Bracket Busters

Welcome to the solid verbal hell that for me. I'm a man, I'm for I've heard so many players say, well I want to be happy. You want to be happy for Dake Edo Steak? Is that woo woom? And then and Tye, welcome back to the solid verbal Poison Girls. My name is ty Hildebrand, joining me as always over there in the Chicago Burbs, the one the only Dan Rubinstein, Sir, how are you? I'm good?

And full disclosure because this is a show about honesty. You got through four words before you had to restart this episode because you fumbled over something, and that's okay. We all may I probably make a lot more mistakes than you do. But have you ever listened to a podcast in which somebody accidentally left in an edit where they're like, uh oh and he played for the conference championship? Help, shoot, that's wrong?

Three? Two? Have you ever listened to a podcast where they forgot an edit? I've listened to our own podcast where I've forgotten to do an edit. Is that true? Oh my god? Yeah, it's the worst feeling in the world. You feel helpless because most of the time it's like, oh great. Twenty thousand people heard this already. Yeah, there's really not much I can do at this point. But no, I've heard it on our show. I've heard it on other shows in full disclosure, because this is a show

It's snowing here. I played tennis this morning and I woke up to a message or I received a message from you at some point saying that you received a message at seven am from your mom about the lyrics to Wop to Wap.

It's the It was the annual text slash call after the Grammys from mom age. Yeah, we had a spirited conversation I'll say about the wh is she not big on kids these days? No, not the kids music. Not big on WOP. I know that's a huge surprise. Had some choice commentary about the dresses that she saw on display at the ceremony. Standard ish stuff. It's like once a year after the Grammys. That's the call you get.

Okay, Well, today also happens to be a day in which people are filling out brackets, and we'd be nothing if not going against the grain if we didn't do some sort of bracket related show. So I'm excited for that. I don't know if you have any news you want to get to. I don't know if you want me

I appreciate that. I'm I think I'm good, Okay, Okay, I I think I'm okay, But I will I will keep you in the loop if anything changes. I did want to mention that we did have some Patriot League games.

We did have Patriot League games, speaking of sliding, slithering, slathering, Yeah, we had some.

Patriot game Patriot League games. We had Holy Cross twenty to three over your Lehigh Mountain Hawks, Dan, I believe I had that right. I believe you had the Crossaders. We also had the Lafayette Leopards over Colgate. Hello, old friend, twenty four to ten in uh Fisher Stadium. Is so ty starts the year zho and two Dan two and oh interesting? I think I picked Lafayette, didn't I did you? I thought you were going against the hated Leopards. The

We had well did we not have I don't know if we actually discussed Les Miles being actually fired.

He said he was going to be in our opinion.

Yeah, I don't think that did. Jeff Long was let go. They agreed to part ways whatever it is now. Emmett Jones is the interim coach.

EMMITTT.

Jones was there receiving receivers and passing game coordinator for Kansas these past couple of years. Was at Texas Tech before that, and.

Then a high school coach with some success in high school going back what eight ten years. So he is the new interim head coach at Kansas, EMMITTT. Jones, And we'll see if the tag gets taken off, if he's able to start something anew in Lawrence. There was also the news that you told me about this. Drew Brees is going to be taking over for Tony Dungeee always.

Felt like Tony Dungee wasn't super pumped about calling Notre Dame football games.

Yeah. I think I think I'm okay with this. I don't know anything about Drew Brees, which I played at Perdue. No no, no, no, no time as an announcer. Oh oh, gotcha, gotcha as an announcer I know nothing about Drew Brees, and the fact that I'm with it probably indicates a lot about how I felt about the Tony Dungee commentary. He's probably going to be pretty bad, right, Drew Brees. He can't be any worse than Doug Flutie's first year.

I think it's just going to be pretty bad because announcing football games when you have no experience announcing football games. And everybody points to Tony Romo, But my guess is and Tony Romo has a much bigger stage than Drew Brees will calling Notre Dame games, even though it's both network TV. I assume it's going to be hopefully a good transition throughout the year that he improves throughout the year, But I think it's going to be quite difficult for him on that stage at first.

I hope it works out. I stand by the fact that Doug Flutie's first.

Years he was super into NBC show promos.

No, no, no, this is even before he was into the NBC show promos. That was the worst first year that I can remember. Is this like an annual change like the it feels like next to Turrico since he it was Turrico after what was it Tom Hicks, Tomnri, Dan Hicks, Stan Hicks for a year or two right, and then before that was Tom hat Like, I don't know why Notre Dame can't keep our NBC can't keep guys calling Notre Dame games and being sent to South

I'm trying to think have I actually watched college basketball? I watched a YouTube highlight of I think Oregon beating Oregon State to win the Pac twelve regular season championship, but I don't think I've sat down and watched Oregon, let alone, anyone.

