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Joining us now to talk about the matchup the game Cox and the Cardinals is Thomas Ashworth, who works for al dot com.
How are we doing, Thomas? Appreciate you making time for us.
My man, hey man doing good?
How are you doing, I'm doing okay, I'm excited. You know, college football seasons here, I get impatient as we slowly and you know, impatiently count down the days. But we're here, and now we've got a Week two opponent here in Louisville and it is Jacksonville State. How how is fans on that end looking at this matchup? Obviously a lot of folks in college football look at this as a
by game. Louisville big favorites here for touchdowns plus what And I know you did some coverage earlier this week of coach Rodriguez and his comments about by games in Alabama and all the money they pay. So just from a and I know you can check the pulse of the Jacksonville State fan base probably better than anybody. How would you say they're looking at this matchup? Obviously big opportunity, but a big challenge as well.
I mean, especially after last week. It's no secret that last week was just embarrassing for Jacksonville State. Just a winnable game, kind of a game that was really back and forth that they should have won last year and just absolutely destroyed, you know, thirty one to three. You know, and for Coastal Carolina and then it ended a fifty five to twenty seven just a tough loss. But I mean as far as just how our fans feeling, I mean, this is one that this is a team that's always
kind of been known to be giant killers. I mean, if you look at last season, you know, they really took South Carolina to the brink and then even in their FCS days, they beat Florida State in twenty twenty one, in twenty fifteen, took a number five ranked Auburn team to overtime, twenty ten, Beatle Miss on the road. I mean, this is kind of a team that has that pedigree of it's kind of that team that's like, well, there's no real benefiting scheduling them as far as they might
beat you. But I mean this is a team that's still you know, it's Rich Rodriguez is just a completely different team than it ever has been in Jacksonville. Fans are just you know, it's kind of at an all time high right now, especially with not only FBS transition but nine and four year last year, first team ever in history to win a bowl game in their first
year of FBS competition. But as far as this matchup, I mean, it's it's obviously tainted with a really tough loss last week to Coastal Carolina, but still, I mean it's it's one that people are excited about, and especially the players, they're excited to get, you know, one of these quote unquote big games.
So I'd say casual college football fans, if they just see a score Jacksonville State Coastal Carolina, they wouldn't probably bat an eye with whatever the result is, because those aren't programs that the casual fans really keep up with a whole lot. But that score, that result that was, that was a big surprise. I feel like to those that could that are familiar with with with with both programs, to be honest with you, what what do you think ended up leading to that being such a such a
disappointing loss? Tea get the season started when, as you mentioned, there's clearly a lot of momentum for this program.
I mean, especially last season. I was at that Coastal Carolina game and it was the end score was thirty to sixteen, but it was really back and forth. I mean Jacksonville State led going into halftime and then just kind of couldn't find the momentum in the second half. It was really one of those games where rich Rod was just more mad because he should have won that game than because he lost it. But I mean, especially in the last game, it was just turnovers were just
absolutely killing drives. I mean, quarterbacksers couldn't find their stride. Defenders just we're kind of it was really just what rich Rod told us is that it was more of instead of the whole team not really giving an effort, the whole team kind of not really understanding. It was just one thing happening and on one play and then one other thing happening on the other play. So that point, it's kind of hard to pinpoint, Okay, we need to do this, we need to do this. So that's kind
of what piled up. But I mean they're still getting used to this two quarterback system. I mean, Logan Smothers was there last season, but Tyler Heuff coming in from Furman. He's obviously had one of the best seasons in FCS last year, but still coming in against de FBS competition is no jug from the FCS level. But I mean still it was just kind of couldn't find their stride, and especially in a team that was quote unquote the fastest team in all of college football last year. I
think averaged twenty seconds of play last season. It's it's just whenever you know, it's a three and out in like a minute. It's just so hard for people, for any player to really find any kind of rhythm whenever you're not, you know, going and being able to find something.
One of the most talked about things in college sports overall, specifically college football, is the transfer portal. How has that impacted Jacksonville State during Rich Rodriguez's time there. He's coming off of two non win seasons to get things started there, and I just would assume that guys who have a lot of success are clearly going to realize they could
jump up a level. But also maybe there's some guys that realized maybe they're going to be buried on the depth chart with a Power five, Power four programs, so therefore they're going to look to go to a Conference.
