EARLY LOOKAHEAD: Texas-Ohio State & LSU-Clemson Predictions + Power Ranking Week 1 Weekday Games

IT'S. GAME. WEEK! Join us as we power rank the most interesting matchups on Thursday and Friday of an extended holiday weekend of Week 1 games and take an advanced preview of two of the biggest contests as Texas heads to Ohio State and Clemson hosts LSU in the Death Valley Invitational.

After reviewing some extra takeaways from Week 0 – including why we shouldn't overreact to early season rust – we break down the news that Bryce Underwood has officially been named Michigan's starting quarterback. How should this affect our read on the Wolverines in 2025?

Then, we rank the five most intriguing of the 28 games being played on Thursday and Friday, from Auburn-Baylor as a potential Friday night thriller to the sneaky-good matchup between Boise State and USF. We close out by tackling two monster games: Texas traveling to Columbus as slight road favorites in a College Football Playoff semifinal rematch, and Clemson hosting LSU as a four-point favorite.

Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
2:22 - Week 0 Takeaways
10:36 - Bryce Underwood named Michigan starter
16:13 - Power Ranking Thursday/Friday Games
44:06 - Texas vs Ohio State Preview
57:51 - LSU vs Clemson Preview
1:08:52 - Richard Verbal Update

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the solid verbal.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hell for me, I'm a man, I'm forty. I've heard
so many players say, well, I want to be happy.
You want to be happy for a day? Edith State
is that?

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Whoo whoom? And Dan and Tie Dan Rubinstein, it's Game week, baby.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
It is a full on game week. Tie. This is
not a full on preview, but it's a full on
Game week episode and I love it. I'm here for it.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
Week one is getting so big, oh so big in
the window. I'm excited. Thank you for coming on back
to the show. Dan, it's always great to be here
with you. And Hey, Verbalerhood, thank you for stopping on by.
We've got a lot to discuss on today's episode, going
back through the annals of week zero, just a little
bit few takeaways for all y'all. We've got some news

(00:52):
on the Michigan quarterbacking front. We're going to go through
and give you, I guess, an advanced look at some
of the games taking place on Thursday and Friday, in
addition to two biggies that are gonna go down on Saturday.
A little bit of an advanced preview there, and of course,
last but certainly not least, we will drizzle in all

(01:12):
you need to know about getting into our big run
the Board pick them game out at verballers dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
The biggest year for run the Board we've ever done.
I can't wait, absolutely huge.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
If you're new here, thank you for stopping on by
hit the follow or subscribe button, whether you're listening out
on a podcasting app of your choosing, watching out on
YouTube wherever. All of that stuff helps. If you're ever
so inclined to leave a star rating review, we would
be most appreciative. Dan, how are you You're ready to
do this? I'm so ready. I see in you the

(01:45):
excitement and energy. It's not only palpable, but it's visually arresting,
so much so that you appear to be a little
bit You knocked the focus out of your camera. You
have exuded so much energy there. He is better.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
No people watching on YouTube dot com slash solid verbal
can see it. Crystal Claire, you look great, Tie.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Thank you very much, while it is great to be
back with you, and yes, before anyone wonders any further,
I did respond to the lawyer managing the estate of
the late Great Richard Verbal. I will read that message
a little bit later.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
This could change everything, tie, I could legit change the
trajectory of the solid verbal. Can't wait to see where
this goes.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
All right, so let's start with what transpired in week zero,
just a few odds and ends that we didn't have
a chance to discuss. Nay, what do you remember that sound?

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Of course I do, Freddie Willard, Yeah, but we were
doing our old Spotify show we had that I would
dug through all of what we've got in the drop box.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
I pulled that one out. I thought maybe you'd like it, of.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
Course, love.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
So what was your big takeaway big two takeaways from
week zero? In addition to maybe what we discussed what
we did the Sunday recap, we really only had a
chance to talk about Kansas State and Iowa State to
were a couple other games. What's on your mind coming
out of week zero.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
More than anything? I guess with the exception of Kansas
lighting up the scoreboard in the first half against Fresno State,
sorry all the Bulldog fans out there, that it took
a minute for teams win, lose, whatever to knock some
of that rust off that week zero. I mean, you
had a couple games in Ireland or you had a

(03:24):
game in Ireland, a couple teams in Ireland, and then
when you look at what UNLV wasn't or was not
able to do, it just took a second, a little
bit of straining before everything was able to develop. And
that was great to see that. You know, it's with
the transfers, with new coaches, with a new season. It's

(03:45):
not a Week zero specific thing. I imagine we're going
to see a lot of it week one. That it
just took a little time, that's what That's what stood
out to me that it just there was there were
some momentary weaknesses that needed to be addressed.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
I mean, the first half of that game in Ireland
was a mess, and not just because of the weather.
You had two teams out there that I think were
feeling their way into this new season. It was not
a pretty watch and we did see that across the board.
That is not uncommon, and especially now as we go
into Week one, which, like I said, we're going to
talk about some of these matchups here in a little bit.

(04:23):
You do wonder how that plays into things like point spreads,
things like first half lines. Made a bunch of people
ride into me by the way zero to one on
my locks picking up right where we slept off last season.
But people riding in saying, hey, bet the under here,
bet the under first half there, the under first half there.
It's an interesting way I guess to think about the season.

(04:46):
I don't necessarily think of things in terms of unders,
because I kind of find it boring, But I do
understand the logic there, and we did see that on
display in at least the first Saturday of games.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, and here's the other big takeaway to me, Whatever
you are in week zero or this coming week one
has bearing on what you can be, but it's nowhere
near everything right that that first game out of the shoot.
It's important to see how you respond when things are
not going well. It's important to see that kind of

(05:18):
fight if you're down fourteen three or seventeen nothing or
something like that, or it's a slog like it was
in Dublin. But Kansas State season has so much more
time now. Iowa State has so much more time to
grow on its slow start and to address the things
that really weren't working out against Kansas State, but they

(05:38):
were able to pull out in the end. That's the
really interesting thing to me is it's easy to overreact,
but you are not defined by your sloppiest quarter, your
sloppiest half, your sloppiest game, whether it's Fresno State with
a new coach, whether it's whoever's that's the grace that
I am going to try to extend this first month

(05:58):
or two three weeks of the season, because it's easy
to have that first impression of say, either one of
these teams, Kansas State or Iowa State, but it's pretty
much meaningless for the rest of the year.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
Well, and it's even more meaningless now because of the
way that the system has gone now with the twelve
team expanded field. Maybe you're in the hunt for the playoff,
maybe your team isn't. But to the point, there's a
lot of season left, one loss does not mean as
much as it used to, say, five years ago. The
world has changed a little bit in the sense in
college football. So certainly Kansas State, if you're a Case

(06:33):
State fan out there listening to this, could still win.
The Big Twelve, can still get to that title game.
I think the Big Twelve in large part's going to
cannibalize itself. That's sort of been the trend over the
last decade. Or so, And as we saw last year,
you can still make it to the National Championship game
even if you lose to a MAC team.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
So that's true, and the playoff if you lose whatever,
Georgia beat Clemson. Buy and like, this is just early
and very really with the Ireland things specifically, because I
know that's happening again next year. You're almost not even
preparing for an opponent. You're just like, how do I
address execution and rustproofing? What would that be a primer?

(07:13):
I don't know why rustproof some little rustolium not a sponsor,
could be could be? Right? What are you doing to
compete with the idea of playing abroad more than you
are competing to play against another team, because that just
seems the sloppiness, the weather, the time change, whoever is
best at that is already going to have a leg
up in that very specific scenario.

Speaker 1 (07:35):
My big takeaway from Saturday is that I think your
prediction of San Jose State making a run at the
Mountain West looks more possible than ever. Now. Really, okay,
I do, And granted they didn't play.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
No, you have no idea what they are no idea yet,
but what.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
We saw in Week zero was not super inspiring on
the UNLV side of things. Now they did win thirty
eight or their Fresno side of things, yeah, or the
Fresno side, thank you, Yeah, thirty eight to thirty one
was your final. UNLV did win over Idaho State, but
it was a legit, back and forth game where they
trailed at half. The game was tied with eleven and

(08:14):
a half left in the fourth quarter. The most concerning
part of this was their defense, giving up five hundred
and fifty five yards to the Mighty Bengals out of
the Big Sky. Mind you totally decent last year, but
it was just a very unbecoming defensive effort for what
we think is going to be one of the better
teams in the Mountain West, albeit with a lot new

(08:35):
new coach, new players, you name it. But then to
your point, yeah, you factor in what happened on the
Fresno side. Fresno got blown out by Kansas thirty one
to seven. Also a lot, new new coach, new players,
right the whole nine yard new quarterback, you name it.
Both these teams are going to get better. I'm with
you on that front. What you are in zero or
week one is not necessarily what you're going to be

(08:56):
the rest of the season. Everybody tends to get better
if you're asking me now, Okay, very limited sample size.
It looks like a spot in that title game is
going to fall off the back of a truck right
into the waiting arms of ken Nea Manololo in San
Jose steak.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Wow, what a taken sight unseen.