I don't.

I'm trying to remember, no Jody with and I has not been watching Michigan. I haven't watched any you know, the local teams USC UCLA or the local teams where I live here. I really don't think I have no.

I haven't watched a single solitary minute. I was super into the women last season. It was crazy bummed when Sabrina Yenesco couldn't Enescu couldn't play for a national championship, when the tournament got called off. I was actually super into that team. Well, look, we're going to play our own bracket challenge here in a much much different way. We're going to put a college football spin on it. Dan, how does the skin Yeah we are? How does the skame we are?

I'm going to I have sixteen items in my sixteen item bracket, and it's a likelihood bracket.

I'm going to give you a number of items.

Maybe they have to do with wins, Maybe they have to do with specific situations. They're tied to the seeds. So I have one versus sixteen, I have six verses eleven, five verses twelve involving teams and scenarios, and you and or I have to pick the likelier scenario, okay. And it could be twenty twenty one, it could be over the course of the next few years, it could be all sorts of combinations of things. That's what I have

Don't have to work on this. I I don't even have the soundboard plugged in. You hear that? Oh wow, I like that sound. Yeah, we could play this, Okay, it seems obvious. Why don't we go with that? Okay?

So do you want to do this in terms of like going through the seedings or do you want to actually fill out a bracket in terms of likelihood?

I'll fill out a bracket. I'm gonna okay, I'm gonna work on that on my end. Go ahead, Okay, So you're gonna be writing this bracket. You need to keep track of this because I didn't put it in bracket form. All right. Sixteen team, Yeah, sixteen item. Here we go. Do you want to start with the one versus sixteens? Get it out of the way.

Yeah, it has nothing to do once again with like, the sixteenth seed is not the least likely in my mind. It's just happens to have an item involving the number sixteen one seed BAMA National championship in the next year. Will there'd be one BAMA National championship in the next year? Okay, so that is somewhat likely.

New quarterback.

All sorts of changes, though among the coaching staff. It's especially sixteen plus Clemson long scrimmage plays allowed. They allowed seventeen in a shortened twenty twenty Darien Kendrick, starting defensive back, starting corner just left the team, and I believe it was just arrested. I saw so more shorthanded than they thought they'd be. They're young, but very promising up front.

Forty plus yards. Ooh, so they gave a shortened season seventeen last year. Yes, wow, wow, So it's that. It'mfying it's forty and not thirty. But yes, it's that against Alabama winning a national championship next year.

Yep, what is the likelier outcome the Yeah, that's forty plus Clemson in I believe it was what twelve games, so usually Clemsons playing thirteen, fourteen, fifteen games, so it's shortened for them. As Clemson ended up playing in the playoff twelve games seventeen, so over one per game. And that was a slippery falldown for Clemson, who had been very good at limiting those bigger plays. Now here's the thing that you have to leave in mind when you

I'm going to say, I'm going to say the sixteen or more long scrimmage plays is my selection.

I'm going to go with that as well. I anticipate Clemson playing more games than twelve as well, so I don't think it gets fixed overnight. And the secondary still I don't know. I mean, there are some young guys that are interesting. But the guys who are playing, I don't know. I think they're going to.

Allow you need. You need so much to go right in order to win a national championship, even for Alabama. So you're banking on things going wrong. More likely, it's much easier for things to go wrong, for there to be blown coverage. Clemson's got tackling yeap some games against good offenses. So yeah, let's go. Let's let's ride with sixteen or more long scrimmage plays. I think I'm with you. The problem is Alabama's always excellent. I know, I know

So then we go to the eight nine games, eight nine, eight win Florida State eight win Florida State A lot. They went six and seven and twenty nineteen, but seemed to take a step back last year.

Or nine win Duke a QUS Tech, Duke q Tech, Duke Acuse Tech. All right, so this is Duke Syracuse and Virginia Tech combined, Georgia Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech. Yes, nine wins QS Tech nine plus yeah, ooh, ooh, I'm pretty high on Florida State. You are too, We both we both may Yeah, it might be a stretch to say we're high on Florida State, but we feel fairly bullish about them, don't we. Yeah.

I am feeling for the most part in terms of year two coaches who are dealta pretty rotten hand and just that twenty twenty was such a mess that that had to be their year to get to know their team and personnel and higher coaches everything like that.

I am leaning.

Nine win Duke Acuse Tech just because you can stumble into five wins in the ACC and with other non conference schedules that those teams have. I know, Georgia Tech plays Georgia, but I think you can stumble into five, which lowers the bar considerably. So I'm going to go with nine win.

Duke Acuse Tech. I feel like that's probably the answer, because, like, as I'm going through and looking at schedules.

Here, you might just look at non confer It's because that's what I'm doing. See plays four non conference games, so you can load.

