August 22, 2025 • 46 mins
SEC football 9-game schedule, College Football Playoff format, strength of schedule (SOS) models, and our 2025 college football overrated/underrated teams headline tonight’s Unafraid Show LIVE. We also react to the week’s biggest personnel news—new starting QBs named in CFB (Notre Dame football, Syracuse, BYU, Cal, UTEP)—plus Michigan AD Warde Manuel vs the NCAA and the Pat Fitzgerald/Northwestern hazing settlement. If you care about how the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and the CFP committee will shape the playoff race, this is the stream you can’t miss.
1) SEC to 9 games + CFP math: Ross Dellenger reports momentum to move the SEC from 8 to 9 league games—final step is presidential approval. We break down how a 9-game slate and the revived 5+11 / 4-4-2-2-1 playoff conversation interact with SOS to all but guarantee multiple SEC bids. Then we unpack why SOS isn’t one number: Sagarin (bowl-eligibility difficulty), FPI (expected losses), FEI (difficulty for elite/good/average). If the CFP won’t disclose which metric it leans on, committees risk misusing data.
2) Overrated/Underrated (2025):
Overrated: Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, Indiana, BYU—due to OL turnover, QB questions, front-loaded slates, portal attrition, and inflated preseason narratives.
Underrated: Utah, Washington, Auburn, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh—athletic QBs (Devon Dampier), home-field swings (UW), blue-chip depth (AU), a rising defense (OU), and Pitt’s QB/RB/LB core make them buy-low stock.
3) New starting QBs named: CJ Carr (Notre Dame), Steve Angeli (Syracuse), Bear Bachmeier (BYU’s first true-frosh opener), Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Cal over Devin Brown), and former 5-star Malachi Nelson at UTEP. What it means for Week 1 and beyond.
4) Michigan vs NCAA: On Warde Manuel’s watch—Harbaugh suspensions, show-cause penalties, the Connor Stalions saga, and more. Why blasting the NCAA plays with your base but won’t erase national skepticism.
5) Pat Fitzgerald/Northwestern: Settlement reached. No evidence he directed hazing—but why “you must know” remains the standard for head coaches paid millions to lead. Leadership, compliance, culture.
Drop your takes in chat: Which SOS model should the CFP show its work with? Which teams did we nail/miss in over/under lists? And which new QB makes the biggest splash in Week 1?
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome + tonight’s agenda
01:32 SEC moving to 9 conference games—why now
08:15 CFP format (5+11 / 4-4-2-2-1) and SOS math explained
12:38 Overrated 2025: TENN, SCAR, TEX, IU, BYU
23:19 Underrated 2025: UTAH, UW, AUB, OU, PITT
32:06 New starting QBs: ND, SYR, BYU, CAL, UTEP—fit & ceilings
37:45 Michigan AD Warde Manuel vs NCAA—what matters, what doesn’t
43:53 Pat Fitzgerald/Northwestern: settlement, accountability, culture
#CollegeFootball #SECFootball #BigTen #CFBPlayoff #StrengthOfSchedule #APPoll #CoachesPoll #Overrated #Underrated #TransferPortal #NIL #Quarterbacks #TexasLonghorns #TennesseeVols #SouthCarolina #IndianaHoosiers #BYU #UtahUtes #WashingtonHuskies #AuburnTigers #OklahomaSooners #PittFootball #MichiganFootball #Northwestern
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Huge news today in college football. The SEC has finally
done the right thing. They are going to nine conference
games plus another power for a game as well. And
I love it. But do not make any bones about this.
This was not because this was the right thing to do. No, no, no,
no no. They got something back in return for that.
(00:26):
We are going to go over the most underrated, the
five most underrated, and the five most overrated teams in
college football coming into this season. We have to talk
about the new starting quarterbacks that have been named in
the quarterback battles and how those are going to affect
other things. Michigan, they're athletic director, Michigan's athletic director, mister
(00:49):
Ward Manual. He is on the attack against the NCAA,
and I'm like, wait, wait, wait, what what are we
talking about? Fam and Northwestern. Northwestern head coach mister Pat
Fitzgerald talks about hazing and gives a strong statement and
we got to talk all about that here on the
George Reister College Football Podcast and the Unafraid Show. Make
(01:13):
sure that you guys like to subscribe, get notifications and
tell a friend about the show, and remember I'm your boy.
George reis the former NFL player, college football player, college
football analystir cw here on YouTube or wherever you watch
college football.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So let's get started today. So the first thing is.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
The SEC just issued a memo saying that they are
going to nine conference games. And we knew that this
was coming because Ross Dellinger earlier today was talking, hey, hey, yo,
the SEC is very close to a nine game conference schedule.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
They're close to announcing it.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
When they say that, they they're telling you what's happening
without telling you what's happening. So they are going to
nine conference games. And this is something that I have
been clapping about for so many years. They were at
eight conference games, and this matters most and I want
you to stay with me because there's a little bit
(02:13):
of nerd behavior going on in this episode. So when
you play eight conference games versus nine conference games, that
is a difference between an average of four losses per
team and four and a half losses per team, so
averaged over the course of the conference. So obviously some
people are gonna lose every single conference game, some people
(02:34):
are gonna lose none, and people in the middle. But
that's how you get the average of four versus four
and a half, and that impacts the rankings in college football. Now,
think about this. The SEC cried for so long talking about,
oh see, shitt the schedule, and we need this and
we need that. See, and so everybody will applaud the SEC.
(02:57):
They did the right thing. They didn't do it without
getting something in return. This was the first step in
a compromise with the Big Ten on the college football
playoff model going forward. So we got the five plus
eleven model, We got the four four two two one
two three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine to ten model.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
We have.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You know, we saw that there were proposed twenty eighteen
models of thirty two team models, and I was trying
to figure out why those reports were leaking about the
Big ten and a twenty eight game model when we
had heard about the SEC talking about a thirty two team,
the Big twelve and the AC t.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
C talking about their potential models. Why. Because this was
all a play a ploy.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
This has all been marketing WWE style in front of
our faces.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So we make no mistake.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
This nine game SEC Conference schedule only happened because the
SEC cried about strength to schedule all off season. Because Alabama,
who didn't deserve to be in the playoff, didn't get
in Old Miss in South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
All of them were on the CUSP. Oh see, look
at the deserved schedule. Listen.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So now what they got back is the College Football
Playoff Committee. Yesterday they said that they are going to
factor in strength of schedule within their criteria for making
the college football playoffs. And I'm sitting there like, okay, So,
how would this have impacted the future of the college football?
(04:37):
How would it have impacted the playoff last year with
the SEC doing that? So strength of schedule, there are
multiple models that go into it. And to quote literally
quote the college football nerds, I said I was going
to talk about it on the show. They put out
(05:00):
a very great tweet that I want to explain to
you guys, because this is going to cost the SEC
to get a minimum a minimum of four teams in
the College Football Playoffs every single year. And this is
why Greg Sanki and the Big Well in the SEC
(05:21):
have agreed to go to nine conference games. Now, granted,
part of it had to do with the Big Ten
winning the last two national championships and the potential for
the Big Ten to win again or the ACC to win.
They were like, hold up, we need to jump on
this and get in front of this. So the College
Football Playoff Committee has gone on this strength to schedule
(05:46):
crusade because the SEC has wanted it. Now, remember strength
the schedule, and this is quoting the college football nerds.
It can mean very different things based upon what formula
that you use.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
You have the.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
FPI, you got the FEI, you got the Sagarin rakings,
you have all sorts of things. But the question is
which schedule is technically harder? Right, because that is a
subjective tern right, Because I have gone on record as
saying playing ten Power four games is much more difficult
(06:22):
than playing you know what Old miss is gonna do
this year, and play eight Power four games. Now, yes,
you may be playing some upper echelon teams, but is
that really more difficult than having to go out week
after week? Your bodies are beat up, your bodies are tired,
that's the answer. So which is harder playing ten high
(06:44):
school teams and the eighty five Bears?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Twice?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
That was a legit question by the college football nerves.
So the twenty twenty four Georgia you can do do that.
You can play twenty twenty four Georgia six times, and
then play Charlott six times. Is that more difficult or
is playing wake Forest twelve times more difficult?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Because the first of those, obviously is very.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Easy to go ten and two if you played the
ten high school teams and played the eighty five Bears twice.
