College Football Playoff Seeding Reveal, Bowl Season Is Here, and More - 12/11/24

Joe Tansey and Ryan "BEEF" Coyle dive into the #CollegeFootballPlayoff seeding reveals, #Alabama OUT, Bowl SZN is here, and more!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you can wager on it, We're talking about it.
It's The Gambler, The Fox Sports Radio, The Gambler. Fox
Sports Radio in Philly is The Gambler. The Gambler, Philly's
home for all things sports gambling.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hello everyone, and welcome on into a post season edition
of The Big Brain. Post Season already, Ryan Coyle, It's
incredible that we're already at this point. I was talking
with my wife the other day. College football season seems
to fly by faster than any other season out there,
and it's because it's it's three quick months and and boom.
Now we're talking about changes. We're talking about coaching changes,

(00:57):
Bill Belichick, Rich Rod Back at West virgin the transfer
portals hitting heavy, and we got a twelve team playoff
to talk about, plenty of bowl games with a massive
amount of line movement to talk about as well. You
and I are also going up for the Gambler Bowl Challenge,
something that I've come close to winning twice now in

(01:20):
the last two years.

Speaker 3 (01:21):
I think I was behind you in third last year.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, so the Big Brains have to represent in that
competition as well, which there's a bowl game on Saturday night.
We'll get into I have some of a rant about
the ball schedule this year kind of sucks because of
the playoff. But I'll take a twelve team playoff over
anything at this point, So let's get right into it.
The twelve team playoff. I think it handle itself out

(01:45):
pretty I don't think I have as many complaints as
other people at this station do.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
Yeah, naither do I. I think that the biggest thing
with Alabama kind of just was you had three losses
you had and a couple bad losses in there with
Vandy and with a really down Oklahoma team this year.
At the end of the day, Bama had plenty of
opportunities I think to do that and to make the playoffs,

(02:11):
to handle their business, and they just didn't do that
this year. They didn't deserve really to be in. Are
they a better team than SMU potentially, But once again,
that goes back to a hypothetical thing, and we talked
about it too. I think we laid the situation out
perfectly where it was like, all right, if SMU loses
on a last second field goal, if SMU loses on
a last second touchdown drive, if it's a close game

(02:33):
or something, they're probably gonna give SMU the benefit of
the doubt and put them in. And that was really
kind of the main thing, the main discussion point heading
into Sunday morning. We can talk all day about the
seeding and whatnot. We'll probably see a major change with
the scenario of Oregon. Congrats here the number one team.
Your first round matchup is Tennessee or Ohio State. Penn State.

(02:55):
You lost two games, you lose to Oregon in the
Big Ten title game, and you get the last team
in with SMU and then Boise State on a neutral
So that is one of the major discrepancies. But it's
the first year of the twelve team playoff. I'm not
gonna sit here and complain too much about it. I'm
just excited to get into these games and look at
all these fun matchups we have to break down.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
I want to debunk one of the myths that's been
thrown out there that Oregon has a far tougher road
to the playoff than Penn State. They don't. Let's just
put it. I'll just put it as straight as I
can say it. They're the best team in the country.
They've proven that time after time. And oh, by the way,

(03:35):
this Ohio State Tennessee matchup that we're talking about here.
Is this the same Ohio State team that just lost
to Michigan.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
Yeah, it's like what I think it's a team that's
gonna be tough for them to get off.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
The mat, Like, what big bad Ohio State team are
we talking about? And then with Tennessee, Yeah, they've got
a great defense, but have you you've seen what nico
Ya Malaba has done on the road this year? Not great.
And I know it's going to be a neutral site
game against the work and I get that, but there's

(04:09):
no guarantee Tennessee gets out of that game. Actually, I
think I think it's a fairly good chance that all
four home teams win pretty easily, and the spread suggests
that We'll get into that a little bit. But if
this big bad Ohio State team is what is considered
a threat to you as Oregon right now, I mean
I would be more scared about Arizona State than I

(04:31):
would Ohio State at this point. And look, it could
be a one game thing where Michigan's just it mentally
has Ohio State's number and Ohio State could look great
against Tennessee. But Oregon also played Ohio State and they
beat Ohio State. They went toe to toe with this
multi million dollar roster that the Buckeyes have, So why

(04:51):
should they be scared of a potential semi final matchup
with Ohio State. I don't think they should.

Speaker 3 (04:58):
Now.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Look Penn State, They've still got to win an extra
game to get to the final. Being able to only
play two games to get to the final is huge.
I think Oregon benefits that from that, and so do
the other three teams in there. I wouldn't count UF
Boise State against Penn State. Boise State went to to

(05:18):
toe with Oregon. They have who's probably going to be
the Heisman Trophy Trophy runner up in Ashton Genty at minimum.
Who knows, we might get the biggest surprise we've seen
in a while on Saturday Night. But when you look
at at this across the board, is it really that
tough for Oregon? Should we really feel bad for Oregon?

(05:39):
They just went thirteen to o and they just they
put up every single drive. It looked like they were
unstoppable against Penn State. They can do that against Ohio State.
They've shown they can do that against Ohio State, and
they can do that against Tennessee. Plus, I think if
you were to power rank the quarterbacks. I know we've

(05:59):
kind of poo poo the list of quarterbacks this year
in college football, but if you're the power rank, the
quarterbacks won the twelve. A lot of people are putting
Dylan Gabriel at one just because of the experience and
the weapons around him. So I don't feel bad for Oregon.

Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yeah I don't. I'm not saying I feel bad for them,
but I do definitely think their path is tougher than
Penn State. It's like I'm taking Penn State. I think
Penn State has the easiest path to the semi finals.
And for Penn State, I think that would be a
wildly successful season. Will they get there, will they slip up,
who knows. But Penn State does beat the teams that
they're favored against, and they're a favorite against SMU, and

(06:38):
they're going to be favored against Boise, and I just
think that they have a cleaner path. And even in
the loss last week, I thought their offense was encouraging,
Like I was worried that they couldn't go toe to
toe in a shootout. They fell short against Oregon. But
if they were to get into that game again against
another team, I wouldn't be as scared like I was
kind of worried that they wouldn't be able to move
the ball like they did in that the Ohio State

(06:58):
game Oregon. I think we saw their clicking on all
cylinders right now. Does this kind of month off does
that hinder them a little bit? They won't be playing
again till the first so that's something I think to monitor.
But I definitely think that matchup of either Tennessee or
Ohio State because I do think when either of those
teams that is playing at their peak, either of those
teams could go on a run and win the entire thing.

(07:21):
I really do think that when you look at Penn
State in the bottom part of the bracket, I think
it's a little bit more of an easier path in
my opinion. But I do think you have to go
into this with the with looking at Orgon like, Okay,
they are the team to be, you know, you know
what with Tennessee and Ohio State though lingering there, it's
not a sure thing. And I think that would be

(07:41):
a pretty close spread, maybe like three and a half
to four points on a neutral field, potentially.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
So let's talk about the futures as a whole. Oregon
and Texas right now at DraftKings Sports Book. Now this
is Wednesday night, or we got plenty of time to
go it is. It's weird too, because to get to
the breaks real quick, it's a normal Bowl schedule for

(08:07):
the four seeds because you're playing the week off, you're
playing either New Year's even in the Year's Day, so
the coaches will be able to adapt to that part.
But what we're gonna find out in the quarterfinal, excuse me,
is does the team kind of like in baseball, does
the team that plays the twentieth or the twenty first

(08:28):
are they fresher because they just played eleven days ago.
I think that's the more important thing to watch than
saying a Oregon, Georgia, Boise, Arizona State have X amount
of time off, because that's just the normal time off
to a bowl game if you're a successful program anyway,
So that I think that little wrinkle. Is it like

(08:49):
the baseball playoffs where the wild card teams get hot.
I know it's only one game, but you're still playing
that one extra game between championship weekend and New Year's
Who knows if that actually ends up playing a factor,
But anyway, Oregon and Texas are both plus three to
sixty tied right now at DraftKings Sportsbook to win the
title Georgia plus four fifty, Ohio State plus four seventy five,

(09:12):
and you have Penn State at six hundred, Notre Dame
maybe hundred, and then there's a massive drop off Tennessee
at twenty five hundred, Indiana four thousand, SMU forty five hundred,
Clemson fifty five hundred, Arizona State, and Boise State. The
two teams get the buys the longest odds to win
the title at plus six thousand and plus sixty five hundred.

(09:33):
I'll phrase it this way. We all know who the
favorites are here, Beef. Does anybody from Tennessee down have
any type of shot to win the national title? Is
it worth even exploring a long shot that on the future?

Speaker 3 (09:47):
Spoort? I do think Tennessee because I think that they
have the winning formula, and part of me, and it
might just be because I'm a bit of a bit
more of a Nico believer potentially than some, I do
think that Tennessee. We saw kind of shift a mode
in their offense. Of like, after the first three to
four games, they really leaned on the run and they

(10:09):
made this a run heavy team. And you can say
maybe that's because they don't trust an ego or Hypel's
kind of mindset was just get us to the dance
and then we're going to open up the playbook and
see what we can really do with our passing game.
Because the defense is good enough, the running game is
more than good enough. The ninth best rushing attack in
the country this year. Can Nico really just move the
chains on third down and make a couple of big throws?

(10:30):
And we saw it in the Alabama game and that
was the difference. They had five to six plays deep
that Nico missed a couple, but then he hit a
few later down the stretch when it mattered most, and
that really helped them win the game. It's going to
be a tough path. Certainly, you're gonna have to get
pass Oregon and Ohio State won't be a cupkick either.
What Ohio State team shows up. Is this a dead
in the water Ohio State team or is this a

(10:50):
pissed off, motivated Ohio State team. I think that is
going to be the tel tailing sign. But I do
look at that matchup of all, right, Tennessee. I think
that they match up well organ and could certainly go
toe to toe with them, and then from there, I
think that they can play with just about anyone. So
it's gonna be a tough first two games certainly to
get past, but from there I kind of like their

(11:10):
path and potentially to hoist that trophy at the end.
But Indiana and I'm not looking at SMU, Definitely not Clemson,
No Boise does Gentigo Nuts always a possibility, but they
just were in a dog fight with Wyoming about two
weeks ago. San Jose State just like three weeks ago
in Arizona State. There you can make an argument maybe
the hotest team in the country right now. But I

(11:32):
just think once they match up against some of these
big boys will get exposed a little bit.

