The "Big XII, Big Stage" Edition

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is "doubling down" on the 5+11 future College Football Playoff format.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Each time for Clemson Sports Talk with Loudon Swan Swanny.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
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(01:26):
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That's the website as well. All right, so today we
will turn our attention to the Big twelve. And I
think this is a couple of important notes to make here.
Number One, for significance sake, we're gonna be talking about

(01:49):
the Big twelve because the Big twelve Media Days actually
started yesterday, and I'm gonna be honest, I didn't realize
that they were taking to the stage. But Brent Yormark,
we will hear from the commissioner of the Big Twelve
coming up in just a little bit, because I think

(02:09):
this league is an interesting case study, and it's where
I'll begin today's program, And since it's Big Twelve Day,
I will also take a look at in our over
unders three schools from the Big Twelve to see how
that league might perform with some of their top teams.

(02:31):
Now they do this differently. Remember the ACC a year
ago did four days, but they trended it back to three,
and the leagues have shifted a lot over the past
few years, which has created, i think for the conference
league offices difficulty in figuring out what's the best way

(02:54):
to do this to make it advantageous for media members
one from all across the country who are having to
make their way in the case of the Big Twelve
out to Dallas, Texas or Arlington the Stars where they
actually have this that's the Dallas Cowboys practice facility. So

(03:17):
when you've got schools that have been added into the
league over the past few years, including some that have
been there for a while, like West Virginia. You have
to try to make it work for all media members.

Speaker 3 (03:33):
But they do a.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
Two day event, a two day event held at the
Dallas Cowboys Global Headquarters, with yesterday's event having the following
schools Arizona State, Baylor byu UCF, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas State,

(03:58):
and Texas Tech. Eighteen speaking yesterday including the commissioner, and
then today it'll be Arizona, Colorado, Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma State,
TCU Utah, and West Virginia the other eight teams, so

(04:19):
sixteen teams in the Big twelve and each of them
getting some time at the podium over the past two
days with a eight and eight split. Now, teams brought
different numbers of representatives as well, which I don't really understand,
but for example, Arizona State brought six players, three on offense,

(04:44):
three on defense, including their quarterback Sam Levitt, while West Virginia,
who is going to be led by head coach Rich
Rodriguez this year and his second stint there in Morgantown
and also Mike Gundhy who we discussed Oklahoma State yesterday,
they only brought three people. So I don't know what

(05:05):
the significance was of how many individuals you can or
cannot bring. Some teams chose to bring six, others chose
to bring less. Now that's not overly significant necessarily, but
it is something I want to talk about. But this conference,
I should say, is something I want to talk about

(05:26):
before we hear from Brett Yormark and some of his
comments on where college football is, the state of college football,
et cetera, and the state of the Big Twelve. But
I just happened to catch Andy Staples and Ari Wiserman today,
just saw a little snippet of their work overall social media,

(05:47):
and one of the things I think it was Ari
Wiserman said, and this has always been my thing, like
when we've talked about the Power four and again, at
this point, I think we can fairly exclude the remnants
of the Pac twelve and the additional teams that they
have brought in as being in that same kind of lane,

(06:12):
that that same stature of program or conference. I should say,
that's the same sort of stature of conference that the
Southeastern Conference, that the Big Ten and Wiserman and and
Andy Staples would agree with. This and then they would

(06:32):
include the Atlantic Coast Conference in that because the difference
at this point for me in the Big Twelve and
the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten and even the
Atlantic Coast Conference is that when the Big Twelve lost
Texas and Oklahoma, albeit since both of those teams that

(06:55):
had been a long time since they won the national championship, right,
you'd have to go back to six for Texas, you'd
have to go back to the year two thousand for Oklahoma.
But the other leagues outside of the Big Ten currently
have teams that are legitimate contenders for a national championship

(07:16):
and or have won national championships during the College Football
Playoff era a la. Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference,
which a lot of teams are Excuse me, which a
lot of leagues can't really say at this point, but
when the Pac Twelve breaks up and two of their
top teams in the College Football Playoff era in Oregon

(07:38):
and Washington end up in the Big Ten, along with
some a perennial sort of power over the years in
Southern cal who routinely pops up right in that conversation. Now,
they haven't been what they were in the early two
thousands in a long time, but even still they're always
kind of on the tip of your tongue, maybe much
like Notre Dame in the conversation of hey, is this

(08:01):
the year they kick in the door and compete for
a national title? You have teams like that. No, doubtedly
in the SEC. No doubtedly in the Big Ten. You've
got teams like Clemson in Florida State and I'm gonna.

Speaker 3 (08:15):
A little bit on Miami.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
But names that have had great success, some during the
playoff era, some outside of it, but the Big twelves
construction currently doesn't have that, right. I mean, you had
TCU's run to the national championship a couple of years ago,
but you don't have a name brand that kicks in

(08:37):
the door. And I think that's the biggest hurdle that
Brett Yormark in this conference have is finding that team
and can that team be developed in this new revenue
sharing nil era of college sports. That's the big question.
Let me know in the comments if you're watching on TikTok,
what team do you think or teams from the Big

(08:58):
twelve can rise up to that status or am I
wrong about it? Because for me, like I look at
this conference, and I have a sneaky feeling that the
favorite to win the league once it's all voted on
by the media, that either Kansas State or Arizona State

(09:22):
will likely be the two teams projected to win the conference. Now,
that's all well and good, and we can certainly highlight
Arizona State and the job that the Sun Devils did
last season. I think they'll go nine to three this year.
That was the number that I gave you, but they
went what eleven and three a season ago, had the

(09:46):
comeback against Texas, actually had Texas on the ropes at
one point in that matchup, but they let them off
the hook. Their former Big twelve member got off the hook.
They couldn't hook them, so to speak, for lack of
a better word. But of those teams, who do you believe,

(10:11):
you know, regardless of what the playoff format ultimately looks
like in this day and age, with the format that
currently exists, who do you think represents that conference in
the College Football Playoff? And is there another team that
you would project out of that league.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
To be in.

Speaker 2 (10:38):
I mean, that's the question that needs to be answered.
And you've had some schools like Utah in the past,
but even Utah this year is not nearly as well
thought of as they once were. And you know what,

(11:02):
in fairness, going back through the league real quick, and
do you have to say Cincinnati did make the College
Football Playoff when they were outside of the Big Twelve,
but they did participate.

Speaker 3 (11:11):
I gotta be fair here.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
But a school like Colorado with Deon Sanders has had
high expectations because of his arrival, but without the same
level of superstars. Without a guy in Travis Hunter, who
was in the argument for being the number one pick
in the NFL Draft because of his ability to play

(11:38):
on both sides of the ball, drafted second by the
Jacksonville Jaguars. You don't have a kid like Shador Sanders
at quarterback. By the way, they were at the Big
Twelve media days today. Actually saw them at the event
and we could certainly get some audio from that for

(11:58):
you here over the next couple of days. Julian Lewis
and Caden Salter the two guys that are kind of
battling there for the quarterback job, and we'll look at
Colorado in just a little bit. We'll also focus on
Utah today. We'll see I'll give me my thoughts on
the Utes. They are not expected to be one of

(12:19):
the better teams in that conference this year. But Kyle
Winningham has been about his steady and consistent as a
head coaches you can probably find in college football.

Speaker 3 (12:32):
Now.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
Some of that success, you will recall, was during his
tenure in the Mountain West before the Utah Utes joined
the PAC twelve back in twenty eleven. But he was
able to build a profile there and was able to
build the program where a lot of kids wanted to
come play because of the success that they were having.

