11.4: Throwing Trash - Hour 1

I mean Saturday night that was that was awesome, And that doesn't mean there's a lot more to unpack when it comes to what happened on Saturday night at Clemson as Louisville knocked them off for the first time. Put together not a perfect game. I don't even know if I can say they played like, you know, a complete game, but you know, easily one of the better performances of the season. I mean, in fact, it was. I mean, you beat Clemson, you won at their place. They were

what ranked eleventh in the country at that time. I mean I felt good going in, but I hesitated, right, I was not scared, but I just I didn't want to lie to you and say, yes, I think they're gonna win. But I had I had a good feeling throughout because I really was impressed with what we saw at the end of the Boston College game. But what I didn't know, am I just it is this desperation mode, right just trying to find some type of a positive to you know, give me something to believe in as

we on a team that we've never beat before. That's how you know I'm feeling good as a Louisville fan because I'm saying we we're two minutes in and I've said we like five times refer I mean, that's how strong I feel right now. That's where the vibes are. It just happens. So I didn't know, like, am I

desperate or is there really something there? And I really don't know here we are, you know, after the Clemson went and I can't claim that, you know, they were able to go do what they did on the road in Death Valley, giving Clemson their first loss at home

on a Saturday night in eleven years. But you know, maybe I was onto something because the defense, I mean, the defense finished really strong against Boston College, and then they went out there against Clemson, a much better team than Boston College, a team that really had been good offensively all year, and then the defense, Louis's defense just I mean, they picked up where they left off against

Boston College. As far as just looking as if they they had an identity right, they were bouncing around out there. They were pretty confident in you know, it didn't look as if they were an organized that they they didn't know what they were doing or anything like that. There

didn't seem to be a whole lot of confusion. And really the only worry in the second half was just did you give yourself a big enough lead, Like if in fact, they make a big run and the momentum is on their end in a major way, and the fans that you know didn't leave in the third quarter, do end up, you know, getting loud, and I just worried that eventually they were going to find their run and maybe Louisville didn't give themselves enough distance there, maybe

they maybe they needed to score more touchdowns to feel safe. But we didn't ever really have to worry about that. And I think that I can only speak for myself, but the worry on my end wasn't because like, oh, we're going to choke this away. Here we go, We're going to find a way to screw this up. But I'm sure some people view it that way. But and look, I'm a pessimist in general. I mean that's that's my

nature more so than an optimist. So you know, I never felt like it was in great hands until the very end of the game. But I think as a fan base, I mean, you you watched Louisville this year lose games that you know they could have won, and that's such a lame thing to say, right, like, well, we we could be three plays, four plays away from being undefeated, being a top ten team, like those were things that were said going into last week. And here's

what was just really tough for me to balance. I believed it, like it was true but like Clayton a clamoring to that as if like that's the bright spot, Like you're still you're still trying to prop up losses and those aren't good because you never want to lose. So what a night it was in Clemson, South Carolina.

You had their fans throwing trash on the field. I mean, you had your quarterback who went from being really afraid to run to all right, I'm gonna do a summersault in the end zone here and get us a score. Isaac Brown is not only one of, if not the best freshman running backs in the country, he may be one of the best running backs in the country overall.

Like that sounds crazy, but there's some numbers I'm gonna share with you a little later on that I think really will put it in perspective how good this guy's been. And if you've been watching all year, like most Louisville

fans have, then you know. But if you look at what he's doing as far as the amount of yards he's getting per carry, the amount of yards he's getting per game based off of how many times he actually carries the ball, I mean, he's still splitting not fifty to fifty by any means, but like, this guy has made the most of every you know, every opportunity he's gotten,

So that is what we all wanted. Again, it doesn't erase the losses to Notre Dame, Miami and SMU, losses that we all kind of feel like, Man, get tightened things up a little bit in this game and a little bit more in that game, and maybe just slightly

against Notre Dame, you could easily won. And again, I can only speak for me, but it's been a frustrating season because I think even when when you watch your team make mistakes that you feel like are avoidable and they come up short and they lose to teams that you know, you know they can beat, at the end

of the day, you know they're still losing. But I think a lot of fans were sort of like me and realizing, you know, I'm watching this and again they're not getting the results that would really confirm what we believe, which is that they're a good team. So like, until they get you a result that confirms what you believe, it's hard to really know if, at least for me, it's hard for me to know. Okay, are my thoughts on this Louisville team. Are they based off of wishful thinking?

