It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee.
I'd say this is good news for those of us that you know, are worried about. I mean, this weather sucks. It's not good for anything. There's always the hey, we needed some rain because you know, we didn't have rain for a long time. But I mean I can't imagine anybody it's like, yeah, let's keep this weather going. So I think this is good news. It's encouraging. So apparently the National Weather Service is about to downgrade from high
wind warning to a wind advisory. I would assume that means that, like the wind is going to lighten, wouldn't you think that's what it means? John?
At that point, I guess it's just you know, be be cautious still, but you don't have to be overtly alert the way maybe you need to right now.
Yeah, I mean, like that's that's one of those things that like, you know, that type of change might impact when they want to start the Lotterer than Life festival
today if they end up doing that, you know. So also, apparently eight thousand people here in Louisville are without electricity because of the of the winds, which again maybe you know for me and from what I'm looking at here on this WDRB map, it looks like the wind it's not as bad in Bullet County where I am compared to other areas Jefferson and looks like looks like Oldham too. East Louisville has had a lot more wind issues than we've had where I'm at. But anyways, so it is
coffee and company. We are fuel about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety hour, number two on a Friday, as we get you said for the weekend, obviously a big football weekend once again, and I think with Louisville and Notre Dame, you know, it's still early. You can still say that it's early for both teams. I mean, Louisvill's only played three games and with football only having like twelve games. I'm sure I'm not the only one
that sees it this way. But like, there's not a whole lot of data to pull from a college football season when you talk about evaluating teams, because I think you could even get to a team statistics after seven or eight games. And yeah, I mean that's who they are, right, you've played that many games, and if your numbers are reflecting that you're a really poor defensive team, then you
know what, you're a really poor defensive team. But because it's not eighty instances, it's just eight, like a random thing could happen, and it really isn't that big of a shock because it's not as if they've shown you something you know, twenty five times like you see in basketball, or you know, I don't know. I just so I think these numbers make sense, but it's not as I think these numbers are real. So certainly that makes sense.
I think these numbers are worth looking at. But I also realize like it's still relatively early and doesn't mean that just because these teams have had this some you know, this type of identity this early on, that it's going to be that way the rest of the way, including tomorrow. But if you are Louisville and you're looking at Notre Dame, you know they've been they lost at home in the Northern Illinois. I'm sure you're going to try as best you can if you're Jeff Brown, to take some things
from that matchup. Right, what did Northern Illinois do that you can learn from. They could put note, they could put Notre Dame in a vulnerable spot. I'm sure Ron English has watched that game many times. So they're beatable. But you know, I don't know if you can like, I don't know if you want to Louis is not at their best if they're going to try to play the way that Northern Illinois did to beat Notre Dame.
So I think it's pretty clear. Notre Dame is a team that is really good defensively, top twenty nationally in total defense, really good at stopping the run, and if they do have any spot on their defense that is vulnerable, it would be defending the pass. Now it's not as if they're getting gashed through the air weak in and week out, but they're not nearly as good defensively when it comes to containing a quarterback that wants to air it out as they are just lining up and stop
in the run. So if you are looking at them as a defense, you know, if you're looking at them offensively, they run the ball pretty well. They got a really good running attack and they don't have much of a passing game. But it's tricky because I've been saying it all week, and it's not like it's my own opinion. I mean it is mine, but I know others shared. It's not like I came up with something that nobody else thought of, But like, you're gonna make Riley Leonard
beat you with his arm. You're gonna you're gonna try to do that, And that sounds kind of weird because Riley Leonard's not some freshman that's getting the start because of an injury and you're just gonna dare him to make plays. Rolly Leonard's a good quarterback. He's shown that
throughout his career. But as we were discussing yesterday with our guests from Notre Dame Tyler Horka, who covers the Irish for on three Sports, you know, he just hasn't shown that this year, like he at Duke two years ago, and I didn't realize this untill Tyler told us he had better numbers than Kayleb Williams at USC. Like he was really really good at Duke two years ago, and he was good last year too, but he was just
banged up. They played a tough schedule, so like to say that, yeah, we're just gonna sit back and let this guy beat us. You know he can, he just hasn't really shown anything this year that would make you think he's gonna do it this time around, especially with Louisville having a defense that we think is pretty damn good. So, you know, not letting him get loose and and you know take off is because this is something I didn't
