Welcome to the solid verbal hell that for me, I'm a man. I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy. You want to be happy for day Edith State is that Woo whoo?
And them and Tye welcome back to the solid Rebo boys and girls. My name is ty Hildebrandt, joining me as always your Notre Dame hater in chief Dan Rubenstein, Sir, how are you?
I honestly didn't think I said anything, and I know that. My only regret about what I said about, you know, the the nullified November win over Clemson, now that Notre Dame got wiped off the field in the conference championship game, Dame, I think nover Dame. Brian Pumpkins spice Brian right. The only regret I have about what I said was just personally, I felt like I was dunking on you a little bit. I don't care I'm about that. I know you're about
you were dugging on yourself. That was one of the worst arguments you've ever made. Wait, one of the worst arguments I've ever made.
The whole thing about invalidating the earlier win that was That was one of the more Asini comments you've ever made.
You buyd a commemorative issue of whatever magazine celebrating the Notre Dame win over Clemson. Now it's just as meaningful. No, I didn't say it was just as meaningful.
It definitely takes This was my whole point. No, you said it nullified. It said it nullified it. That's what I have it on tape. I listened back, I edited it, I cleaned it.
Yeah, so did I. But I mean, we can get into this later, because we should introduce what we have a new co host, Danny Cannell stopping by a canal. Shout out Ship Patterson, shoutout Barnes Simmons, shout out Tom Fornellie. My argument was, if you're gonna like, okay, here is why Notre Dame is still a playoff team. They beat Clemson just like what, but not meaningfully anymore. You can
talk about North Carolina. I suppose you can talk about, you know, starting slow against Syracuse and then pouring it on, talk about other teams in the ACC, but I don't know about you know, is Clemson that same feather ty?
Listen, let's get into this. Let's get into this later. People don't want to hear us argue at the very top of the show.
You know, if Notre Dame fans are upset about something, then a vast majority of people are pretty cool with thes.
Oh they're fine with it, And I'm Fuinnie to dunk on me. I don't care, Mama. H By the way, I think I told you.
This that I regret that too.
Great lady thought that there may be legit tension between you and I because of the Notre Dame conversation. I'm like, Mom, We've been doing this since two thousand and eight. We've talked about a lot of stuff between then and now. I don't think a little conversation about Notre Dame's twenty four point loss to Clemson is really going to bring the whole ship down.
But no, Also, Notre Dame fans are used to this happening in December January. This is nothing. This is you guys are season veterans. Okay, Okay, we'll get into this. We'll get into this. We'll get into this. So here is the deal. One and all. We are the solid verbol.
We're going to continue putting out multiple shows per week, all throughout Bowl season, all throughout the off season, for what it's worth, We're still drawing up what our plans look like. This is for the vast majority of you, the last show you will hear of hours before Christmas.
So Merry Christmas if.
You celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays wherever you may be, wherever this podcast finds you. Thank you so much for your support this holiday season. Celebrabotgmail dot com as always is where you can email in your thoughts, of which I know there are many. We also do have our Patreon which is going strong out there at verbowlers dot com. The Winter Wonders game is starting to ratchet up. We had our first interesting prop bet of the Bowl season
last evening. We're recording this on a Tuesday as app State one big over North Texas. But we had that little side prop. How many times are the announcers going to bring up the famous app State win over Michigan?
And what was the number?
Set that line at one and a half, There was exactly one mention, one mention in passing and of course they're still talking about the big win over Michigan and that was it.
Yeah, Well I was banking if you were going to go on the over one and a half. They're banking on a mension and a clip later on, like we mentioned, of course two thousand and seven app State over Michigan. Who could forget this moment? That's what I was banking on. But listen, congrats to everybody what the under, everyone who had the under.
So what we're going to do today is we've got a bunch of coaching news, a bunch of news news that we're going to get into at the very top, and then we're going to go through all the Bowl games and talk through some of the Bowl swag as we do often on this show, as we do every year on this show. We can't put together kind of a normal Bowl preview because just the timeline doesn't work out. We're going to do our best to rifle through as many games as possible and just off the top of
our heads, give some instant feedback, instant reactions. Some of you out there, many of you out there are playing our confidence pool at ESPN dot com. I know obviously a great number of our Patreon subscribers are playing the Winter Wonders games. So I've got point spreads here for a bunch of these games, going to talk through as we often do ball season, just maybe not in as.
Much detail as you might be accustomed for yourself. Tie, Okay, I know, No, I don't know. I don't know anything. I am And we had do we have the swaglists? I have the swag list? Yes, I have the swag list. So why don't we start with news? You ready nuts were roasting on an open fun I can't wait for you to see what I got you for Christmas? Didn't I already get you? So I got you something for your birthday. I'm not going birthday and Christmas. No, no, no, no,
don't do that. But if I did, it would have been a key fourth down conversion. Tye, just for you, thank you, thank you for you.
Auburn, who is gonna be Auburn's coach? They've been turned down now by Billy Napier, Bill Clark. Kevin Steele appears to be out as well, because some scuttle butt that Auburn might be trying to control the staff Brent Vnables was rumored as of this morning, and then quickly unrumored as it was announced that he is staying push at Clemson. The joke that we've got going sidebar between you and I is at Auburn has put itself in a situation now where they're going to have to vastly overpay for
somebody's It seems like it's going to that place. That may be fine depending on who that name is, but they're going to Jimbo Fisher territory, not literal Jimbo Fisher, but Jimbo Fisher contract territory pretty quickly.
Russ Dalson new head coach Auburn University. Yeah, no, it's the Texas A and M thing was a lot more fluid than this. There were, of course, the rumors are not more fluid, a lot smoother sailing in terms of finding their head coach. There were rumors that Jimbo was unhappy and the text same one was interested, and then it just worked out. Text A and M paid him a whole bunch of money and he showed up in boots and pet horses and everything kind of worked out.
Hunky Dory a little rough early on, but you know, on the precipice of a playoff Berth this year we will see less.
So, yeah, who are what are what are some of the names that are still out there? Dan and what are some of the names that we would find most amusing given circumstances.
At this point, like all of the names that sort of made sense. Bill Clark at UAB in State and certainly what he's done with a much smaller program and the continued success they've had in Birmingham. Billy Napier and
what he's done in Louisiana. You know, there was I think it's a more of a faction thing that they're just they're not all in lockstep behind a strategy and a candidate and a type of candidate because you know, is it an internal guy and Kevin Steele, is it, you know, a bigger school guy like Brent Venables at
d C or Mario Christobal head coach at Oregon. Like it just seems they're sort of all over the place and exactly what they're looking for, which is fine, but I don't know, it changes by the day that their steam around. One guy like yesterday I think was Billy Napier, This morning was Brent Venables, who apparently spoke to them. On Monday, there was Tony Elliott conversation. Uh, you know, throughout what the Sark is out, Apparently Sark is hanging
around Tuscaloosa. I just I don't know. I think I think we're at the point where it's just going to be like, yep, Jeff Brahm is the new opern head coach.
