September 27, 2025 • 40 mins
Ryan "BEEF" Coyle and Nick McClay dive into the biggest games of College Football Weke 5 and NFL Week 4.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio preset hand, the new
and improved Diehard Radio app WDAYES and WD two seven
three D Philadelphia Ice Fox Sports Radio The Gambler.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hello everyone, and bring it on in for another episode
of Football is King here on Fox Sports The Gambler.
A little bit of delayed episode this week, a little
later in the week, but still getting it done and
exciting news too. We are now going from about a
twenty five to a twenty eight minute episode each week
to about a forty to a forty five minute episode,
So allow us to talk a little bit more in
(00:36):
depth about us in these top college games, some of
these top NFL games, some of the top storylines. Try
and get everything in there that's important this upcoming week
in football between forty to forty five minutes.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Each week, So big weeknick.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
This day that has been circled on people's calendars for
months now. Once we saw that slate come out for
this upcoming Saturday, the twenty seventh in college football, people
have been eyeing up the stay for months. Maybe one
of the best regular season college football slates in the
past decade. We got a lot of awesome games to
touch on, some big ones to break down, and then
(01:09):
we'll head over to the NFL as well and talk
about some of the storylines over there.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
We got an Eagles.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Rams matchup this week between two three and O squads.
We got the loser of the Ravens Chiefs game fall
into one and three, so plenty to talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Nick, Welcome back, and how are.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
We Yeah, I'm exciting. Like you said, you touched on
and all, we got an amazing slate of games this weekend.
This is a perfect weekend, just you know, grab some
pers with their boys, sit down on the couch and
not move the whole entire weekend with I mean, just
start off obviously college football on Saturday, but we even
got a good slate of NFL games on Sunday too,
So we'll touch on it all. And like you said,
(01:44):
we're going to be moving to a little longer episode
so we can get more in depth on each games,
talk more, you know, maybe props, you know, futures that
they were looking at as the season goes on. But
excited to get into it, especially about how exciting this
weekend should be.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, So I want to start this week. There's a
game on Friday, and I want to talk talk about.
But there's a game on Saturday at noon that I
want to talk about specifically from what the.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Result was last week.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
And we got number twenty one USC is four to
oh they're traveling two number twenty three Illinois, who's three
and one.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It's a noonkick on Fox.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
The look aheadline last week was USC minus one and
a half at Illinois. Illinois proceeds to lose to Indiana
sixty three to ten last week, one of the biggest
beatdowns of the week.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Fernando Mendoz is now.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Your Heisman favorite the quarterback for Indiana after the John
Matier injury. Indiana football on the rise. I got a
big one against Iowa this week as well. Let's see
what they look like on the way back. But Nick,
this USC Illinois game, I'm very curious to see kind
of what Illinois team shows out because I think we
were both pretty high on them just as a squad overall.
I had Indiana winning last week. I think you had
(02:50):
Illinois covering that spread. But that was just a beatdown
from start to finish. Do you think that team can
can respond this week? Because that was as humiliating as
it gets.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
A yeah, I mean this is a huge get back
game for Illinois after, like you said, getting just steam
rolled last week, and like I was on, Illinois was
really confident in that bat as well, and they just
weren't there. It looks like they didn't even show up
on the field. But you know, they're gonna need as
quick of a bounce back as you can really imagine,
as you're going to get right back on the horse
and play a team like USC who has been really hot. Lincoln,
(03:23):
Riley and Jade and Maiva have been really rolling in
that offense, just over twelve hundred yards six in the
country and passing yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions, and
according to ESPN, he as a highest passer rating in
the country, four rushing touchdowns on the ground as well,
and they won by an average of thirty two points.
They haven't played a top sixty team according to Power Rankings,
(03:43):
but still they're putting up thirty two points a game.
Is pretty insane. And on the flip side, Altmeyer really
does need a bounce back that performance that he had
against Indiana. He couldn't go anywhorse from what we've seen,
and if Illinois really wants to take care of business,
they're going to have to improve offensive line. In two
games against their Power four opponents, they have a forty
(04:04):
two pass blocking grade, forty one allowed pressure rate, fifty
three allowed pressure rate against the Blitz, and six sacks allowed.
So they're going to really need to protect Lou Goltmeyer
in this one. And for you know, USC, they just
saw what Fernanda Mendoza did to that Illinois defense. They
know what to do. As we talked about it last week,
Illinois Blitz is at one of the highest rates in
the country, so they can get the ball out quick.
(04:25):
I think mkayle Lemon is someone to really look out
for in this one to have a huge game. Already
fourth in the country in receiving yards, averaging almost one
hundred and ten a game, and Illinois is going to
be at one of their cornerbacks. It's for Scott, So
I think in this one, I'm going to roll with USC.
I think seven and a half points might be a
little too much, so I think I'd roll Illinois and
those points, but I think USC comes out with a
(04:46):
winning this one.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, let's see how USC does with this noon kick.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
This is a nine am body clock game for them,
and last year there was some pretty staggering numbers with
those teams traveling from west coast to east coast in
this kind of conference realignment, with the team traveling from
west to east really struggling.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
So USC, I'm very high on this squad. I was
bullish on them coming into the year.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I said, if there was one squad in the Big
Ten that could get into that upper tier of Penn State,
Ohio State, Oregon, I thought it was USC because I
thought the way that they played down the stretch was better.
You know, Mayava was going to be a good quarterback
under Lincoln Riley as long as he took care of
the football, and the defense took a big leap last year.
If they could just basically help them kind of stay
in the game, you know, the offense is going to
(05:31):
put up points, the defense could just be serviceable. This
was going to be a program that I thought takes
a leap in, you know, transitioning from the Pac twelve
to the Big Ten. I thought that would definitely take
a little bit of time. But you look at Lincoln
Riley's pedigree and his history.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
The guy wins.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
He at Oklahoma's winning eleven ten games each and every year.
So I'm not surprised to see USC get off to
a hot start. But this is a spot where if
you're Illinois and you have any sense of pride, any
pride at all, you show up, especially at home. You
know the season is not completely dead yet, but if
you lose this, you're probably thinking there's no chance of
going to the playoff. I like USC to win this game,
but seven and a half is a lot of points.
(06:06):
Lincoln Riley talked about it this week too. They had
the latest kick last week eleven o'clock Eastern time.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Now they have to.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Fly basically to the middle of the country and play
at twelve o'clock Eastern time kickoff. It's a big kind
of adjustment there with the kind of travel schedule that
they have. So let's see how these eighteen year old,
nineteen year old college kids fare in this.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
But I do like Illinois to keep it close. But
I will take USC to win.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I'm gonna go like I'm gonna go like USC twenty
seven to twenty four somewhere in that ballpark. So very
interested to see how that Illinois team responded. I think
that's gonna be one of the stories of the week's
backwards Now, I wanted to start with that one just
because that was the most eye popping result to me
from last week. But let's go to Friday night. We
got a really good Friday night game. You don't really
(06:49):
get many of those in college football. Last week we
had like Oklahoma State Tulsa, Tulsa winds upon the mountain,
my gun new winds up getting fired. But this one
you have a legit potential like Big Twelve championship type
of match up, a playoff eliminator maybe for the loser
of this game. Number twenty four TCU had three to
oh goes two Arizona States.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Three and one for nine o'clock kick on Fox.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Arizona States two and a half point favorite over under
fifty five and a half.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Then, yeah, huge game for both these teams, both at
the top of the Big Twelve, only behind Texas Tech
odds wise to win the conference. Arizona State set at
fifteen CU third at six hundred, and this is TCUs
first three start since that twenty two season where they
went to the national total, and on the flip, Arizona
State pulling out side of that top twenty five after
(07:35):
the lost in Mississippi State. Kind of looking back to
get in that rank discussion with a conference win here
at home. I think this is going to be an
offensive battle here two really good quarterbacks, Hoover and Levitt.
Hoover really boosed up his Heisman odds through these first
three weeks, all way up to eighteen hundred, while Sam
Levitt sits at four thousand right now, throwing for seven
hundred and forty eight passing yards, six touchdowns, three picks,
(07:57):
but really uses legs very well forty two attempts in
nineteen yards and added four touchdowns on the ground and
leads all Power four quarterbacks within ninety rushing grades, so
he can do it all he can. He's a dual guy,
and on the flip, Hoover has thrown for exactly a
thousand yards, eleven touchdowns, and only two picks. I think
this is a game offensively. I love the over in
(08:17):
this one. I really like the receivers on both sides,
Jordan Tyson being one of the best receivers in the country,
and TCU has got gooddo with Eric Callister and Jordan
Dwyer who have played very well, combining for five hundred
seventy seven yards and five touchdowns. But I think for me,
I'm gonna go home team Arizona State. I think Levitt's
gonna use his legs Jordan Tyson and kind of show
why Arizona was one of the pre season favorites to
(08:39):
win this conference. Give me Arizona State thirty four, TCU
twenty seven. Like the over in this one too.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, I like Arizona State as well, But this is
a spot.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I think there's a lot of big matchups this week
for some of these quarterbacks where you're like, all right,
if you think this team's gonna win, maybe instead of
that team that actually win the game, be like the
quarterback doin the Heisman, because if Josh Hoover goes out
and puts on a show on Friday Night, he could
be certainly elevating to the Heisman conversation. Putt up great
numbers to start the year, and he's sitting there at
(09:12):
eighteen to one right now. They go to Arizona State.
