Welcome to the solid Verbo.
I'm that for me.
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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 whoo time? Welcome back to the solid Rubber boys and girls. Captain Ty Hildebrand joining you alongside my first mate. This is so weird.
I'll roll into it.
Lieutenant Dan Rubinstein. Welcome aboard the two's cruise here where we talk more college football.
Oh.
I don't know why I got a little Baker Mayfield Hi and the register there, but welcome one, Welcome all. It is Tuesday morning, Dan and I are back with you once more to talk through what it all means. Really, yeah, we're getting existential with it. Let's say it now. You're good talking more college football, sir?
How are you? I'm great? I say we take our two's cruise cues from Marty Smith and commit to the dang bit tie, just fully commit to it. Fully commit. We've got three exercises, so what we like to do on the Tues Cruise. It's called the Tues Cruise one because it's on Tuesdays. I mean it's released on Tuesdays and we're cruising around the sport. We don't really have time to do that when we recap shows Sunday morning, when we preview shows middle of the late in the week, whatever.
So the early in the week cruise is how do we feel about this? Is this a thing? Is this situation done though? Is this player everything? Is this situation really gaining steam? We have a list of teams, players, situations that we're going to run through and figure out how we feel because again we just don't have time. So three exercises today coming up shortly here tie what do the people need to know before we do so?
Before we get into it? Solid Verbo at gmail dot com First and foremost is where you can email us and let us know where you'd like to go next on the Tuesdays.
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can do so out there. And if you want to check out our website, soliverbal dot com, you could find all of our old shows out there. And finally, Dan subscribe. Yeah, that'd be subscribe to the show. That's always very helpful. Sometimes we understand that there are times when you can't listen to show. Life gets in the way, and describing as such that you know it still helps. It still
helps when you hit a subscription for us. I was actually looking because you mentioned that it's soliverble dot reddit dot com. Yeah, I was watching the US Open and Serena Williams is married to Alexis Ohanian, who I think I met very briefly because he did work at a company I used to work at. But I was trying
to figure out what he was saying. I was trying to read his lips from sitting in Serena's friends and family box the US Open and from what I could tell, he kept mouthing to her soliverbal Yeah, yeah, that's what they did.
So it makes all sense.
Well, on today's show, we've got a bunch of exciting stuff the way we've kind of broken down this Tues cruise on this particular college football Tuesday discussion.
M hmm.
You remember those like old Maden mini games that you'd have, like you could build your player up by breaking up passes or throwing a ball through a hoop or kicking field.
You remember that. Yeah, of course you could practice your safe closing in on tackles by running through bowling pins. They had a bunch of different stuff.
We've got something similar planned for today. We've got three little mini games here. We've put these together. We've got one here labeled chapter one or a short story, another one labeled pumped the Brakes, and then of course an old favorite done or not done so to which it goes without any further introduction. But what is this one here that we're starting with mean chapter one or a short story?
So we've got five items here for notable teams that have a very specific issue that they've shown early on in the season. Now it is for us to decide was this a blip? Is this something that's going to be fixed? So it's just a little short story, a self contained situation that happened in week one, Week two, maybe week three, but by the time we get to October November long gone? Or is it chapter one in a long novella of novella a novella holy which is
also I believe, a short book. But is it a long Is it the first chapter in a story that has many chapters of a very specific issue? Okay, all right, we'll start here. Yeah, we were texting about this on Saturday. Penn State's rushing issues. They had trouble running the ball. They go down ten to seven at the half to Buffalo. Miles Sanders was pretty good last season two years, of course, and three years of course, you have Saquon Barkley just
excellent at Heisman caliber. But right now, early on, especially considering who they've played, Buffalo and I believe Idaho have not been killer on the ground. Do you think this is a short story done with or is it the first chapter on a season long struggle on the ground?
Well, look, you're right to ask it. We mentioned it on the Sunday Show you mentioned we were texting about it. The rushing game has not been all that impressive thus far. I'm not reading too deeply into it, not at this juncture. Anyway. Penn State's been blessed last couple seasons. They had Saquon Barkley. They had Miles Sanders, both of whom now are officially starting running backs in the NFL. So both really good.
Miles Sanders starting.