Speaker 1 (09:19):
But I just I came away very unimpressed on the
UNLV side, very unimpressed on the Fresno side. I don't
know if either was super surprising given all that is new,
and obviously given the scenario with yeah, Fresno going to
the reopened stadium at Kansas where it was rocking and
everybody was fired up and Jalen Daniels went off. But

(09:41):
like feeling better about that prediction of yours, to be
honest with.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
You, that's fine. These are two new coaches with a
lot new on these rosters and struggle with Idaho State.
That's fine. I mean, look last year Oregon struggled with
Idaho in week one and went thirteen. And oh, you know,
it's it's possible to get better and to figure out
line play deficiencies and who's in the two deep. Who's

(10:06):
not in the two deep. You have the ability to
self diagnose after these games, and we can diagnose this
about UNLV. One they're one and oh that's great. It's
better than ben ol and one. Two. They might have
or probably have the best running back in the Mountain
West still, and he proved it against Idaho State. There
are positives to take away at UNLV, perhaps less so
in this moment about Fresno State. But I think the

(10:28):
positive is Kansas took care of business like a team
that has hopes of competing for the Big twelve should
have done, and that's a great thing.

Speaker 1 (10:36):
We did have some news on the quarterbacking front, Dan,
not a huge surprise. Bryce Underwood is going to be
the starter at Michigan. I wanted to kick this one
over to you a little bit because I know when
we did some of our preview content, really throughout the
course of the offseason, you more than me, were kind

(10:59):
of driving home this point that it was a quarterback contest.
It wasn't just going to be gift wrapped and given
a Bryce Underwood. Even after some of the early clips
of Bryce Underwood emerged out there where he just looked
like you know, a god among boys. Sounds like it's official.
Now it's going to be Bryce Underwood. Mikey Keene was out.
I guess with what an unspecified injury for some period

(11:20):
of time was not? Really?

Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah, I mean that hurts your ability to compete?

Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yes, yeah, it was not really that big of a
factor in this quote unquote contest knowing that it is
Bryce Underwood. This might be a stupid question, but I'll
ask it anyway. Does that at all affect your preview
of the Michigan Wolverines going into twenty twenty five? Like
for me, I just assumed it was going to be
him the whole while, and I sort of bought into

(11:45):
some of the hype around him. So I'm cool with it.
It doesn't really affect me one way or another. But
to what end were you banking on Mikey Kean when
you put together some of your previous stuff.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
Oh, not fully banking on Mikey Kane. Not fully banking
on the offense really with regard to Michigan's ceiling in
terms of success this season. So yeah, I mean the
quote recently was Mikey Keane quote still not full go
in fall camp. That's not a great item to see
when you're thinking that there's some kind of transition that's

(12:17):
going to happen maybe between Mikey Keen and Bryce Underwood
at some point in the season. Bryce Underwood is the guy.
He's obviously well documented, being paid like the guy, and
he is going to step in I think Oklahoma's week two,
not week three, Week two right the Oklahoma game in Norman,
So he's going to step into a huge road situation early.

(12:38):
Hopefully that is a positive thing for his development that
he sees what a really dangerous place looks like on
the road against an excellent what we think is going
to be an excellent Oklahoma defense, and win or lose,
is able to file away that experience for successes down
the road, and I just would temper all expectations. Quarterbacks

(13:00):
who come in, and the note is they're extremely polished
and ready to roll. Quarterbacks who come in that they
are physically gifted but need time. Take your pick of
the blue chip quarterbacks who come in and either start
or play as a true freshman. They go through some stuff.
There's a reason why this happens very rarely, and even
Trevor Lawrence didn't start the season as one of the

(13:22):
best true freshmen ever. Jamis Winston sat out a year
and took a red shirt. Like all of these guys
who are ready to roll very early on in their
career take lumps if they play as a true freshman.
Sam Howell took lumps as a true freshman, like Dylan.

Speaker 1 (13:36):
Dylan Royol was very good Roola last year. He was
excellent as compared to what they previously had. But yeah,
he had some moments. For sure.

Speaker 2 (13:43):
There is just going to be that game against whoever,
in a win or a loss, that Bryce Underwood goes
eleven of twenty seven for ninety four yards and three interceptions,
and you got to be able to take the ups
and downs of that experience, because we assume the ceiling
is of Bryce Underwood at Michigan is extraordinary if right,

(14:07):
if he's allowed time to make mistakes. If Sharon Moore
and this offensive staff can find some receivers, can keep
finding tight ends, can keep developing offensive linemen, can figure
out an offense to surround Bryce Underwood with. That's incomplete
right now. There is not an obvious roster of receivers
that are like, go make Bryce Underwood look good. That's

(14:31):
not existing in ann Arbor in this moment. I hope
it exists next year. I hope it develops by the
end of this year. But he is not plug in
play with an offense ready to roll through the Big ten.
His defense will give him an opportunity to win games,
and that's great. They can win a bunch of games
seventeen thirteen. I like Michigan this year. I think they're

(14:51):
a super interesting team because of this defense. But I
think Michigan fans, in their heart of hearts, know there
are going to be stretches where are like, oh, buddy,
he looks like he.

Speaker 1 (15:01):
Was just a problem, and that's okay, And you know what,
he's still better than what they had last year.

Speaker 2 (15:07):
I would still better.

Speaker 1 (15:08):
I would rather take my lumps with the true freshman
who's got a ton of upside and maybe a higher
ceiling than any recent quarterback to come through Michigan, then
go back to where they were last year with Alex
Orgie and Davis Warren and they're just playing this quarterback
roulette that was no fun and it was telegraphed the offense.
So this year, at least, yeah, throw him in there,

(15:29):
let him take his lumps. There will definitely be those
moments where we see the warts, but that's okay, that's okay,
And to your point, the defense gives him a shot.
So I'm excited about this, honestly. I mean I expected it.
I think most people expected this, but I mean.

Speaker 2 (15:42):
Only by the way. The only bar to clear from
last year's quarterback play is beating Ohio State in Alabama
to finish out the year, right, that's what if he's
better than last year's No, obviously that's an insane thing
to say, but yeah, that's uh. In a down year,
Michigan was able to accomplish that beat USC all sorts
of great things. So it'll be fun to watch. It'll
be fun to see what he is and isn't told

(16:07):
to do, allowed to do, and what the offense looks
like built around a true.

Speaker 1 (16:12):
Freshman at quarterback. You want to play a game, I
would love to.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god. Okay,
it's happening. Here's the surge of fear and adrenaline to
sharpen your decision making.

Speaker 1 (16:27):
Sharpen that decision making, Dan, because we've got Thursday games,
we've got Friday games that we need to talk about.
On this here Tuesday episode. I'm ready, Here is the game.
I've got a whole handful on this list here. I
know you've got the scoreboard in front of you as well.
We know which games are going to be played on
Thursday and Friday. I want to go through. I want
to rank in order of most interesting to least interesting.

(16:50):
Five games. Okay, five games, Okay, we can pick any
five that we want. But I want to rank for
the people out there who are at home wondering, like,
what is my play gonna be. I gotta go into
the office. I got to plan out meals. I have
to figure out what the backside of this week looks like,
because again, we've got games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday,
five straight days of college football games. Yes, make your

(17:12):
plan now for Thursday and Friday so that you're not
caught off guard. And this is part of that planning process.
I want to rank with you five most interesting games
on Thursday and Friday.

Speaker 2 (17:22):
Are you ready?