He puts up three hundred yards multiple touchdowns. I think
that number probably gets almost cut in half at least
to like plus twelve hundred. So that's something I would
look at if you're looking for a betting angle for
this game.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
But I do like Arizona State at home as well.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I think that's a big kind of theme for my
picks this week, where home field advantage I think matters
in college football more than any sport. It's pretty insane
how different home road splits, and when you're in this
big of a spot, I think you got to lean
towards the home team. Now two and a half could
be a different story. They could win on a walk
off field goal by one. Some chaos late happens and
(09:48):
you get a back door cover. But if you're looking
just for a pure winner in this one, and you're
looking for like your future, maybe even for a big
twelve team, I like Arizona State in this one. I
think their experience helps get it done. But Josh Weaver
has the part certainly the puffin upset. So that's an
exciting Friday night game. Excited to sit down and watch
that one.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Let's go back to Saturday now three thirty kick on ABC.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Another one where Lane Kiffin was complaining how this game
was at LSU. It's at night, it's here at started
the day, we're at disadvantage, blah blah blah.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
You know, let's just go show up, play in a
parking lot somewhere, Play at a parking lot at six am.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
That used to be kind of the old mantra from coaches,
and now it's all about scheduling time to place blah
blah blah, some drama. This week, Lane Kiffin's daughter is
now dating the LSU start linebacker with Weeks.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
So this one certainly got some spice and juice to it.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
And after you know, a nice little twelve o'clock start
there with USC and Illinois, we also got Arkansas Notre
Dame at noon, rolling right into this one at three
thirty before the nightcap of Oregon Penn State and Alabama Georgia.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Great game after a great game.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Ole Miss is a one and a half point favorite
here over under fifty five and a half Nick.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Do you think they get it done at home?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
I think lean an LSU in this one. I know
you know we're looking at one of the best SEC
matchups with both teams looking to make huge statements here
Ole Miss as a favorite against the top five team
still trying to figure out their quarterback situation with Austin
and Trinidad Chambliss. I think you know LSU as you
know the seventh team right now, and it's to win
the national championship. They're on the underdogs on the road.
(11:20):
I'm going to back them in this one. I had
Garrett Desmeyer, who was my preseason heisman, currently eighth right
now at sixteen to one, and he's I think. I
also saw him be one of the favorites to be
taking number one overall in next year's draft. But I
was someone that was really high on Austin sentences from
ole Miss, but he's been very inconsistent, looked pretty banged
up to and we're gonna see what Trinidad can do
(11:41):
in this ole Miss offense. I think there is a
huge chance for him to really go out there and
prove that he can be a starter and why ole
Miss can be a legit contender. And up to this point,
I think Trinidad has proven to be the better quarterback
of the between the two. In my opinion, I think
he gives ole Miss the best chance to win this team.
It's also weird. I saw LSU's fourth ranked odds wise
(12:02):
in one in the nation. I'm sorry, fourth ranked in
the nation and still fourth odds to win the SEC
behind Georgia Texas and Alabama with the Nellis defensive team
that has struggled the past couple of seasons. You can
tell they made this point of emphasis heading into this season.
He's been really good on the ball, but offensively, I
think they haven't really clicked. I think they need to
(12:22):
use that running game and set up downfield shots. And
even though their defense has been great, I think LSU
this team is better than what they've shown. So I
think give me LSU as under.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Yeah, my story of the week this week in college
football is the quarterback you were just talking about role
Miss Trinidad Chamblass. So there was a guy that a
few weeks ago I had never even heard of and
saw he put up some great numbers in his uh
his first appearance of the season against Arkansas, and then
I'm just like, hell, is this guy D two transfer
from Farris State University, one of the best D two
(12:59):
players in the country over the past few years. Now
he gets a chance to run Lane Kiffin's system at
Ole Miss. An awesome, awesome story and you think he
can leave this week being the story in COLLG footballf
he goes out there and wins this football game.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Through his two starts so far.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
He's got seven hundred and nineteen passing yards, four passing touchdowns,
one hundred and ninety five rushing yards two rushing touchdowns,
A true dual, true dual threat type of guy. Now
he gets the bright stage here of doing.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
It against LSU, so I'm excited to watch him.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I think I'm gonna probably lean ole Miss, but excuse me,
lean LSU in this one. I think from top to
bottom there they're better team, and I think this is
one of those games where it's like Lane the main
reason why Lane Kiffin is always rumored to go for
like a Florida or for like an All burn a
bigger job than Ole Miss, because I think Ole Miss
is primally gonna be stuck kind of in that next
(13:48):
tier behind the LSU, the Georgia or the Bama the Texas.
They're kind of in that next tier of SEC teams.
But if they're able to win this one at home,
they certainly have a path to the SEC title game,
which obviously get them in the playoff.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
But I'm gonna go with LSU. I think this is
kind of like their year right now.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
They finding ways to win, and that's the marks of
an experienced team. I think we still have yet to
see the best version of this LSU squad. But I've
been very impressed with the defense, while the offense is
kind of coming up to speed. They need to run
the football though better if they're gonna kind of reach
these goals of an SEC championship in national championship.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
So a lot of things to watch in this one.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
We're finally starting to get into the thick of the
season where it's like, all right, we know a little
bit about this team, we know a little bit about
that team.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Now let's see what we can put together. But I'm
gonna go with LSU on the road to actually win
this one.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Out right, you'll be like thirty five to thirty one
and listen to Liane Kiffen and take the over in
that spot.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
All right, let's go do Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I'll complain a little bit about the schedule.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Don't like these games being at the exact same time,
Like maybe you start one at nine o'clock with one
at seven thirty. You kind of mirror them up with
a halftime game. But we'll start with the white out
up at Penn State number six. Oregon have four to
o at number three, Penn State, who's also undefeated at
three and I was seven thirty tick on NBC. Penn
State's a three and a half point favorite here over
under fifty two and a half. And I think it
(15:08):
goes to show you kind of the shift in college
football right now. Like you would have told me five
years ago we had an Alabama Georgia game and that
wasn't the biggest game of the weekend and said, it's
this Oregon Penn State game.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
The big ten is. It's kind of taking the throne
maybe a little bit here.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
So Nick excited to see what you think about this
matchup and if James Franklin can get a win in
a big game.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
Yeah, this is probably the biggest game of the week
and probably one of the biggest games of the year
here with you know, the white out Penn State Dan
Lanning and Oregon travel in the Happy Valley is probably
one of the bigger white out games in recent memory
in the end, maybe even history. But right now, both
these teams tied second to win national title. It's seven hundred,
both only trailing Ohio State at five p fifty, So
top three odds wise to win it all are all
(15:50):
in the big ten and both teams undefeeded so far,
but neither team has really played that time competition so far.
We're gonna learn a lot about these two teams. And
you know we've been saying it up until this point.
Dante Moore has been putting up some great numbers, currently
second on traft kings to win the Heisman at plus
eight fifty nine hundred and sixty two passing yards, eleven
touchdowns in one interception, and one thing I've noticed is
(16:11):
the amount of time that he has to throw and
make decisions in the pocket. I know they haven't faced
the best teams, but this offensive line has really done
an amazing job at protecting More, giving him time to
make plays. They're ranked first in past blocking grade, second,
lowest pressure rate allowed, and More has only been sacked
one so far, and that's going to have to continue
against a tough Penn State pass for US and for
Penn State offense, Drew Aller has been all right, nothing crazy,
(16:34):
but not too bad either. Has six hundred and twenty
six yards, four touchdowns, one pick in three games. Accuracy
has looked pretty off honestly to start the year. He
currently sits twenty two to twenty two to one right
now to win the Heisman. But you know, the knock's
been on Penn State that they can't get over this
hump at beating the top dogs in the Big Ten.
They haven't been able to prove that under James Franklin.
(16:55):
This is the roster that's supposed to do it at home.
Like I said, I think watched Penn State the first
three games, the offense hasn't really clicked. I know, this
is probably one of the better weight out games and
this is a not a must win, but this is
a game that James Franklin needs for that rend. I
think I'm gonna lean organ in this one in the
points and until James Franklin and you know, Drew Aller
(17:16):
proves that they can get over that home, I'm going
to lean towards the fate of them. So I'm going
to go Oregon twenty seven, Penn State twenty four.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Yeah, Drew Aller, you know, under Franklin, that's been his
his bugge boo kind of.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
He struggled in these big matchups.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Remember last year, a couple of years ago against Ohio State,
a couple of years ago against Michigan. He really struggled
last year, though in the Big Ten title game, he
actually played fairly well against his Organs widing. He did
have a couple turnovers, but some of his most impressive
throws taking shots down the field. So maybe there's something
with this Oregon defense that he can expose. But I'm
full blown on Penn State in this one. I think
(17:50):
that they win this one. I think that they get
that kind of monkey off their back end. It's not
fully off their back yet, because I think they're still
bigger fish fish to fry down the line. You have
to go to ives. Still, you're gonna have to go
win the Big Ten title. But still being at home here,
the white out spot, it's certainly.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
The if not now, then when type of scenario for
Penn State. This is what they've been building towards.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Drew Aller, the running backs, the defense, everyone returning all
this continuity from last year and over the past few seasons.
You come back for games like this, for moments like this.
I think that's got to be the message at Penn
State this week. Oregon making this cross country trip to
play in the most hostile environment maybe in all of
college football, in this white out atmosphere, it's got to
be Penn.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
State for me.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
So I'm gonna go with Penn State to win this one,
and I'm gonna take them to cover.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
That three and a half certainly is a tricky number.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
You wish it was three, and maybe he gets down
to that by kickoff, because I could see a lot
of people hopping in on Oregon and kind of going
with the same rationale as Unick. It's like, well, Penn
State and James Franklin have won this game before, what's
gonna change now? And I could see that number maybe
getting down to three. So it's something I'm probably gonna
wait till kickoff to actually play it. But a gimme
Penn State to win, gimme Penn State to cover, and
(18:58):
I think that they make a statement on the national
stage that were to be taken for real this season.
So I like Penn State there. Mine's a three and
a half, all right, and final college game that I
want to hit on before we maybe get over to
just a quick couple of plays if there's anything else
out there catching your eye.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Number seventeen Alabama.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
At two and one at number five Georgia, who is undefeated.
I believe sitting at three and hoh or four and
oh one, not the number next week right now, but
seven to thirty kick on ABC. Georgia sitting at a
two and a half point favorite. Three and a half
point favorite. I've seen at some shops. This one actually
has been moving a little bit over under fifty three
and a half in Alabama. They really haven't had any
tests since at Florida State game where they look terrible.
(19:36):
Georgia had that very impressive come from behind win at Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Thoughts on this matchup, Nick, and is it as simple.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
For you as it is for me, as it's Georgia
is at home and you can yeah that there.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Yeah, pretty much Georgia at home, and you know, we
get a rematch here. Probably one of the best games
from last season when Alabama had that I think it
was twenty eight nothing lead or twenty eight point lead
in the first half last year. Georgia comes back and
we saw, you know, the Ryan Williams catch Alabama in
that game. But another rematch up. They're very different teams
up to this point, but I think it's still gonna
(20:09):
be a game like that. Like you said, last week,
Georgia went to Tennessee in an overtime shootout Alabama last
week or not, both teams coming off by but Wisconsin
thirty eight fourteen in that one. This is where you
know Alabama's looking to put that Week one loss to
Florida State behind him, really start to pick things up here.
