July 25, 2025 • 15 mins
Phil Steele's 2025 College Football Preview is out! Phil joined us to break down the 2025 College Football Season for area programs.
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Check out PhilSteele.com.
Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In twenty minutes on the Erase Saint Clair Roofing Hotline
to ESPN fifteen thirty more Haggard, Let's go to the
Ray Sint Clair Roofing Hotline.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Phil Steele is with us.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Our annual conversation is twenty twenty five. College Football Preview
is a must. You could order it now at Phil
Steele dot com. There's no more comprehensive or thorough publication.
We always talk about the labor of love and how
much time and effort you put into this. How much
more difficult is it in this era of college football
that we're in.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Yeah, a lot more difficult with that second portal thrown
in post spring. You know, in years past, maybe five
six years ago, MO I could talk to the coaches
after spring practice was over, and some team spring ends
in March, so I could start the coaches interviews in
March after they go through their post spring interviews with
their players. Now I have to wait till the second
(00:49):
portal closes, which is actually at the end of April,
and that means I'm trying to talk to all one
hundred and thirty six head coaches. I think this year
I got about one hundred and twenty six in but
I have to each call takes about the hour hour
plus on these calls, and I'm trying to cram them
all in. In the month of May, I actually took
about twelve conversations, you know, generally the final week of
(01:11):
the magazine, I'm not doing any coaches calls. I'm just
fine tuning the magazine. This year, I talked to like
twelve coaches the final week just because we couldn't squeeze
them all in in May, and it made it very
hectic down the stretch. So a lot of changes. But
the one thing we do do is, you know, we
wait five weeks after the transfer portals closed, so all
our players are on the correct teams, unlike those other
(01:32):
magazines that are on the shelf while the portal's still open.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
And by the way, you could order Phil's publication at
Phil steel dot com.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Steele has an e at the end of it. You
can get the digital edition. Order it now.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
You'll have it well before this conversation comes to an end.
I always start with the bearricats, and you know around
here fans ask each other, Okay, are they going to
be better this season?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Can they make a ball game?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
They can they cool off Scott sadderfield seat and for
most of us, the answer man, I don't know. There
are so many additions, so many new guys. The season
lasted ended so poorly last year, so I was really
encouraged when I went to the UC page and I
saw you wrote quote, they will surprise a lot of
folks this year. You have them number eight and you're
most improved indecks, Phil, talk to me, you're getting me excited.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I was very bullish on the Cincinnati after I got
fun with coach Centerfield and the first two conversations. You know,
he had inexperienced units. He was first year head coach's
first year and had a very young team, only eight
returning starters. Even last year they're only number one hundred
and twelve on my experience chart, and as you mentioned,
(02:41):
they got off to a great start. You know, they
were five and two and it looked like a bowl
game for sure, but then losing the last five games hurt.
But this year they go for number one hundred and
twelve on my experience chart all the way up to
number twenty six, and unlike those first two teams, they're
not relying solely on transfers. I mean, he's back at
QB and I think he's one of the better quarterbacks
(03:02):
in the Big Twelve. You look at the running back corps,
you know Evan Pryor is back, and they add in
a Tywee Walker coming in from Wisconsin. I love this unit.
And then the receivers. Jeff Caldwell's an NFL caliber dude
coming in from Linderwood. And here's the thing, when going
through the teams with the coaches, there's actually a much
higher hit. In other words, players that come in and
(03:24):
transfer portal that actually play when they come up from
the FCS level if they have the experience, because they're
happy to be there, they love the training table, and
they also they're underrated and they've got a chip on
their shoulder. And so I think you're going to see
Caldwell shine this year coming in from Linderwood, one of
the top tight ends in the country and Joe Royer.
They finally have experience on the offensive line. In fact,
(03:47):
coach centerfield fields. They could be one of the best
offensive lines in the Big Twelve this year. Defensively, Dante
Corleone was a question mark coming into last year. He
had a return this year just to get his NFL
draft stock boosted back up. I think he's going to
have a dominant year on the d line along with
Jalen Hurt and called Golday, and the whole defense is
solidly better. And the one unit where they did rely
(04:08):
on transfers was the secondary, bringing in McDoom, Barnes and
Williams and also Harrison. But overall, this is a vastly
more experienced team than last year. And they are my
number eight most improved team, and I don't put teams
on my most improved less lightly. I expect them all
to go from losing records to Bowl games.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, I you know, I think they're going to benefit
from continuity. You know, a new defensive coordinator last year,
some growing pains. I am interested in how much better
their special teams unit's going to be this year, because
last year it cost them some games.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
The Big twelve top to bottom, how good is it?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
It's definitely a competitive conference. I think that patch ball.
