Ep. 1064: MSU AD J Batt's media roundtable; previewing MSU-WMU football; and Week 1 picks with Harry

We opened discussing MSU athletic director J Batt's roundtable with reporters Wednesday on a number of issues — NIL, MSU's resources, what to do with CMU, etc. Then a conversation with WMU football play-by-play voice Robin Hook on what to expect from the Broncos in their matchup Friday night against the Spartans (15:00). Plus, our Week 1 college football picks and best bets with Harry Gagnon (37:00).

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Call up, all love, all up? Oh oh oh oh.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
What do you get when you cross a know it
all newspaper columnist with an awkward, unsophisticated every man.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah, well, I'm just not sure about that right now.

Speaker 4 (02:02):
Welcome room, Welcome to couch in the room.

Speaker 3 (02:07):
Our Wednesday afternoon show presented by our friends at Front
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that's just north of Frandor near the Lancing East Lancing border,
right there on East Saginaw. Unbelievable place, two adjoining places,
two distinct vibe, one, incredible menu in great drink selection,
great place for a college football weekend to catch a

(02:28):
Tiger's game, whatever it might be. But it was a
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me to Front forty three and Cask and Company. They
came on board as the original sponsors, believed in US
before anybody did. And I have never steered anybody wrong
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(02:51):
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which side you want to be on, all that sort
of stuff it's smart to do on the weekends as well. Jason,
how you doing, brother.

Speaker 4 (02:59):
Yeah, we don't have enough time for all of that.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
Gram Graham, Graham, Graham, Gram Graham, Graham, Graham, Graham Graham.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
Gram.

Speaker 3 (03:08):
Is that how the Jay Batt press conference went? It
wasn't a press round tables like it was like in
a conference room right here. His office was like about
you know, twelve twelve of us or so. Yeah, it
was good. It was reading the from the desk of
Jay Batt this morning too. So yeah, Jay Bat day
Bat getting out there before the start of football season. Yeah,
pound some bushes.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
It was a good conversation. This is gonna be a
goodhow We're gona talk a little bit about that conversation.
Uh here, First, we are going to have Robin Hook,
the longtime voice of the Broncos, on to talk about
the Western Michigan Michigan State game and get the perspective
of Western Michigan here.

Speaker 4 (03:46):
And you want to have my wife on to break
down the Taylor Swift Travis Kelcey engagement. We could do that. Jesus,
I need help from that. It's a big deal. You're
glad to be out of the house is that it's
been wall to wall coverage of this H Taylor and
Travis since yesterday, since the announcement. She was the one
to let me know what happened. She know, she is

(04:07):
so beyond excited about this, like the you know, you
know how you can tell with your wife, like when
they're excited about something, kind of like what I was
this morning with the Ryder cup picks and Keegan making
his captain's picks. I'm sure she was enthralled by that
conversation we had as well. But yeah, the passion in
her voice with the tailor and Travis thing is so
I had just gotten it.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
I had just gotten a text from uh Tom Tom Beaters,
who's a Oh how's Tom doing. Yeah, he's a guy
who ran this or and this is Sparta and il collective,
right and h and been an important person for a
lot of sports and uh at at MSU and he
had written an op ed in the Detroit News and

(04:46):
he had he sent me his instagram length to the
t's for the op ed and I and right then
to re sends me the this Instagram thing from you know,
from Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swist and I texted Theater's
back and I just said, this is like the second
most important thing on Instagram today. Man, I don't know
what to tell you. I know, and I was like,

(05:07):
you texted Graham.

Speaker 4 (05:09):
But yeah, he's been against their relationship a whole time.

Speaker 3 (05:11):
I'm not against. He likes Hallmark movies. I figured he
would like.

Speaker 4 (05:15):
I love this.

Speaker 3 (05:15):
I hope this becomes a Hallmark movie. I want to
say this, Yes, it is the same podcast. I don't
think she listens. I don't think I think Couch is
all about it, and I am too.

Speaker 4 (05:23):
It's just like I'm happy for people that are in love,
because when I'm in love, I like other people to
be in love. But it's like it's exhausting, like you know,
all the Easter eggs, like the Taylor Swift things. You
have to look in the photo and it's.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
Like, ah, we have our own love stories, you and
I and and now now Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift,
Like yeah, it's gonna be never ending. So we also
have Harry on later in the show. We're gonna do
Week one picksh I was worried about time. Yeah, we're
radio silent from him for a period there all right,
Week one College Football Picks. It is finally here and

(05:54):
that will be fun before we get to Robin Hook.
So today Jay Batt had a group of us, uh
you know, out in the conference outside his office for
a conversation, some off the record, some on the record.
Here are my sort of takeaways from it. A couple
of things. One, I mean, he what I like about
Jay bad is he is somebody who's who's curious. He

(06:16):
doesn't act like he has all the answers out of place.
He's been two months, right, so he for like twenty
minutes he was just asking us questions and sort of
an off record format to get feedback on things we
hear about.

Speaker 4 (06:26):
So smart stuff there.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
For example, you think about the idea that how many
times Central Michigan has brought up to me? Don't think
we didn't bring that up? Was that off the record?
Well then then we went on the record with it.
So I'll get to how do you know? Does he say, yeah,
you make that record and it's very important. Matt Larson
was there, who and so he's off of the record.

(06:49):
On the record, guy, associated you look over all right
on the record?

Speaker 4 (06:53):
No, no, no, no.

Speaker 3 (06:53):
The whole beginning part was off and then we went on. Yeah,
and you you want to be clear about forget, like
i'd forget what is the guy who does this very
dangerously sometimes Iso like expects you to know based on
the tone of his voice sometimes or the craziness that
he said, and you kind of do because you kind
of know, Okay, you know he Lowser's voice or he
does this, You're like, he meant to go off the record.

(07:14):
I'm surprised he hasn't gotten burned by it by somebody
who doesn't know him as well, uh, to this point,
because it's not always clear like is O could if
Iso ever got burned by going off the record, chances
are he wouldn't be all that upset if if you
listen back to the recording, because chances are I would
be very unclear that he went off the record, right.
And but in this case, it was so a few

(07:34):
things to get to one. The CMU thing came up quickly,
and he was pretty pretty vague about it and just said,
you know, Michigan State will be the north Star doing
what's best for MSU. I like that, and you know
there are contracts that are in place, so I would
be surprised if games win.

Speaker 4 (07:52):
He would not.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
When I asked him specifically about whether anybody from CMU's
administration had been in contact, he said he didn't want
to get into that. But the rector he didn't say
on the on the wreck, I wouldn't be talking about
it here. It was off the record. That distinction is
important in this business. You don't get bad at that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Again,
you have to be known. It has known for me.