And then you have the because it's impossible to go
twelve and ozer versus that schedule. And then the second one,
it is very easy to go six and six, play
Georgia six times, Charlotte six times, and then in that
(07:31):
it is also very hard to go nine and three,
but nine and three should be rewarded. And then you
have the third one, where it is relatively easy too
for an elite team to go twelve and zero playing
wake Forest, as there are currently constructed twelve times. So
it's just the reality of the situation. So let's look
(07:54):
at the different strength of schedule rankings. So you have Sagarin,
which measures the difficulty of making a bowl game, so
it'll actually rank the wake Forest schedule as the hardest
of the three playing wake Forest twelve times. And then
you got FPI, which is linked to ESPN, and we
know we have seen the way that FPI that it
(08:17):
puts stuff out because I have been absolutely appalled because last.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Year it had Alabama finish in front of Oregon.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Alabama, the same one that lost to Oklahoma, couldn't even
put up a touchdown, same team that would that lost
three games, two of them that they had no business
losing to Vanderbilton. Then Oklahoma above Oregon, who finished number
one in the nation and thirteen to zero in the
regular season.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But I digress.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
In the conference that won the national championship, including beating
the national champions that's a whole other thing. So that's
FPI because it's supposed to be a you know, kind
of a hybrid model. And then there is the last one,
which is FEI because it has three metrics for what
is hard for elite, for good and for average teams,
(09:08):
and it probably does the best job of showing that
a hard schedule for an elite twelve to ohero team
might actually be relatively easy for an average team to
go six and six. Now, if the committee isn't educated
on all the stuff that we talked about above and
doesn't know which one they're using, then they are probably
(09:31):
going to be wrong. And this is exactly why the
question needs to be asked. Okay, when the College Football
Playoff Committee, when they are adopting what strength of schedule
model that they are going to use in terms of
their application on who they're going to vote for in
(09:53):
the College Football Playoff, give us what that would have
looked like last season? What would that have looked like
last year? Because that's a legitimate question. So take the
AP Top twenty five poll right now, the first one
that came out, and then I have the unaframed showing
up as well. So you got Texas one out of
(10:14):
the SEC, you got Georgia five, Alabama eight, LSU nine,
and then South Carolina thirteen, Florida fifteen, Oklahoma eighteen, Texas
A and M nineteen, Ole Miss twenty one, and Tennessee
twenty four.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
And now I have consistently said that the.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Middle of the SEC gets propped up significantly more than
any other conference. They get the benefit of the doubt.
So strength of schedule, like your preseason rankings, should have
no impact on strength of schedule rankings.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Because it's just a guess. It's a guess at best.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
So why on earth will we be basing an of
schedule model on something that takes preseason rankings into account,
because preseason rankings are simply just Okay, who's your head coach,
what is your returning production, and how have you recruited?
That's simply what it is, and it is humans. And
then we find out, oh, damn Florida State, wasn't that
(11:19):
damn good last year? Oh Alabama's if he had times
last year? We find out that that Michigan is not
a top twenty five team, but they can beat top
twenty five teams.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
We find out all.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Sorts of things as the season goes on. So we
cannot allow the whatever model that they are going to
choose to be draped in secrecy, which is exactly why
the SEC did this. And now they're like, he, yo,
we bent, we came to nine conference games. Nah, don't
(11:54):
act like you did this out of the kindness of
your heart. You did it because you got something back.
And but I will say Kurt Sengetti over there in Indiana,
whose schedule I lamented when he said, oh I'm going
to an SEC model. Now he was one hundred percent
right to bang on the SEC. But now what you're
gonna say, now, Kurt Sengetty you need to go fix
(12:17):
that damn schedule. Ohio State's preseason last year trash, Michigan's
the year before that trash, a lot of the SEC
teams only playing They only have three out of their
sixteen teams playing ten Power four games this year. So yes,
that needed to be fixed. Off my soapbox right now.
(12:37):
Next thing up, I gotta give you my top five
overrated and underrated teams in college football in twenty twenty five,
because finally the preseason narratives are going to get pressure tested,
they are going to be put under scrutiny. And today
(12:58):
I'm calling my shot on the five most underrated and
the five most overrated teams in going into this season
because when you look at the criteria, we got returning production,
we got losses and arrivals in the transfer portal, well,
their schedule strengths, the coaching and the trajectory who excuse me,
(13:19):
the coaching and the trajectory of that coaching, and then
you have the recruiting and the transfer portal impact.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So let's get to it.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
So the first team, we are going to deal with
the overrated teams first. Now, the five overrated teams in
college football in twenty twenty five are as such, we
are going to start with the Tennessee volunteers now where
they rated right now? They are number eighteen and the
coaches pole and number twenty four in the eightp pole.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Now, George, why are they overrated?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Because Tennessee's defense and running game they literally carried the
balls last year at pretty much all times except for
that Ohio State game. But people are sitting here acting
like Nico I and Maliaba was not a big part
of their success. And not only are they replacing a
lot of that defensive and running game from last year,
(14:11):
which by itself would have been tough because they only
allowed over twenty points last year I believe one time
on defense, and.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
They also have to replace Nico two.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Now, UCLA had Joey Aguilar in the building at quarterback
and then he then they went out and got Nico
and then Joey Aguilar is now going to be the
starter over at Tennessee. Now, the question is will this
be an upgrade for Tennessee. And they lost Squirrel right
as well in the transfer portal. So if you're a
(14:44):
volunteer fan, if it's an upgrade, you're going to be happy.
But if he doesn't, the easiest available question and answer
in the world was why was he available? That's the
big question. Why was Joey Aguilar even available? So my
twenty twenty five projection for Tennessee is they will not
(15:05):
finish it inside of the top twenty five. Now I
have them as the number ten team in the se
SEE this year because I think they're gonna be down
this year.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And hopefully back the next year.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
But sending Jermond McCoy, Joshua Joseph, and Bryson Eastan to
the NFL as high draft picks as well, and then
continuing their streak of recruiting some of the best high
school talent in the South. That botes well for them.
But in twenty twenty five, it will be a down
year for Tennessee. Number two most overrated team the South
(15:42):
Carolina game Cocks. And you might be saying, hold up, George,
don't you have them in your College Football Playoff top twelve? Yes,
but I understand, like that old ESPN commercial, the gate
is narrowed.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
The gate is very narrow for them.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Now they come in rated thirteen in both the AP
and the Coaches Pole. Now I have them outside of
the top fifteen in my top twenty five, but I
do have them rated as a potential college football playoff team,
So on some level, yes, I'm questioning myself on some level,
(16:19):
but I do understand at the same time that all
these things are not super easy. But the question is
why are they overrated? Because Number One, I am worried
about their transfer running back Rasoul Faison eligibility because there
have been the six year senior Juco things that have
not been sorted out for all of the players yet,
(16:41):
so we have to even see if he will even
be on the field, and I'm worried about it in
experienced defensive line that will be relying on transfers from Campbell,
Bowling Green and Georgia Southern Now. Their beat writer Jordan
Kaye also pointed out that South Carolina didn't score on
a single drive where Leonora's Sellers took a sack last year.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Not one.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Now, granted, not a whole lot of teams are gonna
score when your quarterback takes second, but that is a
very telling stat and every team they need to protect
their quarterback. But if that trend continues, this is a
pretty big or else for the game. Cocks fans if
they are gonna have to endure that sort of thing,
and my projection for them protect Leonora's sellers and make
(17:31):
the College Football Playoffs, and if not, this might be
a team that flirts with seven and five. Number three.
The Texas Longhorns overrated this season. Now, they're rated right
now number one coming into the season, and with they
also have the most first place votes in both of
(17:53):
the major polls, the Coaches Pole.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
And the ap Pole.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Now I have them coming into the season at number
two and then losing in the College Football Playoffs semi finals.
So you might be like, George, how are they overrated
because of one spot?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
No?
Speaker 1 (18:08):
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no, because the
arch Manning hype has jumped the shark at this point
in time, because this isn't something that either of his
uncles would have lived up to, not Peyton nor Eli.
And their offensive line is inexperienced at the tackle position
(18:31):
on both of them, right tackle and left tackle. They
both got drafted to the NFL, and Steve Sarkisian is
one in five versus top five teams since he's been
at Texas. So the whole entire point is that for
Texas to live up to expectations.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
They are gonna have to be damn near perfect.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
And do I think they will make the college football playoff, Yes,
but this road is gonna be a little more bumpy
than people think.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
That's why I have them over rated. Now.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
My projection for them in twenty twenty five is judge
football playoffs. But this is also a team that could
possibly take a couple of losses in the regular season,
and that's not what a preseason number one team just
actually does. They don't just struggle throughout the season. They
don't just you know, be touching Golt. This ain't Georgia
(19:24):
a couple of years ago where they just ran through everybody.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Come on, man, it's ridiculous. All right.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Next team up that is overrated, the Indiana Hoosiers. Now
Indiana and Kurtz Senghetti fans are getting mad. They're like, George,
how do you not giving Indiana respect? Didn't you see
last year?
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Yes? I absolutely did.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
And they're coming in rated this season at number twenty
in the ap pole and nineteen in the coaches pole.
And I have them as a bowl team, which is
great for Indiana's history, But I wouldn't be surprised if
they don't finish inside the top ten of the Big Ten.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
But the question is why are they overrated?