realize to look into the numbers. I knew he was a guy that can take off and make plays with his legs, but he's actually been you know, that's a weapon for them, is him running around, not you know, taking one of the house because he's got it, you know, electric speed, but just because he's big and that's a part of his game. That's something he's always done as a quarterback. He's big and he knows how to you know, find spots to take off and get a first down,
make a big play. So you know, that's that's that's that's what you're gonna do if you're Louisville, is to try to make you know, try to keep him contained when it comes to taken off and just see if he can sit in the pocket and make make plays that he's not been able to make this year against teams that aren't as good as you defensively, now maybe Texas A and m IS. I mean, they're off to a pretty good start. They're only losses to Notre Dame, and they're coached by Mike Elko, who is known for
being a defensive specialist. But I don't think it's a stretch to say because I'm not basically. I mean, look, you can look at Louisville's you can look at their performance this year, and I think this checks out. But I am willing to acknowledge that it's not just about this year. I know they got dudes back from last year and some guys for many years that we know are really really good players. Now one of those guys were man to be seen if he's gonna play, although
I do think he will. I think you'll get Quincy Riley out there, But how healthy he is, I don't know. So you know you're gonna if you're Louisville, you're gonna make Riley Leonard put the put together the best performance he's had it in his young four game Notre Dame career. By making plays in the pocket. That's what you hope to do. Now, if you're Notre Dame. On the other side, if you're looking at Louisville and you're trying to find where they may be vulnerable, it's exactly that. I mean
in Louisville is a tough team to analyze. If I'm Marcus Freeman and I'm looking at tape, I would just throw away. I mean, I'd watched it, but I wouldn't put a lot into what I saw Louisville do against Jacksonville State in Austin p I mean, I'm getting really bad with names as I bring up every now and then, but like I literally keep forgetting the names of those two teams because like it's such a I mean, it's a way, it was a waste of time, if we're
being honest here. So you just have the Georgia Tech game. As far as watching Louisville play against a competent opponent, and in that game, I think it's kind of tough for to even figure him out then because you don't expect to get a defensive touchdown or a special team's touchdown. I mean, it was good for Louisville to be able to make those plays. I don't think it's luck, but it's not something you expect to happen. But the best playmaker on the ground in that game last week was
who it was? A quarterback for Georgia Tech. Why I am not forgetting his name not relevant, but is it Haines King? Yeah, Haines King, Thank you, John So Haines King. I mean he was able to get loose and make some plays. Heck, the kid from Jacksonville State. I mean, the game was out of hand. It wasn't as if he was doing things that were making you worry if
you'd be able to beat Jacksonville State. But he got loose, and you know, and those are the ones that stand out more than anything, because if Georgia Tech guy does it, you're willing to acknowledge. Okay, that guy's pretty good and he is Haynes s Ken's good quarterback. But if somebody for Jacksonville State does it, you're thinking, wait a second, this guy plays for Jacksonville State. He was at Firman last year. What the hell's he doing out here running
all over us? And he didn't really run all over us. He had a few plays that were impressive, but you know, you just look at those games different because of the opponent. So if I'm Notre Dame, I don't really know what to expect from Louisville. I mean, I think you probably watch Tyler Schuck on film and feel like they've got somebody there that you know, you clearly have to account for defensively, because he can make some big plays with his arm, and he's shown that in his career, and
he's shown that at times this year. I mean in the George Tech game, you know, there were a couple of balls that, you know, not a lot of quarterbacks. I feel like we'll be able to make. I mean, especially the one where cha Quartery Brooks got turned around, but still that ball was exactly where it needed to be, that Chris Bell touchdown. That was a change at the line from from Shuck who just realized, hey I got
something here. So you know, I I we're still figuring out a lot of teams, these two teams included, but I was thinking about it from the Notre Dame side, like what we're like, what are you? What are you trying to do to to kind of neutralize Louisville and their strengths. And it's not to say well there's just too good. There's nothing you can do, trust me. That's
not what I mean. But you know, the rushing attack was really nonexistent against Georgia Tech, but it was gaudy against Jacksonville State and Austin p But like does that mean anything? So in a way, I kind of like Louisville in a spot here to where I don't know if you have like the perfect game plan, and that means you can't win. Trust me, It's not like I'm saying, what are they gonna do? They don't who they're gonna play. Louie's gonna show them something that they've never seen before.
That's not what I'm indicating. It's just, you know, I think for Louisville, they've seen Notre Dame lose a game to a bad team, and they've seen them beat Texas A and M, and there's things you can take from that. Now doesn't mean you're gonna see the same thing you know when they played them all borrow. But I think it really is pretty simple with Louisville. Easier said than done because quarterbacks have taken off on you and made plays.
