Going Bowling: Part 3

Welcome to the solid verbal Come that for me. I'm a man, I'm forty.

I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy.

You want to be happy for Dake Edo State?

Is that? Whoo whoom?

And Dan and Ty.

Welcome back to the solid verbel boys and girls. My name is Ty hilden Brand jointing me way over there, back where he started from. His name is Dan Rubinstein out there in beautiful southern California.

Dan, how are you you know? Ty?

Life is good out west. I'll say it again, I've said it before. It's about sixty degrees. Had a great Italian meal last night. Been weirdly staying on East Coast time. Okay, okay, now hold on pause.

Yeah, how how do you do that?

Uh?

I be going to sleep around nine pm, be waking up about six am, but you go to sleep at nine pm normally, right, So basically I'm just sleeping a little bit more than okay, right, no complaints, Yeah saying I'm right now in my childhood bedroom at my folks place out in the valley in LA.

What is the weather situation in southern California right now?

Not bad?

Tie, It's not like tropical but I was out in Palm Springs for camera guy Dave's wedding and that was that was very nice.

I was about seventy five degrees. It's about sixty degrees tie, no rain, going to San Francisco for a couple days, just going on a tour. That's toasty, baby, it is.

And I'm going to Chicago next week, so it's about to take a turn, about to take a seventeen degrees turned for the worst.

Welcome back in with Dan and I. We run a little podcast you might have heard of. We talk college football. It is the Solid Verbal. Our schedule from this point forward. At a minimum, we've got a show next Wednesday where we'll talk about our final wave of bowl games, including the playoffs, the big playoffs, and at a minimum, we'll be doing at least past the Friday before the National Championship, a preview show. We'll talk about all sorts of recaps

Yeah, I think we're going to try to do the same thing we did last year, as for like attacking the National Championship game, whichever two teams are in it from a few different angles with a few different people. We will record some of it before we actually get out to Atlanta, and a couple more and when we get out to Atlanta, So hopefully we can have that show up later on in the day Friday, so you can listen to it all weekend before the game.

Really get it up a good one window before, a good window before.

We will have more details forthcoming on the live show the additional lot of tickets for January six. We're also working on something a little special in the lab that we can't reveal quite yet.

Ooh, that would be probably earlier on in the weekend ish.

That would be correct. Yeah, got something cool. Not ready to unleash the beast yet, but that is as we say in the industry, a tease, Daniel.

I cannot wait for you to unleash your beast Tye. I cannot, nor can I, Dan. Let's get right into it.

We have Bret news. Daniel.

Just because you went out to the West Coast does not mean you can escape the hotbed of news that we have brewing here in the college football world. Now, as some of you might have noticed from reading the interwebs, college football has a new early sign period. It sort of changes the schedule as we know it, at least on the recruiting side of things. That new early signing period is between today, which is December twentieth, when we're recording,

My main takeaway.

Is that the new signing period is basically the new signing day.

Right Yeah, Nineteen of the top twenty five, at least for the blue chip guy right now, nineteen of the top twenty five on twenty four to seven's composite rankings have signed or I think are expected to sign maybe nineteen twenty twenty one. We're recording this evening time East Coast time on Wednesday, so who knows what will happen in the next few hours today, in the next couple

So it definitely is a different dynamic.

What's interesting to me is now we've got this new early signing period. I think they're going to try and fashion this as the more elaborate of the two. The one in February does not go away. It's still there, but it does seem as if there's more of a push to ink guys.

Now.

What's interesting to me is that we don't fully know the effects of this new schedule quite yet. Nobody really knows how it's going to shake out. It might take a few recruiting cycles to figure out what this is going to be, how this needs to be modified to be more effective in the future. One early read though, and Bud Elliott, God bless him, he's been predicting this

Yeah, and it affects guys who perhaps have had injuries later on in their career. Sure, yeah, your tape isn't fully out. I know Florida allegedly asked, I think ECU. That would be ECU, not TCU. East Carolina's their quarterback. Now I believe signee or at least commit to sort of hold off. Whereas if you're a three star kid, even a promising three star kid who might be fringe, power five, group of five, whatever the case may be, when you're not as in demand, you want to grab

Hey, a bird in hand right versus two in the bush. I think that's what we're going to see, at least again as it relates to some of these fringe guys who could wait around and get an offer from a bigger school. The other thing that seems obvious is that there's a downside for you and I and you alluded to this. But we are once a week podcast, and given the fact that this is a rolling three day thing, we're going to do our best to cover a thirty

I don't think there's all that much in the way of surprises. Ohio State has been putting together a behemoth of a class. Clemson has. When I say finished, I mean they have sort of approached the end of the cycle in a very strong fashion. I think they've ended up with four of the top nine recruits in the country.

I'm never allowed to cut that here. Xavier Thomas.

I think, a defensive end as is kJ Henry, a defensive end from the Clemson class.

And then Jackson Carmen.

Who was the sort of early story of the day for you know, seemingly exciting reasons, but honestly not all that exciting because it was he told a story about urban Meyer allegedly being on the down side the back half of his career. According to Dabos Swinney during his recruitment, Jackson Carmen being the number one recruit in the state of Ohio, a giant offensive lineman. I don't know that

I think it's pretty significant.

Yeah, big one, big one. That was one of the true surprises of the day. What's the top ten.

So we have Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, and Georgia has finished extraordinarily, so I want to talk about it next the end. Yeah, a lot of linemen, five star linemen just coming to Georgia in droves. Texas may have I know our pal Budd said this maybe the best defensive back class anybody's had ever. They got a commitment from a five star kid named Anthony Cook, so they're in the top. They'll probably finish top two, three, four somewhere

An incredible story.

By the way, Alabama in a shakra is finishing strong and should continue to climb. Miami's had a very strong class this whole time. Notre Dame a very strong class Oklahoma. Impressive given it it's Lincoln Riley's I don't even know if it's his first full class because he took over in June, you want to say June. So certainly a

We've also got Dalvin Cook's little brother, James Cook. We've got Jamari Sallier on the line, Cade Mays on the line, probably the best offensive line class in the entire country, and at least according to twenty four to seven's composite, six five star recruits on the board for Georgia just in day one, what is day one of this new

What I don't get.