(12:55):
All of that was parlayed off of Urban Meyer dating
back to two thousand and four when Utah finished Kyle
Winningham coached that Fiesta Bowl game, but they finished number
four in the country. They did in eight they went
thirteen to zero, won the Sugar Bowl, and finished second

(13:16):
in the AP And so that was all again in
the Mountain West. So the in conference competition was not
as difficult as other teams and other leagues were facing.
But when they got to their bowl games, you know,
when they had to pay it off, they did and
they beat Alabama and Nick Saban thirty one seventeen, jumping

(13:41):
out to a twenty one nothing lead over the Crimson Tide,
and that was a Crimson Tide football team that entered
that game, I think maybe twelve and one. It wasn't
some chop liver Alabama, although it was still very early
in Nick Saban's tenure with the todde But then Utah
goes into the Pac twelve and there were some a

(14:06):
couple of years of kind of getting it together where
they were like five and seven, but eventually they sort
of turned the corner and they end up winning the
conference in twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two. Several
top ten finishes, multiple Top twenty finishes for Kyle Winningham

(14:27):
during that stretch with UTA in the PAC twelve, but
a year ago joining the Big twelve, they went five
and seven and two and seven in the conference and
so easily his worst finish ever thirteenth in the league.
Kyle Winningham had never finished worse than fifth in the

(14:51):
Pac twelve. So we'll look at Utah today obviously, what
type of season you know, I think when you've been
somewhere as long as he had last twenty years going
on twenty one, very similar to a coach like Mike
Gundy and I would argue he's earned more. He's earned

(15:13):
more leeway with the Utah Faithful than Mike Gundy should
currently have in my opinion, with Oklahoma State. The other
team we'll look at today as well out of the
Big Twelve is TCU, So we'll do that coming up
in just a minute, and we'll hear some comments from
Brett yor Mark at the Big Twelve Media Days. As

(15:35):
a matter of fact, we'll jump out to his opening
statement here to wrap up segment number one. On a
Big Twelve Wednesday afternoon.

Speaker 5 (15:44):
It's great to have our twenty twenty five Football Media Days,
powered by Microsoft.

Speaker 4 (15:48):
Co Pilot back in Texas.

Speaker 5 (15:51):
I want to thank the Dallas Cowboys and the Jones
family for hosting us in this remarkable venue. I'd like
to thank every member of the media for being here
and for your continued coverage of our conference. There's been
plenty to write about over the last year, and I
believe your coverage has remained fair, balanced and thoughtful. I'd

(16:16):
also like to thank our media, commercial and bowl partners
that are here with us today. Six weeks from now,
the Big Twelve will kick off its thirtieth football season
in Dublin, Ireland. This will be a historic moment for
Iowa State, Case State, and the entire Big Twelve, and
we look forward to returning next year when TCU hosts

(16:40):
North Carolina.

Speaker 4 (16:43):
All eyes will be in.

Speaker 5 (16:44):
Our league both at home and around the globe. As
you just saw, it was a remarkable year for the
Big Twelve on and off the field. It marked our
first season as the sixteen team league, spanning ten states,
four time zones, and it exceeded even our highest expectations.

(17:06):
Each of our sixteen institutions contributed a men's.

Speaker 4 (17:09):
Value to the conference.

Speaker 5 (17:12):
Arizona State earned its way into the CFP and played
in a thrilling Peach Bowl. Colorado produced a Heisman Trophy winner.
Thirty one Big Twelve athletes were selected in the twenty
twenty five NFL Draft, which matched the conference's highest total
since two thousand and five. Beyond football, BYU brought home

(17:36):
two national championships in cross country. Houston men's basketball made
a dramatic run to the nca National Championship Game. TCU
reached the Elite eight in women's basketball, while their beach
volleyball team won the national championship. Utah made it to
the gymnastics finals and win a championship in skiing, while

(18:03):
Oklahoma State captured a national title in golf. As the
year came to a close, Texas Tech Softball captivated the
sports world with a run to the national championship, while
Arizona advanced to the Men's College World Series. Looking ahead,

(18:23):
our focus remains on thriving in this new era of
college athletics. Strengthening our football product remains essential. We are
committed to continued investment and growth. Every school in our
league has committed to providing the highest level of benefits
to our student athletes, and once again, I believe we

(18:47):
will be the deepest football conference in America. No league
offers the competitive balance that we do. Last season, the
Big Twelve led the nation in fourth quarter lead changes
and go ahead scores in the final minute of conference games,
and this year our star power, especially at quarterback, will

(19:10):
be on full display. The Big Twelve returns nine starting
quarterbacks who threw for over twenty four hundred yards last season.

Speaker 4 (19:20):
The rest of the power for combined just eleven.

Speaker 2 (19:24):
That's Big Twelve Conference Commissioner Brett your Mark. They're talking
yesterday at the Big Twelve Media Days and again, I
want to play this little snippet and we'll jump back
into this conversation when we return, And once again.

Speaker 5 (19:39):
I believe we will be the deepest football conference in America.
No league offers the competitive balance.

Speaker 4 (19:48):
That we do.

Speaker 2 (19:49):
Pretty big words from your mark, no doubt about it.
Will come back. We'll break it down for you when
we return. Stay with Raygrol, Fox Sports Radio fourteen hundred,
Rocking and Rolling, Lawton Swan, Clemson Sports Talk with you
on a Wednesday afternoon. Facts and Children joins us an
now or number two. So we've been talking about the
Big twelve and if you're just joining us, here's a

(20:11):
comment from Brett Yormark that I think raised a lot
of eyebrows across the country, certainly for sports talk journalists
and fans.

Speaker 5 (20:19):
And once again, I believe we will be the deepest
football conference in America. No league offers the competitive balance.

Speaker 4 (20:29):
That we do.

Speaker 2 (20:31):
And the phrase that I think bothered a lot of
people there right, the deepest football conference in America. And
then he goes on to talk about the competitive balance.
He would eventually go on to talk about the lead
changes in the fourth quarter and how many returning quarterbacks

(20:52):
that that conference has Like there were a lot of
points that he made on it, but to me, there
are two distinct differences in the phrase the deepest conference
and competitive balance. Just like I said out of the gate,

(21:13):
when you look at the Big Twelve, if you talk
about how deep are they in college football playoff worth?
How deep are they in the number of teams that
they will place in the college football playoff? How far
does that go? And I think most of you would

(21:37):
agree not very Like I noted earlier, this league doesn't
have those foundational teams that you can just immediately say, yep,
you know what, they got a great chance to play
for a national title. And that I think is the

(22:00):
difference if if we look at the Southeastern Conference, if
we look at the Big Ten, there aren't what I
would say, oodles of teams that can win the national title,

(22:21):
but there are three, maybe four that you go, that's
probably one of the more logical choices to win the title.
Does it mean that a team like Old Miss couldn't
win the national title? No, of course a magical run,
they could do it. But I wouldn't put them in
that group that I would say, yep, that team can

(22:43):
win the national title. This year, although anyone theoretically can
win it, you know you would want to pick more
strategically on those teams, and from the Big Twelve, not
many teams are ever going to be picked if any
strategically as to that team would win the national title.

(23:04):
To be a deep team, I think you have to
have a few of those teams in your conference. If
you have four that's outstanding, three is good, two is okay.
The Big Twelve doesn't have that. And that's why when
I've talked about the pecking order of college football, it's
too difficult in my opinion, to hash out Big Ten

(23:25):
versus SEC. But I have no doubt that the Atlantic
Coast Conference is third ahead of the Big Twelve because
when Texas and Oklahoma left, the Big Twelve lost those pillars.
And even though those teams had not won national titles
in a long long time, they were still teams that

(23:47):
you had to circle every year. And you can look
at how competitive Oklahoma was in the College Football Playoff
era at the beginning, and you had to acknowledge that
they were a team in the Big Twelve that could
win the Big Twelve, that could get to back then
a four team playoff because you were going to get
booked if you won your conference, you really felt like
you were gonna have a legit chance, and they compete

(24:11):
in a couple of games to win the title. Now
it never happened for Oklahoma. They were never quite able
to kick it in. They didn't get to play even
in a national championship in that old four team era,
and this twelve team era makes it more difficult, But deepest,
I don't know that's the right wording that I would use.