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Because starting off Big Ten played by hosting the Alini,
who I have as a college football playoff team, and
then traveling to play Iowa and Oregon is already a
tougher schedule than Indiana played in all of twenty twenty four. Now,
the non conference schedule, now, that just doesn't prepare them
for that type of struggle at all. It is layups
(20:28):
all over the place, and the running back duo that
combine for fifteen hundred plus yards and twenty touchdowns, they're gone,
And you don't think.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
That that's going to matter.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Yes, Kurt Sengetti's a really good coach, but there's a
difference between a really good coach and rebuilding an entire program.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Because yes, they were good on.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
A lot of levels and well coached in the front line,
but to be a college football playoff team year in
and year out, it requires depth and a lot of
rooting cycles, and they don't have that in the back
pocket right now. So right now I have for my
twenty twenty five projection seventy five at the worst ninety
three at the best, which is a respectable season any
(21:13):
way for a program that has just been rejuvenated and
has a history of mediocrity. So don't get mad in
the NAFS. I understand the twoth hurts a little bit.
Number five the BYU Cougars. Now, I don't understand how
people are continuously rating this team so hot after last year.
(21:35):
Did y'all watch them play or you just watched the record,
because they came in ranked twenty six and the ap pole,
twenty three in the coaches pole, and I have them
as a bowl team, but finishing outside of the top
half of the Big twelve by far.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
But why are they overrated, George?
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Because if they can beat Colorado and Boulder, then they
could enter the Holy War against Utah at six and OHO.
But a four game run of Utah, Iowa State, Texas Tech,
and TCU is where we'll really learn the truth about
this team and their freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeyer. Because remember
the BYJU mister Jake Retzliff was supposed to be their
(22:16):
starting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
He bounced into transfer portal.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
So now we're like, oh okay, last minute change and.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Ninth in the Big twelve to their fans.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
It might feel a little bit low, but you have
to remember that the teams that finished eighth and ninth
in last year's Big Twelve actually still finished five and
four in the conference, which is a Renning record. So
I'm giving you credit, But don't think that this BYU
team is chocked full of talent and that they're just
(22:49):
gonna be able to just run through the likes of
potentially Arizona State in a Big Twelve championship game. I
already told you about the other teams that they play.
No escaped versus Oklahoma State last year. They escaped other teams,
and that rapids foot they had last year is not
going to get cashed in as many times as it
(23:10):
did last year. All right, now, it's time for my
five underrated teams in college football this season and the
teams that are most likely to outperform their projections. We're
gonna start with number one, the utah US. Now, they're
rated in the preseason number twenty seven in the ap
(23:31):
pole and number thirty in the coaches pole, and I
have them as a top twenty preseason team.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
But the question is, George, why are they underrated?
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Because Devin Dampier, their quarterback coming over from New Mexico
with his OC it gives Utah an advantage for this
offense to hit the ground running. They have an athlete
at quarterback who can throw the ball and run the ball.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Got a chance to see the kid in practice.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Things are looking positive for that offense right now, and
they're off defensive line. They might have two first round
draft picks on it, at least one for show. Come on,
man and dep Year is the most athletic quarterback in
the Big twelve, and not a lot of Big twelve
defenses are equipped to handle a quarterback that ran for
(24:16):
eight hundred yards in his last six games last year.
My projection for Utah in twenty twenty five, oh that
they could challenge for the conference at worst. Now I
think they'll be six and three and Big twelve play
and even with the toughest conference slate in the Big Twelve,
they'll be able to do that. So that's why they
will look seed expectations. Number two the Washington Huskies. Why
(24:45):
do I have to be the defender of the Washington Huskies?
Can anybody explain this to me? But where they're rated now?
They got no AP votes. They got their number forty
one in the Coach's poll, and I have them twenty
third in my preseason post. Now the Huskies why they
are underrated because they were lights out last year at
(25:07):
home and this year at home they host Ohio State,
Illinois and the Oregon Ducks. If they win even one
of those games and are at least four and two
on the road, then they will absolutely one hundred percent
finish the season ranked.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
And their quarterback demand Williams.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
He is my dark, dark, dark dark horse for the
Heisman Trophy ceremony. I don't think the kid can win
it this year, but you do have to understand that
he is in a situation where he has the opportunity
to win.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
One of those games.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
And if they beat Ohio State on Lake early in
the season, that is going to generate enough buzz.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think that's September.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
September thirteenth, well September twenty somewhere around or so it's
early in the season, and if they win that game
on Montlake, you are going to see all sorts of
hype surrounding this. Demand Williams kid, just tell you, and
then they're running back Jonah Coleman's potential All Big Ten
player as well. Now my twenty twenty five projection for
(26:18):
them fifth in the Big Ten and in the College
Football playoff discussion. So please, country, explain to me? Why
do I me? Why am I have to be the
defender of the damn Huskies? But this is why you
come to the On the Frase show to hear the truth,
to hear the truth and be one of us. Now
(26:39):
Number three the Auburn Tigers overrated this year. Now, I'm sorry,
excuse me, underrated this year. Auburn Tigers underrated this year.
Now they are outside of the top thirty in both
the AP and the College Football Well the coaches both
now why they're underrated. It is when I look at
the Tiger schedule, it's extremely front loaded with tough games.
(27:01):
And if by Week six Auburn is a minimum of
three and three, then they actually might have a shot
at nine.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Or ten wins this season.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
But they at least have to win one game against Baylor,
Texas A and M Oklahoma or Georgia, and I believe
that they can do that.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Now, the question is.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Will they be able to manage the rest of their
schedule and if they do. Oh, everybody gonna have to
apologize to Hugh Freeze, even though he's gonna have a
first down play caller, a different second down play caller,
and a different third down play caller, which I think
is at it for disaster. But that's a whole other thing.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Now.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
My projection for them a ten win Auburn would shock
the country, but it would not shock me.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Do I expect it to happen? Probably not, But I
do expect Auburn to overcome itself, especially with all the
news about multiple quarterbacks and the play callers and all
that stuff I just talked to.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
But the blue chip ratio recruits are there.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
If you have talent and then you put some good
coach into it, and if they get good quarterback play,
they got a shot. Another underrated team this year, the
Oklahoma Sooners, And I don't understand why because their ranked
number eighteen in the AP pole twenty six and the
coaches Pole.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
I got him at seventeen.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Now why they're underrated because none of you people watched
John Materier play last year at Washington State.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
It's okay to admit it.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It's okay to admit you just saw the stats, and
you heard his name when it came in a transfer
a portal. But I was screaming about this all year.
I had him on my Heisman ballot during the season.
Come on, man, I was watching. I don't know if
y'all were watching.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Come on, now, it's okay to be honest. You can't
watch every single game. That's my job. That's my job.
So then I can tell you what you need to watch.
You pay attention to. Now.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I see people claim that his game at Washington Stadium
won't translate over to the SEC. He did for Cam
Cam Moore, buddy, But y'all, But y'all think that Joey
Aguilar will coming from Appalachian State over there at Tennessee.
Oh oh yeah, he's yeah, he'll be fine. Taylor Green
(29:25):
did it over there at Arkansas. And it's hard not
to play quarterback, well, excuse me. As hard as it
is to play quarterback, when you look at the SEC,
it is not more difficult than playing quarterback in the
Big ten or the ACC or the Big twelve as well,
(29:46):
because a lot of those are asked to do way more.
Just saying, and then you'd have to be crazy not
to have super high expectations for the rest of this
roster for Dominic William, Jaydon Jackson, Peyton Brown, and that
Sooner defense as well. It actually might be a top
(30:07):
three unit in the conference. So my projection for twenty
twenty five for Oklahoma is a top six spot in
the SEC when all the dust is settled down. Thanks
for coming to my ted Talk. Number five most underrated
team in college football this season the Pittsburgh Panthers. Now
(30:29):
they're rated forty six coming in the season in the
AP Pole, no voters, no votes in the coaches pop
and I have them as a top four team in
the ACC while they're underrated because they probably have the
best peer passer in the conference at quarterback in the
Eli Holsting, and one of the best dual purpose running
backs in the country in Desmond Reed, and one of
(30:50):
the best linebacking rooms in all of college football.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
But nobody knows.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
That because it's it's like a well kept secret around here.
They're trying to they don't want nobody to know about
the players because they might try to get stolen the portal.
And these are great building blocks heading into the twenty
twenty five season, because you got Jeff Percy and Kendall
Stanley that were great portal additions to this offensive line
as well. And then you got Jaden Moore. He might
(31:18):
not have been able to break out at Oregon, but
in the acc he actually might develop into one of
the best pass rushers in the conference. Now, my twenty
twenty five projection for this team is that pitt has
win well. My projection for the twenty twenty five Pittsburgh
Panthers is is that pitt Previously they have won between
(31:42):
six and eight games and eleven of the last fifteen years,
and this could be an eight win year and capping
off the season upsetting Miami in November could actually make
it a very special season. So I'm not expecting him
to make the College Football Playoff for any of those things,
But I did you expect them to be significantly better
than people have them ranked coming into the season. Now,
(32:06):
how do you get ranked higher in the season and how.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Do you accede expectations?