Miles Sanders got to start for the Eagles yet, oh great, cool, So it seems fair to give him a little bit of slack to figure it out now that both those guys are gone. Also, you were right to point out Penn State's played Idaho and Buffalo so far. I think Pitt's defense is going to offer a stiffer test than we saw in each of the last two weeks, so
I want to give myself the opportunity to reassess. Penn State also has Maryland at the end of September, which is really the probably the best time to reassess, given the way that Maryland's been playing for now, I am inclined to say short story, not part of a longer novella.
I'm going to say it's chapter one, and I know there's talent back there that you know, Ricky Slade and Journey Brown has been very good. But Pitt's run defense, Pitt's front has been fine. Maryland's pretty good, you know, not a huge, huge schedule for Maryland yet. Purdue has been okay, but Nevada just mostly throws the ball in that loss. Ioways very strong up front, Michigan's very strong up front, Michigan State strong upfront. Minnesota has been fine,
Ohio State looks improved, Indiana looks okay. I'm worried that this is a bad year to have a so so rushing attack. So I'm going to say there are going to be weeks, there are going to be losses that we can point to. An inability to control the ball on the ground for Penn State being a big chunk of it, because that seems so important with a completely inexperienced quarterback promising in Sean Clifford, but inexperience, I'm gona.
Say chapter one, I disagree. Let's move on, yep, let's move on. Let's stick on the offensive side of the ball. Yeah, and let's zoom out a little bit, not just rushing issues. Although rushing issues are a big deal, we've got here Auburn offensive issues.
Yeah.
So this has been a theme to some degree with the Auburn Tigers. It's part of the reason why Gus Melson is perpetually on the hot seat. Dan, is what we've seen from Auburn offensively chapter one or in this case, maybe like chapter eight, because it's not just been the first time we've seen it, right, or is it a short story and a blip on the radar.
I've got chapter one, I've got another Chapter one. I have Auburn having issues blocking inside, and I understand both of the defenses they've played have been strong upfront, but I'm not crazy about the fact that teams can stack the box against Bonick. So I think is pretty good and or will be pretty good. He's got to beat up receiving corps. I don't love this line. I'm gonna say Auburn's going to be fine this season, but they're gonna have offensive issues. Yeah.
Auburn is one hundred and tenth in yards per play through games against Oregon and Tulane, and their numbers actually got worse after Tulane.
Yeah, Tulane's front is legit like that. It's not anything to look at, you know, as a team that's below them defensively. But I think it's going to be with what they have in front of them. If they're winning big games, I think it's going to be because of the defense.
What worries me, or why I should say why I'm worried about this is first off seventieth last year in yards per play gained and seventy fourth in yards per carry. Yeah, we said all off season that they needed to figure that out. And then secondly, they can only lean so much on bo Nicks. He's a freshman quarterback. I think he's the real deal. I like him a lot, but eventually, like all freshmen, he's going to show a stripes. He's going to show some youth. And let me throw in
another qualifier if I could. The schedule gets late early at Auburn, it's all fun and games now and against can State this coming week, but after that we've got what A and M Mississippi State at Florida. This offense is going to have to prove itself in very short order. They need to get it worked worked out here and as you mentioned, beat up wide receiving corps. The running game has been a bitten flux freshman quarterback. There are reasons to worry. I'm with you, although I don't think
it is just chapter one. I think it's part of a recurring novella. I love that word, thank you very much. This is like chapter three after the last two seasons.
Yeah, and when you look at their schedule too, I think Arkansas is going to be a nice relief. But even Ole Miss has looked solid on defense. Even they might simply be below average by the time they play, and that's a week after LSU. So there's body blow theory potential. We'll see, we will see. But I'm saying chapter one.
We're going next.
Let's go to something you're familiar with, Notre Dame and their rush defense. Now, they struggled early on against Losall. Yeah, we're really taking this to extremes our Louisville voices. But do you think that there is something more there? I think we're two weeks out of the Georgia game. Although after Georgia I'm not sure how many teams can truly
test them on the ground. But is it a short story that Okay, they struggle against Louisville, they have New Mexico, They'll be fine, or Chapter one, season long issue stopping the run.