Up That's what I'm That's what I'm looking at. So for example, if you look at Georgia Tech. I know you said they played Georgia and that's true, but they also played Northern Illinois and Kennesaw State YEP, So I feel like there's probably more upside. Gess I's been pretty good though I know I know they have. Yeah, I feel like there's probably more upside there. You know, Duke's got North Carolina A and T got a game against

I mean, look, if McKenzie milton is healthy and he's accurate and he's relatively mistake free, that's not the biggest ask.

No, not at all, State to win it a game, not at all. But it's just it's the same deal as the first question. You just get more bites at the apple with three teams.

Correct and UMass is awful, and on Florida State's non conference schedule, Notre Dame fills out one of those four. I believe, right, Jacksonville State, who's playing right now. Jacksonville State's playing right now, and certainly Florida. So having Notre Dame and Florida count to those four, that's a tough break schedule wise for Florida State right now. So I'm

Fighting corn boilers don't free to use that name in your actual practice. So that's Nebraska, Purdue and Illinoisla and I yeah thirteen, yep, wow, Nebraska, Illinois Perdue.

So I would need four four five across those three teams. First year Brett Bilima, Scott Frost Reeling and Lincoln and certainly Jeff Brom low Key Reeling.

In West Lafia. Wow.

I you know, man, if we could get that on some sort of chiron this fall, Jeff Bram instead of head coach Purdue low Key Reeling, I'd be very happy, be thrilled.

I'm fighting corn boilers. I'm looking at Rutgers schedule right now. Okay, four winds feels like a stretch to me. But it's like there's really no margin for air, because sure, I feel like in a regular season, let's put this way, in a regular season where we don't have all sorts of weird COVID protocols and injuries and whatnot, it's just probably not the same setup as it was a year ago for Rutgers. You're saying Rutgers was advantaged by a deadly pandemic in a weird way. Yes, I think I'm

Which almost got canceled. I don't know if you saw that news item I did.

Oklahoma.

Yeah, Oklahoma was adamant that they wanted to play the game in Nebraska said, ah, I don't know if that's for us specifically, and then it got out in Nebraska's like, oh, we intend to play. Oh yeah, we're gonna play Yeah. So tough schedule. I feel like the answer is fighting corn Boilers.

Corn Boilers is the answer. It's got to be the answer, because now I'm looking at the schedule. I mean, even though it's tough for Nebraska, they can get the seven wins here. They can get the seven wins. Dan, walk me through your favorite Scott Frost Bowl season. Just lay it out. They can get the seven wins here, and then you're asking for three apiece from Purdue in Illinois, which is doable.

Nebraska's they kind of had a single offensive threat last year, and he decided Nebraska's.

Not for me.

Right to Kentucky. Kentucky's high flying offense went home. I know those family stuff as well, but.

Yeah, fighting corn boilers. Have fun with that, corn boilers, you're going rockers, I am. So we have to I mean, somebody has to win these games. I guess we have to agree on one.

Okay, so let's I suppose if we're gonna go bite at the apple theory, we'll go fighting corn boilers.

Here, corn boilers. Okay, five versus twelve is up next, four wins, It's not terrible.

Five versus twelve tie. This is always where there's an upset. Although this is not really a scene.

We just had a thirteen over a four.

Speaking of Kentucky's high flying offense. Five SEC games in which Kentucky scores over thirty points. Oh no, they had one in twenty nineteen that was Vanderbilt. But twelve Georgia wins including you can include the SEC championship game. So thirteen games, twelve Georgia wins out of thirteen twelve plus.

Oh man, this is extremely difficult. There is no chance Kentucky is going to score more than thirty points in five SEC games. There's no chance. There's always a chance, but given where they came from, that offense was real bad. Dan new quarterback, thirty, we won't be Will Levis, new quarterback, new coordinator. Yeah, this is what their SEC schedule looks like this year. Versus MISSOO at South Carolina, versus Florida, versus LSU. First of all, not a crazy killer of

Thirty plus points, doesn't matter how you score them. Georgia, Mississippi State, two pretty good defenses, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.

There is no chance that's going over thirty points in five SEC games now.

So you are likely are twelve and one or thirteen and oh Georgia which includes Week one Clemson.

Right, I'm on twelve here. There's just no way Kentucky's doing that. There's no way thirty points. Wandelle Robinson. I don't care. There's no chance, Okay, Mayah, I would love to see it, though, I would love to see it.

I think I agree. Yeah, I was trying to find it. What about three? Could you find three thirty point games? Missoo South Carolina fandy.

I could find oh god, I could find three. Sure, I could find three. Three I would take even if I was in Bridge too far. You take three over twelve Georgia wins? Yeah, I think so okay, because twelve Georgia winds is still very difficult. Everything has to go right. Next matchup three versus six, three versus six, So we have.

