September 2, 2022 • 20 mins
As the calendar rolls into September sports fans head back to school for college football. John Gonzalez sits down with SI college football experts Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde to discuss everything from this year's Heisman hopefuls, to NIL money's effect on recruiting before giving their picks for who's going to make the College Football Playoff.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Before we get started, please rate and review our show.
It helps people find us. On this episode of Sports
Illustrated Weekly, college football is finally here, and our two
s I in house experts, Ross Dellinger and Pat Forty
joined me to discuss everything you need to get ready
for the season. I'm your host, John Gonzalez from Sports
(00:24):
Illustrated and I Heart Radio. This is Sports Illustrated Weekly.
Ross Dellinger and Pat Forty. Welcome to Sports Illustrated Weekly. Hey,
good to be with you, John. Gonna be excited to
have you guys on. College football is set to kick
off a lot of things happening. I just want to
(00:45):
start broad strokes here for both of you. Uh, Ross
you can go first. You're you're new to the program.
We're happy to have you give us a storyline that
you're monitoring, something that's interesting that people should be watching
out for. Well, we go into every year, I feel
like knowing at least three of the four teams that
will compete in the playoff, maybe all four, but this year,
(01:06):
and you're always trying to wonder, like who's going to
be that new team that challenges We all know that
you know, the playoff has included like, you know, a
group of like six teams like eight percent of the time,
So you're always kind of wondering, who's that other team
that's gonna like challenge this year? And uh, you know,
so you've got your Georgia's, you've got your Alabama's, you've
(01:28):
got your Ohio States, and it's kind of like who's
going to be in the mix. And it's been kind
of revolving. You know, You've had Notre Dame in there
obviously every now and then, and uh, you know l
s U one year and this year. I think that's
kind of the question that as we're going to the season,
it's who's going to be that that other challenger. And
I think out West, one of the things I'm looking
(01:48):
at is Lincoln Riley's team. Courting reports look at Riley's
leaving Oklahoma. He will take the head coaching position at USC.
I know Pat went out there and visiting him earlier
this year. I think, you know, he's got a brand
new team almost quite literally, like forty new players, forty
five new players, a bunch of transfers, Heisman type receiver,
Heisman type quarterback. So could they burst started the scene
(02:11):
and be the Challenger. You know other ones like Texas.
You know, sorry second year, you know, how do things
look there? Queen you was at quarterback yours rolling. He's
got time taking a shutout field, a lot of hype
around him. And then obviously I don't think I mentioned
at the top, but of course you have Clemson. You
(02:31):
know Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, you know those are in Ohio state.
Those are kind of the force. You're always looking for
that other team, and I think the usc Is is
one I'm really interested to watch this year. Pat. I
know before we began this show, you said you were
on a bit watch for for certain coaches. What are
you checking out so far? I am there's always that,
(02:51):
because there's always coaches on the hot seat here. Um.
But like to me, I think maybe the most interesting
football related thing is gonna be just this is gonna
be a Bonker's year for quarterbacks, gonna be really really good.
It's very rare that you get a returning Heisman Trophy
winner back in college, and we do have that. Embryce Young,
the quarterback from Alabama, the winner of the two thousand
(03:15):
twenty one Heisman Memorial Trophy is Young. A lot of
people think c J. Stroud, the quarterback at Ohiose Sate,
is better than he is to the side touch to Garenawson.
Uh and he did have a higher pass efficiency rating.
The top five guys last year in past efficiency are
(03:39):
all back Grayson mccaull from Coastal Carolina, who broke the
single season record in that category. And then you've got
Stroud who I mentioned, Stepson Bennett who was the you know,
the underdog story who led George of the championship Hendon
Hooker at Tennessee, and then Caleb Williams who went from
Oklahoma to USC. So a lot of quarterback movement but
(04:00):
also just a lot of quarterback talent. Back this season,
I think we're gonna we're gonna have fun time watching
him sling. It always fun to watch the quarterbacks. Pat
wrote the most Intriguing Quarterbacks for s I dot Com.
Encourage everybody to go and check that out. You also
Pat wrote the was intriguing non quarterbacks? Uh ross, give
(04:22):
us somebody who's a non quarterback that you're paying attention
to and then promises isn't like the USC show. But Addison,
Jordan Addison over there at at USC pick it back.
But toss down out former pit receiver, maybe one of
the biggest movers transfer movers of of the off season.