Speaker 1 (32:12):
It is because your quarterback play as well, and this
year there's a lot of quarterbacks, a lot of quarterback
competitions going on, But the question is who is winning
them and if they are picking the right guy Because
sometimes they don't pick the right guy at first and
they end up with the right guy, like happened at
Utah a few years ago with Cam Risey. He didn't
(32:33):
start the season as the starter, but he damn sure
finished it as the starter. After about four games he
came in and all of a sudden, U saw season
completely different. And it's happened at many other spots as well.
Like Eli Holsting over there, Pitt, he didn't even get
taken to acc media date. He took another quarterback and
then he ended up being the start, and guy just said,
(32:57):
all right, now to these quarterbacks. First of all, I
gotta say best of luck and congratulations to former five
star Malachi Nelson who is gonna get his first chance
to prove himself as a starting quarterback at UTEP after
he has left both USC and Boise State being the
(33:18):
backup the last two seasons. So this is the kid
who is on his third stop. If things go well
for him, that would mean there was some maturity. That
would mean there are some humbling and there needed to
be some humbling for that kid, because my kid was
at some of the camps that he was at and
he needed to be humbled a little bit, and but
(33:40):
his talent, his arm talent is there and cannot be denied.
And if he got the head on straight, he should
do well. Now you got Syracuse. They're going with as
their starting quarterback Notre Dame transfer Steven Giely, and he's
going to be their starting quarterback. LSU transferred Ricky Collins
(34:02):
because Collins represented the Orange.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Men at ACC media kickoff.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
But then Fran Brown he likes what and Geely has
done with this offense and his prior experience. Now this
is the second year in a row that a quarterback
that played high school football in the Northeast is gonna
take over at Syracuse, and the second year in a
row that we get to watch a major college football
(34:29):
cast off get an attempt to redeem themselves, which I
love and I appreciate Fran Brown for that. Now you
also have in Gele's former teammate who was named the
starter over there at Notre Dame, which is CJ.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Carr.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
Now he's getting the nod over mister Kenny Mitchie. And
Carr was the number six quarterback in the country coming
out of high school in twenty twenty four or in
the two four seven, and it is going to be
wild to see the grandson of Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. Yes,
out there in a golden dome. So if we ever
(35:08):
see Michigan and.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Notre Dame play.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
With that kid at quarterback, Oh oh, sign sign me up,
Please sign me up, because I am.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
One hundred percent in.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
But speaking of the religious type institutions, we got Bear
Bachmeyer who is going to be the starting quarterback over
there at BYU. He's taken over for the by mister
Jake Bratzliffe, who is a castaway there. And we are
going to see one of them weird numbers at quarterback
that we have not seen since what Michigan or Devin
(35:46):
Brown over that Ohio State in thirty three. We've had
Michigan quarterbacks and weird numbers. Bear Bachmeyer is going to
wear number forty seven, which he wore in high school.
And this is a kid who likes to lower his shoulder.
He's got a brother named Tiger Bachmeyer as well. Goot
strong names by the parents. So I'm in there now.
(36:08):
The Cougars, the b Yu Cougars, they have a relatively
light schedule early on in the season, so Honestly, this
is about as good a time as any to see
if bear Bachmeyer can actually handle the job, which for
the very first few weeks is actually going to be
give the ball to LJ.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Martin.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
That is going to be his job. Give it to LJ.
Don't turn the ball over. And if he can do that,
we'll be in good shake. Now another freshman that has
won the starting job, and that happened over there at
over there.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
At Cal because you had mister.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
The former Oregon commit even in row Lee who then
transferred to Cal. And I don't want to butcher the
kids name, but you have the kid from Hawaiian Elite
eleven finalists, mister Jason jar excuse me, Jaron Kiwei Sagapool
Telly ooh oo, Jared Kiwe Sagapoo with Telly.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Proud of myself right there. But he left there, He
left Oregon and decided that he wanted to go over
there to go to Cal. And it worked out for
him because he wanted to start as a true freshman.
And I consistently say you have to be careful what
you wish for when you are trying to start as
(37:35):
a true freshman at quarterback. Because it don't always go
like you wanted to go, and sometimes you end up
eating a big old piece of humble pie. Now, speaking
of people who should be eating humble pie, the Michigan Wolverines,
after a sign stealing scandal, after having evidence mountains of evidence, well,
(37:58):
their athletic director, the Ward Manual, is on the attack
against the NC DOUBLEA. Now under Ward Manual's watch, Jim
Harball was suspended not once but twice and got hit
with two separate show cause penalties, and their current head coach,
mister Sharon Moore, now has a three game suspension over
(38:21):
two years, and he has admitted to lying to the
NC DOUBLEA about how his text messages with Connor Stallions
actually came up missing. And then, speaking of Michigan analyst
Connor Stallions, he upended the college football world by dropping
almost forty thousand dollars of his own money to film
(38:42):
future opponents and was even caught in disguise on Central
Michigan's sideline.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Now, all this.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Is outside of the fact, outside of the fact that
former offensive coordinator Matt Weiss is on trial for hacking
thousands of female college athletes in an attempt to secure
private photos of them, and that he reportedly coached in
a game after the scandal was in earth by a colleague.
(39:12):
And on top of all of that, another low level
staffer got busted for trying to meet up with a
thirteen year old girl. Now it's arguable that all of
this happened on Ward Manual's watch. So how do you
keep the heat off yourself? You take a page out
of the most successful American politicians. You stay on the attack.
(39:34):
And that is what Ward Manual is doing. Because the
word that he used to describe the NCUBA, he said,
they're unethical.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
What they're unethical?
Speaker 1 (39:46):
That's like the politician's version of it was rigged. Come on,
man Ward called them unethical in twenty twenty three, and
then he doubled down this week. And that's according to
Pete damil In in August twenty fifteenth tweet. Now Michigan is
(40:08):
continuing to show verbal, you know, aggressiveness, and they take
a shot at the nc DOUBLEA saying that the fundamental
errors in interpreting the NCUBA bylaws is why we got
this penalty. You got a slap on the wrist for
completely cheating.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Guess it's gonna cost you.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
Like twenty million dollars, but you still got a championship
for twenty million dollars. Come on, man, just just just
eat the punishment, because it is a wild mindset to
expect a fair and measured process when fair and measured
isn't exactly a hallmark of Ward Manual's tenure at Michigan,
(40:52):
Because have we forgotten that he failed to inform the
Title nine office at Michigan before he altered the school's
general counsel. When when when Tad de Luca detailed in
a letter toward Manual how he was sexually assaulted by
a former UM doctor named Robert Anderson, and at the
(41:12):
school sat on the information for seven months before another
accuser went to the media.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
Come on, man, what what, what? What are we doing here?
It is a damn shame. It is a damn shame.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
That you're gonna sit He should be sitting there quiet
as kept hoping that he keeps his job. Or maybe
there's a reason why he's keeping his job. Because as
long as Manual is blasting the NCAA for their investigative process,
it keeps the decision makers in maze and blue. It
keeps them engulfed in a in a persecution mindset that
(41:54):
prevents them from looking at the leadership or a lack
thereof at their institution because it enabled all of this
to happen in the first place. Now, mind you, that
doesn't mean that warre Manuel knew about everything when it happens.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
However, when you are at the top of.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
The food chain, you are the person responsible for everything
that is going on. Now, athletic directors, they rarely survive
stuff like this. Ray Anderson is out of Arizona State.
Phil Fullmer didn't survive the coup that he pulled at
Tennessee to hire Jeremy Pruitt. Ward Manuel learned from those
situations and he stayed on the offensive instead of playing defense.
(42:33):
Now imagine if he put the same level of energy
in terms of setting the tone with the NCAA, in
terms of if he did that with compliance. Because the
perceived legitimacy of Michigan's title isn't from their illegitimacy isn't
from people being haters because maybe Ohio State fans, maybe
(42:57):
they fit the bill.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
But the Cogs world exists.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Far beyond Michigan and Ohio State, despite what they want
to believe, and people out West, people in the South,
people in the East acc country. They feel like Michigan
treat cheated their way to a trophy. And it doesn't
matter if they're wrong about that, because the NC DOUBLEA
didn't make any of this happen, and the collective NC
(43:21):
double A hate only goes so far when trying to
drum up support outside of your own fan base, because
maybe calling the n C double a unethical, Maybe it
saved Ward Manual's job, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to
tighten things up in East Lands. Well, excuse me, it
wouldn't hurt to tighten things up in ann Arbor. So
(43:43):
you don't even have an opportunity for the NC double
A to mistreat you in the future. Just Sam and
the last thing up. Northwestern coach pat Nardoozi. He has
put out a statement saying that there has been a
settlement of his one hundred and thirty million dollar lawsuit
against the school for firing him in the wake of
(44:06):
their hazing allegations from twenty twenty three. Now the school
issue to statement that they did not support that hazing
was going on and looked at Fitzgerald like he was
the problem in the situation. And Fitzgerald issued a statement
that said, for the quote, for the past two years,
(44:28):
I've engaged in the process of extensive fact and expert
discovery which showed that I have known and said all
along that I had no knowledge of hazing ever occurring
in the Northwestern football program, and that I never directed
or encouraged hazing in any way. Now, my experience as
a college football player, as an NFL player, when hazing
(44:50):
was still going on, the coaches don't promote hazing generally
like that that would be weird, but they damn sure
don't stop it, or didn't stop it at that time.