USA type school.
I feel like Rich Rodriguez, given his resume, given where he's been as a coach, to the success that he's had, that could probably be used as a benefit for you guys. Right Comparatively speaking, other Conference USA schools may not have a coach with the resume that Rich rod has to really lure guys to kind of to kind of go down a notch when it comes to transferring.
So, I mean you mentioned that as far as you know, in talking to the players, it's just there were some players. One of the two of the receivers that you'll probably see, Michael Petway and PJ. Wells, they were there during Jacksonville States Ohio Valley Conference days. They're they're old, but they've been around and they've been there for the SCS days. But they said, you know, just kind of in this transition.
I mean, it's just so different. I mean, playing for Rich Rodriguez, someone who's been around for so long is just so it's I don't know if the words are freshing or what the word is, but it's just so different, just such a different vibe.
Ye, he's got energy about if you go.
To a Rich Rodriguez practice, it's just like it's it doesn't stop if you. I think he says if if you loaf, then you're an enemy or something like that. But like he hates people walking. And there were some guys who came from Ulm when he was offensive coordinator at ULM, they transferred with him to Jacksonville State and I asked them, like, what was he like, and is like, he was pretty much the head coach over there. He
wasn't an offensive coordinator quote unquote. He just kind of takes over his personality, his presence just takes over and that's just kind of who he is and that's just how he's been. But as far as the transfer portal, I mean, just thinking about some of the guys off the top of my head, I mean, there's one of the biggest guys that they lost, Chris Hardy, huge defensive lineman. He had a monster tackle for loss at his new program,
All Miss last week. Another guy, Larry Worth, linebacker, he was I think he had he set some kind of record in the New Orleans Bowl for most unassisted tackles or something like that. But he's gone. He went to Arkansas, and then the Jacksonville State's leading interceptions leader as well, went to West Virginia. So they've really got kind of, you know, they got kind of plucks in the transfer portal. There were some other guys that went, but those are
kind of the three guys that come to mind. Something that rich aut All to point it out is he said, this kind of with me being here in the kind of program that Jacksonville State is, one of the pitches for these guys is if they're coming from a power five to a group of five, or if they're in high school, the pitch can be kind of where you know,
you're not gonna stay here forever. You're not going to stay at Jacksonville State if you're good but are elite, but we're going to train you up to get to that point where you'll be way better than anyone coming out of high school that wants to go to Georgia or Alabama or somewhere like that. So that's kind of one of the pitches with these groups of five schools.
Yeah, that makes total sense.
Yeah, it may not be your destination, but we can get you to where you want to go, and we'll enjoy you for the one or two seasons that you're here.
You You You pretty much just answered the next question I had, which is like that sucks right to lose guys who were super productive and part of a successful campaign to lose them to Arkansas, to West Virginia to Ole Miss like that that sucks for fans, it sucks for the coaching staff that brought those guys and help develop them. But that's just life. Like you it's it's inevitable. I think you all know, like that's how it's going
to be. If you have a guys that are elite there, they're gonna get the opportunity to jump up a notch, so you might as well pursue the lower level recruits and kind of pitch. I think that, you know, this is the first time I've really chatted with somebody that is looking at the portal from a little bit of a different perspective than a lot of the power programs
out there. Not that Louisville is an elite program, but certainly, you know, they can benefit from taking players of Conference USA level or the Sunbelt or something like that, because that is a higher level than the ACC. But I'd say that's the perfect way to go about it, and I think that's a good move on Rich Rod's part.
And I know you're a lot younger than I am, but it's wild to see nineteen years ago Rich Rodriguez brought West Virginia into Louisville, which I believe it was the best most electric atmosphere I've ever seen for a Louisville football game. It was a top five match up number five verse number three. I believe it was a big win for Louisville. But Rich rod from there ended up coaching at West Virginia a couple more years, ended up at Michigan, had a successful stint at Arizona until
that thing fell apart. And then you mentioned his time at uelman Roe was the OC and the associate head coach. And now he's a jack like the guy wins. He's a big time winner. So you may notice this Louisville fans, it's been a while since we've gone up against him, but Lowell fan's very familiar with Rich Rodriguez.