(08:13):
It is known, like it was very clear when we
went on, so that you know, we'll see where that goes.
I think that was my takeaway on this is there's
a lot of I mean, he's an impressive guy, but
Mark Hollis was impressive. If you interviewed Alan Haller, he
came across impressive, Like he's an impressive guy. And I
think he's going about things in the right way in
terms of getting to know the place, being curious. He

(08:34):
clearly has some initiatives he's tried to do early and
you know, stadium improvement and stadium experience improvements, things like that. Yeah,
he's he have a tailgate, the montailgate. There are things
that he is putting a stamp on quickly that you're
able to do because you know that works. But there's
a lot of things he's curious about. You know, he's
curious about. You know, I think he's curious about the
uh the game at Ford Field at the end of

(08:55):
the year, these sort of things. You know, he's I
think he'll be taking feedback from people well all this
year on that sort of stuff and getting to know
the fan base.

Speaker 4 (09:04):
You know.

Speaker 3 (09:04):
One of the other things I asked him about, and
I think this is an important component going forward, is
you know, we all know in revenue what the revenue
sharing numbers are, right, it's twenty and a half million total,
It's about fifteen sixteen million everywhere for football. But how
do you separate yourself there? And you know, is Ohio
State and the heart Ohio State in Alabama and Michigan

(09:26):
going to play in the same sandbox is Purdue in Illinois? Like,
how do you make that? How do you separate yourself financially?
And one thing that is interesting is he's very much
and he said the Michigan State is going to play
above board this. They're legitimate and il deals and they're
working towards ways to you know, they're moving away from
the collective model outside of revenue sharing, and they're working

(09:50):
towards ways to find opportunities in ways to finance and
IL deals for athletes, legitimate ANDIL deals. And so I've
sort of followed up on that, like how much in
the gray area you want to live if others do?
And he said, they're going to play above board. So
this is this is a big weight and see component, right,
how does this play itself out? I think this next

(10:10):
year is going to be interesting because before this football season,
before the July first, before the house settlement went into place,
a lot of deals were already done. The Bryce Underwood
deal at Michigan, right that, you know, the twelve million
to ten and a half million however much he got,
Like next year, how are those deals being done? And
are they deals that aren't to go through the clearinghouse.

(10:34):
He did say he thinks federal legilation is really important.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
You know.

Speaker 3 (10:37):
I think he's hopeful that that is something that that
happens sooner rather than later. And there's some reason to
think that there could be booming on that now. So
we'll see that. That to me is one of those
you know, keep an eye on it because if MSU
is going to play with the big fish. They've got
to be able to do what the big fish are doing.

(10:58):
He did say when asked about whether MSU. I asked
them specifically about whether MSU, you know, as you sort
of looked under the hood of the finances and all
that stuff, whether MSU has the donors and the finances
and the wherewithal who really compete and contend to do
what they need to do. He said that they have

(11:18):
plenty of horsepower in their donor base and alumni base
and other corporate sponsors. Plenty of horsepower was the.

Speaker 4 (11:24):
How many horses the phrase certain cars have six hundred
and fifty horses, some have one hundred and fifty horses,
but that's important. That puts it on him.

Speaker 3 (11:30):
It's similar to when Alan Haller said, you know, they
expect Michigan State football to be a top third of
the Big Ten, top six out of eighteen pretty annually, right,
and that would I think make people pretty happy. But
that sets a bar, that sets an expectation. Then the program,
the department has to meet from a resources standpoint, and
the program has to meet from a winning standpoint. When

(11:52):
he says they have plenty of when Jay Batt says
they have plenty of horsepower, it now sets you know,
that's him saying the horse powers there, it's up to
him to go get it. It's up to him to
make sure that money is is there for for programs
and that they're not left behind it any way. So
he's saying the horsepower is there, it's his job to

(12:12):
cultivate it and and get it. So I thought that
was that was interesting in terms of the football schedule scheduling,
and he said, you know, there's gotta be a balance
between fan experience and competitive aspirations.

Speaker 4 (12:26):
So that was that was interesting.

Speaker 3 (12:27):
I think I would expect him still to play you know,
major opponents, or at least Power Conference opponents. I think
that's where things are going, especially now that the that
the SEC has done that he thinks in terms of
number of sports, Michigan State's in a good spot. So
those are all. Those are sort of the highlights of
what he said. I am going to write a column
at LSJ dot com and in the Lanting Street Journal

(12:49):
on the on the conversation, but those are sort of
the highlights of what he said, and it'll be interesting.
It's just sort of a wait and see thing. He
also I brought up the the new arena project for
you know, volleyball, wrestling, gymnastics, and he.

Speaker 4 (13:02):
Very vague there. I do not.

Speaker 3 (13:04):
I would be a little surprised at that when exactly
as it was going to be before the change in
athletic directors. He said, they're still in the very much
in the planning phase, and he was very vague. I
think there are gonna be some some changes there. I
would be surprised if that goes.

Speaker 5 (13:18):
Now.

Speaker 4 (13:18):
You said that, he asked you, guys, your reporters questions
like what did he ask you? Did? He fire went
away at you because that was your first.

Speaker 3 (13:26):
Meeting of j bat right. His big thing was what
are we hearing from fans? Like, that's what he's curious about.
What are we hearing don't from?

Speaker 4 (13:32):
I said right away.

Speaker 3 (13:33):
If groovy donuts aren't there, the columns are gonna get rough.
You either get groovy donuts and spartan stadium or I
can't promise anything positive that comes out of anything.

Speaker 5 (13:40):
Jay.

Speaker 4 (13:41):
You know, the tailgating thing has been great so far,
but you know, groovy donuts we need and by the way,
can we smoke weed in the stadium. Yet, come on,
I told him the most important things here for the
room here, weed and groovy donuts. If you get those
two things, everything else falls into place. Did he give
a timeline of the tailgating thing, because I guess the
criticism of the tailgating thing is like it was popped
up all of a sudden, like a week or two ago,

(14:02):
started starting the opener. I understand that, but I guess
the idea like it wasn't talked about before two weeks
ago or something that was that was not asked.

Speaker 3 (14:10):
I apologize that was off the record. No, it's just
not asked. It just wasn't asked. I mean we briefly
was touchdown, but that sort of specific part of it
was not.

Speaker 4 (14:17):
Because I have to say, that's the only criticism I've
heard of Jay Bats so far as like the it
was all of a sudden just going hey man, you
can tailgate and go together.

Speaker 3 (14:25):
At the last second, it felt like no, I mean,
he's in you know, he's in a honeymoon period right now,
and eventually something will happen that people won't be happy with,
you know, but right now, you know, you got to
take advantage of that. And I think that's uh yeah,
So anyway, that's uh, that's sort of the Jay Bat discussion.
I'll have more on that, and certainly we can ask
if you have specific questions when we do our Groovy

(14:46):
Donut Twitter Questions show on Thursday this week, and we'll
put out an ask later today. You can you can
if you have specific questions right in there. Remember that's
a Thursday show with the Friday MSU football against Western opener.
So let's get Robin Hook. Let's talk about that game.
You want to get Robin Hook on the phone and

(15:07):
we'll talk about Michigan State Western as he gets him.
If you do not have a ticket, or you're thinking Saturday, man,
Michigan State plays Friday night. What am I going to
do Saturday? I'd love to see some college football. I
love to watch a lot of games at once, have
a drink, have a great meal, maybe it relaxed with
some friends. I'm telling you Front forty three and Casking Company.
You will love the experience either side. Like I love
the pub experience a Front forty three. I love that

(15:28):
bar set up and TV setup. It's a great set
up at the bar too. At Casking Company. Whether you
want flatbreads, burger sushi bowls, which I love, their Maui
Bull and their Big Island Bowl. They've got it all,
great drink selection, underrated patio as well. They're at Front
forty three in Cask and Company, just north of friend
Or on East Saginaw and Lansing. Very pleased now to

(15:49):
have an old friend, not that old, but longtime voice
of the Western Michigan Broncos, the great Robin Hook. Robin,
How you doing man?