Me just in denial that, like, I just can't accept the fact that this team has come up short in so many games that you know they should have won. But you know that result was their Saturday and they got it done. And who knows if this is actually what plays out. I mean, I'm not here at three h six on November the fourth gonna predict it and say it's happening. But like, we know this team can

win out. If you can go beat Clemson at Clemson, you certainly know you can go beat Stanford, who's really really bad right now, you got pitted home for your last home game Senior Day. Pitt's a good team, but man, they looked beatable against SMU. I actually happen to think that that says more about SMU in the way that they have came into this league and just I mean, I don't want to say dominated, but they haven't lost

anybody in the league yet, right. I Mean, their schedule clearly was beneficial for them in their first year in the league. But they look pretty good right now. So again, PITT is a team that I still think is good, and they've made a big turnaround from last year's disaster, So again Louisville could revert back. I don't know. I

hope they don't. But for those that were really bummed about missing out on the playoff, missing out on the ACC championship game, I mean, those are all things that came and went relatively early in the season, which was a real gut punch, and it made it even more frustrating to know that, Man, if they would have just cleaned up some things here and there, you could be sitting in our early November as a top ten team and again like that's still missed opportunities that it's a bummer,

there's no way around it. But I think this win against Clemson has proven that if you if you take I mean taking care of business would make it sound as if like it's not going to be a challenge, but if you can go do what you did against Clemson at their place and really dominate that game more so than the score indicative, that gets set a lot. But I really believe it this time around, Like Louisville, I mean, they were they were dominating that game and

they should have. Again, there's not a lot of value here, but they should have beat Notre Dame, SMU and Miami. I mean that was probably more of just Miami being, you know, the better team, and maybe we say the same about SMU, But I know the defense that I watched in the beginning of the SMU game was not the defense I saw in the second half against Boston College and the defense that made the trip to Clemson

South Carolina. So look, if you went out, there's really not a whole lot therefore you as far as like value, right, like pitt Is would be a solid win, but Stanford wouldn't be a win really worth talking about. And then of course Kentucky that'd be huge when it comes to the rivalry and getting bragging rights back on the Louisville side, but it's not something that like the result is going

to be substantial. So and the reason I'm bringing this up is because what we talked about a lot in the offseason as far as big goals, right, let's try to make the playoff. They expanded it to twelve teams. You know, let's get to the ACC championship game. We got there last year, and we think we have a better team this year. Like those things were gone pretty

quickly because of the losses, and that sucks. However, if you went out, what you can do is say you had back to back ten win seasons, and that has never happened around here? Has it back to back ten win seasons? I'm pretty sure that's never happened. And yeah, I know, big picture, you want playoff appearances, right, and

you want to be competing for the ACC championship. But if they can win out and that includes beating Clemson for the first time, ending the Street Giggins, Kentucky, and then whoever you get in the bowl game, look, if you went out, you're gonna be nine and three, and you you know, I have no clue what the bowl situation is gonna look like this year because I actually think that by expanding the playoff, the issues we've had with like the bowl games just having so many opt outs,

you're gonna get that even at a at a higher level than you ever have because again, when twelve teams get in and you're on the outside, there's gonna be opt outs all over the place. So you know, the bowl game is more of a question mark because we don't know who's going to play, Who's it's just tough to know but if in fact you do win out and go ten and three, and again, those two big things have value more so than most people realize. Beating Clemson for the first time. I don't care if Clemson

would have been unranked. It's still nice to get to get that out of the way, right, because the longer you went in the ACC without beating the more the more it became a thing where like, wow, Louis never be Clemson, So it was huge get that win. And then again, it'll be huge to knock off Kentucky, regardless if they're any good or not at that time, so I'll be able to say, yeah, the big picture things

that people really set out for you fell short. But ten and three, I don't know how anybody could say that wasn't a good season. In fact, it'd be a really good season, and it would once again remind you that you're lucky to have a head coach like Jeff

