August 21, 2025 • 37 mins
On this episode the Chaps reunite to talk about the impending new college football season,
- Week Zero Kick Off Game in Dublin
- Key match ups to watch out for in the Farmageddon game
- Week zero slate of games
- the future of CFB games being played in Europe
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm not gonna comment on that. I'll get fined for
the rest of my life if I get comment on.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
That or the national championship that young Stirl.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Hey everyone, and welcome to the College Chats podcast. On
this episode, we're gonna do a little bit of a
catch up, but we are just moments, hours, minute seconds
away from the start of the new college football season,
which kicks off as it has done in a couple
of previous years in Ireland. But before I get into
(00:49):
introducing who's going to be sitting alongside me, I think
it's probably appropriate to say it's really difficult putting a
podcast together because we all have very difficult busy schedules.
So I'm really proud that these guys are doing what
they're doing. Ollie is doing some great stuff at at PFSN,
(01:11):
Alex is doing great stuff with the volleyball, so it's
no great surprise that I'm introducing the two of them.
But it has actually been a while since we've got
round a microphone, which is what I was trying to
very poorly describe as being quite a difficult thing to
get the three of us round the microphone in Over
(01:33):
the last couple of months, how are you both.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Took a long a long wear George?
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I know I really did. In my head that was
a lot better than it actually ended up saying. I
think I'm gonna have to cut that one out to
be honest, But how are you both?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Pre season previous podcast is actually only twenty minutes of
college football content and ten.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Minutes of Joe walkers around the houses. Just nice.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
It's Alex, really, I don't think and go seeing Alex
for months. Is too busy with volleyball, so it's nice.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
It's nice. I know, a lot going on, just old,
but Alex.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Boy, Yeah, you know, nice to be wanted. As they say,
I wish life would slow down a little bit sometimes,
but it doesn't seem to be the case. You got to,
as they say, make hay while the sun shines. I'm
excited to be back and talking. I mean, I'm always
excited to jump on and talk to you guys. I
(02:30):
wish I could do it more often. But jumping on
and talking some college football, I mean, look, I made
a joke about it in the group chat. Week zero,
to me, is not the big excitement that everyone says
it is. The Dublin game is usually crap because two
teams have to travel halfway around the world to playing it,
(02:51):
and this week it's the only good game of the weekend,
or the only potentially good game of the weekend. So
you know, just just pause repressing polls for a week
and I'll come back next week.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So what you're saying is that that's it from this
episode of the College Sharps. You know, I was going
to I was going to introduce you our latest guest,
and I thought, no, that's that's disingenuous because you've worked really,
really hard. In the first thirty seconds. I think both
Alex and I have destroyed the premise of this episode
within a very short space time. So all it's really
(03:25):
your episode if you if you just want to kind
of have a monologue for the next twenty minutes, All right,
we are going.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
To talk about Georgie. I Brey want to hear my voice.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
You'll not want to live a monologue Onie Shakespearean and
so let's let's let's talk about Well, I was gonna
say we're going to talk about some football, by do it?
Do we want to talk about what we've been doing
over the summer, because, as you rightly point out one.
We've had some awesome guests over the last six weeks,
(04:02):
so we've really not had the opportunity to chat as
a group, and we haven't seen Alex from whenever. The
last team we saw Alipim was the last team you
were on, certainly was weeks ago, if not.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
A long time ago, a long long time ago.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So you've been up to Alex because you've been You've
been here, there and everywhere the volleyball So give us,
give us the quickest summary of where you've been north
for the summer.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
So I worked some camps to get some extra money
in obviously, like every good college coach does. I went
out to Croatia with the junior national team for a week.
We had played a great tournament out there that's run
by one of my friends. And then I've just come
(04:45):
back from Ireland where I was getting re qualified as
a volleyball coach. I now hold the second highest possible
qualification in voluable coaching. We will see next summer. Maybe
I'll go and get the highest qualification. But yeah, that's
(05:10):
the kind of the goal needs master. It was a
great week actually I met some great people. But yeah,
now I'm kind of focused on trying to make the
most out of this week and next week, which are
my only two weeks off this summer before we get
back into the madness of the collegiate volleyball season here
(05:33):
in England.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
It's awesome that you're looking forward so much to Weekceedo
football that you're going to be able to spend some
time watching that when you're you're off on holiday, Alie,
you're going to turn around and say that you've done
nothing over the summer. But that's a lot of harsh
But on that basis that you don't want to talk
about it, You're you're heading off to Dublin in a
couple of days time, So how excited are you for that?
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Yeah, I am excited with zero for Alex. It's right.
We do sometimes get some not great matchups in Doublin.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Whether that is because one team is vastly better than
the other, whether it's because there's two terrible teams, whether
it's because we've had you know, teams don't They still
don't see to get this right in the NFL still
can't really figure out what the best strategy is for
coming over to this side the pond and trying to
you know, either adapt to it beforehand or try and
(06:29):
stick on the US schedule. And for whatever reason we've
had you know, this is my fourth straight year of
being an a credited media member in Dublin. I think
this is the best matchup we've had, and that's not
to be that's not to be you know, negative about
Notre Dame and Name, which was a very one sided game,
(06:51):
and then Georgia Tech and f SU last year, which
was a great game, but f SU wasn't the team
that everyone was expecting it to be, and and Georgia
Tech didn't turn out to be necessarily.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
A team that everyone thought that they might be.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
After weeks last last year, after they said over, everyone
was kind of like, well, this Judge of Tech team
could be legit, and I think I very quickly realized
it was FSU wasn't all that. But I'm very very
excited for the game that we have in Dublin this
weekend because it is I've said it multiple times on
social media in there's last few weeks. It's there's so
(07:27):
much that goes into the matchup that we have. You know,
it's the first time to preseason AP ranked teams, so
just the second time since two thousand and two AAP
ranked preseason ranked teams have faced each other in the
opening game of the season. It's, you know, two really
really good and we can get we can get into
(07:47):
the nitty degree of this game, but it's two really good,
I think, really really good Big twelve teams and Iowa
State team coming off the back of an appearance in
the Big twelve championship game last year, and then it's
a rivalry game, right, There's a lot that goes into
what makes this game, particularly I think as doubling games
go very exciting, and it seems like from what I
(08:12):
can I've kind of seen from social media this week,
it seems like the official number is something like twenty
four to twenty eight thousand fans coming over from the States,
which is, you know, it's not the same as what
we saw for when Notre Dame came over for obvious reasons,
but it just feels like there's a lot of both
teams fans coming, feels like there's a lot of both
(08:35):
teams like small independent media coming over as well. It
feels like there's a lot of excitement from both sides
of this matchup, which again is brilliant because no disrespect
to Navy when Notre Dame played Navy, but it was
very one sided. There's a lot of Notre Dame fans
in Ireland for obvious reasons. It feels like each year,
(08:56):
like last year, FSU, there was a lot of FSGU
fans last year because just stated a big, well known
brand across the world, and so it felt like there
was a lot of FIC fans last year. Even going
back to Northwestern and Nebraska in two thousand and whatever
year that was, My masses isn't going to treat me
(09:18):
very well today, but for four years ago like that
seemed like there was a lot more of one than
the other. Whereas I feel like this time is going
to be a good mix of both sets of fans,
two great teams, rivalry everything again and two great quarterbacks everything.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Like I exactly what we've got to remember is, and
Paul Martin talked about this a couple of weeks ago,
the NFL is miles ahead and developing an overseas product.