Though, not to take all the air out of the room here, but if you're justin fields and you see that Jake from he is a freshman starting could potentially lead the Dogs to a national championship.

What is the allure of going to Georgia.

Well, he's from Georgia, so there is the idea of staying somewhere close. I mean, what is the allure of any five star coming in a year after another blue ship quarterback? We've seen it at other places, to a tag of below has gotten on the field at Alabama after you know, Jalen Hurts succeeded to a pretty crazy extent as a true freshman. The honestly, what did why did Jake from go when Jacob Eeson was there? Well,

Knowledge of the inner workings of his brain.

But if he feels that he felt most at home at Georgia, like the coaches at Georgia the most, and feels like he has an honest to goodness shot to compete at some point, probably doesn't expect to come in twenty eighteen and win the job. But if he expects to come in and prove himself, and I again no inside knowledge of anybody's brain. But Jacob Eeson, who knows how long he is for Athens after seeing perhaps some writing on the wall with Jake From's success as a

He played for the Titans.

He played for the Titans. It you know, Aaron Murray's brother got on The Bachelor. I watched It's all happening. Okay, so at a certain point, I mean Washington signed too. I think Texas signed a couple of well regarded quarterbacks. Michigan has a couple of pretty good quarterbacks in this class and Guinea numbers and all of these guys are ultra competitive and believe that they can come in and just powerwash the depth chart.

So who am I?

I don't think it's always the brightest decision. I think Justin Fields had an opportunity at Florida State and given the coaching change. Maybe he was turned off.

I don't know.

Maybe he was more of a Jimbo guy. I get it, I get why you want to go where you want to go. I don't know if he really saw an opportunity that he really loved elsewhere. So either way, it feels like it'll be entertaining. What a ridiculous class for Georgia.

It feels like it'll be entertaining and to your point, yeah, an incredible haul. Let's stay in the SEC and briefly talk about Florida flipping Emery Jones from Ohio State. Emory Jones a dual threat quarterback. It's a big deal for two reasons. A, you may have watched Florida play quarterback this season, and B Emory Jones sort of fits in perfectly with the system that Dan Mullen wants to run it Florida definitely. I mean they also signed for safeties,

To run that system.

I don't know where it leaves a guy like a Felipe Franks who played a lot this year.

He was only a true freshman.

But Emory Jones to me seems like he fits more with what Dan Mullen wants to do in Gainesville.

Yeah, and I don't think this class is complete. They're what a top fifteen class right now. In the Emory Jones thing is huge, and they have a couple of let's see, when you look at their commitments, it's a

So it's sort of it seems fluid.

But he signed a good chunk of these guys and there's a healthy percentage of blue chips. Looks like maybe perhaps scoot a little bit more on defense, depending on where a couple of athletes end up. But yeah, all in all, it seems like a successful first stab at things for Dan Mullen and the Florida staff.

Let's talk about penn State. Penn State's a program obviously near and dear to my heart. They get a top pass rusher in Micah Parsons, who is from Pennsylvania. It sounds like James Franklin's going to give him some time at middle linebacker in the spring. We'll see how that pans out for him, but he's a very talented player. They also add in a big bodied five star wide

Up in his image.

On the recruiting trail, he's been a dogged recruiter and he's done a hell of a job. The numbers speak for themselves. Forty five Dan.

Wow, that it is incredible, and the best teams went with the best players. That is sort of a reality of things. And on the same token, you understand why Penn State may have been radioactive.

Yeah, Brian in the end of Joe Pass.

So certainly, I don't think that's a commentary on what Penn State can do to attract And things look as good as they can in state college. And I know they had a quarterback come in last year, right, not in this class, a more of a pro style guy. It looks like his name is Sean Clifford, if I'm pronouncing that correctly. So, No, it's good times.

Some other tidbits that I found interesting for the first time since twenty thirteen you mentioned Texas and what they're doing in the defensive backfield. They signed the top recruit in the state of Texas.

He was a safety.

But the fact that they're doing it to the first time since twenty thirteen is I don't know, what's a testament to something. It's a feel good story if you're a Texas fan. It's a gentleman by the name of bj Foster. He gives them. You know, I guess a frontman in their class of right now, what is like four safeties, four defensive backs. It's a top five class at worst. And I think if you compare that year over year. Last year, Texas in a bit of a state of flux after they got rid of Charlie Strong

Yes, looks like an excellent class for Texas. And you're right.

And I know there have been sort of stories trickling out, at least rumors that you know, perhaps Tom Herman's rubbing high school coaches and recruits in Texas the wrong way. But if you look at his class and worked outracting enough talents all right, Notre.

Dame shamelessly, I need to talk about Notre Dame a defensive focus, Okay, I think so far, Houston, Griffith, Derek Allen in the defensive backfield, Jack Lamb, Shane Smith, Matthew Bauer, some other talent along the linebacking Corps, defensive line, offensive line, got two big wide out. The big name to watch is going to be Phil Jerkovic. He is the dual threat guy that we mentioned on the last show. He's

He's enrolling early.

I don't think you'll see him jump up from number four on the depth chart to any serious contention with Brandon Wimbush.

But he's an.

Exciting prospect and a name that I would expect you'd hear a lot about before long. Certainly, if it's not in twenty eighteen, then he starts getting mentions for Time twenty nineteen. After Wimbush could be an interesting bet for you.

So we have Avery Davis, Ian Book Ian book number docop yep right and Wimbush, you know entrenched. We assume as a starter and listen the drive for fifty one percent tie.

It starts today, It starts today. It starts today. Oh okay, what else is going on? What other nuggets?

I would assume Alabama's going to keep building. They got a big speed rusher from Baltimore to sort of ink today. His name is I am going to screw this up, but I think it's Aabbi A no, yeah, sure, from Baltimore, a highly coveted defensive end. It looks like a lot of defense, especially along the defensive line. Cameron Lattu. I know a defensive end from out West in Utahs who's pretty well regarded. Tommy Brown, an offensive lineman from out West. I know a lot of teams in the Pac twelve

They're consistently among the top in the country. I don't expect that would change anytime soon. But you did talk about coaching attrition, and it was a very active coaching carousel this season. Do we have any sen for the newer coaches out there now? They fared at least on day one of this new signing period.

