00:36:02
Speaker
Well, Oklahoma State's been up and down this year, but I would be surprised if they didn't win because Texas A&M is working off, they fired their head coach. I didn't know that. They wrote a, well, I forgot how many million dollar check to send him on his way. So I've been working with a staff that probably won't be there much longer.
00:36:28
Speaker
They got they hired their new coaches to Duke God that was at Duke and that right now I can't think of his name I doubt if he'll be there at the game But I just think that with the with the change in coaching and all it's going to be that should be an Oklahoma State game I would expect
00:36:44
Speaker
Yeah. Let's kind of look at the gator bowl. Now we got Clemson and Kentucky. I really thought Kentucky, this was going to be Kentucky's year to make a, make somewhat of a splash. And you know, it just didn't seem like they, they now, again, like we say, uh, a lot of, a lot of the media for S you know, like, like the big 10, a lot of the media for SCC is centered around Alabama, Georgia. So you don't hear much about the Mizzou's and the Kentucky's. So
00:37:11
Speaker
Uh, what, what do you make of the Kentucky versus Clemson matchup? Um, you know, I don't know, uh, Clemson, both teams had discipline, both teams would consider that they had disappointing years. Uh, Clemson has usually been the program in the past, but you know, Kentucky surprised me. They came up and beat Louisville at the end of the year. I thought Louisville would take them out. Uh, then I thought Louisville would take out Florida state and they didn't. So, uh,
00:37:40
Speaker
So I don't know. I think I made my bowl selections on my ESPN bowl mania game. And I think I picked Kentucky. I think I did just mainly to be loyal to the SEC. But I you know, I don't know that I know that that'll probably be a good game. I think I'll be a good game.
00:37:59
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, we talked about, um, your, your Missouri, uh, Tigers going against the Buckeyes in the cotton bowl. In some respects, I kind of see this game. Uh, and like you said, Ohio state is going to be using a backup quarterback, but then again, how many times have they gone into a game with a backup quarterback and.
00:38:18
Speaker
on a ball game and they, they, they seem to just have somebody ready to go no matter what over there. Uh, but I, I also think this is going to be a game where Ohio state's going to say, look, we.
00:38:30
Speaker
I think maybe they felt they got jobbed with Michigan. They shouldn't. They got beat square. But I think maybe they want to make sure that that is the last game they lose for the season. I think they're on a mission. But I don't know if they are going to over or underestimate Missouri. Because like you said, Missouri had a really good year this year.
00:38:58
Speaker
And I don't think Ohio State is quite, I mean, yeah, they played Michigan. They played Penn State. They played a couple other decent games. But, you know, what Missouri has got, and I'll be quite frank, what's the 14 teams right now in the Big 10?
00:39:19
Speaker
I'm going to say Missouri is probably, if you put Missouri in the big 10 right now, football wise, boy, I would be hard pressed to keep them out of the top, top six, top seven in big 10. Uh, and, and I don't think Ohio state's ready for that. I mean, yeah, they play, they played Penn state. They beat Penn state. Uh, they beat Maryland, but you know, their other wins were against Rutgers. They did beat Notre Dame, but that in a tough game, but.
00:39:47
Speaker
You know, I'm not sure. So that, that to me is going to be a good, I think it could go either way. I'll go with Ohio state just because it's big 10 and that's where I probably should have my allegiance. But I think they're in for a big in, in for a tough game. Well, I think Ohio state, one thing you know, they have depth and positions. I mean, they're a program that's right now is deeper than Missouri. Cause I mean, Ryan Bay's been here. This isn't his first.
00:40:14
Speaker
great year, you know, and so he's going to have depth. He's going to have some backup quarterback ready to go. I know that the problem that the I think that, you know, will Ohio State be as motivated as Missouri is? And that's that that would be the question. And so I just have to see when it hits when the teams hit the field. I mean, you know, yeah, the Peach Bowls featuring Ole Miss and Penn State Ole Miss is of course.
00:40:42
Speaker
who Illinois played last year and, and, and didn't, uh, was not victorious. Penn state's a good ball, a good ball team. Um, they're, they're very well coached. They got some really, uh, they played really well this year. Uh, again, you know, they, they they're in.
00:41:00
Speaker
They're in the wrong, they were in the wrong division, to be honest with you. I mean, you know, if they'd have been in the West, they would have just flat run. They would probably not undefeated if they'd have been in the West, you know, of the big 10. So I, I think, um, and I don't know that much about how old miss has done this year. Uh, but I think Penn state, um, looking at that, what they've got, I think maybe they felt a little slighted. They didn't get it. Uh, uh, uh, uh, a better bowl game.