Speaker 6 (16:00):
How you doing up there?

Speaker 4 (16:03):
I am? I am.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
You know what I felt best for you When Western
Michigan won a hockey national championship. That's when I felt
best for you. Getting to do that stuff that you
don't always get to do.

Speaker 6 (16:13):
I gotta admit that was pretty cool.

Speaker 4 (16:15):
Yeah, that's pretty cool.

Speaker 6 (16:17):
I don't think it's their last one either. I think
Bronco Hockey is here to stay in that national spotlight.

Speaker 3 (16:25):
Well what I love about that? And you know, I
know there's a big arena project that's that's on its
way downtown And finally, I mean I was writing stories
about that in two thousand and eight and it's it's
finally coming to fruition about you know, four times at
the price thanks to Bill Johnson and all that. But
what I love about is WU hockey is given Western

(16:46):
Michigan a sport that plays at the very elite national
level at a time where that's really challenging in their
other two primary sports and one of those being footbought
was I wanted to ask you the how how different
it feels there from ten years ago, and obviously ten
years ago was twenty fifteen heading into twenty sixteen. Is

(17:07):
the build under PJ. Fleck was happening as they had
a team with twenty sixteen with six NFL draft picks
on it. Like, the ability to keep that sort of
talent and to build that sort of roster is just
sort of a thing in been major football that's hard
to do.

Speaker 4 (17:21):
How different is the vibe there today?

Speaker 6 (17:24):
Well, it's so different with the way the college football
and college basketball have involved with the transfer portal and
all of that. So that team was built by recruiting
high school players and developing them and seeing them all
the way through four or five years of service. And

(17:47):
nowadays you're turning your roster over every other year, if
not every year. So it's a totally different ballgame. And
tell you what I think this team Coach Taylor's put
together is going to surprise some people. Now where that
takes them and where they end up, I'm not sure,
but just watching them in practice and watching them carry

(18:12):
themselves and some of the team's speed that they've added,
I mean, there's team speed comparable to what they had
in that undefeated twenty sixteen Cotton Bolt team. So we'll
see if it translates down to the field. I'm anxious
to see it unfold on Friday night.

Speaker 3 (18:28):
Well that's sort of the big difference, right, I mean
a decade ago, you knew based on twenty fifteen that
they were close, and now you see the team speed,
but it's you know, it's thirty one transfers, fifty you know,
plus new players, Like, you don't know what that's all
going to look like. There's some Juco guys that are intriguing,
who have a you know, good running back returning, you know,
some guys up front that look interesting. Like where do

(18:51):
you think this team has the best chance to sort
of punch up in a matchup like this?

Speaker 6 (18:58):
Well, I think hope running the football, because they do
have a bona fide running back who I think we'll
get a shot at the National Football League. That's Jalen Buckley.
He's just chiseled. He's up to two hundred and twenty pounds.
He's got really good speed for a big man, and
if the rebuild offensive line comes through, he should have

(19:21):
a heck of a year. He ran for over a
thousand yards as a freshman, was a Freshman All American
and MAC Freshman of the Year. He's battled through a
few injuries the last couple of seasons, but I'm excited
about Jalen Buckley. I think he can be an impact player,
one of the key figures in the Mid American Conference.

Speaker 3 (19:41):
If he stays healthy, you get a new quarterback. And
that's always I mean, that's always a difficult change. First tough,
first assignment. What do you expect there? Do you have
a sense of things?

Speaker 6 (19:55):
Tell you what this Brady Jones kid from California, Riverside
Community College freshman or junior college All American. This guy
can really throw the football. You'll be impressed. Watch him
in warmups, watch him in the game on Friday night.
He can really throw the football. We had a kid here,
Caleb Ellabie, had a great arm. Probably left too soon,

(20:19):
thought he was gonna make it at the next level.
This kid throws the football as well as LB, if
not better, and he's got some zip on it. It
comes out of his hand really quick, and he's got
some speed on the edge. With some new wide receivers
that they brought in, Christian Leary from Georgia Tech and

(20:42):
Malik Williams another transfer, and the tight ends should play
an integral part in the offense, so Brady's gonna have
a lot of options to go to. And then you
got Brock Lowry, who is a transfer from Indiana who
was the backup quarterback last year. A little different mentality

(21:02):
to the quarterback position. He's improved a lot through in
the football, but he can really run back there too
as a quarterback. They had a scrimmagere last week and
Brock Lowry went to coach Taylor and asked him to
be live during this scrimmage. The other quarterbacks all had
their gold shirts on, which means don't tackle them. He

(21:22):
wanted to be live and he was out there running
the football. So and he's a much better passer than
he was last year. He's really improved there too. So
I'm going to see both of those guys and guessing.
On Friday, coach Taylor said both would play, which I
anticipated going into these early games anyway, until someone just
takes it over. But I think you'll see both of

(21:45):
them quite often this year.

Speaker 4 (21:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:47):
I mean, Brady's numbers at the Juco level were astronomical.
And what do you think that looks like? I mean,
they're different styles and players, So is I mean, is
there a scripted plan right now or is it one
guy looks good ride him or do you have a
sense of that?

Speaker 6 (22:03):
No, I really don't. We're going to find out here
on Friday night. I think one or the other will
start and then the other guy will come in and
then you know, maybe if somebody gets hot, they might
ride him for a while and then you'll see what happens.
But the biggest thing is they're going to turn around
handed to Jalen Buckley and some of these Juco backs

(22:24):
that they got a Cole Cabana transferred from Michigan unfortunately
won't play, got banged up, not season ending. He should
be back for conference play. He was a guy who
was anxious to see but he won't be available. But
and those tight ends over the middle, those short passes.
Got a kid from Williamstown named Kate Conley who went

(22:45):
to Marshall. I believe he started at Central and then
the Marshall. Now at Western, he's really surfaced as a
go to guy. And then Blake Bosma has caught six
touchdown passes last year, is down the field threat from
the tight end spot. You gonna see a lot of
tight ends I think for the Broncos. And this offensive

(23:08):
line can hold up a three built now because you
lost four starters from a year ago, but you do
get a starter back who missed all last season because
of a knee injury, Adam Van Dervest, and he's the
anchor upt there at left tackle. So and another guy
who started all last year inside John hol for none
of the other guys are all new guys that have

(23:28):
paid their dues, you know, getting ready to play Division
I football at the offensive line position. And so Jeremy
Schleiker and Gavin and Dabo and guys like that are
going to get their opportunity really for the first time.
And I'll see what they can do.