Speaker 2 (11:37):
I'll buy Arizona State stock. I will I look at
the six teams that we just mentioned at plus twenty
five hundred or higher. I want to believe in Tennessee
right and to me, it's just and this is like
the oldest college football cliche in the book, freshman quarterback
on the road and I've seen he's not a freshman,

(12:00):
the first year starter. I've seen this happened so many times.
But also I seen the results on the board that
Oklahoma game. Hypel just tightened up with it with his
play calling on the road. That was an ugly win.
The Arkansas game, I'm not sure exactly what they were doing,
so there are some there are some holes to poke

(12:21):
in Tennessee away from Knoxville, and how how did they
react in the Horseshoe at mid December, I don't know.
But what I do know with Arizona State is these
guys believe and that they are riding the biggest high
right now and they have it. They have an all
college football running back in cam Skattaboo who you could

(12:42):
argue should be in New York.

Speaker 3 (12:45):
Should be in New York for sure.

Speaker 2 (12:46):
As a as a Heisman Trophy finalist. We don't need
to see another quarterback there because we know the quarterbacks
aren't going to win. I think they could beat Texas. Yeah,
I could convince myself that they could beat Texas. And
the reason why I say that is because they can
control the ground game. Their defenses is good enough and

(13:09):
Levit's come into his zone the quarterback as well. I
would actually, look, I don't know if I would take
them to win the entire thing, but I think Arizona
State at plus three to ten to make the playoff
semi final is the smartest bet you can make out
of all the long shots. We're talking about these teams
that are going to hit the road from the start,

(13:30):
because you look at SMU great season, but the plus
four to twenty five to make the semifinal, have to
play a road game and then have to play Boise
State in the game. That is, it would be pretty
even Tennessee plus eight hundred to make the semifinal, which
is which is wild to think because they're a very
good team. But if you look at the teams they
have to play, they play Ohio State in Oregon. So

(13:52):
I think out of all those long shots, I think
the team that has the best chance of at least
making it to the semi final is Arizona State. Now,
they're gonna be a significant dog in any matchup with Oregon,
But what happens if Ohio State beats Oregon? Right, you're
kind of projecting what could happen. Okay, Ohio State played

(14:13):
Oregon one point loss out in Eugene. Do they recalibrate.
That's the biggest question mark about the entire first round
is how does Ohio State recalibrate after the Michigan loss?
Because if they don't and they fall flat, it's Ryan
Day is probably gone. Ye, Belichick's not there anymore though,

(14:36):
if that changes the process. But I think Arizona State's
got a decent enough path. I don't. I don't know
about Boise because I believe in Penn State a little
more than others do. I think Georgia Notre Dame has
the potential to be an all timer. I think that's

(14:57):
what everybody's waiting for. We're big coach sid guys here,
but we want Notre Dame in Georgia, Like give me
the brand names. New Year's Day Night in the Sugar
Bowl in New Orleans. It could be a classic college
football game for the ages and I want to see that.
So I think, get of long shots. I will I

(15:19):
will ride with my gout camp skypoo.

Speaker 3 (15:22):
Yeah. I like what you're saying there on Arizona State.
The one concerning part to me, like how do they
go up against an SEC defense there in Texas? Like
Texas I think we can make an argument maybe the
best defense in the country. The Texas defense isn't why
they lost that SEC title game, that's for sure. And
even the first matchup when Georgia had thirty points, Texas
turned the football over four times in that game. So

(15:45):
the Texas defense there, I think quin yours is going
to be on a quick leash as well in this playoffs.
That's something to watch. But to me, the most interesting
thing in this first round is Ohio State because have
we even like seen Ohio State at their best? Like
was Indiana the best at they've been? They didn't look
great against Penn State. Penn State I think lost that
game more so than Ohio State won. And then the

(16:06):
organ game, you know, that was a good game, back
and forth down to the wire, and Ohio State slips
up there on the road. But have we seen the
best version of this Ohio State team? Will they ever
get there? How do they bounce back from this game
against Michigan is going to be the tell taling sign,
Like what does Ryan Day have to do to get
this team back up off the mat from that game?
Because of Ohio State goes up up against anyone, there's

(16:29):
a good chance that they're the more talented team each
and every game throughout this playoffs. I think we can
make argument, but what version of this Ohio State team
shows up? And that's going to be the determining factor
because they're certainly good enough to win it all? But
are they even gonna want to be there? They have
something to play for it for sure, but this is
still kind of a dead team walking in my eyes.

Speaker 2 (16:48):
If I'm Ryan Day, I shouldn't tape of the Indiana game. Sure, yeah,
and use that as the motivating Now, I don't know
how good of a motivated Ryan Day is.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah, he doesn't strike me as well.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
No he doesn't. He kind of strikes me as somebody
who seems pretty defeated. I mean, look at the body
language tells me a lot of things and the way
that he the way that he kind of reacted or
lack out thereof as the Michigan planning the flag fiasco, which,
by the way, the felony. It's a soft move. Go

(17:22):
just just beat your rival. Just beat your rival and
you don't have to unbelievable Charman. Soft is what that is.
But yeah, I don't know if ran Day is the
ultimate motivator. I mean, I know it's a completely different
situation and that they lost so many players after the

(17:43):
Bowl after the Michigan game last year, but they were
uninspired in that Bowl game. Yep, they put up three points.
They couldn't move the ball. Devin Brown was playing quarterback.
And it to me, that's something to me that the
head coach should kind of take by the throat there
and say, hey, look we're short handed, but we're gonna
man up and we're gonna play. They just completely uninspired.