00:41:30
Speaker
Um, you know, I don't know how much better they could have, they could have expected with, with Ohio and with Ohio state taking the cotton bowl. Uh, I think they got a good, good bowl game. Um, so I don't know if they're going to be griping about it or not, but you know, they may think they've got something to prove as well, you know, like, like Missouri does in the, in the cotton bowl. So, and doing it against a, a, um,
00:41:55
Speaker
An SEC opponent, I think, would just make it even better for them. So what do you think about Ole Miss? What shot they got in this game? Well, I think they're like Penn State. They're a really good team. I think Lane Kiffin has really been building that program up and getting it better every year. They finished 10-2, and they played in the West Division the same as the division Alabama did. That's one of their losses. I forgot who their other loss was too.
00:42:26
Speaker
This is one game I'm really looking forward to, actually. I think it shows two of the better teams in each conference. They're not the best teams in each conference, but they're the two of the better teams in each conference. And, you know, I lived in Nashville for several years, Don, and I followed the Vanderbilt program while I was living there, went to some of their games. James Franklin, he became the coach there after I left.
00:42:52
Speaker
moved from Nashville, but he took him to three straight bowl games. That's just never been done in Nashville, in Vanderbilt. I mean, and then as soon as he left, they went back to what they were. He's got something special. And it's, it's like you said, it's unfortunate he was in the same division as Michigan and Ohio State.
00:43:11
Speaker
You know, they put them in the other division and they're winning division championships every year. I think that I think Kevin's a good coach. I think James Franklin. It's going to be a good game. I can't remember who I picked on my bowl. My bowl mania pick, but it's one of those that was close draw. So I like I said, I haven't watched me Penn State games and watched a few Ole Miss games. I don't know what.
00:43:36
Speaker
I don't know what my call would be, but it's one I'm looking forward to seeing. It's one on my calendar to sit down and watch.
00:43:45
Speaker
Yeah, I think so too. I think that's probably, uh, of, of the, of the bowl games on that, this on December 29th and 30th, I think that's probably going to be one of the most interesting games, uh, along with the Missouri Ohio state. I think that one's going to be a very good one too. Uh, the music city bowl featuring a sec big 10 matchup is Auburn versus Maryland. Uh, you know, to his little brother over there at Maryland, um,
00:44:10
Speaker
Cause I can't pronounce his last name to save my life anyway. So, you know, we'll just go with Tui. His little brother over there, he's a, he's, I tell you what, when we played them, I, I was very surprised that we were able to contain him as well as we did. You know, I think a lot of that was just, um,
00:44:29
Speaker
I think maybe our defensive line was just a little bit better than there than what they were expecting. And I think, uh, um, Henry, Aaron Henry put up a very good defensive, uh, plan against, uh, Maryland, that, that game. Um, then they made some mistakes. They killed themselves a little bit. I mean, they did make mistakes. So I, I, I, I'm going to say.
00:44:52
Speaker
Auburn's always a tough program. I know they're always going to be coming ready to play. And, uh, this is one, I think the SEC probably will be able to, to hang their hat on as far as the big 10 SEC matchup in the bowl.
00:45:05
Speaker
Well, I think that Hugh Freeze is the first year coach at Auburn, and he's he's a really good coach. I mean, he's one wherever he's played at. I mean, he wanted Arkansas State. He wanted Ole Miss. He won. He built that Liberty program into something special, and I think you give him this much time to prepare for a game. He'll be ready. I can't fairly say anything about Maryland, because I've never seen him play, so I don't know much about him then. But if you know, I'm pretty sure I picked Auburn as my is to win that game.
00:45:35
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, the orange bowl, Georgia versus Florida state. I mean, how much of a revenge chip on their shoulders, Florida state going to have in this game?
Florida State's Orange Bowl Motivation
00:45:46
Speaker
I mean, it's bad enough. You don't let them into the college football playoff, but then you get, you're going to put them up against the Georgia team that you kicked out of the college football. Yeah. Yeah. I think it depends how motivated I,
00:46:02
Speaker
Geez, you know, like you said, Florida State's really going to really be having that chip on their shoulder. I just really, in the end, I think Georgia will win it going away. That's just me. I just think they have that much more depth. I think they're that much further along in their program. I think they're one of the top four teams in the country. If the team's motivated and Kirby's smart, never has any trouble motivating his teams, it seems like.
00:46:31
Speaker
No, I think they'll, I think they'll win that game, but you know, you know, that's, you never know. So you never know. That's why they play them. Right. Wisconsin and LSU and the rely a quest bowl. That's a January 1st bowl game. Um, you know, we played Wisconsin almost dead, even hit at, at, uh, champagne.
00:46:55
Speaker
And, you know, quite frankly, yes, they're a solid football team, but was not impressed. Um, now that's one of the losses I pointed to is on Illinois schedules, like, you know,
00:47:09
Speaker
We played toe to toe with them. How, how did we lose this game? And, you know, and I think what you say with LSU has got the weapons and, and I don't think Wisconsin can handle the running game, uh, that LSU is going to throw at them. I just don't see it happening, uh, myself. So, uh, you know, I, I'm just going to go with LA LSU's defenses. You can score on them.
00:47:33
Speaker
Missouri scored on them, most people score on LSU. So I don't know much about Wisconsin. I don't know what kind of offense they have, but they can score on LSU. The thing is Jay Daniels. I mean, he is something special. So for, if you go down the, if you go down the field and score, he's going to come back and score. They're going to lead the offense. You know, if you get in a shootout with them,
00:47:55
Speaker
You're, you know, you're kind of in trouble and he's hard to defense. So I, you know, I guess I'm with you. I go with LSU, but I would do that because I don't, I don't know much about what's going on. It was constant. I don't see them able to get into a shootout and match and match a point for point.
00:48:13
Speaker
Um, I think if, if they can control Daniels, which I don't, I'm not sure they can cause like I said, they, their defense is good. Um, but it's not something that, you know, I'm going to write home about and say, you know, it's not an Iowa defense. I'll put it that way. Um, you know, they're not going to clamp down. I mean, they can, but I don't think they've got the depth on defense to, to keep a Daniels down for long. So.
00:48:41
Speaker
Citrus Bowls got Iowa, Tennessee, and I just mentioned Iowa.
00:48:46
Speaker
Illinois, that's another game. Illinois should have won. Uh, they went, they had the game in their hands and they, they, they let it walk away. Um, you know, but Iowa's defense, I mean, that is one thing that has always been the one thing those guys do. Well, is they play defense. I mean, we scored 13 points against them and I thought I felt really good about that. Uh, because most, most people don't move and we were eating this year.
00:49:14
Speaker
The only team to score a touchdown at, or the only opposing team to score a touchdown at Iowa this season. Uh, so that tells you what, how tough that defense is. Uh, I don't, I have to say I, I'm going to go with you on our go with your gut on Tennessee. I don't know that much about them, but you know, I know they've, they're, they're always going to be a ready to play. Uh, but, uh, you know.
00:49:43
Speaker
I just, I, I don't, I don't know if Tennessee can, can, can, uh, cause I, now if Tennessee's got a decent or defense, uh, you know, cause Illinois, I mean, we held him held Iowa to 16 points. They don't score that much. They're not a big high scoring team. They rely on defense. So, uh, you know, if Tennessee can get a couple quick touchdowns against them, uh, that game need to be over before it starts.
00:50:09
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not sure about Tennessee. If I remember right, their quarterback hit the transfer portal, I believe. But I'm not sure. It seemed like I remember that. I know that Iowa defense is elite. And I know their offense is not very good. Tennessee, they've potentially got good offense.
00:50:35
Speaker
You know, I don't know. I you know if you if someone said I might go with Iowa in that game only because. You know, I think they might be motivated. I really do. I think they they might be motivated to prove something and I'm not sure where Tennessee stands right now. There's a disappointing year for them and I'm not sure you know where they. You may be right on the on the on the something to prove, because Iowa did win 10 games and you know, of course like.
00:51:03
Speaker
Yeah, of course, like, like they said, like you, we've said before, you know, it's just the luck of the draw that they had to face Michigan in a conference championship game that is owned by Michigan and Ohio state. I mean, that's just all there is to it. You can't say it any different, but you know, I was, you know, I guess that the only thing I've got with Iowa is if, if they get down more than a couple of, uh, of scores, they've got a hope the defense can bring a score to form because the offense is not going to get it.
00:51:32
Speaker
Right. That's for sure. Uh, okay.
Alabama vs. Michigan Playoff Showdown
00:51:35
Speaker
So now we got the championship tournament, so to speak, Alabama, Michigan. Um, you know, we're talking about games. We want to watch. I want to, I've got to find some way I'm going to be laid in front of the TV with, you know, it's, oh, I gotta be watching that one. Cause that's, that's cool. Yeah.
00:51:56
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, that's going to be so two elite coaches going at each other. You know, Saban and Harbaugh. Yeah, that's the game to watch. I will too. I don't know if I picked who I picked in that game, probably Alabama, but but I wouldn't. Yeah, I can go either way. I mean, that's going to be a great game and and if that's possible decided by more than a field goal, I will be surprised. Yes, and probably likely or very likely it could be that the
00:52:26
Speaker
winner of that game wins the national championship. Well, I think for all practical purposes, I know how they've got the teams ranked, but I think for all practical purposes, this is your national championship game. You know, I don't, and it's not a slight on Texas or Washington. I mean, I know they're both very good programs and they deserve to be where they're at.
00:52:48
Speaker
And which brings us to that game, uh, the sugar bowl. I mean, I probably should have been following a little bit more of Washington's since they're coming in next year to the big 10, but, um, you know, they're a good program, but. You know, Texas, of course, there was, this is what this was there. They, they're still, no, actually they're still big 12. Aren't they?
00:53:10
Speaker
Yeah, they'll be in the SEC next year. They'll be SEC next year, which makes this an interesting game in itself because both teams are playing for conferences they're not going to be part of next year. So that makes it interesting in one respect.
00:53:25
Speaker
You know, I, I, I think I'm going to have to go with Texas on the, on that game, just for the simple fact that I don't know that much about Washington. I have seen Texas play a little bit and they're a good team. I mean, they are a good team. Uh, I, again, I don't think they're in the case in, in the class of Alabama, Michigan, but then again, how many teams are, you know, right?
00:53:48
Speaker
I'd probably go with Texas too for no other reason. Texas seemed like they were building momentum as the season went along and they got better and better.
00:54:03
Speaker
I think they're, I'm guessing they're the better team, but if Washington won that game, I wouldn't be floored by, you know, so, I mean, I think Texas could give Alabama or Michigan a game. I, again, I'm not sure they could win a game against the either team. Um,
00:54:19
Speaker
You know, they might have more, they might have more incentive going up against Alabama, you know, being that they're going to be in the sec next year. Um, but you know, it could be, you know, I think it's going to be interesting game either way, but I think the game, the bowl game to watch, if you have to watch one bowl game this season, it's got to be Alabama, Michigan.
00:54:39
Speaker
Sure. Sure. I agree. I agree. No doubt about that one. So now speaking of the bowl games and the college football playoff, now next year they expand to 12.
Impact of Expanding College Football Playoffs
00:54:49
Speaker
Mm hmm. Yeah. So with the demise of the pack 10, you know, now they'll be no longer have power five, a power five situation as of next, unless
00:55:03
Speaker
Something develops in the next couple of months that this totally changes the mountain West or the ACC. We don't have a power five anymore.
00:55:15
Speaker
You know, so, or not the ACC, I mean, the, um, 12. Yeah. Pack 12 gets reborn. Yeah. Type of thing. Um, so how, how do you think this is going to play out? I mean, are we going to, I mean, cause I know they originally were going to talk, uh, champion from each of the power five schools.
00:55:38
Speaker
And then the rest were going to be at large. Um, but then the course Notre Dame we'll get there. We'll get there, you know, cause they're the top independent always. Um, so, but how do you see it now playing out without that, without a, uh, a true power five set of teams? Well, I think they'll think, I think the power five will be thrown out. I think what they'll do is every conference.
00:56:04
Speaker
the big 10, the ACC, and the big 12. The big 12 is not going to be what it was when after Texas and Oklahoma. But I figure each, they'll still have these conference championship games because they make too much money. They don't get popular. So I figure they'll take the conference champion in each league and much like the NCAA basketball tournament. You know, if, you know,
00:56:33
Speaker
Texas, like if that had happened this year, Alabama and Georgia both would have gotten in. Michigan State, Ohio State would have both been in. Probably Penn State would have been in. Penn State probably gets in. And I've seen projections of what it would have looked like this year with the teams that were in the New Year six top teams. And Missouri would have gotten in and Oregon would have gotten in.
00:57:00
Speaker
Uh, you know, Florida state would have gotten in. Yeah, Florida state would have definitely gotten in. So, you know, there would have been, uh, it would have been played out, but I really think what they'll do, and I don't think they've worked out the details on this with the pack 12 coming apart, but I think they'll come up with the conference, the winner of the conference championship, getting an automatic bid and then they'll, they'll let, uh, you know, they'll have at large beds to pick up those teams that need to be picked up on. So, yeah.
00:57:28
Speaker
You know, you could end up with, you know, who knows if things go
00:57:34
Speaker
things could go kind of haywire, you could end up with an eight and four Purdue team in the big, that won the big 10 championship by chance. And, you know, that could happen. Just like in the NCAA tournament, you know, you pick up a team that made a, got hot and made a run in their conference tournament. So I think that's why it'll work out. We'll see. I feel that way too. I do think though that
00:58:01
Speaker
With opening it up to 12 teams, not only are you going to allow a situation where you've got both Ohio state and Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, making an appearance, I think you're going to see a lot of at least fan support.
00:58:20
Speaker
for the places like the, the conference are like the mountain West. Um, you know, like the Mac, like conference USA saying, Hey, we've got some top teams here that, you know, the mountain West would be the closest thing you would have to another power five team, uh, conference.
00:58:39
Speaker
Uh, really with like, cause I, you know, I, I think the common wisdom is that Oregon state and Washington state are going to join that conference. And they've already, they've already got Boise state and a couple others. So, uh, you know, they're not a true power five, but they could, they could play one on TV, I guess. Yeah. Yeah. You know, but, uh, but yeah, I mean, I.
00:58:58
Speaker
I was going to be very interested to see how that comes out, how deep some of these conferences, they get in some of these conferences, like the SCC, like the Big Ten, especially with the Big Ten expanding next year.
00:59:14
Speaker
And actually so does the big 12. They pick up Arizona, Arizona state, I think. Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Some of those skills are moving. Yeah. So they got four, I think they got four teams coming in from the, from the pack 12. So it could be very interesting next year for sure. No doubt. No doubt. Okay. Uh, we'll take another quick break here and then, uh, we're going to get into a little bit of, uh,
00:59:37
Speaker
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01:00:06
Speaker
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Speaker
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01:00:44
Speaker
Okay. We're back. And I got Russ Robinson, my compadre from gateway city sports, who covers the, uh, Missouri and sec. And, uh, like I do the big 10 and the NC and the Illinois, uh, we got a big game coming up here on, uh, December 22nd.
Missouri vs. Illinois Basketball Rivalry
01:01:04
Speaker
Uh, yeah. 43rd. I think if I read that right. Addition of the bragging rights game.
01:01:12
Speaker
That's right. The McBride home bragging rights game is be the 43rd anniversary. Of course, it started way back when with with Norm Stewart and Lou Henson. Right. Getting together with what they at that time called the border wars.
01:01:27
Speaker
And you guys completely embarrassed us last year. We don't even talk about that game up here anymore. It's kind of been wiped from our memory banks. We don't want to know about it anymore. So how has Missouri been doing this year? I'll let you start off. How's Missouri? They're seven and three. They've had some ups and downs. They won at Minnesota.
01:01:56
Speaker
The game at Minnesota, they were down 20 points and they came back and won that game in an incredible fashion. Then they turned around and lost to Jacksonville State or Jackson State or something like that. They were supposed to be an easy game. They lost to Memphis.
01:02:15
Speaker
Uh, which was in a bad loss is that they had to lead for a good portion of that game. Then kind of blew it there at the end, but Memphis is a good team. Uh, they beat Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh and then they beat Wichita state. So they've, uh, they've had some good wins, but it's a roster. Don, he's still putting together, uh, trying to construct. Uh, he lost some good players last year. He lost Colby Brown to the NBA and another.
01:02:42
Speaker
to Mario Hodge to the NBA. And they miss those guys. And they're trying to find who's going to be the next leader, who's going to be his rotation in the lineup. And he's still figuring that out. And there's some promising young players on there. There's some promising guys that got out of the transfer portal.
01:03:02
Speaker
But one of the things they got hurt on, Don, is in the Wichita State game, this kid named, there was a transfer out of, let's see, I forgot, Iowa State named Caleb Grill. And he could do a little bit of everything. He could shoot from the outside. He could rebound.
01:03:22
Speaker
He broke his wrist in the Wichita State game, so he's out six or seven weeks and I think they really missed him against Kansas on Saturday. They got beat by eight or nine points by Kansas and they were playing from behind for a lot large part of the game, but I think they missed that guy. I don't know they would have won, but he would have made the game closer so there. It's a roster or a lineup that still trying to still try to figure things out and you know, and I think Illinois
01:03:51
Speaker
I don't think they're gonna sneak up on Illinois this year. I don't think they'll do that.
01:03:55
Speaker
No, I guarantee after last year, I think Brad Underwood's already had this game circle on the calendar the day after the game last year.
Illinois Basketball's Lineup Challenges
01:04:07
Speaker
Illinois is kind of in the same boat in terms of trying to figure things out because we brought in, as I said earlier, Brad Underwood said they had to get old and they did get old in a hurry.
01:04:22
Speaker
You know, bringing in some fifth year guys, uh, Quincy, Gary, a Marcus, the mosque, Justin Harmon, you know, those three guys, uh, and I'll tell you the guy I'm most impressed with out of those three, uh, at least initially was Marcus, the mosque, uh, the kid from Southern Southern Illinois. He reminds me a lot of, um,
01:04:47
Speaker
An older player years ago named Neil Bresnahan. He's a better scorer than Neil was, but he's heady. He's always around the ball. I mean, there's no time that I think when he's on the court, wherever the ball is at, especially when he's on defense, if he's not within five steps of it is because somebody's knocked him on the floor.
01:05:10
Speaker
I mean, that's just the way he is. He's just a real heady player, good shooter, good rebounder, tough. Quincy Guerrier has given them some help on the inside. He's a 6'8 kid, not shouldn't say kid, 6'8 grad student. I think he played at
01:05:30
Speaker
at Oregon, he was a transfer in from Oregon and he's, he's had a couple of good, he's had already had like two or three double doubles. Uh, so he's really, he's, he's helped out on the inside. It's kind of put, uh, the, the, the roster in or the lineup and a little bit of a flex because, um, you know, we thought going into this year, at least the fans did, uh, you know, you would see a lot more of Dane danger in the middle, uh, more of, um,
01:05:55
Speaker
Now, Coleman Hawkins on the wing, you would see Luke Goody on the wing, but DeMasc has been playing basically starting instead of Goody. Gary A has been starting instead of Dangea, which in one respect is all right, because you've got some really top players then coming off the bench, especially with Luke Goody, the guy that can hit threes the way he can. But then you've got a couple of young kids in there that they brought in, Dre Gibbs Lawhorn,
01:06:21
Speaker
Marnie Hansberry. And I watched, I was at the stadium watching one of the preseason games or Hansberry. Somebody asked me about my thoughts about him after the game. And I said, well, he's a good player. Looks like he can rebound. Then I looked at his stats. He had a double double in that game. He had like 18 points and 12 rebounds and only played 23 minutes. I mean,
01:06:47
Speaker
You know, so I so I've nicknamed him the quiet beast because you just don't you just don't you don't pay much attention to him. But then you look up in the statute and here he is. He says that kind of a guy and that kind of again, he's a freshman. They've got a different thing going to point guard this year. We don't really have again a true point guard Ty Rogers.
01:07:11
Speaker
is the point guard of choice right now. Nikolai Moretti, another freshman that came in actually mid-year last year, has shown some good promise at the point, but he injured his ankle. I'm not sure he's back, or if he will be back by the time they play Missouri, but he's a real, I mean, he's only 6'1".
01:07:30
Speaker
but he and he's not that that extremely fast but he's quick and he's very he's a kid from Europe he's from Italy played at the DMA Academy DMA Academy in Florida played
01:07:44
Speaker
Some Academy ball in, in, in, uh, Italy, uh, European, uh, I think it's called the European pre NBA or something like that. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it's some kind of thing. The NBA runs over there and he's just, he's really, really a good kid. Um, can't wait to see him mature a little bit. Hopefully he'll stick around.
01:08:05
Speaker
Of course, we've got Taron Shannon Jr. back and we've got, you know, Coleman Hawkins. Hawkins had some tendonitis in a knee. He was out for three or four games.
01:08:16
Speaker
there between Marquette and when we played Florida Atlantic. And that's been the three games we've had that I think have kind of been different outside of the preseason game against Kansas, which we won, by the way. Maui Strong, it was actually fun to beat Bill Self.
01:08:37
Speaker
back in champagne, but we lost to Marquette, played a good game against Marquette, but in the end, it was just a situation where they couldn't close the deal. They had the game and then they couldn't close it and let Marquette just
01:08:56
Speaker
You know, I won't say walk away from them, but cause it was only a seven point game. Um, but you know, they, they let, they let, uh, market back into it and win that game, Florida Atlantic, uh, at the mat at the, um, uh, Madison square garden as part of the, uh, uh, Jimmy V classic. I think it was, um, you know, they beat them by nine, played a very good game against a really tough Florida Atlantic team. Now we just, we just lost to Tennessee.
01:09:26
Speaker
And that was at, that was at Knoxville. So, you know, yeah, you know, we, we, we stayed within seven points and we actually had the lead on Tennessee, uh, going into like 15 minutes into the second half. And then they hit a 10 0 run and it just, it was, it was all over. But that after that, I mean, uh, what surprised me about Tennessee, that Tennessee game. And I think one thing that really
01:09:51
Speaker
Brad is going to be hitting here hard in this in this five days before we play Colgate and then of course the 10 days before we play Missouri is rebounding because we got killed on the inside with Tennessee. They were much more physical than we were on the inside. And when we start getting into big 10 play,
01:10:10
Speaker
And we get, we go up against the, the, you know, the Zach eaties and, and, and some of the kids that, that, that are, um, that are there in the big 10. It's, you know, we're going to have to get that inside game figured out. So I think if, if anything, Missouri can exploit right now, it's going to be, uh, forcing turnovers and, uh, the inside game. Well, do you see that as a, as an, as an option for the Tigers?
01:10:38
Speaker
Yes, mainly because Gates in the offseason worked on the transfer portal to bring in more size. Missouri was one of the worst rebounding teams in the country last year. Still made some money the second round of the NCAA tournament. I mean, they were out rebounded by so many teams, and that's why I beat them in the second round against Princeton.
01:10:59
Speaker
They just out rebounded them. Well, he went into the portal and he brought in this seven foot five guy named Connor Vanover. I think he's been around knocking around. He was at Arkansas for a while and Oral Roberts for a while and he's helped. He can rebound. He's not a double double machine, but he does rebound pretty well. He can block shots. They've got a seven foot freshman.
01:11:25
Speaker
And then they've got another six, 10 freshmen. And then they've got another, they've got seven foot two guy on the bench. I don't know how much help he's going to be. So he's addressed that. So it could be, I didn't know much about Illinois, Don, but if you said there's problems.
01:11:41
Speaker
on the inside, Missouri's got some hot this year. So, you know, it could, and some talent under there. So we'll see. Yeah, the inside, I mean, we're averaging, I mean, you know, Gary A is 6'8", Coleman Hawkins is 6'10", Dange is 6'9", 6'10", Hansberry is 6'8", you know, we're not extremely
01:12:06
Speaker
uh tall on the inside now you know uh danger is still a pretty good size big body in there and actually so it's hands berry i think hands berry runs about 225 68 225 um so we we've got a little bit of size but yeah nothing what you're talking about in the seven foot range i mean uh
01:12:24
Speaker
Our days of having that big aircraft carrier in the middle, he's in Japan right now. We don't have much in that. Now we've got a couple guys hopefully coming in next year.
01:12:40
Speaker
Um, uh, more as Johnson, uh, this, what they're, what they're saying, this kid is just a beast. Um, six, 10, two 30, something like that. Uh, and he can run, he can shoot, he can, he's tough as nails defensively. So hopefully this, that he can add some things and they'd bringing in a kid, I think on the transfer.
01:13:03
Speaker
or not transfer for that, uh, maybe turn, I can't remember where he's at, but, um, another kid around six 10, six 11 that they're bringing in, uh, that they signed. So, um, you know, they're, they're, they've got the idea that they're bringing in some talent and that course they're going to be losing some with the Hawkins's Hawkins is probably going to go NBA. He probably shouldn't, but he probably will. Of course, Shannon junior will be gone. And of course the three guys we brought in will be gone.
01:13:29
Speaker
Uh, be interesting to see if Dane Jane, Dane, Dane just stays around after, after this season, uh, cause he'll have one more year. Uh, but, uh, but yeah, I think height is where we're going to be very, uh, have the issue. We are not as bad a three point shooting team as we were last year. So you're not, you know, you're going to see a little bit better shot, uh, shot selection from the arc and a little bit better accuracy, uh, with this Illinois team this year from the arc is as opposed to last year. Uh,
01:13:59
Speaker
Um, but, uh, you know, all in all should still be a good game. And, uh, you know, I'm hoping we'll be able to, to come up with a victory over you guys for, to bring, to bring that trophy back up here. So we'll see about that. Yeah. Um, you know, so.
01:14:15
Speaker
Yeah, you know, it'd be an interesting game for both teams. I mean, you'll be seeing where they're at right before they both start their conference play. Yeah. So what do you think about Missouri in the SEC conference? Because then, you know, the SEC has pretty much always been a football conference, but you do have some pretty decent basketball teams in that in that in that conference.
01:14:37
Speaker
Yeah, they replaced some coaches this year. Some of the teams made some good hires. Ole Miss brought in a new coach, and I can't right now, but he was very successful at Texas Tech. Let's see, I was trying to think of some of the new coaches in the league. Offhand, it's kind of slipped my mind, but Kentucky and Tennessee will be
01:15:08
Speaker
We'll be in Alabama. We'll be strong again this year. It just depends. It should be a deeper league, a stronger league. And Missouri is not going to slip up on anybody this year. This year after they, they kind of snuck up on people. People didn't really believe they were that good. They were a fast team and they scored a lot. And they forced a lot of turnovers.
01:15:29
Speaker
You get them in the half course defense last year, you could take them. But this is a little different team this year. But the conference, I think, will be deeper this year. So I don't know. They finished, I think they finished in the top five or six last year. They might have been fourth in the conference. I forgot. But they did make the semi-finals of the SEC tournament. So I don't know. It's so hard to tell because I haven't seen that many teams play.
01:15:59
Speaker
I really just hope they finish in the top half of the conference. I mean, you know, I mean, you get in the top half of the conference, you're going to make an NCAA tournament problem. Right. Right. Yeah. And, you know, well, in, as far as a big 10 goes, I mean, everybody's looking at Purdue and of course it's hard to, hard to miss Purdue and he got a seven foot five center. Uh, you know, it was Zack Edie, uh, but they just lost the Northwestern the other day.
01:16:23
Speaker
You know, that was, that was the shot heard around the world,
Big Ten Basketball Team Performances
01:16:26
Speaker
really. I mean, they lost Northwestern. So I think Illinois, Purdue, I think Wisconsin's going to be good. Michigan state, I don't know. They are kind of struggling right now to kind of find their way. So we'll, we'll see how they go. Ohio state. I think their basketball.
01:16:48
Speaker
It's kind of lacking a little bit right now. Maryland could be a team that could, that could, uh, cause they're always well coached and they're, they could be a team that could jump up and slap somebody. Uh, but I think your top, your top three and, you know, in no particular order, uh, I say that because I just don't like making Purdue number one, but, uh, it would be Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin. I think Michigan state.
01:17:13
Speaker
Will be there, of course, is always going to have a team that's going to be tough to play. Uh, I think now with Northwestern beating, uh, Purdue, you know, people are looking at producing, Hey, you're not invincible anymore. Uh, so maybe that's going to play against, I think a lot of him probably going to be studying film from that game. Um.
01:17:33
Speaker
So, you know, how many teams will, this may be the one year and I'll, and I just listened to a radio program before we started our, our, our thing tonight. And this may be the one year you may not see more than six teams in the big, in the NCAA tournament out of the big 10. Hmm. Okay.
01:17:55
Speaker
Um, you know, I think, like I said, the, the, the, the Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin, probably Michigan state, uh, Maryland. And, you know, after that, uh, you might see Rutgers or Penn state sneak in there. Um, but, uh, it's, it's, you know, and less and less than teams get it together here real quick.
01:18:17
Speaker
Um, it's going to be slim pickings because, you know, they were talking about signature wins and, you know, Illinois has got one against Florida Atlantic. We could probably get two. If we beat Missouri after that, we get into big 10 schedule, unless we're beating Purdue or Wisconsin, there's probably not a signature win left in the big 10. Right.
01:18:37
Speaker
So, you know, I, I'm thinking we're, we're, you know, just because of that, uh, the big 10 is going to be down in terms of teams getting into the tournament. Exactly.
Illinois' Upcoming Games and Strategies
01:18:49
Speaker
Yeah. So, well, you know, I think that, you know, it's, it's too early to make a clear call on either team. Right. And, uh, cause they, like I said, both coaches are putting their, their roster together, figuring out what their lineup's going to be and their rotation is going to be.
01:19:05
Speaker
I feel like Gates will get down to eight or nine players in his rotation. He'll settle that the next, before they hit the SEC season at the first of the year. So they play Seton Hall on Sunday. Yeah, Sunday at Kansas City. So that'll be the next test for the hit Illinois. So, you know, I don't know much about Seton Hall this year, but you know, they're out of the East.
01:19:29
Speaker
So there'd be a nice challenge for him to play. If it's any indication Rutgers beat Seton Hall, 70 to 63 a couple of days ago. So, okay. Okay. If that, if that's any indication of, of, yeah, you know, I'm not sure. It's a semi neutral court. It's in Kansas city, but that's obviously Missouri's that's Missouri's turf. Yeah. No doubt. No doubt about that.
01:19:57
Speaker
So, uh, well, you know, and, and, and, you know, just a final thought, I will, I will definitely agree that I think both teams are looking at that. I think Brad's going to try, I think he may want to do an eight man, uh, rotation, but I think he's going to be forced into a 10 man, uh, rotation, just because of the talent that's on that team, most coaches, you know, uh,
01:20:21
Speaker
would probably like to have his problem at this point, uh, with so much talent that he's got on the roster, keeping a lot of that talent happy and, and keeping it fresh. I think that's why he wouldn't, he wants because it, Gibbs law horn has been getting a good, uh, rotation at the point on certain games. Now I don't think he played in the Tennessee game. Let me see. I don't think he did. Yeah. Let's see.
01:20:45
Speaker
Oh yeah. He got in for one minute, but, but yeah, I mean, so, so he's going to be counting on those on, on, as he puts it, the old guys, uh, you know, Shannon Coleman, Gary a, um, damask, you know, he's going to be counting on those guys for the most, for the bulk of the minutes. And you know, the other guys, he was going to, um, you know, filter in where they can. So.
Hosts' Personal Activities and Podcast Conclusion
01:21:10
Speaker
Well, uh, we've gone a lot longer than we had, than we normally do. But then again, we were absent for a month or two. So we, I think we had to make up some, some ground. Uh, so Russ, as always tell them, tell the folks where they can find you, man. Uh, well, you know, I'm at gateway city sports blog, the museum, the zoom usings, uh, blog there, um, on Twitter and, uh,
01:21:40
Speaker
I do some blogging at Redbird Rants for the Cardinals and I'll have to start working on something as soon as we settle out, see what the Cardinals have.
01:21:57
Speaker
This free agent season goes, but, uh, you know, we'll, we'll see how that goes. But anyway, I'm over at Redbird Rants and I knock around at the Cardinal Facebook groups a lot in the, in the Mizzou Facebook groups a lot. So hopefully, you know, they can run into me there. That's, that's, that's where I always run into you.
01:22:14
Speaker
Uh, and, uh, you know, as for me, of course, you always find me at, uh, at gateway city sports. I've, I've been doing, uh, a, uh, champagne dreams article, uh, column on, uh, Illinois. Uh, just put a couple of red bird articles out. You can find me on Twitter X, whatever you want to call it these days, uh, at T S O T B GCS, or you can email me T S O T B dot GCS at gmail.com.
01:22:42
Speaker
For my broadcast partner, Russ Robinson, this is Don. I want to tell you all to be happy, stay safe, and we will see you again when we're talking sports on the bleachers. Good night, everybody.
01:24:18
Speaker
so