I mean, you're decades ahead of college, but we don't
know at this point is what the college is actually
(09:53):
wanting to try and do that what will be interesting
this weekend and we really keen to hear what your
experience is. Clearly, the Big Twelve have stated publicly that
they want to develop an overseas presence. They've got two
teams this year, They've got TCU next year. Both Bretty
(10:16):
or Mark and Scott Draper. Bigswell Media days talked a
lot about developing an international presence. So does an added
There's an added angle to this game that perhaps we
haven't really seen before. So I think it is going
to be really interesting, and I think one of the
real highlights for me is the number of overseas fans
(10:39):
who are going to come to the game, because Notre
Dame is I think August thrown out as the kind
of benchmark, but that's a somewhat skewed view of what
kind of American fans going to come. I think this
hopefully you'll see a much more even fan base, plus
also the people traveling from the UK and those who
are already in Ireland, so I think that will be interesting.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
I think the thing is as well, like you've just
touched on there with the NFL is how many years
with the Moones. Most people the matchup for the NFL
sends over to England or Europe, you know Bill in
now Spain. Now, every year it feels like people feel
let down by what the NFL sends over. I think
(11:22):
the Big Twelve has positioned themselves quite nicely by sending
over two of their best teams, two of the teams
that are going to challenge for the Big Twelve title. Again,
we've touched on it before, but I think it's important
and it matters. It's a rivalry game like this, This matters, right,
This isn't just you know, he used the old Thursday
night football matchup of the Jags and the Titans that
(11:43):
everyone needs to just think was an absolute crop. That's
the sort of match up the NFL would send over
to this side of the pop. It feels like the
Big twelves certainly get it, but they seem to understand it.
And I think we're going to see a reflection about
this weekend and it seems like moving forward the Big Twelve,
Like you say, TCU coming next year, and it's pitt
(12:04):
and Wisconsin the year after. But I think the Big Twelve,
after that matchup, which has been booked in for some
time now, they're like the Big Twelve want to make
this a regular thing. And you know, we talked about
you know, we talk with lance lpehold It Cansas about
him wanting to this to be a big thing. I
think there's that sense of the sense that they can
really establish a foothold.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Here and in and.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
In and probably it's not easy for me to say
on a Wednesday night in an important way, whereas a
lot of people it feels like a lot of people
don't think.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
That this is important, right. We joke, we joked about it.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We had Shae Han on last week on the Pardon
he he kind of made a couple of social media
comments about like, why are we doing this sort of thing?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
But I think it did. I think it is important,
and I think that some people are really starting to
grasp that. So yeah, good spectable. I think we're going
to see in double this weekend, Alex.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
How important is it for schools. Let's let's shy away
from the conference at this moment in time, but schools
start have a brand overseas, you'll see this from a
sort of different dynamic. We didn't really get the chance
to speak to Shihan about this, unfortunately, but there's always
skepticism and skepticism when the NFL teams come across, because
(13:19):
you know, there's fifty thousand fans left sat at home
who aren't watching a game in Jacksonville. They're watching it
on TV some ungodler in the morning. But for those
who come across, they genuinely seem to love the experience.
And I definitely got that sense last year with the
fans who came across to Ireland. But how important is
(13:41):
it for schools to develop that brand overseas?
Speaker 5 (13:45):
So here's the big the big thing for me, Right,
if you're paying to go to an NFL game in
the US, more than likely you can pay to fly
over to London to watch the time if you want to. Right,
NFL games are insanely expensive to go to in the US. Now,
college football matches, by comparison at the bigger programs, yes,
(14:08):
insanely expensive, but even then there's an element of tickets
being cheaper. I don't love college football coming over, especially
bringing a rivalry game over. I like rivalry games on campus.
I like the tradition of it being a student sporting event,
(14:30):
and this just helps accelerate the idea that it's not
student amateur, or it's not amateur sport. We know it's
not amateur sport anymore, but it's not student sport anymore.
They're professional athletes, they're not they're not students anymore. They
don't what's the point in them going to class? Right?
What's the point in them having to be academically eligible? Nowadays?
(14:50):
There there isn't one. And one of the great drivers
of social mobility in the US is that you can
use your athletic ability to get a college degree, and
if you don't make it professionally, you've got that up.
You're upwardly mobile in that you've gone and you've got
the highest form of education, or one of the highest
(15:12):
forms of education in the US. And we're really quickly
moving away from that idea or that empowerment by professionalizing
these athletes, by growing brands of universities overseas. Why to me?
(15:32):
But the big question is why? Why does Kansas State
an Iowa State need to grow their athletic brands overseas?
Why does the university feel like that's the case, Yes,
you want some international TV money coming in, They're not
coming over to recruit kids, right, They're not. They're not
coming over in the hope that they can draw Irish
(15:54):
fans to come to Manhattan, Kansas to watch collegship games.
You might get one or two, but you're not going
to get the thousands that you would need to make
it viable economically. So it's a really interesting thing. I
love it for the athletes. It's a really cool experience
for those athletes. For that coaching staff like great for them.
(16:20):
I think as a sport I somewhat agree with chahanne
I don't actually see much of the benefit for the
college teams for those brands, you know. I think I
see it from the Big twelves perspective. If you're the
Big twelve and you can sell your games to an
(16:41):
international TV audience, amazing, Right, That's good for the conference.
It's good money and revenue driver for the schools that
are within it.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
But I just.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
I don't know. I'm not as close to this event
as you two have. I've never been, so I don't
want to talk too much much about the event itself.
But as someone that is a big college football fan,
I would rather go to the game in the US neither.
(17:15):
This has no there's no draw for me to go
to this game as a college football fan. Here in
the UK and I've been to I'm lucky. I've been
to two games in the US when I've been out there.
But like this is this is the college football game
that I could go to every year. We're not in season,
we've not met for preseason yet. My season clashes with
(17:38):
the college football season on numerous for most of the year,
so I couldn't travel to most games. And yet in
the what four years that it's been going, I've felt
no desire to travel across the Dublin and watch this game.
So you have to think, yes, they're they're coming over
(18:00):
and starting to build that footprint abroad, But how good
of a job is college football doing and building that
footprint broad if they.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Can't, well, well, I think it's fragmented, right, I mean,
I think that's part of the problem with the NFL
is by its their nature, it is a one entity
which is developing a product. And you raise an interesting debate,
and I think we're going to end up and they
weren't going to talk about Michigan on this podcast, right,
They're probably gonna end up talking about this for the
(18:29):
next twenty minutes. But only if I was been playing
Devil's advocate against what Alex has said, I'd be saying
that in this revenue sharing environment, schools need to explore
every avenue they can get to increase that revenue, or
whether that's through shut sales or TV rights or whatever
(18:53):
it might be, or even just everyone is now trying
to expand the brand beyond Kansas or you know, Iowa.