(18:05):
Nobody wanted to be there. It's different because's the playoff game.
You're at home again, wildly different scenario. But do you
trust Ryan Day to motivate this Ohio State team?

Speaker 3 (18:18):
And also that also that crowd like just say, t
see does what Indiana did in that game and march
right down the field, go up seven to nothing. That
crowd is booing, and the entire team and the coaching
staff they're tight from there on out, like they know, like,
h here here we go again. This this is the
end for us. Like that is a big thing as well.
Like the Ohio State start, I think the first quarter

(18:40):
of the first half, whatever you want to look at it,
that is going to be a very, very big kind
of thing that could determine a lot of potential outcomes
for this playoff.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
I look at the other three hosts, so penn State.
Say what you want about Franklin's record against top five teams,
but I would trust him to motivate my team right now.
Over Ryan Day. I don't know if I would trust
them to coach my team or anybody against an opponent
of this stature. But he'll get the team up. They're
doing it white out there. You know they're going to

(19:13):
intimidate SMU. Plus, it will probably be like ten degrees
in Happy Valley because that's the way it is in
December in central Pennsylvania. Notre Dame is Notre Dame. They're
playing an in state rival too. I think that brings
a little extra juice to that matchup. And I don't
think I have to worry about Texas being up for
a big game. And look, they've they've been to the

(19:33):
playoff already under sark and Quin. Yours lost last year.
So there's your motivating factor right there. With Ohio State, man,
it's just well, what do you got?

Speaker 3 (19:46):
Because because even if, as if you win the national championship.
Is that still good enough in the in the fan
base's eyes.

Speaker 2 (19:53):
Might not be right. That's the craziest thing. And this
is college football in a nutshell. You could go on
and win a national championship the first iteration of a
twelve team playoff. So you have to win four games
in Ohio states case, and some of your fans might
say it's not good enough. Fire the coach. You haven't
beaten Michigan in four years. College football is just so

(20:17):
beautiful like that, isn't it?

Speaker 3 (20:19):
Yep?

Speaker 2 (20:20):
Now, difference do any of the road teams in the
first round. We don't have to talk about motivation because
they're all going to be pounding the rock and looking
at the pan of the table in these meeting rooms
and saying, look at how big of an underdog we are.
Dabo is gonna pull his self righteousness bullshit and and
be like, hey, look at me. I uh, I'm sick

(20:46):
of Dabo. I don't even want to mock Dabo at
this point, Like I Dabo was good. It was a
good college football character when he was winning and at
the top, or he was the lovable loser because clemsoning
was a thing for the longest time, right, But now
we've we've gone over the hump. You know, we started
with clemsoning and Mulvaple loser and all maybe one day,

(21:08):
one day, they'll do it. Then they did it, and
now they're like cresting back towards the middle of the pack,
and Dabo's doing this whole US against the world crap.
Nobody believed in us, Nobody wanted us in the playoff. Yeah,
nobody wanted you in the playoff because yeah, I didn't
belong in the playoffs. So to me, that kind of

(21:31):
like the whole self righteous nonsense from Dabo is just
I'm done with it. I hope Texas beats them by
a thousand, But from a motivation standpoint with SMU, this
is a chance to get the biggest win possibly in
program history. Right, nobody is going to pick them. I

(21:52):
don't think, at least to win out right Tennessee. They've
got a good enough team to go into Columbus and win.
I don't think they'll be unmotivated. And then Indiana, I mean,
you're gonna tell me Coach Sig isn't gonna have that
team at least ready to go mentally, So I'm not

(22:12):
concerned about the motivation for the four dogs. But what
I'm concerned about is these point spreads. Man, Yeah, we
have a seven and a half point spread in favorite
Notre Dame in Ohio State, Penn State's an eight and
a half point favorite. Texas is an eleven point favorite.
These spreads are big, But I actually think the way
to attack these games potentially is with the totals. Because

(22:36):
we see three totals in the low fifties Tennessee, Ohio
State's at forty seven. I actually think if he's here's
the way. I think if you think these teams are
as good as they are and as good as the
numbers suggest on the spread, there might be a better
opportunity for you to clear with an under, especially in
Texas's case against Clemson, who we know has a decent

(22:59):
and enough defense, but they've also proven they can't move
the ball against SEC teams twice, three points against Georgia,
fourteen points against South Carolina. I think at least starting
off with the game with the biggest spread. And we
don't feel like too too deep into these yet, but
I think the under in the Clemson Texas game has

(23:20):
a lot of intrigue to me at fifty one and
a half. You just saw Texas played a defensive battle
with Georgia. They have no problem playing that type of game.
And I don't know if quin Ewers can lead Texas
on a thirty eight to forty five point win in
the playoff. I don't think Clemson can move the ball
on an SEC defense. So I think, at least from

(23:42):
that one specific perspective, the under. If you think these
defenses are so good and the margins are gonna be
that wide, maybe the unders are your play cold football
as well SMU from Texas and it gets cold in
Texas but doesn't get ten degrees cold. And if that's
the if, that's going to be the forecast, and if

(24:04):
Notre Dames defense is as good as advertised, I think
you have real opportunity here with these totals in the fifties.
Surprised they're that high to really, I know, betting unders
isn't a fun thing to do, but betting unders in
the first round of the playoffs maybe the right thing
to do.