Speaker 4 (23:45):
Defensively, you know.

Speaker 3 (23:47):
I mean there's a guy like Tate Halleck, former Michigan
State you know, Michigan State legacy, his dad's tie, you know,
his sisters on the women's basketball team. Began his career
at MSUs. Had two really good seasons for Western Michigan.
But there are a lot of new faces. There is
that the side of the ball where there's the most
You got a new coordinator, some new faces, like the
most sort of uncertainty and what that could look like?

Speaker 6 (24:12):
Well, funny shit, ask that. So I got my two
d appear in front of me that they don't They
don't release anymore. By the way, before the first game,
nobody releases the two deep witch.

Speaker 4 (24:22):
If you get it right, that's awesome.

Speaker 6 (24:24):
I think it's nonsense, but I go to practice, so
I put it all together and then I showed coach
Taylor and he says, that looks pretty good. But I
put the previous spot where they played in red next
to their name, and my two deep sheet is bleeding

(24:45):
right now with red all over it. Because just about
everybody in there is a transfer from somewhere except for
just one or two guys. Tata course from Michigan State,
and they got all new linebackers and new defensive line
in August, Joe hangings Meyer who's been around for a while.

(25:05):
He'll factor in up front. I'll play a lot of
guys like most teams do on the defensive line, keep
them fresh and rotate them in. But there's some veterans
back there, like Aaron Wafford and Tate Hallick. They played
a lot of football and Tate was the team's second
leading tackler last year and had four picks pick six
against the Chip Wise so great to see take back

(25:27):
there this seventh season of college football. So he's excited
to be back. Ho often do you find a six
four safety like Tate Halleck in your secondary?

Speaker 3 (25:37):
No, And I think he could have been a good
player in Michigan State. He just you know, I also
think it's been a great, great move for him. You know,
the thing the Broncos and Spartans now have in common
that they have never shared before the last two years
and the Connor Stallions incident is a loathing of Central Michigan,
which is now a shared common bond between the between

(25:57):
the fan bases. So that you know, there will be
a little a little and maybe they can you know,
I don't commiserates the wrong word, but they can coalesce
around that those vibes on on on Friday night.

Speaker 6 (26:10):
Yeah, we all wrote for whoever is playing, no doubt
about that.

Speaker 3 (26:14):
I don't think people understand I wrote a column. I
wrote a lot of columns back when I was covering
uh Western Michigan for the Kalumazou Gazette when I lived
in Kalamazoo.

Speaker 4 (26:22):
Jason, you know that.

Speaker 3 (26:24):
But I in doing and a lot of times one
of the things I was trying to explain to a
larger fan base was just how intense, how good certain
players were, but how intense certain rivalries were. And like this,
the CMU Western rivalry is there is a loathing and
a and a hatred there that is is as deep

(26:46):
as you'll find just about anywhere. Is it is widespread.
Is Michigan Michigan State, which you know, or Michigan Ohio
State is a big no. But it's within those within
those programs it is is every bit as intent. So
that for Michigan, for Western Michigan, let we try that again,
for Western Michigan to compete and have a chance in

(27:07):
this game. And you and I have seen games where
they've pulled off these sort of wins, and it usually
takes pretty good punch in the passing game, like some
explosive plays, and maybe they have it on the ground game.
What do you think has to happen for this game
to be to be close at the end and for
Western Michigan have a chance.

Speaker 6 (27:27):
Well, I think the lines have to hold up on
both sides of the football. Games are one in the trenches.
It's not a cliche, it's the truth. It's how you
win football games. And with some younger guys, some less
experienced guys on the offensive line, and a whole bunch
of new players on the defensive line who we don't
really know how they're going to pan out. I think

(27:52):
that's what has to happen for the Broncos to have
an opportunity against a power four team like Michigan State
or later on against Illinois or some of the top
teams in the MAC like Toledo, Ohio and Miami. That
O line and that D line they got a hold
up and they got to create some space for the
running backs on offense, and they gotta slow down the

(28:14):
run game and maybe make Michigan State one dimensional and
go from there. That's always the that's always the key
thing in these kind of matchups, you know, because a
lot of times there's a little bit of size difference,
maybe a little bit of speed difference, but Bronco offensive

(28:35):
line is not small. They're pretty good size up there.
So we'll see what happens.

Speaker 3 (28:42):
Robin, it's always great to talk to you. Look forward
to seeing you Friday night, and glad things are going
well for you.

Speaker 6 (28:48):
Thanks Graham.

Speaker 3 (28:50):
It is Robin Hook, the longtime voice of the Broncos,
and nearly at one point I think the voice of
the Red Wings would like it was like the number
two guy, and then the higher could have been a
whole different life as the voice of the Red Wings
had it had it gone. What are your takeaways there, Jason, it's.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
Kind of depressing, I guess if you're Robbin though, right, well,
he always like the Red Wings thing. No, I've always
started talking to you for it's a central rivalry, that's fair.

Speaker 3 (29:12):
But I've always thought if you lived there, it's a
great like. I mean, you do the radio for basketball, hockey, football,
you get a lot of different stuff. They pay you well,
they treat you well. You live in Kalamazoo, which is
an unbelievable place, so I you know, it's not a
bad life, No, but absolutely not. Yeah, so what'd you
read in the tea leaves? There is Western any good?
Because I mean, so money's coming in and money came

(29:32):
in on Western. But I just think that's because you know,
Michigan State averaged what nineteen points?

Speaker 4 (29:36):
Again?

Speaker 3 (29:36):
Did the line change? It went to eighteen and a
half to twenty and a half. It's twenty and a half.

Speaker 4 (29:40):
But I'm saying everybody was hammering the twenty and a
half I believe says roughly sixty percent of tickets on
the Broncos. And I just go, well, well, how do
you you know? So I you talk about that with
Harry coming up next, but I just find it fascinating.

Speaker 3 (29:51):
Yeah, I've been asked a little bit about the over
and and I probably would lean that way. I think
where there could be trouble is when you have, and
I've covered teams like this, when you have you know,
a juco transfers up front and the offensive line. You know,
when you have a lot of nuanced defense, like I've
seen the way that goes and it usually doesn't go
that well for the Western Michigan. It doesn't mean you

(30:11):
don't have some explosive players and plays, and so it
doesn't mean you don't break one off or you don't
have a couple of great drives. It doesn't mean you
don't get to seventeen points or something like that.

Speaker 4 (30:21):
It's just isn't it different this year than past years?
Just for the wave college football landscape? One, it's so different.
It's it's just it's and and so a lot of
teams they play will be in the same circumstance. But
I'll give you a great example of this. I was
covering this is twenty eleven. I'm covering Western Michigan at Michigan.
It's when I wrote that famed column about Alex Carter
and Denard Robinson and Kirk Cousins and all that. Anyway,

(30:44):
and Western Michigan is moving up and down the field
on Michigan. And it's at the Big House. It's seven
to seven. They're about to go in to go there
on the goal line. They're about to go up fourteen
to seven, Western Michigan. It's going to be a game. Now.