Brohm and that the future is bright. So good stuff. Again, I'm still not in disbelief because I believed in this team, but man, we you know I needed that as a fan myself, because I've always liked I thought this team was good even though they were losing to good teams. It just was an unusual feeling for me and for

them to go down there and be Clemson. It doesn't remove the losses you had earlier this year, but to know that the three teams that beat you, all of them are ranked in the top thirteen right now, and you lost to them all by one score, You're now back in the top twenty five. I mean, the middle of the season kind of rocky, right, some unfortunate results that were disappointing, no doubt, but they've got a chance to really finish strong here. And I think that's all

you can ask at this point. We'll continue to, you know, react to what happened Saturday, and you know I'm not I'm gonna hell. I'll talk about the Clemson win for the rest of the the rest of the calendar year, if you guys want to, because that's how awesome it was to see Louisville go in there and beat them up.

Have their fans behave the way they behaved. Still crying about calls this and that, Dabbos Sweeney not knowing how to do basic math, I mean, his decision to kick the extra point and not go for too late in the game. I mean, it was insane how the announcers were just like in disbelief themselves, just making fun of them for not knowing, Hey, what are you doing blocking two of their kicks too? Like, it was just it was awesome. It really was. What else is I can

tell you what else is awesome. That is the fact that we've got college basketball going on right now. We've already had I think one game between like two I think the actual first game was against an NAI school took on I U p U I who is now

being called IU Indie. I think that is correct, So that didn't really count because again, like that's and I hate that they do that, Like why is it that schools that are such like lower level, like bottom of the barrel d one like in the three hundreds, Why do they play NAI Division two JUCO seventh Region here like that, they can play those teams and they count as real games? Why? Like why is that not an exhibition? If if the NCAA selection committee cannot count it towards

anything that you did, then it doesn't count. I mean, but anyways, I'm just nitpicking. But the first game was actually at noon, just wrapped up, not that long ago, Chris mack Is first game at Charleston knocked off Southern Illinois. We've got I think some games getting started, like right now, and then there'll be games of course all night. It feels like everybody is starting their season. Tonight is Indiana play to night.

programs around here. I mean Kentucky's taken on Ohio. Louisville of course has morehead state seven o'clock tip for both, and as you know, we are of course going to be doing our first I guess real like our postgame shows last two weeks, John, they were real, right like, we really did them. We reacted to what happened. But now we're going to be reacting to a real game. That's true, it's here. It's the Louisville basketball postgame show again.

As soon as it ends, tonight will go live, and I would hope that we're reacting to a big win for the Cards. I mean, I will go ahead and say it. They're now favored by twenty one and a half. And I wouldn't touch this thing just because, I mean, and it's not because I'm worried that Morehead State's gonna come in here and beat you. I mean, if they do, then man, we got big problems. But I just, you know, I was thinking about it earlier, like if I was

going to play this game, which I'm not what. I just lean on Louisville having a much better team with a lot better players, and know that Pat Kelsey at least, you know, we hope he's gonna have these guys ready to play to where you're not gonna see him going through going through the you know, the motions. Because it's Morehead State, I don't think you have to worry about

all that. But it's still I mean, again, they've practiced for a while now, they got the extra exhibition games in the Bahamas, they had their two exhibition games that you know that have played out over the last couple of weeks. But it's still gonna be a work in progress. I think to kind of, you know, get everybody in sync because what they're going to be doing starting tonight is the first time they've ever done it, and that is playing against a different team in a real game.