Man.
When he was rolling at West Virginia in the Big East days, he was tough. He was a tough His teams were tough to beat.
Yeah, And you know, it's funny you mentioned that the whole Alabama thing. It's so funny seeing on social media people are like that Rich Rodriguez, like you know.
They forgot about the days.
Yeah, especially that was West Virginia teams just with you know, with Pat White and those kind of guys. Rich Rod still talks about those guys, and it's funny. He still loves Pat Maxby. He was gonna be on Pat Maxbi's show, but he but he said, I'm Pat knew that I was gonna be pissed off after that loss to Coastal Carolina. So he just he was like, you want you don't want to talk anymore?
Do you?
And he's like, no, I really don't.
No.
I get it though, but but it's still that same rich Rod. Honestly, it's still the same guy.
Yeah.
The athletic director here at the time, back when he was at West Virginia was Tom you had a great run here at U of L and really is instrumental in the athletics program here being successful and even being able to be a member of the ACC. But he was he was a big fan of rich Rod off the field, just because those two guys they had I
think they had some similar personalities. But it is just wild thinking about rich Rod coming back in not at the type of program that I would have expected if you'd asked me nineteen years ago, but hey, he's coming off of as we've talked about, a couple of really successful seasons to get things started down there at Jacksonville State. But joining us is Thomas Ashworth. He covers Jacksonville State
for al dot Com. Let's just say that if this game late in the second quarter, Thomas is closer than a lot of people expected, and maybe Louisville's only up a field goal as they are about to get ready for halftime. What do you think would have led to us being there? What scenario could have played out to where this Jacksonville State team was able to really come out and compete early on Well.
One thing that I mentioned a little bit earlier is just this team moves so fast and they still have the personnel to do that. You think about moving fast, But the same thing for me that I think about is the offensive line and how fast they have to move. But they were returning three of their five starting offensive linemen, and one of those guys that's Knew quote unquote, he was there last year kind of the sixth or seventh option and offensive line and stepping into that new role,
so they they can move really fast. I think it was like twenty point three seconds to play was the
average for jack State, top of the nation. And then on the road they were like nineteen point seven seconds to play, so it's really just line up run, line up, run, line up, pass, lineup run is so fast and it's just I watched, I think the week after because jack State has mid weeks and because of the Conference USA weird group of five deal, but I watched I think it was like one of the Georgia games that was on on Saturday, and it was like seeing, you know,
how slow this field because I'm used to watching rich Rods kind of offenses, but really that team just thrives in using that speed to but only kind of thrives off of this, yeah, the tempo, and they really thrive off of mistakes. They really, especially in the New Orleans Bowl, they were really skilled and being able to kind of use that speed to create mismatches and maybe something that if they had five more seconds, the defense could switch
guys in and out. And at one point rich Rod got into the ref's face because the ref stopped the time for a little bit to get the defense ready. So that's just not you know, that's not typical, and that's really not what other offenses or defenses are used to. Is just these teams moving so fast, so really rich Rod is kind of in his prime whenever he's down. You know, these two minute drills, they just practiced them so much. They waste no time at all in practice.
And that's one thing that really I think as a group, kind of big picture speaking, I think that's really where they shine.
How About on the defensive side of the ball, What do you what should we expect to see from from this defense as far as schematically and you know, I would assume in a game like this they can take some risks defensively just because you know, they really have nothing to lose here. Just curious what defensively we should expect we could expect to see here.