No Oh you're doing this in quadrants? How are you doing this because we still have seven verses ten?

We still have seven verses ten, three verses fourteen? Is that what you meant to say? Three versus fourteen? I'm sorry? Continue, Okay, here we go. Yep, yep, yep yep. Three straight pac twelve titles for Oregon. They've already won two.

They would add that crown, the triple crown, or fourteen plus total wins for two of the three other Pacific Northwest. I think it's the Cascade Cup. I forget what they call it. Washington Schools fourteen plus total wins for the Washington Schools, or a pack twelve crown this year for Oregon, making it three straight.

Ooh, by the way, there's a decided twelve Days of Christmas feel to this game. Now that I'm great. It took me four matchups for five matchups now to catch on that this is what you were doing. But okay, so we're going pack twelve title for Oregon versus fourteen or more total wins for the Washington schools. I think I go Oregon here.

Really, you don't like the trending directions of Wazoo and you so Wazoo had a completely abysmal defense this past year, and that one in three shortened season, completely abysmal. That's okay, that can be improved upon. Defense is about effort. Washington had an efficient offense, but no huge playmakers, and defensively probably not where they should have been. They got pushed

Six ten four. Feel great about Washington. I'm not crazy about Wazoo. That's the thing. That's the thing that I have trouble without. I know, That's why I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy about Wazoo, and I'm I'm mixed on Washington. You seem to be higher on Jimmy Lake, but I'm kind of mixed on Washington myself. But yeah, yeah, well even still, I think you're higher on the Huskies than I am. Like the I like the hire of Jimmy Lake. I'm not opposed at all to Jimmy Lake. Everything we've

You kind of need to find five or six Wazoo wins, which is becoming difficult. So if you want to say Utah State and was it Prairie State. That's who they're playing Week two. Oh, excuse me, not Prairie Portland. Excuse me, I didn't recognize the Vikings logo. Portland State and Utah State. Good shot, Uta State first year coach, and Blake Anderson.

We'll see. I like Milake Anderson.

Portland State's a likely win. An Arizona at home November nineteen, likely win. Outside of that, we've got BYU that's sandwiched in there between Stanford and Arizona State on the road in October, and then it's at Cal at Utah USC Oregon State at home. So if you want to say Oregon State and what Cal in terms of close calls, enough that gets you to five maximizing five, which means you need nine from U.

Doub right.

Oregon has a pretty big question market quarterback, new defensive coordinator, a good amount of experience on offense overall, and a pretty high talent level on defense. I'm going to go for schedule. I'm going with Oregon. I'm going to go with your ducks, Dan, I'm going to go with your ducks.

Wow, I'm not sure. Against the bites of the apple theory, I'm not sure. I'm crazy about Oregon either, right, Like, how do we feel about Anthony Brown leading the Orgon Ducks. You think that's a good situation.

I don't think they're a top twelve team in the country with Anthony Brown, but I think they can win games and position themselves somehow if they win the correct games to win the North and give themselves a shot at winning the conference. But my understanding is Anthony Brown will start, and depending on the development of ty Thompson or I mean it's probably ty Thompson his development early and roly big time quarterback freshmen, depending on his development

Or lower going the other one.

I got a toffee though Michigan, Penn State, or Wisconsin finish with ten plus wins one of them any of those three. It's seven ten seven is the regular season rank or higher for Notre Dame. Ten is the number of wins for either Michigan, Penn State, or Wisconsin.

Oh, it's it's one hundred percent. The ten plus wins. There's no chance Notre Dame is going to be finished. Kade McNamara, Sean Clifford, Grammertz, Oh God, why do you have to do that to me? Yeah? First off, Sean Clifford is not going to be the quarterback? Can get Can we get get that out there? I think quarterback James Franklin made a comment that I saw floating around on Twitter earlier today, so friends were sending it around that James Franklin wants to see what to Kwan Roberson

You're not a Kade McNamara. I know it's but I like cawde and or JJ McCarthy and becoming five star freshmen.

Not yet, Okay, that could change by week one.

But and you don't think Jack Cone can lead Notre Dame. I don't know what their schedule looks like to a high ranking, a playoff ish ranking.

All right, let me pull this up. Rose bull Cone, Rose king Cone, King Cone. King Cone is the official Moniker. Sorry, I'm pulling this up. My gut reaction was, there's no way but road tilt against Florida State, Toledo, Perdue, Wisconsin. Okay, some crossover Cincinnati and Virginia Tech, USC North Carolina, Navy, Virginia Georg. Oh my god, they could go. They could go twelve to zero. With this man, you are going to make a fool out of me here. You're going

Yeah, who are the likeliest losses for Notre Dame on that schedule?