Speaker 3 (24:21):
The way I'm kind of looking at these the first
round matchups like and I feel like this is going
to be the popular play like you see this all
over social media, and in my mind, I'm thinking, like,
there's got to be at least one upset. There's going
to be one of these games that kind of hits
us where we're not expecting. If you parlayed all four
favorites on the money line, it's plus two or four.

(24:42):
I feel like that is going to be the most
square play that everyone's doing. Like with these points, spreads
and everything, there's got to be an upset in there,
and I think you kind of got to find it.
Which one has a chance to be that outright upset?
And Joe, I think we'll both say the same thing.
You have to look at Tennessee in that spot against
Ohio State and say that that's the upset most likely

(25:04):
to happen.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
I would, yeah, yeah, gunder your head, how you pick one?

Speaker 3 (25:14):
I would. I wouldn't think you'd have to pick Tennessee
in that spot.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
I picked Tennessee. Yeah, something that like.

Speaker 3 (25:22):
You love, you absolutely love, And I feel like there
can't be something that you absolutely love with it being
a seven and a half point spread, like Indiana, Like
we saw what they looked like against their one real
test and they got ran off the field s MU. I.
We've talked about it a million times, but James Franklin
wins those games and SMU going up to Happy Valley,

(25:45):
who knows be a snowstorm that day. Don't think that's
a very good environment for them. And Clemson. I just
quite frankly, don't think they belong in the same field
as Texas.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
I don't think they're good.

Speaker 3 (25:53):
Yeah, I don't think they're good either, So, like, are
you telling me we're gonna get chalk in the first round?
I feel like the first ever twelve team playoff, there's
bound to be one pretty crazy episode in this first round.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
I wish Mark Henry was with us tonight because what
I'm about to say is probably a little salatious. But
if got into my head and he gave me the four,
I'd take Coachtigs in Indiana.

Speaker 3 (26:18):
Really. I just the one thing, the one biggest thing
I think with that matchup is like they're both the
same weather type teams, same environment. Like, I don't think
either of their styles are going to be kind of
impacted in that one. And you don't look at Notre
Dame as some crazy home field advantage either.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
I'm not gonna sit here and say Indiana is going
to win the game outright. But if if you were
to ask me to rank the four dogs, I'd put
Clemson for SMU at three. Clemson because I don't think
they're in the same universe as Texas, and I think
Penn State, like you said earlier, with the offense, with

(26:58):
what they showed in the Big Ten championship game, I
think there is enough there to build on, and their
defense is really good. I think you can shut down
SMU with Indiana. To me is it's kind of just
a blind confidence they have in their group. It's just
more of a gut feeling for me on that pick.

(27:22):
I think Tennessee is going to be the most popular underdog.

Speaker 3 (27:27):
All State nine game. It should be.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
It's a Nate nine game. I will sit here and
say this right now. I think Ohio State wins by
the largest margin of victory.

Speaker 3 (27:38):
Surprised me. I just think Tennessee is built to win
in what kind of ever environment. It's going to come
down to the quarterback. I might just be higher on Tennessee,
or it might just be I'm fully out on Ohio
State after that loss. I think that is just such
a demoralizing game. And for everything that is happened after
their freaking legislation passed a thing that it's a felony

(28:00):
to plan a flag after that game. Like that's not
the more most like sore loser bs that's in college
football right now than like what it is. Like I
think even Ohio State players have to be like disgusted
by that whole thing. I just think they're they're a
dead team walking like it's going to be a tough,
tough thing to do and show up Like I would
be very interested to see how their practices have even

(28:22):
been over these past yeah week or so.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
But I think so the everything you're saying is absolutely
spot on, right, But we're talking about what the biggest
surprise of the playoff might be in the first round.
I don't think. I don't think it's an upset. I
think Ohio State might just win by twenty points against Tennessee.
I think because and look, everything we said about Ryan

(28:47):
Day as a motivator and as a head coach is
still true. We're still very unsure of what he can
get this team to do. But if he unlocks that,
and Will Howard plays competent, and that defense which still
has a ton of studs on that roster. If they
they take advantage of a young quarterback at home, they

(29:09):
can do what they did to Indiana against Tennessee and
that game is not even going to be remotely close,
and then we're all going to sit here and say, oh, well,
that's the Ohio State team we expected Ohio. Ohio State's
in the lose lose situation, I think, because if they
win by twenty, like I think they might, they're going
to be like, well, where where was that version of

(29:31):
Ohio State against Michigan? They're still going to get criticized,
whereas lose all year, really right, And if they lose
out right, well, I mean, get your pitchforks out right.
So I think the biggest surprise of the playoff is
that Ohio State wins by three touchdowns.