And yes, I know exhibitions. I mean unless somebody tells you, you don't know, they're not real games, right, unless you just kind of know, like scheduling whatnot. Well, this is this, This is different like Morehead State. And I'm gonna try my best to not be that guy that that worries fans about a loss here and acts like I'm just trying to do something for you know, just to troll or just to you know, shock value. That's not what

I'm going for here. So when I say this, it doesn't mean that I don't expect Louisville to win, and I mean I think they win by double digits. But let's just you know, regardless of how good Louisville ends up being this year, here's here's something that is that we all need to just accept. Morehead State is going to be substantially better than the two exhibition teams you played and who you played in the Bahamas. So with that, it's a little more of an unknown as far as

what we can expect from from this group tonight. I expect that they're going to play hard. I expect that they're going to play a lot of guys. They're going to show the type of depth they have, the balance that they have, and I expect them to win. But I think it opened up at sixteen and a half maybe, and now it's Louisville minus twenty one and a half, and you know, maybe maybe you're hammering it because you're confident. But for me, I just you know, I can see

this thing again. If they do cover, I'm not going to be totally stunned. But like, if they win this game by fourteen fifteen something like that in that range, that won't shock me at all, and I'm curious to see if that's the result. It'll, you know, how it looks will clearly be a big, a big talking point, and we'll react to it tonight because you know, that's that's that's what we do. I kind of have some nerves,

but it's not because I think they're gonna lose. It's just, you know, I guess more than anything, it's like when you go through what Louisville went through the last couple of years. I don't know if I'll ever not have a little bit more awareness that like an upset could happen, you know what I mean, John, Like, yeah.

oh did we get another Kenny Payne. No, but seeing Louisville night in and night out for the last two years, lose to some of these types of teams and really have to compete their ass off just to be able to sometimes survive and win, Like I guess, you know, never saying ever, do I.

caliber teams. And then there's some other games that, like, I'm interested in, but I would totally understand if others aren't. Like Wichita State is playing at Western Kentucky tonight. I think that's actually got a chance to be a pretty good game. So college basketball season like is officially here, and it's awesome. And again the pack Kelsey era gets

started tonight at seven o'clock. Will react to it as soon as it ends right here on Sports Talk seven ninety also Mark Pope taken on Ohio they play at seven as well. I don't know a whole lot about Ohio, but I would expect is it Ohio? I know, I'm so it's Right State? Right?

Clemson was was awesome. It was needed in a major way, not only because you'd never done it before. But I think we now can look at the rest of this season and have realistic expectations that are, hey, why can't

you go win out now? One of those teams that you would have to beat to do that is Kentucky and like they're they're done right, Like they're gonna beat Murray State and then they'll beat Texas or sorry, they'll lose to Texas and then you know they'll they'll play Louisville, and I would imagine Louisville will be favored, but again, I don't know. Like what I've been saying in recent weeks is well, we'll get there when we get there, because I didn't even want to think about the scenario

playing out. That would be a nightmare scenario. But I think that's where we are right Like they lost to Tennessee, you know, they were more competitive I think than most expected. But you know, they still lost. They're gonna be one in seven in SEC play, They're gonna have four wins when they play Louisville and their season will essentially be over in that. You know, that would be un Louisville to then go ahead and end it for him. Now, regardless if they beat Losville or not, they're not going

to a bowl game. But the scenario that I've been worried about is man like they're gonna they're gonna have house money, Like they're gonna literally come alive that week knowing they have nothing to play for other than beating Louisville again, beating their rival, and they know they've been pretty successful at doing that. So and look, if that's the case, then it's still on Louisville to go out there and and in the street beat them. You you should feel right now like you are clearly a better

team than them. I mean, you're gonna win. We als, saw how it played out last year, but like that would be the I mean again, like if they somew if Louisville wins these next two games, which I think they should, Kentucky goes one and one with a loss, to Texas and a win against Murray and then Louisville somehow still doesn't win. Like that would be one of the most demoralizing things I can ever think of as

a Louisville football fan. And I know that makes people uncomfortable when I say that, because they're like, wouldn't be the no, Like I'm I never shy away from how important the rivalry is, and I wish more people would be like honest with themselves and admit that, yeah, those wins mean a lot more when it comes to value,

and they hurt a lot more. Even if you know, like Kentucky was great this year and Louisville lost to him, he would be a little bit more understandable, but it still would be a pain that you don't want to experience because you never want to lose to your rival.