I mean, asually you have to do is look at
last year. I've been doing the magazine for thirty one years.
I've never seen it, have you, moll a conference that
was top to bottom like last year was with the
Big Twelve, No nothing like it. And I think this year, though,
we're going to see a little more stability. I do
think there are some teams at the top of the
(05:07):
conference that all have a shot at winning it. And
you could probably get all the way down to Cincinnati
if you're looking for a surprise, even with Kansas, even Houston.
I mean, this is a loaded and deep conference. Now
what that's going to do for the Big Twelve, moll
It's probably going to make sure they only have one
spot in the playoffs this year, because how the heck
are you going to get two teams here with double
(05:28):
digit wins when you've got a huge game almost every
single week in Big Twelve play And the names of
the teams that I consider capable of being up there,
you know, Baylor, Utah, Iowa State, Arizona State, Kansas State,
Texas Tech, TCU, BYU. I'm throwing Cincinnati up there, and
throwing Kansas up there, even Houston, which had a great defense.
(05:49):
All those teams I think are capable of contending in
one way or another. So I think it's a wide
open race in the Big Twelve, but a little more stability.
I think when you look at the bottom them on
the conference, I'm looking at teams that are hit the
portal hard. You remember I just talked about how Cincinnai
didn't have to hit the portal hard. This year, we're
talking about sixty sixty five new players on teams like
(06:11):
West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Colorado, and UCF and a lot
of those players came in after spring practice was over.
I think that instability is going to hurt those teams.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Talk to me about their first game and we'll discuss
the Big Ten in specifically Ohio State, because look, the
first two years of Scott Saderfield at Cincinnati have been underwhelming,
and they've been doing what they've been doing while trying
to get their feet, you know, trying to achieve some
stability in the Big twelve. I think they've got a
chance to change some people's minds. Week one, a game
(06:41):
in Kansas City. Technically I guess a home game for Cincinnati,
but we all know what the makeup of that crowd
is going to be. You've got Nebraska kind of middle
of the pack of the Big Ten. Do you give
the Bearcats a chance against the corn Huskers?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
You know, I think they do have a chance. I
do favor Nebraska for the game, but I only have
a three point favorite in it just because so bullish
on Cincinnati. But I'm also bullish on Nebraska this year.
You know, Matt Roll each of his first two head
coaching jobs at Temple and Baylor, got the double digit
wins in his third year, and you look at him
last year. Dominic Raiola came out of the box pretty good.
He had a really good start to the season on
(07:15):
nine to two ratio his first five games. Then surprisingly
they went sideways a four to nine ratio the rest
of the year. But remember he was a true freshman.
Now he's a veteran. I think you'll see rail will
be one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten
this year. They're deep at running back, offensive lines veteran group,
and the defense is solid throughout. So I've got Nebraska
(07:38):
as a team that might be you know, could could
flirt with that double digit record, And they are my
number seven surprise team this year, and a surprise team
is a team that is not in the top ten
at the start of the year that I think actually
is a shot of making the playoff. I think Nebraska
is a legitimate contender in the Big Ten this year,
So that's a tough test for Cincinnati. But like I said,
(08:00):
I only am a three point favorite in the game,
even though I'm that high on them, just because I'm
also so high on Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
You talk about your experience index, and I think that's
where you can ding Ohio State a little bit this year.
And look, there's still loads of talent, But is that
the primary reason why you have them just beneath Penn
State and your Big Ten predictions?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yes, And you know, when you look at Ohio State,
there's no doubt the talent on the field, it's just inexperience.
And last year you're looking at a team that almost
everybody that could have gone to the NFL opted to return.
So it was a senior laden team loaded with guys
that could be in the NFL that actually returned because
they wanted a pair of gold pants. They wanted to
beat Michigan. Well guess what, they didn't beat Michigan. They
(08:42):
didn't win the Big Ten, but they won the national title.