I came into the season assuming that this is going to be a problem, that it would be essentially chapter one, and in the game we saw against Louisville, I did not see much to convince me otherwise. Wow, they did get better as that game went on, And I hate to judge too much on what we saw in week one, but that's really all we have to go on at
this point. The big test is in two weeks against Georgia, and I know another thing we've texted about is what I think Georgia's game plan should be against Notre Dame. I think they should run it up the mid straight at them, and then when they get tired of doing that, I think they should do it again and again and again. So maybe my mind will change after whatever goes down
in that Georgia game in two weeks. I don't know, but I came into the season with the assumption that this was going to be chapter one of a rickety rush defense, particularly up the gut, and I don't think I have enough data at this point to say anything to the contrary. So I'm saying chapter one.
I don't know after Georgia if I see a team on this schedule in which I don't have to I don't have to put my register, I don't have to raise the register of my voice a little bit when wondering if they're good enough to really go at Notre Dame, Virginia Bowling Green, USC, Michigan Virginia at tach Duke, Navy, BC, Stanford. I'd like there's nobody. I'm very confident after seeing Michigan's new quote unquote offense. I mean USC has talent backed there,
Michigan is young back there. I don't see an obvious team after Georgia that if Notre Dame has that as a weakness, can fully take advantage.
Okay, so you're saying we disagree, short story, disagree, all right. Next one, Texas is past defense Dan. Yeah, we saw what happened against Joe Burrow and LSU had a bit of a field day on or rather big stage. I was told that Texas was DBU. Has that changed, Well, Texas told you that, so consider your source. But yeah, I don't think it's quite there right now. No, I think LSU has more of a right to call themselves
that if that is a thing, LSU is that thing. Yeah, this was a concern the Texas pass defense before the season. We really like the back back end of the defense, but they were playing true sophomore as a corner. Yeah, and it just seemed like a tall order, especially in the Big Twelve. Now, through two games, Texas is one hundred and twenty seventh in the nation in yards per game one and thirteenth in yards per attempt. Those are both passing statistics, mind you, So it it makes sense
that we'd be talking about this year. I take a look at their remaining schedule. I say chapter one because Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Baylor a bunch of prolific passing teams that are yet to be played. So chapter one for me.
I'm not there. Man. I think LSU is that good on offense. I'm riding with the new offense and Joe Brady and Joe Burrow and whatever. I love LSU, and I think Texas is going to be fine. They have Oklahoma State with a first year starting quarterback, a red shirt freshman who I think is good. I think he's pretty good, and he has good receivers but the game is in Austin. I don't think they're going to be as prolific as LSU was. West Virginia goes from will
Greer to nothing scattered. That offense is scary bad looking right now. I think Jalen Hurts is going to be very good. I don't think he's gonna Kyler Murray or Baker Mayfield. He started out the season looking like it. Kansas TCU is a quarterback mess right now. Kansas State, we have no idea. They haven't played anybody. They handled Rock Party in Iowa State last year. I think you know the games and aims this year. Texas Tech Baylor, these aren't teams that you know. Tech had a decent
game against them. Baylor didn't torch the Texas defense last year. I feel okay about the Texas pass defense. I do. I don't think they're going to be down for longer than a year. I mean longer than a year, sure, but last year. I don't think they're going to be longer than last year.
Okay, we disagree.
I mean the lot the Taylor, Cornelius Will Greer losses I think are a significant upperclassmen, very good quarterbacks.
We disagree is moving on final one here the Washington passing game, Dan, why did you have this one on there?
Because it was rough against Cal? It was rough and it was sort of twofold. Because I really like Washington's offensive line. I've always been a little bit questioning of Jacob Eson and this receiving cores. And it's a broken record on this show since John Ross not the same. You know, talent for plays, talent for situations, but overall, I think their strongest at tight end, and that's worrisome
because they recruited pretty well there. I'm going to say chapter one, I'm going to say, with this schedule they have in front of them, I'm going to say it's a bad year to have both a questionable receiving corps and questionable quarterback. Yes, Cal has the best secondary in the conference, right, that is a thing. I don't want to disrespect Cal on defense, but when you look at Washington's schedule, I think there's a lot of like there's
there's speed bumps, there's there's road blockages. You know, USC looks strong upfront on defense BYU is no slouch. Oregon, Utah and consecutive. I know there's a bye week between them. You know, I think Washington State it's at home and Washington owns Washington State, So I'm not terribly worried about that. But between USC, Oregon and Utah, those are the teams you have to beat. If you're Washington and if you're losing a Cal and it suddenly becomes a lot dicier.
You missed a prime opportunity instead of roadblock to stay blockade. Remember international high sees, Dan, this is the two's crew.