If they really want to prove that loss was a flute,
(20:29):
They're gonna, you know, want to get on a road
win here in Georgia. And if not, sitting at two
and two with losses of Florida State and Georgia, they're
probably gonna have to run the table and win out
the rest of the year if they want to make
a push. And next week they played Vanderbilt and we
saw what happened last year when they play Vanshan he
looks like a good team. I think there's a lot
more pressure on Alabama in this one than Georgia. It's
tough to be George back home. I think I saw
(20:50):
I think you tweeted this fifty seven four straight up
at home as a home favorite against or with Kirby
Smart and Gunnar Stockins looked really good so far forth
in the Heisman odds. Right now now, if you think
Georgia can win this game, like you talked about it earlier,
moment of lock in Gunner for Heisman at thirteen to one.
But you know, I think with how Georgia good Georgia
is at home, I think this trend continues. Give me
(21:12):
Georgia thirty Alabama twenty four as well.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah, I'm gonna go Georgia at home too.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
They just haven't lost in this spot at home since
twenty sixteen.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And I know Bama has had Georgia's.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Number last year though Georgia did everything that they could
to get down early and they had that crazy comeback
and then Alabama kind of finished it off at the
end with some home magic. I think it's a scenario
where you just got to lean towards own team and
gunnerstocked and you were touching on him.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
He's a gamer. He goes out there and finds a
way to get it done.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Certainly not the most talented kid, the most talented player,
but he finds a way to get it done. But
with both his arm that he's shown, but most impressively,
I think his legs as well as dual threat ability.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I think that's a big difference maker. A lot of
pressure here on Alabama in this spot.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
What can they do against a relative opponent to what
they saw Week one against Florida State. I think you
got to look at Georgia and defensive line and what
they have the potential to do on this Alabama offensive
line because Florida State, that was my biggest takeaway from
that game.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
They were just reckon plays from the start.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Now, Alabama's played some inferior opponents that don't have that
type of talent up front on the defensive line and
rushing off the edge. They've certainly looked better. But can
they withstand a Kirby smart defense? Can they with stand
a Kirby Smart Georgia led pass rush? I don't think so.
Right now, I'm gonna go with Georgia at home. I
think Alabama has looked better. I think they're gonna be
probably in that ten to two to nine and three mix,
(22:30):
But I like Georgia in the spot at home, So
I'm gonna go with the dogs there and continue the
trend of not losing a game at home since twenty sixteen.
Last one on the college card. On our way out,
I kind of want to hit on real quick. I've
seen a lot of people talking about this one. I'm
surprised to see Washington actually wasn't ranked. But you got Georgia,
or excuse me, you've got Ohio State going across the
(22:51):
country to play up in Seattle. In Washington, Washington Nick
has not lost a home game since I believe twenty
two straight at their stadium, and they get at Ohio
State come in. This one opened at thirteen and a half,
all the way down to seven and a half now
at some shops. Any chance that Washington pulls off an
upset here, maybe one of the biggest in school history.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
I don't know if they can pull up that upset,
but I think they do cover that right now. I'm
seeing it at nine and a half. I like it
at nine and a half. At thirteen and a half,
obviously you like that more. But I think I would
even take down at eight and a half. This Washington
team is really good offensively. Demon Williams, I think we've
been We've touched on him in the offseason. He's a gamer.
(23:32):
He is an absolute gamer in Boston. On the outside
as well, he is a true wide receiver. Want throw
it up, He'll make plays. I just think Ohio State
is too deep, is too overpowering for this Washington team
as a whole. I think they do get it done outright.
I know that Washington's stat at home is tough to
look at and go against them, but I think Ohio
(23:53):
State number one team in the country. I don't see
them seeing them really losing this game to Washington. I
do think Washington puts up a fight and shows why
that they can compete. I just don't think they can
they can get it done at home though.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yeah, my preseason predictions for Ohio State I actually had
them losing this game going to Washington. So I don't
know how confident I am going into this week that
that actually happens. It seems like the money keeps coming
in on Washington as this line goes down. So but
then I saw like the splits were crazy in favor
of Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
So this one I probably is just going to stay
away from.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
But I think Washington, you know, obviously you win that,
that's the goal.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
You walk out of that, but you get their schedule
if they if they just hang.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Around in this one, they make this one a pretty
competitive game that's going to go a long way. I
think for the resume, because their schedule here on out
is very doable at Maryland verse, Rutgers at Michigan, versus
Illinois at Wisconsin verse, Purdue at UCLA, and versus Oregon.
So you get your two toughest opponents with Ohigo State
Oregon at home. If you split those, if you find
(24:58):
a way to split those matchups, and then you win
in one of the Illinois or Michigan games, and you
go ten and two. I think you're probably going to
the playoff there if you're Washington. So a lot of
eyes gonna be on that one at three thirty as well.
You got that one going on at the same time
as that LSU Ole Miss game.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
So a lot of a lot of good games this week.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Excited to break them all down with you here, Nick
and see them come to Fruition and see how our
picks go. Let's transition over to the NFL. Now, some
big matchups in this one as well. We got thirs
in nf football kicking off at just a few minutes
from when we're streaming this. But we also got we
got a doubling game this week between the two and
one Vikings and two on Steelers. We talked about the
(25:36):
three and zero matchup with the Eagles and the Bucks.
We got the Ravens and the Chiefs. Loser, that game
goes to one in three. Hard to believe. Let's just
start off on Sunday at Sunday morning with the Vikings
and Steelers. You got the Vikings two and one. Carson
went is going to be making another start here. And
then you look at the Steelers they're two and one
as well, bounce back after a disappointing Week two performance.
(25:59):
But Aaron Rock so far five undred eighty six yards,
seven touchdowns, three picks. They have a pretty easy schedule
coming up in these next few weeks. Browns, Bengals without
Joe Barrow. Before then they play the Packers and the Colts.
But you look, if they win this game, there's a
real scenario that they start the season out.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Five and one.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
Yeah, they really could. And coming off you know that
big win last week and Vikings, I mean they blew
out the Bengals. So you know two teams that are
coming off nice wins. I think I would lean Pittsburgh
here in the points at plus two and a half.
I'm seeing I know both defenses have been really played
very well. I just I can't really trust Carson Wentz
right now to lead you know, a team to victory.
(26:37):
I think I would lean Steelers here, Rogers to take over.
I know they honestly haven't really played that well, but
you know they're sticking out to the wins or sticking
out wins and just rinding them out. And if they
can do that again against Minnesota, like you said, they
can really get off to a hot start here and
really show why that you know they're a playoff team maybe.
And I think when they signed Rogers in the beginning
(26:58):
of the season, I didn't they move the needle for
me at all. But you know, if they get off
to a start like this, I think you got to
start looking at him different and start thinking, hey, this
team can really make it, make a name and then
do it go to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Yeah, I mean they're you know one or time when
they're gonna be hovering right around that five hundred mark
whether you like it or not. But still, the defense
hasn't even played that great yet, and they're the team
with the most money spent on the defensive end. They
haven't really been able to run the ball, but they're
flying ways to win games. So anytime you bring in
a new quarterback, things will probably take a little bit
longer to get allen. But if you're able to start
(27:33):
five and one and you're not even playing your best football,
you have to be thinking positive. And the Ravens start
at one and two, potentially falling to one and three,
you got the Browns, who I don't think anyone's take
it serious, and then you got the Bengals without Joe Burrow.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Would it be crazy, Nick?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
If we looked up at the end of the season
and the Steelers won the division at like eleven and six.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
You think, with how everything's fall falling, I don't think
you would be crazy. I think in the beginning of
the season, I wouldn't really say that you're crazy. I
would just say you're wrong outright. But I think looking
at it now, like you said, no one's looking at
the Browns Bengals with the only injuries, especially Joe Burrow,
and how bad that defense is, I think, you know,
the Ravens, could they start out one and three. You
(28:13):
look at it at that and then you're like, just
like that, the Steelers are a playoff team. It is
crazy to think about, but it's not you know, it's
not out of the question at all.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yeah, I want to look at the division odds real quick, the.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Vision AFC North.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
As of this moment, Ravens are still minus three fifty
to win the division.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
Yes, if you wont Steelers plus four to seventy five,
that's some value right there.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Yeah, I mean Ravens being favored at the Chiefs. Obviously,
Vegas like some win that game up. The Steelers moved
to three and one and the Ravens moved to one
in three. I don't care what you say, because Steelers Ravens,
you're you're probably gonna split that series. That's a potential
play there for some people. Steelers plus four seventy five
to win the division. Interesting number there. All right, let's
(29:08):
go down to Tampa Bay now, where we got the
Eagles at three and l coming off one of the
crazier comeback wins I can remember in Eagles history traveling
to the Bucks who are three and oh, and this
Bucks team that has kind of linked their way to this.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Three and oh.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
They had the crazy League one game against the Falcons
where they didn't play great, but they found a way
to get it done at the end with some miskicks
from from the Falcons the two game, the last second
comeback drive against the Texans, and then last week the
crazy game just bought the field goal, but the Bucks
winding up winning the game at the end. Baker Mayfield
has kind of had that clutch gene in the that
we've seen time and time again overs NFL and college career.
(29:42):
Very interesting spot here because I think this Bucks team
now without Godwin and Evans in the receiver room, your
boy at BUKA is going to be the only kind
of major pass catcher Sterling Shepherd. But then the Eagles,
that's a crazy win. They come off of a crazy
high to come off of, but they just find ways
to win each and every week. It's kind of playing
simples that but the has been there kryptonite that going
to Tampa has been probably their their worst spot in
(30:04):
the entire next year. Not probably definitely at the playoff
blowout two playoffs blowout losses. They had the blowout loss
last year, but a lot of guys were hurt last
year in that matchup, and that was the last game
before the Eagles really kind of took off. It's funny
it was this same week Week four, but Eagles three
and a half point favorite here Vegas likes them. I
think that's because of all the injuries with the Bucks.