Speaker 3 (30:57):
This game never finished because it was called for weather
after like late in the third quarter. And I can't
imagine if the game wasn't even it was kind of
out of reach. But I can't even imagine Michigan be
willing to do that if they were, if they weren't,
if the roles were reversed. But anyway, they're on the
goal line and Carter throws a ball that gets tipped

(31:18):
and intercepted and goes back the other way.

Speaker 4 (31:19):
Pick sick.

Speaker 3 (31:20):
So instead of going up fourteen to seven, you're down
fourteen seven and the game spiral a little bit from there.
But that was like early second quarter or whatever, and
everybody goes, oh, that's just bad luck. It was not
bad luck. What happened was Western Michigan had a Juco
transfer offensive guard who was pushed back into Alex Carter
on his throat. And so that's what happens at Western.

(31:42):
That's the difference between Western Michigan and Michigan. Like you,
Michigan doesn't have to start some guy who's not quite
ready as a Juco transfer offensive guard. Michigan does.

Speaker 4 (31:50):
So that that's bad luck, though, but it was bad luck,
but hit on something.

Speaker 3 (31:54):
Luck could have gone differently. But those are the breaks
to some degree. And so that's when you start new
faces up front on a lot of Juco guys. There's
a year famously late in the Gary Darnell era, like
twenty two years ago, where they had a lot too
many Juco guys and things you know, did not go
well culturally. When you have a lot of different guys
on defense, you know, things can look like you got speed,

(32:16):
you got all this, but it's got to be cohesive.
So my sense of things is Western Michigan made Land
a few blows, but they will not. I don't think
this game will be within a touchdown or two in
the fourth quarter. I think Michigan State will.

Speaker 4 (32:29):
That doesn't help me when I got to cover twenty
and a half. I think that numbers. You don't think
that Michigan Stay can cover. I mean with you, I'm
kind of with you because but I don't know anything
about other than what Robin just told us about Western.
I think that number is about right. Yeah. You know
what's interesting is, well, like you said, it opened at
what eighteen something.

Speaker 3 (32:45):
Like that, how much you know Michigan State's playmakers versus
this defense, how in sync they are. Michigan State's offensive line, Like,
you know what's interesting about MSU's offensive line. You get
a guy like Nate Carter makes the Atlanta Falcons right,
how bad was Michigan's offensive line last year? They got
a center from last year who was stuck on an
NFL roster with the Bears, and they have a running

(33:06):
back who's stuck with the Falcons. So the rest of
the line, I mean, Carter never had any room to
do anything. He had that Michigan game where he played
pretty well and the line was good early on. But like,
there's a guy who's an NFL running back you had
in your team last year, you had an NFL starting center,
and you could not create space for this guy.

Speaker 4 (33:23):
And so the question for me is him off the
record Jonathan Smith commentary about last year's O line.

Speaker 3 (33:28):
He did not say that, but it was. So the
question for me is up fromt is what is Michigan State?
If Michigan State is as improved as is, they want
to be an offensive line, at receiver, at quarterback. I
do not think this is I think that the three
touchdowns is about right now at twenty and a half.
I'd be hesitant to take it, and we'll get into
our best bets and a little bit. I do have

(33:49):
a play if you want to take Michigan State that
I think would be probably the way to go. If
the line's at twenty and a half, where you get it.
If you took it earlier, at eighteen and a half,
you probably feel better. Anything south of seventeen I think
would probably the right play for people. But yeah, we'll, we'll,
we'll get into to all of that with the with
the great Harry Gagnan. Here, let's take a quick break

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Speaker 3 (36:44):
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Great place to watch college football games this weekend. It

(37:04):
is now time to bet the games. Talk about how
we're betting the games and our picks with the great
Harry Gagnon. Harry, how you doing?

Speaker 4 (37:13):
Brother?

Speaker 5 (37:15):
Hey, what's up guys?

Speaker 3 (37:16):
It is good to hear your voice. It's good to
be football season. Yeah, and excited to get going on
this the first game we're going to get to.

Speaker 4 (37:27):
Oh do go want music for this? All right? I
got you, let's go. Well, thank you? Yeah, there we
are there, We are there. We are.

Speaker 3 (37:37):
First game Western Michigan plus twenty and a half at
MSU this Friday night. The line has moved towards ms
U to twenty and a half. The money now is
starting to come in on Western. I think this line
is probably about right. Uh, but I would you know,
and and and history says Michigan State does not cover

(37:58):
these openers all that easily. Right, So history says, don't
take Michigan State on this. I would be inclined. I'm
gonna for all the purposes of our competition, I would
say MSU here under three touchdowns. I would take MSU still,
but I would not bet this at this number. This
number seems about right to me. Jason Ware you, sir, Yeah,
it feels like a fade.

Speaker 4 (38:18):
Boys. Twenty and a half. I just think that Michigan State, Harry,
they should cover this, and I think a lot of
this steam on Western Michigan is coming because of Michigan
State and what they did offensively last year. Give me
for this contest. Give me Michigan State covering that twenty
and a half. I don't love it, but give me
Michigan State. What do you got here?

Speaker 5 (38:38):
Boy? You know I did pretty good with you guys
last year in college, but I just couldn't get those
Michigan State games right. But in this spot, I don't know,
seems like a lot. You mentioned Graham. Michigan State last
year open season opener beat Florida Atlantic by just six.
Scored only sixteen total points in that game. Top two

(39:01):
running backs from last year gone. I know Nick marsh
is going to be a tremendous talent already is at
Michigan State and the sophomore year led them interceptions last
year as a freshman, But Western Michigan was in a
bowl game. Last year six to seven total losses were
by fourteen and last only blowout was against Ohio State.

(39:21):
I think, guys, I gotta take the almost three touchdowns here. Sorry, Sparty.

Speaker 3 (39:27):
I don't think there's a wrong you know, look, well
there's going to be a wrong answer. Well that's a
good point. Yeah, there is a wrong answer. But I
don't think you can sell either way pretty well and say,
you know, it's a decent bet based on Western Michigan's
changes on defense. They're new guys up front. But you
could also say Michigan State has traditionally not shown an
ability to cover this early on or really take over

(39:50):
a game like this to the extent that you would think, yeah,
I think there are better ways of this. We'll get
into this with our best bets, which we're going to
do in a little bit.

Speaker 4 (40:02):
But if they don't cover that twenty and a half though, right,
I mean, I can't believe we're talking about I know
it's Western Michigan State has no questions, but like, I
just feel Jonathan Smith needs to cover this spread. I
don't think so.

Speaker 3 (40:12):
So what if the first spread cover what if the
final score is is uh, you know, thirty eight to
twenty and Michigan State's in control the whole time.

Speaker 4 (40:20):
I don't I don't think you know how.

Speaker 5 (40:22):
About this one, guys. Michigan State hasn't beaten anybody by
more than three touchdowns in their last twenty one games.
And I'm sorry. I know they did be Prairie View
A and M last year by forty.