Speaker 1 (17:22):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (17:23):
Yeah, I'm also going to rank the how intense. My
wife says something like, wait, there are games today both
Sunday and Monday. I think Sunday morning is going to
be the number one most intense. I think Sunday afternoon
is going to be a reminder, but some intensity. Monday

(17:45):
morning is going to be the fury of molten lava,
which your flies out there are. I've told you this
since June, but you know here.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
We are here, we are by the way. On Thursday,
there is a Boise State USF game that starts at
thirty pm Eastern. Okay, a little bit earlier than I
think some might be used to, especially if you're watching
out in the West coast. Again, make your plan now,
that's right, get the plan ready. Listen. The most interesting

(18:14):
game in that Thursday Friday slate is the Auburn Baylor
game on Friday night at eight pm.

Speaker 2 (18:21):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (18:22):
Baylor is a home dog there, two and a half
point home dog Auburn on the road. This is the
biggest Week one game that nobody outside of the Auburn
or Baylor circles are even talking about right now, and
it is maddening to me. I've read so many previews
of Week one. This game, for whatever reason, just sort

(18:43):
of flying under the radar. Both coaches recently been hot
seat adjacent. Yes, yes, maybe cooled a little bit last year.
At the end of last year for Dave Randa, with
the way that they finished out, definitely still but maybe
cooled a little bit on the Hugh Freeze side, given
what they did in the transfer portal. A lot of

(19:05):
reason to be excited about what Auburn did in the
transfer portal. Baylor, for their part, a trendy pick. I
think in the Big Twelve, Auburn's schedule is front loaded
for sure in the first half, a little bit of
runway after Week one, but it definitely gets tough in
a hurry the last two weeks of September. So we
come into this game now where it almost feels like
both teams gotta have it. Both teams gotta have it,

(19:28):
and they're two good teams that have a lot of
fun elements to them. I am thrilled about this game.
That we get this on Friday night at a PM,
so for me, this is number one in that early sleep.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
I think I'm there too. The Georgia Tech Colorado, which
is at the same time on ESPN correct that matchup
is a very interesting Colorado. What do they look like postdoor,
post Travis Hunter, and you have the Dion factor of
year three where it's the familiar is gone with Colorado

(20:02):
and Georgia Tech has a good amount of hype this year.
That's interesting to me. Georgia Tech on the road, Colorado hosting.
I think Auburn Baylor is the one just because what
both of these teams we think can look like at
their best is crazy entertaining. So you could see like
a forty four to forty one type game, and that's

(20:23):
potentially very entertaining to me. So I think I'm with
I think it's a narrative match of Baylor, Auburn is strong,
is stronger right now. I am going to go Auburn,
and I think it ends up being a higher scoring
game that at times may feel like it's going to
devolve into a shootout. I could totally see that here.
But the thing that I kept coming back to and
trying to break this one down, Baylor's achilles here last

(20:44):
year was chunk plays on defense and Auburn's wide receiver corp,
at least the reformulated version of it now kind of
built for that. Now a lot depends on Jackson Arnold
and whether or not he's effective. I'm going to assume
that he's.

Speaker 1 (20:58):
Going to be better than we saw before he left
Oklahoma last year. I'm just gonna assume that a change
of scenery does him well. I was a big Jackson
Arnold fan. I'm not ready to fully sell my Jackson
Arnold stock. So I think it's like a thirty four
thirty game in favor of Auburn, where you do have
a little bit more points, but it ends up being

(21:20):
a really fun matchup. Again, this is why I've got
at number one here on my list.

Speaker 2 (21:24):
Yeah, I'm with you. I think I'm leaning Baylor.

Speaker 1 (21:30):
Which I could see, by the way, and I really
like Baylor too.

Speaker 2 (21:32):
I flip foint, but you're on the record saying you
could see both of these teams winning a close game.

Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yeah, here's what I'm saying. Yeah, I really like Baylor.
I absolutely like Baylor. I'm all in on Baylor, not
necessarily to win the Big Twelve, but I do think
they'll be fun as hell to watch because of the
offense and I think the defense will be improved. The
points right here again is only two and a half.
So yeah, it's not a stretch to say, oh yeah,
I could see one team winning or another. I am
on the Auburn side of this. Though firmly on the

(21:59):
Auburn side of it. One.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah, I mean with Baylor, it's just where's the pass rush,
where's the secondary? You have a good concept of Auburn's
strength being what it could potentially do down the field.
They were super explosive last year. They're only going to
be better at receiver. I have no idea what they're
going to look like at quarterback. That's a big question
to me. This is gonna be a pretty hostile environment
at Baylor, and when you are a road favorite against

(22:21):
if we agree that Baylor appears to be a quality team,
they are and Auburn appears to be a quality team.
I don't know what you can trust in this moment
about Auburn to make you comfortable at taking them as
a road favorite against equality team. What have they earned
in your mind? Nobody's earned anything. It's Week one. Obviously

(22:42):
we haven't seen him yet. But sure, But when you
are a road favorite against a quality team, typically we've
seen something that season that defines why that's the case. Okay,
and so you are, which is fine. It's a leap
of faith to say I'm a big believer that Auburn

(23:04):
is even more than just quality that they are full
on good, and so if you believe Auburn is full
on good, that pick makes sense. So I'm not gonna
say it's a bad pick, but I'm going to take
the outcomes here, and I'm going to go with the
uncertainty of what Auburn looks like with Jackson Arnold and
with how they started out last season. That's not a huge,

(23:25):
huge confidence builder with me.

Speaker 1 (23:27):
It isn't.

Speaker 2 (23:27):
Baylor didn't start out especially well either, but they're playing
at home, so I'm going to give the points with
the home dog. Excuse me, I'm gonna take the pointing points, okay,
as as I'm gonna go with Baylor the home dog here.

Speaker 1 (23:40):
So okay, if we're putting this one first, you mentioned
Georgia Tech Colorado. That's two. Yeah, if we're ranking these
from most to least interesting, Again, there's twenty eight games
the first two days of the season on Thursday and Friday.
We're only picking a handful of them here that I
think jumped out to us. But yeah, the Georgia Tech
Colorado game is interesting. So you know, in those lonely

(24:01):
moments laying awake in the middle of the night, I
think about this point spread. I really Georgia Tech is
a four point road favorite. It seems like the world
is high on Georgia Tech right now.

Speaker 2 (24:17):
Sure you may've earned that a little to a certain extent. Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 1 (24:21):
Colorado lost a lot of AMMO from a year ago. Still,
it's just a four point line. And so I look
at this and it's like, Man, if this were twenty
twenty four, I would have picked Colorado because Tech had
so many issues against the pass. Colorado had a ton
of star power a year ago. But that is not

(24:43):
this team. Now. This is a much different situation. It's
an interesting game. It's an even more interesting matchup. What
do I mean by that? I look at the trenches
in this one. The first word that comes to mind
is your favorite F word.

Speaker 2 (25:00):
Oh okay.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
If there is a question for Tech, I think it's
on that offensive line. If there's a strength in this
version of Colorado, I think it's their defensive front. So
that's an interesting kind of contrast for me. I like
Tech here though, for two reasons. The first, the Haines
your way backfield, Haines King Jamal Haynes. They're going to
make plays. This is what they do Secondly, though, I

(25:24):
am not entirely sure what Colorado's offense is going to
look like. I don't know if anybody is. This isn't
me saying they're going to stink this year. We just
don't have anything to go on right nothing. We have
a lot of pre season chatter from you, those who
cover the team, and from what we think is going
to be the new focus of this team. I think
they got to be more run heavy this year given

(25:45):
all that they lost, but there's really not a great
track record for them being good at it over the
last two years. So I'm on Tech here, But I
do think this is an interesting game. Like I could,
I could squint and look at this line and kind
of figure out why it is where it's at. I've
got it at thirty one to twenty one. Tech winning
on the road against Colorado.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
Okay, And look they last year, in a weird situation,
went to Ireland, ran really well against what eventually turned
out to be a disastrously bad Florida State team. I
understand the hype on Tech. I am buying into the
hype on Tech, but also I'm taking Colorado.

Speaker 1 (26:22):
Here with the points are to win outright, I'm.

Speaker 2 (26:25):
Not sure I'll talk. I'll get to that conclusion at
the end of this breadth.

Speaker 1 (26:29):
We we do have another show later in the week
if you need time.