I really think that this secondary got revamped pretty well. There's a few guys. Obviously last week's score was kind of bad for the secondary, but they got a few guys in the portal. Patrick Taylor is a guy from Georgia. He played. He was kind of one of those reserved guys who would never see time at Georgia but came
to Jacksonville State. Antonio Carter is a graduate student. He was a Notre Dame and he started a safety last year or this year in this game, and then they have a few other guys who were returning, Jabari Max fresh off of an injury last year the ind of the season, and then there's a few other guys at cornerback. I really think this secondary is a really solid unit. And I mean even a linebacker lalay Tae, hail Kywon, McCrae, Curly Young. Those are all guys who are returning. They
have a good handful of defensive stars. And I think Lalata is the guy that would probably lead in tackles and seven of Jacksonville State's games this year, just a tackling machine can really rack up you know, tackles, still
lost things like that, but still losing guys. You know, those three guys that I mentioned, Larry Worth to Arkansas, Chris Hardy to Ole Miss and Cacurt Taranu to West Virginia, those guys are just were just kind of we have these guys and they're gonna be good, so we're gonna I think they were kind of planning for them to
be there next year. I mean, even in Chris Hardy's case, who was definitely Jacksonville State's defensive best defensive player last year and probably will get drafted on Day two or three. Of the draft if things well, Ole miss for him. I mean, he was a really strong player, but I mean he was there for the spring game, and after the spring game just said that he was gonna hit the portal and that happened with a couple of guys.
So at this point, it's really it was really just tough to prepare and kind of fill in for that, especially when you have to like kind of scrap a roster together within the last few months of the season of the offseason. But there's still a few guys that are left, and I think the defense should, you know should if nothing else, they have a lot of experience, especially in Jacksonville State's role, you know, as Richrud's been there.
One more for you, Thomas obviously. I know in the state of Alabama it's the Crimson Todd and the Auburn Tigers that moved the needle more than anybody when it comes to football. But I know football is a big passion for a lot of folks in Alabama, and for Jacksonville State to make this jump from FCS to FBS now and of course they're now in Conference USA, that
speaks to a good support system. What kind of a fan base do you guys have And I don't mean like from a numbers perspective, but I mean should we will we see any Jacksonville State fans here in Louisville this weekend. I mean not to say that we have the best atmosphere you're going to come across, but it is. It is a road opportunity against a power for team and a ranked team in.
That So one thing I can say is that the marching band will be there for Jacksonville State, which has over five hundred members. Wow, in this marching band taking I think twelve buses it took to get the band there, but they're on. That'll fill up one big section of the stadium.
That's awesome. I'm sure I've heard a lot of people talking about that band. They're very, very popular.
Oh yeah, they're They're the real deal. You'll be able to hear them from the press box. But I mean, as far as numbers, I mean, you mentioned nothing about numbers, but like one hundred and fifty percent of the town of Jacksonville came to come to Jacksonville State football games. I mean, they let in conference in a town that has like I think the population is fifteen thousand people. That's not big at all, but just the sheer numbers of people who they come back and they just stay
supportive and uprooted in this program. I mean, they traveled pretty well. I think that. Honestly, in the New Orleans Bowl, there were I don't want to say more, but it was like sixty forty between Louisiana fans and Jacksonville State fans. These fans really travel well. And whether it's the football team they're there for, the marching Southerners, which they're there for.
It's I think that this team, you know, has just some people who they they'll take time off of work, they'll go to every single game that they can, just because the Jacksonville State if they're zher to ten or.
Twelve and oh you know, yeah, they're lifers.
They love Jacksonville State exactly.
That's four lifers and that's and that's awesome because again, you don't make these kind of jumps like Jacksonville State has as a as an athletics program unless you have that kind of infrastructure that support. So it really isn't that surprising. And uh, looking forward to to you know, to a matchup, I'm obviously hopeful that Louisville is able to prevail and get a big victory. But I know with rich Rod, you can never be surprised the guy
can coach in football. So we will see what happens when these two teams, when these two teams.
Get it going.
But I appreciate you making time for us, Thomas. Really good conversation. Again, appreciate that, and who knows, maybe we'll catch up down the line.
Yeah, Sari, y'all have a good one. Appreciate you having me on.
Take care again. That's Thomas.
Ashworth does a good job covering Jacksonville State football for the finfolks at AL dot com. Good stuff there from our man, Thomas. Don't go anywhere. We've got about an hour and a half left here. We're gonna finish strong to get you out of here for the weekend. We got football tonight, NFL College, a loaded slate of College Football Act tomorrow, and then our first NFL Sunday. Cannot weigh good stuff. Keep it locked right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
As.