Disagree, Agree, What do you think?
I'm not ready to be that worried yet. Okay, there were always going to be some growing pains with Jacob Eason. I think that's a given. Sure, he's been around a couple of years, but I just think this is expected at home. Yeah, I look.
In front of hundreds of people at three am.
I know, I know, I know it's hard to believe, but I think growing pains are sort of a given. I also don't want to base anything too much on that Col game, because Col's got a good defense, the good secondary. Yep, it's early in the season. Outside of Cal and maybe Oregon in Utah, I just don't feel like there are that many good defenses in the Pac twelve.
Sorry, here's a sub question I think is the raciest, hottest, takiest question I could possibly ask. Was the Cow game an upset?
I think so?
You think so? You think by the end of the year, by October, we're going to say, Wow, that was way out of character for what we now know about these two teams.
No, No, I don't. I don't think we're going to see it as out of character. But I also don't think.
That you're a big cow head. No I was.
Everybody knows that about you, cowhead. No, I don't think it was out of character, but I do think it was an upset.
Okay, I just I think it's worth asking, just asking question, this question.
This question goes away in a week because Washington has Hawaii, and my guess is that Jake Easton's going to throw for three to fifty in like five touchdowns.
As far as I can tell, Hawaii is two and zero against PAC twelve teams in twenty nineteen.
Let's do this, Let's do this. Yeah, let's put this one back on the docket after the USC game at the end of September like a two's cruiz booie. Yeah, just float now. Nice recovery. Okay, where are we going next? What is our next mini game? Here?
I see pump of the breaks? Yeah, all right, so this is quite simple. This is sort of similar to thing or not a thing. But let's be more specific about our excitement regarding a lot of positive situations in college football. So simply I'm gonna give you a situation and you say, yeah, we should pump the brakes, relax a little bit, or nah, got the need for cee. This is a problem, this specifically problem. Yeah, I'm I'm full throttle on everything.
I always are.
You. You're five for five in these teams. Well, we didn't go through them yet.
Okay, I'm just saying that My problem with games like this is I always run a little hot this early in the season. This is how I get myself into corners with TCU and Old Miss and yeah.
We do get We get notes all the time from people having to pull off the road because it's getting so steamy coming from their speakers because you run so hot.
Mylas are fogging up here. Where are we going first?
All right, pump the breaks? North Carolina?
Tie?
Are we pumping some breaks?
I'm all in, I'm all in. I got the need, baby.
I think they hit a wall. I'm gonna pump those breaks. I'm going to be encouraged and I'm going to be hopeful, but I'm pumping the breaks a little bit on North Carolina.
Did you see Mac Brown's robotic dance after week one?
Did you see Mac Brown almost give away two straight weeks of games in which he had probably the better quarterback for all four quarters?
Excuse me the quarterback who has a Yeah, sounds wonderful, Sam Howel I love them.
The thing that you have going for you and running hot for the heels hashtag hot for the Heels. Wake Forest on the road app State Clemson, but it's in Chapel Hill at Georgia Tech, at Virginia Tech, Duke Virginia tough at pitt We'll see Mercer at NC State tough. There's not a lot of tough certainty on this schedule right now, with Virginia looking as dicey as they look, Georgia Tech rebuilding a stay with a new coach, Wake Forest.
I think it's gonna be dangerous, but still, I think North Carolina is just gonna hit a couple of walls. I think they lost a starting corner. Just now for the season with the torn ACL there's a freshman factor with Sam Howell where he's just gonna have a clunker of a game against the team he shouldn't. That's what I'm worried about with North Carolina, where we made a statement of do we have to start talking about eight
and four North Carolina. I think we're gonna we should pull back to six and six, seven and five North Carolina.
See here's the thing. Yeah, there were no expectations for North Carolina, that's true. So they were always playing with house money. Anything that isn't bad is very good. So this is an easy one for me. They're not gonna win the ACC but the ceiling is much much higher than I think we thought. This week against Wake should be a hell of a game. I think I saw there about a three point dog in that game. I think there's a lot of shootout potential. So all of
this is gravy. As far as I'm I did the preview for South for North Carolina, excuse me, and I was, I was not gung ho on them at all. So all of this has been has been just extra added fun for me. I'm I'm all in here so repeat the words after me. I wouldn't be surprised if North Carolina goes eight and four. I wouldn't be surprised.
I love it. I love it.