Well, we mentioned Dan Mullen and how things seem pretty solid in Gainesville Willie Taggart. I would imagine it's sort of resting in the weeds right now. Their class is very low, but I know they're working on those former Oregon commitments from the state of Florida, and it looks like at least a couple of them we'll be making the switch to Florida state. And I know as of the time we're recording this thing, there's a talented safety from southern California.

Who they feel good about. We'll see.

I think his last name is wood Bay. Jalen would Bay maybe and he's also looking at USC and Ohio State. So what I would imagine is Willy Taggart is right fully so counting on getting a number of visits and a lot of time to sway some undecided kids in January, maybe a couple more during this signing period. So I would imagine it's sort of a distance race right now for Florida State. Chip Kelly has managed to hold on to at least a couple of big guys at UCLA.

To hold on to him. JT.

Shrout Scott Frost had a late speaking of Tennessee. Blue chip quarterback Adrian Martinez, who I actually think is from California, had committed to Tennessee and maybe.

Cal before that. He's coming to Nebraska.

So Scott Frost gets his blue chip quarterback in a solid defensive class and obviously has the assistance coming over from UCF. So there is not a lot to learn and sort of about working together and recruiting with them.

Herm Edwards has oh no, don't talk about her not much.

What is going on at AS So the last time I think we talked about Herm Edwards and the ASU debacle, ASU sort of bought in to what seems to be like a multi level marketing scheme.

Basically that they had cracked the code.

They hacked the matrix on a new athletics model, and it seemed as if the bedrock of that model was bringing in Herm to manage from a higher level, to retain the coordinators that were with Todd Graham in twenty seventeen and to sort of plot a forward. Well, when we last left our heroes, that was the case. Now both coordinators are essentially gone and it's looking more and more like a bit of a tire fire out there in Tempe.

Indeed, and Todd Graham is still coaching Bowl game the last time I checked, So all sorts of weirdness. No, it's not a particularly great class. Maybe they finished strong. Maybe they identify some diamonds in the rough once they get their coordinator situation in order.

But it was strange herm.

Edwards spending the final contact week I guess, of the recruiting period before signing day, working at ESPN, not making in home visits. It was very strange that as soon as you're hired, especially with this new early signing day, you should be living on a plane. You should be living in airports and in living rooms and on rental car back seats whatever. And her Edwards was just, you know, talk about the NFL on ESPN.

They out hipstered themselves or something with this decision.

Yeah.

I mean everybody's talking about how we ASU is remodeling and restructuring to be like an NFL team. They just didn't tell everybody it was to be the Brown Brown. Wow, they're Cleveland South on a more positive please something. I say that just because we admire him from Afar, New York's one true team Fordham and of course your alma mater,

What is it it's.

More cow bell that we're talking more more cow bell, more cow bell. Yeah, that's right, that's what we're.

Going otherwise around the country. Just in general. Well, any thoughts about any of those guys classes.

It's good to see Joemo holding it together at Mississippi State. He's going to be an interesting guy to follow because he is so smart with the x's and o's. I think he'll give some teams, at least one team, one higher level team in the SEC West some trouble come September.

Yes, Maryland got and this is not a recruit, but Byron Cowart, the former number one overall Believe player in the twenty I want to say fifteen class who followed Will muss Champ from Florida to Auburn for his one year as a defensive coordinator is now transferring to Maryland's. So I think he's from Florida, went to Auburn, now it's transferring to Maryland. And Maryland, by the way, the Terps for all their top twenty bitten yet.

They have a top twenty class right now, could get higher. So I saw that I saw in Maryland's. I saw Virginia Tech as having a really good class. I saw that Minnesota is kind of on the cusp of having its first ever top twenty five class now under PJ.

Fleck.

So some interesting names and teams to follow as we again plot ahead here. It is the early signing period. Now there is more recruiting. There will be more announcements, certainly when we roll around to February in twenty eighteen, but for now, I think that's a pretty good breakdown of what's going on around college football.

Yeah, I mean USC is sort of lurking on the outside there around thirty, but I imagine they're going to have a pretty big jump as they closed more and more, and certainly they're going to get them later on in today and tomorrow, in the following day and in February. So I anticipate them say they will close strong. Excuse me, and just quickly a note about we said the term blue chip and top kid and all these things a lot, and I know a lot of people are quick to

To twenty years.

And yeah, a lot of it is because of the resource and there's just so much there's such an infrastructure around rating these kids that it doesn't matter per se, but it's definitely a pretty accurate indication of how someone's going to translate to the next level.

Yeah, there's there's more camps, there's seven on seven, there's the big you know, the Nike opening out in Portland, where you get to see a top offensive lineman from say, Tennessee against the top defensive lineman from Utah. Those are things because of level of competition at a certain place, you wouldn't necessarily always get to see and quickly tie blue chips. So four and five star kids are almost one thousand percent more likely to be drafted in the first round than non blue chips.

So that's why starts. It's definitely that is more likely.

Five stars are about thirty three times as likely to be all Americans as two stars are, and there are a lot of two stars, and yet the five stars just get those spots, they grab those spots. So and national championship wise, and these are teams, you know, the teams that we've spent the most time on Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame. These are teams that have been in the

Yeah, for recruiting again, this is going to be a bit of a fluid situation. It's really only day one again of this new early signing period. Much intrigue about where it leaves the state of recruiting in college football. We'll do our best to cover it along the way here, perhaps talk about it next week before we get into some of our Bigger Bowl previews. But for now, that

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Elaborate details on this, Dan, but I was having serious shoulder and neck and back issues on the old sponge that I used to sleep on that came over from the solid wife's apartment. Casper was so kind as to send us a model. I've not had any of those issues ever since. It's been a full one pint eighty for me, just physically, as of course a hardworking podcaster.