I'm looking here at some action to get in on tonight. Obviously, we've got the Packers and the Eagles in the NFL. Not a whole lot of college football games to get in on. One of those games happens to be John's Indiana Hoosiers taking on the Western Illinois Leathernecks, which, man, I've never heard of a real team, sound like a made up team from a movie in the Western play double a baseball the Western Illinois Leathernecks. I mean, it's
it's actually a perfect name, if I'm being honestly, is yeah. So, I mean, I'm not asking this question to troll. I'm asking sincerely, has Indiana ever been favored by this much in football?
That's a good question, because I know last year there's.
A lot of points. They're favored by forty five points.
They beat down Indiana State pretty bad last year. I don't remember the exact score of that game. I feel like it was around forty two to three or seven.
Is something along those lines.
So, I mean, Western Illinois is also one of the worst n FCS football. They went oher and eleven last year. They got their butt spanked by Northern Illinois in Week one this year, so you shouldn't expect anything less than another.
Beat down from the Hoosiers.
Tin I wouldn't think, Yeah, I mean, how could you bet.
I mean, if you're betting on a team to cover his favorites forty four and a half, I mean, it's just a coin flip because it just it comes down to like how much are they get. And even if you have the mindset to go in there and cover, if it you know, took a little longer for you to get up four touchdowns at that point, you know, you'd really probably have to be trying to show up your opponent if you go in there and cover. But
then again, Signetti may know what the business is. He may say, look, you guys, we know why you're here in Bloomington on a Friday night. It's to ben that ass over and get a spank in and take a check on your way out. I would love Signetti to win one hundred and nothing tonight.
I'll tell you what I saw the last time I make a statement. The last time I saw Indiana put up a big number of points. It was back when Kevin Wilson was their head coach, and they put up seventy on again, another Indiana State team. This is obviously not Indiana State, but you know, same level, same conference, I believe, So if they're gonna do it, it might as well be tonight.
Right, Yeah, I'm not touching it, but me neither. There are some people though that if they are gonna bet this, they just, oh, I'm taking forty four and a half plus, meaning even if Western Carolina sucks, it's just you know, these things rarely play out where somebody's that big of a favorite they end up winning. But also again, I think if you're signetty like.
He wants to put the throat, yeah exactly.
And kind of got me interested.
The board's small, but I'm gonna I am gonna get it on Duke in Northwestern because I think Northwestern minus two is about as good of a lock as you'll find. I mean, they're at home. They've got a weird, awesome home field advantage playing in that tiny stadium, but fans, you know, it could take a tiny percent of their fan base to fill that place because it's small and it's beautiful, and if you're packed in there with you know, no room because the fans are I mean, what's the capacity.
I'm going to look this up because what I'm getting at is, even though it's small, like this is going to be a rowdy ass environment for Duke football because Northwestern's coming off of I mean last year, because they're Northwestern. It did get talked about, but not to the level
that it would have if it was another school. But they went through a really odd situation where their coach, who was beloved, their former I mean, I forget Fitzgerald, right, yes, I mean he was fired because apparently, you know, mistreating players and all that kind of stuff, hazing some allegations and by the way, he's still suing Northwestern for wrongful termination.
But they didn't do it.
They couldn't do any kind of search given the timing of it. This guy left because he was fired in July. So David Brawn, he was named their their head coach as the interim because you know, they just promoted him from within in Northwestern last year, I mean, this guy in his first season, he won eight games, you know, went five and four in the Big Ten, finished second in the West in the last year divisions within the Big Ten. So you know, this year they're off to
a one and oh start. I don't think they played anybody last week, did they?
They barely beat Miami of Ohio?
Okay, were they down in that game?
I don't know if they were down, but the final score thing was like thirteen to six or something weird like that.
So look, I mean, I think many Dias is a decent coach, but like Duke, I just I think this will be this will be a seven point victory for Northwestern tonight.
So you were talking about their stadium capacity, how much you think it is? A guy right in front of.
Me, fifty five hundred just a guess, twelve twenty three okay, so a little bigger than what I was in. So when people claim it's like a high school stadium, they're exaggerating.
It's more like a Texas high school stadium.
But apparently the views because it's right there.
On Lake Michigan, right on the water.
