The Pass Rush with Stevie, Clynch, & Adams: Is A Three-Loss Texas Still One Of The Twelve Best Teams
December 2, 2025 • 57 mins
Texas revives a classic rivalry at DKR with a charged game-day show and a composed second-half surge, then we wrestle with the playoff math no one agrees on. We weigh quality wins against bad losses, brand gravity against fairness, and where A&M goes from here.
• atmosphere at DKR and in-game production
• Texas’ late-season growth and O-line cohesion
• Arch’s leadership and key third-quarter drives
• rivalry urgency and players who elevate
• CFP logic, auto bids, and brand influence
• Notre Dame independence and head-to-head weight
• A&M’s resilience and first-round outlook
• playoff expansion models and clear criteria
• keep marquee nonconference games on schedules
• possible Texas bowl tie-ins if left out
Please like and follow each of Stories Inside the Man Cave Podcast social media links on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:32):
We didn't play the way we needed to play.
Can we close the door and run aprofessional press conference,
please?
unknown (00:39):
Sorry.
SPEAKER_03 (00:49):
What's his name?
I don't even know his name.
He's a six-year but what did yousay?
Do you guys take issue withthat, or is that just SmackDown,
or were you guys just you knowhe lost.
He's a loser.
So I mean it's nothing we don'tpay attention to.
You know?
Losers.
SPEAKER_05 (01:12):
That was fun.
It's good to see the Aggies andLonghorns rivalry back in
Austin.
Uh great spectacle last year incollege station.
It's just good for the game.
College football is better withUT and AM playing each other.
I don't think any either sidewill disagree with that.
(01:32):
I am Sean Clinch, the host ofStories Inside the Man K
podcast, and the co-host of theseries The Pass Rush was Stevie
Lee.
I hope you had a wonderfulThanksgiving and had a food coma
or two.
But in this episode, we're gonnadive in and what was uh that
(01:53):
beautiful game and theexperiences from it Friday at
DKR in Austin, Texas.
What does that do for both theAggies and Texas as far as the
CFP?
Now we do know that the Aggiesare in regardless.
The only thing that the Aggiesdon't get to do is play for the
SEC Championship.
(02:14):
Now you can look at that twoways.
That one, they don't get to playfor the conference championship,
or two, they get extra time toheal.
But as for Texas, at nine andthree, there's so many debates
out there.
Personally, I just don't see howa three-loss team deserves to be
(02:38):
in a 12-team college footballplayoff.
As for this weekend's ConferenceChampionship Games, they will
have a bearing on the final CFPpoll.
Um, but if you're watching andyou need to quench your thirst
and make those uh lovely mixedbeverages or whatever beverages
you may need, you need to go seemy day.
(03:00):
You need to go see my guy, DaveRamirez, Dave Ramirez at
Northwest Hills Liquor, whereyou are a guest and not just a
(03:21):
customer.
Hey, let's get it rolling.
Episode four ninety-eight.
Let's run Stevie Lee, that wasplastic.
(03:50):
Uh, the in-game production stat.
And okay, well, stated they hadammo ready to go.
And they did a great job, andthat was perfect right before
Texas officially won the game onthat last offensive possession.
They had that ready, and youknow Mike Elko saw that.
SPEAKER_03 (04:12):
Yeah, you did.
That was awesome, man.
Our uh the game day experiencewas great there this weekend.
SPEAKER_05 (04:20):
Hey, that's Stevie Lee.
He played for the great MacBrown at the Texas University of
Texas football program in theearly 2000s.
As I mentioned, I am SeanClinch, and this is the week
after Texas defeated uh theAggies.
And if I did my numbers right, Ithink Texas this decade or this
(04:40):
century.
I think you're 13-3 against theAggies, no?
SPEAKER_03 (04:45):
Sounds about right.
SPEAKER_05 (04:46):
Something like that.
You know, it's uh when you'recoming off of a Thanksgiving
holiday, four or five-dayweekend, and you come back and
you got to flip that switch toprofessionalism, your brain's
kind of cloudy.
So, your thoughts real quickbefore we bring in our guy, MA
Mike Adams.
You're your Longhorns, theyfinished the season 93.
(05:08):
Um, that's pretty goodconsidering people.
I know a lot of people say,well, you were preseason number
one, Texas was.
That's not good.
But when you think about whatwas missing, what needed to
develop on the offensive side ofthe ball, you remember me,
Stevie.
I said nine wins is a target.
SPEAKER_03 (05:28):
I do remember you saying that, and I remember you
picked picked Clemson to win itall.
SPEAKER_05 (05:32):
I did pick Clemson.
They went six and six.
SPEAKER_03 (05:35):
Yeah, man.
But you did say that uh aboutTexas, and I and I gave you crap
about it.
So uh, but I'm glad, I'm proudof where the seasons end up
ended up.
Uh, you can tell how we havegrown from the beginning of the
season with all thedisappointment and then making
some changes on the O-line, andour offense started to click,
(05:56):
our defense was starting uh tocome out come around even more.
Um this is a team that's on agrowth pattern right now.
And I'm really, really lookingforward to one, the bowl game if
we don't get into the collegefootball playoffs, and then two,
I'm really looking forward fornext year.
SPEAKER_05 (06:12):
Yeah, that's a lot to be uh thank you, not just
thankful, but to be excitedabout.
And I I love seeing that energyand it all coming together.
I love seeing that for anyprogram.
But what we saw Friday night andthat growth and that that last
third of the season, prettyimpressive outside of that game
(06:33):
in Georgia.
That's it, yeah.
Hey, uh, just a quick shout-outto all of our sponsors and
partners.
But for this one, HardgroveRoofing, man, you guys are
wonderful, you do an amazingjob.
You replaced my late mother'sroof a couple of years before
she passed, and she had nothingbut great things to say about
her guy, Scott Coach Abernathy,who made an appearance on
(06:58):
episode 497 last week and gavesome a beautiful synopsis of for
the both AM and Texas, alongwith the first lady, the man
cave.
And here's the guy who promotesthem better than anybody else.
SPEAKER_03 (07:13):
Hardgrove roofing, know who's on your roof.
SPEAKER_05 (07:16):
Yes.
Hey, MA, he you know, you thinkpost-Thanksgiving he'll be
cooking?
SPEAKER_03 (07:23):
Yes, absolutely he will be.
SPEAKER_05 (07:25):
Man, let's bring that guy in.
You know, you know, he'sjuggling.
You you know for a fact he'sprobably juggling like 430
things at the at this moment,but he's gonna make time for us.
unknown (07:45):
Mr.
SPEAKER_05 (07:46):
Mills is here.
Stevie, that was uh quite asight, and and I I I know I held
(08:06):
off with Stevie a little bit,kind of got his take before we
brought you in because we wantedall the hype, we wanted all the
energy.
I wanted to see you guys bothcooking as former players.
Man, that to me, that was thebest atmosphere in probably over
two decades that I have seen atDKR.
SPEAKER_03 (08:26):
No, that was the best atmosphere I've ever seen
at DKR.
I'm a little worried because myticket prices are gonna go up
because they had a hundreddrones, you know, thousands of
dollars worth of uh fireworks,the light show.
I I think we're gonna be almostalmost playing, paying double
next year, man.
So I'm I'm uh I'm ready for it.
(08:46):
It's okay.
I had a really good time, man.
Whoever they hired to do gameday experience, they need a
raise.
That was a a lot of electricity,the music, celebrities on the
sideline.
It was uh it was it was it was ait was great for the fans, and I
like putting on the show infront of uh of Lil Brothers, see
if they can uh match that.
SPEAKER_05 (09:08):
It was pure cinema, fellas.
That's all I gotta say.
And man, there was some uhthere's some heated moments in
uh walking up in my section, uhin and around the stadium, some
comments that uh you just don'tusually hear out of grown men's
mouth that we're wearing themaroon, but that's okay.
All fan bases have them, all fanbases have them in rivalry
(09:32):
games, no doubt.
Man, MA, before we really getinto it, I I was just when you
think of guys that step up inrivalries, there's two guys that
come to mind, and one of them isthis guy.
(10:10):
Craig Way, uh voice of theLonghorns Award winning.
He's legendary, Hall of Famematerial.
He's a stories inside the mancave VIP alumni.
And man, your take on the growthof that guy right there.
SPEAKER_07 (10:24):
Yeah, man.
I mean, he's been stepping uphere the last three, four weeks,
and uh, you know, pretty muchthe rest of his season or the
rest of his sophomore year wasreally gonna be determined by
how he played in this game righthere, with the possibility of
the playoff spot still being youknow in question for us.
And uh man, he stepped up big.
(10:45):
He stepped up big, not anoverwhelming, you know,
statistical game.
I mean, I think he threw forabout a buck 70 or whatever.
Um, but but he had that runningplay 30 yards or so for a
touchdown that came at acritical moment, made some
critical passes, you know, earlyin the third quarter, man, to
drive the team down the fieldand and then just get the guys
in position.
I mean, we pretty much shut himout in the third quarter, second
(11:07):
half for the most part.
I mean, but but some of thatstarted with with Arch marching
the team down the field andmaking big time throws, and man,
stood in the pocket, with stillat the heat.
Man, early on, it was looking,you know, it was looking like
many of the Aggie fans thoughtit would look they would come
in, kind of blow us out.
But I I think he calmed himselfa little bit, which I think in
(11:27):
turn calmed the team.
And um I I was a bit hesitant atfirst when I saw the bravado him
walking into the stadium andgetting kind of hype because I
made a comment early in theyear, man.
If that's gonna be you, that'sgotta be you all the time.
And and and I think I thinkthat's arts.
I think he's you know, he'sputting the hype out there, he's
firing his team up, he's findinglittle ways in which to lead
(11:50):
them, and I think he's doing agood job, dude.
I'm proud of the way he'sbounced back.
And I don't know, I feel realproud to be a long horn on
Friday.
SPEAKER_05 (11:58):
I think a lot of people did.
Stevie, you know, when you whenyou think of your era, both of
you, there's always guys whostepped up against your rivals,
and consistently now we've got anew one.
I want to call these two, as yousee on this screen, Aggie
killers with Rabius Weisner andEthan Burke.
(12:21):
Both have come up big last yearand this year.
Stevie alluded to that.
What is it about games like thisin which certain players just
elevate?
SPEAKER_03 (12:32):
Um man, I saw it firsthand like almost on the
outside looking in because youknow I came from Louisiana.
I didn't know about the um Ididn't I did I knew about it,
but I didn't know until I washere how deep this rivalry was.
It's um Texas AM in Texas, thesekids have played together or
against each other, sometogether, played together, you
(12:55):
know.
Um and throughout high schoolplayed each other uh uh against
each other throughout highschool, some even middle school.
So the pride of winning thatgame is bragging rights when you
go home over the um the winterbreak, you know, it's it's
bragging rights when you youknow you see your friend, you
know.
(13:15):
So uh it's it's a very, veryimportant game to Texas, to
Texas AM, and to the state.
It would for for that game forthat four hours, four and a half
hours, nobody else was watchinganything else in the state.
It was that game, all eyes wason that game.
SPEAKER_05 (13:33):
Well, clearly all former horns, Aggies, former
students, former Aggie footballplayers all had their eyes on
it.
You know, I I gotta give youknow AM some roses too.
They got to 11 wins.
Um they didn't they're not gonnaplay for the SEC championship,
they're gonna go to the CFP.
(13:53):
But you you you alluded to it,people are watching, and there's
one guy who I thought wouldwould have been ideal to play
against the Aggies, SamEllinger.
Look at that tweet.
He wasn't that's that's typicalEllinger right there.
(14:16):
He's not wrong, he's not wrongat all.
SPEAKER_07 (14:20):
Not wrong at all.
SPEAKER_05 (14:22):
Oh man, I wish he could have played in that game,
you know.
And because, you know, like AMhad Stephen McGee, who was you
know, he took it personal for AMas a quarterback in the
mid-2000s.
Uh you know, when you look atthis whole thing, the whole
season, Texas ends it regularlyat nine and three, but there's
(14:46):
not many people who can say thisin one season, you beat all
three of your rivals.
I I think you guys may have comeclose.
And Stevie, you I think you guysdid it once, right?
SPEAKER_03 (15:02):
No, I never beat OU, man.