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There's something Casper just understands my natural body geometry. That's right, Dan, And I'm astounded that is that has struck such a chord with you, and I got my Casper mattress. I tend to agree ty the angles the rahmbai on my body are very happy.

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You can get fifty bucks towards any mattress purchase right now by visiting Casper dot com slash a verbal and then when they ask you at checkout, enter verbal again if you want to get again fifty dollars off off your mattress purchase. Casper dot com slash verbal offer code. Verbal terms and conditions do apply. What we want to talk about. I want to talk about some of the Bowl games that have already taken place. We won't waste too much time talking about this, Dan, but as you know, we've.

Got a bullpool going on.

We've had what seven games already that have been played.

We've got one that's going on.

I think as we speak and record our podcast this evening, let me run through those very quickly, because we've.

Got we want to take like an hour to discuss the chamellable, right. Sure, of course, we really want to stretch out our national our natural body geometries.

Here is what transpired so far in bowl season. We had North Carolina A and T twenty one to fourteen over Grambling Boise thirty eight to twenty eight over Oregon. We'll talk about the seven turnovers in a minute. Sure, Troy wins by twenty fifty to thirty over North Texas. Georgia State gets their first bowlwin over Western Kentucky by

To talk about Cherubundy Tart Cherry's I.

Want to talk about seven turnovers in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Sure, Okay.

So I can't speak in great detail this to this game, because that was when Cameron Guy Dave was getting ready, and so I was in the room with him and his friends, and then the wedding happened, and so I was back and forth.

So this was watched on a TV.

Part of the time, on my phone part of the time, not at all. Part of the time I can tell you this, Oregon did not look particularly good. Not sound like you missed a whole lot, Dan, No, I missed Brett Rippen completing a lot of passes and a couple picks. Oregon did a pretty good job against the run. Justin Herbert looked just flat, just did not look I mean, this was a lot of the Oregon offense. Royce Freeman was there but didn't play, which was a little bit strange.

Though.

I will say, Ty, you say Oregon lost by ten, but I see Oregon's offense and Oregon's defense all knotted up at fourteen because Oregon's offense only scored fourteen two quick defensive touchdowns before halftime or else this game would have been superbly ugly for the Ducks. So great win from Boise State. Brett Reppin was really good. The defense they kept showing Boise's middle linebacker it seemed like a thousand times and you know rightfully so he was very good.

And on the Florida Atlantic front, I mentioned Lane Kiffin now has a ten year contract with FA. We don't know what his buyout is yet, but what it amounts to is basically, FA you will take him as coach for as long as he wants to stay in Boca, and that's fine.

Under bucks yeah, undred bucks. I mean, look, this was a pretty good year for Florida Atlantic. Yeh.

They obviously win the bowl game, finished with what eleven wins something crazy. This was a good year for Lane Kiffin. I don't know if and when he'll move on. At some point he probably will. A ten year contract that keeps him there through twenty twenty seven is certainly a bit of a leap of faith.

However, when you're FAU.

You gotta try stuff, and I admire it. He did a good job this season. In the bowl game went forward a bunch on fourth down, was trying to I guess get back at what was it the ad for Akron, whom Lane claimed had some trash talk for the Owls, Owls, Owls fifty to three was your final score?

Yeah, they finished the season winning what ten straight games after losing a cup. I mean to you know, Navy in Wisconsin and the Buffalo loss is sort of inexcusable. But yeah, hell of a year for FAU.

And at some point some team, be it at a bigger group of five place or a power five place, will know perhaps the Lane Kiffin is not healthy for them, but.

They just have that craving tie.

Yeah.

Yeah, Lane Kiffin will end up somewhere all right.

On that note again, the week at long last, we get to our bowl previews, Dan, Yeah, we've got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine to ten games to discuss here this evening.

Hope everyone's doing well in their bowl pool. Perhaps on our next show we'll give everyone an update as to where the standings are in our confidence pool for.

Now, though.

Let's start with the Foster Farms Bowl. They played this one in Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Is played on December twenty seventh at eight thirty pm on Fox.

It is a close matchup.

And I say close because the Arizona Wildcats are only about a field goal favorite over the perdu A boiler Makers. Daniel, what is our gift situation for the Foster Farms Bowl time?

I'm glad you asked, so perdue players Arizona players be walking away with a fossil Watch solid Yeah, Sony XB nine fifty and one on extra based noise canceling headphones.

Oh that's a mouthful.

I think that's a great gift. I would love to have that, especially big Bluetooth here, big Bluetooth year if you're a Purdue player got a long flight on back to Indiana.

Sony headphone sound like a good thing to.

Have a timbuckto backpack, ty, I have a timbucktoo, messenger bag really and it's downright, it's indestructible.

It's a good bag. I gotta tell you. Good bag. Coin.

So there's that a coin coin coin it just says the word coin, not bit, just a regular coin, regular ass coin. And this game is it's Santa Clair, right, It's not San Francisco Levi's State By Stadium, which is a bit of a bummer. I'd much rather played at and T good garlic fries and a twenty five dollars Apple iTunes gift card. So okay, I'm thinking this isn't like the B plus A minus rank not bad.

It's not bad at all. This is a potentially fun game. Everyone knows about Khalil Tait. He's gonna have a hard time running in this game if he brings his arm. The arm could be a problem for Purdue. Purdue has not been great against the pass, but perdue very quietly a top thirty defense sort of been my pet team all year. They've not disappointed me, unlike Notre Dame. I didn't really have any expectations for Purdue right, and therefore I've never been disappointed by them the entire year through.

So I'm inclined to go Purdue.

Here plus the points, let's take him outright to the tune of twenty confidence points.

Whooa Tyler, I dig it?

Yeah, Arizona, they had the big win against Wazoo, but aside from that, there was nothing that big. The loss to ASU in the Territorial Cup was not great. You mentioned Khalil Tate. The rest of the backfield's wonderful. The defense is pretty bad, but they do a good job keeping bigger passes in front. But that's not how perdue wins. You know, Purdue had, you know, losing to Rutgers in Nebraska. Not a great way to sort of back half of the season. You know, they had good wins against Ohio,

I'm feeling confident in Purdue in their defense and in my boy Elijah Sindelar Cindela. I'm going Purdue here. I think the sindelarity happens in this game. It's Cinularity. Yeah, thank you. Let's go Purdue outright. We agree, we let's go.