Everyone is trying so. And I think, and you know,
I've talked about this before. I think recruiting is now
out with of settling with the state, I think it's
(19:14):
out with the region that the schools are in. I
think it's nationwide. And with this so called level playing field,
I think it's wrong for schools not to look at
every avenue that's open to them. So I think there's
a devil's advocate. I think there's a bigger picture here
in terms and I think the big tible actually seem
to have tapped into what do you think?
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah, I mean, I don't think you're playing devil's advocate.
I think that's exactly what Alex was saying, right, That's
that's the thing that the whole thing with revenue sharing.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Yes, we spoke extensively.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
About NIL and the ability for athletes to actually get
what they deserve, which they haven't for so long.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
But Alex's point is the sport is.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Changing beyond its amateurs, you know, the amateurism that has
made it historically what it is, and therefore things like
talking about TV deals and selling shirts in different countries,
et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
That that's that's kind of Alex's point, right. That's so
it's not.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Really Devil's advocate that that's kind of it's a bit
of an adding to what Alex's point was was. You know,
we're moving, we're moving away from a time of collegiate
amateurism and the focus being on you know, students who
play sport and excel and get free education because of that.
(20:36):
In many respects, that's that's anxiety exactly what it is.
But you know this isn't new, right. They've been playing
games abroad for you, It's been playing in Tokyo and
now you know it's been going on for years. It's
just it's becoming more of a regular thing. And you
know when you start moving to two games abroad that
we all potentially have. I'm not going to fall into
trap of saying this is a done deal because they
(20:57):
actually nowhere as Michigan. Michigan being confirmed as a twenty
twenty six international game went saying that it's a dundale,
but it certainly looks like that's, you know, well in
its way to be. So again, let's we're talking. We're
going back to talking markets and brands.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Yeah, and the Big twelve said that, you know, as
necessarily you know, there might be multiple games, maybe, you know,
when we don't coach like Paul's vaking to come and
play in the UK, but we do know the German
market is huge, right, German market is massive. There's there's
a lot of appetite there. So I think they can
almost certainly a big we're going to talk about Michigan,
(21:39):
but a bigger name like Michigan I think draws some
attention so they can get away. And I always always
knew that if you're going to get one of the
bigger teams, it's it's going to be a kind of
non confidence game that you're going to get. So you know,
Western Michigan are going to give up a a game
for that. Let's let's talk talk about.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
How about this, right, I'm just just jumping in out
over here, George. If these colleges want to build and
these conferences want to build their brands, then maybe let's
get an option where people around the world can naturally
watch the games.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Oh, Pandora's box as.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Well.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
What normal idea, But then they actually can watch a game.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
I just just listen.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
That's a that's a whole raft of podcasts on their
own to be perful. Honest, we could we could talk
ad infinitum about the nonsense. I've got really annoyed with
watching the kind of new the rollout of the new
ESPN offering, and we're still scrambling about trying to understand
what's going to be shown on Sky this year.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
Yeah, there's there's nothing on scott They're not showing the
game on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Yes, that's that's.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Something on on Sky's page about it.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
So, you know, I think I think I do what
they did last year. They're going to pick up some
of these rights, probably for a song, and then you know,
we're going to you know, when we get to we're
going to see half of college game Day when they
decide to stop showing the rugby. You know, that's kind
of how it works. And listen your week we kind
(23:28):
of got involved in it a few years ago. But
you just have to look at social media to see
how disgruntled everybody is. Everybody's hacked off because there's not
only do we not understand what the limitations are to
watch college football, but but we've got no information as
to what's going to get get viewed. And to your point, Alex,
(23:48):
when people go searching for it, there's nothing there. So oh,
that's turned into say, I thought this is good to
be a positive podcast about the start of college football,
and we've we've gone down, and we've gone down something
of a rabbit hole, and only what are the matchups
you're looking forward to seeing on Saturday when you finally
get to Dublin.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Or father in matchups in the game itself, in the
game itself.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
I'm giving you the opportunity to watch about the game itself.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
So many, so many. So let's start with let's dog
with Cannon Stay.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
Running Backdylan Edwards, former Colorado recru played for Den Standards
for a year absolutely lining fast, incredible, incredible speed weapon
out of the backfield against an Iowa State defense rush
defense that was one of the worst in the country
last year. But they've got several returning several linebackers coming
(24:41):
back from injury. They were the linebacker riddled with ill
health injuries last year, So that's for me. That's the
first off the bat is an entertaining matchup, and then
flip the script. Iowa State got two great running backs
in Abu Salama and Carson Hansen, and Kanon State god
or some linebacker in Austin remain so those two like
(25:02):
linebacker running back my jobs. Iowa State secondary is incredible.
John Tes Williams and Jeremiah Cooper and two of the
best in the business. Kansas State really needs to step
up in the wide receiver department this year, so a
guy like Jase Brown, who is an incredible talent, but
kind of They've not had a lot of standout receiving
(25:25):
success for Avery Johnson last year. So I'm looking forward
to seeing that. The two quarterbacks on display on Saturday afternoon,
two of the best in the Big twelve. I'm really
excited to see rock O Becks in the flesh. We
had we had Anthony Beggs on the podcast. Can't even
remember when. It was a long time ago, a long
(25:47):
I don't even think Rocco was like an Iowa State
committe at that time.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Maybe he was, but.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Not your rook up was born when he was on
the podcast, to be honest, Come.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
On, come on, Anthony. Anthony is in doubling again. This
is a this is a great thing about this weekend.
There is there's there's so many people coming over from
the States and player parents and stuff like that. But
for me, roc Obec is one of the best quarterbacks
in the country. Incredible, pretty throw very gritty, like he's
(26:18):
a sore quarterback that if you want, you know, you're
going to need someone to do something to win a game.
Like I always feel like rock Obec he's going to
pull something out of the bag. So I'm really really
excited to see him in Dublin. In the flesh, there's
there's a there's a whole hold ton of talent on
(26:38):
both sides of the ball, and I think again that's
what makes this exciting coaching. So we've not even talked
about the coaching staff right of this game. So Chris
climb and this is Matt Campbell, like that is a
top tier coaching match or Chris Climbing. I think we've
talked about it Chris on this podcast before and just
what a great job he's done to make Kanada State
a consistent contender in the Big twelve. And Matt Campbell,
(27:01):
you know, had a couple of rough years, but I
stayed really back with a bang last year, really to
the point where almost three sixty degree from where we
started this podcast, where Matt Campbell was talked about as
this next NFL coach, and he went through some years
where that reputation really took it, and I think he's
back then another contract extension ahead of this season. So
(27:23):
that's a that's a great battle there. You know, neither
of those guys are going to step foot on the
field unless they overstepped the mark. That's that's an elite
coaching matchup right there that we're going to see in Doublin.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
This is this is just this stuff at every time.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
I feel like I'm bursting bubbles all the time here.