I hate to say that.
SPEAKER_05 (15:06):
Oh, that's right.
You didn't.
That's well documented.
I forgot about that.
SPEAKER_07 (15:10):
Uh beat OU twice, three times, twice, two, two,
and one.
Um broke even against the Aggiesand never beat both of them in
the same year together.
So it was uh the other one yearI guess 95.
We we beat AM and snapped theirwin streak.
Um, we actually tied OU thatyear after being up 24-0 at the
(15:31):
half.
It was kind of a weird dynamic.
Yeah, we come back, lose to himin overtime, but we smashed AM
that the end of the year.
So yeah, hadn't hadn't been ableto get the the entire piece of
the pie when it comes to both ofthem.
SPEAKER_05 (15:47):
You know, Arch as a quarterback is um now a member
of a very exclusive fraternityof quarterbacks.
There's only been, I think,someone correct me.
I'm I'm sure somebody will inthe Twitter verse.
Uh people like to there's a lotof uh angry people on Twitter,
uh, especially on on Saturdayand Sunday and Monday.
(16:07):
But uh I think there's only sixquarterbacks in UT history who
have run the gauntlet, the hattrick, beat the hogs OU and the
Aggies.
So that's that's that's prettyimpressive.
So here's the big debate.
Listen, I respect both sides, Iunderstand it.
(16:28):
The UT to the college footballplayoff debate.
I mean, in my opinion, whatneeds to happen, I feel like
OU's definitely in um Bama ifthey lose the SEC title game.
And I I guys, I don't know.
I almost look at it as if whathappens if BYU beats Texas Tech
(16:51):
in the Big 12 championship.
Does that knock OU out?
And and that does it knock Texasfurther down because it really
doesn't matter what the CFPlooks like tonight.
It's what it looks like onSunday.
SPEAKER_07 (17:07):
Yeah, I I honestly I think OU is secure.
I mean, I'm I'm looking at theirschedule and what they've done,
man, and and it's just reallyimpressive to go in and
Knoxville, beat those guys, comeback, I think a week or two
later and beat Alabama, who atthe time was I don't know, I
believe ranked number four.
(17:27):
Yeah, you know, number three.
I mean, doesn't get any moreimpressive than that, other than
you know, a Texas team thatdefeated three top ten teams on
the year.
But you know, we're we're we'rekind of on the outside looking
in, and yeah, it's gonna take alot of help.
I think even if BYU beats TexasTech some reason for some
reason, um that's just gonnaknock everybody that's on the
(17:51):
outside looking in, it's gonnaknock them down.
I mean, because tech's stillgetting in, you know.
Um obviously BYU would be theautomatic qualifier at that
point for winning the conferencechampionship and being ranked
pretty high.
Um, yeah, but that that wouldthat would definitely hurt teams
like Miami, like Texas, likeVanderbilt that are still hoping
to get in.
SPEAKER_05 (18:12):
Stevie, when you look at these potential
scenarios, and again, this isjust our take on for this
podcast.
When you first see, like lastyear, Alabama had a comparable
resume to Texas, you know, hadsome really good wins, but they
had some losses, three losses.
I mean, Stevie, your firstreaction when you hear a
(18:32):
three-loss team trying to getinto this 12-team mix, actually,
it's 11 because you got one ofthe G5s in.
SPEAKER_06 (18:40):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_05 (18:40):
Um and and I mean, do you think there's an
argument?
Do you think or are we reservedto hey they shouldn't be in
because of three losses?
And if they get in, that's evenbetter.
Well, how do you feel about allthis?
SPEAKER_03 (18:57):
Well, on the outside looking in, I want us to be
there.
I want us to get in.
But um, I don't see a path rightnow.
Um because I mean, we got threelosses.
We got three losses, and there'sno ifs, ands, buts about that.
Um, now, when you actually lookat the teams, um do you want to
(19:21):
see BYU?
Do you even want to see TexasTech?
I know you do, people do, but ordo you want to see Texas with an
Arch Manning, right?
That's the that's the the theticket right there.
You know, everyone in thecountry wants to continue to see
Arch Manning play and see how hedoes in the playoffs.
(19:43):
So um that that's you know,pulling on the heartstrings and
and politicking, but I I'm notoptimistic.
I want to see us play in thecollege football playoffs, but
I'm not optimistic.
SPEAKER_07 (19:55):
I mean, yeah.
Yeah, it would definitely makefor good theater and you know,
football, us being in the thethe playoff mix.
I mean, I mean, it'll it'll justwe're talking about a good
couple, two or three weeks of ofTV, you know, that everybody
would be glued to.
And then, you know, you havehousehold names like Arch, you
know, you know, seeing if hecan, you know, overcome the
(20:16):
early uh you know, strugglesearly in the year and and lead
his team to a semifinalappearance, a national
championship appearance,whatever it may be.
But and I think the thing that'sgonna get us is that loss to
Florida, right?
I mean, that's that's the onething.
And it's no different thanAlabama to be honest.
Because if let's say Alabamaloses, which they're really in
(20:39):
no position to lose thisconference championship again.
I think it will be held againstthem, and it won't be that they
lost to Georgia, they're justgonna default back to well,
Alabama lost to uh a bad Floridastate team.
Yeah, that's that's doing very,very bad right now.
That loss is gonna sting themjust like Florida's loss, us our
loss to Florida's is probablygonna sting us.
(21:01):
So that's how I feel.
SPEAKER_05 (21:04):
Now, this is this is all guessing.
This is assuming Texas Texas isa projection for Sunday.
It's completely ignoring whatyou're seeing this evening
because the CFP is out tonight,and and you can you can debate
it all you want, but this isjust us what we think may happen
(21:27):
when the final CFP comes out.
Uh, the asterisk are theconference champions.
Remember, the five highestconference champions receive
automatic bids.
I'm assuming North Texas winsthat championship, therefore,
their conference title, they'llget in with the 12 seed.
I'm assuming Virginia will beatDuke because if Duke wins, that
(21:53):
league won't be represented.
Now, here's where it gets scary.
So you see AM drop from three toseven.
Okay?
That's the 7-10 matchup, who ispaired up with the two seed will
say Georgia.
Tech moves up to three.
Indiana with the loss to OhioState in the Big Ten
Championship goes to four.
(22:15):
Well, the 10th seed who wouldplay in college station, let's
just go ahead and say Miami,Texas, or Alabama, completely
ignoring what Utah has done.
Utah's a great club.
Who who Stevie is this just Imean, do you what's your take on
(22:37):
this?
Because man, there's so manytakes you could have on this.
SPEAKER_03 (22:39):
There's so many takes.
It's the what if.
If my uh I won't say that, butuh if my aunt had balls, she'll
be my uncle.
So this is a big old what if ofif we don't know what's
happening on Saturday.
I mean, um, I I don't think thatthey'll put Texas and Texas AM
(23:04):
back-to-back games, you know.
Um, so this is a huge what if.
I mean, it looks good.
I like it.
Uh, but you're right, where isum where's Utah, you know?
Yeah, so um it's it's toughright now.
I just want to let's look at theuh the games, and if they have
(23:24):
somebody that's uh teetering ongetting in or out, uh they
should put Texas in.
Just because we'll haveviewership, we'll have travel
fans, um, and and and just theexcitement of um Texas in the
college football playoffs threeyears running, you know?
So we'll see.
SPEAKER_05 (23:43):
And May, I wanted to ask you this.
You were you were you brought upsome good points that just
created a thought.
And this is to both of you.
Is this matching the 11 bestteams, or are we going off when
lost records, or do you thinkthis committee is truly
factoring in quality losses, badlosses, uh, political factors,
(24:08):
the cachet of a program likeTexas, the uh the viewership
numbers is uh they're not gonnasay it, but do you think it is?
SPEAKER_07 (24:19):
I I think as far as the uh the the cachet label and
possibly uh politicalcorrectness, that may be the the
last factor, I think.
Because if Alabama loses, nowyou have a uh a program like
Alabama with all historichistory, three losses.
Texas, three losses.
(24:41):
Okay, that that's now we'rewe're we're we're we're
searching for straws with thosetwo programs because we know
when when Alabama's on TV, Texasis on TV, everybody's glued.
You know, whether you love themor hate them, but you're you're
watching that game like likeNotre Dame's playing, also.
So Cash A while I think it'll bea factor, I don't I don't think
that's gonna be the overallfactor that's gonna allow one of
(25:03):
those teams to get in.
Um Utah Man, they're just SOL, Ibelieve.
You know, the two losses havecome to the uh two teams that
are gonna be playing for theconference championship game in
a in a rematch.
SPEAKER_06 (25:16):
Right.
SPEAKER_07 (25:16):
Yeah, so I don't see how you can just even elevate a
Utah team with two losses, verygood team, but uh, but I think
they're definitely on theoutside looking in.
I don't I don't see them evencracking.
I think what where they rankright now, like 16, maybe 15?
They're like in that 14 to 16range.
Yeah, I I don't see them evenmoving up.
Now, I think the interestingargument is, and I think they
(25:38):
got legit beef is what to dowith Miami and Notre Dame.
Because why is Notre Dame stuckat number nine and they have
been the last couple of weeksbased on their quality of
losses?
Well, their quality of lossesjust got worse because uh AM
just got whooped by 10 points totake.
So that Notre Dame team doesn'tlook like the same team.
(26:01):
I mean, their quality of loss inthat case actually goes down to
them because AM's not the teamthat you know that beat Notre
Dame when they beat them.
Um and Miami beat Notre Damehead to head.
So and they've been saying forweeks now, okay, because there
was a huge gap between NotreDame and Miami in the first two
(26:22):
or three polls or whatever.
Simply, and and they weren'teven factoring in the
head-to-head.
Well, I think now Miami has kindof caught up to them, and a
couple teams have lost this,that, and the other.
That head to head has to comeinto play at some point.
And I think I I wouldn't beshocked one bit if Miami, I
mean, they were already on the12 line.
Wouldn't shock me to see them onthat 10 line tonight or even on
(26:45):
the nine line in front of NotreDame.
And Notre Dame season's over.
unknown (26:51):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (26:51):
I mean, I mean, they're they're done playing
this weekend.
So you know, and here's wherethem not being affiliated.
We're gonna see if the committeehas the cojones to penalize
Notre Dame for not being a partof a conference.
Because is that gonna come intoplay?
Because they're if they were inpart of a conference, they would
be playing for a conferencechampionship this year or this
(27:11):
this upcoming weekend with theopportunity to earn and right in
the playoffs.
Now they're just relying onwe're Notre Dame, we're a big
brand.
Um, we do have two losses, butwe deserve to be in the playoff.
Man, when is somebody gonna havethe kahunas to to penalize Notre
Dame for not being a part of uhof a conference?
SPEAKER_05 (27:31):
That's that's a fact.
So here's another one.
Here's another part that Ithought I thought about.
Um the when you look at uh whathow Florida State, I get it, two
years ago their quarterback wasinjured, and it's a totally
different team.
They were undefeated.
Yeah, they didn't get the bid.
(27:52):
Well, what do you do with oldmiss?
SPEAKER_07 (27:53):
They don't have a coach or staff, but they do have
a coach.
The the DC, the very vital partof that that that team called
the defensive plays.
He's the head coach now.
I just found out and just heardthat Charlie Weiss Jr.
is gonna call plays in the game.
He's gonna be the OC.
So other than having theirfigurehead there, I mean, and
(28:14):
you know, they're they're passfigurehead, they do have a head
coach.
He is the defensive coordinator,so they have stability.
So I so I think Ole Miss isgonna be ranked pretty much
right where they are.
I mean, probably gonna have anopportunity to host a home game,
and no, everything's in place,minus Lane.
SPEAKER_05 (28:31):
Yeah, which is a weird situation.
We'll get that in a minute.
Stevie, I know it's tough foryou to answer this.
I know you gotta swallow yourpride on this one.
Um Texas AM, you you've seentheir body of work, you saw
them, and they're they're prettyphysical, they're good.
But do you see them recoveringfrom that loss to Texas and
(28:54):
responding?
Because I feel like Mike Elkohas really changed that
mentality.
I do you see this that Texasloss?
Maybe defeating them twice, ordo you think that they can get
out of that first round?