(30:24):
The offensive lines banged up, Tristan Wurfs has banged up
over under forty three and a half. Nick, do you
think the Eagles can go down to Tampa and kind
of get the monkey off their back because I think
when both these teams are fully healthy, we could see
this as your your NFC title game. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
I mean the Bucks seem to be one of the
biggest tests for the Eagles over the last three years.
As You've touched on both teams entering this game three
to zero, and each game for both teams have been
pretty wire or wire. Each of these teams have squeaked
out a few wins to start the year. And for me,
this game is kind of similar to the Kansas City
first Eagles game to me, where I had this in
as a scheduled loss, but once or once the season
(30:59):
or the schedule came out. But I'm flipping here just
like I did with the Chiefs. I think, you know,
I just continue to see Jalen Hurts find ways to
win games, and I'm not going to stop back in
that until he really proves me otherwise. You know, somehow,
some way, the Eagles just find ways to win football
games and whatever fashion is needed, and you touched on it.
Tampa Bay's pretty banged up. They don't have, you know,
the offensive line that you just stated. They don't have
(31:22):
Mike Evans for a few weeks. We don't have to
worry about him. But I think I'm pretty worried about
a mega book in this one. I think he might
have himself a day. Probably my favorite prospect of this draft,
and he's really showing why in my opinion that he
was one of the best receivers in that class. I
know we're down Nolan Smith. I think Jalens Hunt could
really step up and hold himself in that one. I
know our history with Tampa Bay isn't the best, but
(31:43):
until Jalen and the Eagles show me otherwise, I'm rocking
with Philadelphia in this one. Give me Eagles twenty seven bucks,
twenty four and a prop I like in this one.
I think Bucky Urban receiving Earth. I think, you know,
with him playing seventy five percent of their snaps, he
averages over twenty three touches per game. Eagles had a
pretty good run defense. I think Mike Evans out more
(32:03):
design screens, more checkdowns for BUCkies. I think look out
for Bucky in the passing game in this one.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Yeah, it's a game now.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
I'm probably not going to touch from the betting angle,
because there's so many different scenarios for this game as
we touched on, Like the Eagles going to Tampa. That's
where they've struggled Todd Bowles. That's been jayalen Hurts kryptonite
as well. He's really kind of dominated him and found
a way. I really don't even consider that playoff win
whatever that was two years ago, Like everyone in the
world knew the Eagles lose.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
I bet the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Minus nine and a half and they were like a
three and a half point underdog in that game because
that was just such a dead team walking. I don't
even even really consider that a football game, to be honest.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
I lost a lot of money on that game.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
And then then last year you had the game where
everyone was dead pretty much from the heat. Could certainly
play a factor into this matchup as well. That's a
stadium that I certainly don't have any intentions on ever
going to unless it's in November December. It sounds like
pretty awful down there, but I could see the Bucks
(33:04):
winning this game. Baker has played really well against this
Nick Sirianni team as well, But I can see the.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Eagles going down there and win. There's just too many
different ways for this game to go.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
So pretty lame analysis for this one for me, But
just sit back watch and my goal for the Eagles
was if they made it out of this four game
opening stretched at two and two, I would have taken
that you're walking out of this tough four game stretch
to start the season at at least three and one, potentially.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Four to zero, and by your sitting by yourself there
in first.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Place in the NFC, you gotta be smiling if you're
the Eagles coming out of that. So go down there,
don't get hurt, and if you find a way to
win the football game by one point, I'll consider that
will win. So big one there on Sunday, I think
your potential NFC Championship preview of all teams are healthy
to go.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
To four twenty five. I touched on this game a
few times already, but Ravens.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
One and two at Chiefs one and two, four to
twenty five kick on CBS. Ravens a favor in Arrowhead
at minus two and a half over under forty eight
and a half. Chiefs coming off their first win of the
year against Giants. Ravens coming off disappointing loss on Money
Night football at home to the Lions. Disrespect I think
here still, no matter how these teams have looked, I
think you'd give the benefit of the doubt to the
(34:12):
Chiefs at home to at least be the favorite by
minus two and a half.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
But thoughts on this game deck who wins and who covers?
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Yeah, I think it is pretty disrespectful to the Chiefs
being at home, knowing how good they are at home,
and with the Ravens being two and a half point favorites.
But I think that makes me want to lean the
Ravens lot a lot. Like I know, I probably won't
take the two and a half. I think I've seen
it at three right now. I think I would take
Raven's money line really good. You know, two lead quarterbacks.
(34:39):
Obviously they could put in a show any given night.
And it's rare to see the Chiefs as two and
a half point dogs dogs at home. They're coming off
their first win against the Giants, while the Ravens coming
off a brutal loss of Detroit and their two losses
have been really bad. Derek Henry's fumbling has been a
huge issue and in both those fumbles or both those
losses as fumbles have set up, you know, losses pretty
(35:00):
much late game. And on the other side, Kansas City
looks to get Worthy back healthy in the offense, hopefully
brings some type of explosiveness that they've been missing this
start the year. And you know, looking back, Mahomes is
five and one against Ravens in his career and has
really had his way. So I don't really feel too
good about liking the Ravens. I don't know why I
like the Ravens, but I think if I had to
make a bet, I would take the Ravens in this one.
(35:22):
I think, as from a prop standpoint, I would take
Mahomes passing yards over in six games against the Ravens
has over two thousand yards, fourteen touchdowns and just three picks,
and the Ravens let Josh Allener for three forty nine
in Week one. You can see a similar path there.
I don't know why I'm leaning towards the Ravens. I
just have a feeling I like, the Ravens probably won't
really bet it, but you know, it's hard to go
(35:44):
against a Chief at home.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Yes, that that blew my mind. Earlier this week, the
Ravens through three games. I know it's only three games,
but lead the NFL and points all out. I think
it's like ninety seven points they've allowed so far this season.
Pretty insane there for a that coming into the year,
everyone was saying was the best roster, either of them
or the Eagles, in the entire NFL. But it's a
scenario for me where it's like, even if you're just
(36:08):
watching the game, like the eye tests, Ravens sitting there
at one and two. Certainly the defense needs some work,
but still I think that they've certainly looked better than
the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
But you know Patrick has Lamar's number.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
You were at home here too in Kansas City, Andy Reid,
I think has had John Harball's number. It's a scenario
two where you're an underdog plus two and a half
at home. I know mahomes over his last season wasn't
that great as an underdog with when you look at
the Super Bowl and then when you look at the
Bills game last year in the regular season, but historically,
anytime you can get Mahomes as a dog, you ride
(36:40):
with that one of these games where until proven otherwise,
I'll just ride with the Chiefs. So Chiefs plus two
and a half Chiefs outright at home, and maybe they're
able to get that offense going this week because they've
looked really stagnant, but they're missing some guys in the lineup.
It's a game where sounds funny to say it, but
you're playing the Ravens. It could be a get great
game kind of for your offense. People have been gashing
(37:01):
them on the run too, So I look for maybe
kind of Isaiba check out to have maybe his first
successful day of this season. But I like this this
Chiefs team to win this one at home. So that'll
wrap it up pretty much for us this week. Nick,
any other kind of plays that you want to throw
in there, I'm gonna throw in my survivor play. I'm
not sure if you're still in yours, but we're going
(37:22):
in the week four. I'm just gonna ride with the
Bills this week. They're like a seventeen and a half
point favorite at home. Against the Saints. I'm gonna go
with that.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
But anything else that you want.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
To throw in NFL wise, or even the last second
college tidbit before we head up.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Yeah, I'm definitely riding the bells and survive, right. I
had Seahawks last week that was a route, So I
think this week is the clear Bills. But for the
Sunday night game, I think Packers steamroll the Cowboys. I
think that's six and a half. I think this is
a really, you know, get back game for the Packers.
They had that brutal loss against Cleveland where you know
they shouldn't the team like that shouldn't lose to the
team like Cleveland. I know their defense is good, but
(37:57):
I think Packers come out here and steam with Dallas
the us CD for a few weeks and I think
it's just all downhill from here. So jammy Packers and
a steamroll. I think it's six and a half now,
I'll take that.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I really like the Packers too, but I just have
a feeling too that could be one of those like
just football wise, you're betting it Packers for sure, but
one of those games where run national TV Micah maybe
tries to do too much. See Jerry Jones and Dak
Prescott laughing after the game. It's one of those, like
Football's entertainment type things that one of those you don't
(38:30):
really expect this to happen, but it happens type of scenarios.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Last second question too, Colts at the Rams.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Colts sitting here at three and zero have only punted
once all season, traveling through the Rams coming off that
crazy loss, I gotta go with the Colts here plus
three and a half. If you're the Rams, how do
you come back from that kind of deflating loss.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
Yeah, honestly, I think I'm on the on the flip
of this. I think, you know, the Colts have really
started out hot and Daniel Jones has really, you know,
played insanely well. I think this is kind of a
comeback down the earth spot for the Colts are coming
off that really tough, emotional loss. I think it flips
the switch. I think they come out angry one to
kind of show that they're still at the top of
(39:08):
the NFC and by beating an undefeated Colts team that
you know, the whole world has kind of fallen in
love with. So, like I said, I think this is
kind of a fallback to Earth kind of spot for
the Colts. I think I take the Rams thirty Colts
twenty seven in this one. I like Puka to go
off in this one. He's hit his reception line in
every game. It's hit seven and a half right now.
Adam's misspractice this week with a hamstring injury, so you
(39:30):
know he's proven to be the number one target, has
second and most targets in the NFL. So I think
Puka kind of kind of eats in this one and
Rams win.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
All right, Well, that'll do it for our first extended
episode here of Football is King. Each week now going forward,
we'll be able to do a deeper.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
Dive on college and NFL.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
But as always, everyone, thank you for tuning in. We
got comps for Thursday night football kicking off right about now.