But I'm going to do this in the most positive
way possible because I agree with Olie. It's a great
coaching matchup. And I think what you find when you
have these great coaching matchups, especially early in the season,
he's usually a game that starts very slow because neither
(28:03):
coach will have or coaching staff will have any information
or very much information on the other team and how
they're going to set up with this roster. So both
teams will be relatively conservative early on. They won't try it,
they'll try not to give away too much that can
be used by their opposition, and usually they become these
(28:25):
sort of arm wrestle games where one team kind of
jabs and the other jabs and they're trying to kind
of feel each other out early on. And I think
we could see quite a slow start to this one,
and then as the game goes on, if one of
these two coaching staffs find a weakness in the other,
then that will be the thing that turns the game.
(28:46):
But usually when you have these these great coaching matchups
of the games are very close, right, especially given they
don't have a say, weeks of film to dive into
to really work out the the way to best play
against their opponents. So yeah, I would I'm fascinated and
(29:07):
I wish I could see the adjustments, but we won't
go back down that road again. I'm fascinated to see
the adjustments. I'm fascinated to see how they've planned for
this matchup. I'd be fascinated if someone would ask that
of the one of the coaches at the press conference,
although I'm sure they would give a very non descript answer.
(29:28):
But as someone who is planning for their own Week one,
I'm going to call it week one. I know it's
not Week one, but we're calling it week one anyway,
their own Week one match up in a couple of
months time against the team that they'll have no film on.
I'd love to know what the process is for these
coaching staffs and how they're preparing their team.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
I think it's always We've seen this for many years
of Top week too much but in a field, but
it's a bas comparison we've got. It's been fascinating to
see how the teams prepare. I still don't think the
NFL has cracked getting a team across here acrourse. Every
team that wins thinks they cracked it, and then they
come back subsequent years and maybe don't fear so well
(30:10):
before we go because we've run out of time again.
I really do appreciate Alex's positive input into this podcast.
It's we've we've really really missed him over the last
few weeks. Before we go tell me the other week
zero slate games and know Alex is not wild on them,
but our palsic Kansas are there. But Oli, I'm going
(30:31):
to ask you both, but all are you first? Which
is the other game that jumps off page? What were
you looking forward to watching? Someone? God there at Doublin Airport.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Quite lucky this year Hawaii, even though we're playing at
how Hawaii isn't four fifty nine am. He's UK time kickoff.
That's quite nice. So that will be probably the game
by watching in Doublin airpl Stanford in Hawaii. Well, Alex
hees weeks. The weeks are not. But I can see
something in every single one of these games, apart from Europe,
(31:05):
apart from un l v U, n LV hasn't been
named a starting quarterback. We're going to roll with Alex
Orgy and Anthony Callandrea is a one two punch against
side the host DAL which I mean it's going to
be pretty entertaining. Rights are two very very different quarterbacks.
But there's something in every single one of these all
FBF games. Kansas opens a new stadium against Fresno State,
(31:29):
team led by Kurt Warner's son e j. Warner at
quarterback storyline. Storyline to watching that game, You've got all
Conference USA match up between Sam Houston and Western Kentucky,
two teams that return some of the least starting production
from twenty twenty four. So Western Kentucky has got the
least returning starters in Conference USA. Sam Houston under new
(31:52):
head coach Phil Longo, has got the second third least
returning starters. So lots of different players, lots of tually,
just take the point about there being not a lot
of tape for the people to go on. Western Kentucky
was in the Conference USA championship game less than eight
months ago, and that whole team is no longer there.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
They've got a really.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
Exciting quarterback to watching, Maverick Makaiga as well. So that's
you know, that's interesting. Suppose I'm concerned, and then Stamford
Hawaii we're going to see an early upset. I think
in college football, a lot of people are friends. A
good friend. I m plays saying that a team like Stanford,
it's disrespectful for a team like that to even be
(32:35):
considered an underdog against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, a non
P four team. But there's There's plenty to love about
Hawaii football, returned to awesome wide receivers. They've got a
red shirt freshman starting at quarterback in Mika ur Hiedo
who absolutely lit it up in his only start against
New Mexico last year, and lots of talent on defense.
(32:58):
And Stanford are bad by Stanford, a real, real bad
And I think that's the key, right. The bookies aren't
often sensationally wrong, and it's that game has gone from
being Stanford as a big favorite Hawaii being a two
and a half point favorite as we speak right now
Wednesday afternoon. There's there's something behind that. This the Stanford
(33:19):
team that's got not a great amount of talent, and
Hawaii is a team that I think can pull off
a shock, especially you know in Hawaii opening weekend of
the season. I wish it was a five am kickoff
because that shock would be just so much sweeter when
I land back in East Midlands Airport on early early
(33:40):
on Sunday morning. But at least I'll get to see
the whole game before I take off.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
There's some there's something about right a week zero slot fest,
which I agree. I think Stanford and Hawaii could be
a Week zero slot fest. Now, I'm going to take
some liberties answering this question, because if you're on the
ESPN website, the Week zero slate is included under Week one.
(34:10):
So I'm just going to talk about the game that
we should all be looking forward to, which is which
is Texas visiting Ohio State next Saturday. I don't I'm
just just for anyone who's got a heart condition, just
hold yourself for the next thirty seconds. I think Texas
(34:31):
is overrated going into the season. How their ranked number
one when the quarterbacks not even barely played a snap
in college football is crazy. I could see this one
going quite wrong. Going up into the shoe is never easy,
and that Ohio State team is still pretty pretty legit,
(34:54):
So yeah, I could see that one going quite wrong.
And that is my early pretty for game of the
week next weekend. It starts at five pm, which is
an absolute travesty. How are you having the game between
the number one and the number three ranked team coming
into the season playing at five pm. That's twelve Eastern
(35:18):
mid day. It's like having a having the Manchester Derby
is a twelve o'clock kickoff. It just makes cool sense.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
Don't kickoff.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
Yeah, silly Americans. Well, I'm looking forward to the game.
I'm going to try and find a Dodgy stream to
watch it while I'm away with the national team. If
the government's listening, I am going to the US with
the national team. I'm not really, but you know, we'll
find a way to have a watch. And yeah, I
(35:53):
think that one that one could be could be a classic.
Quite early on Defense Championship sucks.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
This is Alice's way of him saying, I'm not going
to be on the podcast next week, so I get
my Texas take in right now because I want to
get in.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
I have been on the podcast next week. But we've
got a very very interesting special.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Guest we have. We might even may have a couple
of guests. I'd be more worried if if we started
giving us predictions for week six, because then we really
don't know he's going to be here for the next
people will Anyway, As always, we ran out of time
to talk about Michigan. That wasn't a bad thing. Actually,
I think that could have gone on for way longer
(36:40):
than we anticipated to. That's all from us on this episode.
We hope you enjoyed it. And we do appreciate you
listening to us. We appreciate you supporting us. We're going
to be doing some social media stuff over the next
couple of weeks to try and get a little bit
more engagement in what we're doing, specifically on YouTube. So
if you're watching us in YouTube, hopefully you've subscribed. If no,
what please can you subscribe? We need some follow uts
(37:02):
on YouTube. That's it. Thanks for listening, stay see if
I'm go and catch you next time.