And I remember in Jacksonville, Jack del Rio, because there
have been some hazing incidents in the NFL and the
(45:11):
NFL is like listen, no more of that family. And
there was Ricky hazing at Oregon, there was Ricky hazing
in Jacksonville. Nothing across the boundaries of anything that my
experience that anybody should have been reported or anything like that.
However it went on, and the coaches knew it went on.
Now did where the coaches under text messages and all
(45:34):
this stuff saying oh, yeah, we're gonna hate them tonight.
The no but here's the thing. Coaches are notorious for
knowing every single thing that's going on in their program.
They know when people's grades aren't right. They got people
spying other places. They got connects with the police, connects here,
connects there, players on the team snitch that are on
(45:56):
the leadership council. So you think that you want me
to believe that Pat Fitzgerald, who played at Northwestern connected
everywhere in the institution, that he had no idea that
Hazen was going on. Come on, man, I was born
at night, but it wasn't last night family. But you guys,
I'm George Reister. This is the Unafraid Show. Make sure
(46:17):
that you like, subscribe, get notifications, tell a friend about
the George Reister podcast, and be one of us.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
Peace Out.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Catch you guys on Sunday because games I started this weekend.
Huge news today in college football. The SEC has finally
done the right thing. They are going to nine conference
games plus another power for a game as well. And
I love it. But do not make any bones about this.
This was not because this was the right thing to do. No, no, no,
no no. They got something back in return for that.
(00:26):
We are going to go over the most underrated, the
five most underrated, and the five most overrated teams in
college football coming into this season. We have to talk
about the new starting quarterbacks that have been named in
the quarterback battles and how those are going to affect
other things. Michigan, they're athletic director, Michigan's athletic director, mister
(00:49):
Ward Manual. He is on the attack against the NCAA,
and I'm like, wait, wait, wait, what what are we
talking about? Fam and Northwestern. Northwestern head coach mister Pat
Fitzgerald talks about hazing and gives a strong statement and
we got to talk all about that here on the
George Reister College Football Podcast and the Unafraid Show. Make
(01:13):
sure that you guys like to subscribe, get notifications and
tell a friend about the show, and remember I'm your boy.
George reis the former NFL player, college football player, college
football analystir cw here on YouTube or wherever you watch
college football.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So let's get started today. So the first thing is.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
The SEC just issued a memo saying that they are
going to nine conference games. And we knew that this
was coming because Ross Dellinger earlier today was talking, hey, hey, yo,
the SEC is very close to a nine game conference schedule.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
They're close to announcing it.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
When they say that, they they're telling you what's happening
without telling you what's happening. So they are going to
nine conference games. And this is something that I have
been clapping about for so many years. They were at
eight conference games, and this matters most and I want
you to stay with me because there's a little bit
(02:13):
of nerd behavior going on in this episode. So when
you play eight conference games versus nine conference games, that
is a difference between an average of four losses per
team and four and a half losses per team, so
averaged over the course of the conference. So obviously some
people are gonna lose every single conference game, some people
(02:34):
are gonna lose none, and people in the middle. But
that's how you get the average of four versus four
and a half, and that impacts the rankings in college football. Now,
think about this. The SEC cried for so long talking about,
oh see, shitt the schedule, and we need this and
we need that. See, and so everybody will applaud the SEC.
(02:57):
They did the right thing. They didn't do it without
getting something in return. This was the first step in
a compromise with the Big Ten on the college football
playoff model going forward. So we got the five plus
eleven model, We got the four four two two one
two three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine to ten model.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
We have.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You know, we saw that there were proposed twenty eighteen
models of thirty two team models, and I was trying
to figure out why those reports were leaking about the
Big ten and a twenty eight game model when we
had heard about the SEC talking about a thirty two team,
the Big twelve and the AC t.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
C talking about their potential models. Why. Because this was
all a play a ploy.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
This has all been marketing WWE style in front of
our faces.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So we make no mistake.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
This nine game SEC Conference schedule only happened because the
SEC cried about strength to schedule all off season. Because Alabama,
who didn't deserve to be in the playoff, didn't get
in Old Miss in South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
All of them were on the CUSP. Oh see, look
at the deserved schedule. Listen.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So now what they got back is the College Football
Playoff Committee. Yesterday they said that they are going to
factor in strength of schedule within their criteria for making
the college football playoffs. And I'm sitting there like, okay, So,
how would this have impacted the future of the college football?
(04:37):
How would it have impacted the playoff last year with
the SEC doing that? So strength of schedule, there are
multiple models that go into it. And to quote literally
quote the college football nerds, I said I was going
to talk about it on the show. They put out
(05:00):
a very great tweet that I want to explain to
you guys, because this is going to cost the SEC
to get a minimum a minimum of four teams in
the College Football Playoffs every single year. And this is
why Greg Sanki and the Big Well in the SEC
(05:21):
have agreed to go to nine conference games. Now, granted,
part of it had to do with the Big Ten
winning the last two national championships and the potential for
the Big Ten to win again or the ACC to win.
They were like, hold up, we need to jump on
this and get in front of this. So the College
Football Playoff Committee has gone on this strength to schedule
(05:46):
crusade because the SEC has wanted it. Now, remember strength
the schedule, and this is quoting the college football nerds.
It can mean very different things based upon what formula
that you use.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
You have the.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
FPI, you got the FEI, you got the Sagarin rakings,
you have all sorts of things. But the question is
which schedule is technically harder? Right, because that is a
subjective tern right, Because I have gone on record as
saying playing ten Power four games is much more difficult
(06:22):
than playing you know what Old miss is gonna do
this year, and play eight Power four games. Now, yes,
you may be playing some upper echelon teams, but is
that really more difficult than having to go out week
after week? Your bodies are beat up, your bodies are tired,
that's the answer. So which is harder playing ten high
(06:44):
school teams and the eighty five Bears?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Twice?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
That was a legit question by the college football nerves.
So the twenty twenty four Georgia you can do do that.
You can play twenty twenty four Georgia six times, and
then play Charlott six times. Is that more difficult or
is playing wake Forest twelve times more difficult?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Because the first of those, obviously is very.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Easy to go ten and two if you played the
ten high school teams and played the eighty five Bears twice.
And then you have the because it's impossible to go
twelve and ozer versus that schedule. And then the second one,
it is very easy to go six and six, play
Georgia six times, Charlotte six times, and then in that
(07:31):
it is also very hard to go nine and three,
but nine and three should be rewarded. And then you
have the third one, where it is relatively easy too
for an elite team to go twelve and zero playing
wake Forest, as there are currently constructed twelve times. So
it's just the reality of the situation. So let's look
(07:54):
at the different strength of schedule rankings. So you have Sagarin,
which measures the difficulty of making a bowl game, so
it'll actually rank the wake Forest schedule as the hardest
of the three playing wake Forest twelve times. And then
you got FPI, which is linked to ESPN, and we
know we have seen the way that FPI that it
(08:17):
puts stuff out because I have been absolutely appalled because last.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Year it had Alabama finish in front of Oregon.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Alabama, the same one that lost to Oklahoma, couldn't even
put up a touchdown, same team that would that lost
three games, two of them that they had no business
losing to Vanderbilton. Then Oklahoma above Oregon, who finished number
one in the nation and thirteen to zero in the
regular season.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But I digress.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
In the conference that won the national championship, including beating
the national champions that's a whole other thing. So that's
FPI because it's supposed to be a you know, kind
of a hybrid model. And then there is the last one,
which is FEI because it has three metrics for what
is hard for elite, for good and for average teams,
(09:08):
and it probably does the best job of showing that
a hard schedule for an elite twelve to ohero team
might actually be relatively easy for an average team to
go six and six. Now, if the committee isn't educated
on all the stuff that we talked about above and
doesn't know which one they're using, then they are probably
(09:31):
going to be wrong. And this is exactly why the
question needs to be asked. Okay, when the College Football
Playoff Committee, when they are adopting what strength of schedule
model that they are going to use in terms of
their application on who they're going to vote for in
(09:53):
the College Football Playoff, give us what that would have
looked like last season? What would that have looked like
last year? Because that's a legitimate question. So take the
AP Top twenty five poll right now, the first one
that came out, and then I have the unaframed showing
up as well. So you got Texas one out of
(10:14):
the SEC, you got Georgia five, Alabama eight, LSU nine,
and then South Carolina thirteen, Florida fifteen, Oklahoma eighteen, Texas
A and M nineteen, Ole Miss twenty one, and Tennessee
twenty four.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
And now I have consistently said that the.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Middle of the SEC gets propped up significantly more than
any other conference. They get the benefit of the doubt.