Ah Man, all right, well we'll keep you up the speed on that one. Some of the other coaching scuttle But out there Arizona supposedly down to Jedfish, the quarterback coach for the Patriots. Yeah, was that Michigan UCLA, Yeah, Yeah, he's been around. And Brett Brennan from San Jose State ken Nia Matalolo is apparently out of the running. He was mentioned as a possibility there.
I think he spoke to them, but it appeared that there were reports that they were down to Fish and Brennan. Yeah.
We didn't mention Fish in some of the I guess earlier reporting that we had done or had reported on when this announcement first came down, But Brett Brennan was a name that immediately surfaced given what he's done at San Jose State.
See which direction they go.
In coordinator news LSU has fired both Bo Polini and Scott Linehan defense and.
Offense Passing game coordinator.
Yeah, passing game coordinator sure, And on the flip side of that, I guess Texas Tech making a pretty big move hiring Sonny Comby away from TCU to be their new offensive coordinator. You may recall at the start of the year Gary Patterson brought Sonny Comby back, now Senny Comby going down to Lubbick.
Also Steve Nsbinger retiring the offensive coordinator who helped with Joe Brady to develop that record breaking offense and certainly could not replicate it this year with a whole bunch of injuries and opt outs and a different situation in Baton Rouge. But hopefully Texas Tech can get their offense to a healthier place than where it was this year with David Yost. And you know, they've had quarterback injuries. There are reasons for things rolling out the way that
they did. But hopefully, yeah, hopefully there's some more offense down there in Lubbock. Just regular news news, Tie, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee all with COVID issues and pulling out of bowl games. Army is replacing Tennessee in the Liberty Bowl. South Carolina no longer playing in your favorite bowl, the Gasparilla Bowl. Yeah, and I guess it's TBD at the time of our recording, Iowa's Bowl plans in the Music City Bowl against Miszoo. A lot of black and yellow
in that game. Tie. I know it's cold, but black and yellow. Dan Mullen was hit with the show cause, which is a very confusing phraseology considering he has a job, and show causes generally associated with coaches who aren't working, and they shouldn't work unless they can prove that it
wasn't their fault. There NCAA issues. But yeah, he has prohibited Dan Mullen, head coach Florida off campus recruiting during the fall twenty twenty evaluation period and a four day off campus recruiting band during the fall twenty twenty one
contact period. It's regarding him talking to a recruit on a high school campus, and I guess there was proof that they had scheduled the talk, so it wasn't just you know, the bump in rule that sometimes coaches can get away with breaking rules and claiming a bunch of transfer portal activity here, Ty, I don't know if any of these names stood out to you. If you want to go through them, go for it, Okay, Well, Jarrick Garontano, of course at Tennessee that was pretty recent. He is
entering the portal. Jacob Sermon, who was a blue chip quarterback at Washington. He of course lost out the starting gig to Dylan Morris. He's moving on to Central Michigan, which I think is a pretty impressive move, right. Jim Mcowain has done pretty well with quarterbacks. Patrick O'Brien at Colorado State, Cassim Hill from Maryland to Tennessee, now to Rhode Island. Garrett Schrader, who was promising as a freshman, he goes to Western New York to the Carrier Dome Syracuse.
Tanner Mordecai at Oklahoma, Quincy Patterson Virginia Tech to North Dakota State. Wow, former blue chip quarterback. Nice, nice little get. I mean, I guess North Dakota State just keeps on winning games, and you know, Trey Lance probably get drafted Ye Bison. Anthony Russo Temple Grand Gunnell, former high regarded quarterback and started Arizona moves on with Kevin someone getting fired, Uh, your boy King kne Rocky Lombardi, a bunch of guys.
Penn State has John Lovett, the Baylor running back. Yeah, so they were hit pretty hard with injuries and of course Journey Brown's health situation, so they're building that room. Back up a couple of big NFL declarations. Nick Bolton, who you love going into the season and backed it all up from a zoo at linebacker, and Miami's bookends of Quincy Roche and Jalen Phillips have decided to opt out of the cheese At Bowl, opting out of glory tie opting out of cheese At Bowl glory to prepare
for the NFL Draft. I think those are all like the personnel situations that jumped out both coaches and player wise. But we have a whole list of bowl games that we mentioned. Do we mention the Arizona Bowl thing in San Jose State? Oh, that's right, that's the other situation.
That's the other situation. So right now there remains a little bit of uncertainty whether San Jose State, the real Spartans as we've refer to them, or the show are even going to be able to board a plane to get to the Arizona Bowl because it may violate county quarantine guidelines. That is, according to the Santa Clara County Executive Officer, doctor Jeff Smith. So, look, these are weird times. We got teams opting out, we got players opting out. San Jose State has been a great story for like
eighty five different reasons. I'm sure they've had eighty five different challenges, if not more, that they've had to deal with in this age of COVID. This just happens to be another one. It would be a shame if they weren't able to play in this Bowl game. However, if it violates rules of violates the rules. So I don't really have much else to add there. It's just something to keep your eye on. I know a lot of folks are out there trying to figure out, like.
Who do we pick, who do we like? What do we do about the Arizona BWL. I don't know.
We'll try to go through it as best we can and talk about gifts. But that's at least the state of play right now in Santa Clara County.
Do you hear the music? I do? Do you know what? That's the theme too? I'd be so impressed. And you know what, there's like a fourteen and a half percent chance, you know, come on time, No, nothing, I.
Can't hear it that well? Who framed Roger Rabbit? No, that's the theme to ourgo. Oh if there's a little bit of a officer, a little bit off, uh, threatening to block San Jose State from boarding a plane, I got to rewatch argo.
To me, it's an all time modern I guess not all time modern, but it's a great one of the modern era. I enjoyed Ourgo thoroughly. Should we go with bulls? Should we go with bulls?
Way?
Let's play this.
Let's make it a December to remember Dan here on the podcast. We've got a full bowl list. Don't know if we're going to go in order. I'm making this way more dramatic than.
It needs to be. Oh, I like it. Keep going.
Let me fade this out here. We've got a pretty good list. This is not going to go in chronological order. This is really just the order in which you threw them up here on the document.
And that's fine. Yeah, that's fine.
Let's start with the good Year Cotton Bowl because I think this is one of the more intriguing matchups. It's certainly a top ten matchup. We've got a couple of those that will discuss number six Oklahoma number seven Florida. Florida favored by three play this one in December the thirtieth. I don't have a readout here on the gifts. They would not disclose the gifts.
For reporting from the Sports Business Journal.
So good matchup striking is one that's going to mean more for Oklahoma than Florida. You know my deal when it comes to Bowls season? Which team is in it to win it more? Which team does this game mean more?
Too?
I think the answer here is Oklahoma because Florida had a crack at Alabama. They lost a good game. They lost. Kyle Pitts is opting out. He's already opted out, I guess, which shouldn't come as a huge surprise.