I'm not gonna comment on that. I'll get fined for
the rest of my life if I get comment on.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
That or the national championship that young Stirl.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Hey everyone, and welcome to the College Chats podcast. On
this episode, we're gonna do a little bit of a
catch up, but we are just moments, hours, minute seconds
away from the start of the new college football season,
which kicks off as it has done in a couple
of previous years in Ireland. But before I get into
(00:49):
introducing who's going to be sitting alongside me, I think
it's probably appropriate to say it's really difficult putting a
podcast together because we all have very difficult busy schedules.
So I'm really proud that these guys are doing what
they're doing. Ollie is doing some great stuff at at PFSN,
(01:11):
Alex is doing great stuff with the volleyball, so it's
no great surprise that I'm introducing the two of them.
But it has actually been a while since we've got
round a microphone, which is what I was trying to
very poorly describe as being quite a difficult thing to
get the three of us round the microphone in Over
(01:33):
the last couple of months, how are you both.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Took a long a long wear George?
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I know I really did. In my head that was
a lot better than it actually ended up saying. I
think I'm gonna have to cut that one out to
be honest, But how are you both?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Pre season previous podcast is actually only twenty minutes of
college football content and ten.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Minutes of Joe walkers around the houses. Just nice.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
It's Alex, really, I don't think and go seeing Alex
for months. Is too busy with volleyball, so it's nice.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
It's nice. I know, a lot going on, just old,
but Alex.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Boy, Yeah, you know, nice to be wanted. As they say,
I wish life would slow down a little bit sometimes,
but it doesn't seem to be the case. You got to,
as they say, make hay while the sun shines. I'm
excited to be back and talking. I mean, I'm always
excited to jump on and talk to you guys. I
(02:30):
wish I could do it more often. But jumping on
and talking some college football, I mean, look, I made
a joke about it in the group chat. Week zero,
to me, is not the big excitement that everyone says
it is. The Dublin game is usually crap because two
teams have to travel halfway around the world to playing it,
(02:51):
and this week it's the only good game of the weekend,
or the only potentially good game of the weekend. So
you know, just just pause repressing polls for a week
and I'll come back next week.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So what you're saying is that that's it from this
episode of the College Sharps. You know, I was going
to I was going to introduce you our latest guest,
and I thought, no, that's that's disingenuous because you've worked really,
really hard. In the first thirty seconds. I think both
Alex and I have destroyed the premise of this episode
within a very short space time. So all it's really
(03:25):
your episode if you if you just want to kind
of have a monologue for the next twenty minutes, All right,
we are going.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
To talk about Georgie. I Brey want to hear my voice.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
You'll not want to live a monologue Onie Shakespearean and
so let's let's let's talk about Well, I was gonna
say we're going to talk about some football, by do it?
Do we want to talk about what we've been doing
over the summer, because, as you rightly point out one.
We've had some awesome guests over the last six weeks,
(04:02):
so we've really not had the opportunity to chat as
a group, and we haven't seen Alex from whenever. The
last team we saw Alipim was the last team you
were on, certainly was weeks ago, if not.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
A long time ago, a long long time ago.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So you've been up to Alex because you've been You've
been here, there and everywhere the volleyball So give us,
give us the quickest summary of where you've been north
for the summer.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
So I worked some camps to get some extra money
in obviously, like every good college coach does. I went
out to Croatia with the junior national team for a week.
We had played a great tournament out there that's run
by one of my friends. And then I've just come
(04:45):
back from Ireland where I was getting re qualified as
a volleyball coach. I now hold the second highest possible
qualification in voluable coaching. We will see next summer. Maybe
I'll go and get the highest qualification. But yeah, that's
(05:10):
the kind of the goal needs master. It was a
great week actually I met some great people. But yeah,
now I'm kind of focused on trying to make the
most out of this week and next week, which are
my only two weeks off this summer before we get
back into the madness of the collegiate volleyball season here
(05:33):
in England.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
It's awesome that you're looking forward so much to Weekceedo
football that you're going to be able to spend some
time watching that when you're you're off on holiday, Alie,
you're going to turn around and say that you've done
nothing over the summer. But that's a lot of harsh
But on that basis that you don't want to talk
about it, You're you're heading off to Dublin in a
couple of days time, So how excited are you for that?
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Yeah, I am excited with zero for Alex. It's right.
We do sometimes get some not great matchups in Doublin.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Whether that is because one team is vastly better than
the other, whether it's because there's two terrible teams, whether
it's because we've had you know, teams don't They still
don't see to get this right in the NFL still
can't really figure out what the best strategy is for
coming over to this side the pond and trying to
you know, either adapt to it beforehand or try and
(06:29):
stick on the US schedule. And for whatever reason we've
had you know, this is my fourth straight year of
being an a credited media member in Dublin. I think
this is the best matchup we've had, and that's not
to be that's not to be you know, negative about
Notre Dame and Name, which was a very one sided game,
(06:51):
and then Georgia Tech and f SU last year, which
was a great game, but f SU wasn't the team
that everyone was expecting it to be, and and Georgia
Tech didn't turn out to be necessarily.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
A team that everyone thought that they might be.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
After weeks last last year, after they said over, everyone
was kind of like, well, this Judge of Tech team
could be legit, and I think I very quickly realized
it was FSU wasn't all that. But I'm very very
excited for the game that we have in Dublin this
weekend because it is I've said it multiple times on
social media in there's last few weeks. It's there's so
(07:27):
much that goes into the matchup that we have. You know,
it's the first time to preseason AP ranked teams, so
just the second time since two thousand and two AAP
ranked preseason ranked teams have faced each other in the
opening game of the season. It's, you know, two really
really good and we can get we can get into
(07:47):
the nitty degree of this game, but it's two really good,
I think, really really good Big twelve teams and Iowa
State team coming off the back of an appearance in
the Big twelve championship game last year, and then it's
a rivalry game, right, There's a lot that goes into
what makes this game, particularly I think as doubling games
go very exciting, and it seems like from what I
(08:12):
can I've kind of seen from social media this week,
it seems like the official number is something like twenty
four to twenty eight thousand fans coming over from the States,
which is, you know, it's not the same as what
we saw for when Notre Dame came over for obvious reasons,
but it just feels like there's a lot of both
teams fans coming, feels like there's a lot of both
(08:35):
teams like small independent media coming over as well. It
feels like there's a lot of excitement from both sides
of this matchup, which again is brilliant because no disrespect
to Navy when Notre Dame played Navy, but it was
very one sided. There's a lot of Notre Dame fans
in Ireland for obvious reasons. It feels like each year,
(08:56):
like last year, FSU, there was a lot of FSGU
fans last year because just stated a big, well known
brand across the world, and so it felt like there
was a lot of FIC fans last year. Even going
back to Northwestern and Nebraska in two thousand and whatever
year that was, My masses isn't going to treat me
(09:18):
very well today, but for four years ago like that
seemed like there was a lot more of one than
the other. Whereas I feel like this time is going
to be a good mix of both sets of fans,
two great teams, rivalry everything again and two great quarterbacks everything.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Like I exactly what we've got to remember is, and
Paul Martin talked about this a couple of weeks ago,
the NFL is miles ahead and developing an overseas product.