And if you remember, we were talking about the most expensive tickets you'd find in college football this year, and Northwestern had like four games that popped up there. Yeah, and it's because there's not a huge supply tickets because they're playing in a very small stadium considering what they usually play in and what you typically see from a Big ten program. But it's a nice stadium. The tailgating set up apparently is beautiful right there on Lake Michigan,
like it's a tickets are in high demand. And if you know, if you are somebody that has tickets, like I don't know how they did ticketing, Like if you're a season ticket holder, I guess there's priority points and whatnot. You probably get first DIBs and maybe you're going to go because you love your Northwestern Wildcats, but you could
probably sell those two. Like if if an opposing fan base wanted to come in and you know, do a road trip, they could go to Chicago, which, by the way, is a phenomenal city, and I mean that it's an all I mean again, I feel like if you're a Big ten team, let's say you are, I mean Washington, they don't play them that so Indiana plays there. Yeah, and on October fifth, Indiana, And there's already a ton
of IU alum that lives in Chicago. Like I'd be willing to bet if if if Signette's got them roll in after the first month, IU fans will be there paying premium price those tickets because they're in a cool ass stadium. You know, they're not far from Bloomington, to be honest with you. And also you know, the views, like the views of this place and yes, I know the renderings that are out there about Northwestern Stadium that they're working on. Still like I know that that I'm
not getting them confused. People on the tech line think that I'm no. Go look at where they're playing now, and it's also really.
Just the and they're gonna be playing in this stadium for another season after this too.
Yeah, and that makes sense considering what the rendering show as far as what Northwestern's campus and their athletic facilities are going to look like when it's all said and done, it looks amazing. Therefore, it's not a surprise that they're gonna have to you know, it's gonna take some time to get that thing done.
But anyways, SMU, I.
Kind of you know, the the smart, responsible conservative sports better on my left shoulder is telling me stay away. You want to fade SMU because they should have lost in Nevada. But a lot of people overreact to one game in week zero. Don't do it. Just stay away. That's what the smart conservative, weak scared guys doing. But the guy on the right shoulder, John, He's he's he's parlay poppy, he's ready to do Yeah, I mean because BYU that's a respectable program now and they're plus twelve
at SMU. I mean, I talked about it after SMU nearly lost to Nevada, and everybody kept claiming that, oh, they're gonna be pretty competitive, they will be pretty competitive in the in the.
In the ACC.
It was just another sign of people disrespecting the ACC. SMU didn't bring anything with them from the American that should make you think they're gonna be like a top tier team in the in the ACC, which a lot of people were expecting. They were right outside of the top twenty five, and like all the evidence was right there in front of you. They won last year in the American Conference because all the teams that used to dominate that league and win it left, Cincinnati gone, Houston gone,
Central Florida gone. So that that's when SMU emerged and they won that league. They played three Power five opponents and lost to all of them in embarrassing fashion. TCU beat them by seventeen, Oklahoma beat them by seventeen, Boston College beat them by ten. Like there's nothing on SMU's resume from last year, and they did bring a lot back, which again that's encouraging if you have a nine win season and you end up you end up bringing a
lot of that back. You should be excited. But like BYU is a Big twelve program that again I can't act like they're great, but I think they can keep it within ten. I mean, I don't think that's I don't think that's a crazy thing to to to expect. And BYU, you know, they're they're coming off of a forty one thirteen beat down in Southern Illinois and they're not you know, they're not expecting. That's the thing they're
not expecting. Anytime I start talking about a pick, I kind of feel like I find myself like dressing a team up as if they're really special and really good.
All I'm at.
All I'm saying is they could probably keep it within ten of SMU. Like that's not like I'm saying BYU's great, because they're not expected to be that good in the in the Big twelve this year. All right, So that's it for the college football action tonight. You've got those two games by USMU, Duke Northwestern, and then of course the NFL matchup. We'll get to that a little bit
later on, but really quickly here. I love looking at these numbers from sports Line right now, in this BYU SMU game, eighty one or eighty percent of the money that has been wagered on this game, as far as spread has taken BYU to cover as dogs. And it actually opened up at minus thirteen, it's now it's now twelve. So as far as the over under, if you're interested in that kind of thing, eighty percent of the money is on this over of fifty five and a half.