So I listened to the beginning of KSR today and I assume they would just be talking about basketball, but of course they you know, they did kind of recap the Tennessee game and whatnot, and to hear that at least two of the guys I think it might have been Drew and Matt, but Ryan was more so on the side of like I want Stoops to get recommitted.

And I'm paraphrasing. I don't know what he said, but like they're you know, Kentucky fans, I feel like would be totally fine if they find out at the end of the season that they're gonna go in a different direction. It's not because they hate Stoops and they think that he's given them a fireable offense, but like he seems checked out. The signs are there, but you know, you

have no ability to go to a bowl game. Like what if Stoops like says, hey, I'm gonna call it a career, I'm gonna walk away, but we got one more thing to do, like and they come out fired up fresh new season, Like, that's a nightmare that I don't want to experience. But again, we'll get there when we get there. But the scenario that looked likely looks a little more likely now because again Louisville did pull off a big win. They now know they can win

every game left on this schedule. But the one that I'm you know, uneasy about is Kentucky. Because here's what's crazy. I still look at Kentucky's personnel. They have been banged up lately, but I look at their personnel and you know, their quarterback play has been you know, subpar and whatnot. But like some of these teams that we believe and actually know are really good, Kentucky's been competitive against them

in stretches like they shouldn't be this bad. All right, quick break, It's a game day edition of Coffee and Company, fuel Byuth Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. If you guys want to join us on the show, you can five two, five, seven to one seventy nine hundred. Keep it locked right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

This time of the year, Mondays are not the best day of the week for me or for us, because you know that's I mean, it just wouldn't make sense to say that Monday's the best day of the week. But man, when it comes to just having an endless amount of things to react to and discuss Mondays around here this time of year, I mean, a lot going on, and that makes that makes it fun, That makes it awesome. It makes it even more awesome whenever I can start the week coming off of a good gambling weekend. I

don't know what's going on, John, but I'm hot. Hey, I'm happy for it. I'm hot, not hot, but props to you for being hot. I feel dirty because I'm winning parlays with Indiana included. And I don't know why, but I feel like, you know, you need to be cut in in some way these.

I mean, there's no emotion for me. I mean, I'm happy to see Indiana doing well, but I mean I thought them minus seven and a half at Michigan State was the easiest play of the week and it ended up being exactly that, so, I mean even earlier today. I ended up taking Charleston minus three and a half and I parlayed that with the over of one forty seven and a half and got that one done. I did get greedy last night and bet on my Colt's money line, which was just a terrible thing. But it's okay.

I was already doing well enough over the weekend where I fell. Okay, it'll be fun to it because I wanted to cheer for them. They make me sad, but that's my team. If I was gonna quit them, I would have. I would have. I would have done it. I think I kind of tried to do it after they lost to the Jaguars and all they needed to do was beat the Jaguars, who I believe might have been winless or had one win at the time winless, and they, you know, like that's that was like all right,

if you're gonna leave, do it now. And I tried, and I couldn't do it. When you have emotionally been when you've emotionally invested into a team for as long as you know, for for a long time, I feel like you can't not be a fan. You can tell yourself, like, hey, I'm going to distance myself not get into it as much. But like, I don't know if you can just no longer be a fan of some somebody or something that you a team, a school, rather be an NFL team,

NBA team, whatever. Like if you've invested and you've been a rider die for a long time, I don't know if you can get out. You can try, but I feel like it'd be really, really difficult to do. So I bet on the Colts, but you know, I didn't expect him to win. I was just throwing away money because on earlier in the day I ended up hitting a four legger in the NFL. I had the over in the Broncos Ravens game that was that was easy.