I mean, you're decades ahead of college, but we don't
know at this point is what the college is actually
(09:53):
wanting to try and do that what will be interesting
this weekend and we really keen to hear what your
experience is. Clearly, the Big Twelve have stated publicly that
they want to develop an overseas presence. They've got two
teams this year, They've got TCU next year. Both Bretty
(10:16):
or Mark and Scott Draper. Bigswell Media days talked a
lot about developing an international presence. So does an added
There's an added angle to this game that perhaps we
haven't really seen before. So I think it is going
to be really interesting, and I think one of the
real highlights for me is the number of overseas fans
(10:39):
who are going to come to the game, because Notre
Dame is I think August thrown out as the kind
of benchmark, but that's a somewhat skewed view of what
kind of American fans going to come. I think this
hopefully you'll see a much more even fan base, plus
also the people traveling from the UK and those who
are already in Ireland, so I think that will be interesting.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
I think the thing is as well, like you've just
touched on there with the NFL is how many years
with the Moones. Most people the matchup for the NFL
sends over to England or Europe, you know Bill in
now Spain. Now, every year it feels like people feel
let down by what the NFL sends over. I think
(11:22):
the Big Twelve has positioned themselves quite nicely by sending
over two of their best teams, two of the teams
that are going to challenge for the Big Twelve title. Again,
we've touched on it before, but I think it's important
and it matters. It's a rivalry game like this, This matters, right,
This isn't just you know, he used the old Thursday
night football matchup of the Jags and the Titans that
(11:43):
everyone needs to just think was an absolute crop. That's
the sort of match up the NFL would send over
to this side of the pop. It feels like the
Big twelves certainly get it, but they seem to understand it.
And I think we're going to see a reflection about
this weekend and it seems like moving forward the Big Twelve,
Like you say, TCU coming next year, and it's pitt
(12:04):
and Wisconsin the year after. But I think the Big Twelve,
after that matchup, which has been booked in for some
time now, they're like the Big Twelve want to make
this a regular thing. And you know, we talked about
you know, we talk with lance lpehold It Cansas about
him wanting to this to be a big thing. I
think there's that sense of the sense that they can
really establish a foothold.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Here and in and.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
In and probably it's not easy for me to say
on a Wednesday night in an important way, whereas a
lot of people it feels like a lot of people
don't think.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
That this is important, right. We joke, we joked about it.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We had Shae Han on last week on the Pardon
he he kind of made a couple of social media
comments about like, why are we doing this sort of thing?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
But I think it did. I think it is important,
and I think that some people are really starting to
grasp that. So yeah, good spectable. I think we're going
to see in double this weekend, Alex.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
How important is it for schools. Let's let's shy away
from the conference at this moment in time, but schools
start have a brand overseas, you'll see this from a
sort of different dynamic. We didn't really get the chance
to speak to Shihan about this, unfortunately, but there's always
skepticism and skepticism when the NFL teams come across, because
(13:19):
you know, there's fifty thousand fans left sat at home
who aren't watching a game in Jacksonville. They're watching it
on TV some ungodler in the morning. But for those
who come across, they genuinely seem to love the experience.
And I definitely got that sense last year with the
fans who came across to Ireland. But how important is
(13:41):
it for schools to develop that brand overseas?
Speaker 5 (13:45):
So here's the big the big thing for me, Right,
if you're paying to go to an NFL game in
the US, more than likely you can pay to fly
over to London to watch the time if you want to. Right,
NFL games are insanely expensive to go to in the US. Now,
college football matches, by comparison at the bigger programs, yes,
(14:08):
insanely expensive, but even then there's an element of tickets
being cheaper. I don't love college football coming over, especially
bringing a rivalry game over. I like rivalry games on campus.
I like the tradition of it being a student sporting event,
(14:30):
and this just helps accelerate the idea that it's not
student amateur, or it's not amateur sport. We know it's
not amateur sport anymore, but it's not student sport anymore.
They're professional athletes, they're not they're not students anymore. They
don't what's the point in them going to class? Right?
What's the point in them having to be academically eligible? Nowadays?
(14:50):
There there isn't one. And one of the great drivers
of social mobility in the US is that you can
use your athletic ability to get a college degree, and
if you don't make it professionally, you've got that up.
You're upwardly mobile in that you've gone and you've got
the highest form of education, or one of the highest
(15:12):
forms of education in the US. And we're really quickly
moving away from that idea or that empowerment by professionalizing
these athletes, by growing brands of universities overseas. Why to me?
(15:32):
But the big question is why? Why does Kansas State
an Iowa State need to grow their athletic brands overseas?
Why does the university feel like that's the case, Yes,
you want some international TV money coming in, They're not
coming over to recruit kids, right, They're not. They're not
coming over in the hope that they can draw Irish
(15:54):
fans to come to Manhattan, Kansas to watch collegship games.
You might get one or two, but you're not going
to get the thousands that you would need to make
it viable economically. So it's a really interesting thing. I
love it for the athletes. It's a really cool experience
for those athletes. For that coaching staff like great for them.
(16:20):
I think as a sport I somewhat agree with chahanne
I don't actually see much of the benefit for the
college teams for those brands, you know. I think I
see it from the Big twelves perspective. If you're the
Big twelve and you can sell your games to an
(16:41):
international TV audience, amazing, Right, That's good for the conference.
It's good money and revenue driver for the schools that
are within it.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
But I just.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
I don't know. I'm not as close to this event
as you two have. I've never been, so I don't
want to talk too much much about the event itself.
But as someone that is a big college football fan,
I would rather go to the game in the US neither.
(17:15):
This has no there's no draw for me to go
to this game as a college football fan. Here in
the UK and I've been to I'm lucky. I've been
to two games in the US when I've been out there.
But like this is this is the college football game
that I could go to every year. We're not in season,
we've not met for preseason yet. My season clashes with
(17:38):
the college football season on numerous for most of the year,
so I couldn't travel to most games. And yet in
the what four years that it's been going, I've felt
no desire to travel across the Dublin and watch this game.
So you have to think, yes, they're they're coming over
(18:00):
and starting to build that footprint abroad, But how good
of a job is college football doing and building that
footprint broad if they.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Can't, well, well, I think it's fragmented, right, I mean,
I think that's part of the problem with the NFL
is by its their nature, it is a one entity
which is developing a product. And you raise an interesting debate,
and I think we're going to end up and they
weren't going to talk about Michigan on this podcast, right,
They're probably gonna end up talking about this for the
(18:29):
next twenty minutes. But only if I was been playing
Devil's advocate against what Alex has said, I'd be saying
that in this revenue sharing environment, schools need to explore
every avenue they can get to increase that revenue, or
whether that's through shut sales or TV rights or whatever
(18:53):
it might be, or even just everyone is now trying
to expand the brand beyond Kansas or you know, Iowa.