To the Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl.

That's a weird sponsor, Dan.

Yeah, it doesn't sound like they probably had to pay a lot.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl in the nurg Energy Stadium in Houston. Also on December twenty seventh, this one at nine pm on ESPN. We've got the Misura Tigers a three point favorite over the Texas Longhorns.

Dan, what's the gift situation here? Please? I had to learn what Academy Sports was.

It's sort of like somewhere between a Dick's Sporting Goods and a Cabella's Sporting Goods hunting stuff kind of thing like that.

There's a gift.

Suite Academy Sports, an outdoors gift card which seems pretty good, seems relevant, Adidas Duffel bag and a belt buckle.

They're doing the Texas thing, aren't they?

The I thing?

If it's just like the buckle is some sort of like the Texas Star or something like that, that's pretty good. If it's an Academy Sports logo, nobody's gonna wear that.

Where would you wear a Texas belt buckle right now in your everyday life?

Would you wear that to work?

If it were like a star or like some sort of horns, some sort of cowboy type thing, you would wear that with your cowboy boots to work. I probably would not. Maybe I would wear it to something like the Piesmen as just sort of a goof. But I don't see myself wearing I think a belt buckle would overwhelm my pretty weak waist, so.

I would agree with that. Yeah, mind as well. So Dan, Look, this game is in Texas, which means it's a virtual home game. It's called the Texas Bowl for crying out loud, so at least that I think favors the Longhorns. But while nobody was paying attention, Missouri was ripping off six

There was a lot to like there.

However, if the boys in the truck could could just lay down that bed of classical music for.

Me, yeah. Oh wow, Dan.

Here's the S and P rank of each of the teams that Missouri beat this season.

Oh, I'm excited.

Not ranked ninety eight one, nineteen eighty seven.

One oh seven, eighty one, ninety two.

Not the toughest of competition there in their seven victories that I.

Just describe and not their fault, not their fault. Necessarily, they beat who was in front of them in the second half of the year. But you're right, Vanderbilt was their signature wave.

They played three teams inside the top forty, and they got mulled by all of them. I am absolutely going to take Texas in this football games home game. I don't feel superbly confident about it, but quite honestly, I backed myself into a corner with some of my other confidence picks. So we're gonna go Texas. We're gonna stand by them outright, and we're just gonna go with twenty one confidence points on it.

I just agree, mostly because Texas's big win was Iowa State with Jacob park by not a lot, West Virginia with mostly no Will Greer, Kansas State.

I don't.

I don't love Texas. They finished the season losing to Texas Tech. Relative to their talents, that offense was kind of a nightmare. I don't know who's starting at quarterback in this game. The defense was terrific, particularly against the run. Their past defense was good, but really they were led by their rush defense. Missouri is gonna throw the ball around a ton and I listen, their past d is not bad. Missouri's their rush. They could not stop the run.

I'm going to MISSOI we disagree. Let's move on. Let's talk about the Military Bowl. Up.

Got one thing because this is a podcast for service. If you are going to this game, if you're going to be in Houston, Houston's an outstanding food city, you should eat everything you can possibly eat. My recommendation maybe the best sit down Mexican meal I've ever had. Hugos Hugo go to Hugos, So friggin' great.

Let's move on to the Military Bowl presented by Northrop. Is it grummin or Grumman? I always get the rumming, grumming. It's a second em in there, huh. They play it at Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. They play it on December twenty eighth at one point thirty in the PM Eastern standard Eastern daylight time, whatever it is on ESPN Standard.

I believe we're in right now.

We've got Virginia about a one one and a half point favorite over the Navy midshipmen, who are again playing a home game. The numbers dan They say that this one is just about dead even I guess it favors Navy that they're playing on their home turf. Does the gift situation give us any kind of lean here?

So we have a Rockham socks package and under armour beanie and backpack under armour of course, based in Maryland, so that sort of makes sense, and I imagine it will be cold, so that at least seems thoughtful.

But that's all I have listed.

So no Lean from the gifts, huh.

No real lean from the gifts now, not that I can see.

Virginia played Georgia Tech earlier in the year, back at the beginning of November. They won that game forty to thirty six over the Yellow Jackets. At a minimum, we know that they can handle a marginally better version of the Navy offense. And I think when you consider the fact that the Navy defense is the sided garbage, Wow, I'm gonna go Virginia here, I'm gonna go Virginia. I'm gonna go out right, I'm gonna go to the tune of twenty two confidence points.

Yeah, that's certainly a choice. I think I'm going to disagree. So, yes, Navy did lose to Army. Navy did finish the season what, losing five of six. Yeah, as far as I can tell, I think Virginia also ended the season lose.

Did they also lose five of six to finish the year?

They got shut out to end the year, They did get shut out by Virginia Tech.

They got walloped ten.

Nothing.

To me, these teams seem relatively even. I think Virginia has the advantage with Kurt Bankert throwing against a extraordinarily bad pass defense from Navy. But Navy was pretty good against the run. Virginia can't really run it, so who knows what that actually means. But I think the best thing in this game is probably still to me, even seeing the first two and a half quarters of kur Bankert versus versus Miami, which was certainly impressive, is zach Aby.

Interesting. Interesting, Yeah, So in twenty twenty two, somewhere in there.

The Camping World Bowl is up next. It's also on December the twenty eighth, This one at five point fifteen. They played in Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. It's on ESPN if you want to watch. It's Oklahoma State a four and a half point favorite over Virginia tech Den. What kind of gifts do they give from Camping World. I would think like a lot of portable canteens and tents, things of that.

Like I'm seeing a timely watch company watch. Fine, okay, you can use that when you go camp can you start a fire with that. Yeah, I guess you could reflect sunlight off the face if.

You really knew what you were doing right up?