(24:32):
As Brett or Mark was talking about the Big Twelve
Conference yesterday out in Dallas. He also talked about the
coaches in the conference and his thoughts on what he
expects from the Big Twelve this season in college football
as it pertains to the College Football Playoff.

Speaker 5 (24:49):
We also boast one of the nation's top coaching lineups,
from Hall of famers to rising stars.

Speaker 4 (24:58):
I fully expect the Big t twelve to.

Speaker 5 (25:00):
Earn multiple college Football Playoff bids this year and to
show once again that we can compete with anyone.

Speaker 2 (25:11):
Some comments there from britt your Mark on the Big Twelve.
He also talked about the future of the college football
playoff format, and he's a big proponent obviously of the
five to eleven model, which I think makes a lot
of sense for a multitude of reasons. But here are
his comments on that front.

Speaker 5 (25:33):
Speaking of the CFP, we continue to believe the five
to eleven model proposed by the Big twelve and the
ACC is the right playoff format for college football.

Speaker 4 (25:46):
We want to earn it on the field.

Speaker 5 (25:49):
We do not need a professional model because we are
not the NFL. We are college football and we must
act like it. There is nothing in sports like college football,
and we must protect what makes it special and do
what's right for the fans.

Speaker 4 (26:10):
And the game.

Speaker 2 (26:12):
And so essentially, what your Marcus saying there, obviously is
that a model that distributes more opportunities to the Big
ten in the SEC inherently downplays the value of his conference,
the value of the Atlantic Coast Conference. And so you might,

(26:35):
you might say to me, but Swannie, weren't you just
talking about how that league doesn't have the same number
of contenders that other conferences do? And I signify or
signal to you here, yes, that is exactly what I said.
But when we get back from this break, I'll explain

(26:59):
thoroughly why what he is saying is absolutely correct, and
why that five plus eleven model is better for everybody
across the board over the long haul specifically, and that's
probably most important. Keep it a lot right here on
Fox Sports Radio fourteen hundred.

Speaker 3 (27:19):
Don't forget.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
You can listen on your Amazon Echo or Google Home
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(27:41):
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So we've been listening to a little bit of britt
your Mark's comments from yesterday at the twenty twenty five
Big twelve media days as they got underway out in Dallas,

(28:03):
and one of the things that he talked about, and
we played the audio for you before the break, was
about believing that the five eleven model was the best
model for the sport, not wanting a professional model. And
here's here's the crux of the matter. Let's say you

(28:23):
and I like to believe that if you are a
South Carolina fan, or a Georgia fan, or an Oregon
fan or an Oklahoma fan, that you're not necessarily a
fan of your league per se. Like you don't go
around and go, yeah, my league needs more, because inherently,

(28:49):
I don't think there's really a difference in a five
plus eleven model and a four four two two, except
for this, you earn it in the five to eleven
and in a model where the Big ten and the
SEC get four spots in the ACC and the Big

(29:11):
twelve get two spots. To me, that what that presents
is the year, whether it's the Big twelve or not,
or whether it's the ACC, the year that there are
three legitimate contenders in that conference, three legitimate teams that

(29:35):
rise up three pillars of a conference. And the Big
twelve doesn't have three pillars. Right now, I don't discount
that at all. But because they don't have three pillars
or really even one pillar, the five plus eleven models
should not be intimidating to the Big Ten, or the

(29:58):
Southeastern Conference, or the it ACC for that matter, or anybody,
because in that five plus eleven model, you go out
and earn those spots, you earn them. If if Kansas

(30:20):
and Texas Tech go out and earn spots in the
College Football Playoff, they deserve them. But if in a
in that same season, Utah also earns it, they deserve it.

(30:40):
You shouldn't leave anybody out just because of conference affiliation.
That to me, unless it's going to be equal across
the board three three and three or whatever the numbers
you wanted to work out out where every conference gets

(31:03):
the exact same. But even I would argue in that scenario,
there is a chance that you do leave out, and
you're always leaving somebody out. South Carolina fans, you know
you were left out a year ago borderline right getting
into the College Football Playoff. But I don't think it
should ever be as specific as well, we have to

(31:24):
take another team from the Big Ten, well they are
you know, they have four losses, but we've got this
other team in this other league that's only got two losses,
but we got to leave them out because they're the third.
You know, there's an undefeated, a one loss and a
two loss in the Big in the Big twelve, and
there's a four loss or five loss team that happens

(31:47):
to be fourth in the Big Ten or the SEC.
To me, that doesn't make sense, and maybe that would
rarely happen. Maybe you would say that how often could
that possibly happen? Swany Well, here's the thing. In a
five plus eleven model, you're not gonna see that happen.

(32:09):
And if it does happen, it's not gonna happen because, well,
this conference had to have more teams in. It's gonna
be because they actually believe that that four loss team
is better than the other team. That's the difference in
the scenario of giving more to the Big Ten in

(32:30):
the Southeastern Conference, you set yourself up where teams that
are maybe obviously worse than somebody else get in. You're
gonna have situations even still on the five plus eleven
where teams that maybe are worse get in, but you

(32:53):
kind of eliminate what I would label as obvious, like
obviously that team is not better than but they've got
so many spots. They got a film and as I've
said here on the program before. I think the other
thing that makes it wise for all of these coaches

(33:14):
and administrators to not vote for this is you don't
know where you are going to be coaching in the future.
Like if you're old, if you know you're retiring and
you're coaching in the Big ten, then maybe you go, yeah,
you know what, what do I care? I'll take the
four spots. I'm never going to coach in the Southeastern Conference.

(33:37):
I'm never going to coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference
or even the assistance on these teams that don't know
where they're going to coach. If you set it up
right now that two leagues get more spots, you create
a problem potentially for yourself in the future. Sure if

(34:01):
you're not in one of those two leagues. Not to mention,
could you imagine if the NFL or other sports did
something similar to this, They said, well, we're gonna put
six teams in from the AFC and two teams in
from the NFC, like that doesn't make any sense five
and then let everybody else go earn the other eleven spots.

(34:25):
That to me is the best route because if your
conference is truly better and you've got multiple teams that
deserve to be in. Guess what you can get four in.

Speaker 3 (34:38):
You can get.

Speaker 2 (34:38):
Five in, there's no limit. I like that better. I
think that's the better system. Even if it means that
the Atlantic Coast Conference or the Big Twelve or the
SEC or the Big Ten has a year with they
only get one team in, I'm okay with it. We'll
put a ball in our number one right after this,
stay with us. Final seven of ourumber one coming up.

(35:01):
Facts and Childress joins the program. Facts has changed his
Twitter handle. It used to be Facts on Sports, now
Facts and PXP. So we've been looking at the over
runners of a lot of teams, and obviously today we've
talked about.

Speaker 3 (35:20):
The Big Twelve quite a bit out.

Speaker 2 (35:21):
Of the gates and one of those teams that I
think if you think about the profile of the conference
with a marketable head coach like Dion Sanders, with a
Heisman Trophy winner in Travis Hunter, with a quarterback like
Shador Sanders, Colorado a year ago was obviously in a

(35:45):
lot of respects the talk of college football, and people
really wanted them to be good. I think more than anything,
people want Colorado to be good. But what are the
x mens dictations now with all of those losses. And
we looked at Colorado in the context of in the

(36:07):
context of Dion's recruiting, et cetera. But how about they're
over under? How about the Buffaloes this year? Well, when
you take a look, depending on a game, which outfit
you find, it's said that six and a half is

(36:29):
where I've got it on their over under totals. And
I think the biggest problem that they have, and it's
something I talked about the other day, is whether or not,
like Shador Sanders was a little bit herky jerky at
times or not, he more often than not found ways

(36:49):
to make a miraculous play that ended up putting them
in at least competitive position, may even help deliver a victory.
Then there's the other factor, and that's Travis Hunter, who
was at times maybe the best offensive player and the
best defensive player they had. And maybe me he's a

(37:11):
Heisman Trophy winner, but maybe he was the best offensive
player and the best defensive player in the Big twelve.