Speaker 3 (29:50):
Okay, I'll mark it down. I got Well. I'm sure
we'll go more in depth and make official picks next week.
But I think Tennessee is going to go into Columbus
and win that one. I think, especially upfront, if Ohio
State tries to play the same kind of style that
they did in that Michigan game and basically win in
the trenches, Tennessee's not the team you want to do

(30:10):
that again. So I think there's a legit chance that
we see Tennessee in the national title game on January twentieth.
I think there's something else that's important going on that
day as well.

Speaker 2 (30:21):
That's weird saying January twentieth for the national championship game.
That's very, very weird. It's a new normal. So let's
get into some other things. We'll get into our full
official picks next week. Hopefully the three of us are
all together in one spot to give all of that.
But there's a lot of interesting, I'd say, to say

(30:43):
the least coaching news coming out of college football even today,
mainly North Carolina hires Bill Belichick. West Virginia hires this young,
up and coming guy, Rich Rodriguez. Sounds like he's never
gotten a shot at a power conference team and was
hungry to get that spot. What do we make of both?

(31:07):
I guess these are the two biggest jobs out there
in this coaching carousel, North Carolina and West Virginia, which
kind of speaks to the state of the coaching cycle.
But what do he got on both of them?

Speaker 3 (31:21):
The Rich trot thing is kind of cool for me
because the when I first really started getting into college
football was that Steve Slayton Pat White team. I I
remember watching that with my dad, I think two thousand
and five and six ish that range, but that's when
I started getting into it. So that's a little bit
of a nostalgic kind of cool throwback moment.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
And they were a great NCAAO four team.

Speaker 3 (31:43):
By the way, those Jacksonville State teams, for those Sikos
out there, they've been a fun watch over the past
couple of years. The go go kind of offense that
they've been running. If he can get a mobile quarterback
in there and find a guy with some legs, maybe
a fun guy out of the portal, that could be
a really fun team to watch going forward. In a
Big twelve that we saw, that's wide open. I mean

(32:03):
hew Arizona State projected to finish last this year, they're
in the College Football Playoff Colorado last year with their
bats back, that is a wide open conference, like and
I don't think it would be the craziest thing to
see if West Virginia go from what they finished this
year six and six to a potential nine to three
ten and two next year. So that is a cool thing.
And then obviously Bill Belichick. I think I tweeted it

(32:25):
when the news officially came out. I was like, imagine
reading this tweet this time last year, like Bill Belichick
at North Carolina, Like that's not even alum there, Like
I think it said his dad coach there back in
the fifties. So not a super big connection, but it's
going to be interesting. It's a swing for the fence.
I'm interested to see if there is an official coach

(32:48):
and waiting type thing with the Sun. I also saw
the original report was three years, thirty million. Now it's
saying five. I'm not sure if there was some options
attached to that. But Bill Belichick at the college level,
it's gonna sell seats. And I saw DraftKings already put
up six and a half for the win total. Are
we buying into the tar Heels as next year's Indiana Hoosiers.

Speaker 2 (33:10):
This is either gonna be a playoff team in three
years or or or it's gonna fail spectacularly.

Speaker 3 (33:21):
I do agree it's a boomer bus type of operation.

Speaker 2 (33:23):
I think I don't see any happy medium with this.
Belichick higher, Yeah, I'm not sure. Look, he's he's smart enough. Well,
he'll get the the right guys in place. Right, he'll
have I think Mike Lombard is coming in to be
his GM. He'll have plenty of I wouldn't be surprised.
See Joe Judge on that staff. He's got college football,

(33:47):
he's got college football experience. So he'll have enough experience
on that roster two or on that coaching staff to
make these guys ready for the PROSA. Can you win
in college football? It's one thing to develop these players
into professionals, but it's another thing to deal with the

(34:09):
the nil. The recruiting is just as easy as I'm
Bill Belichick. I've won many many Super Bowls. Come play
for me. Is is it that simple? Or does it
take a certain type of player? Because we saw this
in the NFL is a certain type of player. Maybe
it's an experienced player. Maybe they hit the transfer portal

(34:31):
hard and that's the way they they refurbished this program.
But it takes a certain type of player to play
for Belichick.

Speaker 3 (34:39):
Yeah, that's what I was gonna say, Like, how many
of these dudes really want to go and play for Belichick?
Because like, even the past few years, you've seen what
the Patriots were under him, like their last These guys
that are going into college now really aren't your mostly
at least your your Tom Brady dominance, Like their their
main kind of football watching years have been these past

(35:00):
years where they've been really down. And do you want
to go and enjoy your time in college or do
you want to go in the military style with with
Bill Belichick? And I think that's something that he's gonna
lay down with them as well, because he said it
on McAfee show the other day, basically like this is
going to be an NFL program and NFL pipeline type
of thing. Does that translate to success on the football

(35:22):
field for you or are you just saying you want
to get guys ready to go to the pros?

Speaker 2 (35:26):
Are they gonna stick with Bex Johnson?

Speaker 3 (35:27):
Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I was like,
there's a quarterback and I remember he like snapped his
leg in that first game of the year versus Minnesota,
But I envision do you envision Josh McDaniel's going there?
Like could that be an interesting spot for a quarterback
out of the portal like a pro style?

Speaker 2 (35:44):
I could see him just getting all the entire band together. Honestly, Yeah, I.