Sure, and four hundred damn dollars to Best Buy. Wow, I'll take that. I will happily take that. See now, Camping World is a place. It's a retailer, right, I think why it sounds right? Why does Camping World give a four hundred dollars gift card out to a place other than Camping World?

It's a good question.

You got to find some thing to entertain yourself with while you're camping. So maybe you buy some I don't know, a bluetooth speaker to listen out nature. Maybe you buy yourself some CDs.

Do CDs still exist? I have no ight. Maybe they could.

You could buy a lot of things. I don't know, washing machine.

I don't know.

Four hundred dollars isn't bad, though, the Best Buy out.

I'd rather have. I'd rather have Best Buy. I'm not questioning that.

I am legit interested in this football game because there is definitely a strength on strength component in Oklahoma State's offense against a really good, really legit Virginia Tech defense. What troubles me though, is when you look at Virginia Tech's offense, not any team out there can beat Pitt by only six Not only team out there can beat Virginia by a ten to zero margin to close out

Yeah, and now no Cam Phillips. They're a leading receiver. He is out injured, so not playing in this game, not having the big weapon for Josh X, and especially when Virginia Tech could really run the ball with much consistency, that's hurtful. Tie, that is hurtful. We saw Oklahoma States score points against pretty much the best teams on their schedule other than you know, that weird Texas overtime game in which they won thirteen to ten. But other than that, if they did one thing well was score.

It was moved.

The ball got a little ugly at times, and games like West Virginia, but they're able to turn it on late. I listen, the strength on the strength thing is very real. And I don't know if Oklahoma State had any one big signature win Iowa State late, Texas Tech late, I don't know, but they sort of go as their running backs go. Justice Hill had a mostly very good year. You know, passing game was just absurd, and Virginia Tech's defense, especially against the run, was great, which makes me think

I'm going to go Oklahoma State. I'm going to lay the four and a half. I'm going to take them out right to the tune of thirty five confidence points.

I was about twenty eight, twenty nine.

Yeah, I feel pretty good about this one. Okay, let's move on to another game. On December of the twenty eighth, at nine pm on ESPN YEP, between.

TCU and Stanford.

TCU a two and a half point favorite in the Valero Alamo Bowl. They played in the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas. Dan, let's finish strong here. Okay, if you're me, let's pick against TCU for just one more game this season?

Shall we listen? That's a choice. You can make sure. We had a very public breakup back in September.

I stayed friends with TCU. I don't know if that's awkward, but like, we're still cool.

It's it's really no way to live having the paparazzi set up across the street day in and day out. But yeah, I'm holding firm. I am gonna go Stanford here. I am not at all confident, I am not at all interested in watching this football game. So I'm gonna go Stanford to the tune of six confidence points. I think probably a three point game one way or the other.

Is he playing Bryce Love? I mean, I honestly don't know.

Maybe, as far as I can tell, maybe, Yeah, so certainly. Christian McCaffrey didn't play in his final game, but always sort of understand running backs, especially one like Bryce Love who has NFL potential to succeed given he was the clear best home run hitter in college football this season. I'm gonna go with TCU here because Stanford is like squarely like they're clearly the twenty eighth best team in the country or the you know, the twentieth best team whatever.

Stanford's like buying an Amazon Basics branded office chair.

Yeah, you know, like.

It'll it'll it'll go up and down, but it won't recline. It's just the basics, just the bare minimum that you need to get by.

Yeah, there are a club Sandwich. Nobody has ever said you have to go out of your way and stop your roadchip and drive forty five miles off the interstate for this club Sandwich, and that's fine. Club Sandwich, always solid, always good, always a great option. Stanford, their defense was surprisingly pretty average, especially against the run this year, but they did have the benefit of the offense just sitting on the ball, so this was a well rested defense.

It's still its tie.

What's our gift situation here at the Alamobile.

We have let me load it up real quick, Tie, because I was looking up things that made me sad.

An Amazon Echo show. I'm out, what is the show? Show? It's it's got the little video monitor.

H Okay, it'll show you things the one. It's one hundred and seventy five dollars Amazon gift card. Okay, that's I mean, that's significant. You've get a lot of things on Amazon. We got a couple Jody with an eye and I had a couple of gifts at our wedding that were just like, yeah, here's like a thousand bucks to Amazon, and I'll tell you something, Tie.

Yeah.

Nothing made me happier, that'll work right. Nothing made me happy living that prime life. Baby fossil watch a mini helmet. Some Rockham socks rock them really with a strong presence.

This year they should send us some. We would wear them. Come on, rom I.

Would one wear the beautiful organ duck socks, those those Nitney Lion socks for Penn State.

I think I'd be the name of Rockham socks earlier. But I would we take it back? Yeah, I take it back. I'd be willing to give them a try our.

Feet are cold and a team panoramic photo. Okay, so yeah, not bad, not bad? All right?

No where to eat in San Antonio, I apologize, but yeah, that's cool.

The San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl.

This is my favorite game, not the matchup. This is my favorite bowl game I've attended played.

Who would have guessed?

In San Diego at San Diego County Credit.

Union Stadium, it's all happening.

Who knew that the Credit Union had all this damn money?

Where does so? Where does the Rose Bowl play? What stadium they play at? The Rose Roads in?

Yeah, okay, there just aren't as many syllables. It's the San Diego County Credit Union Stadium.

Do we no longer have the point Setia Bowl to that? By the wayside, it's gone, so so the Credit Union just moved on up.

Full disclosure.

I was all sorts of mixed up when I was going through making my list and I jotted down San Diego County credit Union point.

Setia Bowl just out of raw happen.

Yeah, and then I had to go back and double take it and triple take it, and yeah, no more points Setia Bowl. Enter the Holiday Bowl. San Diego County Credit Union. I guess upgrading here getting a game this year on December of the twenty eighth at nine pm onter FS one between the Washington State squad led by Mike Leach and Michigan State led by one Mark D'Antonio. Wazoo is a three point favorite. As you mentioned, this

Gift situation is as follows for the Santigo Crowny Credit Union Holiday Bowl gift suite, Fossil Watch, Ogio backpack.