So strength of schedule, like your preseason rankings, should have
no impact on strength of schedule rankings.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Because it's just a guess. It's a guess at best.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
So why on earth will we be basing an of
schedule model on something that takes preseason rankings into account,
because preseason rankings are simply just Okay, who's your head coach,
what is your returning production, and how have you recruited?
That's simply what it is, and it is humans. And
then we find out, oh, damn Florida State, wasn't that
(11:19):
damn good last year? Oh Alabama's if he had times
last year? We find out that that Michigan is not
a top twenty five team, but they can beat top
twenty five teams.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
We find out all.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Sorts of things as the season goes on. So we
cannot allow the whatever model that they are going to
choose to be draped in secrecy, which is exactly why
the SEC did this. And now they're like, he, yo,
we bent, we came to nine conference games. Nah, don't
(11:54):
act like you did this out of the kindness of
your heart. You did it because you got something back.
And but I will say Kurt Sengetti over there in Indiana,
whose schedule I lamented when he said, oh I'm going
to an SEC model. Now he was one hundred percent
right to bang on the SEC. But now what you're
gonna say, now, Kurt Sengetty you need to go fix
(12:17):
that damn schedule. Ohio State's preseason last year trash, Michigan's
the year before that trash, a lot of the SEC
teams only playing They only have three out of their
sixteen teams playing ten Power four games this year. So yes,
that needed to be fixed. Off my soapbox right now.
(12:37):
Next thing up, I gotta give you my top five
overrated and underrated teams in college football in twenty twenty five,
because finally the preseason narratives are going to get pressure tested,
they are going to be put under scrutiny. And today
(12:58):
I'm calling my shot on the five most underrated and
the five most overrated teams in going into this season
because when you look at the criteria, we got returning production,
we got losses and arrivals in the transfer portal, well,
their schedule strengths, the coaching and the trajectory who excuse me,
(13:19):
the coaching and the trajectory of that coaching, and then
you have the recruiting and the transfer portal impact.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So let's get to it.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
So the first team, we are going to deal with
the overrated teams first. Now, the five overrated teams in
college football in twenty twenty five are as such, we
are going to start with the Tennessee volunteers now where
they rated right now? They are number eighteen and the
coaches pole and number twenty four in the eightp pole.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Now, George, why are they overrated?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Because Tennessee's defense and running game they literally carried the
balls last year at pretty much all times except for
that Ohio State game. But people are sitting here acting
like Nico I and Maliaba was not a big part
of their success. And not only are they replacing a
lot of that defensive and running game from last year,
(14:11):
which by itself would have been tough because they only
allowed over twenty points last year I believe one time
on defense, and.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
They also have to replace Nico two.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Now, UCLA had Joey Aguilar in the building at quarterback
and then he then they went out and got Nico
and then Joey Aguilar is now going to be the
starter over at Tennessee. Now, the question is will this
be an upgrade for Tennessee. And they lost Squirrel right
as well in the transfer portal. So if you're a
(14:44):
volunteer fan, if it's an upgrade, you're going to be happy.
But if he doesn't, the easiest available question and answer
in the world was why was he available? That's the
big question. Why was Joey Aguilar even available? So my
twenty twenty five projection for Tennessee is they will not
(15:05):
finish it inside of the top twenty five. Now I
have them as the number ten team in the se
SEE this year because I think they're gonna be down
this year.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And hopefully back the next year.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
But sending Jermond McCoy, Joshua Joseph, and Bryson Eastan to
the NFL as high draft picks as well, and then
continuing their streak of recruiting some of the best high
school talent in the South. That botes well for them.
But in twenty twenty five, it will be a down
year for Tennessee. Number two most overrated team the South
(15:42):
Carolina game Cocks. And you might be saying, hold up, George,
don't you have them in your College Football Playoff top twelve? Yes,
but I understand, like that old ESPN commercial, the gate
is narrowed.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
The gate is very narrow for them.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Now they come in rated thirteen in both the AP
and the Coaches Pole. Now I have them outside of
the top fifteen in my top twenty five, but I
do have them rated as a potential college football playoff team,
So on some level, yes, I'm questioning myself on some level,
(16:19):
but I do understand at the same time that all
these things are not super easy. But the question is
why are they overrated? Because Number One, I am worried
about their transfer running back Rasoul Faison eligibility because there
have been the six year senior Juco things that have
not been sorted out for all of the players yet,
(16:41):
so we have to even see if he will even
be on the field, and I'm worried about it in
experienced defensive line that will be relying on transfers from Campbell,
Bowling Green and Georgia Southern Now. Their beat writer Jordan
Kaye also pointed out that South Carolina didn't score on
a single drive where Leonora's Sellers took a sack last year.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Not one.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Now, granted, not a whole lot of teams are gonna
score when your quarterback takes second, but that is a
very telling stat and every team they need to protect
their quarterback. But if that trend continues, this is a
pretty big or else for the game. Cocks fans if
they are gonna have to endure that sort of thing,
and my projection for them protect Leonora's sellers and make
(17:31):
the College Football Playoffs, and if not, this might be
a team that flirts with seven and five. Number three.
The Texas Longhorns overrated this season. Now, they're rated right
now number one coming into the season, and with they
also have the most first place votes in both of
(17:53):
the major polls, the Coaches Pole.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
And the ap Pole.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Now I have them coming into the season at number
two and then losing in the College Football Playoffs semi finals.
So you might be like, George, how are they overrated
because of one spot?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
No?
Speaker 1 (18:08):
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no no, because the
arch Manning hype has jumped the shark at this point
in time, because this isn't something that either of his
uncles would have lived up to, not Peyton nor Eli.
And their offensive line is inexperienced at the tackle position
(18:31):
on both of them, right tackle and left tackle. They
both got drafted to the NFL, and Steve Sarkisian is
one in five versus top five teams since he's been
at Texas. So the whole entire point is that for
Texas to live up to expectations.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
They are gonna have to be damn near perfect.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
And do I think they will make the college football playoff, Yes,
but this road is gonna be a little more bumpy
than people think.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
That's why I have them over rated. Now.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
My projection for them in twenty twenty five is judge
football playoffs. But this is also a team that could
possibly take a couple of losses in the regular season,
and that's not what a preseason number one team just
actually does. They don't just struggle throughout the season. They
don't just you know, be touching Golt. This ain't Georgia
(19:24):
a couple of years ago where they just ran through everybody.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Come on, man, it's ridiculous. All right.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Next team up that is overrated, the Indiana Hoosiers. Now
Indiana and Kurtz Senghetti fans are getting mad. They're like, George,
how do you not giving Indiana respect? Didn't you see
last year?
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Yes? I absolutely did.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
And they're coming in rated this season at number twenty
in the ap pole and nineteen in the coaches pole.
And I have them as a bowl team, which is
great for Indiana's history, But I wouldn't be surprised if
they don't finish inside the top ten of the Big Ten.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
But the question is why are they overrated?
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Because starting off Big Ten played by hosting the Alini,
who I have as a college football playoff team, and
then traveling to play Iowa and Oregon is already a
tougher schedule than Indiana played in all of twenty twenty four. Now,
the non conference schedule, now, that just doesn't prepare them
for that type of struggle at all. It is layups
(20:28):
all over the place, and the running back duo that
combine for fifteen hundred plus yards and twenty touchdowns, they're gone,
And you don't think.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
That that's going to matter.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Yes, Kurt Sengetti's a really good coach, but there's a
difference between a really good coach and rebuilding an entire program.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Because yes, they were good on.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
A lot of levels and well coached in the front line,
but to be a college football playoff team year in
and year out, it requires depth and a lot of
rooting cycles, and they don't have that in the back
pocket right now. So right now I have for my
twenty twenty five projection seventy five at the worst ninety
three at the best, which is a respectable season any
(21:13):
way for a program that has just been rejuvenated and
has a history of mediocrity. So don't get mad in
the NAFS. I understand the twoth hurts a little bit.
Number five the BYU Cougars. Now, I don't understand how
people are continuously rating this team so hot after last year.
(21:35):
Did y'all watch them play or you just watched the record,
because they came in ranked twenty six and the ap pole,
twenty three in the coaches pole, and I have them
as a bowl team, but finishing outside of the top
half of the Big twelve by far.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
But why are they overrated, George?
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Because if they can beat Colorado and Boulder, then they
could enter the Holy War against Utah at six and OHO.
But a four game run of Utah, Iowa State, Texas Tech,
and TCU is where we'll really learn the truth about
this team and their freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeyer. Because remember
the BYJU mister Jake Retzliff was supposed to be their
(22:16):
starting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
He bounced into transfer portal.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
So now we're like, oh okay, last minute change and.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Ninth in the Big twelve to their fans.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
It might feel a little bit low, but you have
to remember that the teams that finished eighth and ninth
in last year's Big Twelve actually still finished five and
four in the conference, which is a Renning record. So
I'm giving you credit, But don't think that this BYU
team is chocked full of talent and that they're just
(22:49):
gonna be able to just run through the likes of
potentially Arizona State in a Big Twelve championship game. I
already told you about the other teams that they play.