Cincy? That's market Freeman. He knows that team. USC. Yeah. Can I answer USC twice? I don't. North Carolina lost everybody with the exception of Seam Howell. Yeah, so they're sort of in rebuilding mode. The defense actually has interesting pieces though it does. But this this feels like easily a ten and two season for note rightwause they do bring a lot back. Yeah. Man, fine, I'll go Notre Dame. Damn it. Why do you seven? Yeah? Yeah?

Yeah, So do we only have one left for round matchup?

We've got a two verses fifteen here. Oh and then we also have six eleven and we have six eleven, So let's do six? Will go? Next six to eleven?

Next six total years of Lane kiff and in Oxford, Mississippi. So he needs five more twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, or twenty five. You'll give him six total years or eleven combined wins in the next two years in Knoxville.

In Knoxville, not.

For Lane Kiffen for Tennessee and overall, not just home games. A six winner and a five winner on average, Tennessee can win seven this year. It's likely that they're going to hit or eclipse that number.

I don't think Lane Kiffin's going to stay at Old Miss for six years? What's the job though? I don't know. You think he's getting fired for some sort of No, I think acties. I think he step up for Lane?

What school hires him? What school wants all the good, bad and weird of Lane Kiffin? What's that jump up from Ole Miss Florida?

Damn, Allen's going to be around at Florida. He'sami Florida State. Oh man, maybe it might be the NFL, could be the NFL. I just don't see him staying for six years at Old Miss. And I like the Old Miss job. He obviously does. He m he had his pick of the proverbial litter there, but probably not Saban retirement Bama. I don't see them going to Do you think they would give Lene a look? No? I don't think so, not the way things ended, I don't think. I don't think he would do that, So.

I think they're probably I think they might go as far as letting Nick Saban have that voice in that conversation if he wants it.

I think I gotta go. I think I gotta go with Tennessee being Tennessee wins.

Yeah, so we need like a if things are rough because of how thin the roster is, we need to hit five or four or five this year, which is a tough ask.

That's a thin roster right now. Yeah, but you could, you could cobble together. You could go very easily four wins this year in seven next year. Are you do? You have the schedule in front of you and yours Tennessee football schedule. They could win four games this year, though, couldn't they Bowling Green who just lost Brian van Gorder like the.

Night before spring right right, So that's additioned by a subtraction to me, pitt uh TNTC.

Is that Tennessee Tech? Is that Tennessee Tech the Golden Eagles? Yeah, they call it. They have Southma, they have Vandy on here. They could win easily three four, So I think I think five is likely. They're at least going to win one more. Five is likely. Yeah, and they and if we're assuming the best, they would improve upon that mark in twenty twenty two. I'm looking at the schedule now, yeah, I mean Ball State, Pit, Army, U T. Martin. But just penciling in Pitt as a loss to Tennessee. No,

Yes, regular season, So any potential rematch in a conference championship game does not count. Regular season?

Oh, okay or or fifteen total games played by Oklahoma, So they could lose to Texas hypothetically in this scenario and still play fifteen games to go, you know, eleven to one when the conference championship game end up in the playoff, win a game, go to the national championship game. So this means it's just games played. It's essentially saying Oklahoma National Championship game birth or Texas beating Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in consecutive weeks. Wow, I don't think, man,

Sure lost their best defensive player in Ronnie Perkins, though terror on the edge.

Yeah, they didn't play defense anyway. What differences is Oh, that's not true at all. What difference does it make? That's not true at all. This is an improved defense, sure, sure it is. I'll go Oklahoma.

Here for the record, I think you're wrong about the Oklahoma defense. So this what you're saying, though, is also Oklahoma can max lose one game in the Big Twelve, and Oklahoma will beat some combination, not some combination, but one of these schools. They'll beat Ohio State, they'll beat Clemson, they'll beat Alabama, they'll beat whoever may come out of the Pac twelve unscathed throughout eleven and one twelve one.

I still think that's more likely than Texas going to and oh LSU because they got the offense. You know they're gonna two games, it's all it takes. Yeah, but Texas hasn't beaten both them.

No chance they were an overtime or however many overtimes against Oklahoma last year, and I believe that didn they bleat Oklahoma State. Yeah, not crazy overtime game, sure, I just I don't see any chance. Okay, no chance, no chance, two games, No chance they'll be in a rhythm by then. It's October, October, October, thank you, Yes, Texas did indeed beat Oklahoma State in overtime last year.

It was a a crazy game, all right. So let's go back through then and let's do it. Round two. You got we've got the sixteen or sixteen or more long scrimmage plays allowed by Clemson. Yep versus nine plus win Duke Accus Tech, give it to me. I think I go Duke Acuse Tech.

So now you think this is less likely you're you're taking the bites off the apple.