And if you're interested in the action on the Duke Northwestern game, pretty pretty close or closer I should say, the public meaning not money, but just the amount of people picking, Like they could bet one dollar, they could bet a million dollars. Sixty two percent have Duke covering here at plus one and a half. Again, it's now, it's now Actually I'm sorry, it opened up at minus two at wow, it opened up at Duke minus two
and a half. Now it is Duke plus one and a half plus two in the book I'm looking at, which is which is FanDuel. So the public they're in on the Duchies, and I'm here to tell you you're going to be wrong, because it's all about the Northwestern Wildcats. Tonight, John, you hear me, son I, it's right, it's all about It's all about them. And because this matchup with like they don't have anything on the board, Like they're not
showing me anything about the Indiana game. I guess maybe because of the caliber opponent.
Yes it's an.
SCS thing, don't show the FCT.
You can still bet on him, but like not every book will offer it. So it's you know, it's tough to get that number. But right now for Louisville and Jacksonville State, the game Cocks currently, by the way, that opened up at plus twenty and a half for Jacksonville State, it's now at plus twenty eight and a half, and ninety five percent of the money is Louisville to cover that, So seventy seven percent of the bets themselves, the public
is on Louisville to cover. So not a lot of love here when it comes to wagering for the Jacksonville State game Cocks. For the Kentucky South Carolina matchup, I haven't looked at this. Shed I'm looking at this in real time because this is a big game for both We've talked about it throughout the week. I'm not gonna give you fake takes and break down the personnel of
South Carolina. I know they got a true freshman quarterback, and I know they should have lost last week to Old Dominion, but Kentucky's better.
They should win this game.
But you gotta wonder a little bit about pressure, because I think they come out and they steamroll them early, or they come out kind of knowing, meaning Kentucky, that this is a game they are expected to win. And this team has not been as good as them in the last two years, but yet still had their number and beat them. South Carolina sucked last year and beat the breaks off them down there in Columbia, and the year before that, Kentucky lost to him, and that was
a little bit different circumstance. Will Levis was heart did not play, and that was they had that Sharon kid in there who was about as effective with his arm as I am, which is not much. You guys saw my first pitch. I know it's a different sport, but like you know what I mean. So right now it is South Carolina plus eight and a half. It opened
at South Carolina plus six. Any guess, John, As far as the spread, as far as the percentage, of the money that's come in on this as a spread, what do you think it is?
Any guests, I'm gonna say Kentucky.
You're correct, there's way more money coming in on Kentucky to cover than Carolina. But it's seventy to thirty. So again, like there's a lot more people confident that Kentucky covers. And I'm not touching this game as far as betting, but I do I do think that Kentucky would be the safe bet here. It looks like one of the picks Tom Bernelli, who I trust his picks. He's a really college football guy when it comes to not just analysis but sports betting. Two for CBS, he says, the
play here is under forty two and a half. That's under forty two and a half just doesn't sound fun. But then again, South Carolina cannot They couldn't move the ball very effectively last week, and now they're going up against a much better defense here with what Kentucky's gonna bring. So there's nothing in this game that interests me when it comes to betting, and it really doesn't have anything to do with the rivalry factor, Like I won't bet
on Kentucky just because I don't. I mean, occasionally I'll bet on them and if it's right, I can say, yeah, they won and I made money from it. So that's the you know, that's the that's the benefit I get from it. But then there's times where I'll also fade them and bet against them, and you know, if they lose and I win money, that's great. But yeah, this one's a stay away from me, just because it's still really really early, and again it's a big game for
both teams. Like if you're Kentucky and you lose this one, I feel like you're gonna probably have to steal one that you're not supposed to steal if you want to get to seven wins, right, because after this, you've got Georgia, Like, Georgia is a game you're you're not winning Ole Miss and Oxford's a game like it's a You've got a better chance of winning that one than beating Georgia, but you're not going to be expected to win.
Florida.