Speaker 2 (26:33):
No, no, I'm good one. Situationally, Colorado's kind of a mystery.
We know that they should be good up front on
the defensive line. We know that they're replacing pieces in
the back end, new linebackers. We know that they need
desperately to keep improving along the offensive line. They need
to figure out I guess it's likely going to be
Caden Salter. I don't know if anything has been official

(26:53):
at who is named the starting quarterback, but his accuracy
and number is completion percentage numbers weren't my favorite thing
playing against Conference USA opponents, and now it's going to
get more difficult in the Big twelve. I think that
the matchup between Colorado's offensive line and Georgia Tech, trying
to improve drastically, dramatically it's pass rush under a new

(27:16):
defensive coordinator is super interesting. It's at altitude. It's going
to be a frenzied crowd. We have no idea what
Colorado's going to do to make the bladder of Deon
Sanders more comfortable on the sideline. Hope he's recovering, Hope
he's doing great. But he was joking about, you know what,
like the p tent that he's going to need on
the sideline there. So I don't know what the visuals,

(27:38):
what the aesthetics are going to be on the Colorado sideline.
Can't wait to see. I just think the energy is
with Colorado in this specific moment.

Speaker 1 (27:46):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (27:47):
And so yes, I don't love Colorado this season, but
situationally on the road, I think Georgia Tech is going
to put itself in position to win this game. But somehow,
some way, Colorado's going to cover. Okay, I see, I
really can't see it. I could see it.

Speaker 1 (28:09):
And if anything has been true over the last now
two seasons, yeah, it has been a large swath of
the college football public underestimating what Colorado can be like.
The first season wasn't great, but pulled off the huge
upset Week one. Yeah, last season nine wins, they were

(28:30):
in the hunt for that Big twelve title game. Didn't
work out, but they were in the hunt. So who
knows what this year has in store. Again losing a lot,
but they have proven that they can overachieve. To some extent,
So I don't hate that pick.

Speaker 2 (28:44):
I think there's also just like this confluence of ideas
that Colorado's going to take a big step back without
Shuor Sanders and Travis Hunter plausible, and that Georgia Tech
has arrived, and I think neither one of those things
is as dramatically true in Week one? What do you've
got as.

Speaker 1 (29:04):
The third most interesting game? We've got a bunch of
options here. There's Nebraska Cincinnati, which I think is interesting,
BOISEUSF which I'm boise USF is my answer. Okay, not
to give the game away here, but we've got other
ones like where are you at?

Speaker 2 (29:20):
Oh, I'm ECUNC State number three? Yeah, yeah, you think
there's gonna be some more fights? Okay, So nobody started
their season in a more worrisome way, perhaps in the
ACC last year with an uneven performance against I believe
Western Carolina NC State and then giving up one hundred
and twenty points to Clemson and Tennessee. I believe things

(29:41):
went disastrously wrong for NC State, and now they're opening
up the season against the team they may very well
brawl with once again. They finished the season against ECU
last year, begin the season this year, so there's brawl potential.
For some reason, NC State is a twelve point favorite.
I don't think this will define NC State season, but

(30:03):
from a peer like where's NC State? Having made major
coaching changes, having a need to start the season in
and a lot more impressive fashion than where they were
last year, I think this one is quietly super interesting.
So that's where I'm at with this one. NC State ECU.
You got some Catenhauser involved once again. Yeah, yeah, all

(30:24):
of this is great by me.

Speaker 1 (30:25):
That's Thursday at seven pm. By the way, those playing
along at home. My attention is on another Thursday game,
and it's the one that I mentioned a second ago.
It's Boise State on the road at USF again Thursday,
five point thirty Eastern on ESPN, So this is like
the early game on Thursday night. I will be watching

(30:46):
this one intently. I am on USF plus six and
a half here. Okay, Now bear in mind I've got
USF winning the American so I'm perhaps a bit biased.
But I love Byron Brown quarterback. It's an experienced line,
it's still a really good receiver room. I really like
Kashan Singleton. The defense has a lot back. They do

(31:08):
need to be more consistent on defense, right, but they're
going to play fast on offense. They're going to run
a million plays. It would not surprise me in week
one if they dump Boise if they win this game
out right, because Boise's got to figure out what they
look like post Ash and Ginty. I know they've got
options there. I know people that rode into us feel
still overwhelmingly fine about where Boise State is at. They

(31:30):
should still be far and away the best team in
the Mountain West. That's a tough spot, like traveling cross
country playing on a Thursday night in South Florida. USF,
by the way, has a very passionate fan base that
I'm sure will be out in numbers for this one
because this is a big matchup against Boise State. Yes,
so I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it

(31:52):
would not surprise me one iota if it were a
straight up victory for USF to kick things off on
Thursday night. At a minimum, I think they're covering the
boys bread.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
So I am now not a meteorologist, nor have I
ever been. Tie it's looking like eighties, nineties high humidity,
high due Point. Yeah, man, it's gonna be stanky. Yep,
it is going to be August in Florida.

Speaker 1 (32:19):
Correct, Does it typically get that humid up in Boise, Idaho?

Speaker 2 (32:23):
Oh, it's in it's in Boise.

Speaker 1 (32:25):
No, No, I'm saying is Boise was gonna say of
humidity in Due Points?

Speaker 2 (32:30):
Not like this. Boise, I believe is considered high desert.
So it's it's you don't get that tropical climate in
the same way you do in Florida. And we saw
Boise struggle last year their legs, their lungs. They won
the game. I think it was against Georgia Southern, I
want to say, and that was kind of a shootout.
The defense got run over, thrown over a bunch, and
they won that game. But Boise lost their best player

(32:53):
ever who is able to sort of take that team
on the back. I think Boise's running back room will
be just fine. They'll be fine, But environmentally this is
gonna present some challenges. So are you with me USF
plus the number?

Speaker 1 (33:07):
God? I do?

Speaker 2 (33:08):
I still think you gotta like the team. I think
it's gonna be a close game. I do like it, Boise.

Speaker 1 (33:13):
I do think the team. I like them a lot.
I know.

Speaker 2 (33:15):
I think Boise is gonna like barely cover this game,
win this game seven or eight points, like thirty four
twenty seven, thirty five, twenty seven, but it's twenty four
all at the end of the third quarter something like that.

Speaker 1 (33:27):
So we agree on one and two. We differ on
the third most interesting yes for me. Number four is
Nebraska against Cincinnati. Now this is one. They're playing this
game at Arrowhead, which I think I screwed up on
the document that I sent you. It's not at Cincinnati,
No I knew it was there. Yeah, Nebraska against Cincinnati
and Arrowhead. Nebraska is a six and a half point favorite.

(33:48):
I'll repeat what I said during the previews. I like
Cincinnati way more than I expected, and I stand by it.
I think this is a six to eight win team,
which would be definitely an improvement. Scott Sadderfield needs that
at more than most. Okay, they've got to figure out
a pass rush though, they've got to figure out who
their targets are out wide for Brendan Sworgsby, and they've

(34:10):
absolutely got to figure out how to hell to win
some of these close games because that was such a
problem for this team. And I even called it out
in our preview episodes that we did. Is this a
culture thing? Is it a strength and conditioning thing? Is
it a coaching thing? Like? What is it? And by
the way, they're not the only team in this category,
but no, like, what is it? What is it that's

(34:31):
going to get them over this hump? Because the close
game thing has been a problem. By the way, Nebraska
no stranger to this over their recent past, mind you,
but I just think Nebraska's in a much better place
right now. I'm just interested to see what they look
like coming out of the gate here because there are
a lot of folks that are really high on Nebraska.
I've got them at nine and three. I'm not nearly
as high as some others out there who really dig

(34:53):
what Nebraska looks like this season year three under Matt Ruhle.
We're probably at this point now where the offense line
is no longer a liability, which is a good thing.
I want to see though, how they use Dane Keen
a Ziah Hunter. They're two transfer wide receivers other than
the offensive line. That to me is the story because
this team did not go downfield enough last year, like

(35:15):
one hundred and twelve something of that nature. In air
yards per target, they were not stretching the field. I
want to see them get more vertical in the passing game.
I think this should give them an opportunity to do so,
because I don't suspect Cincinnati, even if they've got an
improved pass rush, I still don't think it's going to
be much of one. So Dylan Rail should have an
opportunity to work the ball down the field.

Speaker 2 (35:36):
You would think. But you would also think a team
like Nebraska would be able to score more than twenty
points more than once since October fifth of twenty twenty four.