We got Army East Carolina I think has already kicked off,
So from now till Monday, where Monday we.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
Got a double header.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
We don't even talk about those crabby matchups, but I'm
sure we'll be watching football will be on the TV.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
But as always, everyone, thank you for tuning in.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Keep it locked here on Fox Sports the Game where
we'll be talking to you next week.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
The Gambling Phillies home for all things sports gambling
Number one on your car radio preset hand, the new
and improved Diehard Radio app WDAYES and WD two seven
three D Philadelphia Ice Fox Sports Radio The Gambler.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hello everyone, and bring it on in for another episode
of Football is King here on Fox Sports The Gambler.
A little bit of delayed episode this week, a little
later in the week, but still getting it done and
exciting news too. We are now going from about a
twenty five to a twenty eight minute episode each week
to about a forty to a forty five minute episode,
So allow us to talk a little bit more in
(00:36):
depth about us in these top college games, some of
these top NFL games, some of the top storylines. Try
and get everything in there that's important this upcoming week
in football between forty to forty five minutes.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Each week, So big weeknick.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
This day that has been circled on people's calendars for
months now. Once we saw that slate come out for
this upcoming Saturday, the twenty seventh in college football, people
have been eyeing up the stay for months. Maybe one
of the best regular season college football slates in the
past decade. We got a lot of awesome games to
touch on, some big ones to break down, and then
(01:09):
we'll head over to the NFL as well and talk
about some of the storylines over there.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
We got an Eagles.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Rams matchup this week between two three and O squads.
We got the loser of the Ravens Chiefs game fall
into one and three, so plenty to talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Nick, Welcome back, and how are.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
We Yeah, I'm exciting. Like you said, you touched on
and all, we got an amazing slate of games this weekend.
This is a perfect weekend, just you know, grab some
pers with their boys, sit down on the couch and
not move the whole entire weekend with I mean, just
start off obviously college football on Saturday, but we even
got a good slate of NFL games on Sunday too,
So we'll touch on it all. And like you said,
(01:44):
we're going to be moving to a little longer episode
so we can get more in depth on each games,
talk more, you know, maybe props, you know, futures that
they were looking at as the season goes on. But
excited to get into it, especially about how exciting this
weekend should be.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, So I want to start this week. There's a
game on Friday, and I want to talk talk about.
But there's a game on Saturday at noon that I
want to talk about specifically from what the.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Result was last week.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
And we got number twenty one USC is four to
oh they're traveling two number twenty three Illinois, who's three
and one.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It's a noonkick on Fox.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
The look aheadline last week was USC minus one and
a half at Illinois. Illinois proceeds to lose to Indiana
sixty three to ten last week, one of the biggest
beatdowns of the week.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Fernando Mendoz is now.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Your Heisman favorite the quarterback for Indiana after the John
Matier injury. Indiana football on the rise. I got a
big one against Iowa this week as well. Let's see
what they look like on the way back. But Nick,
this USC Illinois game, I'm very curious to see kind
of what Illinois team shows out because I think we
were both pretty high on them just as a squad overall.
I had Indiana winning last week. I think you had
(02:50):
Illinois covering that spread. But that was just a beatdown
from start to finish. Do you think that team can
can respond this week? Because that was as humiliating as
it gets.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
A yeah, I mean this is a huge get back
game for Illinois after, like you said, getting just steam
rolled last week, and like I was on, Illinois was
really confident in that bat as well, and they just
weren't there. It looks like they didn't even show up
on the field. But you know, they're gonna need as
quick of a bounce back as you can really imagine,
as you're going to get right back on the horse
and play a team like USC who has been really hot. Lincoln,
(03:23):
Riley and Jade and Maiva have been really rolling in
that offense, just over twelve hundred yards six in the
country and passing yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions, and
according to ESPN, he as a highest passer rating in
the country, four rushing touchdowns on the ground as well,
and they won by an average of thirty two points.
They haven't played a top sixty team according to Power Rankings,
(03:43):
but still they're putting up thirty two points a game.
Is pretty insane. And on the flip side, Altmeyer really
does need a bounce back that performance that he had
against Indiana. He couldn't go anywhorse from what we've seen,
and if Illinois really wants to take care of business,
they're going to have to improve offensive line. In two
games against their Power four opponents, they have a forty
(04:04):
two pass blocking grade, forty one allowed pressure rate, fifty
three allowed pressure rate against the Blitz, and six sacks allowed.
So they're going to really need to protect Lou Goltmeyer
in this one. And for you know, USC, they just
saw what Fernanda Mendoza did to that Illinois defense. They
know what to do. As we talked about it last week,
Illinois Blitz is at one of the highest rates in
the country, so they can get the ball out quick.
(04:25):
I think mkayle Lemon is someone to really look out
for in this one to have a huge game. Already
fourth in the country in receiving yards, averaging almost one
hundred and ten a game, and Illinois is going to
be at one of their cornerbacks. It's for Scott, So
I think in this one, I'm going to roll with USC.
I think seven and a half points might be a
little too much, so I think I'd roll Illinois and
those points, but I think USC comes out with a
(04:46):
winning this one.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, let's see how USC does with this noon kick.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
This is a nine am body clock game for them,
and last year there was some pretty staggering numbers with
those teams traveling from west coast to east coast in
this kind of conference realignment, with the team traveling from
west to east really struggling.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
So USC, I'm very high on this squad. I was
bullish on them coming into the year.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I said, if there was one squad in the Big
Ten that could get into that upper tier of Penn State,
Ohio State, Oregon, I thought it was USC because I
thought the way that they played down the stretch was better.
You know, Mayava was going to be a good quarterback
under Lincoln Riley as long as he took care of
the football, and the defense took a big leap last year.
If they could just basically help them kind of stay
in the game, you know, the offense is going to
(05:31):
put up points, the defense could just be serviceable. This
was going to be a program that I thought takes
a leap in, you know, transitioning from the Pac twelve
to the Big Ten. I thought that would definitely take
a little bit of time. But you look at Lincoln
Riley's pedigree and his history.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
The guy wins.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
He at Oklahoma's winning eleven ten games each and every year.
So I'm not surprised to see USC get off to
a hot start. But this is a spot where if
you're Illinois and you have any sense of pride, any
pride at all, you show up, especially at home. You
know the season is not completely dead yet, but if
you lose this, you're probably thinking there's no chance of
going to the playoff. I like USC to win this game,
but seven and a half is a lot of points.
(06:06):
Lincoln Riley talked about it this week too. They had
the latest kick last week eleven o'clock Eastern time.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Now they have to.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Fly basically to the middle of the country and play
at twelve o'clock Eastern time kickoff. It's a big kind
of adjustment there with the kind of travel schedule that
they have. So let's see how these eighteen year old,
nineteen year old college kids fare in this.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
But I do like Illinois to keep it close. But
I will take USC to win.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I'm gonna go like I'm gonna go like USC twenty
seven to twenty four somewhere in that ballpark. So very
interested to see how that Illinois team responded. I think
that's gonna be one of the stories of the week's
backwards Now, I wanted to start with that one just
because that was the most eye popping result to me
from last week. But let's go to Friday night. We
got a really good Friday night game. You don't really
(06:49):
get many of those in college football. Last week we
had like Oklahoma State Tulsa, Tulsa winds upon the mountain,
my gun new winds up getting fired. But this one
you have a legit potential like Big Twelve championship type
of match up, a playoff eliminator maybe for the loser
of this game. Number twenty four TCU had three to
oh goes two Arizona States.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Three and one for nine o'clock kick on Fox.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Arizona States two and a half point favorite over under
fifty five and a half.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Then, yeah, huge game for both these teams, both at
the top of the Big Twelve, only behind Texas Tech
odds wise to win the conference. Arizona State set at
fifteen CU third at six hundred, and this is TCUs
first three start since that twenty two season where they
went to the national total, and on the flip, Arizona
State pulling out side of that top twenty five after
(07:35):
the lost in Mississippi State. Kind of looking back to
get in that rank discussion with a conference win here
at home. I think this is going to be an
offensive battle here two really good quarterbacks, Hoover and Levitt.
Hoover really boosed up his Heisman odds through these first
three weeks, all way up to eighteen hundred, while Sam
Levitt sits at four thousand right now, throwing for seven
hundred and forty eight passing yards, six touchdowns, three picks,
(07:57):
but really uses legs very well forty two attempts in
nineteen yards and added four touchdowns on the ground and
leads all Power four quarterbacks within ninety rushing grades, so
he can do it all he can. He's a dual guy,
and on the flip, Hoover has thrown for exactly a
thousand yards, eleven touchdowns, and only two picks. I think
this is a game offensively. I love the over in
(08:17):
this one. I really like the receivers on both sides,
Jordan Tyson being one of the best receivers in the country,
and TCU has got gooddo with Eric Callister and Jordan
Dwyer who have played very well, combining for five hundred
seventy seven yards and five touchdowns. But I think for me,
I'm gonna go home team Arizona State. I think Levitt's
gonna use his legs Jordan Tyson and kind of show
why Arizona was one of the pre season favorites to
(08:39):
win this conference. Give me Arizona State thirty four, TCU
twenty seven. Like the over in this one too.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, I like Arizona State as well, But this is
a spot.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I think there's a lot of big matchups this week
for some of these quarterbacks where you're like, all right,
if you think this team's gonna win, maybe instead of
that team that actually win the game, be like the
quarterback doin the Heisman, because if Josh Hoover goes out
and puts on a show on Friday Night, he could
be certainly elevating to the Heisman conversation. Putt up great
numbers to start the year, and he's sitting there at
(09:12):
eighteen to one right now. They go to Arizona State.