Right.
The over under seventy two and a half. So I think we're gonna see a lot of points one way or the other.
Yeah, I would say, I would say more than So then which team wants to be there more? Which team lost their best player? Well? Right, it's tough.
Yeah, I'm tempted to go Oklahoma here, and not because I think they're better than Florida on a neutral field during the regular season, But given circumstance, is I think Oklahoma has more to play for, a younger team coming together at a good time.
Florida's good. But I just don't see why they're motivated to play in this one. I don't know, you still get to play on national TV against a top ten team. I mean, I get why. In twenty twenty, you know, teams are less motivated and you know, opting out for NFL prep or opting out just to spend time with their family around New Year's and the holidays, whatever. But I think there's motivation here for Florida. They I mean, I don't think they went into the Alabama game thinking
that they were going to get into the playoff. You know that they were gonna beat Alabama. This is the reality that they live in. But you get to play Oklahoma, you get to play in what Jerry world? That's where this game is. Yep, Yep. I think there's excitement around there. It's a great matchup and it's Bob Stoopsy right, Florida Oklahoma, Florida Oklahoma. Sure, Yeah, it's a great matchup. It really is, and one of the few here that I'm genuinely excited to see.
Beau. I think it's gonna be a lot of points. I think it's gonna be a ton of fun. Don't expect a lot of defense. That's why the over under is seventy three seventy two and a half.
Excuse me, so good matchup.
I think I'm tempted to go Oklahoma plus the points and probably Oklahoma outright in my confidence pool.
Again, this is my thing.
It may not make sense to anybody else, but my thing is all about motivation and bowl season, and I think that's only going to be magnified this year, where we've got teams in various states of caring because of COVID. I'm just I'm gonna lean into it even harder this year. So give me Oklahoma, all right.
And if you're going to this game, you can eat really well because DFW has good food options. Go to the Chick fil A Peach Bowl.
Speaking of eating well, mm hm. I drove by a Chick fil A earlier today. I had to run the pop up to the vet.
Did you get anything? I thought about it, but there was a come. See. Here's the thing. Here is the problem about the Chick fil A that I frequent uh huh.
The problem is that they do not have an optimal drive through setup, and if you go at any point around lunch time, you are really risking an accident.
I'm not kidding. I've sat outside.
I've seen near misses there, okay, and especially now where people aren't going inside everyone's using the drive backing up.
Yeah.
So I'm not going to put myself or my pup, who was traumatized by a visit to the vet, into harm's way by doing that.
So I declined. So this is just a story to tell me you drove by a Chick fil A today? No, I took the dog to the vet, okay, and on the way back considered stopping a Chick fil A for lunch, but I didn't pull the trigger. So tell the people what you had for lunch in its place. I just had a salad here at home. It was boring. It wasn't as good I know. Okay, Cincinnati, Georgia, it sort of reeks of what U c F Auburn a little bit. Well, you have this yeah five team who has a great season.
I don't think people were fully expecting them to make the playoff, even though they went undefeated, but they have an opportunity to prove that they belong with the biggest of boys. Even though Georgia lost a couple games this year, but certainly with JT. Daniels, looks much improved offensively. And the game is what's in Atlanta, right, the peach bawl.
Yeah, for whatever is that worked for or against George, I don't know.
I don't know.
I was gonna say, for whatever it's worth, it's basically a home game for Georgia. Both teams are going to be motivated here. In my view, Like you said, George has played really well down the stretch, especially since JT. Daniels came in and kind of infused that offense with some energy. Meanwhile, since like this is their de facto national championship game, sure this is their de facto championship game.
The line is seven in favor of Georgia over under about fifty points, so Vegas expecting a relatively low scoring game. I do think George is a better team. I think they'll win, but seven's a lot here to me, seventh a lot. The only reason that I am hedging and not jumping in full speed on not just Cincinnati as a dog, but pretty much every dog given circumstances, is because the Georgia defense is really good and I don't
think Cincinnati's seen anything close to this Georgia defense. I'm not sure that their offense is going to be as productive going up against the Dogs.
I don't expect it. Well, what did Georgia's defense finish in the d analytics? Not really the analytics, but this is twenty fourth in points per drivel out minus garbage time, right there with Oregon. So what does that mean for you? Oh, I don't have a lean yet. I haven't really jumped into the specifics in this game, and I think there's gonna be opt outs between now in the time we
preview this game. But no, I'm excited to see how Cincinnati's defense is able to perhaps confuse and hound some really talented elements of the Georgia offense and vice versa. So yeah, I'm this one. I have circled as one of the more watchable games. And we've got a gift suite we do have.
We have a report here on their official gifts for the participants.
Gift suite three hundred and ninety dollars MasterCard, gift card, Okay, fossil watch and a commemorative football Now without fully knowing what's available in the gift suite and how many points each option is worth, I can tell you it's not creative, but you know, three hundred dollars, three hundred ninety dollars a MasterCard cash whatever, it's pretty good. Yeah, that's not bad.
It's versatile, right, it's versatile. There's a limit of you know, five six hundred bucks I believe in terms of what can be given to each player, and they filled it out with the gift card. Fine, it feels normal.
This next game here is one that pretty consistently has a really good gift situation.
Mm hmm.
And that's the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl this year. Of course they're gonna walk away with PlayStation fives, which you can't find anywhere right now. Pretty good, and you get it just for playing in the game. You also get a Lululemon Cruiser backpack, which had just looked up. I'm sure it's price.
Yeah it's like one hundred and.
No eighty nine, but one hundred bucks, yeah, whatever, it's a lot. It looks like, oh, it says, oh snap, we're all out, so maybe they gave them all the way to the bowl game.
Looks like a nice backpack. I'm looking like a nice backpack. Huge proponent of a good backpack. Love a good backpack. I used to do the messenger bag thing and it made no sense. One shoulder was sore. I was all off. Can wear a backpack even out that weight distribution.
We've got number twenty five Oregon, number ten, Iowa State, Iowa State. It's a four point favorite. I love Iowa State here. I love the Clones. And this is not some way to like seize on you after your comments. Again, whatever you want about Oregon will be cool, No, no thank you. I just organ's here in a technicality. You know that here in a technicality. They played well enough
to win against USC. It's still a good win. But you're pretty early on the bandwagon of saying that Oregon's not particularly good and this is a hell of a way to close out the season for Iowa State to win the Fiesta Bowl. So I just I think there's so much on the line for Matt Campbell here. It definitely means more to Iowa State than maybe almost anybody else in college football.