But you have to know that that's gonna be a big emphasis for Ron English and Jeff Brohm to not let this guy extend plays and just take off in truck you because he can do it all right real quick. On the Kentucky side, I'm I've looked at two different little write ups here about from people who cover sports wagering that are kind of laying out what they're what they like, what they're going to do in this matchup.
And you know, my thought here for Kentucky if they have a chance to win, and I don't really think that they do, I shouldn't say, you know, they have no chance, but like, I just think this matchup is really really bad for them. I mean, defensively, Kentucky is certainly going to give Ole Miss a challenge that they haven't had yet this year. And I think Kentucky's defense,
to be honest with you, is really really good. I mean, I don't know how many games they are gonna win this year, but like their defense from a personnel standpoint is really really good and it may end up being one of the better defenses that Old Miss plays all year. Like,
I don't think that's a stretch. Ole Miss is still obviously gonna play Georgia and there's some other teams in the SEC that clearly are good defensively, but like Kentucky may be a team that ends up with six wins this year, five wins, but I think people would still be able to say, but man, their defense is really good.
So the issue for Kentucky is that I just, I mean, they're gonna have to get stops early because if Ole Miss gets up early ten points even I just I mean Kentucky playing from behind with an offense that has yet to score a touchdown and sec play, it's just not ideal. Doesn't mean it can't happen. But this Old Miss defense, which usually you know, you just think of
offense with Lane Kiffen because he's an offensive coach. Not to say that Old Miss always has bad defense, but you know, Kentucky likes the ground and pound, right, that's what they want to do. It's Mark Stoops. He gets aroused with football games that are played where neither team gets double digits six to three. If a six to three victory for Mark Stoops, he's got to change his underwhear immediately. That's just that's what he It's what he likes.
You know, maybe you guys watch a dual content on the internet. I mean, I don't. I don't even know what it is. I know it's a thing out there. I mean I've never done it. But and you know, you're you're like looking over your shoulder when you're on your laptop, like, is your wife's gonna walk in? I maybe when you were a kid, your mom's gonna walk in and they see you looking at you know, something
on Bangbros. Or something. Mark Stoups is looking over his shoulder because he's looking at an inappropriate football scores where teams win three to nothing, or you go five overtimes, nobody scores, and then finally you get a field goal. That's what he likes. That's what gets him going. Anyways. They win to run the ball, Oh Miss the number one defense in the country when it comes to stopping the run. They're giving up thirty four point fifty rushing
yards per game. Did you hear me, John Alden? They're giving up thirty four and a half rushing yards per game. Is that not insane?
I could get thirty four rushing out rushing yards.
On one play. On one play. Again, I think a lot of that does speak to the fact that they they haven't played many good teams. However, they also went out and bought a bunch of really good players on defense. That's why they're in this position. They're not only a well coached team, but they've got they got dudes.
Man.
They utilize their their collective in a major way. So Kentucky's rushing attack those two, I mean, it wasn't as if they were killing it against Georgia. Neither team was great offensively, but chip Trainum's been out and they ended up going with I think a transfer running back who didn't play a whole lot las year. I forget his name, and he played decent against Kentucky or I'm sorry against Georgia. But now you's bet to go up against you know, an old miss defense that is really really good at
doing exactly that, stopping the run. So they were supposed to get chip Trainum back this week, I thought, And now things have changed in a major way. I know Matt said this morning on KSR that he he might have surgery, or he might have he might have actually said that he's expected to have surgery, which will potentially end his season because of this injury that he's got. It went from he's cleared to play I think Tuesday, maybe Wednesday, questionable, Thursday, doubtful, Today out and he might
have surgery. So for those who don't know, trip train him is that's the running back who transferred to Kentucky from Ohio State. So you don't really know what you're missing because he hasn't played just yet. But clearly that's a guy that you would imagine would win healthy, would be a big part of your offense. So I don't want to say Kentucky can't keep this thing close, because I do have a lot of respect for their defense.
But I just think even if their defense plays well, I don't know if their offense is going to be able to in any way keep up because their offense has not been good at this point this year, I mean total offense. Let me see where we are here and look the numbers. Again, four games in that's better than you know, one or two. But when you have two of your four games, like for example, Louisville two of their games, I don't even care about the numbers
because of who they played with Kentucky. You can look, and this is just being fair, you can look at the South Carolina and Georgia game and look at their offensive numbers and realize they're dreadful, but also know well it's because they played a really, really good defensive front in South Carolina and Georgia, who you know, might have the best defense in the country. But right now, when it comes to total offense, by the way, Indiana number eleven, John, how about.