He puts up three hundred yards multiple touchdowns. I think
that number probably gets almost cut in half at least
to like plus twelve hundred. So that's something I would
look at if you're looking for a betting angle for
this game.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
But I do like Arizona State at home as well.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I think that's a big kind of theme for my
picks this week, where home field advantage I think matters
in college football more than any sport. It's pretty insane
how different home road splits, and when you're in this
big of a spot, I think you got to lean
towards the home team. Now two and a half could
be a different story. They could win on a walk
off field goal by one. Some chaos late happens and
(09:48):
you get a back door cover. But if you're looking
just for a pure winner in this one, and you're
looking for like your future, maybe even for a big
twelve team, I like Arizona State in this one. I
think their experience helps get it done. But Josh Weaver
has the part certainly the puffin upset. So that's an
exciting Friday night game. Excited to sit down and watch
that one.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Let's go back to Saturday now three thirty kick on ABC.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Another one where Lane Kiffin was complaining how this game
was at LSU. It's at night, it's here at started
the day, we're at disadvantage, blah blah blah.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
You know, let's just go show up, play in a
parking lot somewhere, Play at a parking lot at six am.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
That used to be kind of the old mantra from coaches,
and now it's all about scheduling time to place blah
blah blah, some drama. This week, Lane Kiffin's daughter is
now dating the LSU start linebacker with Weeks.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
So this one certainly got some spice and juice to it.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
And after you know, a nice little twelve o'clock start
there with USC and Illinois, we also got Arkansas Notre
Dame at noon, rolling right into this one at three
thirty before the nightcap of Oregon Penn State and Alabama Georgia.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Great game after a great game.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Ole Miss is a one and a half point favorite
here over under fifty five and a half Nick.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Do you think they get it done at home?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
I think lean an LSU in this one. I know
you know we're looking at one of the best SEC
matchups with both teams looking to make huge statements here
Ole Miss as a favorite against the top five team
still trying to figure out their quarterback situation with Austin
and Trinidad Chambliss. I think you know LSU as you
know the seventh team right now, and it's to win
the national championship. They're on the underdogs on the road.
(11:20):
I'm going to back them in this one. I had
Garrett Desmeyer, who was my preseason heisman, currently eighth right
now at sixteen to one, and he's I think. I
also saw him be one of the favorites to be
taking number one overall in next year's draft. But I
was someone that was really high on Austin sentences from
ole Miss, but he's been very inconsistent, looked pretty banged
up to and we're gonna see what Trinidad can do
(11:41):
in this ole Miss offense. I think there is a
huge chance for him to really go out there and
prove that he can be a starter and why ole
Miss can be a legit contender. And up to this point,
I think Trinidad has proven to be the better quarterback
of the between the two. In my opinion, I think
he gives ole Miss the best chance to win this team.
It's also weird. I saw LSU's fourth ranked odds wise
(12:02):
in one in the nation. I'm sorry, fourth ranked in
the nation and still fourth odds to win the SEC
behind Georgia Texas and Alabama with the Nellis defensive team
that has struggled the past couple of seasons. You can
tell they made this point of emphasis heading into this season.
He's been really good on the ball, but offensively, I
think they haven't really clicked. I think they need to
(12:22):
use that running game and set up downfield shots. And
even though their defense has been great, I think LSU
this team is better than what they've shown. So I
think give me LSU as under.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Yeah, my story of the week this week in college
football is the quarterback you were just talking about role
Miss Trinidad Chamblass. So there was a guy that a
few weeks ago I had never even heard of and
saw he put up some great numbers in his uh
his first appearance of the season against Arkansas, and then
I'm just like, hell, is this guy D two transfer
from Farris State University, one of the best D two
(12:59):
players in the country over the past few years. Now
he gets a chance to run Lane Kiffin's system at
Ole Miss. An awesome, awesome story and you think he
can leave this week being the story in COLLG footballf
he goes out there and wins this football game.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Through his two starts so far.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
He's got seven hundred and nineteen passing yards, four passing touchdowns,
one hundred and ninety five rushing yards two rushing touchdowns,
A true dual, true dual threat type of guy. Now
he gets the bright stage here of doing.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
It against LSU, so I'm excited to watch him.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I think I'm gonna probably lean ole Miss, but excuse me,
lean LSU in this one. I think from top to
bottom there they're better team, and I think this is
one of those games where it's like Lane the main
reason why Lane Kiffin is always rumored to go for
like a Florida or for like an All burn a
bigger job than Ole Miss, because I think Ole Miss
is primally gonna be stuck kind of in that next
(13:48):
tier behind the LSU, the Georgia or the Bama the Texas.
They're kind of in that next tier of SEC teams.
But if they're able to win this one at home,
they certainly have a path to the SEC title game,
which obviously get them in the playoff.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
But I'm gonna go with LSU. I think this is
kind of like their year right now.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
They finding ways to win, and that's the marks of
an experienced team. I think we still have yet to
see the best version of this LSU squad. But I've
been very impressed with the defense, while the offense is
kind of coming up to speed. They need to run
the football though better if they're gonna kind of reach
these goals of an SEC championship in national championship.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
So a lot of things to watch in this one.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
We're finally starting to get into the thick of the
season where it's like, all right, we know a little
bit about this team, we know a little bit about
that team.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Now let's see what we can put together. But I'm
gonna go with LSU on the road to actually win
this one.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Out right, you'll be like thirty five to thirty one
and listen to Liane Kiffen and take the over in
that spot.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
All right, let's go do Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I'll complain a little bit about the schedule.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Don't like these games being at the exact same time,
Like maybe you start one at nine o'clock with one
at seven thirty. You kind of mirror them up with
a halftime game. But we'll start with the white out
up at Penn State number six. Oregon have four to
o at number three, Penn State, who's also undefeated at
three and I was seven thirty tick on NBC. Penn
State's a three and a half point favorite here over
under fifty two and a half. And I think it
(15:08):
goes to show you kind of the shift in college
football right now. Like you would have told me five
years ago we had an Alabama Georgia game and that
wasn't the biggest game of the weekend and said, it's
this Oregon Penn State game.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
The big ten is. It's kind of taking the throne
maybe a little bit here.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
So Nick excited to see what you think about this
matchup and if James Franklin can get a win in
a big game.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
Yeah, this is probably the biggest game of the week
and probably one of the biggest games of the year
here with you know, the white out Penn State Dan
Lanning and Oregon travel in the Happy Valley is probably
one of the bigger white out games in recent memory
in the end, maybe even history. But right now, both
these teams tied second to win national title. It's seven hundred,
both only trailing Ohio State at five p fifty, So
top three odds wise to win it all are all
(15:50):
in the big ten and both teams undefeeded so far,
but neither team has really played that time competition so far.
We're gonna learn a lot about these two teams. And
you know we've been saying it up until this point.
Dante Moore has been putting up some great numbers, currently
second on traft kings to win the Heisman at plus
eight fifty nine hundred and sixty two passing yards, eleven
touchdowns in one interception, and one thing I've noticed is
(16:11):
the amount of time that he has to throw and
make decisions in the pocket. I know they haven't faced
the best teams, but this offensive line has really done
an amazing job at protecting More, giving him time to
make plays. They're ranked first in past blocking grade, second,
lowest pressure rate allowed, and More has only been sacked
one so far, and that's going to have to continue
against a tough Penn State pass for US and for
Penn State offense, Drew Aller has been all right, nothing crazy,
(16:34):
but not too bad either. Has six hundred and twenty
six yards, four touchdowns, one pick in three games. Accuracy
has looked pretty off honestly to start the year. He
currently sits twenty two to twenty two to one right
now to win the Heisman. But you know, the knock's
been on Penn State that they can't get over this
hump at beating the top dogs in the Big Ten.
They haven't been able to prove that under James Franklin.
(16:55):
This is the roster that's supposed to do it at home.
Like I said, I think watched Penn State the first
three games, the offense hasn't really clicked. I know, this
is probably one of the better weight out games and
this is a not a must win, but this is
a game that James Franklin needs for that rend. I
think I'm gonna lean organ in this one in the
points and until James Franklin and you know, Drew Aller
(17:16):
proves that they can get over that home, I'm going
to lean towards the fate of them. So I'm going
to go Oregon twenty seven, Penn State twenty four.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Yeah, Drew Aller, you know, under Franklin, that's been his
his bugge boo kind of.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
He struggled in these big matchups.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Remember last year, a couple of years ago against Ohio State,
a couple of years ago against Michigan. He really struggled
last year, though in the Big Ten title game, he
actually played fairly well against his Organs widing. He did
have a couple turnovers, but some of his most impressive
throws taking shots down the field. So maybe there's something
with this Oregon defense that he can expose. But I'm
full blown on Penn State in this one. I think
(17:50):
that they win this one. I think that they get
that kind of monkey off their back end. It's not
fully off their back yet, because I think they're still
bigger fish fish to fry down the line. You have
to go to ives. Still, you're gonna have to go
win the Big Ten title. But still being at home here,
the white out spot, it's certainly.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
The if not now, then when type of scenario for
Penn State. This is what they've been building towards.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Drew Aller, the running backs, the defense, everyone returning all
this continuity from last year and over the past few seasons.
You come back for games like this, for moments like this.
I think that's got to be the message at Penn
State this week. Oregon making this cross country trip to
play in the most hostile environment maybe in all of
college football, in this white out atmosphere, it's got to
be Penn.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
State for me.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
So I'm gonna go with Penn State to win this one,
and I'm gonna take them to cover.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
That three and a half certainly is a tricky number.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
You wish it was three, and maybe he gets down
to that by kickoff, because I could see a lot
of people hopping in on Oregon and kind of going
with the same rationale as Unick. It's like, well, Penn
State and James Franklin have won this game before, what's
gonna change now? And I could see that number maybe
getting down to three. So it's something I'm probably gonna
wait till kickoff to actually play it. But a gimme
Penn State to win, gimme Penn State to cover, and
(18:58):
I think that they make a statement on the national
stage that were to be taken for real this season.
So I like Penn State there. Mine's a three and
a half, all right, and final college game that I
want to hit on before we maybe get over to
just a quick couple of plays if there's anything else
out there catching your eye.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Number seventeen Alabama.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
At two and one at number five Georgia, who is undefeated.
I believe sitting at three and hoh or four and
oh one, not the number next week right now, but
seven to thirty kick on ABC. Georgia sitting at a
two and a half point favorite. Three and a half
point favorite. I've seen at some shops. This one actually
has been moving a little bit over under fifty three
and a half in Alabama. They really haven't had any
tests since at Florida State game where they look terrible.
(19:36):
Georgia had that very impressive come from behind win at Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Thoughts on this matchup, Nick, and is it as simple.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
For you as it is for me, as it's Georgia
is at home and you can yeah that there.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Yeah, pretty much Georgia at home, and you know, we
get a rematch here. Probably one of the best games
from last season when Alabama had that I think it
was twenty eight nothing lead or twenty eight point lead
in the first half last year. Georgia comes back and
we saw, you know, the Ryan Williams catch Alabama in
that game. But another rematch up. They're very different teams
up to this point, but I think it's still gonna
(20:09):
be a game like that. Like you said, last week,
Georgia went to Tennessee in an overtime shootout Alabama last
week or not, both teams coming off by but Wisconsin
thirty eight fourteen in that one. This is where you
know Alabama's looking to put that Week one loss to
Florida State behind him, really start to pick things up here.