Okay, that's it. That's it. That's all I'm saying here.

Okay, a low interest rate mortgage or something. If you're interested as well, I've got Wazoo to the tune of seven confidence points. I don't have much confidence in this. Originally, you might remember, I was all in on Wazoo. Initially, I was all in on them. Now I'm gonna walk it back a little because the more I think about it, and you know, I'm right, this is like one hundred and ninety percent the kind of game that Michigan State wins in the ugliest possible fashion. Oh absolutely, I'm gonna

One of the three or four games that's not on the ESPN family of networks, this is a Fox game.

So maybe Gus Johnson will be calling this game. I don't know.

I don't know what his basketball responsibilities are. And by the way, I just remembered something when we were talking about the point Setia Bowl. I believe it was the point Setia Bowl between San Diego State and Navy.

Was that the one with that flooding. I was gonna say, like the morning of like Bowl officials like, ooh, so the field and stadium might be flooded.

We have four inches of water on the plane, sir.

This we are.

We are up to our shids. So may may the point Setia Bowl rest in peace. It's in the same stadium. I don't know if there will be Pacific Life commercials. I miss you know, the whale, No whale, Hopefully there are. I have Michigan State here. I think their defense and as good as Washington State's defense also clearly is with or without Alex Grinch. Moving forward, we'll see, but he'll

Right now, we must move quickly through the final four bowls that we have on the slate here.

This evening a.

Little bit of a longer show. Thank you for hanging with us. Had a bunch of recruiting stuff to talk about, some other bull results that we needed to recap very quickly. It is ultimately free content.

Yeah, and if you're listening to the show in an airport or on a plane right now, remember to hydrate when you're traveling. Stay hydrated. It'll it'll help your mood. I know, things are getting rough, stay hydrated, to get some caffeine. Happy to be here with you for the ride.

Let's talk about the Belk Bowl.

They play it at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's on December the twenty ninth at one pm on ESPM. We've got Wake Forest and the Wolford Wagon A three point, pretty much home favorite now Oliver Texas A and M. Keep in mind that A and M lost their coach. They did get Jimbo Fisher. But you know how I feel about teams when they lose their coach. So I'm naturally inclined to go with Wake

Shopping trip to the Nordstrom department Belk department stores. I don't even know if there is a Nordstrom in North Carolina. Maybe there is Fossil Watch getting in on the action.

That's it. That is it? And once again, ty if I may, if you are going to the Belk Bowl and you're gonna be in Charlotte, may I recommend Futo Bhuta Ramen. Yeah.

We had some people that went to the a SEC Championship game that reported back and supposedly one of them played our show.

Did you see this? I did?

Yeah, played our show talking about this ramin spot, which we cannot stress enough does not pay us a single sentence, Nope, to talk about how delicious are organic? This is all organic, but we do expect a lot of free roman if either one of us, if we ever go to North Carolina gout saying we love this place anyway. Yeah, those are the two items, And I think you hit the nail on the head. I'm going wake here. They had

Moving on, Let's go to the Hyundai Sun Bowl. They play this one in the Sun Bowl Dan they do So Texas, December of the twenty nine to three.

Pm on CBS.

We've got North Carolina State the Wolfpack, a six and a half half point favorite over new look, new model, cracking the coaching administrative matrix that is Arizona State.

Arizona State lost their.

Coach and they are, as we've mentioned time and time again, they're currently embroiled in this very weird, odd coaching transition. None of us has ever seen anything quite like this. But you said earlier that Todd Graham's going to coach the.

Bull game, right, he is his final game with the Devils.

So we've got two equal and opposite forces at play here. We've got perhaps players trying to send out Todd Graham on a high note, but we've got most of them probably playing in a game they couldn't care less about. North Carolina State, on the other hand, I think wants to close out the year strong. I think they're trying to build for the future, and there's too much uncertainty the whole Arizona State thing that I think senior leadership on the part of Ryan Finley and others at North

There with you before.

I remembered a certain thing, and that is that I am very bad at picking games. And my guy, I think this is a good Costanza game, Kastancy. Remember your Costan's a theory of you know everything that you feel, everything that your gut tells you to follow the exact opposite.

The opposite must be true if the opposite must be true, Sam and swim up the stream right. Absolutely, to me, it's NC State is solid. They're the type of team that beats teams that have cracks. They have an efficient senior quarterback who doesn't screw up a whole lot. They've got good skill talent. They've got a great edge rusher. They just sort of have their act together. In Arizona State, they have this lame duck coach who has already been fired.

They beat They were like, I don't know, they were maybe three and a half plays from going nine and three.

We were really excited about ASU for a moment in time this season.

Sure, they beat Oregon, fully healthy Oregon. They beat Washington, they beat Utah, Arizona the territorial. If you had told me before the season, Arizona State is beating Oregon, Washington.

Utah, Arizona.

That feels like such a successful year. And I get the Todd Graham things.

Is such a bad pick. I love it. It's tantalizing. Tie wow.

I mean that's also the Costanza thing right where yeah, he couldn't help but be in love with a woman who hated his guts.

All Right, I'm gonna go n C State here, But I love the cut of your jib on this one, Dan.

I really do. I'm going Arizona left. They got a lame du coach. They're burning out of control out there in Tempe, but you're gonna go with them anyway.

I'm going with them anyway it may. It makes so little sense.

I have to It's one the kind of thing that only happens in bowl season. Is what's our gift situation? By the way, before we move on to the next bowl game.

Ah, there is a gift suite. There is Timely Watch Company. I love this sort of very cold war between Timely and Fossil. Yeah, so you get a Timely Watch Company watch, Majestic pro Base, fleece, pullover, pro Base Ogio, Politian Polyton backpack, under armour cap and a coin and just go eat Mexican food and nel passo Lovely Town.

All right, let's move on.

Let's go to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, competing only at the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl for most syllables in a bowl game. They play this one in Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Also on December twenty ninth, this one at four thirty pm Eastern time on ESPN. We got the Northwestern Wildcats, we got the Kentucky Wildcats, we got the Wildcat Bowl Dan. Yeah,

I've been a big fan of the quiet.