Speaker 4 (40:35):
But that doesn't count. Yeah, that's not that doesn't count. No,
it's not a game, not ans the sanctioned event. I mean,
I mean, you know counts. It's that's why you scheduled them.
They count. I mean, yeah, great stat, Harry, I like
that thought.

Speaker 5 (40:51):
About one eighteen I about one Division I schools, not
one Double A.

Speaker 3 (40:56):
Well now okay, now we're just reading the fine print.
I mean, they beat Florida Atlantic last year sixteen to ten.
Now that was not a great team. But if you
go back, like, let's go to twenty twenty two. Let's
not say they're twenty twenty one, but it's twenty twenty
two MSU football, they hold on what's that, coops?

Speaker 4 (41:14):
I screwed this up. I don't need off. I'm good.

Speaker 3 (41:20):
If you go back to twenty twenty two when they
start the season against Western Michigan. That was thirty five thirteen.
Now different Western Michigan team. Different, But that's the type
of game you can see. That's a twenty two point win.
But you wouldn't feel good about that spread, you know
this entire time. I think this spreads about right. I
can see an argument either way. All right, let's move

(41:40):
on to Saturday's games. Saturdays first game the big one
Texas plus two and a half at Ohio State. Ohio
State get a lot of love here with the new
quarterback situation, Arch Manning starting at Texas. I I mean,
I get it, it's on the road. I do wonder

(42:01):
about Ohio State a little bit. They've had a fair
bit of turnover. I know they got massive amounts of talent.
I kind of like Texas here, strangely, I don't know,
it's just a gut feel. I'm just not a game
I would go heavy on. Maybe you'd throw in a
teaser to bump Texas up to like, you know, nine
and a half or something like that, eight and a
half and feel a little bit better even that. I
don't know how I'd feel great, but at two and
a half, maybe buying that line to get to three.

(42:23):
I like Texas here, Jason, what are you? Yeah, I'm
kind of liking the money line with you. I don't
like when our guts a line, Graham. You know, eat something.
When we think about games, it's not good that our
guts a line gut. I'm with you with arch Banning,
and I'm like, this is a make or break game
for Arch Bandy. Come into Ohio State the Horseshoe and
beat Ohio State. Plus you're getting to and a hook,
to and a hook. I gotta say, Harry, I like

(42:44):
the Texas and the money line, and you're getting plus
money on that too. So give me Texas plus two
and a hook.

Speaker 4 (42:49):
What do you got?

Speaker 5 (42:51):
Yeah, I'm with you, guys.

Speaker 4 (42:52):
I like Graham.

Speaker 5 (42:53):
I'm the same page as you. What you said, your
analysis on the side of the game. I mean, I
just hate both teams. The buck guys. I've never been
a and you guys know, I've never been a fan
of Soukisyan, but I will say Texas schedule wise, they play.
They got to give them credit over the past couple
of years for playing tough non conference road games. Took
care of Michigan and and Arbor easily. Last year and

(43:15):
did the same the year before that in Tuscaloosa, and
with the way in the playoffs, for now the are
now the loser here still can go about their business
the regular season conference play and make it to the postseason.
I will say it had some run in the playoffs,
but you know, it's Arch time. Let's see what he's
got here in a big game. And I think Texas

(43:37):
gets revenge from losing by two touchdowns in the Cotton
Bow in the playoffs last year. I'll take Texas.

Speaker 4 (43:42):
I'll roll with both of you, all right.

Speaker 3 (43:44):
Next game, Alabama minus thirteen and a half at Florida State.
I give Bama some credit for going on a game
into Tallahassee minus thirteen and a half like that is.
You know, we'll see what Alabama is. I think they
have more depth in their program. I think they're in
a better place in Florida State. I've Florida State went
from like national title contender to off the map. So
they're gonna rebuild and I think they'll they'll be considerably better.

(44:06):
That's a big number in a true road game, though,
And so the question is is Florida State up to
like just physically being able to hang with Alabama. To me,
that's too big a number at Florida State in an
opener when there's hope is high and life forth living
and all that stuff. Give me, give me Florida State
with a thirteen and a half.

Speaker 4 (44:23):
Jason Ware Yeah, I tried talking myself into Florida State
with the points. But I just think, Harry, I just
think Ty Simpson and Alabama they're just gonna be stacked
and ready to go against Florida State. I like it
under two touchdowns. Give me Alabama minus thirteen and the
hook we got.

Speaker 5 (44:38):
I'm gonna go Florida State here, No, Jaylen Milroe anymore.
Florida State is four and one straight up in the last.

Speaker 3 (44:46):
Well, hold on, isn't that a plus?

Speaker 6 (44:49):
Like?

Speaker 3 (44:49):
No, Jalen Milrow, I mean that that helps Alabama, right,
I mean, that's that's just me.

Speaker 4 (44:53):
I'm sorry. I just that's that's ahead.

Speaker 5 (44:56):
Some people might some people a lot of people might agree,
but I guess and I think Bama now it doesn't
scare you like they would in the past. And yeah,
the Knowles were disappointing last year. I think they played
much better this season under head coach Mike Norvell. And yeah,
like you said, Graham, that's a big chunk there. It
seems a little high to me, a little fishy that
it's that high to me. But I'm gonna roll with you.

(45:18):
I'm taking the knowles as well.

Speaker 4 (45:20):
All right.

Speaker 3 (45:21):
New Mexico plus thirty four and a half at Bryce
Underwood in Michigan in his debut, big number.

Speaker 5 (45:27):
I know.

Speaker 3 (45:28):
New Mexico is talking a big game, talking about how
they like they're too deep and all that. Michigan usually though,
gets a bump just based on being Michigan and a
lot of people high on Bryce Underwood. I do think
he will They may be able to overwhelm New Mexico,
but he will probably make a mistake at some point.
Thirty four and a half is a big number. I
I mean, you could see a game that's fifty two

(45:48):
to seven and that's just what this winds up being.
But you could also see a slow enough start for
Michigan getting their offense going. And you know, I, yeah,
I'm lean New Mexico here, not feeling great about it,
but you know I can see some game that's like,
you know, because think about it, forty to seven covers

(46:10):
that right, So I'd lean New Mexico on this line.
Don't feel great about it? Where are you, Jason?

Speaker 4 (46:15):
Is there is there a number of New Mexico could
score to make you feel comfortable about the thirty four
in a hook like what they would have New Mexico.
They would have to get to.

Speaker 3 (46:20):
They would have to get to like if they get seventeen,
I would feel comfortable about it.

Speaker 4 (46:24):
Probably, yeah, because I'm with you, especially with a freshman
at you know, Bryce Underwood at quarterback here New Mexico's
defensive coordinator from Idaho. He likes to, you know, throw
some blitz packages, apparently, according to New Mexico's Staton Info department.
So give me New Mexico, the Lobos and the thirty
four in a hook. What do you got here?