Yeah, I think Duke Accuse Tech. Three three teams combined, giving me a chance to get to nine or more wins. Okay, next, next, we've got the fighting corn boilers thirteen combined wins makes me giggle. Yep versus Georgia twelve wins, fighting corn boilers thirteen combined wins. I think I go george corn Boilers. Which of those those boiler of boilers of corn that fights? Which Which of those do you feel is going to be pulling their own weight the most? Pulling their own weight the most? Yeah?

Like, is Illinois really carrying perdue in Nebraska?

Tosa? Probably the unforeseen thirteen.

And going to come up with something Nebraska's shoulder in the load.

Yeah I do. Okay, because look, Nebraska and Purdue they could each get five wins. Illinois got to get three. Yeah yeah, and they still hit that. So yeah, corn Boilers right here.

Corn Boilers over Georgia and high success level. Okay, next item.

We've got three straight pack twelve titles for Oregon versus eleven combined wins in next two years in Knoxville.

Okay, So this it's requiring what is what is the easier path searching out and finding those eleven wins in two years? You can go five and seven, six and six, you hit it. You can be unexceptional and win this matchup, or you have to be at least good if you're Oregon to hit this one. So basically, what I'm saying is, are you betting on the shine of mediocrity or.

Positivity? The attraction of positivity? Hm? Wow, I'm going eleven combined wins? Eleven combined wins? Okay, you're going with the high floor rather than the low bar. That's correct. Okay. Next matchup? Oh god, this one Oklahoma with fifteen games played versus Notre Dame rest Championship, Notre Dame playoff or playoff A J oh god, I hate this one. It's got to be Notre Dame. It's it has to be Notre Dame.

It has to be Notre Dame. So Oklahoma one of, if not the only. I'm trying to think, like, depending on how you classify Georgia, but certainly JD. Daniels didn't start the season, Oklahoma is either the only or if I'm forgetting somebody to bring back their starting quarterback.

Yeah, right, that's right, that's right. So that sort of continuity is really attractive. See. No, you don't break through until you do. This is why this is bull You're arguing both sides of the coin here. You're doing this to me on purpose. Yeah, of course, continue. I'm just trying to give you my viewpoint trying to give you. I'm trying to arm you with all of the possible context and information. Knowledge is power, Okay, yep, yeah, I'll go Notre Dame. I don't know what do you think.

If I'm deciding between Jack Cone Notre Dame winning likely eleven plus or Oklahoma realistically going thirteen and one to reach game number fifteen, that a blemish won't affect their title run. But to say that they're going to be fourteen and h is probably a lot considering that they're not a complete team right now.

So you go Notre Dame too. I think I'm going Notre Dame.

I think it's really hard to do what I'm asking Oklahoma to do now. They're a playoff team and Notre Dame has been a top seven team, what two of the last three years, to last four years, whatever it is, so Notre Dame's barrier to entry. I'm looking up their schedule right now because I didn't have it when you said Cincinnati and USC were the toughest two.

Cincinnati USC there's a game against Virginia Tech, I think on the road. That doesn't bother me that much. Where Wisconsin game. There's a Wisconsin game, the USC games at Notre Dame.

Okay, so we've got a Wisconsin game against a legitimately very very good defensive coordinator who knows in some form Jack Cone.

Right.

We like Jim Leonard. We think he's a promising there. He's a young defense wearing but really good. So we have Jim Leonard Wisconsin defense. We have non Marcus Freeman Cincinnati defense. We've got pretty good but definitely talented USC defense with a really good quarterback, and that game is in South Bend. We've got Sam Howell, who struggled with more talent last year, to consistently move the ball and score touchdowns against Notre Dame. We have a Notre Dame

I guess it's not obvious. I hate that. I hate that you put me in this situation, but the answer is probably Notre Dame. It's got to be Notre Dame, all right.

The down still down. Florida State, Cincinnati replacing key guys.

Okay, So we're down to the semifinals here. Okay, what's the matchup? Nine plus win Duke Accuse Tech versus thirteen combined wins for the fighting corn boilers.

That came together nicely. It's almost used the apple biting.

No, no, we've got three bites of the apple in both cases. I think I go nine win, nine plus win Duke Accuse Tech. It's a low bar, lower bar to clear. Yeah, I think that's the answer here.

But I think the the competence quotion is probably higher with Nebraska and Purdue. I don't think Duke is trending in the right way. The Syracuse offense is such a mess still, and Georgia Tech is just a propensity to let the bottom fall out, even with their you know, you know how I feel about Jamior Gibbs. But okay, you're going with that nine win.

Ducuse Tech lower bar three wins apiece. Okay. And if you get a school like a Georgia Tech that you know plays hard, has played hard, really hard the last two years, m hm, they get bull eligible, it's a near certainty that you're going to hit. Okay, Duke Accuse Tech through to the finals, Dan through to the finals. Duke Acuse Tech second matchup here, yep, eleven combide wins. Next two years in Knoxville or Notre Dame ranks seventh or higher.