Had the over in the Dolphins Bills game. That one was a little bit more of a sweat, but it worked out. And then I just took money line Commanders money line Falcons that was plus seven forty twenty dollars. Wager paid me one sixty eight. And then the day before I had Indiana minus seven and a half. I did the over in Arizona, Central Florida fifty five and a half. And then I took Carolina minus two and a half against Florida State just because I couldn't believe

that number. All it took was like one score, and you know from Carolina and Florida State rollover. So I should probably just retire right now from betting.

ninety nit coffee. That's me the company man, John all On alongside and over the years, as I have proudly talked about the fine folks, the fine establishment that is Thornton's. They're great partners and fueled by Thornton's for four going on five years now, it's awesome. And I hear about certain items that like, you know, and I don't say this to brag, but like kind of known as the Thornton's guy, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know,

it's kind of kind of part of my brand. I mean, I don't say that to brag, but it's certainly worthy of a brag if I was, if I was that guy, but I'm not that guy. So people will tell me like, hey, was it Thornton's I got this? And usually I'm like, oh, yeah, that's great. Once you try this flavor. Oh why don't you keep you know, don't forget about that sausage, egg and cheese croissant. Because people have always telling me how good the donuts are. I've never been a big donut guy,

just glazed donuts. Donuts in general too rich for me, but people love the donuts. Well, now people are talking about the cookies. Apparently Thornton's has some cookies that are delicious. And I'm not a big cookie guy. I mean, I don't dislike them. It's just not a not a typical snack for me. If I'm gonna get sugar and eat unhealthy. I'm going to go for like some airheads, some candy that you know isn't good for me. But I'm gonna

now make sure I get cookies. Try these cookies because people are talking about them, and you know, when the streets are talking, there's usually some legitimacy to what they're saying. And they're saying those those cookies at Thornton's are superb, So I'm gonna I'm gonna have to give them a shot. All right, Tonight, Louisville moorehead State seven o'clock kick or tip,

I should say just a tip seven o'clock. We'll do the postgame show as soon as it ends, live right here, reacting to whatever it is that happens, and we'll talk a little more basketball when we get to the four o'clock hour. But I do want ourmind, folks, if you are just now joining us, we're getting it rolling again. We had two exhibition postgame shows. I mean again, they

were real postgame shows. We reacted to what we saw, but and I'm glad we did it because it was nice to go live as soon as those things were ending and you could tell that man, there's some excitement here of this new era. But we all know that it didn't mean it didn't count. Those weren't real games. Tonight, it's real, and they're going to be challenged in a way that they haven't been challenged ever. And what I mean by that is when I say they're going to

be challenged, I don't mean that they might. I mean they could still win this thing about thirty points. I'm not predicting that, but I'm just saying, like I'm just letting you know, Morehead State is way better than anybody they've played up to this point, in the exhibitions that they played at the um Center or the ones they played in the Bahamas, and that is exciting to me

because I'm going to see them again. If you have to win at the Buzzer against Morehead State, probably not a good sign, but like just to know that, you know you are playing a real team in a real game, that alone is exciting times. All right, So back to what happened on Saturday against Clemson. I mean, one person has called me out on the text line, and I don't I'm not single on this person out, but like

just just rolling through here, what's come in? One person has questioned me saying like that, we you know, we dominated, we kicked their ass, and I mean maybe there's some numbers that like you could reference that would make me reconsider that. But I mean I watched the game, and I say this to somebody that really never felt like it was it was safe. I mean I did towards the end, but I mean the way the Louisville defas consistently got off the field, made big stops, special teams

coming up huge. Obviously Brock missing that first field goal that was I mean, it's one of those things where you're thinking, Okay, here we go again. You know, miskicks happened, but you just feel like when you're playing at a place like Death Valley, where Clemson hasn't lost a home Saturday night game in eleven years, you just I mean, I'm thinking, Okay, good chance that's going to come back

as like a missed opportunity. You had a chance to get momentum, put some points on the board early, and you couldn't get it done. Well, it didn't matter. I mean that is where this team Saturday looked to me similar to last year's team as far as just execution, because it you know, these guys they're human, they know

of it. Man, we had two opportunities. We got off the field twice on defense and really set the tone defensively, and the offense couldn't get enough done to put any points up missfield goal, didn't take advantage of the other opportunity, and you know, the defense came right back out there and continue to play well and couldn't be happier for

this group. And maybe you're right, maybe I am exaggerating it a little bit, but I feel like if you watched that game from start to finish and you didn't know anything about who was ranked, what, who had what record in acc play, I mean, louisll was a better team. They had a better running back who's a true freshman than Phil Maffa, who has been good for them all year. And I know he ended up having a lot of yards, but I mean Isaac Brown, I mean he's pretty special.