Matt Campbell always gets his troops fired up. So give me the Clones. They did notre Dame not play Iowa State last year in a bowl game they did, just circling each other for the solid verb bal both taking on Iowa State within almost a calendar year ish. Correct, Pretty good? Yeah, Well, we have a duo of quarterbacks in Arizona and Brock Party and Tyler Shuck. If Tyler Shuck starts this game, I imagine you saw Anthony Brown got some snaps against USC. Oregon. Iowa State no history
of playing football. I looked it up. I don't believe they've ever played, at least not anywhere, you know, in the last like eighty years or something like that. They were going to play basketball this year, But in terms of like major athletics, as far as I could tell in very brief research, Oregon and Iowa State have not cross paths. Yeah, one of the more intriguing games to see what you know Breise Hall and that Iowa State offense can do against an improved Oregon defense that really
did a great job against USC. But on the other on the flip side of things, Tyler Shuck throwing into a confusing, fast, aggressive, successful Iowa State defense that's pretty scary. So it would be a fantastic win for Iowa State because Oregon's still pretty good and beating you know, one of the better programs in college football in the national stage. Would be would be great for the Clones. So this this one's a fun one. Are you getting a PS five? By the way, is that something that you've I want
to get one decided? Yeah, when I can, But I'm not. I'm not having much. Fuck, I'll wait till their more mass circulation before I you're just gonna get FIFA, Like, are you gonna get act other games? Are you just upping your feet?
Probably I'll probably geta I haven't gotten better at FIFA in a good five or six years. I don't know if the PlayStation five will make that any more attainable, but it's really the only game I play.
If, if, and when the NCAA series comes back, I'm all in. That's when I'll get a PS five. Yeah, I'm a I'm all in. Yeah, absolutely all right.
Capital One Orange Bowl Number five A and M a seven point favorite, squaring off against number thirteen North Carolina play this one in January second along with the Fiesta Bowl, I should add, which is played.
A little earlier in the day.
Teams are getting gift suite and a Torno watch. What is a Torno watch?
Let's see. I mean you can get pretty pricey with these. Wow.
Okay, thousand styles from nearly one hundred brands, offering the latest and largest certified pre owned watch collection. Okay, I have no idea what this is, but it looks like it's a fancy company and it's always good to get a watch.
These are nice watches, pre owned watches. I didn't even know that was a thing. Yeah, not a big watch guy myself. But do you wear a watch at all? No?
No, I have an Apple Watch. I wore that for a while, but I'm just at home now. No, I don't think too.
I don't think Torneau is a watch brand. Maybe I can be corrected by somebody who knows better. I think they're a watch retailer. Okay, so I'm sure it'll be like one hundred, one hundred and fifty two hundred dollars watch or something like that. It should be nice enough making a big Bowl game. I really like Carolina and
the points here. Why is that? First off, this is totally a game where the team was the ball last is going to win and seventy Yeah, both of these teams have sort of been playing down or a little bit up to their opponents in the back half of the schedule.
Yeah, this is a game that's destined to be a shootout. I do think a letdown effect would be totally reasonable for A and M. They wanted that playoff spot. They're not getting it obviously, playing in the Orange Bowl, which is a hell of a consolation prize against a good team, but it certainly does not have the same shine as playing in Alabama or a Clemson. And on the other side, look, I stand by the fact that Caroline is a really
good young team. They're flawed, but they've got a dynamite offense, and Mac Brown's going to have them up for this game.
So I think a lot of plays did last year against what the owls of Temple.
Yeah, I think I go plus the points here, sixty eight and a half.
I'm inclined to.
Go over as well in the Orange Bowl. The one caveat here, especially with the context of this show and our argument over the last show and a half, Caroline, that win over Carolina by Notre Dame definitely played into Notre Dame making it in over A and M.
So yeah, and Florida State, who did the same thing.
Yeah, if A and M comes down empties the clip to run it up and make a point, that's also a possibility. But I'm gonna go Carolina here because I think A and M's gettable through the air.
Yeah. A and M got off for their bowl game against a pretty good Oklahoma State team last year. Right, that was the Texas Bowl, I want to say, and so a pretty decent bowl history, Kellen Mond, if I remember correctly, ran pretty wild against Oklahoma State. So something to worry about if you're a North Carolina fans, certainly with some of the quarterbacks who have damaged that Tar Hill defense on the ground. As your precious then book did as well. I'm just looking forward to this game.
I'm curious to see how a very good A and M defense deals with and I know North Carolina has at least a couple opt outs at the moment, but an offense that's been sensational, so something I'm circling. And it's been it's been a minute since Texas A and M has been in a New Year's six caliber game, right, I think it was the Johnny Manzel So it's what twenty twelve season twenty thirteen bowl game. God was it the Cotton Bowl that year, which was only a pseudo
New Year six game? Then maybe I'm misremembering all of this against Oklahoma, But yeah, a nice bounce back year for TEXTA, A, and M after a rough twenty nineteen finishing in a New Year six game. Still good even with any sort of lingering animus over the playoff committee.
Got a couple games here on our sheet that are going to be over by the time people hear this podcast, including the.
We also had a whole game happened last night.
Yeah, we mentioned app State earlier. Yeah, have State winning big over North Texas, but we ran that hell all over them. The famous side Hope Tato Bowl between Two Lane and Nevada that takes place tonight. Again, we're recording this on Tuesday. Won't drop till Wednesday morning, as will the Boker a Tone Bowl, which between b YU and UCF, which is an interesting matchup.
I enjoyed Boise. I've been a couple times. I've enjoyed my time there. Yeah, Boca Ratone, I've also been to Boca and it's what you expect. It's a nice area of Florida, but this game. I'm excited for Ty, I'm excited for tonight. Is that what you said tonight? Yeah? So it's what Dylan Gabriel and you see f taking on BYU. Dylan Gabriel's father, Garrett Gabriel, beat BYU when the height of BYU football late eighties, early nineties. So we got Zach Wilson and Dylan Gabriel just bombing down
the field. Yeah, we'll see, we'll see celebrating with a gift suite appearance.
We don't want to invalidate this podcast by talking too much about a bowl game that's in the past now.
Right, So try to react as accurately as possible. Mere hours before kickoff the RNL.
Carriers in New Orleans Bowl. Yeah, Louisiana Attack George Southern. Southern is favored. This one's on Wednesday afternoon. No info on the gift suite you real here because this is a show about honesty.
Yeah, please, I pay. I went through everywhere.
I picked Louisiana Tech everywhere, every single spot.
You know why, I don't know.
I thought it said Louisiana. Hmmm, smart, I thought it said Louisiana La Tech. I think when five and four really shouldn't be in a bowl game. Really like not good to a.
Pretty big step back this year.
Yeah, one twelve in the sp plus and I think they lose this game going away.
So give me Southern.
Okay, let's stay down in the golf region. Montgomery Bowl. This one also being played on Wednesday. Memphis minus eight against the.
Owls of a.
You get a gift suite, a beanie, a backpack, and a big game autograph football Dan.
Okay, that's pretty good.
Fau FAU. We haven't talked a lot about FAU. Lank Kiffin left after last.
Season, went to Jim Levitt thoughts.
No, I don't have any deep burning thoughts here other than they're fine if they can play.