Speaker 3 (37:17):
So you had a.

Speaker 2 (37:19):
Not only did you lose, it's bad enough when you
lose a Heisman Trophy player, right, it's really bad when
you lose a guy that has the type of impact
that Travis Hunter can have on a game. So they
opened the season with Georgia Tech, and remember Georgia Tech
is a five and a half win over under. I

(37:41):
have him at eight and four, and I had Georgia
Tech winning that game. They're favored out in Colorado, and
I just don't know how much I trust the Colorado
Buffalo without Shador Sanders. And maybe one of those guys
like Caden Salter or Julian Lewis ends up stepping to

(38:02):
the forefront to lead the Buffaloes. But I'll wait, you know,
I think Julian Lewis might be a really good quarterback.
He's gonna have to grow into the role, and I'll
take his home state. Georgia Tech winning game one, dropping
Colorado to zero to one on the season. That's an
eight o'clock kickoff, by the way, on ESPN Friday, August

(38:24):
to twenty ninth. They followed up with a game against Delaware.
I do believe Colorado will beat Delaware. Following that, they
face Houston. Houston is not well thought of at this point.
Some people think they might finish a last in the league.
So give Colorado a win in that game to take

(38:45):
them to two and one. I think they'll beat Wyoming
three and one. BYU is interesting because BYU just lost
their presumptive starting quarterback, Jake Retz left to a honor coviviolation,
which would not get you suspended or forciate the transfer

(39:06):
or anything like that at any other school in the country.
Without him, it makes this game a little closer in
my opinion. But BYU's at home, so I'll hedge in
the favor of the negative for Colorado there, and that
would make them three and two. I think TCU will

(39:29):
be a very tough ball game for Colorado. That would
make them three and three. Go a little bit further
into the schedule. Versus Iowa State, I think that game
is probably similar to BYU in the sense that if

(39:49):
I hedged in the positive for in favor of BYU,
I'll hedge the opposite way, giving Colora. Lado will win
in that game. So if those games are flip flop,
you're still even. I don't have much doubt. They probably
lose on the road at Utah that drops them to
four and four. I don't have much doubt that they

(40:11):
should win their next two games over Arizona and West Virginia,
who I think are going to be two of the
worst teams in the Big twelve. So that's five and four,
six and four, probably lose to Arizona State six and
five and lose at Kansas State six and six. For

(40:35):
the Colorado Buffalo, that's under the six and a half.
And again that's hedging a little bit on BYU and
Iowa State being a flip flop. Now, if they beat
Georgia Tech, you know, if they come out win that
game that is at home, it's in Bolder, you know,

(40:57):
maybe that makes it a little different story of the
season as well. But I don't think they're gonna beat
the Yellowjackets. I like Haynes King and Jamal Haynes. I
like what is being done in Atlanta. And so if
I had to take an estimated guess on Colorado's over
under it six and a half, I would say they're

(41:19):
under at six and six. I mean, they got winnable games.
Houston's gonna be one they do play. I think three
of the worst teams in the Big twelve in Houston,
Arizona in West Virginia. Those are probably three of the
bottom four for sure in that conference. And and and

(41:40):
maybe I'll give Utah too much credit. But on the
road at Utah, they're not expected to be as good.

Speaker 3 (41:47):
As they have been.

Speaker 2 (41:50):
Matter of fact, I'll tell you what. We'll take a
look at them hour number two. They're not expected to
be as good as they were. But I think Utah
beats Colorado. But that's what seven eight games into the season,
So maybe I feel differently by the time we get there.
All right, quick breat We'll come back. Facts and Childress
around the bind keep it locked. On Fox Sports Radio
fourteen hundred, It's.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
Time for Clipson Sports Talk with Lumton Schwan. Call me Swanny.

Speaker 2 (42:51):
It is our number two. That's drive time Radio. On
the show The Shakes of south Land, Clemson Sports along
swam with you. Facts and Childress joined us momentarily in
the show The Shakespeare south lambrought to you in part
by our good friends over at mets Plumbing seven three
two drip, drip, drip drip. You know the jingle seventh

(43:11):
or two drip. That's mets Plumbing, mets plumbing dot com.
That's the website. All right, faxon what's up? Buddy, Welcome
in How was your fourth of July, my man?

Speaker 6 (43:22):
And it was great. It was great, very blessed to
be with friends and family during such a special time
and obviously a great time for our country as well.
Warm weather, bird chirping, sunshining. Hard to complain, Swanne, How
was your Ford Man?

Speaker 2 (43:33):
It was good anytime I could take a little respite.
We had only Friday off from the show, but it
was nice. You know, I always like to put my
toes in the sand when I can go down to
the beach. But the beat seasons almost over college football
be herefore we know it in the big twelve media
days were going on this week obviously over the past
two days. But break your Mark. I got to give

(43:53):
this man a lot of credit, like in the era
of like Steve Jobs and those individuals that stand out
in front and really boost their product for a league
that I don't feel like has what I would call
major top line contenders nationally facts, And I gotta say,
I think he does a really good job of selling
that conference and that's exactly what they need right now.

Speaker 6 (44:15):
Yeah, I think your Mark has an argument for best
commissioner in the sport when you look at what he
is dealing with from a financial element. What he is
dealing with from a lack of a true contender, for
lack of better term, like you said, Swany, And all
he has done is been at the forefront of innovative ideas,
you know, name rights, sponsorship, branding. He's thinking outside the

(44:36):
box and very creatively to keep this conference afloat. It's
the harsh reality, and he's done a phenomenal job thus far.
I think there's some really intriguing coaches, storylines, teams within
the Big twelve that you know are ready to peel
back this year. So I'm excited to see what the
future of that league looks like. And it's refreshing to
see that level of innovation from you know, one of
the two members of what will be like I guess

(44:59):
the more for outen of the p fours, which is
the Big twelve in the ACC. You know, you've got
a commissioner and Phillips, who we like, you know, right,
and Phillip's a great dude. But there's been more attention
in the ACC about the lawsuit of the two power
players soon and to get out of the league the
last couple of years than there has been on what
is going to put the ACC in a better position
to succeed going forward. I think the difference in demeanor

(45:22):
and game plan there has played pretty drastic and began
to swine. But I love your mark Man. I think
he's a brilliant mind. I think he's exactly what the
Big Twelve means, as he said, and I'm excited to
see what the future of that league looks like.

Speaker 2 (45:33):
Facts and childress with us year on the program, And
do you agree with this? I mean, maybe it's just
our regional bias or whatever. But once Texas and Oklahoma
left the Big Twelve to go to the SEC, and
all the other dominoes fell in place in the world
of college football, I mean, I don't think there's really
an argument at this point. I mean, it's the Big
Ten and or the SEC at the top, and then

(45:54):
the Atlantic Coast Conference followed by the Big Twelve Or
Am I wrong on that?

Speaker 6 (46:00):
No? I think you're one hundred percent correct by saying that.
I mean I think there's a clear hierarchy within the conferences.
There's a power too, which is your SEC and your
Big Ten. I'd actually rank the Big Ten number one,
but that's a conversation for a different time, and then
I think you have the ACC as the clear third
kind of power player in that, and then the Big
Twelve is I would say behind that as far as

(46:20):
you know quality of college football conferences, but as far
as future outlook goes Swania, I have to be honest
by saying, with Clemson and Florist State negotiating the exit
feed down and with the Big twelves, you know, willingness
to innovate and think forward like we've been talking about
with your Mark, it almost feels like there's a chance
that the Big twelve could leave the ACC sooner rather

(46:40):
than later. Maybe not from a quality of teams standpoints,
but from a status of league and financial element standpoint.
So it'll be intriguing to see how, you know, the
power hierarchy shakes up, and obviously the dollar sign is
what matters the most throughout all of this is we've
all become accustomed to these past couple of years in
the crazy shark infested waters that are twenty twenty five athletics.

