*Jim Gumm, The Blitz Newsletter

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jack Ebling here with my good friend Matt Sloan, a
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Zero percent. Can't get much lower than that.

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Speaker 1 (00:27):
Stop and see Matt in the gang here on West
Grand River, Okamiz. They're making friends. Welcome back. It is
a drive with Jack Spotlight Radio Network. Jack Eblin here
with my producer Boston Rob in studio today. Want to
go out to our guest line and welcome in Jim

(00:50):
Gumm from the Blitz newsletter in Cleveland, Tennessee. And tonight
is of course the first unveil of the college Football
Playoff rankings. Jimmy, I think back to the days before
we had this, starting in twenty fourteen, what do we do.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Well? You know, I used to love the BCS. Of course,
what I liked about the BCS is that they came
out on Sunday. Yeah, instead, I'm waiting till Tuesday. I
don't know why they wait till Tuesday, but you know,
that's the reality of having the Slash committee. I guess
over a bunch of computers. But no, like I said,

(01:32):
it's always fun. I think it's really neat to try
to look at, you know, the first ranking, what we
get today, and then the final win that'll put the
teams in the actual bracket itself, and how much change
there is. But you know, I mean, there's been some
years where they were pretty darn actor. I'm talking when
they had the fourteen they were pretty darn accurate. Now

(01:54):
last year the first year of the twelve team bracket.
So we'll just see how it all unveils.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Not what do you think the big surprise is going
to be tonight? Will there be one?

Speaker 3 (02:08):
Well? I mean, I keep seeing all these people, you know,
on social media, and I don't know why I look
at this stuff. There's so many experts out there, and
they're all predicting Indiana and be number one ahead of
Ohio State. We'll see about that, but I'm curious of
how what they're going to do with like a Notre

(02:29):
Dame and a Miami. Yeh, Obviously I feel like Notre
Dame is the more complete team, but yes, Miami did
beat them head to head, so I'm curious what they're
going to do in situations like that, Oklahoma, Texas, Miami,
Notre Dame. What are they going to do with those teams?
Will they put the team that lost ahead of the
team that beat them head to head or will they

(02:51):
put head to head as the difference maker?

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yeah, I don't enter into anything that's happened in the past,
so I know you do have some credit given in
your power rankings for where teams start the season and
what they have done. But as I look at Indiana
and Ohio State, Jim, I think what Indiana has done

(03:14):
is more impressive. Although although we have talked about Indiana's
pre conference schedule, you said that you don't hold them
accountable for that, but the fact that Ohio State did
play Texas and the number one should be worth something.
And I thought that if Vanderbilt had beaten Texas, it
would have devalued Ohio State's win in the opener enough

(03:38):
that Indiana could have been number one. But since Texas
beat Vanderbilt, now I think that game means even more
and I think Ohio State will be number one.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yes, I think Ohio State will be number one too.
I'm just going off with all these people on the
social media. Everyone has got a number one other than
Wio State is like, we want to be different. You know. Well,
I don't know what Slitchy Committee's gonna do. But there's
a lot of football yet to be played, man, And
I think Ohio State and Indiana on the collision course

(04:10):
to play the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis, and we'll
we'll find out then if Indiana is as good as
they look, because they sure look off the good to me.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah, I don't think Indiana is going to lose. I
think they're going to be twelve and oh Ohio State
should be twelve and oh but they do have a
game in ann Arbor, and we've seen the last four years.
I think in at least three of those years, Ohio
State was a clear favorite, if not all four. And
you know, Michigan has gotten the best of them, so

(04:43):
I have to get over that hurdle. But I think
the buck Geys our positioned to do it, and I
don't think this is a particularly good Michigan team, even
though I've seen them pull away the last couple of weeks.
The quarterback play is very average. It's going to be great,
but I think right now it's very average. And I
think the fourth best team into Big Ten, and I

(05:03):
don't think it's that close is Iowa. I've watched a
ton of Big ten football gym and I have a
lot of respect for USC which beat Michigan comfortably in
the coliseum. But I look at what Iowa's done, and
they lost a rivalry game in Ames Iowa on a

(05:26):
last play field goal to a pretty good Cyclones team,
and then really had Indiana beat in the last two
minutes and was kicking a go ahead field goal, was missed,
gave up a play, and they wind up losing twenty
to fifteen to a team that's either number one or
number one A. So I think Iowa, and I'm watching

(05:47):
some of the other Iowa scores too. I just watched
them dismantle Minnesota. Minnesota isn't very good, but they won
some games. But I think Iowa is a clear four
and it wouldn't shock me if they.

Speaker 3 (05:59):
Beat or a Yeah, I'm really excited about that game.
And it's at Kinnick Stadium, yes, so obviously I was
going to have a home crowd advantage there, so it
wouldn't shock me to see iowain that game. And I'm
like you, I think this is a really good hawk
ass team, and I think the Big Ten has got

(06:19):
five or six really good team. Obviously we know about
you know, Ohio State and Indiana, but I like Iowa
a lot, I like Oregon, I really like USC and
I still think Michigan's dangerous. So I mean, like you said,
it'll all we'll all get it. At the end of
the thing, we'll know pretty much. But right now, there's

(06:41):
a lot of ways this thing could end up.

Speaker 1 (06:44):
Right right, I think it's pretty clear that Ohio State
and Indiana will have first round byes unless the bottom
falls out, and then there will be a third team,
at least a third team from the Big Ten. And
whether that is Oregon or if the Ducks lose to

(07:04):
Iowa and maybe they stumble, they still to play Washington
right at the end of the year, So you know,
that's a game where who knows what can happen up there.
But unless that happens, Oregon is going to be in.
What are the chances of a fourth Big Ten team
getting in?

Speaker 3 (07:23):
I think the Big Ten has to have some help, yeah,
and I think it has to come from the SEC.
I think they need to knock off a couple of
their one loss teams to where they're And when I
say knock them off, I mean beat them significantly. You know,
without not a field goal game, but you know, a
three touchdown win or something. I think that would be

(07:44):
the perception would be lost a little bit on some
of those SEC teams. But I think it's clearly the
SEC and the Big Ten are going to rule the
They'll rule the rankings tonight, and they'll also rule the bracketing,
the projected bracketing to not as well.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
We know there's going to be a group of five
team in, so that cuts it down from twelve to eleven,
and we know that the ACC and the Big twelve
have to have at least one in. So let's say
that's the case for now. That cuts it from eleven
to nine. Nine spots for the Big Ten and the SEC,

(08:26):
and you could have four from the Big Ten and
five from the SEC. But let's say for a second
BYU beats Texas Tech but stumbles in the conference championship game.
So now you have a twelve and one BYU, and
we know the Big twelve champion is going to get in,

(08:47):
has to get in. If you have BYU at twelve
and one, I say, well, they're in as an at large.
So that takes another spot away and you only have
eight spots. Then for the two power leagues, is it
more likely the Big ten would get a fourth team
or the SEC would get a fifteen?

Speaker 3 (09:10):
Well, I think you know this is my person. I
think Notre Dame is going to get in if they
will out Okay, yes, I do. Okay, So I think
I'm putting that an equation as well. Even though they
lost in Miami, yes, because it's there, they were in
those games. Stood are much and I think Notre Dame
has really turned it on, and I know they they

(09:31):
didn't have the greatest game this past week against Boston College.
I'm assuming I assume that Notre Dame finished the season
ten and two and they've won ten straight games, and
then they are that's a dangerous team. So I'm going
to put Notre Dame in so that'll eliminate another Evin s.

(09:52):
I think it's going to be. I think the Big
ten in all likelihood will get three minimum and I
think the SEC in all likelihood will at four minimum.
But you know, you could see a FIG ten and
SEC split four and four, or the SEC could end
up getting five. Yeah, but I definitely think that b

(10:12):
y U, Texas Tech Notre Dame are in and then
the ACC. I think the ACC's only get one, right, right,
I just it's weird. I don't know if you know this, Jack,
you know, you see what you look at the ACC standings.
Yet Virginia sitting there at five and oh but the
one loss was two North Carolina State and ACC team

(10:35):
right but didn't come an That is a weird thing
that's going on this year, that that we actually got
three instances of that happening of teams that are from
the same league playing each other but they don't count
as league games. And I think a lot has to
do with some crazy some of the uh some of
this expansion, you know, conference expansion. We had people the

(10:58):
people were buying out of games and cancer games and
they were just last fourth. We gotta have a twelve game, Hey,
we'll play each other and it won't count the league game.
So you know we got in the Big twelve. You
got the Arizona Kansas State game. Of course, Army Navy
game doesn't count in the American anymore. And then this
year the Virginia Ncy State game. So you got a
few little quirks here going on.

Speaker 1 (11:20):
Yeah, and when you look at the playoff now at twelve.
I heard some coaches talking today about what expansion would mean,
and it was going to mean more coach firings. They
always look at it that way. Seems like we've had
plenty already. But if they go to sixteen, then if
you don't make it, you're really on the outs. You remember, Jim,

(11:44):
what it was like when there was this thing called
a conference championship and it really mattered, and the regular season.
So much attention now is focused on the playoff. It's
like college basketball. The NCAA Tournament is the only thing
that matters to most fans. And I think we're getting close.

(12:05):
I don't want to see that devalued, and I don't
want to see games in September and October diminished.

Speaker 3 (12:12):
I'm right there with you. I love one thing about
college football that has always drawn me towards this sport
is that every game counts and every game is important,
and the more you expand the playoffs, the less important,
especially those late November games, those traditional rivals mean and

(12:35):
i'd hate Listen, last year, everyone knows Ohio State lost
the Michigan didn't matter. Ohio State went on when after
champ in a fourteen playoff, law States eliminated. That's right,
They're out. They don't have a shot. They don't go
to the big championship games. There's they're going to the
rely on Quest Bowl or something, you know, And we

(12:58):
were in a new work. I hate the fact that
some of these rivalries are almost meaning with and I
would hate to see coaches resting players in a rivalry game.

Speaker 1 (13:09):
Right, And I think we're going to get that. I
do think we're going to get that. And I think
that for teams that have two losses. Now there's talk
that Texas could get in with three losses depending on
how this would play out. You know, to me, that
devalues something. So I kind of kind of liked it
the old way a little bit better.

Speaker 3 (13:31):
I'm not there with you.

Speaker 1 (13:32):
The son In this issue of the Blitz newsletter, which
by the way. If you are not getting your hands
on the Blitz, then you're missing out on a lot
of opportunities. You're probably going to lose some bets, and
you're going to be tormented the way robs every week
when I ask them these questions from the Blitz. But
in terms of what you have this week, not just

(13:55):
all the schedules, standings, power ratings, everything. You need to
be an expert on teams other than the one you follow.
You have some really interesting side notes here and you
talk about teams that have one hundred yard rusher. Now,
if you have one this year, chance are you gonna
win a lot of games. If you have two, you know,

(14:19):
you really hit the mother load. But there are teams
Jim as you document here, who have had four four
one hundred yard rushers in a game. So that's a
minimum of four hundred yards rushing. And some of these
are as one here, it's close to six hundred yards rushing.
What's the best backfield or the best rushing attack? You remember,

(14:41):
we've seen Nebraska be absolutely incredible. You think about Alabama,
but I think back to Texas with the wishbone.

Speaker 3 (14:50):
Yeah, Texas and Oklahoma used to just crush people. Yeah,
running the football. They probably still games to throw four
or five passes that wishbone. When the wishbone was run perfectly,
it was a thing of beauty. And younger people these

(15:10):
days they don't understand it. They don't. My thing is
go to YouTube and type in Oklahoma's versus like I
don't know, Iowa State in nineteen seventy four, and watch
something that like that when they ran it. Oh, it
was a thing of beauty. And Oklahoma Nebraska, those teams

(15:30):
in Texas, like you said, in Alabama, they would brack
up four hundred yards rushing fairly regularly. It was a
thing of beauty to watch. But yeah, you rarely see
that anymore. And you used to see the Service academies
doing some of this stuff. But even they've transitioned a
little bit to bore up a passing attack too. So yeah,
it was. But yeah, I don't I don't know if

(15:53):
we'll ever see another team have four one hundred yard rushers,
although you know, the bottom didn't twenty oh nine. It's
not ancient history, but it's close.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
All right, Rob, here you go, here's your chance. This
is a name you know, Okay, or I'm not trying
to pull some obscure thing on you. We talked about
the last time it happened, and Jim just said it
was Nevada in two thousand and nine, four back, same game.
Who was a quarterback on that team, someone that you
know very well.

Speaker 3 (16:22):
I just want to have a nice, peaceful, non thinking
sports talking.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
It doesn't work that way for Rob Bennett.

Speaker 3 (16:29):
No, Rob, if you're taken knee and think about it
at my help.

Speaker 1 (16:34):
These hints, the answer is Colin Kaepernick.

Speaker 3 (16:41):
How am I gonna get? Wow?

Speaker 2 (16:42):
Very good, Jim yet right, yeah, taking that great national anthem?

Speaker 3 (16:49):
Thank you Jim for your health.

Speaker 1 (16:50):
Excellent hints, Yes, yes, Well do you know I keep
trying to give Rob these dinners and he's starting he
doesn't want them. He doesn't want my food. Okay, all right,
you cook horribly. I was going to give you a
chance of the restaurants. We're going back fifty years. You
always flashed back, Jim to nineteen seventy five and we

(17:13):
had an undefeated team twelve and oh didn't win the title.
Do you want to talk about that?

Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah, Frank Kush and those Arizona State sun Devils they
went twelve and oh they upset Nebraska in the Fiesta Bow.
Of course, if you remember, the Fiesta Bowl was formed,
you know, around that time, and I think Arizona State
playing the first four or five of them. Yeah, yeah, right,
and they would play literally the bowl game in their
home Stateum, but Frank Kush had it rolling back then.

(17:43):
Of course they were in the whack and so they
didn't get a lot of love. But they were the
only undefeated team and they finished the season twelve and
oh but number two behind the Sooners of Oklahoma.

Speaker 1 (17:54):
Yeah. That was I know, some Sun Devils and they
don't root for Michigan, but they were rooting for Michigan
that year because in the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma beat U
of M fourteen to six, and that was a Michigan
team that had two losses and two ties. Ohio State
wound up in the Rose Bowl, but Michigan wound up

(18:15):
playing Oklahoma, and with that Oklahoma win, they were eleven
and one and finished ahead of a twelve and zero
Sun Devil's team Alabama was there and if.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
You remember, Ohio State was eleven to one and they
had defeated UCLA in the regular season. That's right, that's right,
and that's when UCLA played the LA Coliseum, So how
State beat him there? And then they go to the
Rose Bowl and you know the big Ver Meal was
the head coach and that you know, that got him
on the map as far as head coaches for sure.

Speaker 1 (18:44):
And that cost the Buckeyes another national championship in Archie
Griffin's last game.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
Yep, yep, sure fantastic.

Speaker 1 (18:52):
One of the things I loved with this And we'll
let you go. But you you go through number one
ranked teams lose in a season and won four of them.
Four number one ranked teams have lost in the same season.
You go through those seasons week by week, that fascinating stuff.
It gives you a sense of a whole season in

(19:14):
one glance.

Speaker 3 (19:16):
Yeah, of course this year we opened the season with
number one losing. Ohio State got number one week two
and they haven't lost. But in nineteen eighty one was
the craziest year. And I still remember nineteen ninety as well.
It's like every time you turn around, a number one
ranked team was getting beat, getting upset, and it made

(19:37):
it fun. It made it fun. So nineteen eighty one
the number one team went seven and six. Nineteen ninety
the number one team was six and five. So yeah,
we've had a lot of chaos and it was fun.
It was fun in those years we had all this
chaos because he was like, Oh my gosh, he's going
to be number one this week.

Speaker 1 (19:58):
Jim, thanks so much. Once again, if you just go
to Jim gum dot blitz at Yahoo or at gmail
either one works dot com and Jim will take care
of you and you'll be a lot smarter than you
really are.

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Speaker 1 (20:45):
Jack Kevlinck here with my good friend Matt Sloan at
Graph of Opemists. Big summer air.

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on right now at graf Nissan and Graph Chevy of Okamists.
Great deals. We're offering zero percent financing on select vehicles
of sixty months. If you're a Casto member, we got
extra rebates for that. We're getting fresh inventory every day.
It's been a great summer. We got great deals for you.

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Zero percent. Can't get much lower than that.

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