Defense and score twenty four points win. I don't think that's going to be the case against Memphis because.
The Tigers, despite the fact that they are not as dynamic on offense this year as they have been in years past.
They're still pretty good, still pretty good.
They're still an above average team, and I think Fau's resume pales in comparison. I just don't think they're ready for a team like a Memphis.
I think Memphis wins this one pretty handily. Even though you decided against Chick fil A for lunch today, I've decided to I'm gonna give you a nugget here, ty, Okay. Number one red zone defense in the country, FAU leading the country and touchdown percentage allowed in the red zone twenty six percent, just ahead of Northwestern eight. It's a good defense. Yeah, it's good.
I don't know how much of this game I'll be watching though, New Mexico Bowl, this one on Christmas Eve. This one also being played in Frisco, Texas, which is a strange twist. We got Houston minus eleven against Hawaii our special prop in the Winter Wonders pick them challenge prop. That challenge, whatever you want to call it, is how many times are they going to reference or show that graphic that cites how many miles Hawaii has.
Traveled this set to play football? Those little dashes with like a plane graphic.
They have had that same animation in the stockpile for a good decade and a half. They all with the push pins on the map and the dots and the plane.
It's great. It's always a winner. Got that prop in there Christmas Eve? How are you spending Christmas Eve? Not sure, not sure yet. It's a weird year. Do you open gifts Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? What's your typically?
Typically in my family we would do it Christmas Eve. We do everything on Christmas Eve. But it's not a normal year.
So special dinner, a prime rib roast, a beyond prime rib rosyond. We haven't decided yet, Kate and I have not decided yet what we're what we're gonna do a couple days out. I know, I know. Do you normally make her a nice meal on Christmas Eve? Or she'd make you a nice meal some some combination. Normally we do the seven fishes up at mommy Ah's. Oh, that's right, that's right. You had mentioned that. Okay, but this year I'm sure as hell not cooking seven fishes for two people.
Mm hm and uh. I'm open to suggestions. That's til I'm ready to tie you ready, please, you're gonna make the seven fish tacos. You're gonna make seven fish tacos. Maybe you have three, she has four, maybe you each have two, and you save some of the seven fish tacos. It gets the job done, and it's not a ton of food, not too heavy, and the spirit is still there and it's Tacos, which is very own brand for you. If you can't trust somebody with the last name Rubinstein
for Christmas advice, that's right, what you're doing, right? Yeah? All right?
Uh No, they get a gift suite, nothing else listed for the New Mexico Bowl. Houston an eleven point favorite. I think Houston's demonstrably better. Do you have any burning thoughts in this game?
No, I've liked watching Chevon Cordero all year long. I hope he plays the Chamella Bowl.
Buffalo against Marshall to get a gift suite, a beanie, a backpack, and a big game autograph football.
Got any thoughts in this one? Uh? Yeah? The Buffalo offense has been quite fun. It's an offense versus defense game. Certainly Marshall didn't finish the season in any sort of meaningful way with their two losses on a bigger stage. But oh, I was burping right there, Ty. That's what you do when you get older, You just burp right through it. No, this is an attractive game to me, sort of a mid day what one thirty Central time, two thirty Eastern. Yeah, I'm probably gonna watch a good
chunk of this game. Gift sweed beanie backpack, big game autograph football.
On Christmas, on Christmas, Christmas. Yeah, I'm going Marshall. I'm going Marshall. Their defense is really good. I think Buffalo's season was a bit of a mirage. I do really I love Landslide pulled, but this is a really good example. If I ain't played, nobody to give me Marshall. Okay, Christmas four and a half point dog in this game. Okay, the Union Home mortgage gasp, berea bull Now this is gasp.
Yeah, this is confusing to me. For the long Marshall lost this game last year they did UCF. Yeah, for the.
Longest time, I thought Gaspot Priya was the sponsor of the Bowl and not that it was the name of the boll in like Chamella Bowl fashion.
Right, It's likely going to be canceled, by the way, because South Carolina can't play. Yeah, to be clear, to be clear, let's not waste too many words on Let's not spill too many too much ink.
As they say, it's supposed to be between uab u ab and South Carolina. South Carolina went too and eight and fired their coach this year.
Dan m hm.
So I'm not sure how I feel about them playing in a bowl. To begin with, I would be inclined to go uab by whatever lay the points. I might win it by three touchdowns if they play it. But again, if is doing a lot of heavy lifting there, it does not look like the Gasparea Bowl is going to happen.
No, that's too bad.
The fb C Mortgage Cure Bowl Coastal Carolina minus seven against Liberty. Play this one on Boxing Day day after Christmas. Earlier in the day, get a gift suite, a dry fit shirt, a canteen, and a Sasquatch party bag.
Can you look that up? Can you tell me what that is? Sasquatch party bag? What is a Sasquatch party bag? A skascotchy ba ba bah. It's a must have item that does it all ideal for summer outdoor sports, hiking, camping, rafting, water sports.
Uh.
I think it keeps stuff dry, okay, as far as I can tell, like a canvas bag of some kind.
Okay, Yeah, looks pretty good. This is a good matchup. This is a good matchup. It's a coastal Swan song. I saw their coach was talking at halftime or during the third quarter of the app State game of the bowl game because they played that one down at Coastal's home stadium. Mm hm, and he's excited about the matchup.
Yeah, I mean the Liberty canceled this matchup earlier on in the season, so I can understand the excit. It's good that they get to play it.
Far be it from me at this point to bet against the Shans seven points seven points here.
They got a lot to play for. Yeah, absolutely, And it's not like they're ending with a you know, a mid level ACC team or Big twelve team like there is. There's a certain amount of pride with Liberty being one of the absolute better you know. I mean they're independent but G five level schools. So yeah, I think there's they're gonna be up for this game to finish out that season undefeated and claim that national championship.
Two other games quickly on some of the twenty sixth the Serve Pro First Responder Bowl. You may recall this one from was it a year or two ago and it got canceled midway through or very early on.
Like the first Oh right, Boise Boston College Serve Pro First Responder Bowl between Louisiana and UTSA.
And at the same time it's the Lending Tree Bowl between Western Kentucky and Georgia State. The gift package here for both of these games is something that I want to discuss.
I'm ready.
So on the Serve Pro side, you get the gift suite, you get the football, you get the apparel item. You also get the Anchor phone charger.
Is that how you pronounce it? It's not anchor. I think it may be anchor, but anchor makes me sound more sum I love anchor, Like that was a penpal you had in Hamburg right when you were in fifth grade. New letter from Anchor.
Continue, how do you feel if you were a top flight recruit going a bowl game you get the phone charger.
I think that's a good gift. I mean it's a good gift for current dan it is a good gift. I mean everybody should have one of these. I think it's crucial. But you know, it doesn't really get you going, like a PS five does.
I just feel like, if you're going to a bowl game, if you get any use out of the free gifts that you get, that's a bonus.