That, I'm not surprised, But again they haven't played nobody. We'll see if they can do some versions in Maryland.
Louis again, Louisville last week, I don't know. I you know, they were out gained against Georgia Tech. I'm surprised to see them in the top fifteen with five hundred and four yards per game, But then again, you know, back to the first two games they played. That is what those numbers are making it to where they are. They're up there. But with Kentucky, I mean, there are one hundred and thirty four teams in FBS, Kentucky's one hundred
and fourteen in total offense. And again maybe that's skewed a little bit, just like Louisll's numbers are because of the opponents. But they've also played a couple of bombs and they moved the ball, but not you know, not the way maybe they probably wanted to against those caliber teams off company. We are feel about Thorton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety Brian Edwards from Vegas Insider is set to join us coming up here, uh in just a few minutes. But one thing that I will say,
I this this is somebody said. I used to talk about how the playoff expanding would be bad for college football or not really bad, but I just thought it would be a waste of time. And then I chose
to embrace the fact that this could. This is this makes this makes it to where there's there's so much more inclusion at the top of the sport because you can you can be great for who you are, where you're winning ten games annually or something like that, but not make the fourteen playoff just because there's only four spots and it's really difficult to get there without you know,
being perfect. Almost in the twelve team playoff, you can you can have really good years and make multiple appearances in the playoff, and I think you can view those as big, big steps for your program. It's still delusional to think you're a national championship contender, because I think that I would I have no idea if if we see a first time national champion in football in my lifetime, that's an exaggeration. I'm thirty five years old. I'm sorry, thirty six years old. I hope to live a really
long time. But tell me which program you think that has never won a national championship in football is just knocking at the door about to make it happen. I mean, I maybe Oregon breaks through at some point. They've always been the team that kind of has has flirted to be towards the top, but they've never broke through and actually got it done. But I just I think the teams that win the national championship moving forward are going to be ones that have a tradition and history with
multiple national championships previously. So you know, the playoff expanding makes it to where you can at least feel and maybe we're just lying to ourselves, but hey, I'll lie on myself a lot of myself every day, probably a lot of myself five minutes ago. I don't know, I believe, but you want to believe, right live in your own world. But I used to say that it was a waste of time because of that, because like, what are we
doing here. This will not give us any new like, this is not going to prove that the teams that get left out are actually deserving in their national champion and ship caliber. So this person who's sent in this link, this is from barstool sports dot com, and I you know again, I'm all, I love that the playoffs expanded. I think it's gonna be good for college football moving forward.
But it makes it to where this Georgia and Alabama game, think about it, what it would what would be on the line here if there was not a twelve team playoff that makes sense, John, Like, this would be a game to where this will absolutely have a huge impact. Not to say you both can't eventually get there, but.
Like, but it's one of those games where because they're so highly ranked and if they had a competitive game, the narrative would be, oh, both of these teams will get in if they keep winning. That's exactly what it would have been if it was still four teams.
But right now though, with twelve, you can like this game really, you know, you want to win it. There's a lot of value because you're you'd be getting a win against you know.
Now it's more about conference. This is like a step toward getting to the championship and getting higher seed.
When LSU and Alabama played years ago, go I think it was it was when Joe Burrow was there to a hadn't they to? I hadn't I think to it got hurt in that game actually where it was really serious. But in that that game, I mean it's a regular season game where really the season was on the line. Right, those are two teams in the SEC West. Obviously, you know you could have banked on a or you could have hoped for an upset for one of those two teams.
But like those two teams getting a chance to represent the West in the SEC Championship is is going to be a huge factor in making the college football playoff. Well, Alabama, you know they came up short against LSU and that you know that essentially made it to where they weren't. I mean, again, the chances of them getting in would have been and they didn't get in that year, did they don't think they did? That would have been in two thousand and was it nineteen when Burrow was taken
over college football was nineteen? But it's funny because I don't think they made it. But I'm here double checking because I'm like, wait a second, Nick Saban made every playoff, didn't he was it twenty twenty?
It well, the champion ship was played in twenty twenty, I believe, But nineteen was the season. Maybe I'm wrong about that.
Maybe maybe I'm way off eighteen nineteen. It doesn't matter. But nonetheless I don't. I mean, I'm not looking at like if it's not my team, you know, I'm not really, I'm not really you know, I'm gonna watch it. I hope to see good football, especially when I can bet on it. But like, I'm not like, oh, this is gonna do, this is gonna just if it's not my team.