Speaker 3 (35:49):
Mean I'm expecting McDaniels to go there and be the OSA.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
I would be surprised to McDaniels, Patricia Judge, Steve Belichick
like it's I think they're gonna get the band together.
But I also think they're going to make some interesting
HighRes maybe in like the lower tier positions that are
college football guys that have been through the ringer in
college football and are able to bring that to the

(36:13):
program as well. I think, honestly, it all depends on
who their quarterback is next year if they have success.
Because Max Johnson isn't it. No, he's not it, Like
you cut you have to. I know, he's going through
a serious injury recovery with the leg injury he suffered,
which was incredibly brutal to watch. But he's not it.

(36:37):
He wasn't it at Texas A and m he wasn't
it at Carolina. So who's that first guy? And by
the way, this stuff too right because your biggest rival,
Duke just landed Darien Mensa from Tulane, who went into
the portal yesterday as one of the most regarded players

(36:58):
in the portal. You're not Malik Murphy.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
That's what That's the thing that crossed my mind and
I did just read there was an agreement as well
for the nil package for the football program increased, went
from four million to twenty million. I don't know how
accurate that is, but that is going to be what
top five, top six? Who knows after this year, that
thing's probably all going to expand. But I think off

(37:23):
of this year, the highest one was Texas at twenty two.
I high stayed at twenty and then there was a
few in like that eighteen nineteen range. But North Carolina
is kind of making themselves a major player there, and
why not in the ACC you should if you're if
you're a North Carolina supporter, you should go all in
kind of on these next three four years whatever, see
what you can get out of Bill Belichick and maybe

(37:43):
even a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Speaker 2 (37:45):
I got so I'm scrolling through the the transfer portal
right now with quarterbacks. Hold on, let me get the
actual right one up. That's not twenty twenty four, but
you already had Jackson Arnold went. Jackson Arnold is in
the portal. Does he did he commit anywhere?

Speaker 3 (38:07):
No, it's rumored heavily Mississippi State because of Levy.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
Okay, that would make a lot of sense.

Speaker 3 (38:13):
Yeah, Auburn as well.

Speaker 2 (38:16):
So you have Malik Murphy from Duke, who had a
decent season, led Duke to nine wins. But I think
they kind of just they just pushed him out. I
guess because Darien Mensa was their target, which is I
guess that's the way college football goes at this point.
Luke Crumenhook from Florida State is kind of the prized possession,

(38:40):
but he's an unknown quantity of what he's done in
college football. And do the other big programs that need
a quarterback come calling? Uh for that? And then Connor
Wegman's in the portal, Miller moss is in the portal.

Speaker 3 (38:56):
I could see as a fit there.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
I could see that as well.

Speaker 3 (39:00):
Especially if McDaniels goes.

Speaker 2 (39:03):
But it's not like the most instant Stone what Preston Stone.
That would be intriguing as well, I could see. I
guess the question is in that regard is Preston Stone
any good?

Speaker 3 (39:20):
I think he's I think he's pretty solid. I mean
even last year they were good. But I think Jennings
just kind of took him to a different level. But
it's also like, is the top quarterback going to go
to North Carolina?

Speaker 2 (39:33):
Right, That's what I'm concerned about with him. I think
West Virginia would is gonna be an interesting thing to
see what they do in the portal as well. Does
rich Rod brings his Jacksonville State guys with him? Yeah,
Like like Signetti did with with James Madison. I think
Charles hoff is doing that with Marshall to Southern miss
which makes their bowl game even more fascinating. Before we

(39:59):
kind of get out of here here West Virginia. Speaking
of teams that are changing coaches, there's two bowl games
before next Wednesday, not really the most eye popping games,
but still college football bowl games and all bowl games
get treated the same way here, especially with our Bowl Mania.

(40:20):
You have the Frisco Bowl with Memphis in West Virginia. Memphis,
it's gonna be Steth Hagan's last hurrah against the West
Virginia team in flux. The number has already gone up
to four and a half. I get if you can
get that before it reaches seven, which it might. I
would bet Memphis right now they're gonna be more than
motivated to send their four years starting quarterback out with

(40:42):
a win. West Virginia in flux. They're one of their
best linebackers. Terziah Trotter, the son of Jeremiah Trotter, just
hit the portal today. And how many times have we
seen it? Teams going through coaching change just kind of
really don't show up in bowl games and a Tuesday
night on a soccer field and Frisco, Texas, I don't
think Western Cigi is going to show up to be

(41:04):
frank And and even if they did with a full team,
I think Memphis is better than them. I'm pretty high
on Memphis. And then Saturday night they kind of snuck
this one in on us the salute to Veterans Bowl.
If you got anything on South Alabama or Western Michigan, I.