And the phone charger. You're going to use.
You're gonna use a phone charger, So I don't think I'm disappointed with that does not have the heights of the Lending Tree Bowl, which I'm going to talk about here, But it's it's utility.
It's got utility. Yeah, absolutely, utility. Good gift, good gift to give receive if you're looking for a stocking stuffer. Not necessarily this brand, but I've got a couple of this brand. They seem good. On the flip side of this, Dan, I'm a Lending Tree Bowl. I want to talk about.
This topper thoughts gift suite Maui Jim sunglasses, a Nixon Watch, wireless earbuds, and a Hudson Coal Duffel bag.
I'm looking up Hudson Cole now, is that Kenneth Cole's brother. I don't know. Hudson Cole Duffel bag.
Maui Jim has played in the Bowl space before. We're familiar with his work. I don't know if I've seen a Nixon Watch wireless earbuds as well. They don't list the brand name here, but we know that wireless earbuds.
Have changed our lives.
Dan, absolutely the Duffel Bag feels like this could put this one over the top here and maybe be a very underrated bullswag package.
Good looking Duffel based in Brooklyn, about one hundred and fifty bucks, is what it says on their website.
Now, is it like an army Duffel bag like you take with you into battle or is it?
What? What does this look like? Describe it? You got to you got a long weekend trip to the Poconos tie Okay, you don't know what the weather's going to be, so you've got, you know, light outerwear and some some chinos, maybe a pair of sandals for lounging. You put it in one of these, You're good to go. Okay.
Two games on the twenty ninth, not a sponsor, not a spoer, Hudson as I walk you through an ideal, lovely weekend with a Duffel bag. Two games in the twenty ninth, the Valero Almo Bowl between Texas and Colorado and the Cheese It Bowl in all its pageantry, Miami against Oklahoma State. Texas favored by ten and a half. I did not see who's favored in the Miami Oklahoma State game. I'll pull that one up.
Some Big Twelve history here, Tye, between Texas and Colorado. You've got Colorado beating Texas the edge of mount in two thousand and one in the Big twelve Championship game after Colorado laid waste to Nebraska. Who's still somehow made
the national championship game the ultimate twist. I'm want to say it's a Chris Brown Chris Simms matchup from two thousand and one, and then in two thousand and five, the Vince youngyear, Texas ended up facing Colorado in the Big Twelve Championship game seventy to three, seventy to three, and as our resident being blown out in a conference championship game, tie, what do you think Colorado players were going through? They're losing seventy to three, five hundred and
fifteen dollars Amazon gift card. That's a lot. You could do a lot with Pacific. Yeah, do a lot of damage with that mini helmet team Panoramic photo. All right, that's very solid. Some puffy tacos here here's definitely not a sponsor. I hope this place is open. I'm checking right now. If you end up going to the Alamobile, which is normally let's see two Yeah, two m Smokehouse. It's a From everything I've heard from people who have been to everything I've watched, it looks like an amazing
barbecue place with a Mexican influence in San Antonio. That's where I would go if you're heading to San Antono.
Is is Texas motivated for this game?
Oh? Texas care Their head coach needed a vote of confidence. Colorado might be okay, might be a little bit inflated record wise and bowl wise. Texas got up for this game last year against Utah their bowl game. Yeah, I'm gonna say so. Yeah, I seem to finish the year on a strong note.
I think I'm with you. Colorado's a really good story, really good story. Sure, sort of cant out of nowhere. Had coaching issues right with Mel Tucker leaving very early on or late, I guess in the process at the start of twenty twenty. You bring in Carl Durrell. No one knew what to expect, and there was a shot there for a little bit that they'd go undefeated in conference and they're limited conference slate.
So they're a good story.
Texas I think is a top twenty team and They're not without flaws, and we may argue both on and offline about whether or not we think sam Ellnger is good. But Texas is a top twenty team. I think they're motivated here.
Ten and a half. I will lay the ten and a half. I feel good about Texas in this game. Same. I mean, they've had opt outs, but yeah, I feel good about Texas. Why not on the cheese at bull side?
Oklahoma States favored by two over Miami favored by two.
Yeah, Miami just lost their star defensive ends, finished the season with a bit of a whimper. Oh hell yeah. I think it is going to be an ugie game. This is an ugly game. This is two teams that want the season to be over with. Miami as a program has a recent history of just evaporating right before a ball. Back it up, pack it in right. Yeah, they do have that history that worries me a little bit. But you know, different year, different squad, but still worrisome.
I'm going to Oklahoma State. Gimme give me Oaki State. That was Amazon gift card watch backpack. Pretty solid. Jees A Bowl.
December thirtieth, Duke's Mayo Bowl between Wisconsin and Wake Forest, and then we've got the trans perfect Music City Bowl between Iowa and the Zoo. At least as of now, we don't know what's going to happen with maybe with Iowa, but let's start with the Mayo Bowl.
Duke's Mayo Bowl. Yeah, Wisconsin a six and a half point favorite. That can't be all right, six and a half.
I guess you're giving me six and a half points and Wake Forest. I think Wake will be fired up for that game. I don't know where Wisconsin's at. They've kind of been a mess the last few weeks. I'm going Wake plus whatever.
I don't care. I don't have strong thoughts. I'm not going to pretend to.
Music City Bowl. We can talk about this one. I guess for now, Iowa's a fourteen point favorite. And my only comment here would be that Iowa has been among the most predictable and reliable teams down the stretch. So I like Miszoo, I like the story. I think they've certainly played well in year one under Eli Drinkwitz. But Iowa's been steady Eddie. So I go Iowa here?
Yeah, I just hope it happens.
Oh, all right, how do we say this company Mercary mrcary, I believe. So it says make a little money on their website, sell from home, make a little money.
So I don't. Is this like a Rakhuton? What is this? What? I think so poshmark type of thing where you can sell stuff. I think I've seen commercials for this company. Yeah, it's I think it's something like that. Yeah, that's what it appears to be.
The Mercari Texas Bowl between Arkansas and TCU. Okay, they played a few years ago.
They had a home and home. They did run. They did the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
Get in the zone with now Army and West Virginia Army getting into a bowl game, and the Arizona Bowl, which again in a little bit of question given what's going on with San Jose State, but they're set to square off against Ball.
State, which would be a really fun matchup two teams.
That won their conferences. Yeah, if it happens.