(47:00):
But I'm really looking forward to seeing what the ACC
and the Big twelve game plan is to continue to
try and even that gap, and to be honest, Swanny.
I'm just grateful to have Graham that the ad of
clumb set to kind of bridge that gap in created ways,
and I think he's done a phenomenal job throughout this
process and has been very calculated with the way that
he has, you know, kind of surveyed the conference realignment landscape.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
He's on Twitter at Facts and p XP. You can
go follow him right now. That's Facts and Childress, host
of Facts on Sports in the Upstate from nine to
noon weekdays on WCCP Faxon from there with your Mark's remarks,
he commented, I had the chance I played some of
them for our audience. In nour number one, he commented

(47:42):
on the model of the college football playoff, which of
course he desires, that five plus eleven format. The SEC
was kind of against it at one point, then they
shifted a little bit. There's a couple of things I
think that are all involved in this, but more than anything,
for me, the reason that this five plus eleven model

(48:05):
is the best model is because if your league earns
four or even five spots in the playoff, they are
undoubtedly earned in the other format. I feel like the
conferences like the ACC and the Big twelve are vulnerable
to having a really good third team that doesn't crack

(48:26):
in because of these what I would call at that
point archaic rules.

Speaker 3 (48:31):
It just don't make sense.

Speaker 6 (48:33):
Yeah, you know, it's been really interesting to kind of
try and evaluate and assess what the new options for
the formats are and what the ideal format is. And
you know, Swani, in totality, I tend to agree with
you that the five plus eleven seems to be the
most rational, and it seems to be the most fair.
And to your point, you know, there's gonna be the
folks that pull for ACC schools, that pull for Big

(48:53):
twelve schools, that gripe about SEC bias, And while I
do believe it's prevalent, I think that we also have
to be objective and acknowledge the fact that much higher
quality football from top to bottom is being played in
the Big twelve and the SEC, or in the Big
Ten in the SEC, rather than in the ACC in
the Big Twelve. That's not to slight a Clemson or
a Miami or a team that plans to contend out

(49:16):
of the Big twelve this year, maybe in Arizona State,
because we saw last year that the upper echelon teams
in those leagues can go toe to toe with the
big boys in the Big Two if you will. Arizona
State had Texas dent to rights, Clemson, if they could
have stopped the one run, might have beat Texas on
the road and matched up against Arizona State for all
you know. They had that within seven in the fourth quarter.
The difference is the number three team in the league

(49:39):
to the bottom of the league in those two leagues
versus the Big Two versus the other two. And you know,
for me personally, I think Florida might have a top
ten roster in the country this year. The issue is
they play like five of the twelve best teams in
the country, so they may end up losing three or
four games, and if they were to get into the playoff,
I think there'd be a large contention of people going

(50:00):
CC bias SEC bias. That's not really the way that
I do things. I think that we have to have
some level of valuation of strength of schedule and quality
of league. That plays an element into this. And if
you're gonna blow it up and put sixteen teams in,
every conference needs to be represented. You need to have
a group of five representation and then the remain slots
should just simply go to the best teams. It doesn't

(50:20):
matter about conference affiliations. To me, I think people make
too big of a deal about it. I want the
highest quality football in the top notche football being played
on the big stage, and the horseh reality of that
for some Clemson fans the year is that right now
that's the Big Ten and right now that's the SEC.

Speaker 4 (50:35):
You know.

Speaker 2 (50:35):
The other argument that I kind of have against that
four four two two, et cetera model is this facts,
And I think it makes like if you're a retiring coach.

Speaker 3 (50:45):
I said this an hour one.

Speaker 2 (50:46):
If your coach is retiring and you're getting older, you
might be in the Big Ten or the SEC for
the rest of your career, but with the wins of
change in sports, you don't know what conference you're gonna
get in. So I think any young coach that would
be in favor of something like that, given the fact
that in a couple of years you might be coaching
at a Miami or a Georgia Tech, might not be

(51:09):
the most logical situation because you might be supporting something
that ultimately hurts you in the long run. And I
think coaches and even assistant coaches are cognizant of that.

Speaker 6 (51:20):
Yeah, I think that's a good point, Swania, And you know,
for me, it just created so much intrigue about what
the coaching carousel is going to look like going forward, right,
And you know, I think maybe it might not be
the best example for what you specifically laid out, but
I think the whole Alabama coaching search was just so
tantalizing to me about the names that we were seeing
links to that opening before Debor got the job, and

(51:42):
the fact that Mick Norvell was linked to that job
and then turned around and went two to ten and
was allegedly the runner up for the Bama job. Right,
there are just so many nuggets and so much context
and nuance and what goes into taking a job nowadays
as a head coach, whether it be within the coaching cycle,
whether it being a candidate, that those are things that
have to be considered, right, and playoff format has to

(52:02):
be considered if they go four four to two to two,
why at that point you're talking about a completely different
evaluation as the head coach as to what's a good
job versus what's a bad job. Then you get the
financial element of this, right, where's my NIL chess going
to be at? How much payroll am I going to
have on a your year basis? Realistically speaking, these are
things that people didn't even think about five six years

(52:23):
ago and never thought they would have to think about.
So you're having to see people either adapt or die
on the fly. And you've seen some people dying, You've
seen some people adapt, and I think ultimately it's created
more parody. From the perspective of it feels more now
than ever like any team has a chance to win.
And a part of that's the expanded playoffs, A part

(52:44):
of that's the NIL A part of that's the conference structure,
A part of that's the realignment. And I know there's
a ton of issues which we both complained about extensively.
I'm sure with the current format, and I'm not saying
that they don't need to change things right, but I
do think that what this created is a lot of intrigue,
and in awards way, while it's gotten further away from
the Group of five having parody, I would argue we'd

(53:05):
never seen more parody.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
Within the power for on Twitter at faxon PXP, Fax
and Childress with us here for a few more minutes
to talk college football and facts, and I'm off next week.
I'm actually taking my vacation, so really the next time
I get after it, it'll be at the ACC kickoff
up in Charlotte in a couple of weeks. And with that,
you you brought up the Florida State Seminoles and Mike

(53:28):
norvel I talked with Jeff Cameron from war Chant TV
here a couple of weeks ago about that situation, because
I think everybody would say that prior to Jordan Travis
getting hurt, you know, it appeared Mike norvel was probably
setting himself up for a extended run at Florida State.

(53:49):
But then last season the wheels just completely fall off
to go two and ten, and there are people down
in Tallahassee that think that maybe you know, that was
just the one off the thirteen to o season to
the college being short of the College Football playoff again.
While by Georgia, what are your thoughts on the Seminoles
ahead of the ACC kickoff and what type of season
do you think Mike Norvelle will have and what kind

(54:12):
of season does he have to have in your mind
to stick around another year.

Speaker 6 (54:15):
Well, Swanee, I'll preface this by saying, we visited an
ACC kickoff up in Charlotte last year and I had
a massive swing and a hit, and I had a
massive swing and a miss on your show. My massive
swing and a hit was that Florida State would not
make a Bowl game and DJ would get bench. My
massive swing and a miss was on forginga tech. So
I'm big on praising and criticized, apparently not hold myself accountable.
I thought VT was gonna be good last year. They

(54:38):
ended up losing onto one score games. But I was
right on Florida State last year. And weirdly enough, Swane,
I'm buying the dip right now in Tallahassee. I'm buying
the Mike Norvel stock and I'm buying the dip in Tallahassee.
And it's because I think they're financially positioned to compete
in this league for the foreseeable future and to walk
that out parallel. Does Florida State have in the ac

(55:00):
SEE that's not named Clemson or Miami from a resources,
from a facilities and from a financial standpoint, nobody. I
think it's just Clemson, Miami and Florida State. So when
I look at this new image of college football and
I see a big three forming in the ACC, I
think it's hard to not include Florida State in that.
And now maybe SMU deserves a little more respect, right.