Storm motto for their nine and three season, and I realized they won their last seven games. They beat Iowa, they beat Michigan State. By all accounts, it was a pretty good year. Yeah, there's something about Northwestern that I can't buy into. Hook line and sinker. I'm definitely going Kentucky plus the seven and a half. I think I'm gonna go the Kentucky Wildcats outright to the tune of

Have fun with that defense, have fun rooting for that which was a disaster the second half a year, giving up about forty points a game. Yeah, Kentucky beats Southern Miss, they beat missoo early on. They lose to Florida, which not a good year to lose to Florida. This is not anything that you can be okay with. They lose three of Florida and the season. The offense pretty decent. You mentioned Benny Snell. They were fishing enough with Stephen

That is just what I'm told will happen. What's our gift situation here?

Our gift situation in the what are we talking? Music City, Bawl music City? Gift Sweet, gift Sweet, and we're back to fossil Ooh, coming at you timely and finally longer marathon show this evening talking all things recruiting and bowls and bowl recaps and Fossil watches the Cold War between fossil and timely mm hmmm always On December the twenty ninth, at five point thirty CBS Sports Network, the.

Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl. They play this one in Tucson at Arizona Stadium. Utah State and New Mexico State. New Mexico State is a four point dog here, but I'm going with them?

Is this something like their first bowl game? Yeah? Did I read that correctly? They got bowl eligible the.

Last game of the year against I want to say South Alabama to get to six and six. They have not been to a bowl game in at least the modern era. I don't believe.

So hell yeah, New Mexico.

Let's go to New Mexico State here, sixteen confidence points, dan.

Isn't this also an Aggie Bowl? Isn't Utah State also the Aggies? We've got a double aggie situation. Yeah, double ag um. Yeah. New Mexico State's okay. This is the most okay bowl matchup.

You know.

Utah States defense pretty good, offense isn't great? Everything's sort of okay. They didn't have a really good win.

They lose to a pretty down air force this year. Tyler Rodgers had a nice year for New Mexico State. Uh, you know, decent enough offense for those Aggies. Jillian Scott was a good receiver. Their past defense was rough New Mexico States. I'm I'm gonna go to Mexico State. I'm gonna go with what feels right in my heart.

What is our gift situation here? To close it out?

Our gift situation at the WHO Nova Home loans Dan, Yes, Nova Home loans. They're giving away a gift suite, a watch unclear what brand?

Unclear? Uh, an Ogo backpack, and a beanie.

I do not have a Tucson food recommendation, but I assume there's good Mexican food there there. You have not too far from Nogalls, Mexico.

WHO ten Bowl games, seven recaps, a bunch of recruiting news.

Can I ask you one question before we go? Sure?

Just because it's been a long marathon show that has covered so many different aspects of college football between recaps, previews, recruiting coaching news, whatever.

Yeah, can you very quickly.

Explain to me the New York Times story about aliens. Oh my god, Dan, just because let's I want to I want to do this right. People might be listening and weird places.

You know.

Maybe they're from a city and going out somewhere rural to see family, or they're from somewhere rural and the ConA was explain to me what everybody should know about this?

Did you not read the story?

I only started reading it and I pocketed it, and I wanted I wanted to be surprised by your explanation.

I am all in on the alien story from the New York What is going on? Apparently, not to get too deep in the political weeds, but apparently there has been this covert investigative operation.

To study UFOs, to study UFOs.

This is from the Pentagon. This is who it's through that department.

It's from an official US government outfit of some sort. They're studying UFOs. There was a video posted, a video submitted through the New York Times from back in two thousand and four. I think it was a Navy pilot spotted what amounts to a UFO off the San Diego coast.

What could it be? What is the prevailing theory of smart people? I don't know.

I'm a smart person, and I'm going to contend that it was some sort of UFO.

We are not alone. I'm very excited.

I saw the video and it was like a weird like it was just going in a line against the wind, right right right, It was against the wind, and it was started doing like rotating forward.

You only get part of the story if you read the New York Times piece. What you really need to do is go on Reddit.

You need to go on Reddit.

You need to go on the UFO threads, you need to go on the physics threads. I've been there for the last couple of days, and I'm telling you, Dan, this is a thing.

Man.

That was the Texas Tech Cal Holiday Bowl that year. That was the game that Cal ended up in because Mac Brown was campaigning against Cal.

It was an Aaron Rodgers game. Yeah. Interesting? Interesting? And has Mac Brown ever said anything about no a UFO off the coast of San Diego?

Never?

Interesting? Very interesting. This is a big deal for me this week. You know this. You know, I'm into space and I wanted was it a Mike Leach game?

It was Michae Leach could have been flying that thing for all we know. Oh my god, it all is starting to add up. TI. Thank you to everyone for bearing with us through at a minimum eighty minutes of college football content. Talked recruiting, talked bowl recaps, talked Lane Kiffin's ten year contract, talked about the Cold War between Timely and Fossil, and most importantly, we preview ten Bowl games. Dan, Oh yeah, oh my god, Ty, do you know who the MVP of that game was?

Who? Sonny Comby?

What?

Sonny Comby?

Current TCU offensive coordinator on the very same episode in which you have said that you are breaking up with TCU. Also was the starting quarterback for Texas Tech. And the the truth is out there, Dan, that's so weird.

It's so weird.

We will talk more about this, okay in the postseason. So we're going to do at least one other show recapping Bowl games, previewing the big ones that lie ahead, and then as we get into twenty eighteen, will not only recap the playoffs, but we're going to put together a big preview show talking about what you can all expect on January eighth for the National Championship. Again, we're going to be in Atlanta. We're going to be doing

And also you might want to pay.

Attention to your social feeds for some other stuff that we might have cooking up in the lab right or I'm excited, I'm pumped for that guy over there, my good friend Dan Rubinstein, and beautiful southern California for myself, Tie Hildebrand over here in blustery, in wintery and soon to be perhaps white Christmas, e eastern Pennsylvania. Thanks again for tuning in. Have a happy holidays wherever you might be. We'll catch you all on the flip side in the meantime, stay soft taste