Yeah, Liberty Bowl. I'm glad Army got into a bowl game, even though it was at the expense of not the expense of but it was you know, it happened because of Tennessee's issues. But nine and two Army was in bowl limbo and so good that they got to that they get to play a team like West Virginia. Bass Pro shops gift card. Okay, they sell a lot of things. Anybody can find something at basketball shops. Phillip soundbar, bluetooth speaker for me, I can find youth for that, Nike shoes,
sports sandals, sunglasses, and backpack and a commembative football. Maybe it's some Memphis barbecue in the process. That's good. Getting the zone, baby, yeah, in the zone. And then the Arizona Bowl is a worst of all, a good game, but also bb tech bluetooth waterproof speaker and wireless earbuds. Okay, Little Lemon new Crew backpack. It feels like a premium backpack experience. That's good. And a Hudson cole not Duffel bag, but stainless steel cooozy set all right. I don't know
if I've ever seen a stainless steel coozy. I used to like the coozies made a fix that like a vacuum sealed coozie type of stainless Oh, that could be stainless steal couzy. I think you put in I actually have seen these. I think you put in your bottle of beer into Yeah, I have one that minute that keeps it cold. Okay, yeah, okay, I take it back. I have seen these.
Uh okay, no burning thoughts for me, but I'll go Arkansas, West Virginia and San Jose State.
Mm. Same same.
Also on New Year's Eve, Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Tulsa minus two and a half against Mississippi State. They get a gift suite in an Encore phone charger, a football, and an apparel item weirdly looking like a defensive struggle here looking like a defensive struggle. Yeah, but I'll go Mississippi State.
Why not? I think I just saw Mike Leech called twenty twenty joyless joyless heading into the bowl season. But that might be the most accurate thing he's ever seen. So yeah, defensive struggle was at least something, And it feels like one of those games that gets very strange for whatever reason. That brings us to New Year's Day.
We've got the Outback Bowl between Indiana and Ole, miss No details available on the gift suite. The VRBO Citrus Bowl between Northwestern and Auburn. They get a gift suite of four hundred dollars Amazon gift card to watch in a backpack. And then we got the two playoff games, which maybe we can close out the show talking about. I'll also mention that on January second, we've got the
tax Slayer Gator Bowl between NC State and Kentucky. Kentucky favored by two and a half, they get a gift suite JBL noise canceling headphones and a Bluetooth speaker inside of a customized box. Hell yeah, Mawi Jim getting in on the action with some sun glasses.
The Fossil Watch.
Fossil not as active this bull circuit correct, but getting in in a big way here in the tax Layer Gator Bull.
I'd love to get this gift situation here if I'm a if I'm a wolf pack member or wildcat and a backpack. So any thoughts on any of those games? It's three games, Uh, Kentucky's Kentucky struggled. I think I like nc stayed a little bit here, finishing their season with a bang Indiana riding. Even though the firepower on offense got a lot of the attention, that defense was
very much improved this year with Caane God. They loose their their defensive coordinator to South Alabama the who Jaguars head coach Kane Womack, So I think he's sticking with Indiana for now. Indiana, certainly, I saw some administration members putting out a statement about how disappointed they are that they didn't make a New Year six game, but all the same should be entertaining Indiana Ole miss Tom Allen Lane Kiffin great cool. I think that those are all
my thoughts on the Outback Bowl and then Northwestern Auburn January. First, I can't imagine Auburn wants any part of this football game, so I assume who's the interim? Is it Kevin Steele? I believe it is. That didn't go well last time he coached a team I know, But could he Bill Stewart this thing? Does he run a Bill Stewart this thing? So these two teams met in the twenty I believe twenty ten Outback Bowl. We're talking Cody Burns, Mikey Kofka,
and a tight Auburn win. Same kicker who kicked the game winner against Oregon the following year kick game winner in this game. So there is history. And I also feel like either Northwestern or Iowa plays Auburn or something every random as every single year again this season. Yeah so cool? Uh yeah, it seems like a good enough
you know, four hundred bucks Amazon. You can find some things there watching backpack, right, I go Northwestern, I go NC State, and I'm going Old Miss. I'm going I'm on Indiana, l e O Northwestern and the i C State once again.
Then that brings us to our two playoff games before we close it out. Got the Rose Bowl game played in Arlington. This features a gift suite, fossil watch, Augio backpack, new era nine to fifty snap back adjustable hat. Of course, it's Notre Dame and Alabama. And then we get the All Stage Sugar Bowl later on in the evening, Ohio State Clemson in the Superdome. It is gift suite, a new era hat, a Diesel watch, and a mini helmet. Have you given any early thoughts to either of these games?
I know you hate Notre Dame most people. To me, most people hate Notre Dame.
It's fine. What about Ohio State Clemson? I think I like Clemson a lot. Yeah, I think I do. And I'm hopeful that Ohio State roster wise isn't a lot better place than they were against Michigan State and Northwestern. And I know they changed up the rules a little bit. They changed twenty one to seventeen days. So it sounds like Ohio State's going to have a number of guys back. So that's good. We all want full strength for all
of these games if possible, especially these bigger games. But I think I like Clemson, you know, comfortably more than Ohio State right now. Ohio State's taking a pretty big step back on defense this year. Clemson's kind of built to take advantage. They seem to be peaking the right time. I don't know. I think I just like the Tigers.
Here. I am waiting personally for the line to come down from seven and a half to seven and then I'm going to put everything in my betting account on Clemson.
The hook.
The hook scares me a little bit here, yeah, I know a little bit. But beyond that, I really like Clemson. And maybe there's maybe there's some recency bias here with what Clemson did to Notre Dame and frankly, what Ohio State didn't do against Northwestern.
Mm hmm, I gain they were down forty seven players or whatever it was. I understand that.
Yeah, So I want to try to not steer too too much into how I'm feeling there.
But I just I think Clemson's a much better team much the word much, we say much better. Like I don't know, it's justin field. Still, where's the scarlet and gray? Right? He does wear the scarlet and gray? The running backs went for three hundred against a good defense. It's a very good Ohio State team. Don't get me wrong. I just think Clemson's better. I think Clemson's much better. So
I'm inclined to go Clemson. Here, Rose Bowl, hose Ball, Texas Gift Suite, Fossil watch as your backpack yep, new era nine to fifty snapback adjustable hat seems good. Bama favored by nineteen and a half. So it's coming down. You told me twenty and a half on Sunday.
It opened around seventeen, when up to twenty and a half came down to nineteen and a half.
Money's pouring in, Irish money pouring in. Where would you bet in this game? And don't give me the like I always bet against Notre Dame, I would bet Alabama. Okay, if I were betting because.
I don't have much confidence that Notre Dame is going to be able to go toe to toe and score with Alabama, because that's the thing. So often when we've talked about Bama, it's been in the context of who's going to score on that defense.
I think you can score on the defense. This year.
Florida just showed that you can score on this defense. Ole Miss showed you could score on this defense. It's not impenetrable. I'm we're inclined to go minus the number because of the Bama offense, then I would be in previous years because of the defense. I just I don't see Notre Dame scoring with the Crimson Tide. That's why I delay the number here.
Notre Dame after the Clemson game is seventy ninth nationally in terms of explosive pass plays allowed. No, I mean offense.
Yeah, and that's what the whole thing's predicated on, isn't it. Yeah, that long pass so that that's worrisome. That's worrisome, and I don't I don't know if Notre Dame's got the personnel to guard against it. My point all along has been that I don't think anybody's got the personnel to guard against it.