So okay, it worked out for him pretty good. But
fourteen players out the window in the NFL draft, now
it's not going to be like Michigan last year. Remember
Michigan went from being the defending national champ all the
way down to six and five and the double digit
underdog at Ohios. They look at the six and sixth
season in the face until the season turned around at
(09:04):
the end much better for Ohio State. In fact, they
could very well be favored in every single game this year,
and yes I'm including the Penn State game that they
have at home. I like Julian sayin coming in at quarterback.
He was my number one rate of quarterback out of
high school. You got to like the talent they have
a running back, bringing in Donaldson from West Virginia, added
the Peoples and Jackson at Jeremiah Smith is one of
(09:24):
the best players in the entire country, let alone just
wide receiver. Defensively, they got Caleb Downs, one of the
best defensive players in the country. You can go on
and on. Talent wise is all there for Ohio State.
The biggest question is experience and will they be able
to get there at the end. But like I mentioned,
they could very well be favored in all twelve games.
Their favorite in the opener over Texas.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Already Phil Steele is with his annual college football preview
is available Phil Steele dot com. You pick Kentucky to
finish second to last in the SEC. I just I
have a feeling that's going to get sideways in Lexington.
The quality of that league, the season they we had
last year, what they return are things as bleak as
they might seem from a distance in Lexington.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
It does seem like especially when you in factor in
the schedule.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Mo.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
I mean, if they were playing a more favorable schedule.
Let's say it's a schedule like Missouri faces this year,
it might be different. But when you look at them
in Big or in SEC play, they host Mississippi, there'll
be an underdog in that. They go at South Carolina,
there'll be an underdog there. At Georgia underdog home against
Texas underdog Tennessee. That might be a shot there. I
(10:33):
mean Tennessee does have the quarterback questions, aguilar at the
quarterback spot coming in. Didn't have a great year at
app State last year. That might be one where they're
not an underdog. They got to play Auburn on the
road injured and air Florida at Vanderbilt and used to think, Hey,
Vanderbilt's an easy win, right, but you know, Vanderbilt's got
Pavia back at quarterback and then I'm not an even
(10:56):
factor in Indie at Louisville. To finish off the season,
overwhelming talent had to hit the portal hard, a lot
of new faces on the team. It does look that way.
It looks like a tough year for Kentucky this year.
I picked them fifteenth in the SEC. I think that's
about where they were picked by the media too, right, Yes.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, no, it's your your predictions fall in line.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
I just I don't know a Kentucky fan who feels
all that optimistic as a you see guys as Cincinnati guy,
I feel better about my team, especially after talking to you,
than most Kentucky fans I know feel about their squad.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, and I think that is the case this year.
And you know, a lot's going to depend on how
quickly Zach Calzana grasps a whole of that offense. Does
the Big Blue O line finally live up to when
we think about with the Big Blue O line, And defensively,
there's some players up front. You look at David just
at the defense, tackle Cam Olds at the jack. But
like I mentioned, they're going to have to pull some
(11:50):
upsets this year to have a successful season.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And Oxford Chuck Martin and will have you eleven news
starters on offense. I think people who don't follow the
Mac might not realize how good his program has been
the last couple of years. You've got him in contention
for a MAC title this season. What do you like
about the RedHawks.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Chuck Martin? I mean, you know, he's going to put
a quality. He's going to put some quality on the field.
And then you know, the sneaky thing there is bringing
in to Kwan Finn at the quarterback spot. The last
time we saw the Kwan Finn he was at Toledo
as a record setting quarterback, spent last year at Baylor.
But now he's back in the MAC. So having him
back a deep set of running backs that they have
(12:30):
question marks would be basically a brand new offensive line.
And then you know those are questions, But I like
the fact that the Kwan Finn's there. And I tell
you what a lot of years, you know go over
the team with Chuck Martin and I'm like, yeah, I
don't know. They don't have a lot of experience, and
yet boom, they get the experience in those non conference games,
(12:50):
and once they get the MAC play, they're playing pretty good.