(55:21):
They've got shedded, there's no hiding from it. They've got talent.
Re's the man with the plan. But we haven't seen
an extended sample size of them in a P four
league to see if in showcase whether they can sustain
that level of success or not at this level of
competition with Florida State. I think the key for Norvel
is as simple as having a mobile quarterback. And I
tell everybody this, A part of the reason I thought

(55:42):
FSC was going to be a disaster last year is
because I'm not big on Norval's ability to scheme people open.
I think he needs a backyard football type of creator
to make things hectic and to put pressure on the defense,
and that's where the run game can start to thrive,
and that's where they can start to play off it. Well.
They have that this year in Tommy Castellana, and I
know a lot of people are selling his stock right
now and running with the narrative that he was benched

(56:04):
at BC and all that, and you know, he's making
some comments that I would definitely not make about Alabama
and set those expectations on myself. But I think Florida
State's prime to make a bounce back this year, and
I think they could win seven eight plus games, and
I think that's enough to keep this thing aflow for Norvel.
I think the pendulum might have swung too far in
the wrong direction, and I understand that that is a
part of going to and ten, which is embarrassing for

(56:27):
a program like Florida State. And I'm not excusing it
by any means or any standards, but realistically speaking, they
didn't have the talent last year up front, they didn't
have the talent last year at the skill positions, and
they sure didn't have the talent at quarterback with the
depth of that room behind DJ after his injury, and
DJ was never very good to begin with. So I
think Florida State is significantly more talented right now than

(56:47):
they were a year ago. I think their quarterback is
slated for success when you look at how Norvell has
had success in the past with Jeordan Travis, with that
backyard style of football, where he's running around and making
something happen outside of structure. And I think Norvel goes
eight four this year and that's enough to keep him
his job at Tallahassee. As far as the future goes,
I think they have a high floor because of finances.
Do I think they get back to the mountain top

(57:08):
of thirteen and zero?

Speaker 1 (57:09):
No?

Speaker 6 (57:09):
Probably not. Do I think Mike Norvel is as good
of a coach as that thirteen and o season would indicate. No,
probably not. But you know what he did. He developed
his quarterback in Jordan Travis, and he struck golden the
transfer portal with Keyon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, and a
lot of people will discount Norvel for that and throw
it back in his face saying he has a bunch
of poral kids. Somebody still got to coach him, and
Norvel did that at a high level two years ago.

(57:31):
So I think he's gonna win eight games this year,
and I think some of the hot seats, slender and
talk is gonna start to calm him down. But the
final point I'll make on that, Swanne, is you paying
that buyout? Because I'm sure is heck not for Mike Norvel.

Speaker 3 (57:43):
I've got him at eight and four as well.

Speaker 2 (57:44):
The problem is I've got him losing to everybody that
they would want to win, right, they want to beat.
I've got him losing Alabama, losing to Clemson, losing to Miami,
and losing to Florida and that's eight and four. But
you didn't really beat anybody at that point. But you
talk about quarterback play in Tella hassee how big of
an imp you think Gus Malzan will have on that offense,
Because I would think it's going to be pretty significant.

Speaker 6 (58:04):
I actually think Florida State's going to have a pretty
darn good offense this year. And I think Malzon is
a guy that, throughout the course of his career has
found a way to kind of fine tune his offenses
to what his roster showcases. I would say it's a
mixed bag on public perception on Malzon. I think he
does a pretty good job in totality. I love his creativity.
I love his willingness to accentuate his player's skiel sets

(58:26):
and look at his roster and say, Okay, what does
my quarterback do well? What do my running backs do well?
Where are my strengths? Where are my weaknesses. How can
we put our guys in a position to succeed every
time they touch the football all year? And while that's
not super realistic, obviously that's not the way sports work.
He does a good job of trying to do it right,
and there's something to be said about that, Like there
are guys that don't try and get their primary playmakers

(58:49):
involved as frequently as I believe they should be in
college football. Malson is one of those guys. You got
a star player. He's touching it fifteen times a night.
So for Florida State this year, you got a mobile quarterback,
which Gus Buss love. You got two dynamic running backs,
and Williams and Davis, who I'm high on love that.
You got a wide receiver room that looks improved, albeit
I'm not completely sold he can make it work. You
got some speed on the outside, and you got some size,

(59:10):
some different profile guys. I think Florida State's going to
be a team that has their identity on the offensive
side of the football this year. And I know that
that's been the inverse and a couple of the years
pass and they've really had some great defenses with verse
and frisky and all those guys that were making plays
on that twenty twenty three defense. This year, I think
you see a more run and gun version of Florida
State that's letting loose and playing and shootouts. And I

(59:31):
think cassallanas is actually gonna have a pretty good.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
Year down tellas all right, final thing facts, and this
was a big week for the EA Sports college football fans.
I knew my son, who's sixteen's been grinding away on
that game. I saw you tweet out about it. So
what do you think so far? Diving in It's early.

Speaker 6 (59:48):
Yet gameplay is improved. Man, I'm excited about it. Me
and my friends from my hometown. I'll do a big league.
So we like spin a wheel for our teams for
our online dynasty. I got Colorado and Move. We have
a lot of fun with this, Swanna. You would probably
think it's funny. We do press conferences, right, and we're
like playing into the bit and just trying to have
as much fun with it as we can for the
doubt purposes to stay in touch with our guys from

(01:00:09):
the hometown. So that's really why I play, right, I
don't have as much free time for video games. Nowadays.
But I love college football, I love my Tigers, and
I want to get that full experience with my guys
each and every year. So it's been pretty fun to
continue to work through that with some of my friends.
And I'm excited to see where college Football twenty two
continues to go in the future. I think they've made
some big upgrades to the game, and I think it's

(01:00:30):
really exciting times right now in the name, image and
likeness era that you can be in a video game. Right, Like,
I'm really close with Barrett Carter, I'm really close with
a lot of the guys that played on Ohio State,
all of which are from my hometown on Jordan Hancock,
and those guys were in the game last year, and
for me, it was cool to see some of my
childhood friends be in the game. But when I asked
them about it, and I'm like, it's got to be
pretty cool, And Barrett's first thing was, yeah, I'm ana

(01:00:50):
show my kids this one day. Right, You're in a
video game and that's immortalized. So I think from that perspective,
that element provides a really cool opportunity to the student
athletes as well. And I just think in totality, all
of this has been a massive win for the world
of college football, right and you know from my perspective,
and I'll let you get out of here before this
saaning because I know I'm rambling a little bit. It
helps me get more educated about the game and who's

(01:01:12):
on what roster with all the portal bollatile because I
can pull up my video game instead of individually googling
every roster, and I can siphon through the depth charts
at the click of my fingers within ten seconds. It's awesome.
So it can be used as an educational tool in
that perspective as well, which I think most people might
like nest and overlook and think, oh facts. So that
sounds a little stupid, but I promise it really does

(01:01:32):
help me in my day to day preparation with what
I'm trying to do with my job and get up
to date on these rosters and what they're going to
look like.

Speaker 3 (01:01:39):
So it's a business expanse Okay, I'm gonna be getting
it right now.

Speaker 6 (01:01:44):
Facts, Yeah, right down off on your LLLC SMANI.

Speaker 3 (01:01:46):
There you do.

Speaker 2 (01:01:47):
Hey, just do a better job recruiting the high school
ranks than Dion does.

Speaker 3 (01:01:51):
In Colorado.

Speaker 2 (01:01:51):
I think you'll be all right again. These Facts and
Childress every day nine until noon one of five to
five there are in the upstate facts and have a
great day.

Speaker 6 (01:01:58):
My man. Hey, I appreciate your brother always always.

Speaker 3 (01:02:00):
Boons to wanting they go, that's Facts and Childress.

Speaker 2 (01:02:02):
Sorry, quick breat We'll come back and take a look
at some teams from the Big twelve and they're over
unders right after this Clympson Sports Talk on Wednesday. That
was FACS and Childress before the break easy or three
four to five zero zero eighty six text line phone line.
Don't forget you could be a part of the program anytime,
any place anywhere on our website Clympsonsports saw dot com,

(01:02:22):
or or on social media at Clypson Sports on Twitter.