No escaped versus Oklahoma State last year. They escaped other teams,
and that rapids foot they had last year is not
going to get cashed in as many times as it
(23:10):
did last year. All right, now, it's time for my
five underrated teams in college football this season and the
teams that are most likely to outperform their projections. We're
gonna start with number one, the utah US. Now, they're
rated in the preseason number twenty seven in the ap
(23:31):
pole and number thirty in the coaches pole, and I
have them as a top twenty preseason team.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
But the question is, George, why are they underrated?
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Because Devin Dampier, their quarterback coming over from New Mexico
with his OC it gives Utah an advantage for this
offense to hit the ground running. They have an athlete
at quarterback who can throw the ball and run the ball.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Got a chance to see the kid in practice.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Things are looking positive for that offense right now, and
they're off defensive line. They might have two first round
draft picks on it, at least one for show. Come on,
man and dep Year is the most athletic quarterback in
the Big twelve, and not a lot of Big twelve
defenses are equipped to handle a quarterback that ran for
(24:16):
eight hundred yards in his last six games last year.
My projection for Utah in twenty twenty five, oh that
they could challenge for the conference at worst. Now I
think they'll be six and three and Big twelve play
and even with the toughest conference slate in the Big Twelve,
they'll be able to do that. So that's why they
will look seed expectations. Number two the Washington Huskies. Why
(24:45):
do I have to be the defender of the Washington Huskies?
Can anybody explain this to me? But where they're rated now?
They got no AP votes. They got their number forty
one in the Coach's poll, and I have them twenty
third in my preseason post. Now the Huskies why they
are underrated because they were lights out last year at
(25:07):
home and this year at home they host Ohio State,
Illinois and the Oregon Ducks. If they win even one
of those games and are at least four and two
on the road, then they will absolutely one hundred percent
finish the season ranked.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
And their quarterback demand Williams.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
He is my dark, dark, dark dark horse for the
Heisman Trophy ceremony. I don't think the kid can win
it this year, but you do have to understand that
he is in a situation where he has the opportunity
to win.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
One of those games.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
And if they beat Ohio State on Lake early in
the season, that is going to generate enough buzz.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think that's September.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
September thirteenth, well September twenty somewhere around or so it's
early in the season, and if they win that game
on Montlake, you are going to see all sorts of
hype surrounding this. Demand Williams kid, just tell you, and
then they're running back Jonah Coleman's potential All Big Ten
player as well. Now my twenty twenty five projection for
(26:18):
them fifth in the Big Ten and in the College
Football playoff discussion. So please, country, explain to me? Why
do I me? Why am I have to be the
defender of the damn Huskies? But this is why you
come to the On the Frase show to hear the truth,
to hear the truth and be one of us. Now
(26:39):
Number three the Auburn Tigers overrated this year. Now, I'm sorry,
excuse me, underrated this year. Auburn Tigers underrated this year.
Now they are outside of the top thirty in both
the AP and the College Football Well the coaches both
now why they're underrated. It is when I look at
the Tiger schedule, it's extremely front loaded with tough games.
(27:01):
And if by Week six Auburn is a minimum of
three and three, then they actually might have a shot
at nine.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Or ten wins this season.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
But they at least have to win one game against Baylor,
Texas A and M Oklahoma or Georgia, and I believe
that they can do that.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Now, the question is.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Will they be able to manage the rest of their
schedule and if they do. Oh, everybody gonna have to
apologize to Hugh Freeze, even though he's gonna have a
first down play caller, a different second down play caller,
and a different third down play caller, which I think
is at it for disaster. But that's a whole other thing.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Now.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
My projection for them a ten win Auburn would shock
the country, but it would not shock me.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Do I expect it to happen? Probably not, But I
do expect Auburn to overcome itself, especially with all the
news about multiple quarterbacks and the play callers and all
that stuff I just talked to.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
But the blue chip ratio recruits are there.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
If you have talent and then you put some good
coach into it, and if they get good quarterback play,
they got a shot. Another underrated team this year, the
Oklahoma Sooners, And I don't understand why because their ranked
number eighteen in the AP pole twenty six and the
coaches Pole.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
I got him at seventeen.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Now why they're underrated because none of you people watched
John Materier play last year at Washington State.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
It's okay to admit it.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It's okay to admit you just saw the stats, and
you heard his name when it came in a transfer
a portal. But I was screaming about this all year.
I had him on my Heisman ballot during the season.
Come on, man, I was watching. I don't know if
y'all were watching.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Come on, now, it's okay to be honest. You can't
watch every single game. That's my job. That's my job.
So then I can tell you what you need to watch.
You pay attention to. Now.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I see people claim that his game at Washington Stadium
won't translate over to the SEC. He did for Cam
Cam Moore, buddy, But y'all, But y'all think that Joey
Aguilar will coming from Appalachian State over there at Tennessee.
Oh oh yeah, he's yeah, he'll be fine. Taylor Green
(29:25):
did it over there at Arkansas. And it's hard not
to play quarterback, well, excuse me. As hard as it
is to play quarterback, when you look at the SEC,
it is not more difficult than playing quarterback in the
Big ten or the ACC or the Big twelve as well,
(29:46):
because a lot of those are asked to do way more.
Just saying, and then you'd have to be crazy not
to have super high expectations for the rest of this
roster for Dominic William, Jaydon Jackson, Peyton Brown, and that
Sooner defense as well. It actually might be a top
(30:07):
three unit in the conference. So my projection for twenty
twenty five for Oklahoma is a top six spot in
the SEC when all the dust is settled down. Thanks
for coming to my ted Talk. Number five most underrated
team in college football this season the Pittsburgh Panthers. Now
(30:29):
they're rated forty six coming in the season in the
AP Pole, no voters, no votes in the coaches pop
and I have them as a top four team in
the ACC while they're underrated because they probably have the
best peer passer in the conference at quarterback in the
Eli Holsting, and one of the best dual purpose running
backs in the country in Desmond Reed, and one of
(30:50):
the best linebacking rooms in all of college football.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
But nobody knows.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
That because it's it's like a well kept secret around here.
They're trying to they don't want nobody to know about
the players because they might try to get stolen the portal.
And these are great building blocks heading into the twenty
twenty five season, because you got Jeff Percy and Kendall
Stanley that were great portal additions to this offensive line
as well. And then you got Jaden Moore. He might
(31:18):
not have been able to break out at Oregon, but
in the acc he actually might develop into one of
the best pass rushers in the conference. Now, my twenty
twenty five projection for this team is that pitt has
win well. My projection for the twenty twenty five Pittsburgh
Panthers is is that pitt Previously they have won between
(31:42):
six and eight games and eleven of the last fifteen years,
and this could be an eight win year and capping
off the season upsetting Miami in November could actually make
it a very special season. So I'm not expecting him
to make the College Football Playoff for any of those things,
But I did you expect them to be significantly better
than people have them ranked coming into the season. Now,
(32:06):
how do you get ranked higher in the season and how.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Do you accede expectations?
Speaker 1 (32:12):
It is because your quarterback play as well, and this
year there's a lot of quarterbacks, a lot of quarterback
competitions going on, But the question is who is winning
them and if they are picking the right guy Because
sometimes they don't pick the right guy at first and
they end up with the right guy, like happened at
Utah a few years ago with Cam Risey. He didn't
(32:33):
start the season as the starter, but he damn sure
finished it as the starter. After about four games he
came in and all of a sudden, U saw season
completely different. And it's happened at many other spots as well.
Like Eli Holsting over there, Pitt, he didn't even get
taken to acc media date. He took another quarterback and
then he ended up being the start, and guy just said,
(32:57):
all right, now to these quarterbacks. First of all, I
gotta say best of luck and congratulations to former five
star Malachi Nelson who is gonna get his first chance
to prove himself as a starting quarterback at UTEP after
he has left both USC and Boise State being the
(33:18):
backup the last two seasons. So this is the kid
who is on his third stop. If things go well
for him, that would mean there was some maturity. That
would mean there are some humbling and there needed to
be some humbling for that kid, because my kid was
at some of the camps that he was at and
he needed to be humbled a little bit, and but
(33:40):
his talent, his arm talent is there and cannot be denied.