Speaker 3 (41:21):
Have nothing right now, but I did see. I did
see this morning that South Alabama. I want to say
he was like the freshman of the year in the conference.
Is the name to escaping me right now? It might
be Lopez, Geo Lopez, I want to say it is.
But he was a star quarterback in that conference this
year and it was reported that he was most likely
going to transfer. He said he's staying. So that's a

(41:41):
type of thing where okay, coach back, quarterbacks back. This
is another opportunity for us to go all in and
really build some momentum going into the following season. So
Action Network shout out to them. They do a great
job with like a injury tracker and opt out tracker.
I'd say you go over and keep a close eye
on those, but I agree you should be. If you're
going to be betting these Bowl games, look at them

(42:03):
now because over these next three to four days, that's
when you're really going to see a lot of guys
if they haven't already hit the portal, and some of
these lines are going to start moving. So if you
like something and you know a guy's staying or you
know a guy's leaving for an opposing team, hop on
them now. I think that's definitely the way to look
at it. With our Gambler Bowl Challenge on ESPN, they
put out the lines and once those lines are out,

(42:24):
they're out, like so they stay there, which I hate. Yeah,
which I don't like as well, But more power to
us if we can go back and edit those as well.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
So here's the one distinction in this matchup that I
think to be to point out South Alabama, Lopez is
staying they're leading rushier fluff bothwell, what an aim. By
the way, the running back is in the transfer portal,
and this I think is where it comes into, at

(42:55):
least into this matchup. Western Michigan allows one hundred and
eighty six point three rushing yards per game. That's a
tough one to replace when you have your leading rusher
in the portal. Lopez is a rushing quarterback, and they
do have another running back Bullock in there that ran
for seven hundred yards. But you're without your number one

(43:18):
running back. That could be a little bit of a
not a disaster, but kind of an interesting spot to
be put in. I would actually look at the under
in this game. I don't trust Western Michigan's offense as much.
I think South Alabama does win this game. If you're
betting a side, maybe that's the way to go. But

(43:40):
Western Michigan's games have trended under lately, and if you
look at the total of fifty seven and a half,
well outside of last week or two weeks ago, South
Alabama and Texas State playing to forty five thirty eight,
there's been some low ish scoring games, so they missed
thirty five to fourteen by the way, so they missed

(44:01):
one of the worst teams in college football. They played
Louisiana Lafayette to a twenty four to twenty two game.
I think this is a team in South Alabama that
their style and if they've played a MAC team already
this season in Ohio and that ended up being twenty
seven to twenty, so I think you look at maybe
similar teams, similar matchups. I just don't know if South

(44:24):
Alabama's offense is consistent enough without their top rusher to
get to the fifty seven and a half, So I
would actually take the under fifty seven and a half
in this game. We could still see points, could be
like a thirty to twenty four type game, but I
think losing your leading rusher against a team with some
major weaknesses in rush defense kind of counterout counter balances

(44:51):
your advantage in the matchup.

Speaker 3 (44:54):
Yeah, then that's as deep as probably.

Speaker 2 (44:57):
That's your salutive Veterans Bowl breakdown from the big brains.
That's all that's all I got for you. Real quick,
Army Navy.

Speaker 3 (45:07):
True got a touch on Army Navy. What are we
looking at I'm not I'm not even looking. I'm gonna
guess Army minus seven over under thirty nine and a half.
Look at you, Okay, take an Army. That was a
very impressive performance that had last week against Tulane. I
like them to cover that number. I forget what the

(45:29):
trend is on the total in terms of the years
in a row that's going under. I was at the
game two years ago in Philly that it actually went over.
Needed overtime in that one, and last year I had
the over, I think, and I got a push on
a last second run out of the back of the
end zone safety. So that was a fun way. That
was a fun way to celebrate Army Navy last year.
But yeah, give me Army minus six and a half

(45:49):
in that one. Very impressive season from them. Bryce and
Daily he should have been in the Heisman discussion, I
think as well, a little bit missed a game, kind
of hurt himself a little there. But yeah, Army spectacular year.
I think that they wrap it up with a ten
point victory on Saturday afternoon.

Speaker 2 (46:07):
Real quick fun facts. So Army has won six of
the last eight meetings with Navy. The winning team has
not has only scored more than twenty one points on
two occasions dating back to twenty twelve. Maybe scored thirty
four points in the thirty four to seven win in
twenty thirteen. Navy also won thirty one to seven in

(46:30):
twenty nineteen. Well, both of those totals would have gone
under the total of thirty nine and a half that's
set for this game, which I think is a little high. Yeah,
this game itself, Yeah, give me Army and I'd probably
in the under as well. This game is typically very
low scoring. Yeah, Book seventeen eleven, twenty seventeen, seventeen thirteen,

(46:53):
fifteen to nothing are just your last four scores in
this rivalry. It's gonna be fun. It's gonna be close. Army.
Maybe it's always fun, But I think Army is decided
to pick. And oh, by the way, Army and their
bowl game, they're playing Marshall. That's going to be a
big pick for me as well and Navy. I look
to the both bowl games. Mayvy's a nine and a

(47:14):
half point dog against Oklahoma. Keep that in the back
of your mind for next week. I think we got
something there. I think we're looking at dogs for bowl season.
The Midshipman might be one, but for now I like Army.
So that's it for our big Brains preview here that
the college football playoffs right around the corner. Next week, myself,

(47:36):
Brian Coyle and Mark Henry Junior will break down each
of the four games. And oh, by the way, there's
more balls to break down as well, so we'll break
down the first full week of bowl season as well.
For Ryan Coyle, I am Joe Dancy. Good luck on
all your plays and we will talk to you next week.

Speaker 1 (47:53):
Spreads total and all the prop that's in the tweens,
it's the Gambler.