Speaker 1 (35:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
Right, that is a different team, different year. But that's
a question heading into this year what are they doing
to score points? And you're right, the addition of the receivers,
the addition of Dana Holgerson is the full time guy
calling the offense seems very positive. What does it translate
to on a neutral field against a quality team in Cincinnati?
And on defense, it's just getting the hell off the

(36:09):
field on third down. That's where they struggled some last
year in obvious situations where they should have been off
the field. New defensive coordinator with Tony White, heading to
I believe Florida State getting off the field from that defense.
There's a lot to like about this Nebraska team. Are
they a complete team or are they just shades of
Matt Rule teams without an evolved Matt Rule identity? And

(36:33):
so I like Nebraska here. I think there's more to
like about Nebraska, but I have no concept neither does anybody,
of course, to feel confident in the idea that they've
arrived or that they've taken some kind of leap this offseason.
And I hope this is the week we see something interesting.
But they scored twenty eight points I think against Colorado

(36:54):
last year and looked like they were going into that
direction before getting back into the clamship. So yeah, I
hope this is the beginning of something new. But you're
gonna need to sell me Nebraska.

Speaker 1 (37:07):
One final game left to power rank.

Speaker 2 (37:09):
Okay, what do you got? Oh? Of my top five
app State, Charlotte's interesting because of the new coaches. I
thought Tom Alvin taken over.

Speaker 1 (37:24):
I have a better one, but I thought about that one.

Speaker 2 (37:26):
You like Minnesota Buffalo, probably not as much as you.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
I know you're high on the Bulls.

Speaker 2 (37:31):
Not in this game. But overall, yes, that's a big
number by the way for Minnesota's offense.

Speaker 1 (37:36):
Eighteen points.

Speaker 2 (37:37):
Yeah, Minnesota's offense be favored by that many points with
not scoring a bunch of these past couple openers, and
that it was against like North Carolina, it was against
I think Nebraska two years ago, so it's different story.
But they haven't come out, you know, guns blazing.

Speaker 1 (37:53):
So not at all, not at all. I looked at
that game. I was interested in that game. Yeah, the
one that really gets the blood pumpin Friday night nine
thirty CBS Sports Network. Not sure if I'm gonna be
able to stay awake for this. It's okay, we need
to get our beauty sleep in preparation for Saturday. UNLV
at Sam Houston. So this is actually an interesting game

(38:16):
because we did see both these teams in.

Speaker 2 (38:18):
The true short week road for UNLV.

Speaker 1 (38:20):
Yeah, UNLV is a thirteen point road favorite against Sam Houston.
How do we feel about that? Given the version of
UNLV that we saw in week zero.

Speaker 2 (38:33):
I feel a lot better about UNLV having that week. Now.
Sam Houston played as well, Right.

Speaker 1 (38:39):
Sam Houston played and lost to West Kentucky. Western Kentucky
forty one to twenty four h So I thought offensively,
they looked better than I expected given the fact that
they're changing a whole bunch around. I got exactly what
I expected on the defensive side as well, giving up
forty one points. Western actually a pretty good Of course,

(39:01):
Western is good. So I just look at this game.
I think it's gonna be a shootout. I don't think
either team plays defense this year, and I'm trying not
to overreact to Week one or week zero. Excuse me
with UNLV barely getting by Idaho State, but tell me
one good reason why I shouldn't jump on Sam Houston
plus the number plus thirteen. That's way too much.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
We say this every year, but we I think both believe,
at least I believe that some of the biggest differences
you'll see in a team are between their first and
second game. And so if we agree that Dan Mullen
is a good coach, if we agree that you and
LV should be able to run the ball a lot
this year, then UNLV has the ability to look at

(39:48):
the tape and realize what was and wasn't working against
Idaho State. I know's Idaho State, and that's a disappointing
start to that game, but that would be the reason.
I don't think that number. I think that number is
based on both last week and broader preseason and twenty
twenty four thoughts about UNLV as a program, as a brand,

(40:10):
and I don't know if that's applicable. So I'm with
you in taking Sam Houston has the numbers was too big.

Speaker 1 (40:16):
I was curious to see if the number was going
to move it all right after what we saw to UNLV,
because I had this dock made weeks in advance. Right
still holding steady at thirteen. Obviously that could change. We're
recording this in a Monday afternoon, but time of recording
the game's Friday night is plus thirteen. Sam Houston, I'm
all over that number, okay. Right in soliverbagmail dot com.
Let us know what your thoughts are on the Thursday

(40:38):
Friday slate. Are there any games here that we left off?
Maybe you're into Delaware State, Delaware the one rivalry. I
don't know. Let us know what your picks are for
Thursday and Friday, but I think you've got a sense
for where we're at. Yes, before we go any further, Dan,
we've got a lot going on in the forballer hood. Okay,
we've got forballers dot Com running at full speed now. Notably,

(41:03):
run the Board is now active, So Run the Board
is a year long and also weekly pick them game.
You pick a bunch of games out, you pick the
winner against the points spread this week. In Week one,
the winner gets a five hundred dollars Visa gift card.
Here are the games that we're including on the slate.
You got Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Clemson, Toledo, Kentucky, whoa, Okay,

(41:27):
maybe that way spicy. That's spicy mac game that we
always see in week one. Somewhere along the line.

Speaker 2 (41:32):
Zach Calzada is officially the starter at Kentucky.

Speaker 1 (41:35):
Yeah, ar Mada sales again absolutely, Mississippi State, Southern Misstack
Beat Dicey, Tricky, Utah Versus, UCLA, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech,
South Carolina, Notre Dame, Miami, and TCU North Carolina. So
it spans all of Saturday games, Sunday games, and the
Monday game. Okay, go on out to verbalers dot com

(41:58):
and sign up for any paid tiers Certified or Premium
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(42:18):
to seven with the Verballer hood. You can also vote
in the weekly Verballer Top twelve poll, which goes live
very early in the morning every Sunday. We'll talk about
it on this episode moving forward, But if you want
to vote in the pole, if you want to be
part of the community, if you just want to support
what Dan and I do, get in on the action,

(42:38):
go out now to verballers dot com. Sign up playing
the game, be part of the community. There it is.
That's my pitch.

Speaker 2 (42:46):
That's a good pitch. It's very very helpful. It's the best.
I love just chatting with everybody behind the scenes. I
love playing the game. The game is so damn fun
unless you're scared to compete. To compete, actually, I understand
that from people. I understand when you're like, I don't
have faith in my picking ability against these two dueves

(43:07):
hosting the show, They're just gonna own me because they're
so brilliant. But if you're a person who likes to compete.

Speaker 1 (43:14):
This is the move.

Speaker 2 (43:15):
This is just for ballers dot Com. It's absolutely the move.
Support the show and beat us into the ground. I
mean it's win, win and win.

Speaker 1 (43:21):
A five hundred gift card and if you finish in
the top five at the end of the season. Yes,
he has spot on our board of trustees, which you
if if you do feel like words I mean, Dan's
a dweeb, I'm not. But if you if you feel
strong as a cool jack, yeah, I'm wearing a hat.
Look at me, I'm cool if you if you feel
that way, if you feel strongly and you win a
seat on the board, it is your prerogative to not

(43:43):
give the vote of confidence totally. So you have a
lot of power if you finish in the top five,
but you gotta play all year. If you fall behind
a week, it's like it's gonna be no boyno correct
for ballers dot Com is where you can go to
find out more.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
Okay, v er b a l well ers.

Speaker 1 (44:03):
Right?

Speaker 2 (44:04):
Did I get that right?

Speaker 1 (44:04):
You got it? Yes. Let's close this one out by
talking about some of the biggies this weekend, shall we.
Let's damn time to help any of the week so yes,
we will talk about these again on Thursday, but we
just couldn't contain our excitement any longer. We got two
biggies here that you and I are just like our

(44:28):
cup runneth over with excitement that we need to talk
about these now.

Speaker 2 (44:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:32):
So here's a bit of an early look at what
the weekend has in store. Particularly Saturday. We've got two
games here. The first might be the biggest of the weekend. Okay,
high noon on Fox, Texas a one and a half
point dog on the road against Ohio State. You might
be surprised to hear that Ohio State's playing a big

(44:52):
home game at noon Eastern time. News to me too.

Speaker 2 (44:57):
Who could have even imagined in the year twenty twenty five.

Speaker 1 (45:00):
This one isn't all on Fox, though, because they would
have moved it. Supposedly, they would have moved it if
both parties agreed to it. Ohio State wanted to Texas
nuke the idea.

Speaker 2 (45:10):
Correct, they'd won a short week of Sunday night flight
home or Monday morning flight home.