Everyone is trying so. And I think, and you know,
I've talked about this before. I think recruiting is now
out with of settling with the state, I think it's
(19:14):
out with the region that the schools are in. I
think it's nationwide. And with this so called level playing field,
I think it's wrong for schools not to look at
every avenue that's open to them. So I think there's
a devil's advocate. I think there's a bigger picture here
in terms and I think the big tible actually seem
to have tapped into what do you think?
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah, I mean, I don't think you're playing devil's advocate.
I think that's exactly what Alex was saying, right, That's
that's the thing that the whole thing with revenue sharing.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Yes, we spoke extensively.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
About NIL and the ability for athletes to actually get
what they deserve, which they haven't for so long.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
But Alex's point is the sport is.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Changing beyond its amateurs, you know, the amateurism that has
made it historically what it is, and therefore things like
talking about TV deals and selling shirts in different countries,
et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
That that's that's kind of Alex's point, right. That's so
it's not.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Really Devil's advocate that that's kind of it's a bit
of an adding to what Alex's point was was. You know,
we're moving, we're moving away from a time of collegiate
amateurism and the focus being on you know, students who
play sport and excel and get free education because of that.
(20:36):
In many respects, that's that's anxiety exactly what it is.
But you know this isn't new, right. They've been playing
games abroad for you, It's been playing in Tokyo and
now you know it's been going on for years. It's
just it's becoming more of a regular thing. And you
know when you start moving to two games abroad that
we all potentially have. I'm not going to fall into
trap of saying this is a done deal because they
(20:57):
actually nowhere as Michigan. Michigan being confirmed as a twenty
twenty six international game went saying that it's a dundale,
but it certainly looks like that's, you know, well in
its way to be. So again, let's we're talking. We're
going back to talking markets and brands.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Yeah, and the Big twelve said that, you know, as
necessarily you know, there might be multiple games, maybe, you know,
when we don't coach like Paul's vaking to come and
play in the UK, but we do know the German
market is huge, right, German market is massive. There's there's
a lot of appetite there. So I think they can
almost certainly a big we're going to talk about Michigan,
(21:39):
but a bigger name like Michigan I think draws some
attention so they can get away. And I always always
knew that if you're going to get one of the
bigger teams, it's it's going to be a kind of
non confidence game that you're going to get. So you know,
Western Michigan are going to give up a a game
for that. Let's let's talk talk about.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
How about this, right, I'm just just jumping in out
over here, George. If these colleges want to build and
these conferences want to build their brands, then maybe let's
get an option where people around the world can naturally
watch the games.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Oh, Pandora's box as.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Well.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
What normal idea, But then they actually can watch a game.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
I just just listen.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
That's a that's a whole raft of podcasts on their
own to be perful. Honest, we could we could talk
ad infinitum about the nonsense. I've got really annoyed with
watching the kind of new the rollout of the new
ESPN offering, and we're still scrambling about trying to understand
what's going to be shown on Sky this year.
Speaker 5 (22:53):
Yeah, there's there's nothing on scott They're not showing the
game on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Yes, that's that's.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Something on on Sky's page about it.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
So, you know, I think I think I do what
they did last year. They're going to pick up some
of these rights, probably for a song, and then you know,
we're going to you know, when we get to we're
going to see half of college game Day when they
decide to stop showing the rugby. You know, that's kind
of how it works. And listen your week we kind
(23:28):
of got involved in it a few years ago. But
you just have to look at social media to see
how disgruntled everybody is. Everybody's hacked off because there's not
only do we not understand what the limitations are to
watch college football, but but we've got no information as
to what's going to get get viewed. And to your point, Alex,
(23:48):
when people go searching for it, there's nothing there. So oh,
that's turned into say, I thought this is good to
be a positive podcast about the start of college football,
and we've we've gone down, and we've gone down something
of a rabbit hole, and only what are the matchups
you're looking forward to seeing on Saturday when you finally
get to Dublin.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Or father in matchups in the game itself, in the
game itself.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
I'm giving you the opportunity to watch about the game itself.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
So many, so many. So let's start with let's dog
with Cannon Stay.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
Running Backdylan Edwards, former Colorado recru played for Den Standards
for a year absolutely lining fast, incredible, incredible speed weapon
out of the backfield against an Iowa State defense rush
defense that was one of the worst in the country
last year. But they've got several returning several linebackers coming
(24:41):
back from injury. They were the linebacker riddled with ill
health injuries last year, So that's for me. That's the
first off the bat is an entertaining matchup, and then
flip the script. Iowa State got two great running backs
in Abu Salama and Carson Hansen, and Kanon State god
or some linebacker in Austin remain so those two like
(25:02):
linebacker running back my jobs. Iowa State secondary is incredible.
John Tes Williams and Jeremiah Cooper and two of the
best in the business. Kansas State really needs to step
up in the wide receiver department this year, so a
guy like Jase Brown, who is an incredible talent, but
kind of They've not had a lot of standout receiving
(25:25):
success for Avery Johnson last year. So I'm looking forward
to seeing that. The two quarterbacks on display on Saturday afternoon,
two of the best in the Big twelve. I'm really
excited to see rock O Becks in the flesh. We
had we had Anthony Beggs on the podcast. Can't even
remember when. It was a long time ago, a long
(25:47):
I don't even think Rocco was like an Iowa State
committe at that time.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Maybe he was, but.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Not your rook up was born when he was on
the podcast, to be honest, Come.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
On, come on, Anthony. Anthony is in doubling again. This
is a this is a great thing about this weekend.
There is there's there's so many people coming over from
the States and player parents and stuff like that. But
for me, roc Obec is one of the best quarterbacks
in the country. Incredible, pretty throw very gritty, like he's
(26:18):
a sore quarterback that if you want, you know, you're
going to need someone to do something to win a game.
Like I always feel like rock Obec he's going to
pull something out of the bag. So I'm really really
excited to see him in Dublin. In the flesh, there's
there's a there's a whole hold ton of talent on
(26:38):
both sides of the ball, and I think again that's
what makes this exciting coaching. So we've not even talked
about the coaching staff right of this game. So Chris
climb and this is Matt Campbell, like that is a
top tier coaching match or Chris Climbing. I think we've
talked about it Chris on this podcast before and just
what a great job he's done to make Kanada State
a consistent contender in the Big twelve. And Matt Campbell,
(27:01):
you know, had a couple of rough years, but I
stayed really back with a bang last year, really to
the point where almost three sixty degree from where we
started this podcast, where Matt Campbell was talked about as
this next NFL coach, and he went through some years
where that reputation really took it, and I think he's
back then another contract extension ahead of this season. So
(27:23):
that's a that's a great battle there. You know, neither
of those guys are going to step foot on the
field unless they overstepped the mark. That's that's an elite
coaching matchup right there that we're going to see in Doublin.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
This is this is just this stuff at every time.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
I feel like I'm bursting bubbles all the time here.
But I'm going to do this in the most positive
way possible because I agree with Olie. It's a great
coaching matchup. And I think what you find when you
have these great coaching matchups, especially early in the season,
he's usually a game that starts very slow because neither
(28:03):
coach will have or coaching staff will have any information
or very much information on the other team and how
they're going to set up with this roster. So both
teams will be relatively conservative early on. They won't try it,
they'll try not to give away too much that can
be used by their opposition, and usually they become these
(28:25):
sort of arm wrestle games where one team kind of
jabs and the other jabs and they're trying to kind
of feel each other out early on. And I think
we could see quite a slow start to this one,
and then as the game goes on, if one of
these two coaching staffs find a weakness in the other,
then that will be the thing that turns the game.
(28:46):
But usually when you have these these great coaching matchups
of the games are very close, right, especially given they
don't have a say, weeks of film to dive into
to really work out the the way to best play
against their opponents. So yeah, I would I'm fascinated and
(29:07):
I wish I could see the adjustments, but we won't
go back down that road again. I'm fascinated to see
the adjustments. I'm fascinated to see how they've planned for
this matchup. I'd be fascinated if someone would ask that
of the one of the coaches at the press conference,
although I'm sure they would give a very non descript answer.
(29:28):
But as someone who is planning for their own Week one,
I'm going to call it week one. I know it's
not Week one, but we're calling it week one anyway,
their own Week one match up in a couple of
months time against the team that they'll have no film on.
I'd love to know what the process is for these
coaching staffs and how they're preparing their team.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
I think it's always We've seen this for many years
of Top week too much but in a field, but
it's a bas comparison we've got. It's been fascinating to
see how the teams prepare. I still don't think the
NFL has cracked getting a team across here acrourse. Every
team that wins thinks they cracked it, and then they
come back subsequent years and maybe don't fear so well
(30:10):
before we go because we've run out of time again.
I really do appreciate Alex's positive input into this podcast.
It's we've we've really really missed him over the last
few weeks. Before we go tell me the other week
zero slate games and know Alex is not wild on them,
but our palsic Kansas are there. But Oli, I'm going
(30:31):
to ask you both, but all are you first? Which
is the other game that jumps off page? What were
you looking forward to watching? Someone? God there at Doublin Airport.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Quite lucky this year Hawaii, even though we're playing at
how Hawaii isn't four fifty nine am. He's UK time kickoff.
That's quite nice. So that will be probably the game
by watching in Doublin airpl Stanford in Hawaii. Well, Alex
hees weeks. The weeks are not. But I can see
something in every single one of these games, apart from Europe,
(31:05):
apart from un l v U, n LV hasn't been
named a starting quarterback. We're going to roll with Alex
Orgy and Anthony Callandrea is a one two punch against
side the host DAL which I mean it's going to
be pretty entertaining. Rights are two very very different quarterbacks.
But there's something in every single one of these all
FBF games. Kansas opens a new stadium against Fresno State,
(31:29):
team led by Kurt Warner's son e j. Warner at
quarterback storyline. Storyline to watching that game, You've got all
Conference USA match up between Sam Houston and Western Kentucky,
two teams that return some of the least starting production
from twenty twenty four. So Western Kentucky has got the
least returning starters in Conference USA. Sam Houston under new
(31:52):
head coach Phil Longo, has got the second third least
returning starters. So lots of different players, lots of tually,
just take the point about there being not a lot
of tape for the people to go on. Western Kentucky
was in the Conference USA championship game less than eight
months ago, and that whole team is no longer there.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
They've got a really.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
Exciting quarterback to watching, Maverick Makaiga as well. So that's
you know, that's interesting. Suppose I'm concerned, and then Stamford
Hawaii we're going to see an early upset. I think
in college football, a lot of people are friends. A
good friend. I m plays saying that a team like Stanford,
it's disrespectful for a team like that to even be
(32:35):
considered an underdog against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, a non
P four team. But there's There's plenty to love about
Hawaii football, returned to awesome wide receivers. They've got a
red shirt freshman starting at quarterback in Mika ur Hiedo
who absolutely lit it up in his only start against
New Mexico last year, and lots of talent on defense.
(32:58):
And Stanford are bad by Stanford, a real, real bad
And I think that's the key, right. The bookies aren't
often sensationally wrong, and it's that game has gone from
being Stanford as a big favorite Hawaii being a two
and a half point favorite as we speak right now
Wednesday afternoon. There's there's something behind that. This the Stanford
(33:19):
team that's got not a great amount of talent, and
Hawaii is a team that I think can pull off
a shock, especially you know in Hawaii opening weekend of
the season. I wish it was a five am kickoff
because that shock would be just so much sweeter when
I land back in East Midlands Airport on early early
(33:40):
on Sunday morning. But at least I'll get to see
the whole game before I take off.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
There's some there's something about right a week zero slot fest,
which I agree. I think Stanford and Hawaii could be
a Week zero slot fest. Now, I'm going to take
some liberties answering this question, because if you're on the
ESPN website, the Week zero slate is included under Week one.
(34:10):
So I'm just going to talk about the game that
we should all be looking forward to, which is which
is Texas visiting Ohio State next Saturday. I don't I'm
just just for anyone who's got a heart condition, just
hold yourself for the next thirty seconds. I think Texas
(34:31):
is overrated going into the season. How their ranked number
one when the quarterbacks not even barely played a snap
in college football is crazy. I could see this one
going quite wrong. Going up into the shoe is never easy,
and that Ohio State team is still pretty pretty legit,
(34:54):
So yeah, I could see that one going quite wrong.
And that is my early pretty for game of the
week next weekend. It starts at five pm, which is
an absolute travesty. How are you having the game between
the number one and the number three ranked team coming
into the season playing at five pm. That's twelve Eastern
(35:18):
mid day. It's like having a having the Manchester Derby
is a twelve o'clock kickoff. It just makes cool sense.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
Don't kickoff.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
Yeah, silly Americans. Well, I'm looking forward to the game.
I'm going to try and find a Dodgy stream to
watch it while I'm away with the national team. If
the government's listening, I am going to the US with
the national team. I'm not really, but you know, we'll
find a way to have a watch. And yeah, I
(35:53):
think that one that one could be could be a classic.
Quite early on Defense Championship sucks.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
This is Alice's way of him saying, I'm not going
to be on the podcast next week, so I get
my Texas take in right now because I want to
get in.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
I have been on the podcast next week. But we've
got a very very interesting special.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Guest we have. We might even may have a couple
of guests. I'd be more worried if if we started
giving us predictions for week six, because then we really
don't know he's going to be here for the next
people will Anyway, As always, we ran out of time
to talk about Michigan. That wasn't a bad thing. Actually,
I think that could have gone on for way longer
(36:40):
than we anticipated to. That's all from us on this episode.
We hope you enjoyed it. And we do appreciate you
listening to us. We appreciate you supporting us. We're going
to be doing some social media stuff over the next
couple of weeks to try and get a little bit
more engagement in what we're doing, specifically on YouTube. So
if you're watching us in YouTube, hopefully you've subscribed. If no,
what please can you subscribe? We need some follow uts
(37:02):
on YouTube. That's it. Thanks for listening, stay see if
I'm go and catch you next time.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!