Our next one up here is Maryland America's team. Yeah, this is Maryland's another house money situation. Yeah, because nobody thought they'd be all that good. Now through two weeks, they've got the top scoring offense in college football, and after they toasted my Syracuse Orange last week, it is, I think hard not to look at this team and be very excited.
I'm with you to I've got the need for speed with the terps.
Let's do it.
I'm I'm ripping the brakes out of the floor of this boat. That's where the breaks are, right. Probably not sure Temple Penn State Friday night at home, short week, Yeah, yeah, Rutger is not super good perdue kind of disappointing early a little bit, even though Elijah Sindelar had a nice week. Indiana, Minnesota. Who has been below average? I think Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan State. I have questions about everybody on their schedule
except for probably Ohio State. In terms of if Maryland's scoring with anybody. As we already know they can score with Ohio State. Yes, yeah, that's been proven. Oh yeah, and I think Maryland's better than they were last year offensively, So I'm all in. Yeah, I don't want any part of breaking this. And that's b R A K I n G. This turp train.
Maybe going to a bowl this year. I feel pretty good about that. They need four wins, maybe going to a ball, which would be a coup for you know, any first year coach, but certainly in this case here with Mike Loxley, who, as we've joked time and again, knows the DMV. Now he brings Josh Jackson into the fold, he's been an absolute revelation at quarterbacks, seems very comfortable in the system. The running game's been outstanding. This is another one, I think where we got to reevaluate at
some point, maybe after Maryland plays Penn State. All right, in two weeks, but stick a booie in it. As for now, let's yeah, let's stick that booy in it. Let's let's let ourselves get excited here. And you've been out there for for the game. Where should Maryland fans look to stay ahead of the Rose Bowl? Where like do you stay in that like that Glendale Pasaden area or downtown to get to more places, you'll go by
the water. Okay, let's go to Colorado here. Yeah you stand on where do you stand on the buffs?
I'm going to say relaxed on Colorado. Yeah, I'm going to say relaxed because of what their defenses look like in first halves. And I don't think you can build a seven eight six, seven eight win team around needing to scrap and come back every week. Now that they had to do that against Colorado State, they gave up a good chunk of points against the Rams, I don't
think are all that good. And with how they fell behind against Nebraska, I think there's going to be depth issues and I think there's going to be bad habit issues on defense. So as fun as they can be on offense, which they one can be, I say, yeah, the Nebraska was exciting, but if you need that to beat an okay, Big ten West team, which is where I'm at with Nebraska right now, it's not a good sign.
Yeah, I'm with you. I think Colorado can win six or seven games. The problem is they're all going to have to be games like we saw this past weekend, which, by the way, I'm fine with that was a hell of a.
Game from an entertainment perspective, From an.
Entertainment standpoint, from a fans, if you're a Colorado fan, if you're if you're yeah, if you're Rich and Boulder, who's listening to this show forever?
Yeah? Maybe not so much, Okay, but.
Enjoy Stevie Montees and Leaviska Channelt Junior may I while they're still in Boulder.
May I present what their schedule looks like from Friday, October eleventh on. Yes, Oregon, Washington, State, usc Hey, Ucla, Stanford, Washington at Utah. That's tough.
That is as tough ask.
And that's at Oregon at Wazoo. Yeah, that's a tough ask. Yeah, Okay, that's all I have. So we agree in Colorado is do we have any other ones in uh pumping the brakes? We do? We have a couple more. Jalen Hurts. Jalen Hurts.
Now the break pumping question is Heisman. Heisman is Jalen Hurts like four miles away from me in early December, I see in Manhattan, because right now he is the best quarterback in the country statistically, granted, it's Houston and whoever they played this past week, Jalen Hurts is putting up stupid numbers in the most Heisman friendly offense in the country, with an incredible receiving corps, with incredible running backs, with great offensive line development recently, Jalen Hurts New York
or New York adjacent quarterback?
It's an interesting question.
That's Elizabeth New Jersey. By the way, is New York adjacent?
Yeah, it's it's an interesting question. I wonder if Trevor Lawrence and Travis etn split the vote.
At some level.
Disagree, But okay, I am wow, this is a good question. So you didn't write Heisman on your initial life.
I didn't know. I'm just saying, okay, So in the context of this game, it's just does your excitement about this no no bounds or are you protecting your heart?