If they really want to prove that loss was a flute,
(20:29):
They're gonna, you know, want to get on a road
win here in Georgia. And if not, sitting at two
and two with losses of Florida State and Georgia, they're
probably gonna have to run the table and win out
the rest of the year if they want to make
a push. And next week they played Vanderbilt and we
saw what happened last year when they play Vanshan he
looks like a good team. I think there's a lot
more pressure on Alabama in this one than Georgia. It's
tough to be George back home. I think I saw
(20:50):
I think you tweeted this fifty seven four straight up
at home as a home favorite against or with Kirby
Smart and Gunnar Stockins looked really good so far forth
in the Heisman odds. Right now now, if you think
Georgia can win this game, like you talked about it earlier,
moment of lock in Gunner for Heisman at thirteen to one.
But you know, I think with how Georgia good Georgia
is at home, I think this trend continues. Give me
(21:12):
Georgia thirty Alabama twenty four as well.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah, I'm gonna go Georgia at home too.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
They just haven't lost in this spot at home since
twenty sixteen.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And I know Bama has had Georgia's.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Number last year though Georgia did everything that they could
to get down early and they had that crazy comeback
and then Alabama kind of finished it off at the
end with some home magic. I think it's a scenario
where you just got to lean towards own team and
gunnerstocked and you were touching on him.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
He's a gamer. He goes out there and finds a
way to get it done.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Certainly not the most talented kid, the most talented player,
but he finds a way to get it done. But
with both his arm that he's shown, but most impressively,
I think his legs as well as dual threat ability.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I think that's a big difference maker. A lot of
pressure here on Alabama in this spot.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
What can they do against a relative opponent to what
they saw Week one against Florida State. I think you
got to look at Georgia and defensive line and what
they have the potential to do on this Alabama offensive
line because Florida State, that was my biggest takeaway from
that game.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
They were just reckon plays from the start.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Now, Alabama's played some inferior opponents that don't have that
type of talent up front on the defensive line and
rushing off the edge. They've certainly looked better. But can
they withstand a Kirby smart defense? Can they with stand
a Kirby Smart Georgia led pass rush? I don't think so.
Right now, I'm gonna go with Georgia at home. I
think Alabama has looked better. I think they're gonna be
probably in that ten to two to nine and three mix,
(22:30):
But I like Georgia in the spot at home, So
I'm gonna go with the dogs there and continue the
trend of not losing a game at home since twenty sixteen.
Last one on the college card. On our way out,
I kind of want to hit on real quick. I've
seen a lot of people talking about this one. I'm
surprised to see Washington actually wasn't ranked. But you got Georgia,
or excuse me, you've got Ohio State going across the
(22:51):
country to play up in Seattle. In Washington, Washington Nick
has not lost a home game since I believe twenty
two straight at their stadium, and they get at Ohio
State come in. This one opened at thirteen and a half,
all the way down to seven and a half now
at some shops. Any chance that Washington pulls off an
upset here, maybe one of the biggest in school history.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
I don't know if they can pull up that upset,
but I think they do cover that right now. I'm
seeing it at nine and a half. I like it
at nine and a half. At thirteen and a half,
obviously you like that more. But I think I would
even take down at eight and a half. This Washington
team is really good offensively. Demon Williams, I think we've
been We've touched on him in the offseason. He's a gamer.
(23:32):
He is an absolute gamer in Boston. On the outside
as well, he is a true wide receiver. Want throw
it up, He'll make plays. I just think Ohio State
is too deep, is too overpowering for this Washington team
as a whole. I think they do get it done outright.
I know that Washington's stat at home is tough to
look at and go against them, but I think Ohio
(23:53):
State number one team in the country. I don't see
them seeing them really losing this game to Washington. I
do think Washington puts up a fight and shows why
that they can compete. I just don't think they can
they can get it done at home though.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yeah, my preseason predictions for Ohio State I actually had
them losing this game going to Washington. So I don't
know how confident I am going into this week that
that actually happens. It seems like the money keeps coming
in on Washington as this line goes down. So but
then I saw like the splits were crazy in favor
of Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
So this one I probably is just going to stay
away from.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
But I think Washington, you know, obviously you win that,
that's the goal.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
You walk out of that, but you get their schedule
if they if they just hang.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Around in this one, they make this one a pretty
competitive game that's going to go a long way. I
think for the resume, because their schedule here on out
is very doable at Maryland verse, Rutgers at Michigan, versus
Illinois at Wisconsin verse, Purdue at UCLA, and versus Oregon.
So you get your two toughest opponents with Ohigo State
Oregon at home. If you split those, if you find
(24:58):
a way to split those matchups, and then you win
in one of the Illinois or Michigan games, and you
go ten and two. I think you're probably going to
the playoff there if you're Washington. So a lot of
eyes gonna be on that one at three thirty as well.
You got that one going on at the same time
as that LSU Ole Miss game.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
So a lot of a lot of good games this week.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Excited to break them all down with you here, Nick
and see them come to Fruition and see how our
picks go. Let's transition over to the NFL. Now, some
big matchups in this one as well. We got thirs
in nf football kicking off at just a few minutes
from when we're streaming this. But we also got we
got a doubling game this week between the two and
one Vikings and two on Steelers. We talked about the
(25:36):
three and zero matchup with the Eagles and the Bucks.
We got the Ravens and the Chiefs. Loser, that game
goes to one in three. Hard to believe. Let's just
start off on Sunday at Sunday morning with the Vikings
and Steelers. You got the Vikings two and one. Carson
went is going to be making another start here. And
then you look at the Steelers they're two and one
as well, bounce back after a disappointing Week two performance.
(25:59):
But Aaron Rock so far five undred eighty six yards,
seven touchdowns, three picks. They have a pretty easy schedule
coming up in these next few weeks. Browns, Bengals without
Joe Barrow. Before then they play the Packers and the Colts.
But you look, if they win this game, there's a
real scenario that they start the season out.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Five and one.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
Yeah, they really could. And coming off you know that
big win last week and Vikings, I mean they blew
out the Bengals. So you know two teams that are
coming off nice wins. I think I would lean Pittsburgh
here in the points at plus two and a half.
I'm seeing I know both defenses have been really played
very well. I just I can't really trust Carson Wentz
right now to lead you know, a team to victory.
(26:37):
I think I would lean Steelers here, Rogers to take over.
I know they honestly haven't really played that well, but
you know they're sticking out to the wins or sticking
out wins and just rinding them out. And if they
can do that again against Minnesota, like you said, they
can really get off to a hot start here and
really show why that you know they're a playoff team maybe.
And I think when they signed Rogers in the beginning
(26:58):
of the season, I didn't they move the needle for
me at all. But you know, if they get off
to a start like this, I think you got to
start looking at him different and start thinking, hey, this
team can really make it, make a name and then
do it go to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Yeah, I mean they're you know one or time when
they're gonna be hovering right around that five hundred mark
whether you like it or not. But still, the defense
hasn't even played that great yet, and they're the team
with the most money spent on the defensive end. They
haven't really been able to run the ball, but they're
flying ways to win games. So anytime you bring in
a new quarterback, things will probably take a little bit
longer to get allen. But if you're able to start
(27:33):
five and one and you're not even playing your best football,
you have to be thinking positive. And the Ravens start
at one and two, potentially falling to one and three,
you got the Browns, who I don't think anyone's take
it serious, and then you got the Bengals without Joe Burrow.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Would it be crazy, Nick?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
If we looked up at the end of the season
and the Steelers won the division at like eleven and six.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
You think, with how everything's fall falling, I don't think
you would be crazy. I think in the beginning of
the season, I wouldn't really say that you're crazy. I
would just say you're wrong outright. But I think looking
at it now, like you said, no one's looking at
the Browns Bengals with the only injuries, especially Joe Burrow,
and how bad that defense is, I think, you know,
the Ravens, could they start out one and three. You
(28:13):
look at it at that and then you're like, just
like that, the Steelers are a playoff team. It is
crazy to think about, but it's not you know, it's
not out of the question at all.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yeah, I want to look at the division odds real quick, the.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Vision AFC North.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
As of this moment, Ravens are still minus three fifty
to win the division.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
Yes, if you wont Steelers plus four to seventy five,
that's some value right there.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Yeah, I mean Ravens being favored at the Chiefs. Obviously,
Vegas like some win that game up. The Steelers moved
to three and one and the Ravens moved to one
in three. I don't care what you say, because Steelers Ravens,
you're you're probably gonna split that series. That's a potential
play there for some people. Steelers plus four seventy five
to win the division. Interesting number there. All right, let's
(29:08):
go down to Tampa Bay now, where we got the
Eagles at three and l coming off one of the
crazier comeback wins I can remember in Eagles history traveling
to the Bucks who are three and oh, and this
Bucks team that has kind of linked their way to this.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Three and oh.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
They had the crazy League one game against the Falcons
where they didn't play great, but they found a way
to get it done at the end with some miskicks
from from the Falcons the two game, the last second
comeback drive against the Texans, and then last week the
crazy game just bought the field goal, but the Bucks
winding up winning the game at the end. Baker Mayfield
has kind of had that clutch gene in the that
we've seen time and time again overs NFL and college career.
(29:42):
Very interesting spot here because I think this Bucks team
now without Godwin and Evans in the receiver room, your
boy at BUKA is going to be the only kind
of major pass catcher Sterling Shepherd. But then the Eagles,
that's a crazy win. They come off of a crazy
high to come off of, but they just find ways
to win each and every week. It's kind of playing
simples that but the has been there kryptonite that going
to Tampa has been probably their their worst spot in
(30:04):
the entire next year. Not probably definitely at the playoff
blowout two playoffs blowout losses. They had the blowout loss
last year, but a lot of guys were hurt last
year in that matchup, and that was the last game
before the Eagles really kind of took off. It's funny
it was this same week Week four, but Eagles three
and a half point favorite here Vegas likes them. I
think that's because of all the injuries with the Bucks.