So I think they'll once again be a contender despite
the fact they don't have very much experience this year.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
We talk every year and I do Phil and I
say the same thing.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
It's the Bible. You can't you can't get.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Set for the college football season, especially now with all
the players changing teams without your publication. If there's somebody
listening to this conversation who has never ordered the magazine before,
give folks a snapshot of it.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
You're a heck of a guy. Mo. The magazine is
available right now at Barnes and Noble and Books a Million.
It's three hundred and sixty pages, the largest it's ever been.
Every single one of the one hundred and thirty six
FBS teams gets two full pages. So we give you
the Delawares two full pages, just like we give you
Ohio State all the information, same spot, every page, every team.
(13:39):
It's quicker and easier reference than even the Internet. Now
it's Barnes and Noble and Books a million are the
only two locations to get it, or you can go
online to Phil Steel dot com. That's st. E. E. L.
E and when you go there and order the magazine,
I've got charge is shipping charge. It costs the ship things.
But I give it a digital magazine absolutely free along
with your hard copy. And the digital magazine is actually
(14:00):
updated all the way through September. So you can go
to Barnes and Noble Books a Million or Phil Steele
dot com. I guarantee you once you pick up a
Phil steel magazine, you will need one each and every
year because you'll it's like one hundred and thirty six
media guys rolled into one.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
And you know, I use the digital In fact, I've
I've gotten my account all the back issues that I've
ordered digitally. It's something that I refer to and sometimes
in real time, you know, just on a Saturday to
look up something. It's a great resource. Can't thank you enough.
I know you're in demand this time of year, So
thanks for carving had some time for us. Phil much
appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Always enjoy our conversations. Maul, appreciate you having me on today.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
You got it.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Phil Steele's twenty twenty five college football preview is available
at Phil Steel dot com. We are way laid. This
is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports station.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Nattie's ESPN fifteen thirty Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center.
At u See Health, you'll find comprehensive care that's so
personal it makes your best tomorrow possible. That's boundless care
for better outcomes. Expect more at UCHealth dot com. Eastbound
two seventy five at Princeton Pike, two right lanes blocked
(15:09):
off from an accident. Northbound seventy one after two seventy five.
It is debris in the center lane used caution in
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rode on the left shoulder on at Ezelic with traffic.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
This reporting spun
In twenty minutes on the Erase Saint Clair Roofing Hotline
to ESPN fifteen thirty more Haggard, Let's go to the
Ray Sint Clair Roofing Hotline.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Phil Steele is with us.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Our annual conversation is twenty twenty five. College Football Preview
is a must. You could order it now at Phil
Steele dot com. There's no more comprehensive or thorough publication.
We always talk about the labor of love and how
much time and effort you put into this. How much
more difficult is it in this era of college football
that we're in.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Yeah, a lot more difficult with that second portal thrown
in post spring. You know, in years past, maybe five
six years ago, MO I could talk to the coaches
after spring practice was over, and some team spring ends
in March, so I could start the coaches interviews in
March after they go through their post spring interviews with
their players. Now I have to wait till the second
(00:49):
portal closes, which is actually at the end of April,
and that means I'm trying to talk to all one
hundred and thirty six head coaches. I think this year
I got about one hundred and twenty six in but
I have to each call takes about the hour hour
plus on these calls, and I'm trying to cram them
all in. In the month of May, I actually took
about twelve conversations, you know, generally the final week of
(01:11):
the magazine, I'm not doing any coaches calls. I'm just
fine tuning the magazine. This year, I talked to like
twelve coaches the final week just because we couldn't squeeze
them all in in May, and it made it very
hectic down the stretch. So a lot of changes. But
the one thing we do do is, you know, we
wait five weeks after the transfer portals closed, so all
our players are on the correct teams, unlike those other
(01:32):
magazines that are on the shelf while the portal's still open.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
And by the way, you could order Phil's publication at
Phil steel dot com.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Steele has an e at the end of it. You
can get the digital edition. Order it now.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
You'll have it well before this conversation comes to an end.
I always start with the bearricats, and you know around
here fans ask each other, Okay, are they going to
be better this season?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Can they make a ball game?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
They can they cool off Scott sadderfield seat and for
most of us, the answer man, I don't know. There
are so many additions, so many new guys. The season
lasted ended so poorly last year, so I was really
encouraged when I went to the UC page and I
saw you wrote quote, they will surprise a lot of
folks this year. You have them number eight and you're
most improved indecks, Phil, talk to me, you're getting me excited.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I was very bullish on the Cincinnati after I got
fun with coach Centerfield and the first two conversations. You know,
he had inexperienced units. He was first year head coach's
first year and had a very young team, only eight
returning starters. Even last year they're only number one hundred
and twelve on my experience chart, and as you mentioned,
(02:41):
they got off to a great start. You know, they
were five and two and it looked like a bowl
game for sure, but then losing the last five games hurt.
But this year they go for number one hundred and
twelve on my experience chart all the way up to
number twenty six, and unlike those first two teams, they're
not relying solely on transfers. I mean, he's back at
QB and I think he's one of the better quarterbacks
(03:02):
in the Big Twelve. You look at the running back corps,
you know Evan Pryor is back, and they add in
a Tywee Walker coming in from Wisconsin. I love this unit.
And then the receivers. Jeff Caldwell's an NFL caliber dude
coming in from Linderwood. And here's the thing, when going
through the teams with the coaches, there's actually a much
higher hit. In other words, players that come in and
(03:24):
transfer portal that actually play when they come up from
the FCS level if they have the experience, because they're
happy to be there, they love the training table, and
they also they're underrated and they've got a chip on
their shoulder. And so I think you're going to see
Caldwell shine this year coming in from Linderwood, one of
the top tight ends in the country and Joe Royer.
They finally have experience on the offensive line. In fact,
(03:47):
coach centerfield fields. They could be one of the best
offensive lines in the Big Twelve this year. Defensively, Dante
Corleone was a question mark coming into last year. He
had a return this year just to get his NFL
draft stock boosted back up. I think he's going to
have a dominant year on the d line along with
Jalen Hurt and called Golday, and the whole defense is
solidly better. And the one unit where they did rely
(04:08):
on transfers was the secondary, bringing in McDoom, Barnes and
Williams and also Harrison. But overall, this is a vastly
more experienced team than last year. And they are my
number eight most improved team, and I don't put teams
on my most improved less lightly. I expect them all
to go from losing records to Bowl games.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, I you know, I think they're going to benefit
from continuity. You know, a new defensive coordinator last year,
some growing pains. I am interested in how much better
their special teams unit's going to be this year, because
last year it cost them some games.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
The Big twelve top to bottom, how good is it?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
It's definitely a competitive conference. I think that patch ball.
I mean, asually you have to do is look at
last year. I've been doing the magazine for thirty one years.
I've never seen it, have you, moll a conference that
was top to bottom like last year was with the
Big Twelve, No nothing like it. And I think this year, though,
we're going to see a little more stability. I do
think there are some teams at the top of the
(05:07):
conference that all have a shot at winning it. And
you could probably get all the way down to Cincinnati
if you're looking for a surprise, even with Kansas, even Houston.
I mean, this is a loaded and deep conference. Now
what that's going to do for the Big Twelve, moll
It's probably going to make sure they only have one
spot in the playoffs this year, because how the heck
are you going to get two teams here with double
(05:28):
digit wins when you've got a huge game almost every
single week in Big Twelve play And the names of
the teams that I consider capable of being up there,
you know, Baylor, Utah, Iowa State, Arizona State, Kansas State,
Texas Tech, TCU, BYU. I'm throwing Cincinnati up there, and
throwing Kansas up there, even Houston, which had a great defense.
(05:49):
All those teams I think are capable of contending in
one way or another. So I think it's a wide
open race in the Big Twelve, but a little more stability.
I think when you look at the bottom them on
the conference, I'm looking at teams that are hit the
portal hard. You remember I just talked about how Cincinnai
didn't have to hit the portal hard. This year, we're
talking about sixty sixty five new players on teams like
(06:11):
West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Colorado, and UCF and a lot
of those players came in after spring practice was over.
I think that instability is going to hurt those teams.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Talk to me about their first game and we'll discuss
the Big Ten in specifically Ohio State, because look, the
first two years of Scott Saderfield at Cincinnati have been underwhelming,
and they've been doing what they've been doing while trying
to get their feet, you know, trying to achieve some
stability in the Big twelve. I think they've got a
chance to change some people's minds. Week one, a game
(06:41):
in Kansas City. Technically I guess a home game for Cincinnati,
but we all know what the makeup of that crowd
is going to be. You've got Nebraska kind of middle
of the pack of the Big Ten. Do you give
the Bearcats a chance against the corn Huskers?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
You know, I think they do have a chance. I
do favor Nebraska for the game, but I only have
a three point favorite in it just because so bullish
on Cincinnati. But I'm also bullish on Nebraska this year.
You know, Matt Roll each of his first two head
coaching jobs at Temple and Baylor, got the double digit
wins in his third year, and you look at him
last year. Dominic Raiola came out of the box pretty good.
He had a really good start to the season on
(07:15):
nine to two ratio his first five games. Then surprisingly
they went sideways a four to nine ratio the rest
of the year. But remember he was a true freshman.
Now he's a veteran. I think you'll see rail will
be one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten
this year. They're deep at running back, offensive lines veteran group,
and the defense is solid throughout. So I've got Nebraska
(07:38):
as a team that might be you know, could could
flirt with that double digit record, And they are my
number seven surprise team this year, and a surprise team
is a team that is not in the top ten
at the start of the year that I think actually
is a shot of making the playoff. I think Nebraska
is a legitimate contender in the Big Ten this year,
So that's a tough test for Cincinnati. But like I said,
(08:00):
I only am a three point favorite in the game,
even though I'm that high on them, just because I'm
also so high on Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
You talk about your experience index, and I think that's
where you can ding Ohio State a little bit this year.
And look, there's still loads of talent, But is that
the primary reason why you have them just beneath Penn
State and your Big Ten predictions?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yes, And you know, when you look at Ohio State,
there's no doubt the talent on the field, it's just inexperience.
And last year you're looking at a team that almost
everybody that could have gone to the NFL opted to return.
So it was a senior laden team loaded with guys
that could be in the NFL that actually returned because
they wanted a pair of gold pants. They wanted to
beat Michigan. Well guess what, they didn't beat Michigan. They
(08:42):
didn't win the Big Ten, but they won the national title.
So okay, it worked out for him pretty good. But
fourteen players out the window in the NFL draft, now
it's not going to be like Michigan last year. Remember
Michigan went from being the defending national champ all the
way down to six and five and the double digit
underdog at Ohios. They look at the six and sixth
season in the face until the season turned around at
(09:04):
the end much better for Ohio State. In fact, they
could very well be favored in every single game this year,
and yes I'm including the Penn State game that they
have at home. I like Julian sayin coming in at quarterback.
He was my number one rate of quarterback out of
high school. You got to like the talent they have
a running back, bringing in Donaldson from West Virginia, added
the Peoples and Jackson at Jeremiah Smith is one of
(09:24):
the best players in the entire country, let alone just
wide receiver. Defensively, they got Caleb Downs, one of the
best defensive players in the country. You can go on
and on. Talent wise is all there for Ohio State.
The biggest question is experience and will they be able
to get there at the end. But like I mentioned,
they could very well be favored in all twelve games.
Their favorite in the opener over Texas.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Already Phil Steele is with his annual college football preview
is available Phil Steele dot com. You pick Kentucky to
finish second to last in the SEC. I just I
have a feeling that's going to get sideways in Lexington.
The quality of that league, the season they we had
last year, what they return are things as bleak as
they might seem from a distance in Lexington.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
It does seem like especially when you in factor in
the schedule.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Mo.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
I mean, if they were playing a more favorable schedule.
Let's say it's a schedule like Missouri faces this year,
it might be different. But when you look at them
in Big or in SEC play, they host Mississippi, there'll
be an underdog in that. They go at South Carolina,
there'll be an underdog there. At Georgia underdog home against
Texas underdog Tennessee. That might be a shot there. I
(10:33):
mean Tennessee does have the quarterback questions, aguilar at the
quarterback spot coming in. Didn't have a great year at
app State last year. That might be one where they're
not an underdog. They got to play Auburn on the
road injured and air Florida at Vanderbilt and used to think, Hey,
Vanderbilt's an easy win, right, but you know, Vanderbilt's got
Pavia back at quarterback and then I'm not an even
(10:56):
factor in Indie at Louisville. To finish off the season,
overwhelming talent had to hit the portal hard, a lot
of new faces on the team. It does look that way.
It looks like a tough year for Kentucky this year.
I picked them fifteenth in the SEC. I think that's
about where they were picked by the media too, right, Yes.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, no, it's your your predictions fall in line.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
I just I don't know a Kentucky fan who feels
all that optimistic as a you see guys as Cincinnati guy,
I feel better about my team, especially after talking to you,
than most Kentucky fans I know feel about their squad.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, and I think that is the case this year.
And you know, a lot's going to depend on how
quickly Zach Calzana grasps a whole of that offense. Does
the Big Blue O line finally live up to when
we think about with the Big Blue O line, And defensively,
there's some players up front. You look at David just
at the defense, tackle Cam Olds at the jack. But
like I mentioned, they're going to have to pull some
(11:50):
upsets this year to have a successful season.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And Oxford Chuck Martin and will have you eleven news
starters on offense. I think people who don't follow the
Mac might not realize how good his program has been
the last couple of years. You've got him in contention
for a MAC title this season. What do you like
about the RedHawks.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Chuck Martin? I mean, you know, he's going to put
a quality. He's going to put some quality on the field.
And then you know, the sneaky thing there is bringing
in to Kwan Finn at the quarterback spot. The last
time we saw the Kwan Finn he was at Toledo
as a record setting quarterback, spent last year at Baylor.
But now he's back in the MAC. So having him
back a deep set of running backs that they have
(12:30):
question marks would be basically a brand new offensive line.
And then you know those are questions, But I like
the fact that the Kwan Finn's there. And I tell
you what a lot of years, you know go over
the team with Chuck Martin and I'm like, yeah, I
don't know. They don't have a lot of experience, and
yet boom, they get the experience in those non conference games,
(12:50):
and once they get the MAC play, they're playing pretty good.
So I think they'll once again be a contender despite
the fact they don't have very much experience this year.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
We talk every year and I do Phil and I
say the same thing.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
It's the Bible. You can't you can't get.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Set for the college football season, especially now with all
the players changing teams without your publication. If there's somebody
listening to this conversation who has never ordered the magazine before,
give folks a snapshot of it.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
You're a heck of a guy. Mo. The magazine is
available right now at Barnes and Noble and Books a Million.
It's three hundred and sixty pages, the largest it's ever been.
Every single one of the one hundred and thirty six
FBS teams gets two full pages. So we give you
the Delawares two full pages, just like we give you
Ohio State all the information, same spot, every page, every team.
(13:39):
It's quicker and easier reference than even the Internet. Now
it's Barnes and Noble and Books a million are the
only two locations to get it, or you can go
online to Phil Steel dot com. That's st. E. E. L.
E and when you go there and order the magazine,
I've got charge is shipping charge. It costs the ship things.
But I give it a digital magazine absolutely free along
with your hard copy. And the digital magazine is actually
(14:00):
updated all the way through September. So you can go
to Barnes and Noble Books a Million or Phil Steele
dot com. I guarantee you once you pick up a
Phil steel magazine, you will need one each and every
year because you'll it's like one hundred and thirty six
media guys rolled into one.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
And you know, I use the digital In fact, I've
I've gotten my account all the back issues that I've
ordered digitally. It's something that I refer to and sometimes
in real time, you know, just on a Saturday to
look up something. It's a great resource. Can't thank you enough.
I know you're in demand this time of year, So
thanks for carving had some time for us. Phil much
appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Always enjoy our conversations. Maul, appreciate you having me on today.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
You got it.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Phil Steele's twenty twenty five college football preview is available
at Phil Steel dot com. We are way laid. This
is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports station.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Nattie's ESPN fifteen thirty Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center.
At u See Health, you'll find comprehensive care that's so
personal it makes your best tomorrow possible. That's boundless care
for better outcomes. Expect more at UCHealth dot com. Eastbound
two seventy five at Princeton Pike, two right lanes blocked
(15:09):
off from an accident. Northbound seventy one after two seventy five.
It is debris in the center lane used caution in
that area, and northbound seventy five disabled vehicle After Sunday
rode on the left shoulder on at Ezelic with traffic.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
This reporting spun
Mo Egger News
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