I'm not protecting my heart, I think so. Here's why I'm not protecting my heart. Yeah, because Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield happened in the last two years, right, And I feel pretty comfortable that Lincoln Riley's good enough with his offense. He's ready using him a little differently, which we can get into, but I feel pretty confident that he will find a way to utilize his skill set. And I do feel pretty confident that Jalen Hurts will be in
New York. I feel good about that. I'm totally with you. I am totally completely with you. These are the defenses that they have the rest of the season. So even if Jalen Hurts is you know, has an uneven weak or two UCLA Texas Tech, who I think should be okay this year, Kansas Texas, who you don't like, You're on the record, you don't like their past defense yet to me, West Virginia, who I think is going to be a little bit tricky defensively, I just don't know
if it'll be this year. Kansas State, new coach, new year, will see. I think they're gonna be feisty. Iowa State, who's been a thorn for Oklahoma Baylor, who they roughed up last year. TCU sure okay, Oklahoma State not so sure. I think it's all for the taken for Jalen Hurts, neat for speed. He's got nine total touchdowns in two games, and it is hard not to be excited, especially when you see him run.
Yeah.
I cannot stress this enough. He's a different kind of runner than Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Those guys were really good at jumping around in the pocket to give themselves more time to throw a.
Little more slight, speedy guys. Jalen Hurts.
Yeah, and look there, I hear people yelling at me already. There were plenty of designed runs for both of them. Sure, Jalen Hurts is a lot bigger. He's got really good moves, and he wants to take you one. He wants to take guys on. I don't know if he's as good a passer as either Baker or Kyler. My sense is no. But he's a different kind of runner, and I think that's what Lincoln Riley's going to latch onto. He's going to find ways to create matchup advantages for the Oklahoma
Sooners offense, knowing that he's got that skill set. So I think we're in strong agreement here that Jalen Hurts has a remarkable season, ends up in New York. Maybe doesn't win the Hives, but who cares. And right here, the thing is the more dangerous the runner at quarterback. The more a defense needs to dedicate somebody to spying on him, which opens things up even more for this Oklahoma shortens thank and Riley he has something nobody else has.
He has the best offensive mine in the sport final one.
LSU, are we pumping the brakes on you are saying the Texas past defense is I mean you didn't say done though, but you said the Texas past defense. It's just chapter one in a long season of issues. Yes, So that leads me to believe that there's at least part of you that says, I don't know if I fully believe in LSU because they went up against a suspect pass defense in Texas.
So that deep breath you heard that long tail, Yeah, I'm tickling me that. You know, it's heart versus head. That is me overruling my heart, going back to my head a little bit. I'm trying to play this a little bit more logically.
They've got defenses coming up.
I'm gonna say to relax, and it's for a reason that you mentioned on Sunday's recap. Texas is not back. They are not back. Okay, if anyone's got the question, they are not back, and it has not been the best early season measuring stick the last couple of years. The Texas Longhorns.
Okay, take anything away from what LSU did and LSU in early years. In early games these past few years, they've had the really nice offensive moments.
LSU was phenomenal against Texas, but this is more a bet against Texas as a measuring stick than anything that LSU did. Okay, this is all I'm saying here. I think the offensive renaissance is legit for what it's worth. I don't think it's smoking mirrors. I think Joe Burrow is going to have a great year. But I just I want to get another data point against a Power five team before we remove the brakes out of the bottom of the boat. If that's where they are, we we just we pull the anchor.
Up hunt at the engine. Well, so as soon as they play Vandy on the road power in their next Power five opponent, you will have an official ruling.
Yeah, okay, yeah, I mean it helps, it helps, But I'm talking a better opponent, better caliber opponent.
So you're Florida or Starkville in mid October, Okay, that would be nice.
I'd be nice to see I have the need for speed.
I'm all in. I'm just all in, completely in. I want to be an early adopter. I am pushing my chips to the center. I want to go back like one of those horrible, horrible Silicon Valley investors was like, I was it on Square and Uber early. I was with the Series eight. I'm Series A for the LSU offense. I'm in.
Okay, that's it.
I don't hold back. I'm not protecting my heart.
Our final game before we let to find.
People Gonzo, Donzo or not dun So.
Here is the way this game works. We've got five teams before us. We're going to rattle through all of them and decide if we think they are Donezo, I E are they done?
Yeah? I mean it's just after two weeks. Can we cross them off the list of teams that will be good, scary, feisty whatever in late October?
It is more relative to our own personal expectations for these teams.
But yeah, within the context of our and general expectations.
Donzo or not Donezo, is there still time to right the ship get things going on a better course. Let's start with the Syracuse Orange Dan, Yeah, Dunzo. We're not done So I am out agree. I think I agree. I'm done so on this being a team that can challenge Clemson in a letdown spot after A and M, because that was like my big thing going into the era. Sure, maybe got some players in defense. Offensively, they've got Dino Baber's coaching. He's a bright offense in mind. He'll be
able to put something together. Donzo on that theory, and I'm definitely done so on this being a team that can win nine or ten games. They just haven't looked good.
I'm hearing early upset call against the Crossaders late September from you. That's what I'm hearing. That's what I'm interpreting my captain as saying. So they have Clemson at home, carry it home. I think that's the night game, right, It's the night game on ABC. A couple winnable weeks, Western Michigan, Holy Cross, and then there's just no gimmeis there's just no gimmes the rest of the way. NC State pit Florida State. I know, I hear you, I
hear you. Not a gimme. It's at Florida State, Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest, So this Syracuse team, which should get pretty good quarterback play and I think is pretty good upfront on defense, I just am not seeing it. I'm not you know, when you when you give up as much as they did against Maryland, when the offensive line looked like what it did against Liberty Week one. Issues there not being able to run the ball with any sort
of consistency. I know that's what Dino Babers wants to do. He wants that like power spread running the ball. I don't see it. I'm not there. I think Syracuse goes to a bowl game. But I thought last year was a series of not fortunate because they made their own luck. But it was a good year to be pretty good in the ACC, That's all I'll say. And they had a veteran quarterback and they did Doungee correct. So I'm gonna say, Donze.
What about the Michigan Wolverines.
Dan, I'm very close to Dunzo Wow, but I just can't fully get there. So I'm gonna say not Dunzo because of the defense, because of questions I have about the teams on their schedule, and it's a tough schedule, even though I think Notre Dame is in an arbor. This season, it's it's teetering, it's Dunzo adjacent. But I'm gonna say no. Because of the combination of defense and quarterback.
I'm still a little bit of a Shape Patterson believer with the receivers and sometimes moving over to a new offense, it just takes reps. And so that's why I can't fully go don So you ever.
Try to install an app that gets stuck for sure, and you've got that little spinny thing the worse on the phone and you can't figure out, like what am I? What am I supposed to do here? Am I supposed to wait it out and see if it completes and if it turns the appropriate color? Or am I supposed to hold down on the app, click the X and start the whole dang thing over right. That's where I'm at with Michigan's offense right now, Like we still can't use it, you know, it's not usable to the fullest
extent at this point. I think Josh Gattis is going to get it eventually, And there's so much talent here. They're two to zero. It hasn't always been pretty, but the entire seasons in front of Michigan. The installation, eventually, even though it hasn't gone smoothly, will take hold. There's still plenty of time for that to manifest. I am not done so much.
Will it take hold against a team who has given up literally zero points this year Wisconsin their next game after a bye week, I'm not sure about that. I'm not sure about that.
But I'm also not sure that Jack Cohne is going to have much passing success the way he did last week against a really good Michigan defense.
Okay, okay, I have a very excited game. Penn State has been a thorn in State College Notre Dame. It's the back half of this schedule is tricky.
I'm not done so yet.
Okay, were UCLA?
Yeah? Can? I was gonna say, before we get to UCLA, can we just do a universal Dunzo in UCLA.
I think.
The first two weeks for UCLA could not have gone much worse. And I know we were in disagreement after our Thursday show last week when I picked bravely picked San Diego State just to cover over UCLA. Didn't think they'd win.
Yeah.
Sorry, So here we are now owing to clearly the UCLA natives growing a bit restless with chip Kelly, seemed like they had a ton of talent coming back. I mean, was obviously going to take a little bit for the Chipper system to fully be implemented. But we're at a real weird place now with UCLA.
How sometimes when you buy a piece of refurbished electronics, they'll tell you the exact like they'll grade the condition it's in yep, like out of ten, they'll say it's a seven plus some scuffs. Sometimes you got to restart it. That's what it may be that Chip Kelly is right now.
Yeah, in terms.
Of a refurbished coach with some scuffs and some issues like once you take it, it's yours, snow returns. And I think UCLA might be in that place this year, maybe after you restarted enough in a year. Everything seems to be smoothly working out. But at Oklahoma and Wazoo against this UCLA team these next couple weeks and then that's before Khalil Tate on the road, it's a problem.
I know Stanford well, I think Stanford will probably have kJ Castello back hopefully by mid October when they play, and the bummer is this This would have been a great year for UCLA to really improve, and they still might. No Oregon, no Washington from the north. This was a eight year Yeah, and I don't see it. I just don't. I think they just especially on offense, they don't have a dude at quarterback. They don't have three quarters of a dude at quarterback. I don't think the line's all
that good. I don't think the skill talent. I mean, Josh Kelly is I think pretty good. But I don't know what we're seeing from UCLA. I mean what we've seen from ucle is not great. I just they're done all right, two last ones here very quickly. Yeah, we could West Virginia Donzell, I'm donzel as well. Yeah, but that's not saying much because I was done so before the season.
This was not going to be a good team. It's going to take a little bit for Neil Brown. I think eventually he'll get there with them.
Yeah. On that before the year, I liked them.
We did. Yeah, but I'm not a huge West Virginia fan. It's just going to take time. So we agree now on West Virginia, we.
Agree schedule is workable for a decent team. But I think especially on offense, it's too rough right now. Maybe they're feisty by the end of the year, but now it sort of looks like not really bullish.
I don't know, Okay, And our final subject here is Kentucky.
Yeah.
I was very quick last year to dismiss Kentucky and it was an incredible season. I'm gonna hold my fire for now because I don't want to rub salt in the womb like. It just sucks that Terry Wilson went down. For sure, He's a good kid. It sucks to see that happen. I want to see what Sawyer Smith can do against Florida before I make a judgment here. But needless to say, your starting quarterback goes down, that that puts a lot of the season's plans in peril.
Yeah, they've got a couple of tough ones right away Florida and they traveled to Starfield to take on the Dowgs, the Bill Dowgs Mississippi State. I'm gonna say Dunzel, Dunzell. I'm gonna say Dunzel. And I don't think it's necessarily because of the quarterback situation. I think it might be a little more on the defense with what they have in front of them, I think Florida's improved on offense.
We'll see what the status of Tommy Stevens is. I haven't seen anything recently in his upper body situation, his shoulder whatever. I like Ryan Helenski at South Carolina. I think Georgia is gonna be quite strong back half of their schedule, though, that's where it sneaks up. And I think even with a backup quarterback, that could wiggle themselves into Bowl eligibility. Seven wins, but it's gonna take a
little bit. And from what we've seen early against Toledo in Eastern Michigan, I'm a little bit worried about this defense. I'm a little bit worried. Okay, so I'm gonna say donezo. So there you go.
Thank you for hopping aboard these cruise here.
Yeah, it's been great.
Captain Tye's Lieutenant Dan. We're gonna roll with this whole little metaphor the entire seaton.
Do you get seasick? My guess is yes, oh no, no, solid as a rock. I love boats, love them. You love boats. I enjoy boats as well, So I'm glad that this is the twos cruise. When was the last time you were on a boat?
Wow?
Good question. I was on a boat last summer. Okay, Yeah, I took a fairy a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month ago with the Solid Baby. He loved it, loved it great. So I feel like this is all app and appropriate for what we're doing. We disagreed in a number of places, but I think we can agree maybe the best twos cruise we've ever voyaged upon.
Some would say the inaugural tuess. Yes, that's true. Thank you to one, Thank you to all for stopping on by here. Hope you enjoyed the show. We'll be back on Thursday morning to preview all of the week three action. In the meantime, again, don't forget to subscribe to the show on Apple podcasts or Google Podcasts, Spotify, iTunes, Stitch or wherever you like your podcast. You can find the
Solid Verbal. Also, we are on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and as we said earlier, don't forget to join the subreddit where the conversation continues long after the final bell here correct Soliburble dot reddit dot com.
So I got same Hong Kong for that guy over there? Is that Is that what like a tugboat horn sounds yeah, No, exactly like that's more of Yeah, I'm good with it.
Dan Rubinstein over there in New York City, I'm Ty hilden Brand, Captain Ty Hilm here in eastern Pennsylvania. Will catch you all in a day or two. In the meantime, stay solid, peace,