Your quarterback was a lot better. I felt like, I mean, again, Shuck's numbers, I don't know what it is like. His numbers never really make it look like he's quite as good as as he looks, if that makes sense. And I'm aware that obviously, you know I'm a Louisville fan. So maybe I'm just looking at him thinking he's way better than than than than he is. But like he's

getting a lot of love. I mean, it's not to the point where, you know, people say he's the best quarterback in the country, but like if you watch Louisville, you don't feel like they have any issue with a quarterback being able to make the plays that Jet Brahm is calling. So again, maybe I'm maybe I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself. I mean, I'm looking at the numbers here because you got me wondering, Okay, maybe you know, maybe maybe I'm wrong here, Maybe maybe Louisville

didn't dominate that game. And to be fair, the numbers don't really back it up. Louisville three hundred and sixty six total yards to Clemson's four hundred and fifty. They had more passing yards, but overall, I mean, by the way I'm looking at the stat broadcast, which is like the live like it's the most live way to keep up with the game. That is not when you're not there, like if you're watching it on television, rather it be

standard cable or you're streaming on YouTube TV. STAT broadcast will always be like two plays ahead of you because it's like real time. There's no it's just a it's just a live scoreboard essentially with every stat, live play by play, that kind of stuff. So this is quite literally like the most act I mean, this is this is what is utilized by every college that that you know, when it comes to major Division one sports. And I'm looking at this and I'm just thinking, like, is this true.

I'm gonna have to double check on some of this. Again. I can't imagine these numbers would be incorrect, but it almost makes it seem insane that Louisville won when you look at the difference in numbers. But I don't know. I would say Clemson having the ball fifteen minutes longer than Louisville did is probably an explanation for the numbers being kind of wonky when it comes to you know,

which team dominated. But right now, Louisville, I mean, they're back in the top twenty five, and I'm happy to see that. You know, I oftentimes say that the app pole really doesn't I mean put it this way, the ap pole doesn't matter, but perception matters, and people gather the perceptions made by who's ranked who's not that kind of stuff. So I think both things can be true. Like nobody's making the playoff ranking, nobody's making the playoff

base to where you are in the eight people. And now that we get our first look at the college football playoff rankings tomorrow night, like people, probably I won't even reference the AP poll anymore. And by the way, why have they not just made it a thing? And maybe they have and I'm just not remembering it. Whenever we get our first rankings, they should only show those numbers on TV? Do they do that?

five in the college football playoff rankings. I mean, again, if we're and I believe I say this sort of being sarcastic because I know that it's supposed to be that way, but sometimes you have to wonder, like, what are you basing on off of with some of these rankings. Hey, look, Louisville is not going to make the college football playoffs, so trust me. That's when I say I think they're going to be ranked. It's not like I'm like, hey, then we got next week. We'll see where we are now.

Louslle's not making the playoff. But if you can finish in the top twenty five of these rankings every time they're released this year and finish the season in there despite not making it, there's some value there. I mean, there's a lot of ways you can track who's had success in the playoff area, playoff era, I should say, And you know, then, of the amount of appearances you've made in those rankings is something people reference. And I do think it does speak to legitimacy. I think it

speaks to relevance. So I think they'll be in the top twenty five. I really do, and they there's no reason why they wouldn't be if in fact it's based off of resume. Because again, I mean Louisville has three losses. I mean all three of those teams are going to be in the top fifteen. I would say, I mean, thirteen is the a people, but I wouldn't be shocked if maybe, you know, maybe SMUs at fifteen, I don't know. And they just knocked off Clemson at Clemson, and you know,

the other wins they have aren't great. But like you know, Louisville right now as a six and three football team has one really really good win. I guess maybe no other decent win, to be honest with you, but you know, at least Virginia and Boston College. I mean, do they have losing records now, maybe they do, but when it comes to resume, the quality of your loss does matter, and Louisville has to be the best six and three

team as far as quality of loss. Now, again, as I just put that together on the fly, As far as how to word it, it's not something you should brag about it, right, It's not something that's that impressive, but like I do think it you know, for me, more than anything, it just gives me more assurance that, like, yeah, despite them losing those three games earlier than you know, we all would have expected, they are a pretty good team and they have the ability to go you know,

they could win out and if they do they'll certainly finish the season in the top twenty five, which, hey, I know the goal was probably set higher than that before the season started, but you know, all you can do now is finish as strong as possible, and I hope they do exactly that.