That's in a game where a look, if you don't win this one, you're like, for example, Notre Dame tomorrow, they know if they lose to Louisvilley're out, and they lose to anybody, they're probably out. But Louisville's a team that obviously can beat them. They beat them last year and they're a top fifteen team, so you know, Notre Dame fans like they know, like their season depends on every game the rest of the way starting tomorrow. Really,
I guess since they lost the Northern Illinois. But like that doesn't like if I was watching this game as a just because I want to watch a good football game as a as a casual observer, not somebody that was watching as a fan, it wouldn't it wouldn't make any difference to me about like what it does for the postseason. I would just want to watch good football and hopefully went a bet. I mean, that's just you know, I'm keeping up with the playoff race is certainly you
know what people do. But anyways, let's get to a break. We'll come back on the other side and bring him in. He is Brian Edwards from Vegas Insider dot com. We'll get his thoughts on this weekend's college football matchups as well as the NFL. Stick with us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. That's right, We're about halfway through here on a Friday afternoon, another hour and a half to go, so stick with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It is coffee and company and we are
fueled by Thornton's. Make sure you sign up to become a member of the Refreshming Awards program at Thorntons. You're gonna save money every time you go to the gas pump, and that matters, at least it does to me. So again, Refreshming Awards dot Com is the website and if you want to download the app, it's easy to find. Just search Thornton's search Refreshment Awards and you'll be good to go. All right, let's bring him in. He's Brian Edwards from
Vegas Insider dot com. How we doing on a Friday afternoon? Brian, you're staying safe down there and in Florida. I assume you're there. Maybe you've left to take cover.
No, man, we're in northwest Florida and we got forced to it. Didn't even lose power or internet, just uh, you know, some pie straw and some steaks in the yard.
We got fortunate.
Well, good, good, that's uh, that's good to hear. I've I'm just scrolling through social media throughout the day to day, and man, it's I mean, I knew it was gonna be severe, but some of the videos that have surfaced from north from North Carolina is just crazy, crazy stuff. But let's get into it. I know we've got a lot of college football action this weekend, including tonight We've got a couple of decent games for a Friday night.
I think you got an acc match up between Virginia Tech and Miami, and then Washington and Rutgers.
Uh.
When it comes to Washington, they just played a national championship last year. However, they're underdogs at Rutgers, which just seems crazy. I mean this, not that this matters, but a team that played in the national championship game the year before, albeit circumstances are are factored in here to know the dogs at Rutgers the next year, It's got to be an all timer here right.
Short week two in a cross country trip and Runters is playing really good football. Three and zero straight up, two and one against the spread. Go into Blacksburg, a very tough place to play. Take a fourteen to nothing lead in the first quarter. Last week, led sixteen to seven at halftime, twenty three to seven early third. Now the Hookies rallied, but Rutgers got a game winning field goal late.
They're getting good quarterback play.
From Caliakamana, the Minnesota transfer six to one TDI and t Ratio.
Rutgers's gotta work horse running back in Kyle Manongai.
They they're getting outstanding O line play, and I like Rutgers laying one on one and a half.
Schiano like he that was the best thing for him going back to Rutgers, right, Like, I think mutually beneficial for both sides. Like it just seems like those two are meant to be together, all right, Alderman, Yeah, exactly. Ole Miss and Kentucky. I mean, I I'm I don't know, I don't know what to do with this game. I'm
not gonna touch it. But we've been actually talking about this match up here in the last last segment, just because I just think Kentucky would even if they play well, I just can't see them being able to keep up offensively with this ole Miss team. I think early on this was around seventeen. Now I'm seeing fifteen, fifteen and a half. You got anything here for this matchup, this s SEC matchup?
Yeah, I like Ole Miss.
It's even down to fourteen and a half at the Westgate Slipper book. But that's that's the only fourteen and a half I see. I'd like to hit hit seventeen. I've made the number.
Eighteen and a half. This is if there's a unit in college.
Football that I trust the most right now, it's old missus offense. Now, certainly Kentucky's had the best defense that they've faced. They played lights out against Georgia defensively, but I just don't see Kentucky.
Generating enough offense over the course of sixteen minutes, kind of like you were saying, Nick.
And I just think eventually they get some separation and win by twenty one to twenty four points.
Yeah, And you know, if I was trying to guess as to why this thing is, I mean, I thought it could be higher than seventeen as well. It's got to be because Ole miss schedule just hasn't been that challenging yet. And Kentucky did play Georgia close. But yeah, I will miss the man. They look like a They're like a monster right now, So I probably won't touch it.