Speaker 1 (45:15):
Yeah, unlike the people playing and run the board, Texas
might have been afraid to compete.

Speaker 2 (45:21):
I just didn't think they wanted to On Sunday night.
But yeah, continue may be.

Speaker 1 (45:25):
Afraid to compete, but alas, Yes, this is a rematch
of the college football Playoff semi final that we saw
earlier this year, technically last season, but twenty eight to
fourteen in favor of Ohio State, they get the dub,
they go on to win the title. We don't need
to play that one back for Texas fans. Maybe a
bit of a sore spot. I am here to tell

(45:46):
you though, Ohio State as a five to one favorite
to win the national championship. They're going down on Saturday, Dan,
They're going down. You could still win it again even
if you start one one. Of course, no harm, no foul.
Ohio State is going down this weekend, and I feel
fairly confident in that. Where are you at?

Speaker 2 (46:09):
I disagree? Is where I'm at again? This part of
it is specifics to these specific to these teams. Part
of it is what has the twenty twenty five Texas
Longhorns squad done to earn being a favorite against what
we consider to be at their best, what we believe

(46:31):
them to be a terrific.

Speaker 1 (46:33):
Oh stop pedging play the flag.

Speaker 2 (46:36):
I haven't blame the flying I said what I'm saying,
what is Texas done? I said, I disagree, Its Ohio
State done. They're playing this game at home. We know
that's one hundred percent going to happen. Ty that this
game is going to take place in the Shoe in Columbus, Right,
So I just I have a belief system. I have
a code. If you are going to be a road

(46:56):
favorite against an excellent team, I have to believe something.
I have to know something about your existence to say, oh, yeah,
that makes sense because Arch was so incredible last year
and the returning this offensive line and these big guys
on defense, which Texas absolutely is, and the linebacking and
edge corps. But there is something about there is something

(47:17):
mysterious about Arch throwing to guys who weren't necessarily the
guys last year, collectively being blocked for and protected by
a new look offensive line, guys who have played, but
not guys who've been counted on as being the guys,
and going to the Shoe and saying right now, four

(47:39):
or five days before the game, I don't know. I
just kind of believe they got this.

Speaker 1 (47:44):
Aren't you the purveyor of quarterback and defense? Is that
not the Dan Rubinstein rubric.

Speaker 2 (47:51):
Yeah, previously on arch Manning plays against terrific Power five
defensive lines. He was running for his life against last
Steers offensive line. Right, that's true.

Speaker 1 (48:03):
It's true. No, it's true.

Speaker 2 (48:04):
I'm just has undoubtedly gotten better this offseason. He was
thrust into a situation that he was not You didn't
practice to start that game or play significant snaps in
that game, or was not under the assumption that he
would against Georgia against in Austin last year. This is
a new look front for Ohio State. These guys have
played upfront. I'm just saying I'm a big believer in

(48:28):
Texas this season. I'm a big believer in arch Manning
this season. I think that can be separated from They've
got this from the jump against the defending champs on
the road.

Speaker 1 (48:40):
You can make the case that Texas has the biggest
question and the biggest strength in this game, sure, which
I think is what makes this matchup more interesting. Biggest
question probably the offensive line, which you mentioned. Biggest strength
probably their defense as a whole. I mean it might
be the best defense in the country.

Speaker 2 (48:59):
I mean one of these teams does count Jeremiah Smith
as a member of their roster.

Speaker 1 (49:03):
Well, and but that's sort of the contrast, right, So
Texas might have on a unit by unit basis, the
two sides of this argument that could ultimately dictate the
game more than anything else could be their offensive line
their defense. On the Ohio State side, they probably have
the two best players, right. I don't know what arch

(49:24):
manning is, but we know I think a fair amount
about Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs.

Speaker 2 (49:27):
Well, our arch manning is somebody who's going to touch
the ball every single time Texas snaps it, which is
not what Jeremiah Smith can do, which is not what
Caleb Downs can do.

Speaker 1 (49:34):
Yeah, so I I just it's a crazy interesting matchup.
We are blessed to get this in week one so
early on a Saturday. I do worry about the offensive
line thing, though, I really do it. As you said,
it's Texas signed four new starters, not like they haven't
played before, but.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Have starting experience, have a significant experience. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (49:54):
Absolutely, But typically when you're on the road in a
hostile environment, it's still going to be loud. That's when
you see some of that newness come out, especially in
week one. This is a loaded roster, elite talent across
the board. I know that's true on both sides of
this one, but this would not be the first nor
the last time where you've got a new line, new

(50:16):
cast of characters to some extent going into the shoe
and having some trouble figuring it out. They didn't have
a ton of success, by the way, running against Ohio
State in the playoff last season. Over the course of
the last year, Texas as a running entity was probably unherlded,
and it's something we should probably talk a little bit
more about. I think it's imperative in this game that

(50:38):
Trey Weisner, that CJ. Baxter get involved because this is
a really tough spot for that line and for arch Manning.
You know, we can't handwave the fact that this is
going to be tough for him too going into the setting.
Lest we forget, he is also a brand new full
time starting quarterback, so what is that. I think we'll
see some like zone read stuff with him because he's
definitely more mobile and maybe his legs, if nothing more,

(51:01):
can create some matchups, like just something to pull that
Ohio State defense a little bit.

Speaker 2 (51:07):
I gotta restract it.

Speaker 1 (51:07):
Yeah, I think we'll see a bunch of the orbit
motion stuff that Sark likes to run again to try
and get this defense out of shape, maybe create some
matchups one way or another. But for sure, I think
that's a valid concern. What about on the Ohio State side.
I'm curious what your thoughts are on Ohio State just
with their new qualities on offense. Like I happen to

(51:31):
really like Julian saying, where's my sound? I think we'll
see super saying more often than not this season. I
think he's the real deal. He's clearly got an embarrassment
of riches out wide with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tait
and Brandon Innis and Max clear even the title that
they got from Purdue. But it is a challenge for

(51:52):
him going up against this Texas secondary, is it not?

Speaker 2 (51:55):
Of course? And it's how quickly Julian Saying has to
get the ball out with what should be screaming off
the edge for Texas and how much attention Ohio State
upfront is going to have to pay to the Texas
pass rush, which I assume is going to be significant.
Even I do like what Ohio State is rebuilding its
offensive line with another offensive line that has experience that

(52:16):
stepped in for injury played in big games last season,
so you're not talking about guys who showed up on
campus two weeks ago. The big thing with me with
Ohio State, for me is it's kind of a duo
lingo thing. It's what kind of fluency do they have
with two not new coordinators, but a change at offensive coordinator,

(52:37):
Because I think it's fair to assume Chip Kelly had
a bunch of pretty large fingerprints on this offense, and
for better or worse, Jim Knowles had fingerprints on this defense.
Obviously it changed throughout the season and improved throughout the season.
So you're talking about an outsider coming in to take

(52:58):
over the defense. Is everybody fluent in what Matt Patricia
and Ryan Day have collaborated on to establish as the
new or the evolved Ohio State defense? Does everybody know
where to be? Does everybody know what the calls are?
Does everybody know what the signs are? Whatever? And on offense,
now it's Brian Hartline once again in this spot with

(53:19):
Ryan Day, and are they reverting back to non chip
Kelly things, are they adding to chip Kelly things? Are
they maintaining the status quo of what the offense was
last year. Well, Howard had much more experience than Julian
saying taking over that offense. So it's just a matter
to me of like, does everybody understand what's on the
wrists if they're wearing risk bands? Does everybody understand what's

(53:40):
happening in the meeting room leading up to week one
against a defense?

Speaker 1 (53:44):
We use the word alignment.

Speaker 2 (53:45):
Alignment, so it's a duo lingo thing for me. Not
a sponsor could be.

Speaker 1 (53:49):
It's always the same question when you've got two new coordinators,
and I think especially when you're at a high profile
place like Ohio State, I share the same concerns. I
mean we talked about this when we previewed Ohio State
as well. I mean we could debate to what degree
Brian Hartline had his fingerprints on the offense the last

(54:10):
time he was quote unquote offensive coordinator, right, but whether
it was him, whether it was some collaboration between him
and Ryan Day, that offense got ten points worse than
the previous season. Sure, And on the Matt Patricia side,
I mean, he takes over for Jim Noles. Jim Knowles
is making a mint now at Penn State, but one

(54:31):
of the things that Jim Knowles is best at is
making in game adjustments. This is not to say Matt
Patricia hasn't done that. Matt Patricia has also coached at
a pretty high level Al Detroit, a Lions legend mat Okay,
but I'm curious to see if there are wrinkles that
are part of this game as it evolves, or is

(54:52):
it going to feel like they're sticking to a script
and not veering too far from whatever they've installed pregame?

Speaker 2 (55:00):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (55:00):
I suspect that there will be people that cover both
these teams that will be drawn to that like a
moth to a flame, because when you've got this amount
of talent in a big game like this, it's imperative
that you can make adjustments throughout the course of the game.
We know Knowles was good at it, but we don't
know what Patricia's going to look like in this spot
with this team. I agree both these guys again are

(55:21):
not new coaches. They've been here before, But that's more
of a curiosity on my side of things.

Speaker 2 (55:25):
Yeah. Interestingly, by the way, and this is tipping my
cap to Texas is what they did on the road
early on, not week one, but early on last year
at Michigan. Say what you will about Michigan, the twenty
twenty four team did beat the twenty twenty four While
State team. That Texas was quite impressive from the jump

(55:46):
against a good Michigan defense last year. And it was
early on in the season for this Michigan defense with
a new coordinator, but they weren't phased by that environment.
And that's a reflection of Sark, that's a reflection of
the coaching staff that's very much intact from last season.
And so when you have that muscle memory of taking
your team with less experience this year, but taking your program,

(56:09):
taking your team to a difficult place against a challenging
team and you came out of it very comfortably last year,
that's confidence building. And so that's that's a good reason
to feel good about elements of this Texas team. I
just think where Ohio State is right now in Week
one and where Texas is right now in Week one.

(56:29):
I'm going to go with the probably elite team at
home as everybody tries to figure things out for the
rest of September.

Speaker 1 (56:37):
That's all, Well, Texas did a great job last year
against Jeremiah Smith, he had one catch for three yards
in the playoff. Of course, if you go a step
further with it, that meant a big game for Carnell
Tait and a Mecca Buca and other guys did get open.
Clearly there are more weapons outside of Jeremiah Smith, though

(56:59):
he will be a focal point, I'm sure for this
Texas defense. Look, I telegraph my pick two weeks ago.
I think this is an incredible game to get things started.
I am absolutely pumped that we get it. I think
arch Manning ends up playing a role with his legs,
and I think it's a situation where there's like a
big third down run or some hard yards again that

(57:22):
they're able to put him on the move, take advantage
of a skill set that wasn't there last year with
quinn Ewers puts the game on ice for Texas. Wow.
In that moment, twenty seven to twenty three Texas wins.
They put the O in Ohio State, oh and one
Buckey's start off the season at home.

Speaker 2 (57:43):
I have twenty four to seventeen olhow State.

Speaker 1 (57:46):
Okay, we disagree, we disagree.

Speaker 2 (57:51):
One more big game.

Speaker 1 (57:51):
Here that I want to talk about with you before
we let the fine, people go would love to seven
point thirty ABC LSU on the road at Clemson. It
is the Death Valley Invitational. Dan Clemson is favored by
four points. By the way, Clemson is the real Death Valley.
I don't know if you knew that.

Speaker 2 (58:11):
Is that true.

Speaker 1 (58:12):
I did a video on this a couple of years ago.

Speaker 2 (58:14):
Yeah, what makes them the real one?

Speaker 1 (58:18):
It was a nickname coined by a rival coach after
he couldn't beat Clemson back in the forties. He called
it Death Valley. It's also right next to a cemetery,
which I think gives it a little bit more flair.
Both places are incredibly intimidating, mind you, and you could
definitely make a case that LSU bigger stadium crazy at night.

(58:40):
For sure, you don't want to play at either location.
But the real Death Valley, as it were, the first
Death Valley is Clemson.

Speaker 2 (58:49):
I would argue the first Death Valley was in California.
That was given that name in eighteen forty nine. It's okay,
It's okay. I understand the first college footballt death Valley,
and I think is Howard Rock from Death Valley. I
believe in California from the desert I believe, so very cool,
fascinating game. This is a fascinating narrative game. Right Like
Ohio State just won the national championship, they always have

(59:10):
a lot to prove because it's Ohio State, Texas has
a lot to prove. But this game, with this is Clemson,
the beginning of Clemson's proof of concept of not taking
portal guys, of Dabble being extremely loyal, returning everything that
they return because he's been so loyal, because he hasn't
hit the portal in the way that some other major
programs have. And then Brian Kelly is looking to win

(59:32):
his first opener for LS.

Speaker 1 (59:35):
Yeah, I was going to say he's lost all three
of his openers, Yeah, since he got to LSU twice,
to Florida State once last season to USC, but all
three of those are neutral ciders. Dan, Yes, this one's
in Clemson again, Death Valley Invitational. And if I could
speak just for a second, as still a mildly scorned

(59:57):
Notre Dame fan, still, you made the National championship game
last year. I am here to say that this is
the year Brian Kelly gets fitted for that infamous golden sombrero.
Oh four and season openers. After this un loses on
the road to Clemson, I'm planting my flag.

Speaker 2 (01:00:17):
Okay, it's a tough ask for LSU to go to Clemson. Uh,
they certainly have more questions with what the defense will
look like after a nice improvement last year, but not
I don't think near the LSU standard for defensive play.
And this game is especially fun because this could be

(01:00:41):
one of the best two or three quarterback matchups of
the season at their best and Garrett Osmeyer. So this
is also an interesting game for both of these teams
because I think the expectations internally for both of these
teams is to be in the playoff conversation in November
as either a conference chamer intern at large team and

(01:01:01):
so winning this game on the margins or even playing
in this game, or even competing but coming up short
in this game should be a feather for both of
these resumes. Right that they scheduled a home and home.
Look at this. Clemson beat LSU to open the season.
How impressive of them. Look at this, LSU went to
Clemson and beat Clemson. This experienced, highly thought of Clemson

(01:01:24):
team on the road to open the season. Look at
their resume now, so it's extremely important because of what
the context of these teams appears to be. I like
Clemson a little bit more in this game. Again. This
whole time, I've talked about home teams gaining my edge
to open up the season. I like Clemson more here,

(01:01:46):
just because despite the way they opened the season last
year against Georgia, that game was not at home. No,
I think Clemson will do a better job this year
of stretching the field. Still have some open questions about
what LSU secondary it looks like this season, Whereas the
experience at receiver for Clemson, even though they weren't crazy
explosive downfield all the time last year, I think that

(01:02:08):
ceiling with improvement should be super dangerous for Clemson. They're
young at running back, the offensive line should be a
continued of evolution of success. I don't know what that
phrase means. I'm going with Clemson to be more consistent
at home. LSU to show crazy high potential for this season,

(01:02:30):
but can't put it together for four quarters against Clemson
on the road. So I have Clemson here. I don't know,
similar score, probably twenty seven to twenty three, something like that.

Speaker 1 (01:02:41):
Look, I voted Clemson number one of my Verbowl or
Top twelve.

Speaker 2 (01:02:44):
Yeah. Sorry, I just sat on the fence there and
had a push, right, it's a four point spread. No, Well,
but twenty eight, twenty eight to twenty three Clemson covers.

Speaker 1 (01:02:53):
I think you're onto something there. I've been saying for
months that they're going to win this game at home. Yeah,
and about a week and a half ago, what did
I say in our prediction special twelve? And Oh, they're
going to win the conference. They're going to go to
the national championship game against Penn State. They lead the
nation in returning production. Like most importantly, look at what

(01:03:13):
Caid Clubnick did down the stretch last season. I think
took a really important step forward, especially in those bigger
spots down the stretch on the national stage. There's no
reason to come into the season feeling worse about kid Clubnick.
Based on what we saw, I think there's a reason
behigh on him. There's a reason to be high on
this offense because of the line, because I think they

(01:03:34):
finally did solve, to your point, their issue with the
receiver room. They've got three guys that I think they
can count on now and Bryant westco Antonio Williams TJ. Moore.
My curiosity is on the ground. They are they are
young at running back, Excuse me. I think Gideon Davidson,
their true freshman, is a star in the making. I
am curious to see how many touches he gets, if

(01:03:56):
he's able to contribute in the way that I think
he can. But what they do on that side, particularly
on the ground, will be interesting. I just think there
is enough back otherwise on offense that there's no reason
to look down your nose at the Clemson offense anymore.
It has definitely evolved over the last couple of seasons,
and I think they're primed to take a pretty big
step forward again. So I'm excited about Clemson for many

(01:04:19):
of the reasons I've already detailed here.

Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:04:21):
The LSU side, though, is I think a little bit
more nuanced. Like LSU had the top transfer class in
all of America, full stop. They clearly understood that they
needed to go out there and get better in a hurry.
They obviously did a pretty good job on that front.
There is an absolute war chest this year at the
skill positions. Let me repeat though, what I said, if

(01:04:43):
a few weeks ago they got to run the ball, Dan, Yes, agree,
they got to get better at that. They got to
get better at that. And it's wild because they had
a bunch of guys from last year's line get drafted.
They were actually you pretty good in pass protection. They
could not run the ball with any consistency. I don't know.

(01:05:06):
If them it's like they didn't play well as a unit.
I don't know if there's some other scheme thing going on,
if they just weren't good run blockers. I don't know.
They got to get better at that, especially this year
because they've got a stable of backs that should be
pretty good if you can give them a little bit
of space. Caden Durham, Caleb Jackson, Harlem Barry, who I
believe is the number one running back coming out of

(01:05:26):
High Cushman. Yeah, all of these guys are there and
they're waiting. Is it a good thing that the line
lost for starters from a year ago. I don't know.
Those are some pretty high level guys.

Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
But they couldn't run with them last year.

Speaker 1 (01:05:37):
But they couldn't run, so is it a good thing?
Is it a bad thing?

Speaker 2 (01:05:40):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:05:40):
We're gonna find out in this game. But they got
to get better at that. They absolutely cannot put it
all on the shoulder of Garrettnsmeyer just hoping that he's
gonna throw LSU to victory. It might be fine most
of the way if they go to that strategy, I
don't think you can do it consistently against top five teams.

Speaker 2 (01:05:58):
By the way, here's the sidebar, because I think you rightfully,
we rightfully pointed out Brian Kelly's struggles in season openers.
Three the last four years, Clemson has started out the
season scoring three points against Georgia losing and scoring seven
points against Duke on the road and three points against
Georgia once again.

Speaker 1 (01:06:16):
Where's my butt? Hold on not talking about this?

Speaker 2 (01:06:18):
It hasn't been an amazing decade for Clemson to open
the season up and like we're prepared to play against
this high quality team. That hasn't been the narrative Clemson
has started out these seasons. So let's just be very fair.
Both of these coaches would love to have some moments
back in season openers.

Speaker 1 (01:06:39):
I think this is an intense game. I think this
is a very physical game, and I think Clemson is
the more physical team right now. Okay, especially in the trenches.
I think Clemson has a pass rush that is able
to take advantage of a new LSU line, not a
bad line, but aligned with a bunch of new faces
that needs to figure it out again in the hostile environment.

Speaker 2 (01:07:00):
Just second talk really on the line.

Speaker 1 (01:07:02):
Yeah, I think they're able to upset the rhythm of
Garrett nus Meyer. Doesn't mean he's throwing four picks. Could
just mean a check down here on third and seven,
missing an open guy because he doesn't have the time,
just enough enough to get him off schedule. I think
that's the difference here. This is one that starts off
as a slugfest devolves into a shootout. I've got it

(01:07:24):
at thirty four thirty one, Clemson winning, but I want
those points. You weren't gonna take those points. I'm gonna
take those points. I like Clemson, but I like LSU too.
So in terms of confidence, still confident LSO's gonna keep
this one close, even though I'm on the Clemson side
of the fence here.

Speaker 2 (01:07:42):
Yeah, I think Clem's is just closer to being fully
formed than LSU is. This game could look totally different
in week nine, but here we are in week one.
So I think I'm gonna trust the team that is
a little bit more self aware in this moment. And
again that's a credit to or a credit game and
Dabos Twinny's strategy and roster building, because we have a

(01:08:04):
concept of what Clemson is, how they're built, and what
they're going for, whereas there are still open ended questions
about how much LSU is replacing. Even with the high
level things that we have come to trust about LSU.
Garret Nessmeyer can absolutely still throw a catastrophic ball and
then turn around and throw a miraculously gorgeous ball, Whereas

(01:08:26):
I just think we can count on the Clemson element
of this a little bit more at home.

Speaker 1 (01:08:31):
He's a gun slinger. What can we say? He's a
gun slinger.

Speaker 2 (01:08:33):
Yeah, it's entertaining, It's great.

Speaker 1 (01:08:35):
He is We'll see right in so Oliver bogmail dot com.
Leave us a note in the inbox, out on social media,
anywhere he can drop a comment. Let us know where
we're right, where we're wrong, what your predictions are yes
for this game, for really all the games in Week one,
I did want to close out with perhaps some more

(01:08:57):
touching message Dan. Okay, for those of you that listened
to the last show. You know, we were notified that
the late great Richard Verbal had passed on into the
Greek college football unknown beyond what have you?

Speaker 2 (01:09:10):
Godfather of the show? Yeah, godfather of the show.

Speaker 1 (01:09:12):
We had questions, many questions about what this particular message
meant when they emailed us to say that we were
the sole inheritor of Richard Verbal's estate. Yes, I pen
this early on Sunday morning. You said, Oh Ti, why,
But I just needed to get out all of my emotions. Okay,

(01:09:35):
So for those who have wanted an update, Oh our
sweet Richard, what bittersweet news this is. Thank you for
reaching out about his estate. I'm honored to be considered
the rightful inheritor, Though I admit the news has left
me a bit shaken. It goes without saying that Richard
had a lasting influence on my life, as he did

(01:09:56):
for all of those in his orbit. Can you share
more tales about Richard's last days? Though we had fallen
out of touch recently, his spirit remained very much alive
in my heart. Was he able to make peace with
Barry Solid before his passing? Their rift over the role
of East Coast bias in Toby Gerhardt's legacy was a popular,

(01:10:17):
albeit unfortunate talking point at family gatherings. Can you also
share a bit more detail about the state itself?

Speaker 2 (01:10:24):
That's great?

Speaker 1 (01:10:25):
How much do I stand to inherit? Has the rest
of the family been contacted yet? I imagine his beloved
cousin Loquacious would.

Speaker 2 (01:10:34):
Want to know.

Speaker 1 (01:10:35):
They were very close looking forward to your guidance and
next step during these difficult times. Sincerely, and I had
to sign this solid verbal as if I were a person,
since that's how it was addressed.

Speaker 2 (01:10:45):
Course, of course, do you think this estate will be
the size of what I'm looking for?

Speaker 1 (01:10:53):
Is?

Speaker 2 (01:10:53):
Can we buy a Terry Pagoula supriyacht? Did you see
that the owner of the bells it's good, it's great
or something like that.

Speaker 1 (01:11:04):
I'm for.

Speaker 2 (01:11:06):
The boat goal here.

Speaker 1 (01:11:08):
Uh. I have not received a response yet from Frank
the purported attorney here, but I will keep the verbawler
hood plugged in in case there is any news on
this front.

Speaker 2 (01:11:17):
Can't wait?

Speaker 1 (01:11:18):
I promise that does it? From the Tuesday episode again,
hit fallo, hit subscribe if you made it this far.
Of course, verballers dot com is where you can go
if you want to get access to all of those perks.
We will, perhaps annoyingly so remind you more about that
this week. But we want everybody to get in the game.
We want everybody, want everybody to compete. You can play

(01:11:42):
for that gift card, you can play for a spot
on the board, you can be part of the community
as a whole. Goes a long way towards helping us out.
So at a minimum, hope maybe you'll give it some consideration.
At for bawlers dot.

Speaker 2 (01:11:53):
Com would love to hang out.

Speaker 1 (01:11:56):
That is all I have for now. On the next episode,
we're going to go into much more detail about all
of these games that are taking place on Saturday, on Sunday,
and on Monday. We will talk a little bit more
about the Texas, Ohio State, LSU Clemson games, since those
are some of the biggies, of course, but we wanted
to get some of that out of the way in advance.
We're also going to talk through what your quads should

(01:12:18):
look like, how the slate lines up, will be making
more picks, will be having more fun. Of course, a
Patriot League Lightning Round perhaps for the ages Dan, so
much happening for that guy over there, my good friend
Dan Rubinstein, for myself Tie Hildebrand, Thanks for tuning in.
Talk to you all on Thursday. Game weeks here, stay songed, peace,