Speaker 3 (01:02:25):
We're on TikTok as well. Go check us out. All right,
So Big twelve Media Day is going on today, second
day of the event. Two day event.

Speaker 2 (01:02:37):
We played some audio from Brett or Mark earlier. But
one of the standard bears in the Pac twelve and
really one of the standard bears in college football for
a while, not out of one of the traditional power
leagues like the Southeastern Conference or the Big Ten. It's
been Utah, but a lot of people think this is

(01:03:00):
going to be a season where the Utes maybe take
a step back, and quite frankly, even a year ago,
you know, we looked at Kyle Winningham a little bit
earlier in the show a year ago, five and seven
in their first season in the Big twelve, and it's
a conference that needs somebody to step to the forefront. Now,

(01:03:22):
they open the season against an old Pac twelve foe
on the road at UCLA. Early lines on that game
have the Utes favored by about four on the road.
So that's seven basically on a neutral site. Oh you

(01:03:42):
know what I didn't tell you. I didn't give you
the Utah over under totals for the season. So Utah
is over under total expected this year to be about
seven and a half. So I'm to give them a
victory in game one on the road. Big win for

(01:04:04):
the Big twelve two topping a Big ten school in UCLA,
regardless of how new to that league they are. So
Utah jumps out of the gates. Want to Oh that's
a late kickoff, eleven o'clock PM on Fox. August the thirtieth.
They played cal Poly the second week of the season

(01:04:25):
two and zero at Wyoming three and oh versus Texas Tech.
This game, for me is a tough one to call.
The fact that it's at home for Utah, I think
is a big deal. Texas Tech a year ago, I

(01:04:46):
think they were eight and five, had the top offense
but a terrible defense. I'm just going to assume that
at home fairly early in the season, they're gonna beat
Texas Tech. They should win at West Virginia that's five
and zero. I think they lose to Arizona State, even

(01:05:07):
though that game's at home.

Speaker 3 (01:05:09):
I think they.

Speaker 2 (01:05:11):
Lose at BYU five and two. As I said, I
think they'll beat Colorado six and two. They'll beat Cincinnati
seven to two. I think Baylor is going to be
a very tough game for them. Baylor's pretty well thought
of this season. If I'm gonna give them a win
over Texas Tech, I'll give them a loss here that

(01:05:32):
would drop them to seven and three. I think they
lose against Kansas State again, that is a home game.
They have a favorable home schedule. That makes them seven
and four, and I think they win at Kansas I
could see them going eight and four. I would take

(01:05:52):
an over there on Utah, I think most notably though,
looking at the utes.

Speaker 3 (01:06:00):
The home games.

Speaker 2 (01:06:03):
Home against Kansas, home against Arizona State, home against Texas Tech.
There might be nine wins in that schedule for him. Maybe,
But again I think if you look at the pecking
order of the Big Twelve, they are not considered one
of the top eight teams either. All right, let's take

(01:06:24):
a look at TCU Real Fast TCUs, one of the
top six to seven teams in that conference.

Speaker 3 (01:06:32):
Last season.

Speaker 2 (01:06:33):
They finished nine to four, and they returned one of
the top quarterbacks in the conference in Josh Hoover, who
has experience. And you heard Brett your Mark earlier elaborating
on the experience of.

Speaker 3 (01:06:48):
Teams in that league.

Speaker 2 (01:06:50):
The horn Frogs, just a few years off of a
college football Playoff Championship game appearance, have an over under
of six and a half going into the season, and
with coach Sonny Dykes, they are running the offense. Kendall
Briles also a big part of that as the offensive coordinator.

(01:07:13):
This is a team that can scheme themselves in the
open space and find the end zone. They'll open the season, though,
against one of the great defensive minds in college football
because he was one of the great defensive mines in
the NFL. Bill Belichick in North Carolina. That game is
on the road at North Carolina TCU versus the tar Heels.

(01:07:37):
The horn Frogs are one and a half point favorites
on the road. I'm gonna take that. They will find
a way to win that game to move to one
to oh. They'll beat Albeling Christian to move to two
to oh. A rivalry game against SMU. SMU at eight
and a half wins. I had him at nine and three.
I think I took him to win that game. So

(01:07:59):
TCU at two and one, I think they lose. At
Arizona State two and two. I think they'll beat Colorado
three and two. I think the Kansas State game is
a flip flop type game. All yield in their favor
here go to four and two. I'll flip flop with

(01:08:19):
the Baylor game. I'll yield against them there four and three.
At West Virginia win five and three. I think Iowa
State's another flip flop. They actually have two right coming up,
so I'll flip. I'll flip these. I think they probably
beat Iowa State six and three. I'll say they lose

(01:08:40):
at BYU six and four, they'll beat Houston seven and four,
They'll beat Cincinnati.

Speaker 3 (01:08:48):
Eight and four.

Speaker 2 (01:08:52):
I think TCUs eight and four their biggest issue looking
at their schedule. Four games that I think could go
either way easily could be flip flopped. And if you
flip those, you're six and six and under. But that
that's kind of where I see the horn Frogs. I

(01:09:14):
can't wait to look back on this to see how
I did, because it's a lot of it is just
you can't project injuries. It's just kind of line of
sight evaluation home in a way, what you think of
the quarterback play and whether or not a team has
a little momentum. So I'll say TCU gets staighting four.

(01:09:35):
All right, quick break. We'll come back with more here
on a Wednesday afternoon. Back at it on a Wednesday.
Lawton Swan tomorrow. Timber A joins the program, looking forward
to that, don't forget program that we're off next week,
off next week, and then we'll be back at it
the following week.

Speaker 3 (01:09:55):
Acc kickoff and all of that.

Speaker 2 (01:09:58):
So tall effects and children about the EA Sports College
football game. A couple of little notes that I've seen
I was talking to my son about it today during lunch,
and he is James Madison playing with James Madison, and

(01:10:19):
in his simulation that he's playing, he did win one
five star recruit, but he lost a couple of guys,
ironically to Clemson. He told me, like through the portal,
so Dadoswinny utilizing the portal in the virtual world. He
told me, Dad, I just can't get over that. But
I saw a guy on Twitter post he lost thirty

(01:10:39):
eight players. He was coaching Rice thirty eight players to
transfer and or graduation at the end of season one
of his Rice Dynasty. And the thing I think about,
like with these games, is it recruiting used to be
a bear. It really was a bear in those games.

(01:11:02):
It took a long time if you were doing the
whole shebang. But now you've added in transfers and having
to convince those guys to try to stay as well.

Speaker 3 (01:11:15):
I mean, that's a lot. That's a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:11:21):
Speaking of the game, here are some coaches notably not
in the game. I know we criticized EA for their
Dabo Sweeney likeness. Mario crystaball at Miami's not in the game.
Deon sanders At Colorado's not in the game. Kirk Ference
at Iowa not in the game, Bill Belichick at North
Carolina not in the game, Bronco menden Hall at Utah

(01:11:45):
State not in the game, Tyson Hilton at Western Kentucky
not in the game, Charles Kelly at Jacksonville State not
in the game, Frank Wright at Stanford not the game,
Trent Dilfred Uab not in the game, Bryant Vincent at
Louis Row not in the game, Jason Eckett New Mexico
not in the game, and Mark Carneia can't stay not

(01:12:06):
in the game. And I think it's notable, not that
all of these guys had like superb professional careers, but
Mario Cristobaul, Dion Sanders, Frank Wright, Trent Dilfer all were
professional football players in the NFL. I just find it
interesting that those guys weren't willing to put themselves in

(01:12:28):
the game for whatever reason. They've been in games before, right,
Bill Belichick, you can add him to that list as well.
Bill Belichick's really of all of those kind of the
strange would not be in the game because his name
Mambagelightness for years would.

Speaker 3 (01:12:43):
Have been in Madden.