You know, we'll see I mean it's in Gainesville, but you know, maybe Florida ends up. I mean that's I don't know that I'd have to see Florida a couple more times before I can get a feel for that one. Auburn probably a game it's a coin flip. Tennessee is a game you're not expected to win, but maybe you pull off an upset. But Tennessee should be better, they'll be expected to win. Same thing can be said for Texas Louisville. I'm not even going there now. It's September
the sixth. We got a lot of football in front of us before we get to that game. But like this, to me, if you lose this game to South Carolina, it makes it to where you probably are going to have to beat both Florida and Auburn to probably get to seven wins. And I know they want to get
more than seven. Obviously, every team wants to win every game, but I feel like with their schedule, seven and five is the kind of season that like they won't celebrate it like it's great, although some might, but I think if you're seven and five in your losses, your five losses came against Georgia, Ole, Miss, Tennessee, Texas, and you know, let's say, let's say Auburn, like you can probably live with it because those are all losses to teams that
are probably pretty good, but if you lose to South Carolina, it changes things. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side. Keep this thing rolling along on a Friday afternoon, getting you set for the weekend. Connor Stallions has found himself back in the headlines. We can certainly get to that, and this could actually be the name of the show. But I got another thing to throw out there that will really, I guess, you know,
make me look like a true dumbass. And it's something that Billy Napier said after his game against Miami that you know he got made fun of for. But I didn't know that you don't have basements in Florida, had no clue. All right, quick break, it's Coffee and Company feel about Thorntons right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
That's right.
We were wrapping up the four o'clock hour here on a beautiful Friday afternoon, a little warm, but that won't that won't last long because tomorrow we've got perfect weather for early September. The high is seventy three degrees tomorrow. As I look here on the good old fashioned weather app we've got nothing but sunshine showing up. So I'm not sure it gets much better than that low seventies. Afraid to say that, I mean, don't be afraid to
ever say it. I mean maybe maybe pick your spots, you know, but you know, if.
You're bricked up, you're horned up.
Don't be afraid not to be afraid of It's natural brick It's exactly exactly as I say that. It does show right now that within the next hour, I guess there's some chance of there's a chance of storm.
That front's got to come through. Though. Yeah, is Mark what the sea saying that?
I'm just looking at the app here.
I don't know.
I don't want to get into it.
I mean, more man be funk.
Yeah, I mean I was a little surprised at how many people. So we're just reacting, we're defending what I mean again, I don't know if anybody, and I can't speak for anybody about myself, but I don't if anybody blamed the lack of attendance on Mark Weinberg.
I mean I didn't hear anybody do. That doesn't mean they didn't.
But those acting as if like he's not an alarmist are lunatics themselves. I mean, like let's be ho. Let's call a spade a spade here. He's clearly great at his job, or he wouldn't have the you know, the the awards that he shoves in our face all the time. Like he's clearly good at what he does. I wouldn't be the one that could judge that, but those who do clearly claim, you know, he's good, but he also
is an alarmist. Like both things can be true. But anyways, tomorrow should be a beauty, beautiful, beautiful day here in Louisville, Kentucky. All right, let me tell you guys about my friends at Jefferson Animal Hospital. You guys know all about him. They're also big sponsors for our pregame show this year. We certainly do appreciate that. One thing you may not know is that your dog and cat can also donate blood,
just like you and I can. If your dog is over fifty pounds or your cat is at least ten pounds, they may qualify to be a pet blood donor, where every donation can save up to four to six lives.
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hour left. We don't have to go to break like right now. But yeah, well you can play so that it's fine. I didn't realize what time it was, and it's best for us to stay on track here because we want to finish strong on the five o'clock hour, and there's a lot to get to before we have to say goodbye.
For the weekend, including.
The picks.
If you want to fade me, have at it. But I will say I didn't mention a whole lot of games I was confident in last week. But I did have success, and I chose to be the more responsible wager. That's a thing better and it worked out for me. Now, will I be able to resist temptation from betting on every game and creating eight nine leg parlays? I mean, I don't really do that, but you know I have before, just because when there's so many things to bet on,
you just start. Let's throw that in there. Let's throw that in there, and that's you know, and if it hits, it's great, but the likelihood of that is not great. So anyways, we'll finish strong here in the five o'clock hour, get you set for a loaded weekend, including football this evening. That's right, a rare NFL Friday night game. Hell yeah, sign me up. All right, it's coffee and Company five o'clock hour on the way right here on Sports Talk seven ninety