Nobody. That's why you've got to win a game fifty two to whatever, forty six against Florida.
If you want to beat a team like a Clemson or in Alabama, I don't think Notre Dame's got it in them.
Now.
That being said, they want an over time game earlier this year, which you conveniently forget about. It's so important tie forty seven, we must, we must put weight on that game over the number two team in the country now, the current team in the country. Yeah, so we did have to go to extra football in order to get to forty seven points. But I just I don't see it happening here. I don't see Notre Dame going into a shootout and beating Alabama.
If if I gave you an over under, I don't know what the number is. I'm sure there is somewhere you can find this Notre Dame's total point total in this game. Yep. If I said twenty two and a half, where are you going, I'd probably go over Okay. Yeah, so you think maybe something like in a forty nine to twenty eight kind of fashion, something like that, Okay, I worry about a game like we just saw. I worry about.
A really quick start for Alabama and the rest of it is just kind of on cruise control. And look, we've seen a bunch of games like that now in the playoff, seen a bunch of games like that in the short history of the playoff where these semi finals are blowout and.
I worry about that.
Look, could we could spin our yarns about Notre Dame and where they're at in the pecking order, what the loss to Clemson means within the context of this season and the broader context of the Brian Kelly era. They're just a really good team to me, let me, let me say and that's fine, but let me say this. Let me bring this thing full circle. Fall circle, baby,
it is. It is very rare that you get drilled in a conference championship game, or any big game for that matter, the way Notre Dame did, and you get a chance in the very next game to potentially redeem yourself when you zoom out and look.
At where Notre Dame's been in the Brian Kelly era.
The knock on Kelly that he hasn't been able to win the big one, right now, say what you want about the Clemson game earlier in the year, whether or not it's valid or not, they still did win that game. It was a big game at the time. It's still a nice win for Notre Dame. It got him in the playoff. If they get blown out in consecutive games to Clemson and Alabama, I'm real curious to see what the reaction is about the Notre Dame community.
I don't know.
I haven't found anybody in Notre Dame world that thinks that Notre Dame's winning this game against Alabama. But to get embarrassed potentially two games in a row against the top two teams in the country would be a really tough pill to swallow for Notre Dame fans, for Brian Kelly, it would definitely set things back a little bit just in terms of perception.
But there's also no expectation. As you mentioned, there's zero expectations, so there's it's hard to be disappointed if you're not expecting to hang with and or beat Alabama going in as a nearly three touchdown dog. I think in twenty twelve, I think by kickoff time, Notre Dame fans were like, look, we've got this defense, We've got Bob Diaco and his beautiful flowing hair and a Heisman finalist and Antiteo that was the year he was a finalist, right yep. We
keep winning games. We just wean it's not always pretty, but we keep winning. We have Mike Golick junior up front. He was on that team, right yep, yep. I think people that talk themselves into that defense keeping him in that game, and then Eddie Lacy pulled on an Alabama jersey.
But I think since then, I don't know. I think with every successive loss, I think Notre Dame fans are more realistic, as crazy as that might sound, because Notre Dame fans, like basically everybody else, can be unrealistic when the lights get bright. But I think Notre Dame fans going into this game, no, I had a really good year, and we know what the worst can look like, and we know that Alabama's better than the team probably or you know, has had a better season than the team
that just drilled us. So this is just me guessing, total guess. I could not be obviously further away from the Notre Dame community. I think they just want to They just want to show up, right, You just you want to you want to look pretty good. You want to not get embarrassed once again. I just think that another embarrassment would be so difficult to get over. So what do you go a to Urban Meyer. You think that's like the school? He'll say, s too. No, okay, so what do you mean.
I'm not proposing that a coaching change or anything like that should happen.
I'm just saying that.
I just think I don't care how realistic your fan base is. You get embarrassed two weeks in a row to the top two teams in the country. After the whole goal of this era, the slow drumbeat of Notre Dame football to continue to get better, has been to get into games like this and perform admirably. If they fall short again, they did it once earlier in the year. Say what you want about that game. They did do
it once. If they do it two times in a row now where they get embarrassed, that's that's just so difficult.
So what do you do do You just do nothing and hope that the kid from San Diego's good. I don't know, I don't know.
What you do I think it's part of where we're at with college football. It's a larger discussion about competitive balance and playoffs, and well.
You're hiring a new defensive coordinator, right.
Hiring a new defensive coordinator. Defense is not going a problem this year? Well it was last week.
It was last week.
But the problem last week was that they went up against Clemson at full strength, and the problem on January first is going to be going up against Alabama full strength. I'm not sure you can do anything that's been that's been part of what's driven the rest of college football crazy. Not much you can do when you're trying to compete against these guys.
So then my question is, I mean, this is probably a different answer for you and for the you know, there's no one unifying thought but to you, and what sense do you get of the Notre Dame fan base as a whole, even though it's not a homogeneous group. What's the measuring stick? Is the measuring stick North Carolina gotta be better at North Carolina? Or is the measuring stick Alabama Clemson? The measuring sticks Alabama Clemson?
Right, Okay, I don't think anyone comes away from a potential embarrassment against Alabama and says, well, it was Alabama, and I.
Know they gave it their best.
You know, I don't think, if anything, I think it stirs up a lot of the same emotion that we've seen throughout the entire Brian Kelly era. We hear even more about him not being able to win the Big One, even though they did beat Clemson, but this is obviously a bigger stage where it counts a little bit more. We would continue to hear that kind of stuff, and it's play Brian Kelly the entire time he's been there.
It would continue to play him even despite the fact that they had a really good season.
I mean, you're also asking Tommy Reese to outduel Brent Venables and Nick Saban a little bit of tough nice to a gunfight. Yeah, it is a tough ask. Nothing appreciable changes with Notre Dame if they lose thirty seven to three. I don't think so. Okay, No, I don't think so. All right, Hey, I hope it's a good game. I like good football games. I'm tired of blowouts. I know Chris Shower is watching his Instagram, He's tired of
plot Yeah, he's tired of stretching during games. I'm like, okay, got to talk about somebody's high school teammate here, got to talk about a pet situation.
Yeah, well, well, TV Bold season is fast approaching. We are going to have a show that drops on Christmas Day, so do stay tuned for that. I think we're going to talk a little dannalytics. Is that the plan?
Yeah? Absolutely, we are to improve teams, tams who regressed offenses. Defenses. Yeah, we'll talk about some context, talk some context on the show that's going to drop on Christmas Day.
But look again, wherever this podcast may find you, we hope you're safe, we hope you're well. We hope you're enjoying the holiday spirit. We do appreciate your download your support throughout the course of this season and throughout the course of the upcoming Bowl and off season.
We will be here.
Promise for that guy over there, my good friend Dan Rubinstein, for myself, Tie Hildebrand, thank you so much downloading, for listening, for supporting. We'll talk to you all soon. In the meantime, stay solid, peace,