So once again, it's excellence versus mediocrity. Eleven combined wins.

You get to pick this one. Don't make me do this.

Because does Tennessee's non conference twenty twenty two schedule exist online?

Yeah, I'm looking at it right now. Who is it? Ball State, Pit Army, UT Martin. So even if you want to play it super conservatively, that's three wins. What it's three wins? Is not a Tennessee team that just lost to the Panthers of Georgia State. I'm assuming the best here. Okay, forgive me. They shouldn't lose I just whistled they shouldn't lose the Ball State Army or UT Martin. They shouldn't lose the Pit either, but they could.

What do you mean, shouldn't lose to Pitt. Pitt's been fine. They've been a five hundred program.

I'm saying, if not better worst case scenario, it's a three win non conference slate for them. Okay, Army Army has been pretty decent. They're not. Okay, can you please answer the question, Dan, so, am I taking the Notre Dame or I'm going Tennessee? I think I think Tennessee's the answer here. I'm going Tennessee.

I think it's tough for teams without the upper upper upper level of talent and depth thereof to go to the playoff and back to back seasons.

So I think Notre Dame will go ten and two with that schedule and missed the playoff. So that brings us to our final. Although they could go they could finish number seven in the country at tenant too, which is all I'm asking here. This brings us to our final. Then, yeah, we've got nine plus wins, excessive mediocrity. Yeah, Duke accues Tech with nine plus wins or eleven or more wins in Knoxville over the next two years. Dan, Oh, this is tough. I still extreme difficult Tech.

Duke accuse Tech because of the four non conference games they play. What if I were to say, it's only and I don't know if you have all three schedules in front of you, only FBS games count, so you have to take away.

All you can't change the rules. Now, Well, I'm just asking it's just a wrinkle, that's that's no. I would probably go no. I would probably say no if you have to take off FCS matchups. No, I'm not feeling as good about that. But you know, Duke did not have a good year last year. He did not have a RIP year last year. But they play North Carolina A and T in Kansas this season. Those should both be w's. Then we move over, hold on, let me finish this. Then we move over to Syracuse, who also

So here's what you do need. This is added context. If I may it's not obvious. Oh no, twenty twenty twenty twenty, these three teams added up to five wins. Twenty nineteen, the added up to seven wins.

You scoundrel. This is tough. This is I think I assume too much. But I'm still going Duke a QS Tech in I am still going Duke que Tech.

By the way, that was I was using ACC Conference games to get those numbers. If you want the full I should have been obviously my question. I wasn't, so I'm giving it to you. So it's three, five and five. So it was thirteen two years ago. Okay, okay, If that makes you feel any better, okay, okay.

I feel better. No, okay, I still go Duke Accuse Tech here.

If I made it ACC games only, would that change anything? Yes, So you would go Tennessee to hit eleven overall the next two years before you would take ACC wins between Duke, Syracuse and Georgia Tech.

To equal nine.

Yeah, it was six overall last year between those three. I think Syracuse won and ten Duke to a nine Georgia Tech three.

I think I go Tennessee in that case, I think I'd.

Have to Tennessee's eleven over Duke Accuse Tech's nine ACC wins.

Yeah, yeah, I think that's right. Okay, so Tennessee eleven wins is overall your champion. No, Duke acus Tech is still much Duke acus Tech is your overall champion unless ACC games are used. Yeah, Duke Accus Tech, what an unexpected What are they a nine seed? Yeah? Because it's nine. I mean I didn't see it anything.

But okay, so the nine win Duke acus Tech is your We have no name for this game our item bracket.

Okay.

Wow, I did not expect that from making this bracket. I definitely didn't. Yeah, I actually expected.

This is the most love of Duke acus Tech is going to get all year. Oh man, we need to keep track of this somewhat. I'll keep this document. I'll create a Google doc so we can track it over the course of the year. All right, I have it. I have see what I nailed thing, and maybe somebody out on the Patreon can help us out as well. First dot com.

But uh also I want to know what anybody Patreon non Patreon, who they have winning and where we really messed up our bracket.

Yeah, where they have who they have winning? This bracket and who they have winning the actual bracket too. Oh, are we doing that? I don't know if we're doing it, but I'd like to know what I'm missing and like who the sleepers are, because generally what I'll do I don't usually watch a lot of college basketball because it's not that I have anything against it, but by the time basketball season rolls around, I'm just looking for like sports detox for a couple months after what we do

I watched twenty minutes of it, Jody, and I was watching it while feeding the little guy. Yeah, it's incredible, frustrating. I don't know if I have an opinion about it. It's so the concept marriage or mortgage is you have a certain amount of money to either spend on a down payment for a house or the house itself I don't even know, yeah, or for the for like a super nice wedding.