(04:44):
Certainly he would be a guy that that should be
on everybody's list to watch for if you're talking about
none or non quarterback type Heisman. So I would circle
him as as a guy. But two, to imagine a
quarterback in the stand age of football not winning the
Heisman is is hard for me. Although it's happened, just
(05:04):
happened just a couple of years ago with the receiver,
but it's hard to not see a quarterback, you know,
when the Heisman. I think the way offenses are, in
the way the game is now, if it was like
every three out of every four years, you know you're
you're gonna have a quarterback with the Heisman Trophy. Yeah,
it seems like almost a foregone conclusion these days, but
there's so many storylines and some many moving parts already
(05:25):
in college football has barely just begun. Pat, We've had
you on this program to talk about all kinds of things,
including and especially n I L. I'm wondering what you've
seen so far from that system and how it's shaped
college football. As we had into the season, continuing to
be fascinating, evolving topic. Ross really is the expert on
on n I L. But to me, the way that
(05:47):
it has appre shaped for frudent has been the biggest thing.
And players that are absolutely using NILE as a recruiting
inducement boosters that are using it that way, schools that
are using it that way, and it's it is not hey,
you've come here and perform well and you can do
commercials and things like that in in some instances as
it is, but but in many others it is, hey,
(06:09):
here's this pile of cash if you'll sign with us,
And that's allegedly against n c double A rules. But
who's enforcing the rules. How well is that going? I
think we know how well it's going because last week
the n c a A sent a memo to all
the members schools saying we need your help. We can't
get these cases. We know it's happening, but we can't
get there. So basically we need you to. We need
(06:31):
everybody to snitch on their competition, uh tangibly with good
evidence of what's been going on, so that we can
make some cases here. Good luck with that. I think
mostly that just kind of looked like a cry for
help from the n c a A. But you know,
it's it's a definite factor to keep watching. I'm not
opposed to the players getting paid, getting goods and services
(06:52):
and all those things, but it has been a game
changer in terms of how recruiting is going. Ross Pack
called you the n I L expert. You tell us
how's how's this system unfolding so far? For you? I
don't know if anybody's an expert on it. Where it's
just so new. Um, it's a challenge to wrap your
hands around. And it continues to change, it continues to evolve.
(07:16):
You know, we've gone from n I L being with
the traditional use of an I L commercial endorsement opportunities,
and it's obviously involved into boosters getting involved in an
I L. And I don't know what the next evolution is.
I'm sure it's out there somewhere, but it's hard to
keep track of everything, you know. I think they're probably
(07:39):
twelve the fifteen schools that are using in I L
through a most of through a booster or booster collectives
that are using in I L. You know, significantly, where
you're talking about a lot of money millions of dollars
going to being dispersed among a team, and I think
that number probably is only going to grow if you
have twelve or so doing it now. You know, this
(08:00):
time next year, you're probably gonna have thirty or so
doing it unless we get, you know, some kind of
more regulation. And that's who we really don't have in
professional sports. You have the salary caps, and you have
waiver wires and players signed contracts, and right now you've
got college sports are probably as close as they've ever
been to pro sports, and there's really no regulation. So
(08:22):
that's the frustrating part. I know from people inside. For
professional sports, the magic word is parody. Right at the
NBA the NFL, you want to have that parody. You
want to have as much competition as possible between the
n I L. And then also Pat, you and I
have discussed this on the show. Before usc U c
l A signaling that they're going to go to the
(08:42):
Big ten the SEC coaching teams. Are we looking at
less parody? Are we looking at you know, the power
to conferences and everybody else? Because there's the halves that
have a lot and then there's everybody else. I think, yeah,
we're inevitably trending that way. It's started, and it's only
going to keep going and perhaps even accelerating in terms
of the revenue disparity between what the SEC and Big
(09:04):
ten can bring in and the rest of the so
called Power five as they become less powerful. It doesn't
mean you can't have a Clemson pop up and win
a national championship. It doesn't mean that maybe you talk
could make the playoff this year, or a Baylor or
an Oklahoma or in Oklahoma State from the Big twelve.
But it gets harder as we go along, and I
do think, you know, the signals are are pretty unmistakable.