Speaker 5 (46:44):
I'm gonna take them too. Look, guys, I'm just gonna
go history here because I hate these type of games.
I hate these mantra points spreads. But in Michigan's last
eight home openers they have won by more than thirty
four in their last eight one time time. Still have
these off field issues as well that they still have lingering. Yeah,

(47:10):
the Lobo's talking a little smack in the off season.
Here and heading into a week one, I'll take the
thirty four and a half here. I see this being
let's say, thirty three seven Michigan.

Speaker 4 (47:23):
How are the Lobos talking smack? I mean, did they
got some Luke Longley and il money coming in or what? Jesus?
I saw New Mexico's.

Speaker 5 (47:31):
Talking shit talk A lot, a lot of big game,
all right, I guess yeah, do stup?

Speaker 4 (47:36):
I respect it? I respect it, Yeah, sort of, we'll see.
Let's you have that thirty four and a half in Michigan,
Laser whooping on them. I love that they put out
there too deep. That's why I'm taking New Mexico the
little things for granted. LSU plus three and a half
at Clemson another row. I mean, I really respect that
these sort of matchups are happening, right. This is this
is what we're getting now, Clemson with a lot of

(47:58):
guys back, one of the most you know, they haven't
used the portal much. They've gotten guys to stick around,
and this is this is a team where it's a
veteran team. You know a lot about what they've got
quarterback on down, you know LSU on the road and
you know, yeah, but like.

Speaker 3 (48:13):
Five years ago, it'd be impressive. We had a schedule
like line of scrimmage though, like what is that?

Speaker 4 (48:17):
What is that going to be?

Speaker 3 (48:19):
And I at home? Give me Clemson again, just a
lean here? What do you got Jason?

Speaker 4 (48:26):
Yeah, the hook kind of scares me. Boys, but Clemson
at home. I know both teams have their own death valley,
but the death Valley of Clemson, I just think that
place is going to be rocking. They got Club Dick,
who's probably the best quarterback in the NCAA. So give
me Clemson. That hook scares me. But given that three
in a hook? What do you got?

Speaker 1 (48:44):
Hear?

Speaker 5 (48:45):
Oh? Boys? Really? Wow? Well, my best bet of the
weekend is LSU. I love the points here. I'm not
a Brian Kelly fan, as you guys know. He is
zero and three and openers. Since getting to baton Rouge
with that big time TV game to start the season,
hasn't been able to get it done. I think even
and I love the three and a half, but I

(49:05):
also think money line here too. I think finally they
get it done here. Club Nick very good quarterback, obviously
put up big numbers, but you know, I think Garrett
nuss Meyer might be the overall best quarterback in college
football four thousand yards last year, twenty nine touchdowns for
LSU and Clemson was I know, dab all you mentioned

(49:26):
has finally dabbled into the transfer portal a little bit,
supposed to be probably the top of the ACC, even
ahead of Miami, and I get it all, but the
ACC's not that great. Clemson was zero to three last
year versus SEC schools, including getting steamrolled by Georgia by
thirty one to start the season. I just think this

(49:48):
situation here, you're gonna give neus Meyer more than a
field goal, Give me that, give me LSU.

Speaker 3 (49:54):
All right, Well that's when he does that. That stops
when he does yet, Thanks Harry. All right, Sunday we
get Sunday football before the NFL.

Speaker 5 (50:03):
By the way, sorry guys, but what the color combination
of the uniforms too, right?

Speaker 4 (50:07):
Clubs in l s U.

Speaker 3 (50:08):
Yeah it's good. It's classic. Yeah, it's so good, more classical.

Speaker 5 (50:13):
If Clubson have balls. If Clubson have balls, they'd come
out in their purple, wasn't they?

Speaker 4 (50:18):
Oh oh yeah yeah really really yeah, Dabo has no balls.
I like.

Speaker 3 (50:25):
I like the classicness of Sunday's uniforms. That the Golden
Dome helmet of Notre Dame minus two and a half
against Miami with the US convicts. Yeah, Catholics convicts. Well
I need a double check. Is this game in Miami?

Speaker 4 (50:38):
Hold on that Miami? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (50:40):
Yeah, yeah at Miami. So another true road game. We're
getting away from that bullshit. Uh you know Neutral have
balls now? Yeah, there we go, Notre Dame minus two
and a half. You know, Miami gets George's quarterback, who
was Carson Beck, who was struggling last year. But they
you know, they've got an I l up the wahoo
at Miami will see how they rebuild what's Note Dame's

(51:00):
program In terms, I tend to like Notre Dame here,
but for a couple of reasons. One, that crowd will
be half Notre Dame in Miami. This will be a
road trip. There will be a lot of people down there.
Miami is not a real school in terms of fan
base that does not belong at the high major level.
And so I give me, give me Notre Dame inside
of a field goal here. I feel pretty good about it.

(51:21):
Where are you, Harry or sorry, Jason?

Speaker 4 (51:23):
Yeah, I just think Notre Dame can lose this game. Obviously,
with being an independent, wouldn't matter in the college football playoff.
I just think Carson Beck. I understand last year wasn't
as good, but I think they reloaded up with wide
receivers for him. Give me Miami getting the points, and
I like a little sprinkle on the money line, maybe
a two leg parlay here, But anyway, give me Miami, Harry,

(51:45):
what do you got.

Speaker 5 (51:46):
Tough game, tough game to figure out. I'm gonna roll
with the irs. Yeah, you guys mentioned you know, back
he went to Miami. He's getting his what four to
four or five six million dollars wasn't good at the
end of his career and happens, and I I think
I'm just gonna take overall here. And it's that very
tough game to figure out and determine who's got the

(52:07):
upper hand here. But I'm gonna go possibly the team
who has the best player on the field. I'm gonna
take running back from Notre Dame Jeremiah Love fourteen hundred
total yards last year, nineteen total touchdowns. Maybe he's the
difference here in a close game. I'll lay the two
and a half of the Irish.

Speaker 3 (52:24):
All right, So Jason's alone on Miami. There, right, That's
that's the way it should be. All right, let's go
around and do our best bets, and Harry, you've got
a couple other things we'll get to here as well.
You mentioned LSU for you, Harry, do you that is
your best bet of the week LSU at Clemson?

Speaker 4 (52:42):
Correct?

Speaker 5 (52:44):
It is, But I do have a Thursday night seven
point taser for you guys.

Speaker 4 (52:49):
Okay, love it.

Speaker 5 (52:51):
Let's start it off in the South Florida Boise State game.
I'm gonna take South Florida from five and a half
up to twelve and a half, to be ninety degrees
in Tampa, sixty percent chance of rain, humidity of the
ying yang in Tampa. The boys from Boise won't be
used to it. No Ashton gent to save them anymore.