That's correct. Yeah, And then what they do is they try to sweeten the post a little bit. So is it a full house or is it a mortgage or or is it a down payment? It's well they're saying, we have X amount of money to use on a down payment, got on a wedding, and then it's it's very much a love it or leave it type show if you've loved or listed excuse me if you've seen some of the old shows. And I forget what network

I think it's a really good I mean, I think it's always obvious to me that you should spend money on something you're going to be using for decades rather than a single day. But I understand having a nice wedding, So what is frustrating to about it?

What's frustrating to me is that, and keep in mind, I come from like both sides of our family are very traditional, right, so the prospect of like buying a house before marriage is not really something that was much considered. But it's just so obvious when you're looking at these two like maybe in hindsight, well they're engaged, right, they're engaged. Yeah, in hindsight, out of bounds to say we should look

What and be careful what you say? What percentage would you now in retrospect, cut your wedding by financially if you could put it to your mortgage?

Oh, I mean we've talked about this, okay, and I talked about this while watching the show. What was your total? What was your total attendee list numbers. I don't like two hundred. It wasn't that many. Now I forget the four. What would your new number be? Knowing that you could, you know, book a smaller venue and order less food and rent fewer chairs, all that kind of stuff. We've we've had the conversation before, where you a sixty person wedding.

By the way, I have noticed, and I don't know if there's a specific reason for this, Maybe it's just because there's fewer episodes. Have you noticed that Netflix reality shows have way better production value than your typical cable No, it's.

Not a reality show, it's not even all They all include My favorite, my favorite tell for all Netflix shows is duct and value wise, Yeah, they've got the production value it's it's way higher. But they've all got the dramatic drone shot at some point, all featured the dramatic drone shot. Yep, every sun seton over Hollywood, every Netflix show has that interesting.

Okay, yeah, I'm watching Dog Day Afternoon. I'm just going through, like I don't have time to sit down and watch an actual long movie because I am, you know, two little guys, and now I'm also tired all the time, so I don't have to like two and a half hours to sit down and watch a nineteen seventy six al Pacino movie. But I am almost done with Dog Day Afternoon and it is great.

Have you seen it?

No, who's in that's it's al Pacino. There's not that many other famous people in. I'm trying to think of the people in it. I know the guy who plays Sam, his accomplished, his accomplice. Excuse me, it's Sonny and Sam. He's fan because he played Fredo I believe in The Godfather. Now I'm forgetting his name. But I'm trying to go through like classic, amazing movies that I haven't seen that I can just sort of pick up and watch thirty eight minutes of at a time, so it's fantastic. It's

Hair hero, okay, an absolute hair hero. So I'm watching that right now. I haven't been watching any other I watched loopin, Loopin, Okay, that was pretty decent on Netflix.

Something consistent in my life, by the way, is anytime I want to know what's good to watch, ask your single or friends without children, and they'll be like, what are you looking for? Yeah, I have forty seven recommendations and I have no time to watch anything.

Well, look on that note, so savor it. On that note. We've been talking about the Patreon for Ballers dot com. This is that week where we do it off topic show and oh though we haven't I guess come to agreement on what the topic's going to be. I do know that one we had in the in the clip that we didn't use last time, Whoever was like childhood movies, So right, the Mighty Ducks the Sandlot doesn't just have to be sports, but the influence that some of those

So do you want to limit it? Do you want to sort of narrow the scope to nineties kids sports movies?

I could do that.

Or do you want it to just be nineties kids movies? Or do you want it to be like Puberty Awakening nineties.

But not anything pornographic? Right?

Just Tie being sleazy adjacent? No, I mean it could be.

Dan being sleezy jacent for what it's worthing.

I have all the texts from you that I could just read out. Sure, I think we do nineties kids sports movie, nineties kids sports movie, and I think we bring on I'll see if Bill's around, Okay, we'll find somebody to come on with us.

Yeah, Bill or somebody. I love Bill so much. Though, the deal with the deal with the off topic show again, it's only available to Patreon subscribers going out to Verballers Dot com for more information. The last one we did is also available still for Patreon subscribers, and that was youth sports. We talked through this sort of a continuation then kinda yeah, it feels like a natural offshoot. So we're gonna talk about ninety sports movies for kids on

Dot com, done, lock it in, give us suggestions and give us your takes.

Soliverbletgmail dot com. You can also hit us up on the soliverrable discord if you are part of that Patreon community and let us know your thoughts on social media. As always, for that guy over there, my good friend Dan Rubinstein, for myself, Tie hilden Brand, we will talk to you all on Thursday. In the meantime, stay soler, peace,