And if he got the head on straight, he should
do well. Now you got Syracuse. They're going with as
their starting quarterback Notre Dame transfer Steven Giely, and he's
going to be their starting quarterback. LSU transferred Ricky Collins
(34:02):
because Collins represented the Orange.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Men at ACC media kickoff.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
But then Fran Brown he likes what and Geely has
done with this offense and his prior experience. Now this
is the second year in a row that a quarterback
that played high school football in the Northeast is gonna
take over at Syracuse, and the second year in a
row that we get to watch a major college football
(34:29):
cast off get an attempt to redeem themselves, which I
love and I appreciate Fran Brown for that. Now you
also have in Gele's former teammate who was named the
starter over there at Notre Dame, which is CJ.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Carr.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
Now he's getting the nod over mister Kenny Mitchie. And
Carr was the number six quarterback in the country coming
out of high school in twenty twenty four or in
the two four seven, and it is going to be
wild to see the grandson of Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. Yes,
out there in a golden dome. So if we ever
(35:08):
see Michigan and.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Notre Dame play.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
With that kid at quarterback, Oh oh, sign sign me up,
Please sign me up, because I am.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
One hundred percent in.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
But speaking of the religious type institutions, we got Bear
Bachmeyer who is going to be the starting quarterback over
there at BYU. He's taken over for the by mister
Jake Bratzliffe, who is a castaway there. And we are
going to see one of them weird numbers at quarterback
that we have not seen since what Michigan or Devin
(35:46):
Brown over that Ohio State in thirty three. We've had
Michigan quarterbacks and weird numbers. Bear Bachmeyer is going to
wear number forty seven, which he wore in high school.
And this is a kid who likes to lower his shoulder.
He's got a brother named Tiger Bachmeyer as well. Goot
strong names by the parents. So I'm in there now.
(36:08):
The Cougars, the b Yu Cougars, they have a relatively
light schedule early on in the season, so Honestly, this
is about as good a time as any to see
if bear Bachmeyer can actually handle the job, which for
the very first few weeks is actually going to be
give the ball to LJ.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Martin.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
That is going to be his job. Give it to LJ.
Don't turn the ball over. And if he can do that,
we'll be in good shake. Now another freshman that has
won the starting job, and that happened over there at
over there.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
At Cal because you had mister.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
The former Oregon commit even in row Lee who then
transferred to Cal. And I don't want to butcher the
kids name, but you have the kid from Hawaiian Elite
eleven finalists, mister Jason jar excuse me, Jaron Kiwei Sagapool
Telly ooh oo, Jared Kiwe Sagapoo with Telly.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Proud of myself right there. But he left there, He
left Oregon and decided that he wanted to go over
there to go to Cal. And it worked out for
him because he wanted to start as a true freshman.
And I consistently say you have to be careful what
you wish for when you are trying to start as
(37:35):
a true freshman at quarterback. Because it don't always go
like you wanted to go, and sometimes you end up
eating a big old piece of humble pie. Now, speaking
of people who should be eating humble pie, the Michigan Wolverines,
after a sign stealing scandal, after having evidence mountains of evidence, well,
(37:58):
their athletic director, the Ward Manual, is on the attack
against the NC DOUBLEA. Now under Ward Manual's watch, Jim
Harball was suspended not once but twice and got hit
with two separate show cause penalties, and their current head coach,
mister Sharon Moore, now has a three game suspension over
(38:21):
two years, and he has admitted to lying to the
NC DOUBLEA about how his text messages with Connor Stallions
actually came up missing. And then, speaking of Michigan analyst
Connor Stallions, he upended the college football world by dropping
almost forty thousand dollars of his own money to film
(38:42):
future opponents and was even caught in disguise on Central
Michigan's sideline.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Now, all this.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Is outside of the fact, outside of the fact that
former offensive coordinator Matt Weiss is on trial for hacking
thousands of female college athletes in an attempt to secure
private photos of them, and that he reportedly coached in
a game after the scandal was in earth by a colleague.
(39:12):
And on top of all of that, another low level
staffer got busted for trying to meet up with a
thirteen year old girl. Now it's arguable that all of
this happened on Ward Manual's watch. So how do you
keep the heat off yourself? You take a page out
of the most successful American politicians. You stay on the attack.
(39:34):
And that is what Ward Manual is doing. Because the
word that he used to describe the NCUBA, he said,
they're unethical.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
What they're unethical?
Speaker 1 (39:46):
That's like the politician's version of it was rigged. Come on,
man Ward called them unethical in twenty twenty three, and
then he doubled down this week. And that's according to
Pete damil In in August twenty fifteenth tweet. Now Michigan is
(40:08):
continuing to show verbal, you know, aggressiveness, and they take
a shot at the nc DOUBLEA saying that the fundamental
errors in interpreting the NCUBA bylaws is why we got
this penalty. You got a slap on the wrist for
completely cheating.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Guess it's gonna cost you.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
Like twenty million dollars, but you still got a championship
for twenty million dollars. Come on, man, just just just
eat the punishment, because it is a wild mindset to
expect a fair and measured process when fair and measured
isn't exactly a hallmark of Ward Manual's tenure at Michigan,
(40:52):
Because have we forgotten that he failed to inform the
Title nine office at Michigan before he altered the school's
general counsel. When when when Tad de Luca detailed in
a letter toward Manual how he was sexually assaulted by
a former UM doctor named Robert Anderson, and at the
(41:12):
school sat on the information for seven months before another
accuser went to the media.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
Come on, man, what what, what? What are we doing here?
It is a damn shame. It is a damn shame.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
That you're gonna sit He should be sitting there quiet
as kept hoping that he keeps his job. Or maybe
there's a reason why he's keeping his job. Because as
long as Manual is blasting the NCAA for their investigative process,
it keeps the decision makers in maze and blue. It
keeps them engulfed in a in a persecution mindset that
(41:54):
prevents them from looking at the leadership or a lack
thereof at their institution because it enabled all of this
to happen in the first place. Now, mind you, that
doesn't mean that warre Manuel knew about everything when it happens.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
However, when you are at the top of.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
The food chain, you are the person responsible for everything
that is going on. Now, athletic directors, they rarely survive
stuff like this. Ray Anderson is out of Arizona State.
Phil Fullmer didn't survive the coup that he pulled at
Tennessee to hire Jeremy Pruitt. Ward Manuel learned from those
situations and he stayed on the offensive instead of playing defense.
(42:33):
Now imagine if he put the same level of energy
in terms of setting the tone with the NCAA, in
terms of if he did that with compliance. Because the
perceived legitimacy of Michigan's title isn't from their illegitimacy isn't
from people being haters because maybe Ohio State fans, maybe
(42:57):
they fit the bill.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
But the Cogs world exists.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Far beyond Michigan and Ohio State, despite what they want
to believe, and people out West, people in the South,
people in the East acc country. They feel like Michigan
treat cheated their way to a trophy. And it doesn't
matter if they're wrong about that, because the NC DOUBLEA
didn't make any of this happen, and the collective NC
(43:21):
double A hate only goes so far when trying to
drum up support outside of your own fan base, because
maybe calling the n C double a unethical, Maybe it
saved Ward Manual's job, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to
tighten things up in East Lands. Well, excuse me, it
wouldn't hurt to tighten things up in ann Arbor. So
(43:43):
you don't even have an opportunity for the NC double
A to mistreat you in the future. Just Sam and
the last thing up. Northwestern coach pat Nardoozi. He has
put out a statement saying that there has been a
settlement of his one hundred and thirty million dollar lawsuit
against the school for firing him in the wake of
(44:06):
their hazing allegations from twenty twenty three. Now the school
issue to statement that they did not support that hazing
was going on and looked at Fitzgerald like he was
the problem in the situation. And Fitzgerald issued a statement
that said, for the quote, for the past two years,
(44:28):
I've engaged in the process of extensive fact and expert
discovery which showed that I have known and said all
along that I had no knowledge of hazing ever occurring
in the Northwestern football program, and that I never directed
or encouraged hazing in any way. Now, my experience as
a college football player, as an NFL player, when hazing
(44:50):
was still going on, the coaches don't promote hazing generally
like that that would be weird, but they damn sure
don't stop it, or didn't stop it at that time.
And I remember in Jacksonville, Jack del Rio, because there
have been some hazing incidents in the NFL and the
(45:11):
NFL is like listen, no more of that family. And
there was Ricky hazing at Oregon, there was Ricky hazing
in Jacksonville. Nothing across the boundaries of anything that my
experience that anybody should have been reported or anything like that.
However it went on, and the coaches knew it went on.
Now did where the coaches under text messages and all
(45:34):
this stuff saying oh, yeah, we're gonna hate them tonight.
The no but here's the thing. Coaches are notorious for
knowing every single thing that's going on in their program.
They know when people's grades aren't right. They got people
spying other places. They got connects with the police, connects here,
connects there, players on the team snitch that are on
(45:56):
the leadership council. So you think that you want me
to believe that Pat Fitzgerald, who played at Northwestern connected
everywhere in the institution, that he had no idea that
Hazen was going on. Come on, man, I was born
at night, but it wasn't last night family. But you guys,
I'm George Reister. This is the Unafraid Show. Make sure
(46:17):
that you like, subscribe, get notifications, tell a friend about
the George Reister podcast, and be one of us.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
Peace Out.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Catch you guys on Sunday because games I started this weekend.
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