But I'm with you on that one, all right. So when it comes to uh, Cincinnati, you know, they they had an embarrassing start to their season with a collapsing loss to Pittsburgh, and I think Scott Saderfield, I don't know how much he's actually on the hot seat just because I don't know what if Cincinnati is the kind of program. They would move on for a guy, move on from a guy after just a couple of years. But they did bounce back and got to win against Houston.
What do you what do you think in this one against Texas Tech? It's weird saying this is a Big twelve matchup, but Cincinnati in the Big twelve. You know it'll never be normal to me, but it is a conference matchup. What do you like here?
I made Cincinnati at one and a half point road favorite. I woke up Sunday morning last week and FanDuel.
Had Texas Tech at seven, and I wish, I wish I'd had a FanDuel account. I knew that was a terrible number.
And by the afternoon it was down to four. I got sin c plus four. Sunday night, it dropped a two and a half. But now it's up to three.
And I see a.
Couple of three and a half are popping here in the last hour or two, one of them being at Circa. So I like Cincinnati plus three. They should be undefeated. They had a twenty seven to ten lead with a minute left and the third at home to pit but allowed pitt to rally for a twenty eight to twenty seven win. But they're getting great quarterback play from Indiana transferred Brendan Sowersby.
He's completed sixty five point.
Three per cent of his passes for one thy fifty five yards, eight touchdowns.
No picks, and he also has three rushing touchdowns.
I think Cincinnati was outright in love itck give me the Bearcats.
Brian Edwards, Vegas Insider dot com is our guest joining us here on Sports Talk seven ninety talking about the college football slate on Saturday. We'll certainly get to some NFL as well. But one of the other big matchups, I'd say Georgia Alabama clearly the biggest game of the weekend, and then Louisville Notre Dame is also a game. You know, it's two top sixteen teams that a loss here for
Notredame would certainly end their pursuit for the playoff. But Penn State in Illinois not a game that I would have said a few weeks ago. I'll expect to be a big matchup, but here we are. I know Penn State better, they're deserving favorites, they're at home, but no respect for Brett Bee Malay here. I would I am shocked that this number is so big. You have any anything here?
Yeah, I've made Penn State a fourteen point favorite, So I'll go Illinois plus eighteen as.
A road underdog.
During Belima's tenures, they're ten and three against the spread and Luke Altminor is playing fantastic ten touchdown passes without an interception, and they remember they went to Happy Valley and one outright as a twenty four and a half point underdog back in twenty twenty one.
So I like Illinois plus eighteen.
All right? The other big the big game, This one's a standalone. Really, it's Bama and Georgia. I don't even know if I'm going to get in on this one. I probably will at some point when we get closer to kickoff. I'm just looking forward to watching what is probably going to be a pretty damn good game. But what do you like here? Obviously, Nick Saban no longer around, Kirby Smart's been on top. But I've seen this thing move back and forth. I mean one and a half
right now? Is that? Is that what it currently is at?
Yeah?
But I see you pick them at circa But most books.
Are one and a half or one, you.
Know, with Georgia favored first home underdog spot for Alabama since two thousand and seven, but they have absolutely.
Dominated Georgia through the years eight and.
One in the last nine head to head meetings, and the only went for Georgia game in twenty twenty one when Mechi had torn his aclu in the SEC Championship game and then Jamison Williams, who was having a huge first half, blew his knee out in the second quarter, and then Bama just didn't have any weapons offensively in the second half. But Milroe's playing great. Eight touchdowns, no picks, six rushing touchdowns as well.
I like Bama to win out right, But I want to clarify it.
It's not one of my stronger plays in terms of you know, units, amount wise, et cetera.
But I am on Bama. But it's pretty small play.
What about what about LSU South Alabama Major Apple White having a hell of a first season as the head coach. There there are two three touchdown underdogs. I don't know what y'all have you explain what you're going to do here. I'm just going to say it. I'm a crazy person. I don't expect this to happen. But I'm putting something very small on a South Alabama money line. Again, I'm a nut. I think they could do it.
Yeah, I already have.
I put a small play on plus eight sixty five and this is probably one of my stronger plays. And I got plus twenty two early in the week. But I still like.
It at twenty one or it's twenty and a half and a lot of books I would buy the half point to twenty one.
Keep in mind, during Week two loss at Ohio twenty seven to twenty, South Alabama didn't have their star quarterback go Lopez.
He was out in that game, but he's healthy now.
In three games this year, eight hundred and forty three passing yards, nine touchdowns, no picks. He's also got one hundred and sixty nine rushing yards and two touchdowns and eight point zero yards for carry.