(53:13):
I'll take the twelve and a half at home with
the Bulls, and I'm gonna tease that with Nebraska, who's
playing Cincinnati in Arrowhead and Kansas City. A lot more
fans probably make that trip from Lincoln than they do Cincinnati. Again,
I'm gonna see Nebraska from minus six and a half
down to plus a half. Here, Matt rule, we mentioned

(53:34):
this numerous times, guys. In his third year, what he does?
He turned around Tempole, he turned around Baylor in his
third year. Still got Dylan Reyola here in his sophomore season, EMMITTT.
Johnson running back who is still there too, average five
yards of carry. Cincinnati, he's got their quarterback in Brendan

(53:55):
Sowarsby back who's pretty good. But I just think overall,
just to win the game here in Kansas City MTS
in Nebraska, because me and Jay are both very high
on the Cornhoskers this year. Teasing it down. Just to
win the game with South Florida plus twelve and a
half against boys, I like it.

Speaker 4 (54:12):
Jason, what are you got best bet of the week?
Do you guys think the totals in some of these
games are a little high. I think the under forty
seven and a half in the Texas Ohio State game.
I just think that, you know, the first game of
the season, everything's on the line. Arch manning his first game.
I think they're just gonna get off to a slow start.
I think that's kind of heavy. I take the under
in that. The other over under I like forty nine

(54:32):
and a half in the Notre Dame at Miami game.
I just think that's too heavy. I like both unders.
Maybe parlay to do a little two leg under parlay
for those. I just think the over under totals for
those are little.

Speaker 3 (54:44):
High, so I have I like this bet better for
people when Michigan State was at nineteen and a half
or eighteen and a half, but at twenty and a half,
it still works. Maybe you take a seven point teaser instead.
And again, this is not a game that I can
bet because it's it's Michigan State.

Speaker 6 (55:00):
But.

Speaker 4 (55:01):
Michigan State.

Speaker 3 (55:02):
If you want to have money on Michigan State I
would tell you the twenty and a half seems high.
But if you can tease that down to thirteen and
a half, right, or a six and a half point
teaser to fourteen, and then you can also take I'm
with you, harry On. I love Nebraska at Cincinnati. There
six and a half point favorites.

Speaker 4 (55:20):
I love them.

Speaker 3 (55:20):
If you can get that down to just win the game. Again,
when it was a six point teaser for both, I
really really liked it, And now you're gonna have to
pay a little more juice. But if you can get
Michigan State to fourteen thirteen and a half and couple
that with a Thursday night line at Nebraska to beat
Cincinnati as a teaser. I think that's the thing I'd
be most comfortable telling people is my best bet of

(55:41):
the week for them. Harry, you also my friend, like always,
you have a soccer bet.

Speaker 4 (55:50):
Correct.

Speaker 5 (55:51):
You know what? It's funny guys, because you know you
watch the games last week and there was some college
football and preseason football still and you know, I was
most probably upset oddly enough, and I know Jay probably
can't understand this, s Graham, but out of the losses
that I did have over the weekend, weren't were a
ton was my But the one I was most upset

(56:12):
with the most was my soccer selection that I gave
on the show over two and a half in the
in the Villa match, and their offense was awful for
the second straight game they've scored they still haven't scored
a goal, so I was really upset with that one.
So I'm only one giving soccer pick so far, uh
in in this when the football starts here in the season.

(56:34):
But I'm gonna come back here with another English Premier game.
I'm gonna go over two and a half at minus
one and at minus one oh five on Sunday between
Nottingham Forests and west Ham Look. Nottingham Forest their first
two games there's been four total four total. They've scored
four total goals in the first two matches they've played.

(56:54):
West Ham matches there's been five and six goals in
their first two matches scored. Their defense is pathetic and
in the four or four of the last five matches
between these two, three or more have been scored. So
just got to lay one oh five over two and
a half, not a hand Forest west Ham over two
and a half.

Speaker 4 (57:13):
I like it. I like it.

Speaker 3 (57:14):
I've got a parlay on the soccer front. I got
Chelsea minus one ninety and against Fulham. I think Chelsea
gets that done at home. Don't feel amazing about it,
but but like it. And then you couple that with
man you at minus two ninety five and I'm trying
to click on it right now to get you an answer,
and it's being a jackass. But anyway that that that

(57:38):
pays better than even money, that would be my, uh my,
my play for people. Take Chelsea on on the money
line and and also man you against Burnley, and I
think man, you finally get to win at home against Burnley,
Chelsea at home against against a fuck that I'm forgetting
the name of the This is like the worst, dude.

Speaker 4 (57:59):
Yeah, we believe.

Speaker 3 (57:59):
Yeah, the HOMI gets full of sorry, that's that's that's
what I had grym.

Speaker 5 (58:04):
By the way, by the way, I know, I definitely
uh was last week last week's specs and you're giving
mid what you gave out the two parlay right Yeah? Yeah,
the Patuca and and I was, I know, I was
definitely annoying Jason.

Speaker 4 (58:20):
I was.

Speaker 5 (58:21):
I was sending up up screenshot updates of the Patua match,
which didn't start till like eight forty.

Speaker 4 (58:27):
Five West Coast time. No, I don't because forty five they're.

Speaker 3 (58:31):
Playing forty five and started playing at the same stadium,
and Jason updates. I'm on the treadmill like after midnight,
going how long do I got to do this? You know, like,
this is ridiculous, Why why are we starting so late?

Speaker 4 (58:42):
It was, it was, it was brutal.

Speaker 3 (58:43):
I only made it only minute to halftime of that. Harry,
You're a beautiful man. A conversation for off air off Yeah,
it's good. That's most of our conversations should be off air.
We choose to done keeping them plate.

Speaker 5 (58:55):
With Patua scores at U past midnight on.

Speaker 4 (58:58):
These was like pokakua. He send me this, Harry, do it. Harry.

Speaker 3 (59:02):
You're a beautiful man. Always great to talk to me. Man,
we'll talk soon, all right, Take care guys. That is
the great Harry Gagnan.

Speaker 4 (59:11):
Yeah. I know, it's good to have college football back.
It's good to have I know, but it's not but
like first the first week that you're sitting there and
you're trying to just go off some bullshit here and
yet you can't see anything, and.

Speaker 3 (59:20):
I will it's like, I will caution people on this.
The years that I have done best for the whole
season on college football are the years that I have
very minimally played week one.

Speaker 4 (59:32):
There have been years smart, but it's really hard to
do so hard because there's some good games.

Speaker 3 (59:35):
I want to What I would do is whatever you
usually put on a game, just cut it in half
for Week one, because it still feels good to win
a few. And if if your overall bankroll and even
if you know you wind up getting hot, you'll still
win a decent amount. I'd just say cut it in
half for week one, Yeah, that would be. Then triple
it up at week four. That's right, and then you
start knowing boom then yeah, then you take a loan out,
you know your life insurance policies, everything, everything you need

(59:58):
to do.

Speaker 5 (59:59):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (59:59):
Moving forward. We appreciate Harry joining us. We appreciate Robin Hook.
We appreciate Front forty three and Casking Company. Looking for
a place to watch in football this weekend. Front forty
three and Casting Company will have the games, great food,
great vibes, great drink specials. Casking Company dot com to
make a reservation if you want to do that, a
date night, whatever it might be. We'll be back Thursday.
That's tomorrow with a groovy donut. Twitter question show good

(01:00:23):
show man, Yeah man. Couching Group