Speaker 2 (01:12:46):
What's the difference. Maybe they don't make as much. But anyway,
that's just a quick look. Talking a little bit about
EA sports. College football. I did see Grayson Mann did
a simulation of the twenty twenty five season. Clemson made

(01:13:09):
it to the College football semi Finals, facing off with
top seeded Oklahoma and Brent Vinnables. How about that Oklahoma
was the number one seed in this simulation and the
Sooners beat Clemson thirty one to ten to advance to
the National Championship game, and they would indeed win the

(01:13:31):
national championship in this simulation. So here's how the playoffs
played out. Clemson was the five seed. SMU won the
Atlantic Coast Conference and was the four seed Okay, So Clemson,
the five seed, played Fresno State. The Tigers won forty
two to thirty seven in the five to twelve game
in advanced to play SMU. In that five to four matchup,

(01:13:52):
Duke from the ACC also in the playoffs, beat Ohio
State forty eight to twenty one to advance to face Oklahoma.
So the nine seeded Blue Devils beat eight seed at
Ohio State to face Oklahoma. The six to eleven game
was Florida versus Kansas State. The Gators won that to
advance to face the three seed Notre Dame, and the

(01:14:15):
Atlantic Coast Conference had a fourth team in Michigan was
the seventh seed. Miami was the tenn seed. Miami beat
Michigan to move into the two to ten game versus
Penn State, So the Atlantic Coast Conference had four of
the final eight teams remaining. Clemson in SMU had to

(01:14:35):
face off. The Tigers eliminated them, Oklahoma eliminated Duke thirty
one seven to advance to face Clemson. Notre Dame beat Florida,
and then Penn State beat Miami, and that left you Clemson, Oklahoma,
Notre Dame in Penn State. Of course, the Tigers lost
to Oklahoma, Penn State beat Notre Dame, and Oklahoma won

(01:14:56):
the national championship. In that first ever simulation, Clemson won
the opener over LSU and beat South Carolina according to Grayson,
forty one to sixteen in the simulation.

Speaker 3 (01:15:10):
So there you go.

Speaker 2 (01:15:12):
College Football twenty twenty five heavy on the Tigers, All right?
I mentioned Clemson beat Carolina in the simulation. Well, the
game Cocks recently picked up another Clemson transfer pitcher as
lefty Hudson Lee transferred from the Tigers to South Carolina
in baseball, that news coming out yesterday as well. Lee

(01:15:37):
was a reliever for Clemson out of Roebuck, South Carolina.
He started his career at Wake Forest, transferred to Clemson,
and then has since now transferred to the University of
South Carolina. This past season, Hudson Lee for the Tigers

(01:15:58):
made fifteen appearances, pitching fourteen innings with ten hits, thirteen runs,
scored nine earned runs. Let's see, what was his era?
A five point seventy nine E. So Hudson Lee goes
from Clemson to South Carolina his third school. I I

(01:16:21):
don't care that he went to Carolina. I don't really
care that he came to Clemson from wake Forest. What
bothers me more than anything is a kid at the
collegiate level being in three schools in three years. That
to me just does not compute. And I don't know

(01:16:43):
that I'll ever adjust to that. I feel like such
an old man, but that just does not compute. There's
something about when you arrive at a campus, staying at
the campus and maturing with friends and people around you.
Just jumping from we would call if I mean, we
would call this kid a job hopper. Here's a person

(01:17:03):
goes from job to job. Basically, it's not a great
title in the working world. Kiddos, All right, quick break,
we'll come back. We'll put a big old bow on
the Wednesday edition of the show. Stay with us.

Speaker 4 (01:17:15):
What have you done for me lately? It's a fair question.
Just don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Don't forget history.

Speaker 7 (01:17:29):
Lucky for us at Clemson, the answer to the questions
what have you done for me lately?

Speaker 4 (01:17:34):
And what have you done? Always are the same. We win.

Speaker 2 (01:18:28):
Final segment on a Wednesday afternoon, the show that shakes
the south Land, Clemson Sports Talk. So we had something
happened last night in the world of Major League Baseball
that we had not seen in one hundred years, basically
ninety nine years. The San Francisco Giants Patrick Bailey.

Speaker 3 (01:18:55):
Did you see this?

Speaker 2 (01:18:56):
Patrick Bailey had a walk off inside the park home
run for the first time in one hundred years in
Major League baseball. Now here's the other part of it
that makes it so unique. Patrick Bailey is a catcher.

(01:19:17):
You don't think too often about catchers making a play
like that, but last night a walk off inside the
park home run, lifting the Giants to a victory over
the Philadelphia Phillies. The Giants were down three to one

(01:19:38):
with runners on the corners with one out bottom of
the ninth inning. Here's what it sounded like, courtesy of
NBC Sports and Major League Baseball.

Speaker 7 (01:20:00):
Right rightmost this guns time failies on the moon, fails
on the mold.

Speaker 2 (01:20:28):
Now we'll go back and hear some of the commentary
on what happened, but I'll give it to you if
you're familiar with and you should be if you watched
Barry Bonds bad at all in his career. If you're
familiar with the layout of Oracle Park out there in
San Francisco, there's a big brick wall that I would

(01:20:51):
label sort of being in like right center field, kind
of an odd shaped stadium. And so when he hits
that ball, it is on the line. I mean, it
is a screaming shot, and he thinks it's a home run.
He sort of slow walks for a second, but then
as it goes further and further out, the center fielder

(01:21:16):
has come over to the right side, but the ball
hits the wall so hard that it ricochets back over
the center fielder's head and then he can't run it down,
and that's what led us to a walk off home run,
the first one in ninety nine years in Major League

(01:21:36):
Baseball last night, and it was a three run walk off,
which is even crazier. Here's the announcers taking a look
back at the play.

Speaker 3 (01:21:44):
Take a look at it.

Speaker 7 (01:21:46):
I mean, he puts a charge into it, backspins, it
takes out the right center field gap and had the
sound that you'd never trust triples Alley had watched the
founts come off the character at the top of the wall.

Speaker 3 (01:22:01):
It kicks away for carsh.

Speaker 7 (01:22:06):
Patrick Bailey goes inside the park to walk it off.

Speaker 2 (01:22:14):
I mean that was crazy. That was wild. Here's Patrick
Bailey after the game in the postgame interview talking about
that play, felling out of breath.

Speaker 8 (01:22:24):
I don't think I've ever ran that hard that longe.
I just gotta thank God for that. Oh jeez, oh man,
I just got to thank God for that opportunity. Man,
It's been fun. It's a dream to play here. Just
fired out. That's a big win. I need it.

Speaker 6 (01:22:47):
I need it.

Speaker 8 (01:22:49):
Yeah, I mean, you're just not trying to do too much. Obviously,
Shomanny get us going float doing flow stuff, and again,
I'm just trying to pass the baton and I just
got fortunate to get a good pitch and put a
good swing on it.

Speaker 2 (01:23:02):
How funny is that he's so hot breaded normally normally
like I, Yeah, I'm sure it's exciting if you hit
a walk off, game winning home run, right, undoubtedly exciting,
But most of the time, if you've done it, you
probably got to hit a little home run trottle on
the way. You're probably juiced up, but you haven't just

(01:23:25):
come off of sprinting full throttle around the bases the
way he did in that moment. And so for the
San Francisco Giants, it was a historic night. Actually for baseball,
it was a historic night. It wasn't the you know,
it wasn't the first walk off home run in ninety

(01:23:47):
nine years, I should say by a catcher in ninety
nine years. The last walk off home run happened actually
in twenty sixteen, but for a catcher to do it,
the last time it was done for a team trailing
by multiple runs, by the way, actually happened against the

(01:24:07):
New York Giants. Oddly, it was the Phillies who did
it back in nineteen eighty nine, so they were on
the opposite end of it. Tonight, or last night, I
should say, all right, we got to get out of here.
Thanks again for being a part of the program until tomorrow.
As always, I'll take care now, Hey go Tigers.