killing everybody. It's been crazy to see whether it's Indiana team's doing all right, quick break will come back on the other side, wrap up the three o'clock hour right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. One of the things that I would advise you to never really get into an argument with a college football fan about is scheduling and like strength the schedule, because you know, I feel like people can just you know, there are numbers that will either confirm or prove you incorrect as far

as like what you're running with, like the SEC. There are sometimes numbers where their league is not, like, is not that challenging as much as they think it is. Now more often than not, it's the toughest. I mean,

it is the toughest league in the country. But I say all this to say Louisville strength of schedule has been brought up quite a bit over the years, especially last year when they were very fortunate for the schedule to kind of play out the way that it did, and going into this year, like it was still something that was mentioned by you know, mostly our rival Kentucky fans, And look right now, like one of the reasons why I still just can't even I can't even I'm not

going there yet as far as like what I think happens in the Governor's Cup game. But Kentucky does have a really, really, really tough schedule this year, But Louisville does too, not as tough as Kentucky's. But like any anybody claiming well, Louisville's six and three and they don't play anybody like Louisville's played right now, let's see currently if you look at the current strength of schedule, irritates

the hell out of me. Here we go, Yeah, strength of schedule right now as of as of the nine games they've played, louisville schedule currently ranks ninth in the country. Right now, it's thirteenth in the Sagarin. It is ninth in the ESPN FPI. Now again, you're one in four against you know, the good teams you've played, But that doesn't matter. You could have a really strong schedule and

not be good. But Louisville is six and three and they have right now a decent record, and if they finish the season nine in three in the regular season and their strength of schedule ends up being, you know, top twenty five. Like, just tell anybody that wants to tell you, well, yeah, you did that because you didn't play anybody like that's that's just that's nonsense. And I like the way they have this set up here at ESPN dot com. Now, the FPI is clearly a flawed

formula in many ways. It's proven to be that but they give you your current strength of schedule and your remaining strength of schedule. So now, right now, Louisville's remain like their current strength of schedule is ninth in the country top twenty five, I'm sorry, top ten, which again that makes sense, right you look at the teams they played, Notre Dame, Miami, SMU, Clemson. I mean, I'm not saying those are the best teams in the country, but like,

those teams are pretty good, really good. And now the rest of the schedule, with your three games Stanford pitt in Kentucky, your remaining strength of schedule is seventieth, so it's gonna You know, what you've done here is you've proven that you you should win out like you really I shouldn't see you have no excuse because you know, things happen. But Saturday against Clemson, for me as a fan was the confirmation that what I think and believe

this team is capable of doing is certainly true. And I know a lot of you guys were with me, right Like, That's what made it so frustrating. Nobody wants

to lose it in any way. It would have been a punch to the gut to like, line up against these teams you played so far this year and get murdered like that would be terrible, right, but knowing that you've played them that close should make it to where you know, you know you needed to get one of those one of them, I mean, Clemson in Kentucky were two things on the back half of this schedule, despite the playoff not being realistic and the ACC championship game

no longer being realistic, Like getting these two would still give Louisville a season where they could have a good finish and have wins that really you know, they have more value than other than just another you know win in the column. Right you snap the well you finally beat Clemson for the first time, and you could potentially

snap the streak against Kentucky. Buy a Kentucky strength to schedule right now, number two, the remaining strength to schedule number eight, And you know what, whole being on the schedule is one of those factors. It just is. They won't admit that, but like it is you're telling me Murray State, I mean Texas is the other one. But like Kentucky's schedules really really strong, and you know what, one of those reasons if regardless, if they want to believe it or not. Is Louisville all right? We got

another hour to go. Stick around right here on Sports Talk seven ninety