(30:24):
The offensive lines banged up, Tristan Wurfs has banged up
over under forty three and a half. Nick, do you
think the Eagles can go down to Tampa and kind
of get the monkey off their back because I think
when both these teams are fully healthy, we could see
this as your your NFC title game. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
I mean the Bucks seem to be one of the
biggest tests for the Eagles over the last three years.
As You've touched on both teams entering this game three
to zero, and each game for both teams have been
pretty wire or wire. Each of these teams have squeaked
out a few wins to start the year. And for me,
this game is kind of similar to the Kansas City
first Eagles game to me, where I had this in
as a scheduled loss, but once or once the season
(30:59):
or the schedule came out. But I'm flipping here just
like I did with the Chiefs. I think, you know,
I just continue to see Jalen Hurts find ways to
win games, and I'm not going to stop back in
that until he really proves me otherwise. You know, somehow,
some way, the Eagles just find ways to win football
games and whatever fashion is needed, and you touched on it.
Tampa Bay's pretty banged up. They don't have, you know,
the offensive line that you just stated. They don't have
(31:22):
Mike Evans for a few weeks. We don't have to
worry about him. But I think I'm pretty worried about
a mega book in this one. I think he might
have himself a day. Probably my favorite prospect of this draft,
and he's really showing why in my opinion that he
was one of the best receivers in that class. I
know we're down Nolan Smith. I think Jalens Hunt could
really step up and hold himself in that one. I
know our history with Tampa Bay isn't the best, but
(31:43):
until Jalen and the Eagles show me otherwise, I'm rocking
with Philadelphia in this one. Give me Eagles twenty seven bucks,
twenty four and a prop I like in this one.
I think Bucky Urban receiving Earth. I think, you know,
with him playing seventy five percent of their snaps, he
averages over twenty three touches per game. Eagles had a
pretty good run defense. I think Mike Evans out more
(32:03):
design screens, more checkdowns for BUCkies. I think look out
for Bucky in the passing game in this one.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Yeah, it's a game now.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
I'm probably not going to touch from the betting angle,
because there's so many different scenarios for this game as
we touched on, Like the Eagles going to Tampa. That's
where they've struggled Todd Bowles. That's been jayalen Hurts kryptonite
as well. He's really kind of dominated him and found
a way. I really don't even consider that playoff win
whatever that was two years ago, Like everyone in the
world knew the Eagles lose.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
I bet the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Minus nine and a half and they were like a
three and a half point underdog in that game because
that was just such a dead team walking. I don't
even even really consider that a football game, to be honest.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
I lost a lot of money on that game.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
And then then last year you had the game where
everyone was dead pretty much from the heat. Could certainly
play a factor into this matchup as well. That's a
stadium that I certainly don't have any intentions on ever
going to unless it's in November December. It sounds like
pretty awful down there, but I could see the Bucks
(33:04):
winning this game. Baker has played really well against this
Nick Sirianni team as well, But I can see the.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Eagles going down there and win. There's just too many
different ways for this game to go.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
So pretty lame analysis for this one for me, But
just sit back watch and my goal for the Eagles
was if they made it out of this four game
opening stretched at two and two, I would have taken
that you're walking out of this tough four game stretch
to start the season at at least three and one, potentially.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Four to zero, and by your sitting by yourself there
in first.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Place in the NFC, you gotta be smiling if you're
the Eagles coming out of that. So go down there,
don't get hurt, and if you find a way to
win the football game by one point, I'll consider that
will win. So big one there on Sunday, I think
your potential NFC Championship preview of all teams are healthy
to go.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
To four twenty five. I touched on this game a
few times already, but Ravens.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
One and two at Chiefs one and two, four to
twenty five kick on CBS. Ravens a favor in Arrowhead
at minus two and a half over under forty eight
and a half. Chiefs coming off their first win of the
year against Giants. Ravens coming off disappointing loss on Money
Night football at home to the Lions. Disrespect I think
here still, no matter how these teams have looked, I
think you'd give the benefit of the doubt to the
(34:12):
Chiefs at home to at least be the favorite by
minus two and a half.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
But thoughts on this game deck who wins and who covers?
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Yeah, I think it is pretty disrespectful to the Chiefs
being at home, knowing how good they are at home,
and with the Ravens being two and a half point favorites.
But I think that makes me want to lean the
Ravens lot a lot. Like I know, I probably won't
take the two and a half. I think I've seen
it at three right now. I think I would take
Raven's money line really good. You know, two lead quarterbacks.
(34:39):
Obviously they could put in a show any given night.
And it's rare to see the Chiefs as two and
a half point dogs dogs at home. They're coming off
their first win against the Giants, while the Ravens coming
off a brutal loss of Detroit and their two losses
have been really bad. Derek Henry's fumbling has been a
huge issue and in both those fumbles or both those
losses as fumbles have set up, you know, losses pretty
(35:00):
much late game. And on the other side, Kansas City
looks to get Worthy back healthy in the offense, hopefully
brings some type of explosiveness that they've been missing this
start the year. And you know, looking back, Mahomes is
five and one against Ravens in his career and has
really had his way. So I don't really feel too
good about liking the Ravens. I don't know why I
like the Ravens, but I think if I had to
make a bet, I would take the Ravens in this one.
(35:22):
I think, as from a prop standpoint, I would take
Mahomes passing yards over in six games against the Ravens
has over two thousand yards, fourteen touchdowns and just three picks,
and the Ravens let Josh Allener for three forty nine
in Week one. You can see a similar path there.
I don't know why I'm leaning towards the Ravens. I
just have a feeling I like, the Ravens probably won't
really bet it, but you know, it's hard to go
(35:44):
against a Chief at home.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Yes, that that blew my mind. Earlier this week, the
Ravens through three games. I know it's only three games,
but lead the NFL and points all out. I think
it's like ninety seven points they've allowed so far this season.
Pretty insane there for a that coming into the year,
everyone was saying was the best roster, either of them
or the Eagles, in the entire NFL. But it's a
scenario for me where it's like, even if you're just
(36:08):
watching the game, like the eye tests, Ravens sitting there
at one and two. Certainly the defense needs some work,
but still I think that they've certainly looked better than
the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
But you know Patrick has Lamar's number.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
You were at home here too in Kansas City, Andy Reid,
I think has had John Harball's number. It's a scenario
two where you're an underdog plus two and a half
at home. I know mahomes over his last season wasn't
that great as an underdog with when you look at
the Super Bowl and then when you look at the
Bills game last year in the regular season, but historically,
anytime you can get Mahomes as a dog, you ride
(36:40):
with that one of these games where until proven otherwise,
I'll just ride with the Chiefs. So Chiefs plus two
and a half Chiefs outright at home, and maybe they're
able to get that offense going this week because they've
looked really stagnant, but they're missing some guys in the lineup.
It's a game where sounds funny to say it, but
you're playing the Ravens. It could be a get great
game kind of for your offense. People have been gashing
(37:01):
them on the run too, So I look for maybe
kind of Isaiba check out to have maybe his first
successful day of this season. But I like this this
Chiefs team to win this one at home. So that'll
wrap it up pretty much for us this week. Nick,
any other kind of plays that you want to throw
in there, I'm gonna throw in my survivor play. I'm
not sure if you're still in yours, but we're going
(37:22):
in the week four. I'm just gonna ride with the
Bills this week. They're like a seventeen and a half
point favorite at home. Against the Saints. I'm gonna go
with that.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
But anything else that you want.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
To throw in NFL wise, or even the last second
college tidbit before we head up.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Yeah, I'm definitely riding the bells and survive, right. I
had Seahawks last week that was a route, So I
think this week is the clear Bills. But for the
Sunday night game, I think Packers steamroll the Cowboys. I
think that's six and a half. I think this is
a really, you know, get back game for the Packers.
They had that brutal loss against Cleveland where you know
they shouldn't the team like that shouldn't lose to the
team like Cleveland. I know their defense is good, but
(37:57):
I think Packers come out here and steam with Dallas
the us CD for a few weeks and I think
it's just all downhill from here. So jammy Packers and
a steamroll. I think it's six and a half now,
I'll take that.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
I really like the Packers too, but I just have
a feeling too that could be one of those like
just football wise, you're betting it Packers for sure, but
one of those games where run national TV Micah maybe
tries to do too much. See Jerry Jones and Dak
Prescott laughing after the game. It's one of those, like
Football's entertainment type things that one of those you don't
(38:30):
really expect this to happen, but it happens type of scenarios.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Last second question too, Colts at the Rams.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Colts sitting here at three and zero have only punted
once all season, traveling through the Rams coming off that
crazy loss, I gotta go with the Colts here plus
three and a half. If you're the Rams, how do
you come back from that kind of deflating loss.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
Yeah, honestly, I think I'm on the on the flip
of this. I think, you know, the Colts have really
started out hot and Daniel Jones has really, you know,
played insanely well. I think this is kind of a
comeback down the earth spot for the Colts are coming
off that really tough, emotional loss. I think it flips
the switch. I think they come out angry one to
kind of show that they're still at the top of
(39:08):
the NFC and by beating an undefeated Colts team that
you know, the whole world has kind of fallen in
love with. So, like I said, I think this is
kind of a fallback to Earth kind of spot for
the Colts. I think I take the Rams thirty Colts
twenty seven in this one. I like Puka to go
off in this one. He's hit his reception line in
every game. It's hit seven and a half right now.
Adam's misspractice this week with a hamstring injury, so you
(39:30):
know he's proven to be the number one target, has
second and most targets in the NFL. So I think
Puka kind of kind of eats in this one and
Rams win.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
All right, Well, that'll do it for our first extended
episode here of Football is King. Each week now going forward,
we'll be able to do a deeper.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
Dive on college and NFL.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
But as always, everyone, thank you for tuning in. We
got comps for Thursday night football kicking off right about now.
We got Army East Carolina I think has already kicked off,
So from now till Monday, where Monday we.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
Got a double header.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
We don't even talk about those crabby matchups, but I'm
sure we'll be watching football will be on the TV.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
But as always, everyone, thank you for tuning in.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Keep it locked here on Fox Sports the Game where
we'll be talking to you next week.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
The Gambling Phillies home for all things sports gambling
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