Average. LSU is zero and four against the spread.
They just lost their best player, Harold Perkins to a torn ACL they were already down starting defensive tackle and Guillery to a season ending injury, and although they won by double dignits last week, they never got ahead of the number against UCLA. If they get ahead of the number against South Alabama, the back door will be wide open because LSU is just not playing elite defense at least out the last couple of years compared to you know, the two decades previously.
Yeah, I mean you can mean right now. I mean you look at LSU. They just don't have any momentum. You mentioned that big injury, that of course is devastating to them, and then they could have easily and probably should have lost to South Carolina. So again they'll probably still win. But yeah, I think South Alabama can cover that big number, maybe with relative ease, and who knows, maybe they do pull off the big upset. All right, the Hoosiers. I think Indiana football has become cool? Is
that crazy to say? Brian like Signetti has not only a he's a good coach, but like Indiana football is being like not looked at as like a sleeper to make the playoff by anybody, at least not that I'm hearing, but like he's brought some attention there with the way he carries himself. He's always been a winner, and they're winning.
Although their competition hasn't been great, they do have a they do they have they have a four and oh, start first four and oh start for Indiana ever, sorry, first coach in Indiana history to start four and oh. And now they've got Maryland, who I don't know how to figure them out? Indiana's favorite here? Do you have any action on this one?
Yeah?
I like Indiana minus six and a half or seven. And when your show's over, Nick, go look at Indiana schedule. Man, They're gonna be favored in a lot of games that they have left.
And this program has never won ten games.
They've won nine twice in nineteen forty five, in nineteen sixty seven. And I've made a very small play on Curtis rook a one hundred to one to win the Heisman because I think they're going at least nine to three, maybe ten and two, And there's the outside chance that they're undefeated with two weeks to prepare going at Ohio State, and that would be a ten and o team. I'm not saying they're definitely gonna be ten and oh, but there's a chance that all of these games are winnable
except at Ohio State. But that'll be a big nowh story if they're ten to zero going at Ohio State. And even if they lost and r played well. I think you would be in the Heisman mixed. So right now, he's completed seventy five point five percent of his passes one thy thirteen yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions, and he's got two rushing.
Touchdowns and Maryland's one h three nationally.
In pass defense. I like Indiana minus six and a half or seven.
My producer, the company man himself, mister John Alden, is a big time Hoosier football fan. He's not just one of these guys that cheers for Indiana basketball and then occasionally he'll turn on a football game. He he's been there through the tough, tough years of Indiana football, which most of the years of Indiana football have been tough and not good. But they've got it rolling now. So that explanation there as to why you like the Hoosiers and why you think they could end up having a
pretty damn good record the rest of the way. I know that made him very happy. And it's it's and you're right, it's probable. I mean, they've got to schedule the rest of the way that makes it to where they should be favorites from what we've seen thus far. All right, real quick. Any NFL plays you like on Sunday?
You know, I'm waiting on a lot of injury information.
The only got so many injuries.
Yeah it's Denver plus seven and a half. And now you know, I've been away from my computer for a little while. I'm sure a lot of injury information has come out in the last hour or two, but I gotta review it. So the only thing I can commit to right.
Now is Broncos plus seven and a half.
All right, Well, I last question outside of the Bills, and maybe you think it's somebody different, who who's good in the NFL? Like, who do you feel like legitimately it has the chops to potentially be a real contender. I mean, I think you're gonna still go with the Chiefs and teams that you know, but that's because of what they've done in recent years. They haven't looked great.
Yeah, nobody's really looked great other than you know, the Vikings are obviously looking fantastic. The Packers have looked good the last two weeks with a backup TV, but yeah, nobody's been super duper impressive. But I mean, I think once the forty nine ers get healthy, they'll probably be in good shape. And you know, the Eagles are a kind of at least the defense played pretty good last week. I think the Ravens will be fine. I think Detroit is still pretty.
Dog on good.
But yeah, nobody is has looked really great. And these underdogs are five and a half points or more have basically been automatic. I think the stat is thirteen and two against the spread with ten outright wins if I'm not mistaken.
I tweeted it out earlier. But yeah, it's been Uh, it's a lot of parody.
So much my eliminator, my eliminator League one and fifty two people. After three weeks ninety two, I've got Wow, and I've got the Niners, and I'm super nervous about it.