(09:26):
I had a Big ten source that told me we
are not done expanding, and so if they whether that
means within weeks, months or years, probably years, but in
three to five years, I think we'll be looking at
a significantly different landscape and probably certainly less parody across
the board, a much bigger Big Ten. You're outing off
(09:49):
some names there of schools that will be paying attention
to as a season unfolds. Let's run through the rankings,
the AP rankings and PATS ranking slightly different. You had Alabama,
Ohio State in Georgia, as did the a P at
the top three, we'll just start there. Uh Ross, how
do you feel about that grouping? Any shot of of
(10:09):
Georgia repeating? Is is it another march for Obama towards
a title? What are we looking at with those top three? Well,
I yeah, I mean I ended up picking shockingly picked
up Alabama to win it all bouncing back from from
their loss to Georgia and the championship game. It's hard
to see, you know, Georgia had a lot of turnover,
(10:30):
certainly from that defense, right it was probably arguably the
best defense that college football has ever seen, certainly the
best in the last few years, and lost a ton
off that team. So hard to think that they're gonna
challenge again in the Ohio State. I think could very well.
I mean they're they're They're my pick to be in
the championship game with Alabama, and so I think they're
(10:50):
right there. Clemson is a big question mark this year,
coming off of you know, their worst year and I
don't know what six seven years, probably they're the worst season,
uh not making the playoffs, not winning the conference, um
in with the quarterback that we still don't know if
he's the guy. He's going to win the job again
and and start to start the season. But they're they're
(11:14):
the of those top four, they're they're the biggest question
for sure. AP has Clemson ranked fourth going into the season. Pat,
you're slightly lower on them at seven. The big disparity
though between you guys. You have Michigan much higher, Michigan eighth,
and the AP rankings you've got the Wolverines fourth. What
do you like about the Wolverines this year? Well, I
have said this and we'll maintain it until we actually
(11:36):
start seeing teams play. But I don't like anybody fourth
room twell, Like, I think the top three are much
better on paper than everyone else. So after that, it's
like you can find a problem with everyone. So I
mean the things I like about Michigan though, I think
they're gonna have a very good offense. Um, they've got
two good quarterbacks. They got to settle on one, or
maybe they don't, maybe they mix and match. They've got
(12:00):
good running backs. They have got a really good receivers,
including Ronnie Bell who got hurt in the first game
last year, and we'll be back. They have an excellent
tight end. They've got young talent at those areas. Offensive
line was one of the best in the country last
year and most of those guys are back, and then
they brought in a key transfer from Virginia, So I
(12:21):
think this will be Jim Harbaugh's best offense at Michigan. Defensively,
you're filling some huge holes there. They had obviously Aidan Hutchinson,
who was the number two pick in the draft, but
also David a Jabo, the other rush end who was
a high draft pic on the second round, and then
they had a first round pick, safety Decks Hill. So
they've got some holes to fill there. But I think
that Michigan is going to be good enough offensively that
(12:44):
you can bring that unit along as things go. And frankly,
the schedule is pretty easy right Their non conference schedule soft,
so I can see them getting off to a a
easy start through September without even being challenged, and kind
of building their defense up as they go through that
that first month season. The other disparity between the AP
(13:06):
rankings and PATS rankings USC outside the APS top ten,
just inside Pat's top ten at number nine. Ross you
you said it was the USC show earlier. You want
to make a case for USC for against Yeah, I do.
I like USC. First of all, you know, they obviously
they have a coach who's who's proven to do it,
have has taken multiple teams to UH to the playoff
(13:29):
and delivered to Heisman Trophy quarterbacks. And he's got one
now that a lot of people say has just as
much talent, if not more than the other two. Hey, look,
well for the secondary touchdown Homa And you know, I
think they picked up obviously some key transfers. You know,
they kind of rated the Sooners. Uh. Not only did
(13:51):
they get the quarterback they got, they got the top
defensive back in packing correct me at running back, receiver, receiver,
Mario Will receiver receiver and then of course Addison as
we talked about earlier. So the question there obviously is
going to be defensively. You know, they were like a
hundred and ten or something last year and I want
(14:12):
to say overall defense. So they really struggled, But they
got a manageable schedule right in the in the in
the Pact twelve and and uh So, Yeah, I think
there's a case there to be made that that maybe
we'll have a West Coast team in the in the
playoff for at least challenging in UH for a playoff
spot in the final few weeks of the season, which
(14:33):
is somewhat of a rarity these days. Al Right, So
we've spent a lot of time talking about the big
schools in the top ten for both of you, give
give us a school that maybe slightly under the radar
that could surprise people this season. I'm gonna say North
Carolina State, which you know they're they're fairly highly ranked.
(14:53):
I think they're in the top fifteen. But I think
that if they can get out of their own way,
which is historically the North Carolina State's problem. They just
find ways to screw up games, sometimes in heartbreaking fashion.
But they've got talent. It's a good team. You know,
They've got players across the board UH in a lot
of places. They've got a quarterback starting there, Devin Leary.
(15:16):
Leary's gonna thrown to jump. It's a touchdown. Francy State.
A lot of the NFL people like him, great arm talent,
thirty five touchdowns, only five interceptions last year. A lot
of people think that, you know, he could end up
being a first round pick. He's got guys to throw too.
They've got runners, they've got a solid defense returning uh
(15:39):
and I think that you kind of put it all together.
If they can beat wait Forest, and if they can
beat Clemson, and they have either beating Clemson or played
him close several times in recent years, including beating him
last year, then I think they could have a chance
to jump up from their nine and three last year
to possibly eleven or twelve wins. I have a I
have a cow all behind me right here. Um Missisi
(16:03):
stay grad and uh so you know hear me out? Okay,
the Bulldogs have you know, arguably one of the better
quarterbacks in the nation, Will Rogers. Rogers, look at us,
checked up. Now he's looking at the end zone. Dump
it up. So I'm gonna I'm gonna say that they're
(16:24):
gonna surprise some folks. The problem is their schedule playing
in the SEC West, so you have to play at
l s U. Actually this year I have to go
to Arizona for a game in Tucson, which is winnable,
but it's on the road a couple of times in
the away. The problem is stopping Misssippi State, I think
will be their competition. But there are in a few
people stop twenty five, and I think they can make
a little more noise offensively with Mike Leach and the
(16:47):
old air Raid than maybe some folks give them credit.
We'll see the last one for you. Ross. You kind
of already tipped your hand on this one, but way
too early for this. Doesn't matter. We're gonna do it anyway.
Who's gonna win it all? Yeah, I've got the tide right.
It's hard not to pick Alabama every year. If you
just picked him every year, you're gonna be right one
set of every two years. Basically, I think there's a
(17:10):
little fire there from last year and from losing to Georgia.
And they obviously have, you know, a Heisman Trophy quarterback.
He's pick to win it again this year, and and
in a crew of incredible playmakers and and maybe the
biggest defensive set in the nation in Will Anderson. So
they're they're about pick. Yeah. I hate to be repetitive,
(17:31):
but Alabama, um and I Will Anderson's my husband. Pick. Now,
maybe that's impossible for a linebacker to win, but by golly,
I thought who was their best player last year? And
boom lying into the Will Anderson just all leveling the
ball carrier. He had thirty three and a half tackles
(17:52):
for lost, which was eleven and a half more than
the second highest in the nation. He had seventeen and
a half sacks. He is an absolute game plan record.
You have to account for him all the time, and
he's got company that defense. This this will be close
to one of those old glory days Alabama defenses from
like two thousand nine, ten, eleven, twelve, when they were
(18:12):
just crushing people on that side of the ball. Of
this this unit, they may not have quite the run
stopper in the middle that they used to have, but
they're gonna be really good defensively on all three levels.
And then yeah, they've got the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback.
They did very well in the portal running back and
receiver to to add weapons. So I think that they
are well stopped, although I think O how Steak could
(18:35):
give him a heck of a run for their money,
because I think O how State is gonna have the
best offense. You guys are smart, You're probably right. I'm
hoping you're wrong, though, because something other than Choco would
be great. We'll watch that as the season unfolds. Make
sure to read all of their excellent work throughout the
college football season on s I dot com. There at
the top of our show rankings for sure, Ross Tellinger
(18:55):
and Pad forty thank you for this my pleasure, John Yep. Thanks,
thanks for listening everybody, and a reminder to please rate
and review the show. It helps people find us. Sports
Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and I
Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit
(19:18):
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your favorite shows. And for more of Sports Illustrated
It's best stories and podcasts, visit SI dot com. This
episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly was produced by Jordan Rizzieri,
Jessica Armoski, and Isaac Lee, who was also our sound engineer.
Our senior producers are Dan Bloom and Harry sward Out.
(19:40):
Our executive producers are Scott Brodie and me John Gonzalez.
Our theme song is by Nolan Schneider and if you've
stuck around this long, we leave you with this Bonus
points to Ross for bringing props, especially on a show
that's an audio medium. Can we get a little cowbell
us a little ring perfect? Are yeah? Uh? Fulmarks,
Before we get started, please rate and review our show.
It helps people find us. On this episode of Sports
Illustrated Weekly, college football is finally here, and our two
s I in house experts, Ross Dellinger and Pat Forty
joined me to discuss everything you need to get ready
for the season. I'm your host, John Gonzalez from Sports
(00:24):
Illustrated and I Heart Radio. This is Sports Illustrated Weekly.
Ross Dellinger and Pat Forty. Welcome to Sports Illustrated Weekly. Hey,
good to be with you, John. Gonna be excited to
have you guys on. College football is set to kick
off a lot of things happening. I just want to
(00:45):
start broad strokes here for both of you. Uh, Ross
you can go first. You're you're new to the program.
We're happy to have you give us a storyline that
you're monitoring, something that's interesting that people should be watching
out for. Well, we go into every year, I feel
like knowing at least three of the four teams that
will compete in the playoff, maybe all four, but this year,
(01:06):
and you're always trying to wonder, like who's going to
be that new team that challenges We all know that
you know, the playoff has included like, you know, a
group of like six teams like eight percent of the time,
So you're always kind of wondering, who's that other team
that's gonna like challenge this year? And uh, you know,
so you've got your Georgia's, you've got your Alabama's, you've
(01:28):
got your Ohio States, and it's kind of like who's
going to be in the mix. And it's been kind
of revolving. You know, You've had Notre Dame in there
obviously every now and then, and uh, you know l
s U one year and this year. I think that's
kind of the question that as we're going to the season,
it's who's going to be that that other challenger. And
I think out West, one of the things I'm looking
(01:48):
at is Lincoln Riley's team. Courting reports look at Riley's
leaving Oklahoma. He will take the head coaching position at USC.
I know Pat went out there and visiting him earlier
this year. I think, you know, he's got a brand
new team almost quite literally, like forty new players, forty
five new players, a bunch of transfers, Heisman type receiver,
Heisman type quarterback. So could they burst started the scene
(02:11):
and be the Challenger. You know other ones like Texas.
You know, sorry second year, you know, how do things
look there? Queen you was at quarterback yours rolling. He's
got time taking a shutout field, a lot of hype
around him. And then obviously I don't think I mentioned
at the top, but of course you have Clemson. You
(02:31):
know Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, you know those are in Ohio state.
Those are kind of the force. You're always looking for
that other team, and I think the usc Is is
one I'm really interested to watch this year. Pat. I
know before we began this show, you said you were
on a bit watch for for certain coaches. What are
you checking out so far? I am there's always that,
(02:51):
because there's always coaches on the hot seat here. Um.
But like to me, I think maybe the most interesting
football related thing is gonna be just this is gonna
be a Bonker's year for quarterbacks, gonna be really really good.
It's very rare that you get a returning Heisman Trophy
winner back in college, and we do have that. Embryce Young,
the quarterback from Alabama, the winner of the two thousand
(03:15):
twenty one Heisman Memorial Trophy is Young. A lot of
people think c J. Stroud, the quarterback at Ohiose Sate,
is better than he is to the side touch to Garenawson.
Uh and he did have a higher pass efficiency rating.
The top five guys last year in past efficiency are
(03:39):
all back Grayson mccaull from Coastal Carolina, who broke the
single season record in that category. And then you've got
Stroud who I mentioned, Stepson Bennett who was the you know,
the underdog story who led George of the championship Hendon
Hooker at Tennessee, and then Caleb Williams who went from
Oklahoma to USC. So a lot of quarterback movement but
(04:00):
also just a lot of quarterback talent. Back this season,
I think we're gonna we're gonna have fun time watching
him sling. It always fun to watch the quarterbacks. Pat
wrote the most Intriguing Quarterbacks for s I dot Com.
Encourage everybody to go and check that out. You also
Pat wrote the was intriguing non quarterbacks? Uh ross, give
(04:22):
us somebody who's a non quarterback that you're paying attention
to and then promises isn't like the USC show. But Addison,
Jordan Addison over there at at USC pick it back.
But toss down out former pit receiver, maybe one of
the biggest movers transfer movers of of the off season.
(04:44):
Certainly he would be a guy that that should be
on everybody's list to watch for if you're talking about
none or non quarterback type Heisman. So I would circle
him as as a guy. But two, to imagine a
quarterback in the stand age of football not winning the
Heisman is is hard for me. Although it's happened, just
(05:04):
happened just a couple of years ago with the receiver,
but it's hard to not see a quarterback, you know,
when the Heisman. I think the way offenses are, in
the way the game is now, if it was like
every three out of every four years, you know you're
you're gonna have a quarterback with the Heisman Trophy. Yeah,
it seems like almost a foregone conclusion these days, but
there's so many storylines and some many moving parts already
(05:25):
in college football has barely just begun. Pat, We've had
you on this program to talk about all kinds of things,
including and especially n I L. I'm wondering what you've
seen so far from that system and how it's shaped
college football. As we had into the season, continuing to
be fascinating, evolving topic. Ross really is the expert on
on n I L. But to me, the way that
(05:47):
it has appre shaped for frudent has been the biggest thing.
And players that are absolutely using NILE as a recruiting
inducement boosters that are using it that way, schools that
are using it that way, and it's it is not hey,
you've come here and perform well and you can do
commercials and things like that in in some instances as
it is, but but in many others it is, hey,
(06:09):
here's this pile of cash if you'll sign with us,
And that's allegedly against n c double A rules. But
who's enforcing the rules. How well is that going? I
think we know how well it's going because last week
the n c a A sent a memo to all
the members schools saying we need your help. We can't
get these cases. We know it's happening, but we can't
get there. So basically we need you to. We need
(06:31):
everybody to snitch on their competition, uh tangibly with good
evidence of what's been going on, so that we can
make some cases here. Good luck with that. I think
mostly that just kind of looked like a cry for
help from the n c a A. But you know,
it's it's a definite factor to keep watching. I'm not
opposed to the players getting paid, getting goods and services
(06:52):
and all those things, but it has been a game
changer in terms of how recruiting is going. Ross Pack
called you the n I L expert. You tell us
how's how's this system unfolding so far? For you? I
don't know if anybody's an expert on it. Where it's
just so new. Um, it's a challenge to wrap your
hands around. And it continues to change, it continues to evolve.
(07:16):
You know, we've gone from n I L being with
the traditional use of an I L commercial endorsement opportunities,
and it's obviously involved into boosters getting involved in an
I L. And I don't know what the next evolution is.
I'm sure it's out there somewhere, but it's hard to
keep track of everything, you know. I think they're probably
(07:39):
twelve the fifteen schools that are using in I L
through a most of through a booster or booster collectives
that are using in I L. You know, significantly, where
you're talking about a lot of money millions of dollars
going to being dispersed among a team, and I think
that number probably is only going to grow if you
have twelve or so doing it now. You know, this
(08:00):
time next year, you're probably gonna have thirty or so
doing it unless we get, you know, some kind of
more regulation. And that's who we really don't have in
professional sports. You have the salary caps, and you have
waiver wires and players signed contracts, and right now you've
got college sports are probably as close as they've ever
been to pro sports, and there's really no regulation. So
(08:22):
that's the frustrating part. I know from people inside. For
professional sports, the magic word is parody. Right at the
NBA the NFL, you want to have that parody. You
want to have as much competition as possible between the
n I L. And then also Pat, you and I
have discussed this on the show. Before usc U c
l A signaling that they're going to go to the
(08:42):
Big ten the SEC coaching teams. Are we looking at
less parody? Are we looking at you know, the power
to conferences and everybody else? Because there's the halves that
have a lot and then there's everybody else. I think, yeah,
we're inevitably trending that way. It's started, and it's only
going to keep going and perhaps even accelerating in terms
of the revenue disparity between what the SEC and Big
(09:04):
ten can bring in and the rest of the so
called Power five as they become less powerful. It doesn't
mean you can't have a Clemson pop up and win
a national championship. It doesn't mean that maybe you talk
could make the playoff this year, or a Baylor or
an Oklahoma or in Oklahoma State from the Big twelve.
But it gets harder as we go along, and I
do think, you know, the signals are are pretty unmistakable.
(09:26):
I had a Big ten source that told me we
are not done expanding, and so if they whether that
means within weeks, months or years, probably years, but in
three to five years, I think we'll be looking at
a significantly different landscape and probably certainly less parody across
the board, a much bigger Big Ten. You're outing off
(09:49):
some names there of schools that will be paying attention
to as a season unfolds. Let's run through the rankings,
the AP rankings and PATS ranking slightly different. You had Alabama,
Ohio State in Georgia, as did the a P at
the top three, we'll just start there. Uh Ross, how
do you feel about that grouping? Any shot of of
(10:09):
Georgia repeating? Is is it another march for Obama towards
a title? What are we looking at with those top three? Well,
I yeah, I mean I ended up picking shockingly picked
up Alabama to win it all bouncing back from from
their loss to Georgia and the championship game. It's hard
to see, you know, Georgia had a lot of turnover,
(10:30):
certainly from that defense, right it was probably arguably the
best defense that college football has ever seen, certainly the
best in the last few years, and lost a ton
off that team. So hard to think that they're gonna
challenge again in the Ohio State. I think could very well.
I mean they're they're They're my pick to be in
the championship game with Alabama, and so I think they're
(10:50):
right there. Clemson is a big question mark this year,
coming off of you know, their worst year and I
don't know what six seven years, probably they're the worst season,
uh not making the playoffs, not winning the conference, um
in with the quarterback that we still don't know if
he's the guy. He's going to win the job again
and and start to start the season. But they're they're
(11:14):
the of those top four, they're they're the biggest question
for sure. AP has Clemson ranked fourth going into the season. Pat,
you're slightly lower on them at seven. The big disparity
though between you guys. You have Michigan much higher, Michigan eighth,
and the AP rankings you've got the Wolverines fourth. What
do you like about the Wolverines this year? Well, I
have said this and we'll maintain it until we actually
(11:36):
start seeing teams play. But I don't like anybody fourth
room twell, Like, I think the top three are much
better on paper than everyone else. So after that, it's
like you can find a problem with everyone. So I
mean the things I like about Michigan though, I think
they're gonna have a very good offense. Um, they've got
two good quarterbacks. They got to settle on one, or
maybe they don't, maybe they mix and match. They've got
(12:00):
good running backs. They have got a really good receivers,
including Ronnie Bell who got hurt in the first game
last year, and we'll be back. They have an excellent
tight end. They've got young talent at those areas. Offensive
line was one of the best in the country last
year and most of those guys are back, and then
they brought in a key transfer from Virginia, So I
(12:21):
think this will be Jim Harbaugh's best offense at Michigan. Defensively,
you're filling some huge holes there. They had obviously Aidan Hutchinson,
who was the number two pick in the draft, but
also David a Jabo, the other rush end who was
a high draft pic on the second round, and then
they had a first round pick, safety Decks Hill. So
they've got some holes to fill there. But I think
that Michigan is going to be good enough offensively that
(12:44):
you can bring that unit along as things go. And frankly,
the schedule is pretty easy right Their non conference schedule soft,
so I can see them getting off to a a
easy start through September without even being challenged, and kind
of building their defense up as they go through that
that first month season. The other disparity between the AP
(13:06):
rankings and PATS rankings USC outside the APS top ten,
just inside Pat's top ten at number nine. Ross you
you said it was the USC show earlier. You want
to make a case for USC for against Yeah, I do.
I like USC. First of all, you know, they obviously
they have a coach who's who's proven to do it,
have has taken multiple teams to UH to the playoff
(13:29):
and delivered to Heisman Trophy quarterbacks. And he's got one
now that a lot of people say has just as
much talent, if not more than the other two. Hey, look,
well for the secondary touchdown Homa And you know, I
think they picked up obviously some key transfers. You know,
they kind of rated the Sooners. Uh. Not only did
(13:51):
they get the quarterback they got, they got the top
defensive back in packing correct me at running back, receiver, receiver,
Mario Will receiver receiver and then of course Addison as
we talked about earlier. So the question there obviously is
going to be defensively. You know, they were like a
hundred and ten or something last year and I want
(14:12):
to say overall defense. So they really struggled, But they
got a manageable schedule right in the in the in
the Pact twelve and and uh So, Yeah, I think
there's a case there to be made that that maybe
we'll have a West Coast team in the in the
playoff for at least challenging in UH for a playoff
spot in the final few weeks of the season, which
(14:33):
is somewhat of a rarity these days. Al Right, So
we've spent a lot of time talking about the big
schools in the top ten for both of you, give
give us a school that maybe slightly under the radar
that could surprise people this season. I'm gonna say North
Carolina State, which you know they're they're fairly highly ranked.
(14:53):
I think they're in the top fifteen. But I think
that if they can get out of their own way,
which is historically the North Carolina State's problem. They just
find ways to screw up games, sometimes in heartbreaking fashion.
But they've got talent. It's a good team. You know,
They've got players across the board UH in a lot
of places. They've got a quarterback starting there, Devin Leary.
(15:16):
Leary's gonna thrown to jump. It's a touchdown. Francy State.
A lot of the NFL people like him, great arm talent,
thirty five touchdowns, only five interceptions last year. A lot
of people think that, you know, he could end up
being a first round pick. He's got guys to throw too.
They've got runners, they've got a solid defense returning uh
(15:39):
and I think that you kind of put it all together.
If they can beat wait Forest, and if they can
beat Clemson, and they have either beating Clemson or played
him close several times in recent years, including beating him
last year, then I think they could have a chance
to jump up from their nine and three last year
to possibly eleven or twelve wins. I have a I
have a cow all behind me right here. Um Missisi
(16:03):
stay grad and uh so you know hear me out? Okay,
the Bulldogs have you know, arguably one of the better
quarterbacks in the nation, Will Rogers. Rogers, look at us,
checked up. Now he's looking at the end zone. Dump
it up. So I'm gonna I'm gonna say that they're
(16:24):
gonna surprise some folks. The problem is their schedule playing
in the SEC West, so you have to play at
l s U. Actually this year I have to go
to Arizona for a game in Tucson, which is winnable,
but it's on the road a couple of times in
the away. The problem is stopping Misssippi State, I think
will be their competition. But there are in a few
people stop twenty five, and I think they can make
a little more noise offensively with Mike Leach and the
(16:47):
old air Raid than maybe some folks give them credit.
We'll see the last one for you. Ross. You kind
of already tipped your hand on this one, but way
too early for this. Doesn't matter. We're gonna do it anyway.
Who's gonna win it all? Yeah, I've got the tide right.
It's hard not to pick Alabama every year. If you
just picked him every year, you're gonna be right one
set of every two years. Basically, I think there's a
(17:10):
little fire there from last year and from losing to Georgia.
And they obviously have, you know, a Heisman Trophy quarterback.
He's pick to win it again this year, and and
in a crew of incredible playmakers and and maybe the
biggest defensive set in the nation in Will Anderson. So
they're they're about pick. Yeah. I hate to be repetitive,
(17:31):
but Alabama, um and I Will Anderson's my husband. Pick. Now,
maybe that's impossible for a linebacker to win, but by golly,
I thought who was their best player last year? And
boom lying into the Will Anderson just all leveling the
ball carrier. He had thirty three and a half tackles
(17:52):
for lost, which was eleven and a half more than
the second highest in the nation. He had seventeen and
a half sacks. He is an absolute game plan record.
You have to account for him all the time, and
he's got company that defense. This this will be close
to one of those old glory days Alabama defenses from
like two thousand nine, ten, eleven, twelve, when they were
(18:12):
just crushing people on that side of the ball. Of
this this unit, they may not have quite the run
stopper in the middle that they used to have, but
they're gonna be really good defensively on all three levels.
And then yeah, they've got the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback.
They did very well in the portal running back and
receiver to to add weapons. So I think that they
are well stopped, although I think O how Steak could
(18:35):
give him a heck of a run for their money,
because I think O how State is gonna have the
best offense. You guys are smart, You're probably right. I'm
hoping you're wrong, though, because something other than Choco would
be great. We'll watch that as the season unfolds. Make
sure to read all of their excellent work throughout the
college football season on s I dot com. There at
the top of our show rankings for sure, Ross Tellinger
(18:55):
and Pad forty thank you for this my pleasure, John Yep. Thanks,
thanks for listening everybody, and a reminder to please rate
and review the show. It helps people find us. Sports
Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and I
Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit
(19:18):
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your favorite shows. And for more of Sports Illustrated
It's best stories and podcasts, visit SI dot com. This
episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly was produced by Jordan Rizzieri,
Jessica Armoski, and Isaac Lee, who was also our sound engineer.
Our senior producers are Dan Bloom and Harry sward Out.
(19:40):
Our executive producers are Scott Brodie and me John Gonzalez.
Our theme song is by Nolan Schneider and if you've
stuck around this long, we leave you with this Bonus
points to Ross for bringing props, especially on a show
that's an audio medium. Can we get a little cowbell
us a little ring perfect? Are yeah? Uh? Fulmarks,
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