SPEAKER_03 (29:07):
Whoever they um, when you start looking at um the
teams that they beat, um, andthe and the team that they lost
to, they're only beaten up onthe bottom half of the SEC.
Yeah, they're beating up on thebottom half of the SEC.
These teams that make thecollege football playoffs are
(29:28):
elite right now.
Um, Texas AM is a product of agood, good schedule.
For example, and so um, man,honestly, the way they kind of
imploded because we hit them inthe mouth.
Any of these teams on the screenright now is gonna hit them in
the mouth.
Right?
SPEAKER_05 (29:47):
Every day.
SPEAKER_03 (29:48):
Yeah, yeah.
And they'll they'll fall.
They're gonna fold.
You can you can see it in them.
Um I was gonna say somethingelse.
Uh but You can see it in them.
Um, you know, um theirquarterback Marcel Reed got hit
one good time and he wasbasically done.
(30:09):
And I looked around in thestadium, I said, Yep, I told
y'all these Texas boys hit hard.
So um it and and so once theyget hit in the mouth and they
get uh some adversity, like theywent in in the halftime up, you
know, but they felt it, youknow, and they came back out and
we jumped on them.
So I don't I don't see them Idon't see them getting past
(30:32):
their first game.
SPEAKER_07 (30:33):
That's yeah, I I see him losing too.
I mean, I pretty much even evenstayed that last week that if
they don't beat us in this firstround and secure, you know, uh a
home playoff game.
I I think and um I think they'recooked.
Marcel Reed got exposed.
I I think uh from an emotionalstandpoint and a mental
(30:57):
standpoint, I I think they'recooked.
That that first game, and andyou know, they've been off now.
You know, it's gonna be a coupleweeks before they even get a
chance to play a game, and youknow, I think that's gonna come
into play.
I just don't see them overcomingthat loss to Texas.
SPEAKER_05 (31:10):
That's a tough one, and it it really, yeah, it
really does.
It's a factor, and you know,I'll go back to what we talked
about a few weeks ago.
The game cops of South Carolinaput on film, yeah.
How to scheme them, and it waseven though if it was just for a
first half.
Now, AM can explode on youoffensively.
(31:32):
There's no um, but I did likethe what what I saw from the
Texas old line, DJ Campbell.
Man, they're communicating,they're taking and picking up
blitzes and helping each other.
SPEAKER_03 (31:44):
It's night and day difference, and I try I
attribute that off that newpre-configured offensive line to
why Arch is playing so muchbetter right now.
SPEAKER_05 (31:54):
That's it, Stevie.
That's exactly why, because he'sable to be him.
SPEAKER_03 (31:57):
He's a he's a yes, he trusts his uh offensive line.
SPEAKER_05 (32:01):
It's the biggest team sport that you rely on
others.
Um, while MA and everyone'spoliticking, Sark has been on
every network, almost everypodcast except this one.
And he is he's politicking.
This is this is an example, andhe's not wrong, but I still say
(32:24):
you can't forget the loss toFlorida.
SPEAKER_01 (32:27):
Hey, we had five opportunities, and that's two
more than any other team in thecountry, and we won three of
them, which is the best since2019 when Joe Burrow and LSU you
know beat three teams thatranked in the top ten during the
regular season.
So it's a pretty monumental andhistoric run that we had to get
on.
Uh, and I get don't get mewrong, I wish we went undefeated
(32:47):
too.
Uh, but there was a tall taskwith a new team.
We fought our tails off.
We we fought our tails off inColumbus, Ohio, we fought our
tails off in Athens, Georgia,and we fought our tails off in
Gainesville, Florida.
Three of the probably mostdifficult places to play in the
country.
And at the end of the day, we'renine and three, we're six and
two in the SoutheasternConference.
We've beaten three top tenranked teams, two of which are
(33:07):
current top ten-ranked teams.
SPEAKER_05 (33:11):
He's smart, he's a good presentation, and they were
away from home for 42 days.
SPEAKER_03 (33:16):
He's not wrong.
He and um let me say this.
I'm sorry to cut you off, man,but he's not wrong.
Um, it those are some reallytough places to play in the
country, no matter how bad theteam is.
You know, you know, they didthat study on how many teams um
are uh Texas's rival, and youknow, Florida wanted to beat us,
(33:37):
right?
They they wanted it bad, andthey did, and it's really hard
to play in the swamp.
The other thing I wanted to sayis I'm so glad they they
renovated that building, theygutted that building to where
Stark is sitting at right now,but they kept that picture
behind him of Tommy Nobas andEarl Campbell running in with
the Bulls.
That picture has been up in thisin that uh air in that building
(33:58):
for 30 years now.
They renovated everything elsein that building, but they kept
that picture up.
I really like that.
SPEAKER_05 (34:03):
That's I like good observation, good eye.
That's uh that's an iconicpicture.
SPEAKER_07 (34:08):
It is, yeah, yeah.
That that was never coming down.
SPEAKER_05 (34:11):
And maybe you guys gotta.
I mean, he's for those on socialmedia bitching, whining,
criticizing, calling out Sark,Texas fans crying, dude.
SPEAKER_07 (34:22):
Sark, he's doing his job.
I mean, he should bepolitiquing, he should be
politiquing for a scene.
I mean, coming off a big win,knocking out number three, or
knocking, you know, knocking offnumber three in the country in
front of all the eyes to see.
I mean, it just definitely addsto the resume.
But at the same time, you know,he he's gonna have to answer for
(34:42):
Florida.
A team that at that point coachwas fired, got an interim head
coach, players potentiallygetting in the portal.
No way they should have won thatgame.
The quarterback had been abysmalup until they played us, and he
threw for two, three hundredyards.
I mean, we're gonna have toanswer for that Florida game.
(35:03):
We're gonna have to answer forbarely beating Kentucky, a team
that probably should have beatus in overtime.
They were right there.
We're gonna have to answer forMississippi State.
Mississippi State, another gamethat came down to the wire.
I mean, these are teams that youknow in Mississippi State, they
they've lost a lot of closegames this year.
I I don't think they'llnecessarily be penalized for
that one.
I mean, because you did win thegame, you won the Kentucky game.
(35:26):
But Kentucky's a bad footballteam.
Florida's a bad football team.
I know they have names, and Iknow Ben Hill, Griffin Stadium
is the swamp is a tough place toplay.
I I think if we had a betterloss against Georgia, that's the
better.
But but we we ended up gettingsmoke bomb, and um the committee
(35:47):
just has a lot to look at whenit comes to us getting in.
I love Mr.
Mint May when he's in the lot tolook at.
I hate saying that because Imean we I do I believe we
deserve to be in the playoffs.
I do.
I mean, if I if I had to choose,I would put us in just because
of we went on the road, went toOhio State.
We've played some of those gamesthat a lot of teams won't won't
(36:09):
schedule, you know, and withthat, you're gonna take some
lumps, you know.
But like Shark said, man, I meanyou six and two in the SEC, you
won, you know, five five out ofthose big games that you you've
played against.
Um you know, you you beat a whatis a top rank OU team right now,
and better building wins.
SPEAKER_05 (36:29):
You know, great wins.
And and and here's the thing,here's the thing that bothers me
um more than anything.
When we had a four-team playoff,people bitched and moaned,
criticized the five and six.
Four, five, six areinterchangeable.
All right, the solution, let'sgo to 12.
Yeah, what happens when we go to16?
SPEAKER_07 (36:52):
And honestly, man, we we should be modeling this
thing after the NFL, to behonest.
I mean, I I think if we go thatroute, because I believe there's
uh seven teams that get in, andthe the the two the two uh you
know top C's in the conferenceget a get an opening round bot.
And those other six teams playeach other on wild card weekend.
(37:13):
I think if we model that there'suh that that'll that'll help
solve the debate.
Because now you just take youknow, you you kind of break that
model down how you want to, youknow, the five conference
champions and whatnot, and thenthe next best at-large teams
based on record got ourselves anice playoff.
And if you don't fit thatcriteria, we just got to set the
(37:33):
criteria and stick to it, and itis what it is.
It's the same thing in the NFL,man.
They they got those tiebreakersand things like that.
A lot of teams that might havethe same record, but if you lost
to this opponent or lost to thatopponent within a division,
within the conference, I meanall defaults to the to the
tiebreakers, those teams areout.
No more bitching to complainingabout it.
You're you're done, you had yourchance.
(37:54):
You're out, you know.
So I I don't know.
Yeah, because it could go onforever, like like with the
field of 64.
You know, you got the first fourout, then they went to the
play-in game, and now it's 68.
Right, right, right.
It could go on forever, man.
At some point, it's gotta be wewe we gotta end it.
12 might not be enough, but Ithink 16 is the sweet spot.
(38:15):
You gotta you gotta push, yougotta halt it.
SPEAKER_05 (38:18):
That's 16's enough now.
Um like FCS were my guys play.
We've gone from 16 to 20, now24.
All right, by the way, they'rethe seventh national seed,
they're playing a playoff game.
Yeah, in the round of 16 thisweekend, yeah.
(38:40):
First round by, but I don'tthink you go past 16 for FBS.
SPEAKER_07 (38:45):
Nah, nah, I don't I don't think so.
And then it just becomes watereddown, and that's why we love the
sport so much.
We love the debate aspect of itwho should have got in, who's
getting in, and it's definitelyan upgrade from the 14 playoff
and from the old schoolmythical, you know, whoever's
ranked number one and rankednumber two, these are the guys
gonna play for the championship.
Way better than that.
(39:06):
Yeah, way better.
SPEAKER_03 (39:07):
And what we I was gonna say, what we do need to do
is uh figure out how we can endthe season earlier.
We can't go in the uh Februaryand college football.
SPEAKER_07 (39:18):
Um uh for well, it's over January, January 21st is is
the championship game.
SPEAKER_03 (39:22):
Yeah, I think we need to still um end it before
then, before and we need auniform uh day when school
starts on going back from uhwinter break um across the board
because there are some kidsgonna be playing in the national
championship game that arewanting to uh uh enter the
portal.
Well, that's it.
SPEAKER_07 (39:42):
I think they need to adjust that.
They need to adjust, and I thinkthey do have an amendment to
where those kids that are in theportal, as long as their team is
in the playoffs, they're gonnahave a chance to hop in the
portal, so they're gonna have achance to exercise that.
I think it's like a 10-daywindow, right?
From January 2nd to January 11thor 12th or something like that.
They'll get theirs when theirteam finishes playing.
SPEAKER_03 (40:04):
So and so for me adjustments for me, get gaining
a couple weeks in August.
Go ahead and start in the seasona little bit, a little bit
earlier.
Um, maybe a week or two, andthen getting rid of so many uh
bye weeks.
Didn't we had two bye weeks?
SPEAKER_05 (40:21):
I don't mind that because that grind at this speed
and this level.
SPEAKER_07 (40:26):
Yeah, we we we yeah, I know University of Louisville
had two bye weeks, and yeah, andboth of them would happen to be
early, and then they went onlike an eight-game stretch.
Yeah, you know, so yeah, I knowCoach Braun was complaining
about that.
It's like, man, why you give metwo bye weeks, but you put them
all at the beginning of theyear.
Now I got guys banged up.
I'm playing with my four tofifth string running back
because I I don't, you know,yeah, they need there's some
(40:48):
quirks about the schedule thatthey can definitely figure out,
but um, you know, it's not aperfect system, not a perfect
model, but never made a lot ofpeople a lot of money.
That's what it is.
SPEAKER_05 (40:58):
But I I'll say this for fans, uh, and I'll before we
get to wrapping this up.
Uh don't eliminate the earlyseason marquee games just
because that's great for the Idon't want to see Sam Houston,
San Jose State, San Jose Stateas the three as SEC goes to the
(41:19):
games.
No, no fan wants to see thatcrap.
Yeah, we pay enough for thesetickets.
SPEAKER_07 (41:26):
That's gonna be ADs, though.
That's gonna be ADs and coaches,man, setting those schedules,
and you know that's exactlywhat's gonna happen.
Who's gonna be like Del Coneyand schedule Ohio State, you
know, Michigan, Notre Dame, youknow, because now I think most
of the Power Four conferencesthey're gonna be playing nine or
ten you know conference games.
So they're looking for that thatthat pansy, that cakewalk game,
(41:47):
you know, to try to get in theresomewhere.
But um you know, the big schoolsare definitely gonna stand a
benefit more than the littleones.
I gotta hook them, fellas.
SPEAKER_05 (42:02):
So, Stevie, this is what it's looking like.
Hey, this this is a guest, ofcourse.
What you just saw was ourprojection of the final CFP for
Sunday.
We don't we don't have a damnclue.
We're just going off oureducated guests.
SPEAKER_03 (42:16):
It's a little bit of a clue, a little bit.
SPEAKER_05 (42:18):
It is, it is because I Steve, I'm gonna say it right
now.
I say there's a 70% chance Texasis closer than people think.
SPEAKER_03 (42:30):
You think so?
SPEAKER_05 (42:32):
Politics.
SPEAKER_03 (42:33):
Politics and money I say, baby, swag.
I hear you, I hear you.
I hope you're right, man.
I hope you're right.
SPEAKER_05 (42:40):
And who, if you're a network executive, if you're
ESPN, you're ABC, you're Disney,why would you not want an AM
Texas rematch in the firstround?
SPEAKER_03 (42:54):
Nah, they don't want that.
They don't, nah.
Nah, I don't think they wouldwant that, man.
That game's been played.
You want something new.
SPEAKER_05 (43:06):
Yeah.
The only way to make it happen.
SPEAKER_03 (43:11):
I don't know, man.
That's still that's a tough one.
SPEAKER_05 (43:14):
It is.
SPEAKER_03 (43:15):
They're gonna look around and say we already played
that game.
SPEAKER_05 (43:17):
That's right.
A lot of people hey, a lot ofpeople have opinions.
That's one of them.
Yeah, hey, I'll tell you what, alot of people have opinions
about this guy.
He's been bouncing around allover the country, NFL, college.
I don't know, he seems likable.
But some rap artists based outof Mississippi.
(43:37):
I think they called it like theysaw it.
SPEAKER_02 (43:40):
Living Pipin didn't give it a go.
Let me keep it in the middle,give it a given.
Quick on the bird, the play, ofthin, quick, quick, gonna be.
SPEAKER_03 (44:18):
What would you do?
Like what somebody will offer mea bigger, better job, then I
gotta take it for me and myfamily.
That's that's not fair.
SPEAKER_05 (44:27):
It's not about the money.
Just what he's already wasalready making great money at at
Ole Miss.
SPEAKER_03 (44:35):
He was, but you want to be in Mississippi or you want
to be in Baton Rouge, like it'sneither.
Well, the food is better inBaton Rouge.
I I can't see that, and you'reonly an hour away from uh New
Orleans.
SPEAKER_05 (44:53):
My happy place, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (44:54):
Man, I love South Louisiana.
SPEAKER_05 (44:56):
But um joking, Baton Rouge, I love you.
SPEAKER_03 (44:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Uh so it it's it's he wasoffered another gig, offered a
lot of money for the NIL.
Um, what do you have him do?
You want him to turn that downand stay at Ole Miss?
Come on, man.
It's um it's it's uh what oldmiss maybe 60,000 seat stadium,
(45:20):
80 maybe 80,000 seat stadium.
It's about 70 about 70,000 seatstadium, or go to LSU to 110,
and everybody's behind you, andyou just the you're the D state
school, and um it's it's oldmiss that you gotta fight with
uh Mississippi State, and youalways gonna well he he brought
(45:41):
the program up to the top halfof the SEC, but other than that,
mostly you've been at the bottomhalf of the SEC, you know.
Yeah, um, the guy took anotherjob, and it it it I don't know
why they are on him so bad, man.
I know that they wanted him tostay, but I don't get it.
It's it's too much.
SPEAKER_05 (46:00):
Well, Kevin wanted to stay through the playoffs,
but yeah, and the AD said no.
SPEAKER_03 (46:05):
So y'all need to be yelling at the AD.
I don't I know that there may berules and he'll be around uh uh
the players trying to recruitthem to come to LSU and this,
this, and that, but I think wegotta put the ego aside some to
let the man go ahead and finishout the season, the season that
he started.
So he he's taking another job,but you won't let him finish out
(46:31):
what he's what he's doing, likebe amicable.
Yes, say man, thank you for allyour service here.
Let's finish this season offgood, and we'll build you a
statue, you know.
So if you win, you know.
So um, I think that just becausethey didn't get the answer that
they wanted, then it was all cutall ties and bad blood after
(46:51):
that.
SPEAKER_05 (46:51):
Yeah, no, I agree, I agree.
And I want to circle back.
Let's just say Texas doesn'tmake it to the CFP.
I forgot one piece ofinformation.
Um the nine wind horns, if theydon't make the CFP.
Uh the bowl games that they'rethat they would be tied to,
it'll either be the Liberty Bowlin Memphis, Gator Bowl, the
(47:14):
Dukes Mayo Bowl, Citrus Bowl, orthe Reliot.
I think the Dukes Mayo, Citrus,and Reliot are all in the
Florida area.
So that's that would be the Bowlgames, and I think they're New
Year's Day games.
Uh Liberty Bowl, I can'tremember what day it's on, but I
I know Texas fans don't want anypart of that.
Uh but Memphis is a good city,uh, Bill Street and uh Blue City
(47:37):
Cafe.
I highly recommend, but maybeyou don't have to worry about
that.
Um, before we hit the break, uhwe gotta we gotta caption a
photo, Stevie.
SPEAKER_03 (48:06):
Poor Aggies.
That's that's my that's mycaption.
Poor Aggies.
Golly.
SPEAKER_05 (48:13):
Silver Spurs, I think it may be Silver Spurs and
Texas Cowboys uniting therebehind members of the 12th man
uh yell leaders.
SPEAKER_03 (48:23):
Poor Aggies, that's it.
That's my that's my uh caption.
They don't even have a thumbsup.
SPEAKER_05 (48:30):
That's well, if you're the if you're a yell
leader right there, man, at thatmoment, I would assume that's in
the about eight minutes to go inthe game.
How do you feel?
I mean, what do you do?
Nothing.
Yeah, you're dejected.
Hey, on the other side, after wetake a quick break, you won't
believe how many Texas highschool football playoff teams
(48:52):
are remaining from Austin.
Not many.
We'll see on the other side.
Austin, Texas is changing everyday.
But one constant is DirtyMartin's Place on Bois.
Dirty's recently celebrated 98years young, and the future is
soft.
And this space in the back isopen to host any event, personal
(49:14):
or business related.
SPEAKER_00 (49:15):
Hey everyone, it's Daniel here at uh Dirty
Martin's.
We're in the Burn Orange Room.
We are currently uh booking alot of parties back here.
If you can see, we got a classeven for about 90 people, but we
are excited to host uh any partythat you might want to bring.
SPEAKER_05 (49:28):
Give Daniel Young a call at liberty to observe this
space for any event that you canthink of.
(50:27):
Stevie, only six remainingschools.
SPEAKER_03 (50:30):
That Vanderbilt Vandegriff versus uh dripping.
Where's that game gonna be?
SPEAKER_05 (50:37):
San Antonio.
SPEAKER_03 (50:41):
What is UIL doing, man?
SPEAKER_05 (50:45):
It's not UIL.
What is it?
Each high school footballprogram, the coaching staffs,
they usually they discuss, theythey they figure out a neutral
location or the coin toss forhome, home, and they they gotta
locate and identify a neutralspot and see if it's available
either on usually it'll Fridayor Saturday.
(51:07):
I've seen it happen onThursdays, and then you gotta
pay, you know, or reserve it,and you come to an agreement
with the venue.
Hey, we'll we're gonna takeconcessions, we'll give you
ticket sales, um, and reserveit.
And I think if I remember right,they're gonna play at the Alamo
Dome.
Oh, really?
SPEAKER_03 (51:28):
Um scenario teams gotta go all the way down to San
Antonio, all the way to damn SanAntonio.
SPEAKER_05 (51:33):
I don't get it, yeah.
You know, and it's I tell youwhat, man, I what Drew Sanders
has done with the defendingstate champions of 6A Division
II to get them back to thisround in a somewhat rebuilding
year.
Good culture, great program.
They're reloaded, but drippingsprings.
(51:56):
I don't know.
They have been waiting for thisopportunity.
I think this is the year, and Imay be wrong, where they take
that next big leap.
I think dripping wins this gameand ends up playing for the
state championship.
They've come, they've they'vebeen a mainstay for a long time.
(52:17):
Galen Zimmerman, all the allthose great coaches out there in
that community, they're hungry.
And I think they need to getthis done before that other
school opens.
And dripping.
Yeah, that's a great communityout there, man.
It's funny.
I cannot, I am blown away by howI mean their home atmosphere at
(52:41):
that current stadium indripping.
It's intimidating, man.
Intimidating for a visitinggroup.
I mean, it is loud.
And so is Vandegruff.
SPEAKER_03 (52:52):
Yeah, I wish they would have just made the school
bigger and uh added more kids tothe school, but I hate it, man.
Yeah, they they did the samething to Judson down in uh
Converse, uh, and opened up andso you don't hear as much Judson
football as you used to becausethey broke the broke the program
up.
SPEAKER_05 (53:13):
Shout out to my good friend and stories inside the
man cave VIP alumni, Mark Soto,the head coach of the Judson
Rockets.
SPEAKER_03 (53:19):
There you go.
You know my wife with theJudson.
SPEAKER_05 (53:22):
He's a Judson Rocket himself.
Oh, really?
He played on those great teams.
SPEAKER_03 (53:27):
So okay, he he may know may know my wife.
SPEAKER_05 (53:31):
Yeah, Mark Soto.
SPEAKER_06 (53:33):
Hey Ben, tell me something good.
SPEAKER_05 (53:40):
Oh buddy, we just got through Thanksgiving, ate
like a champion.
SPEAKER_03 (53:46):
Um that means you won then, huh?
SPEAKER_05 (53:50):
Yeah, I had a Puerto Rican-influenced uh menu, if you
will, uh for uh my niece'sfather-in-law is Puerto Rican.
SPEAKER_03 (54:02):
Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_05 (54:03):
Uh great food.
It was it was it was simple thefoundation of Thanksgiving food,
but with a Caribbean PuertoRican twist.
Uh and I I baked my first pieever.
SPEAKER_03 (54:14):
There you go.
SPEAKER_05 (54:15):
Chocolate pecan, it was a hit, and uh it encourages
it it man, it I think it spikesdiabetic diabetes.
Um it was too rich for me.
I didn't like my own pie becauseit's too rich.
But brother, I have a lot to bethankful for.
You and your family are part ofit.
Um, that beautiful display inAustin at DKR, seeing the maroon
(54:37):
and burn orange together againhere in Austin, regardless of
how nasty it kind of gotsometimes between fans.
It's good to see those two fanbases together, and man, I just
there's a lot of things that wedon't see uh around us that we
should so should be so gratefulfor.
But tell me something good, mybrother.
SPEAKER_03 (54:58):
Something good today is December 2nd, and December is
a very busy month for myhousehold.
Man, I got two both mydaughters' birthdays are
December, and we got Christmas.
And I am thankful and happy thatit's December, the end of the
year, and um Christmas, man.
(55:19):
Christmas is here.
It's a beautiful season here,yeah, beautiful season.
Uh, the cool weather, crispweather, sunny skies in Austin,
Texas.
Man, just happy that I'm here,happy to be around, you know.
SPEAKER_05 (55:34):
I'm happy.
I'm happy you're around, andman, the season of giving,
season of beautiful.
I don't like the cold, but italso kind of makes you smile a
little bit.
SPEAKER_03 (55:43):
Oh, I love the cold.
SPEAKER_05 (55:44):
Man, you I knew you were different, brother.
That was fun.
MA, you and MA were cookingtoday, yeah, and we're so
thankful for you at home.
And we wish you and your familya happy Hanukkah, Merry
Christmas, uh, happy holidays,happy Kwanzaa, everything.
(56:05):
We celebrate it all up in thisman's cave, I'll tell you that.
Um, but to you, much love toyou, and we're so thankful, and
we're so thankful for the greatcity of Shreveport, Louisiana,
because it's a home of StevieLee and the home of Hardgrove
Rufing.
And we love Nacados, Texas, thehome of my college alma mater,
Stephen F.
Austin, beat Abilene Christianin the first, second round of
(56:27):
the FCS playoffs in my beautifulhometown, Austin, Texas.
Man, it's paradise in the hills.
And to each of you who havesupported us this year and
forever, continue.
I'm overly grateful.
And to the OG Man C boys, thatbeing Harbaugh Hards, Big Mike,
he coach Mo.
(56:48):
What did we tell him, StevieLee?
We out.
SPEAKER_06 (56:55):
I'm in my car in a gide.
I said, get out.
We didn't play the way we needed to play.
Can we close the door and run aprofessional press conference,
please?
unknown (00:39):
Sorry.
SPEAKER_03 (00:49):
What's his name?
I don't even know his name.
He's a six-year but what did yousay?
Do you guys take issue withthat, or is that just SmackDown,
or were you guys just you knowhe lost.
He's a loser.
So I mean it's nothing we don'tpay attention to.
You know?
Losers.
SPEAKER_05 (01:12):
That was fun.
It's good to see the Aggies andLonghorns rivalry back in
Austin.
Uh great spectacle last year incollege station.
It's just good for the game.
College football is better withUT and AM playing each other.
I don't think any either sidewill disagree with that.
(01:32):
I am Sean Clinch, the host ofStories Inside the Man K
podcast, and the co-host of theseries The Pass Rush was Stevie
Lee.
I hope you had a wonderfulThanksgiving and had a food coma
or two.
But in this episode, we're gonnadive in and what was uh that
(01:53):
beautiful game and theexperiences from it Friday at
DKR in Austin, Texas.
What does that do for both theAggies and Texas as far as the
CFP?
Now we do know that the Aggiesare in regardless.
The only thing that the Aggiesdon't get to do is play for the
SEC Championship.
(02:14):
Now you can look at that twoways.
That one, they don't get to playfor the conference championship,
or two, they get extra time toheal.
But as for Texas, at nine andthree, there's so many debates
out there.
Personally, I just don't see howa three-loss team deserves to be
(02:38):
in a 12-team college footballplayoff.
As for this weekend's ConferenceChampionship Games, they will
have a bearing on the final CFPpoll.
Um, but if you're watching andyou need to quench your thirst
and make those uh lovely mixedbeverages or whatever beverages
you may need, you need to go seemy day.
(03:00):
You need to go see my guy, DaveRamirez, Dave Ramirez at
Northwest Hills Liquor, whereyou are a guest and not just a
(03:21):
customer.
Hey, let's get it rolling.
Episode four ninety-eight.
Let's run Stevie Lee, that wasplastic.
(03:50):
Uh, the in-game production stat.
And okay, well, stated they hadammo ready to go.
And they did a great job, andthat was perfect right before
Texas officially won the game onthat last offensive possession.
They had that ready, and youknow Mike Elko saw that.
SPEAKER_03 (04:12):
Yeah, you did.
That was awesome, man.
Our uh the game day experiencewas great there this weekend.
SPEAKER_05 (04:20):
Hey, that's Stevie Lee.
He played for the great MacBrown at the Texas University of
Texas football program in theearly 2000s.
As I mentioned, I am SeanClinch, and this is the week
after Texas defeated uh theAggies.
And if I did my numbers right, Ithink Texas this decade or this
(04:40):
century.
I think you're 13-3 against theAggies, no?
SPEAKER_03 (04:45):
Sounds about right.
SPEAKER_05 (04:46):
Something like that.
You know, it's uh when you'recoming off of a Thanksgiving
holiday, four or five-dayweekend, and you come back and
you got to flip that switch toprofessionalism, your brain's
kind of cloudy.
So, your thoughts real quickbefore we bring in our guy, MA
Mike Adams.
You're your Longhorns, theyfinished the season 93.
(05:08):
Um, that's pretty goodconsidering people.
I know a lot of people say,well, you were preseason number
one, Texas was.
That's not good.
But when you think about whatwas missing, what needed to
develop on the offensive side ofthe ball, you remember me,
Stevie.
I said nine wins is a target.
SPEAKER_03 (05:28):
I do remember you saying that, and I remember you
picked picked Clemson to win itall.
SPEAKER_05 (05:32):
I did pick Clemson.
They went six and six.
SPEAKER_03 (05:35):
Yeah, man.
But you did say that uh aboutTexas, and I and I gave you crap
about it.
So uh, but I'm glad, I'm proudof where the seasons end up
ended up.
Uh, you can tell how we havegrown from the beginning of the
season with all thedisappointment and then making
some changes on the O-line, andour offense started to click,
(05:56):
our defense was starting uh tocome out come around even more.
Um this is a team that's on agrowth pattern right now.
And I'm really, really lookingforward to one, the bowl game if
we don't get into the collegefootball playoffs, and then two,
I'm really looking forward fornext year.
SPEAKER_05 (06:12):
Yeah, that's a lot to be uh thank you, not just
thankful, but to be excitedabout.
And I I love seeing that energyand it all coming together.
I love seeing that for anyprogram.
But what we saw Friday night andthat growth and that that last
third of the season, prettyimpressive outside of that game
(06:33):
in Georgia.
That's it, yeah.
Hey, uh, just a quick shout-outto all of our sponsors and
partners.
But for this one, HardgroveRoofing, man, you guys are
wonderful, you do an amazingjob.
You replaced my late mother'sroof a couple of years before
she passed, and she had nothingbut great things to say about
her guy, Scott Coach Abernathy,who made an appearance on
(06:58):
episode 497 last week and gavesome a beautiful synopsis of for
the both AM and Texas, alongwith the first lady, the man
cave.
And here's the guy who promotesthem better than anybody else.
SPEAKER_03 (07:13):
Hardgrove roofing, know who's on your roof.
SPEAKER_05 (07:16):
Yes.
Hey, MA, he you know, you thinkpost-Thanksgiving he'll be
cooking?
SPEAKER_03 (07:23):
Yes, absolutely he will be.
SPEAKER_05 (07:25):
Man, let's bring that guy in.
You know, you know, he'sjuggling.
You you know for a fact he'sprobably juggling like 430
things at the at this moment,but he's gonna make time for us.
unknown (07:45):
Mr.
SPEAKER_05 (07:46):
Mills is here.
Stevie, that was uh quite asight, and and I I I know I held
(08:06):
off with Stevie a little bit,kind of got his take before we
brought you in because we wantedall the hype, we wanted all the
energy.
I wanted to see you guys bothcooking as former players.
Man, that to me, that was thebest atmosphere in probably over
two decades that I have seen atDKR.
SPEAKER_03 (08:26):
No, that was the best atmosphere I've ever seen
at DKR.
I'm a little worried because myticket prices are gonna go up
because they had a hundreddrones, you know, thousands of
dollars worth of uh fireworks,the light show.
I I think we're gonna be almostalmost playing, paying double
next year, man.
So I'm I'm uh I'm ready for it.
(08:46):
It's okay.
I had a really good time, man.
Whoever they hired to do gameday experience, they need a
raise.
That was a a lot of electricity,the music, celebrities on the
sideline.
It was uh it was it was it was ait was great for the fans, and I
like putting on the show infront of uh of Lil Brothers, see
if they can uh match that.
SPEAKER_05 (09:08):
It was pure cinema, fellas.
That's all I gotta say.
And man, there was some uhthere's some heated moments in
uh walking up in my section, uhin and around the stadium, some
comments that uh you just don'tusually hear out of grown men's
mouth that we're wearing themaroon, but that's okay.
All fan bases have them, all fanbases have them in rivalry
(09:32):
games, no doubt.
Man, MA, before we really getinto it, I I was just when you
think of guys that step up inrivalries, there's two guys that
come to mind, and one of them isthis guy.
(10:10):
Craig Way, uh voice of theLonghorns Award winning.
He's legendary, Hall of Famematerial.
He's a stories inside the mancave VIP alumni.
And man, your take on the growthof that guy right there.
SPEAKER_07 (10:24):
Yeah, man.
I mean, he's been stepping uphere the last three, four weeks,
and uh, you know, pretty muchthe rest of his season or the
rest of his sophomore year wasreally gonna be determined by
how he played in this game righthere, with the possibility of
the playoff spot still being youknow in question for us.
And uh man, he stepped up big.
(10:45):
He stepped up big, not anoverwhelming, you know,
statistical game.
I mean, I think he threw forabout a buck 70 or whatever.
Um, but but he had that runningplay 30 yards or so for a
touchdown that came at acritical moment, made some
critical passes, you know, earlyin the third quarter, man, to
drive the team down the fieldand and then just get the guys
in position.
I mean, we pretty much shut himout in the third quarter, second
(11:07):
half for the most part.
I mean, but but some of thatstarted with with Arch marching
the team down the field andmaking big time throws, and man,
stood in the pocket, with stillat the heat.
Man, early on, it was looking,you know, it was looking like
many of the Aggie fans thoughtit would look they would come
in, kind of blow us out.
But I I think he calmed himselfa little bit, which I think in
(11:27):
turn calmed the team.
And um I I was a bit hesitant atfirst when I saw the bravado him
walking into the stadium andgetting kind of hype because I
made a comment early in theyear, man.
If that's gonna be you, that'sgotta be you all the time.
And and and I think I thinkthat's arts.
I think he's you know, he'sputting the hype out there, he's
firing his team up, he's findinglittle ways in which to lead
(11:50):
them, and I think he's doing agood job, dude.
I'm proud of the way he'sbounced back.
And I don't know, I feel realproud to be a long horn on
Friday.
SPEAKER_05 (11:58):
I think a lot of people did.
Stevie, you know, when you whenyou think of your era, both of
you, there's always guys whostepped up against your rivals,
and consistently now we've got anew one.
I want to call these two, as yousee on this screen, Aggie
killers with Rabius Weisner andEthan Burke.
(12:21):
Both have come up big last yearand this year.
Stevie alluded to that.
What is it about games like thisin which certain players just
elevate?
SPEAKER_03 (12:32):
Um man, I saw it firsthand like almost on the
outside looking in because youknow I came from Louisiana.
I didn't know about the um Ididn't I did I knew about it,
but I didn't know until I washere how deep this rivalry was.
It's um Texas AM in Texas, thesekids have played together or
against each other, sometogether, played together, you
(12:55):
know.
Um and throughout high schoolplayed each other uh uh against
each other throughout highschool, some even middle school.
So the pride of winning thatgame is bragging rights when you
go home over the um the winterbreak, you know, it's it's
bragging rights when you youknow you see your friend, you
know.
(13:15):
So uh it's it's a very, veryimportant game to Texas, to
Texas AM, and to the state.
It would for for that game forthat four hours, four and a half
hours, nobody else was watchinganything else in the state.
It was that game, all eyes wason that game.
SPEAKER_05 (13:33):
Well, clearly all former horns, Aggies, former
students, former Aggie footballplayers all had their eyes on
it.
You know, I I gotta give youknow AM some roses too.
They got to 11 wins.
Um they didn't they're not gonnaplay for the SEC championship,
they're gonna go to the CFP.
(13:53):
But you you you alluded to it,people are watching, and there's
one guy who I thought wouldwould have been ideal to play
against the Aggies, SamEllinger.
Look at that tweet.
He wasn't that's that's typicalEllinger right there.
(14:16):
He's not wrong, he's not wrongat all.
SPEAKER_07 (14:20):
Not wrong at all.
SPEAKER_05 (14:22):
Oh man, I wish he could have played in that game,
you know.
And because, you know, like AMhad Stephen McGee, who was you
know, he took it personal for AMas a quarterback in the
mid-2000s.
Uh you know, when you look atthis whole thing, the whole
season, Texas ends it regularlyat nine and three, but there's
(14:46):
not many people who can say thisin one season, you beat all
three of your rivals.
I I think you guys may have comeclose.
And Stevie, you I think you guysdid it once, right?
SPEAKER_03 (15:02):
No, I never beat OU, man.
I hate to say that.
SPEAKER_05 (15:06):
Oh, that's right.
You didn't.
That's well documented.
I forgot about that.
SPEAKER_07 (15:10):
Uh beat OU twice, three times, twice, two, two,
and one.
Um broke even against the Aggiesand never beat both of them in
the same year together.
So it was uh the other one yearI guess 95.
We we beat AM and snapped theirwin streak.
Um, we actually tied OU thatyear after being up 24-0 at the
(15:31):
half.
It was kind of a weird dynamic.
Yeah, we come back, lose to himin overtime, but we smashed AM
that the end of the year.
So yeah, hadn't hadn't been ableto get the the entire piece of
the pie when it comes to both ofthem.
SPEAKER_05 (15:47):
You know, Arch as a quarterback is um now a member
of a very exclusive fraternityof quarterbacks.
There's only been, I think,someone correct me.
I'm I'm sure somebody will inthe Twitter verse.
Uh people like to there's a lotof uh angry people on Twitter,
uh, especially on on Saturdayand Sunday and Monday.
(16:07):
But uh I think there's only sixquarterbacks in UT history who
have run the gauntlet, the hattrick, beat the hogs OU and the
Aggies.
So that's that's that's prettyimpressive.
So here's the big debate.
Listen, I respect both sides, Iunderstand it.
(16:28):
The UT to the college footballplayoff debate.
I mean, in my opinion, whatneeds to happen, I feel like
OU's definitely in um Bama ifthey lose the SEC title game.
And I I guys, I don't know.
I almost look at it as if whathappens if BYU beats Texas Tech
(16:51):
in the Big 12 championship.
Does that knock OU out?
And and that does it knock Texasfurther down because it really
doesn't matter what the CFPlooks like tonight.
It's what it looks like onSunday.
SPEAKER_07 (17:07):
Yeah, I I honestly I think OU is secure.
I mean, I'm I'm looking at theirschedule and what they've done,
man, and and it's just reallyimpressive to go in and
Knoxville, beat those guys, comeback, I think a week or two
later and beat Alabama, who atthe time was I don't know, I
believe ranked number four.
(17:27):
Yeah, you know, number three.
I mean, doesn't get any moreimpressive than that, other than
you know, a Texas team thatdefeated three top ten teams on
the year.
But you know, we're we're we'rekind of on the outside looking
in, and yeah, it's gonna take alot of help.
I think even if BYU beats TexasTech some reason for some
reason, um that's just gonnaknock everybody that's on the
(17:51):
outside looking in, it's gonnaknock them down.
I mean, because tech's stillgetting in, you know.
Um obviously BYU would be theautomatic qualifier at that
point for winning the conferencechampionship and being ranked
pretty high.
Um, yeah, but that that wouldthat would definitely hurt teams
like Miami, like Texas, likeVanderbilt that are still hoping
to get in.
SPEAKER_05 (18:12):
Stevie, when you look at these potential
scenarios, and again, this isjust our take on for this
podcast.
When you first see, like lastyear, Alabama had a comparable
resume to Texas, you know, hadsome really good wins, but they
had some losses, three losses.
I mean, Stevie, your firstreaction when you hear a
(18:32):
three-loss team trying to getinto this 12-team mix, actually,
it's 11 because you got one ofthe G5s in.
SPEAKER_06 (18:40):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_05 (18:40):
Um and and I mean, do you think there's an
argument?
Do you think or are we reservedto hey they shouldn't be in
because of three losses?
And if they get in, that's evenbetter.
Well, how do you feel about allthis?
SPEAKER_03 (18:57):
Well, on the outside looking in, I want us to be
there.
I want us to get in.
But um, I don't see a path rightnow.
Um because I mean, we got threelosses.
We got three losses, and there'sno ifs, ands, buts about that.
Um, now, when you actually lookat the teams, um do you want to
(19:21):
see BYU?
Do you even want to see TexasTech?
I know you do, people do, but ordo you want to see Texas with an
Arch Manning, right?
That's the that's the the theticket right there.
You know, everyone in thecountry wants to continue to see
Arch Manning play and see how hedoes in the playoffs.
(19:43):
So um that that's you know,pulling on the heartstrings and
and politicking, but I I'm notoptimistic.
I want to see us play in thecollege football playoffs, but
I'm not optimistic.
SPEAKER_07 (19:55):
I mean, yeah.
Yeah, it would definitely makefor good theater and you know,
football, us being in the thethe playoff mix.
I mean, I mean, it'll it'll justwe're talking about a good
couple, two or three weeks of ofTV, you know, that everybody
would be glued to.
And then, you know, you havehousehold names like Arch, you
know, you know, seeing if hecan, you know, overcome the
(20:16):
early uh you know, strugglesearly in the year and and lead
his team to a semifinalappearance, a national
championship appearance,whatever it may be.
But and I think the thing that'sgonna get us is that loss to
Florida, right?
I mean, that's that's the onething.
And it's no different thanAlabama to be honest.
Because if let's say Alabamaloses, which they're really in
(20:39):
no position to lose thisconference championship again.
I think it will be held againstthem, and it won't be that they
lost to Georgia, they're justgonna default back to well,
Alabama lost to uh a bad Floridastate team.
Yeah, that's that's doing very,very bad right now.
That loss is gonna sting themjust like Florida's loss, us our
loss to Florida's is probablygonna sting us.
(21:01):
So that's how I feel.
SPEAKER_05 (21:04):
Now, this is this is all guessing.
This is assuming Texas Texas isa projection for Sunday.
It's completely ignoring whatyou're seeing this evening
because the CFP is out tonight,and and you can you can debate
it all you want, but this isjust us what we think may happen
(21:27):
when the final CFP comes out.
Uh, the asterisk are theconference champions.
Remember, the five highestconference champions receive
automatic bids.
I'm assuming North Texas winsthat championship, therefore,
their conference title, they'llget in with the 12 seed.
I'm assuming Virginia will beatDuke because if Duke wins, that
(21:53):
league won't be represented.
Now, here's where it gets scary.
So you see AM drop from three toseven.
Okay?
That's the 7-10 matchup, who ispaired up with the two seed will
say Georgia.
Tech moves up to three.
Indiana with the loss to OhioState in the Big Ten
Championship goes to four.
(22:15):
Well, the 10th seed who wouldplay in college station, let's
just go ahead and say Miami,Texas, or Alabama, completely
ignoring what Utah has done.
Utah's a great club.
Who who Stevie is this just Imean, do you what's your take on
(22:37):
this?
Because man, there's so manytakes you could have on this.
SPEAKER_03 (22:39):
There's so many takes.
It's the what if.
If my uh I won't say that, butuh if my aunt had balls, she'll
be my uncle.
So this is a big old what if ofif we don't know what's
happening on Saturday.
I mean, um, I I don't think thatthey'll put Texas and Texas AM
(23:04):
back-to-back games, you know.
Um, so this is a huge what if.
I mean, it looks good.
I like it.
Uh, but you're right, where isum where's Utah, you know?
Yeah, so um it's it's toughright now.
I just want to let's look at theuh the games, and if they have
(23:24):
somebody that's uh teetering ongetting in or out, uh they
should put Texas in.
Just because we'll haveviewership, we'll have travel
fans, um, and and and just theexcitement of um Texas in the
college football playoffs threeyears running, you know?
So we'll see.
SPEAKER_05 (23:43):
And May, I wanted to ask you this.
You were you were you brought upsome good points that just
created a thought.
And this is to both of you.
Is this matching the 11 bestteams, or are we going off when
lost records, or do you thinkthis committee is truly
factoring in quality losses, badlosses, uh, political factors,
(24:08):
the cachet of a program likeTexas, the uh the viewership
numbers is uh they're not gonnasay it, but do you think it is?
SPEAKER_07 (24:19):
I I think as far as the uh the the cachet label and
possibly uh politicalcorrectness, that may be the the
last factor, I think.
Because if Alabama loses, nowyou have a uh a program like
Alabama with all historichistory, three losses.
Texas, three losses.
(24:41):
Okay, that that's now we'rewe're we're we're we're
searching for straws with thosetwo programs because we know
when when Alabama's on TV, Texasis on TV, everybody's glued.
You know, whether you love themor hate them, but you're you're
watching that game like likeNotre Dame's playing, also.
So Cash A while I think it'll bea factor, I don't I don't think
that's gonna be the overallfactor that's gonna allow one of
(25:03):
those teams to get in.
Um Utah Man, they're just SOL, Ibelieve.
You know, the two losses havecome to the uh two teams that
are gonna be playing for theconference championship game in
a in a rematch.
SPEAKER_06 (25:16):
Right.
SPEAKER_07 (25:16):
Yeah, so I don't see how you can just even elevate a
Utah team with two losses, verygood team, but uh, but I think
they're definitely on theoutside looking in.
I don't I don't see them evencracking.
I think what where they rankright now, like 16, maybe 15?
They're like in that 14 to 16range.
Yeah, I I don't see them evenmoving up.
Now, I think the interestingargument is, and I think they
(25:38):
got legit beef is what to dowith Miami and Notre Dame.
Because why is Notre Dame stuckat number nine and they have
been the last couple of weeksbased on their quality of
losses?
Well, their quality of lossesjust got worse because uh AM
just got whooped by 10 points totake.
So that Notre Dame team doesn'tlook like the same team.
(26:01):
I mean, their quality of loss inthat case actually goes down to
them because AM's not the teamthat you know that beat Notre
Dame when they beat them.
Um and Miami beat Notre Damehead to head.
So and they've been saying forweeks now, okay, because there
was a huge gap between NotreDame and Miami in the first two
(26:22):
or three polls or whatever.
Simply, and and they weren'teven factoring in the
head-to-head.
Well, I think now Miami has kindof caught up to them, and a
couple teams have lost this,that, and the other.
That head to head has to comeinto play at some point.
And I think I I wouldn't beshocked one bit if Miami, I
mean, they were already on the12 line.
Wouldn't shock me to see them onthat 10 line tonight or even on
(26:45):
the nine line in front of NotreDame.
And Notre Dame season's over.
unknown (26:51):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_07 (26:51):
I mean, I mean, they're they're done playing
this weekend.
So you know, and here's wherethem not being affiliated.
We're gonna see if the committeehas the cojones to penalize
Notre Dame for not being a partof a conference.
Because is that gonna come intoplay?
Because they're if they were inpart of a conference, they would
be playing for a conferencechampionship this year or this
(27:11):
this upcoming weekend with theopportunity to earn and right in
the playoffs.
Now they're just relying onwe're Notre Dame, we're a big
brand.
Um, we do have two losses, butwe deserve to be in the playoff.
Man, when is somebody gonna havethe kahunas to to penalize Notre
Dame for not being a part of uhof a conference?
SPEAKER_05 (27:31):
That's that's a fact.
So here's another one.
Here's another part that Ithought I thought about.
Um the when you look at uh whathow Florida State, I get it, two
years ago their quarterback wasinjured, and it's a totally
different team.
They were undefeated.
Yeah, they didn't get the bid.
(27:52):
Well, what do you do with oldmiss?
SPEAKER_07 (27:53):
They don't have a coach or staff, but they do have
a coach.
The the DC, the very vital partof that that that team called
the defensive plays.
He's the head coach now.
I just found out and just heardthat Charlie Weiss Jr.
is gonna call plays in the game.
He's gonna be the OC.
So other than having theirfigurehead there, I mean, and
(28:14):
you know, they're they're passfigurehead, they do have a head
coach.
He is the defensive coordinator,so they have stability.
So I so I think Ole Miss isgonna be ranked pretty much
right where they are.
I mean, probably gonna have anopportunity to host a home game,
and no, everything's in place,minus Lane.
SPEAKER_05 (28:31):
Yeah, which is a weird situation.
We'll get that in a minute.
Stevie, I know it's tough foryou to answer this.
I know you gotta swallow yourpride on this one.
Um Texas AM, you you've seentheir body of work, you saw
them, and they're they're prettyphysical, they're good.
But do you see them recoveringfrom that loss to Texas and
(28:54):
responding?
Because I feel like Mike Elkohas really changed that
mentality.
I do you see this that Texasloss?
Maybe defeating them twice, ordo you think that they can get
out of that first round?
SPEAKER_03 (29:07):
Whoever they um, when you start looking at um the
teams that they beat, um, andthe and the team that they lost
to, they're only beaten up onthe bottom half of the SEC.
Yeah, they're beating up on thebottom half of the SEC.
These teams that make thecollege football playoffs are
(29:28):
elite right now.
Um, Texas AM is a product of agood, good schedule.
For example, and so um, man,honestly, the way they kind of
imploded because we hit them inthe mouth.
Any of these teams on the screenright now is gonna hit them in
the mouth.
Right?
SPEAKER_05 (29:47):
Every day.
SPEAKER_03 (29:48):
Yeah, yeah.
And they'll they'll fall.
They're gonna fold.
You can you can see it in them.
Um I was gonna say somethingelse.
Uh but You can see it in them.
Um, you know, um theirquarterback Marcel Reed got hit
one good time and he wasbasically done.
(30:09):
And I looked around in thestadium, I said, Yep, I told
y'all these Texas boys hit hard.
So um it and and so once theyget hit in the mouth and they
get uh some adversity, like theywent in in the halftime up, you
know, but they felt it, youknow, and they came back out and
we jumped on them.
So I don't I don't see them Idon't see them getting past
(30:32):
their first game.
SPEAKER_07 (30:33):
That's yeah, I I see him losing too.
I mean, I pretty much even evenstayed that last week that if
they don't beat us in this firstround and secure, you know, uh a
home playoff game.
I I think and um I think they'recooked.
Marcel Reed got exposed.
I I think uh from an emotionalstandpoint and a mental
(30:57):
standpoint, I I think they'recooked.
That that first game, and andyou know, they've been off now.
You know, it's gonna be a coupleweeks before they even get a
chance to play a game, and youknow, I think that's gonna come
into play.
I just don't see them overcomingthat loss to Texas.
SPEAKER_05 (31:10):
That's a tough one, and it it really, yeah, it
really does.
It's a factor, and you know,I'll go back to what we talked
about a few weeks ago.
The game cops of South Carolinaput on film, yeah.
How to scheme them, and it waseven though if it was just for a
first half.
Now, AM can explode on youoffensively.
(31:32):
There's no um, but I did likethe what what I saw from the
Texas old line, DJ Campbell.
Man, they're communicating,they're taking and picking up
blitzes and helping each other.
SPEAKER_03 (31:44):
It's night and day difference, and I try I
attribute that off that newpre-configured offensive line to
why Arch is playing so muchbetter right now.
SPEAKER_05 (31:54):
That's it, Stevie.
That's exactly why, because he'sable to be him.
SPEAKER_03 (31:57):
He's a he's a yes, he trusts his uh offensive line.
SPEAKER_05 (32:01):
It's the biggest team sport that you rely on
others.
Um, while MA and everyone'spoliticking, Sark has been on
every network, almost everypodcast except this one.
And he is he's politicking.
This is this is an example, andhe's not wrong, but I still say
(32:24):
you can't forget the loss toFlorida.
SPEAKER_01 (32:27):
Hey, we had five opportunities, and that's two
more than any other team in thecountry, and we won three of
them, which is the best since2019 when Joe Burrow and LSU you
know beat three teams thatranked in the top ten during the
regular season.
So it's a pretty monumental andhistoric run that we had to get
on.
Uh, and I get don't get mewrong, I wish we went undefeated
(32:47):
too.
Uh, but there was a tall taskwith a new team.
We fought our tails off.
We we fought our tails off inColumbus, Ohio, we fought our
tails off in Athens, Georgia,and we fought our tails off in
Gainesville, Florida.
Three of the probably mostdifficult places to play in the
country.
And at the end of the day, we'renine and three, we're six and
two in the SoutheasternConference.
We've beaten three top tenranked teams, two of which are
(33:07):
current top ten-ranked teams.
SPEAKER_05 (33:11):
He's smart, he's a good presentation, and they were
away from home for 42 days.
SPEAKER_03 (33:16):
He's not wrong.
He and um let me say this.
I'm sorry to cut you off, man,but he's not wrong.
Um, it those are some reallytough places to play in the
country, no matter how bad theteam is.
You know, you know, they didthat study on how many teams um
are uh Texas's rival, and youknow, Florida wanted to beat us,
(33:37):
right?
They they wanted it bad, andthey did, and it's really hard
to play in the swamp.
The other thing I wanted to sayis I'm so glad they they
renovated that building, theygutted that building to where
Stark is sitting at right now,but they kept that picture
behind him of Tommy Nobas andEarl Campbell running in with
the Bulls.
That picture has been up in thisin that uh air in that building
(33:58):
for 30 years now.
They renovated everything elsein that building, but they kept
that picture up.
I really like that.
SPEAKER_05 (34:03):
That's I like good observation, good eye.
That's uh that's an iconicpicture.
SPEAKER_07 (34:08):
It is, yeah, yeah.
That that was never coming down.
SPEAKER_05 (34:11):
And maybe you guys gotta.
I mean, he's for those on socialmedia bitching, whining,
criticizing, calling out Sark,Texas fans crying, dude.
SPEAKER_07 (34:22):
Sark, he's doing his job.
I mean, he should bepolitiquing, he should be
politiquing for a scene.
I mean, coming off a big win,knocking out number three, or
knocking, you know, knocking offnumber three in the country in
front of all the eyes to see.
I mean, it just definitely addsto the resume.
But at the same time, you know,he he's gonna have to answer for
(34:42):
Florida.
A team that at that point coachwas fired, got an interim head
coach, players potentiallygetting in the portal.
No way they should have won thatgame.
The quarterback had been abysmalup until they played us, and he
threw for two, three hundredyards.
I mean, we're gonna have toanswer for that Florida game.
(35:03):
We're gonna have to answer forbarely beating Kentucky, a team
that probably should have beatus in overtime.
They were right there.
We're gonna have to answer forMississippi State.
Mississippi State, another gamethat came down to the wire.
I mean, these are teams that youknow in Mississippi State, they
they've lost a lot of closegames this year.
I I don't think they'llnecessarily be penalized for
that one.
I mean, because you did win thegame, you won the Kentucky game.
(35:26):
But Kentucky's a bad footballteam.
Florida's a bad football team.
I know they have names, and Iknow Ben Hill, Griffin Stadium
is the swamp is a tough place toplay.
I I think if we had a betterloss against Georgia, that's the
better.
But but we we ended up gettingsmoke bomb, and um the committee
(35:47):
just has a lot to look at whenit comes to us getting in.
I love Mr.
Mint May when he's in the lot tolook at.
I hate saying that because Imean we I do I believe we
deserve to be in the playoffs.
I do.
I mean, if I if I had to choose,I would put us in just because
of we went on the road, went toOhio State.
We've played some of those gamesthat a lot of teams won't won't
(36:09):
schedule, you know, and withthat, you're gonna take some
lumps, you know.
But like Shark said, man, I meanyou six and two in the SEC, you
won, you know, five five out ofthose big games that you you've
played against.
Um you know, you you beat a whatis a top rank OU team right now,
and better building wins.
SPEAKER_05 (36:29):
You know, great wins.
And and and here's the thing,here's the thing that bothers me
um more than anything.
When we had a four-team playoff,people bitched and moaned,
criticized the five and six.
Four, five, six areinterchangeable.
All right, the solution, let'sgo to 12.
Yeah, what happens when we go to16?
SPEAKER_07 (36:52):
And honestly, man, we we should be modeling this
thing after the NFL, to behonest.
I mean, I I think if we go thatroute, because I believe there's
uh seven teams that get in, andthe the the two the two uh you
know top C's in the conferenceget a get an opening round bot.
And those other six teams playeach other on wild card weekend.
(37:13):
I think if we model that there'suh that that'll that'll help
solve the debate.
Because now you just take youknow, you you kind of break that
model down how you want to, youknow, the five conference
champions and whatnot, and thenthe next best at-large teams
based on record got ourselves anice playoff.
And if you don't fit thatcriteria, we just got to set the
(37:33):
criteria and stick to it, and itis what it is.
It's the same thing in the NFL,man.
They they got those tiebreakersand things like that.
A lot of teams that might havethe same record, but if you lost
to this opponent or lost to thatopponent within a division,
within the conference, I meanall defaults to the to the
tiebreakers, those teams areout.
No more bitching to complainingabout it.
You're you're done, you had yourchance.
(37:54):
You're out, you know.
So I I don't know.
Yeah, because it could go onforever, like like with the
field of 64.
You know, you got the first fourout, then they went to the
play-in game, and now it's 68.
Right, right, right.
It could go on forever, man.
At some point, it's gotta be wewe we gotta end it.
12 might not be enough, but Ithink 16 is the sweet spot.
(38:15):
You gotta you gotta push, yougotta halt it.
SPEAKER_05 (38:18):
That's 16's enough now.
Um like FCS were my guys play.
We've gone from 16 to 20, now24.
All right, by the way, they'rethe seventh national seed,
they're playing a playoff game.
Yeah, in the round of 16 thisweekend, yeah.
(38:40):
First round by, but I don'tthink you go past 16 for FBS.
SPEAKER_07 (38:45):
Nah, nah, I don't I don't think so.
And then it just becomes watereddown, and that's why we love the
sport so much.
We love the debate aspect of itwho should have got in, who's
getting in, and it's definitelyan upgrade from the 14 playoff
and from the old schoolmythical, you know, whoever's
ranked number one and rankednumber two, these are the guys
gonna play for the championship.
Way better than that.
(39:06):
Yeah, way better.
SPEAKER_03 (39:07):
And what we I was gonna say, what we do need to do
is uh figure out how we can endthe season earlier.
We can't go in the uh Februaryand college football.
SPEAKER_07 (39:18):
Um uh for well, it's over January, January 21st is is
the championship game.
SPEAKER_03 (39:22):
Yeah, I think we need to still um end it before
then, before and we need auniform uh day when school
starts on going back from uhwinter break um across the board
because there are some kidsgonna be playing in the national
championship game that arewanting to uh uh enter the
portal.
Well, that's it.
SPEAKER_07 (39:42):
I think they need to adjust that.
They need to adjust, and I thinkthey do have an amendment to
where those kids that are in theportal, as long as their team is
in the playoffs, they're gonnahave a chance to hop in the
portal, so they're gonna have achance to exercise that.
I think it's like a 10-daywindow, right?
From January 2nd to January 11thor 12th or something like that.
They'll get theirs when theirteam finishes playing.
SPEAKER_03 (40:04):
So and so for me adjustments for me, get gaining
a couple weeks in August.
Go ahead and start in the seasona little bit, a little bit
earlier.
Um, maybe a week or two, andthen getting rid of so many uh
bye weeks.
Didn't we had two bye weeks?
SPEAKER_05 (40:21):
I don't mind that because that grind at this speed
and this level.
SPEAKER_07 (40:26):
Yeah, we we we yeah, I know University of Louisville
had two bye weeks, and yeah, andboth of them would happen to be
early, and then they went onlike an eight-game stretch.
Yeah, you know, so yeah, I knowCoach Braun was complaining
about that.
It's like, man, why you give metwo bye weeks, but you put them
all at the beginning of theyear.
Now I got guys banged up.
I'm playing with my four tofifth string running back
because I I don't, you know,yeah, they need there's some
(40:48):
quirks about the schedule thatthey can definitely figure out,
but um, you know, it's not aperfect system, not a perfect
model, but never made a lot ofpeople a lot of money.
That's what it is.
SPEAKER_05 (40:58):
But I I'll say this for fans, uh, and I'll before we
get to wrapping this up.
Uh don't eliminate the earlyseason marquee games just
because that's great for the Idon't want to see Sam Houston,
San Jose State, San Jose Stateas the three as SEC goes to the
(41:19):
games.
No, no fan wants to see thatcrap.
Yeah, we pay enough for thesetickets.
SPEAKER_07 (41:26):
That's gonna be ADs, though.
That's gonna be ADs and coaches,man, setting those schedules,
and you know that's exactlywhat's gonna happen.
Who's gonna be like Del Coneyand schedule Ohio State, you
know, Michigan, Notre Dame, youknow, because now I think most
of the Power Four conferencesthey're gonna be playing nine or
ten you know conference games.
So they're looking for that thatthat pansy, that cakewalk game,
(41:47):
you know, to try to get in theresomewhere.
But um you know, the big schoolsare definitely gonna stand a
benefit more than the littleones.
I gotta hook them, fellas.
SPEAKER_05 (42:02):
So, Stevie, this is what it's looking like.
Hey, this this is a guest, ofcourse.
What you just saw was ourprojection of the final CFP for
Sunday.
We don't we don't have a damnclue.
We're just going off oureducated guests.
SPEAKER_03 (42:16):
It's a little bit of a clue, a little bit.
SPEAKER_05 (42:18):
It is, it is because I Steve, I'm gonna say it right
now.
I say there's a 70% chance Texasis closer than people think.
SPEAKER_03 (42:30):
You think so?
SPEAKER_05 (42:32):
Politics.
SPEAKER_03 (42:33):
Politics and money I say, baby, swag.
I hear you, I hear you.
I hope you're right, man.
I hope you're right.
SPEAKER_05 (42:40):
And who, if you're a network executive, if you're
ESPN, you're ABC, you're Disney,why would you not want an AM
Texas rematch in the firstround?
SPEAKER_03 (42:54):
Nah, they don't want that.
They don't, nah.
Nah, I don't think they wouldwant that, man.
That game's been played.
You want something new.
SPEAKER_05 (43:06):
Yeah.
The only way to make it happen.
SPEAKER_03 (43:11):
I don't know, man.
That's still that's a tough one.
SPEAKER_05 (43:14):
It is.
SPEAKER_03 (43:15):
They're gonna look around and say we already played
that game.
SPEAKER_05 (43:17):
That's right.
A lot of people hey, a lot ofpeople have opinions.
That's one of them.
Yeah, hey, I'll tell you what, alot of people have opinions
about this guy.
He's been bouncing around allover the country, NFL, college.
I don't know, he seems likable.
But some rap artists based outof Mississippi.
(43:37):
I think they called it like theysaw it.
SPEAKER_02 (43:40):
Living Pipin didn't give it a go.
Let me keep it in the middle,give it a given.
Quick on the bird, the play, ofthin, quick, quick, gonna be.
SPEAKER_03 (44:18):
What would you do?
Like what somebody will offer mea bigger, better job, then I
gotta take it for me and myfamily.
That's that's not fair.
SPEAKER_05 (44:27):
It's not about the money.
Just what he's already wasalready making great money at at
Ole Miss.
SPEAKER_03 (44:35):
He was, but you want to be in Mississippi or you want
to be in Baton Rouge, like it'sneither.
Well, the food is better inBaton Rouge.
I I can't see that, and you'reonly an hour away from uh New
Orleans.
SPEAKER_05 (44:53):
My happy place, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (44:54):
Man, I love South Louisiana.
SPEAKER_05 (44:56):
But um joking, Baton Rouge, I love you.
SPEAKER_03 (44:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Uh so it it's it's he wasoffered another gig, offered a
lot of money for the NIL.
Um, what do you have him do?
You want him to turn that downand stay at Ole Miss?
Come on, man.
It's um it's it's uh what oldmiss maybe 60,000 seat stadium,
(45:20):
80 maybe 80,000 seat stadium.
It's about 70 about 70,000 seatstadium, or go to LSU to 110,
and everybody's behind you, andyou just the you're the D state
school, and um it's it's oldmiss that you gotta fight with
uh Mississippi State, and youalways gonna well he he brought
(45:41):
the program up to the top halfof the SEC, but other than that,
mostly you've been at the bottomhalf of the SEC, you know.
Yeah, um, the guy took anotherjob, and it it it I don't know
why they are on him so bad, man.
I know that they wanted him tostay, but I don't get it.
It's it's too much.
SPEAKER_05 (46:00):
Well, Kevin wanted to stay through the playoffs,
but yeah, and the AD said no.
SPEAKER_03 (46:05):
So y'all need to be yelling at the AD.
I don't I know that there may berules and he'll be around uh uh
the players trying to recruitthem to come to LSU and this,
this, and that, but I think wegotta put the ego aside some to
let the man go ahead and finishout the season, the season that
he started.
So he he's taking another job,but you won't let him finish out
(46:31):
what he's what he's doing, likebe amicable.
Yes, say man, thank you for allyour service here.
Let's finish this season offgood, and we'll build you a
statue, you know.
So if you win, you know.
So um, I think that just becausethey didn't get the answer that
they wanted, then it was all cutall ties and bad blood after
(46:51):
that.
SPEAKER_05 (46:51):
Yeah, no, I agree, I agree.
And I want to circle back.
Let's just say Texas doesn'tmake it to the CFP.
I forgot one piece ofinformation.
Um the nine wind horns, if theydon't make the CFP.
Uh the bowl games that they'rethat they would be tied to,
it'll either be the Liberty Bowlin Memphis, Gator Bowl, the
(47:14):
Dukes Mayo Bowl, Citrus Bowl, orthe Reliot.
I think the Dukes Mayo, Citrus,and Reliot are all in the
Florida area.
So that's that would be the Bowlgames, and I think they're New
Year's Day games.
Uh Liberty Bowl, I can'tremember what day it's on, but I
I know Texas fans don't want anypart of that.
Uh but Memphis is a good city,uh, Bill Street and uh Blue City
(47:37):
Cafe.
I highly recommend, but maybeyou don't have to worry about
that.
Um, before we hit the break, uhwe gotta we gotta caption a
photo, Stevie.
SPEAKER_03 (48:06):
Poor Aggies.
That's that's my that's mycaption.
Poor Aggies.
Golly.
SPEAKER_05 (48:13):
Silver Spurs, I think it may be Silver Spurs and
Texas Cowboys uniting therebehind members of the 12th man
uh yell leaders.
SPEAKER_03 (48:23):
Poor Aggies, that's it.
That's my that's my uh caption.
They don't even have a thumbsup.
SPEAKER_05 (48:30):
That's well, if you're the if you're a yell
leader right there, man, at thatmoment, I would assume that's in
the about eight minutes to go inthe game.
How do you feel?
I mean, what do you do?
Nothing.
Yeah, you're dejected.
Hey, on the other side, after wetake a quick break, you won't
believe how many Texas highschool football playoff teams
(48:52):
are remaining from Austin.
Not many.
We'll see on the other side.
Austin, Texas is changing everyday.
But one constant is DirtyMartin's Place on Bois.
Dirty's recently celebrated 98years young, and the future is
soft.
And this space in the back isopen to host any event, personal
(49:14):
or business related.
SPEAKER_00 (49:15):
Hey everyone, it's Daniel here at uh Dirty
Martin's.
We're in the Burn Orange Room.
We are currently uh booking alot of parties back here.
If you can see, we got a classeven for about 90 people, but we
are excited to host uh any partythat you might want to bring.
SPEAKER_05 (49:28):
Give Daniel Young a call at liberty to observe this
space for any event that you canthink of.
(50:27):
Stevie, only six remainingschools.
SPEAKER_03 (50:30):
That Vanderbilt Vandegriff versus uh dripping.
Where's that game gonna be?
SPEAKER_05 (50:37):
San Antonio.
SPEAKER_03 (50:41):
What is UIL doing, man?
SPEAKER_05 (50:45):
It's not UIL.
What is it?
Each high school footballprogram, the coaching staffs,
they usually they discuss, theythey they figure out a neutral
location or the coin toss forhome, home, and they they gotta
locate and identify a neutralspot and see if it's available
either on usually it'll Fridayor Saturday.
(51:07):
I've seen it happen onThursdays, and then you gotta
pay, you know, or reserve it,and you come to an agreement
with the venue.
Hey, we'll we're gonna takeconcessions, we'll give you
ticket sales, um, and reserveit.
And I think if I remember right,they're gonna play at the Alamo
Dome.
Oh, really?
SPEAKER_03 (51:28):
Um scenario teams gotta go all the way down to San
Antonio, all the way to damn SanAntonio.
SPEAKER_05 (51:33):
I don't get it, yeah.
You know, and it's I tell youwhat, man, I what Drew Sanders
has done with the defendingstate champions of 6A Division
II to get them back to thisround in a somewhat rebuilding
year.
Good culture, great program.
They're reloaded, but drippingsprings.
(51:56):
I don't know.
They have been waiting for thisopportunity.
I think this is the year, and Imay be wrong, where they take
that next big leap.
I think dripping wins this gameand ends up playing for the
state championship.
They've come, they've they'vebeen a mainstay for a long time.
(52:17):
Galen Zimmerman, all the allthose great coaches out there in
that community, they're hungry.
And I think they need to getthis done before that other
school opens.
And dripping.
Yeah, that's a great communityout there, man.
It's funny.
I cannot, I am blown away by howI mean their home atmosphere at
(52:41):
that current stadium indripping.
It's intimidating, man.
Intimidating for a visitinggroup.
I mean, it is loud.
And so is Vandegruff.
SPEAKER_03 (52:52):
Yeah, I wish they would have just made the school
bigger and uh added more kids tothe school, but I hate it, man.
Yeah, they they did the samething to Judson down in uh
Converse, uh, and opened up andso you don't hear as much Judson
football as you used to becausethey broke the broke the program
up.
SPEAKER_05 (53:13):
Shout out to my good friend and stories inside the
man cave VIP alumni, Mark Soto,the head coach of the Judson
Rockets.
SPEAKER_03 (53:19):
There you go.
You know my wife with theJudson.
SPEAKER_05 (53:22):
He's a Judson Rocket himself.
Oh, really?
He played on those great teams.
SPEAKER_03 (53:27):
So okay, he he may know may know my wife.
SPEAKER_05 (53:31):
Yeah, Mark Soto.
SPEAKER_06 (53:33):
Hey Ben, tell me something good.
SPEAKER_05 (53:40):
Oh buddy, we just got through Thanksgiving, ate
like a champion.
SPEAKER_03 (53:46):
Um that means you won then, huh?
SPEAKER_05 (53:50):
Yeah, I had a Puerto Rican-influenced uh menu, if you
will, uh for uh my niece'sfather-in-law is Puerto Rican.
SPEAKER_03 (54:02):
Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_05 (54:03):
Uh great food.
It was it was it was simple thefoundation of Thanksgiving food,
but with a Caribbean PuertoRican twist.
Uh and I I baked my first pieever.
SPEAKER_03 (54:14):
There you go.
SPEAKER_05 (54:15):
Chocolate pecan, it was a hit, and uh it encourages
it it man, it I think it spikesdiabetic diabetes.
Um it was too rich for me.
I didn't like my own pie becauseit's too rich.
But brother, I have a lot to bethankful for.
You and your family are part ofit.
Um, that beautiful display inAustin at DKR, seeing the maroon
(54:37):
and burn orange together againhere in Austin, regardless of
how nasty it kind of gotsometimes between fans.
It's good to see those two fanbases together, and man, I just
there's a lot of things that wedon't see uh around us that we
should so should be so gratefulfor.
But tell me something good, mybrother.
SPEAKER_03 (54:58):
Something good today is December 2nd, and December is
a very busy month for myhousehold.
Man, I got two both mydaughters' birthdays are
December, and we got Christmas.
And I am thankful and happy thatit's December, the end of the
year, and um Christmas, man.
(55:19):
Christmas is here.
It's a beautiful season here,yeah, beautiful season.
Uh, the cool weather, crispweather, sunny skies in Austin,
Texas.
Man, just happy that I'm here,happy to be around, you know.
SPEAKER_05 (55:34):
I'm happy.
I'm happy you're around, andman, the season of giving,
season of beautiful.
I don't like the cold, but italso kind of makes you smile a
little bit.
SPEAKER_03 (55:43):
Oh, I love the cold.
SPEAKER_05 (55:44):
Man, you I knew you were different, brother.
That was fun.
MA, you and MA were cookingtoday, yeah, and we're so
thankful for you at home.
And we wish you and your familya happy Hanukkah, Merry
Christmas, uh, happy holidays,happy Kwanzaa, everything.
(56:05):
We celebrate it all up in thisman's cave, I'll tell you that.
Um, but to you, much love toyou, and we're so thankful, and
we're so thankful for the greatcity of Shreveport, Louisiana,
because it's a home of StevieLee and the home of Hardgrove
Rufing.
And we love Nacados, Texas, thehome of my college alma mater,
Stephen F.
Austin, beat Abilene Christianin the first, second round of
(56:27):
the FCS playoffs in my beautifulhometown, Austin, Texas.
Man, it's paradise in the hills.
And to each of you who havesupported us this year and
forever, continue.
I'm overly grateful.
And to the OG Man C boys, thatbeing Harbaugh Hards, Big Mike,
he coach Mo.
(56:48):
What did we tell him, StevieLee?
We out.
SPEAKER_06 (56:55):
I'm in my car in a gide.
I said, get out.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.