Wow. I mean that that makes sense though, just considering all the I mean, you had teams that looked like they were on fire playing against teams that looked like they were maybe the worst team in the league, and sure enough they went out right. It's been really, really hard to predict, which of course makes it very hard to win money betting. I've had had no luck this thus far. Hopefully that changes here sooner. Brian, thanks for making time for us brother, and enjoy your weekend, enjoy
the football. We'll talk soon.
Thanks guys, job a great we again.
All right, that's Brian Edwards fro Vegas Insider dot com. Good stuff there. Let's get a quick break out of the way. A lot of talk in the last couple of days has been about the UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluca, who just decided to you know what, You're not gonna pay me. That's why I'm here. I came here because you told me you're gonna pay me this money, and now you're telling me you're not. I'm out of here.
But somebody tried to swoop in and salvage the situation, but the school said no, which I think is pretty telling. Quick break, don't go anywhere, keep it locked right here. On Sports Talk seven ninety so, a Las Vegas Casino VP, a big money guy in Vegas apparently offered one hundred thousand dollars for nil money to UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluca to prevent him from, you know, leaving and salvaging that situation.
Because unov's in a good spot. I mean I was looking yesterday at their at their schedule, and you know, I'm not gonna say these teams that they beat are good because I don't. I don't really think they are. But hey, when you are a G five team and you're playing teams from the Big twelve, you know you're expected to lose in most instances. And they beat Houston and beat them bad, and they beat Kansas before anybody knew Kansas stunk. So they've got Syracuse coming up next Friday.
That'll be a big game for him. But that game is in Vegas, it's not in Syracuse, so you know, in Syracuse, it's tough to know if they're any good or not. To be honest with you, I mean, they end up losing to Stanford the other night, and that was not something anybody saw coming, at least not me. I mean, they were big favorites in that game, and I'm bitter because I've lost it. Nobody cares about Stanford
and Syracuse. But anyways, you know they they're going to be favored and probably every game the rest of the way other than two. So losing your quarterback in UNLV, most people don't give a damn, and I get it, but for them, losing your quarterback when you have started the season so strongly. And again it's not like they've i mean, they're not ranked or anything, but they're not
far from the top twenty five. And again there's a spot that goes to a G five team in this playoff, and there is you know, right now as we speak, they're they're in the mix for it. And usually if you lose your quarterback that changes things. But it sounds like they're the backup another transfer kid who came from FCS an FCS school. They I mean sounds like they're confident he's going to be able to pick up where SLUCA left off. But anyways, back to this story about
the VP. He was denied, like UNLV denied the request, which that's I mean, Brett McMurphy's the first person I
saw the report of that story. I mean, that's is that not pretty telling of the whole situation here, Like maybe they think it's already gone so bad that where they just think it's best for everybody to move on and go both ways and go their separate ways, because it's just become a public pr thing, right, Like it's an issue where he's claiming that, you know, they lied to him, and that does that even if the kid
made it up, which I don't think he did. Even if the kid made up the fact that he was offered one hundred thousand dollars verbally and said that's what he was going to get through nil from an assistant coach, even if that's the case, it's still a bad you know, in any lot about it, it's still a bad pr look for UNLB to where now the perception is going to hurt them that they don't have any money. And they may not have any money, but I just I
don't know. It's very rare to see a school step in and say, yeah, we're not gonna work, We're gonna we're not gonna let you give us an al money. Everybody needs an al money. But I think they just believed that it's best for them to separate and move on. And his teammates were really hyping up the backup, almost
as if they're happy this guy's gone. My guess would be that they were blown away to hear that he was offered one hundred thousand dollars, because I'm sure and that's probably in a conversation a lot of guys have. I mean, I wouldn't want to know if I was a college athlete what another guy on my team was making because they could. It could get me to you know, it would make me feel a certain way if if I know, hey, that guy he's not producing like I am. He's you know, he's not working as hard as I
am like, it'll mess with your psyche. All right, let's talk about underdog fantasy, shall we. That's that is where you can go and just pick higher or lower that they have set as far as lines on what your favorite players are going to do, touchdowns, passing yards, receiving yards, all that stuff. You pick higher or lower. You put them together two picks, three picks, four picks. Then you make a play and then you make money if you win. And winning you know, not everybody does it. It's it's
you know, you lose some every now and then. But I have found so far from me this year getting in on the action when underdog fantasy has been the best way to go for me, and I recommend you guys do it as well. It's super easy to make the picks. It's very straightforward. You could give the app to somebody who's never seen it, doesn't even know anything about putting together picks or anything. And they'd be able
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one under gambler. Visit NCP Gambling dot org. All right, five o'clock hours and next, let's been as strong here before we get out of here for the weekend. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety