00:10 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
all right, it is that time once again wrapping up the 2024 college football preview series. As far as conference by conference, we saved the best for last. It is is the SEC, as the man, the myth, the legend himself has on the chyron there. It just means more. It means even more this year when you have a school like Texas and you have a school like Oklahoma joining the SEC, two more contenders in a very tough conference. Before we break all that down and more, and give you some more best bets in addition to the ones we've already given you out throughout the course of the summer. In case you've been living under a rock and haven't been following these conference series, maybe you're only interested in the sec. 

00:52
We are proud here at hit the books, part of the hammer betting network, to get an official sponsor for the show this year. You might've heard of this sports book. They're called fan duel Obviously one of the industry leaders, to say the least. We book. They're called fan duel obviously one of the industry leaders, to say the least. We're really excited to have fan duel as a sponsor and a partner here. Obviously one of the better products and prices uh and pricing uh available out there in the market like speaking of offerings for college football specific, we love it. Great live menu, their first to market on college football. A lot of the stuff we talked about all summer as far as win totals and other markets. Fan duel has been the leader in getting those bets up and obviously when there's bets to be made, we get them to you, the listener. Lots of different fun bet types. We asked to put some player awards up. We asked them, they received and they put them up as far as some of the different awards, so it's easy to use fast payouts. 

01:44
Now college football starts next week. In the meantime, obviously, there's a little thing called major league baseball, getting us through the dog days of summer vandal right now, hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily. That's right, something for everyone every day. For the rest of the summer you can take your booster bonus and bet on everything major league baseball related, from home runs, the strikeouts and even the final score. Plus, with fanduel, you can combine your bets in a live same game parlay for a shot at an even bigger payout. So head on over to fanduelcom. Start racking up some runs in the sun. 

02:16
Disclaimer you must be 21 plus 18 plus in dc and present in select states. Optional requirement wage requirements apply. Bonuses awarded as non-withdrawable bonuses, bets or profit boost tokens Restrictions apply, including bonus expiration See terms and conditions. At pandoracom slash sportsbook Gambling problem Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Or visit rg-helpcom in Colorado, dc, illinois, iowa, kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino. Kentucky, louisiana, michigan, new Jersey, north Carolina, ohio, pennsylvania, tennessee, vermont, virginia, wyoming. Call 1-800-NEXTSTEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 in Arizona, 1-888-789-7777. Or visit ccpgorg slash chat in Connecticut, 1-800-9 with it in Indiana. Visit mdgamblinghelporg in Maryland. Or visit 1-800-GAMBLERnet in West Virginia. Hope is here. Visit Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinemaorg. Or call 1-800-327-5050 for 24-7 support in Massachusetts. Or call 1-877-8HOPE-NEW-YORK or text HOPE-NEW-YORK in New York. Kanish. This is our ninth one baby. It took us a few weeks to get through these, but the final one. Well, let's go out with a bang here. 

03:19 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I mean, hey, what better conference to finish her up with than the cream of the crop? As Randy Savage would say, the cream rises to the top, baby. And so, yeah, a little SEC means more and a new look SEC that is. I mean if it wasn't loaded before you go and poach the two best programs out of the Big 12, and now you're really loaded. So, yeah, a lot to get through here, but should be another super fun year in the FD and maybe a I mean over under how many playoff teams coming out of this conference here? Three, four, I mean how many? 

03:58 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I'd bet over. Let me think I'd bet over three and a half Okay. 

04:02 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, and I wouldn't fade you on that. 

04:07 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Number one. I'm surprised you knew that Randy Savage promo because that's from the 80s. I know you're a little younger than me, so kudos for that one. But if you have been following along as far as the preview series, we're not going to start with the cream of the crop. In fact we're going to start from the bottom and work our way towards the cream of the crop, because I don't know that this program in football has been ever used with the term cream of the crop. That being, the Vanderbilt Commodores is where we'll start here. 

04:33
With a season win total and a lot of places still sitting at two and a half, some places at three. It's a team that's obviously up against it program-wise, competing with everybody else in the SEC. You have a very high academic school trying to compete in a football tradition-rich conference. They look no further than their stadium. It's taken them years to try to get done and renovate and they're still not going to be ready for the season. 

04:58
Clark Lee I like him as a defensive mind. I still don't know if he's even a solid head coach coach brings in a guy that's been a solid head coach everywhere he's been. Obviously you know the name jerry kill, as kind of an advisor speaking of, you know, grabbing people from new mexico state. Their quarterback, diego pavia, comes over from new mexico state. Love diego pavia. Not sure that he can handle against an sec schedule week in and week out. The way he plays, uh, with his hair on fire. I worry about his health this year. I guess what I'm getting at is I did bet over two and a half because I look at the schedule and I see Alcorn State, georgia State and Ball State. I think Georgia State and Ball State are down this year. Now I don't know if I'm running the lay minus 200, but I do think they get three wins. If they only get two in the non-conference, I think they can pull an upset somewhere. Maybe Don't ask me which one, but, boy, after three wins I can't get them any higher than that. 

05:57 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I mean the Commodores are barking here for the dogs. I like them as far as the dog this season, but I mean it's just a time at vanderbilt where it was always hard, it was always real hard and now it seems like borderline impossible to ever get anything, even I mean even to get bowl eligibility here. Even if you schedule three non-continent cupcakes or something, just um, you know they lose all their. I mean they've, I think 20 to 25 guys. They've lost to other power five schools in the last two years. So this is a program that even if you, even if you identify the talent, even if you get them to come to Vanderbilt, even if you coach them up and you develop them, they're probably out the door to another program in the conference or in the world for for a better paycheck here. 

06:47
And that to me is the uh, I just what you call the, the downside of being a, you know, a smaller program in in big time college football these days. So do I, and always been a jerry kill guy, always been a pavia guy. Do I love them in the sec? Not so much. Uh, especially pavia, who a lot of what he did worked in conference usa. I don't think it'll work in the sec um. So, with that said, I do think they have those three games that they can definitely win. Maybe you know what you know they call an upset, uh, and a couple of the lower tier. You know sec teams that they have in a schedule maybe a south South Carolina at home, maybe they try and you know upset a Kentucky or something. But yeah, I mean, this is a program that I think is just kind of destined for this spot and it'll be a coin flip between, you know, three wins with probably a ceiling of four and a floor of two. 

07:43 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
You brought up a really good point as far as the transfer portal actually being a negative for vanderbilt, because you mentioned that anybody that's worth a damn. I mean, look, it's so easy for the, the top end programs. I'll give you an example. Uh, one of their best players last year, the humphries kid at wide receiver, he went to georgia. I mean georgia scout and vanderbilt. I mean they see who's worth a damn when they're scouting Vanderbilt on a week-in and week-out basis. So they've been put in a really tough spot Already. We're in a tough spot Now. This job even became harder. 

08:11
So I don't see much upwards mobility here. I don't see Clark Lee working out. When it's all said and done, I don't know who would work out. Keep in mind, with james franklin won some games there. I mean, tennessee was way down, florida was down, georgia wasn't anywhere near what they were right now. So I mean that in kentucky wasn't as good as what they are now in their suits. Everybody was down in the sec east so uh, that's not the case anymore. You don't even have division. So uh, I I don't see much hope here. And conference win total I've seen like half half a win with the underjuiced. Yeah. 

08:50 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I mean you're better having these all priced out, but let's see what's the shortest line that they're going to be. It has to be. 

08:58 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
South Carolina 13. South. 

08:59 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Carolina at home, yeah, so. 

09:03 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
And that's rough. I mean even against Virginia Tech week one. I mean that markets up to two touchdowns. So I just I don't see it for this Vanderbilt team this year. Hopefully they can win those three non-conference games. Let's talk about another team with a first year coach, mississippi State. Then I think it's probably going to end for a struggle this year, particularly when you look at the experience, or lack thereof, for Mississippi State under Levy's first season. Only three, three returning starters in total, zero on offense, although, with that being said, I thought the offense looked functional in the spring game. I don't know if that means really, really bad defense for them, but they bring in Blake Shape and a quarterback. They were not afraid to throw the football consistently down the field. I think their wide receivers are going to be a little bit better than expected. 

09:51
The schedule really tough, to say the least. I think they got some winnable games in that conference. Certainly Eastern Kentucky in the opener. But at Arizona State and Toledo are a little bit tricky, in my opinion. Could win them games, could lose both of those games. You'd like to win at least one, I mean because Eastern Kentucky and Massachusetts are two wins, but after that you know. Okay, then get one more three Once you get to four. I don't know if I see five on the schedule. I can tell you that. 

10:21 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I agree, it almost seems like this is going to be a. It's like they took the step with Zach Arnett into being more a misstep, two steps back here of we're going to go away from the Mike Lee J-Raid to trying to be a more man ball I don't know what they're trying to do in bad defense to now going back to a more you're bringing Blake Chapin, you're probably going to have a more you're bringing Blake Chapin, you're probably going to have a more pass happy type offense. So, and you know it's just, it's a lot of, you know, back and forth here between what they're trying to be um, they brought in some transfers that I like. Uh, you know, I don't think it was a a total miss. You know, early on the transfer portal I think they got some guys from wide receiver talent, uh, kevin Coleman from Louisville, that was kind of a bigger couple of other G5 guys. So I think the offense might be able to. 

11:11
I mean, I think it will be better than last year because they had absolutely no clue what they were doing trying to move to that system. So, with that said, there's going to be a try and rely on some younger guys. Probably the defense isn't going to be very good. I know it was able to piece together last year that probably doesn't go as well this year and, as you're saying, a couple of real big swing games in the non-con. I mean, you're going to know whether this win total is going to be a winner or not by week three. 

11:39 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yep, I agree. 

11:40 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
You probably got to have both those non-concrete at least one of the two, but you probably got to want them both. And then with UMass coming up there and you know, hopefully you can upset somebody at home. I mean it's reasonably favorable in terms of some of the opportunities they have. But I didn't really get too involved with this team. The one bet that I know we both made was, uh, the old, a little eggnog, uh, for thanksgiving there that there was. I mean it opened. I think you got like a 23 or 24 on that game. I played a 21 and a half. Just think in the history of the egg bowl. That's too many points and I don't think we'll. We'll get to lane kiffin at some point in this podcast, but um and the show that I just like getting a big number there in that rivalry game. I agree. 

12:29 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, that's one that's come down a little bit, to say the least, not playable now if you're looking at FanDuel's current line, 18.5 there. But yeah, it'll be interesting. I do like to levy higher long-term. Just, you're going to have to give them a little bit of time with the shift. I will say again, I think the offense can surprise some people. Not that it's going to be good enough to win some games, but I think it might be good enough to cover some point. Spreads Agreed Against, you know, especially, you're getting a lot there. They're going to be, you know, good backdoor potential with this team. 

13:00
Arkansas's next in line, a coach that I think you know. If you want a hot, you know hot take I think this is it. For sam pittman final year, look no further than them going out and getting bobby petrino. You want to talk about desperation higher after that? You know they fired him in disgrace a little bit over a decade ago. Um, not much coming back for them. 

13:17
10 returning starters. I mean they do have some pieces. I like the kid up front. The defensive line, uh, I, you know the quarterback from Boise shows some things at some point, but I don't know if he was. He wasn't even consistent in Boise State and now you're expecting him to be the guy in SEC play. I'm not sure that's the case. We've seen this has been one of the teams that the markets really faded big time this offseason. Open five and a half, they took the under five and a half. They laid juice with it. They took under five. I even saw some people I respected give out under four and a half. So, boy, I don't see it. For Arkansas, I think this one could have a bottoming out situation. If they don't that Texas A, I could see them being. You know, if they get blown out, a&m Tennessee Auburn say they lose the games, they could be 2-4, realistically probably are 2-4 before that first bye week. 

14:17 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
They could be fired by then. Yeah, this is one I don't know why they, why did they bring them back? I mean, this is one you kind of knew, the Sam Pittman. I don't know if the you know the checks aren't cashing down there in Fayetteville or whatever, but this is one I don't. I just don't understand what this program is doing. I don't understand why you bring back Sam Pittman and then lace him with an OC who used to be your coach, who people are probably going to be calling for to be the coach within like a week of this. 

14:40
You know it's a season starting and I don't I agree with you I don't. You know what I liked Talon Green in the Mountain West and he was able to, you know, kind of use his athleticism there against that caliber of opponent. I don't think that works so well in the SEC. They didn't really do too much else in the transfer portal of note. I don't see it here. I see why people loaded up on this under, I mean, I don't really know where, even at four and a half. What games do you feel good? I mean I guess in the Pine Bluff, uab and La Tech, I don't know, I just don't know Mississippi State on the road, yeah, and winning all four of them is, you know, I don't know, I just don't know, mississippi State on the road. 

15:26 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, and winning all four of them is, you know, giving them the credit, but then and then you need another one, so yeah, Double digit underdog at Oklahoma State, near a double digit dog at Auburn. 

15:35
Double digit dog against A&M. More than a touchdown dog against Tennessee. Double digit dog against LSU, same with old miss texas missouri all double-digit underdog roles. I one of my favorite bets that I made this offseason was under five and a half and again, even though it's moved to win, uh, I'd still lean under four and a half yeah, and I don't. 

15:53 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I mean this is a team that I their, their defense kind of kept them in some I don't know if I see it in in this year um being being as feisty as it was in some places last year, and I don't think that I mean Petrino has you know he's lost his fastball in my opinion I you know I was going to go, that's where I was going with. 

16:15
It too, was just like I mean some incremental improvement in A&M. But even when he was at the FCS level, you thought, like man, he's going to turn this program, you know he did for a couple years and it was a dumpster fires last year. Yeah, so it's like louisville oh, he got. 

16:32 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
He's got louisville cooking. And then the last couple years I mean his final year at louisville. They were one of the worst uh ats teams in the history of college football. I think they failed to cover the spread by an average of like three touchdowns a game for the season, historically bad compared to expectations. 

16:46 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, so, and I don't, the pieces on this offense just don't strike me as something that Petrino can cook up in anything that's going to be special or even good. So, yeah, it would be an under or nothing for me on them. 

16:59 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
That Oklahoma State game is a sneaky good game in week two. Just to get an idea where these teams are at this year South Carolina's next up we're already in the teams. We've only covered a few teams and we're already in the top 40 caliber teams here. South Carolina's next team that, okay, experience-wise as far as returning production, did lose Spencer Rattler quarterback, but they're very high on Lenore Sellers, his replacement. I'm high on Sellers. 

17:25
To be honest with you, from what I've seen the last couple of spring games, beamer leaves some to be desired. I think a sneaky loss was losing their special teams coach, which they've hanged their hat on the last couple of years, and Pete Lembo was off to become the Buffalo head coach. So that might be a little bit of a loss there. We've seen some money come in on south carolina, a little bit on the over as far as the win total. We've seen some money come in on south carolina in week one. But, boy, looking at the schedule again, we're old dominion. Okay, that's a win, vanderbilt's a win, wofford's a win, but after that where the wind's at. 

18:00 - Zack Phillips (Announcement)
So I can't recommend a five and a half over. 

18:04 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Like some of your friends were giving out, I'm. I'm not there. 

18:08 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
No, I'm not, I'm not totally there either. I think I need a little bit better, at least better price than that to want to go over. I don't again. So this is a you know what, if you, you really got to Sellers, I think, as a guy, because they did not really bring in much. I mean, I think they bring in Robbie Ashford, davis, bevelsmoke, so it was all backups, and this is a program that in the recent they do have some NIL going. It feels like to me they've spent it in some of the wrong places, like, for instance, they bring in Raheem Sanders here. That's not something that I would have, you know, really called in. They spent money. 

18:50
The big five star was that, uh, nick Harbour, who was like the hybrid wide receiver, tight end. He caught one ball last year. The kid like didn't know how to play football at all. He's like a track kid that you were having to teach how to play football and that was was like where they're allocating a lot of their like, well, we're going to bring in this five-star. I don't know. Beamer is a little bit more sizzle than steak for me, so I just don't see it. I don't think this is a bowl team, so to me I think five and seven, four and eight type of year. 

19:22 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
You like the under? 

19:23 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah. 

19:27 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I would lean that way. I mean I do too. We might come back to that at plus money. I, I man, I think six is really pushing it for us to get plus a one, 10. So we might come back to that one Cause I agree with you. I mean they're going to have to pull to get there. They're going to pull three upsets, yep and sellers got to stay healthy and some of these other guys are going to have to be home runs. 

19:47
Florida's next Obviously a lot of talk about. We talked about Sam Pittman being on the hot seat. Obviously, billy Napier is on the hot seat at Florida, even though I think this is his best team that he's had not saying much out back to back losing seasons, but I think this is significantly a better team than what they were a year ago with 15 returning starters. Mertz is back. I thought he did a wonderful job with Mertz last year protecting him. You know he obviously was not a turnover-worthy quarterback like he had showed in Wisconsin. They got some bits and pieces here. 

20:17
Obviously, florida recruits a lot better than being a losing program like they've been the last three years. I mean, the problem is and it's almost well documented at this point, florida not only plays the toughest schedule in the country this year, but historically tough schedule, particularly. I mean them last five games Georgia, texas, lsu, ole Miss, florida State, all top 15 caliber teams. And oh yeah, by the way, I even started the first seven games that feature Miami, texas A&M, both ranked in the preseason top 20, whether it's a power rating or an AP poll. Ucf's at home is a tricky game at Tennessee, kentucky, I mean outside of Sanford, there's no layoffs on the schedule and it's a big reason why Wynn total opened 5.5, down to 4.5 at some spots. 

21:00 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, as you're saying, I mean it's probably going to be. I still think this is one guy that I'd be on the phone with as soon as the season ended, when he gets fired, probably for another job here, because I still think, billy Napier, I completely agree with you in terms of what he Graham Mertz I mean last season that was all like the butt of everybody's joke was them bringing in Mertz is going to going to be. I mean what he did with them. They were able to get a functional offense out of. I think that they've got some internal issues. 

21:33
You know infrastructure they had the big Jaden Rashada like recruiting. You know where's the NIL money going? Do they actually have it? They've had some embarrassments on the recruiting trail since he's been there. So I don't think this is all a Billy Napier thing, but you could not have hand-picked a worse schedule for a make-or-break year than putting this schedule together. I would have tried to buy out of every knockout. I would have said Miami, we're playing Bethune-Cookman, you can switch us that game or something here because we're not Florida International. 

22:11
I just can't believe. I mean, it's an insane schedule when Miami and UCF are two of your non-con games that you've got to play in Florida. 

22:21 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
And you're pulling, like Texas and LSU, from A&M, from what would have been the West side of things. You're still playing Georgia. Kentucky's starting to get your number now in the series. Not good for Billy. Billy's going to be. 

22:36 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
How many weeks in a row, when you're not an elite of the elite, when you're not a team that's as loaded as an Ohio State or Georgia, can you get up for? Can you get up and have the guys? When you're not a team that's as loaded as an Ohio State of Georgia can you get up for? Can you get up and have the guys when they you know you're pretty thin on depth to play these teams and give them your best effort every week in a row? So, um, I, I'm pretty, I was with. That said, I could only take the plus 124 at under four and a half. Um, I wouldn't lay the juice to go over five here. I'm not. 

23:04
It wouldn't be a I'm not gonna put it, you know best bet or any of that but, I'm not laying the the juice for them to get to five wins, yeah boy, if they don't get that miami game. 

23:15 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, the miami game is everything. I think they can get that miami game and even then I still wouldn't be. You know, I wouldn't be calling for a bowl yet I can tell you that man, that Miami game is huge. I mean there's a few super important week one games. 

23:29
That one definitely being at the top of the list there. Boy, I hate to be the loser of that game. Yeah, my goodness, unfair or not? Yeah, the loser you mentioned it, I think, in a previous show. That is kind of a loser leaves town type of game, a little WWE type of stipulation, let's talk. I just mentioned kentucky, uh, kind of having florida's number. Let's talk kentucky. 

23:54
A team that, uh, I kind of like this team, at least comparatively speaking to the market. I know they lose their quarterback leary, I know they're losing a stud at running back, uh, but I, I like the meat and potatoes of this team, whether it's the offensive line, the defensive line's got a couple of studs, including that walker kid, I don't. You know vandergrift, you don't know, uh, completely yet kind of an unknown, but I can't argue with the, the talent level. Certainly they're at least coming out of high school. He's good enough to go to georgia, uh, chip, train him a little bit banged up. 

24:22
Probably misses maybe the first couple games of the season. They're talking, so that's a little bit of a loss there, yeah, and the running back, rome, he's a nice player. Yeah, concerning not necessarily against southern miss, but south carolina would be a little bit of a concern, but man, I just trust that. I mean stoops. I mean when you throw out the covet season for obvious reasons, they have top six and a half wins seven straight years. Uh, so I I gave it out. I know it's mainly mine because I'm on an island on this team, but I gave out over six and a half wins. 

24:57 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I mean a lot riding on what you think of Brock Vandegraaff there to come in and be, because, as you said, they had a pretty nice combo last year quarterback running back and now definitely more question marks and, as you said, with Traynham going down, that hurts. I know they brought in a couple other, you know G5-type players, but it's definitely going from some known quantities which you brought in and even you know before that Will Leveson that to some uncertainty there which has not been a staple of the March. You know you've kind of had a lot of, as you've said, meat and potatoes. You kind of know what you're getting. They'll be kind of a feisty team right in that range and my guess is they get back to that. And the only I would just worry that there's a little bit more variance in this year's team and this year's schedule because it's got some patchy spots there, because they don't have the absolute layup games. I mean you got Murray State at home. 

25:55 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Ohio is a layup. 

25:57 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Southern Miss is great man. Come on Vanderbilt at home. 

26:01 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, I just gave you four. 

26:03 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Southern Miss Ohio. 

26:04 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Vanderbilt Murray State. Now, my luck they'll lose one. Zach will clip this up, but I mean I got all four of those. I mean they're going to be at least 17, if not three, touchdown favorites in all those games. 

26:17 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, no, and I'm not going to add with you on the six and a half, I'm just not running through the window to say that they're getting to seven and five here on the over. 

26:26 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, I think some reason. I again I talked I'm not as wild about south carolina, them getting them at home, I think. So a little bit of feather in kentucky's cap and louisville I'm not wild about. Louisville can't beat kentucky and I'm not sure, uh, that this is the year that they get kentucky when kentucky's got the game at home. So those are probably a couple of games and I think four is beatable on the road too. Uh, auburn's next, uh team. We're already in the top 25 as far as teams in my power rings, and keep in mind, uh, we got 10 teams left. So that's how strong this conference is, to say the least. 

26:58
Auburn comes in off of a lackluster first season under hugh freeze, no doubt about it. Uh boy, you wonder how the, the, the preseason expectations would have changed on one play, that being the fourth and 31 that Alabama got against them. Had Auburn won that game, I think we'd be thinking differently about this team. Certainly, the New Mexico State game was a horrific loss. And then the bowl game they just absolutely no-showed. So you know I'm a little bit indifferent. On one hand, hugh Freeze is a really good coach, knows how to win, knows how to cover. 

27:27
I don't like the quarterback still in Thorne. You know he showed his legs that I didn't know he had in him last year. I did read an article right before we jumped on this earlier today that they're really liking the wide receiver room, specifically that five-star, true freshman, cam Coleman. So that was probably their weakest unit on the team last year was that wide receiver. So we'll see. I'm kind of in a wait-and-see mode. What I do like is they have an opportunity to start 4-0 if they can take care of business at home against California and Arkansas. Speaking of home, their first five games are at home. So there's some I don't like the over 7.5. In fact there's parts in this season that I probably would have certainly leaned under 7 half wins. 

28:10 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
But oh, I think it's about priced right here yeah, I tell you I am a little shocked they didn't look for a transfer portal upgrade for horn um I I just the passing offense in a lot of games last year was just brutal, um, and I know they were able to run the ball and I still think Freeze can coach it up and kind of get there and make it work in terms of what this offense can be and what the program can be, especially as you said that Cam Coleman, also Keiondre Lambert from Penn State, I think the wide receiver room could be much, much improved. I just I needed to, I wanted to see a new chef. I'm surprised they didn't even bring in like a G5 or an FCS guy to. I mean it's not like the program doesn't have money to kind of compete with him there. So, yeah, that concerns me. 

29:03
He obviously did so from rushing prowess last year. But that passing offense has got to be. I mean, that was kind of the bread and butter of Hugh Freeze for a lot of it was so, um, we'll see the defense again to be solid, um, but to get to eight win, that's, that's a big jump in a conference. That and I know they have some you know like, especially you said, the first four weeks is, you know, cup kind of cupcake city there that they're all at home Boy after that. 

29:30 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
it's not though. 

29:31 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, after that it's not. 

29:32 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Outside of Vanderbilt. That's well, I guess you all Monroe, I could see. If everything goes well, I could see eight wins. 

29:39
Yeah, I'm not betting it, no, and I'm not laying the price on any. I didn't want it to go under, so I think seven and a half is about right. Kudos, for those of you watching Zach pulling up the old Hugh Freeze when he had the staph infection there at Liberty, calling the game from the hospital bed If you're a college football fan, that's why you love college football. It's just unbelievable. Speaking of Zach, I got some things to clean up here. Kentucky I did give out uh, a few months ago, kentucky over six and a half wins plus 115. So we did give that out. Zach, who's this? 29 year old freshman and I apologize for not seeing these comments earlier 29 year old freshman who played 10 years in major league baseball? Who's that? 

30:24 - Zack Phillips (Announcement)
he's uh. He played for the brewers. He's uh playing for arkansas. He's in their camp. They posted a video of him the other day. 

30:31 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Oh wow, have you seen this Kanish? 

30:34 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I can't recall his name off my head, though I did see the video on Twitter. 

30:37 - Zack Phillips (Announcement)
I'll find it for you guys, but I'm surprised Kanish didn't bring that one up All right, fair enough, we'll have to look into that. 

30:44 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Shame on me. I Shame on me, for I'm too busy looking into FCS stuff than looking at Arkansas's camp. Tennessee is actually next in line here, speaking of a lot of these like Auburn, tennessee, missouri, who we'll talk all playing FCS opponents in week one. So we'll see. That's kind of why I've been deep diving FCS here off air Tennessee. You know Josh Heupel's done a good job here. 

31:10
The last couple of years, in my opinion, obviously had him at one point number one in in the playoff rankings before they lost to Georgia a couple years ago. Last year you expected them to be down a little bit with Milton at quarterback. They still got the nine wins. There's still a lot of excitement about this year's team, particularly a quarterback. You think they upgraded with Nico Yamaliava, the former five-star. You liked what you saw from him in the bowl game as they crushed Iowa. 

31:36
But outside of him I think the wide receivers are okay if they stay healthy. The running back room is not as deep. Defense should be okay, but again only four returning starters there. I'm still worried about the secondary. I mean, look, he's got him as a consistent top 20 team, which Tennessee was not for the better part of two decades. So there's that. But then you look at the schedule. I don't like him against Oklahoma on the road. I bet Oklahoma in that game for Oklahoma's first SEC home game. Obviously I got him an underdog at Georgia Alabama at home. I got him a dog there. I mean, when I already have you a dog in three games and there was moments this offseason where the win total was 9.5, I was pretty happy to bet under 9.5. A lot of places now are 8.5, 9. 

32:22 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, and speaking, I also like to bet him at NC State in that night game there you go. 

32:28 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I forgot about that one. 

32:29 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, yeah. So a couple of game of the year where I agree with you that I think the early market was just too high on Tennessee, a program that I think is I'm not going to say a lot of bad things about, I agree, I kind of like them going away from Joe Milton to Lama Leva and I mean, how do you pronounce his name, lama Leva? And, and I mean, how do you pronounce his name? 

32:52 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Llama labor, a llama labor, yeah, molly Ava, yeah, yeah, yeah, I did that on purpose. 

32:57 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
It's a Midwest, I know you, but listen, I mean Tim Banks has got had the defense go. They seem to kind of have it Tennessee back to like. We just talked about Kentucky being kind of where've been in that stable of six, seven wins. I feel like Tennessee's finally back at that spot where I don't think you're going to see them have a massive drop-off. But, as you said, the early nine-and-a-halves and some of the game-of-the-year prices were just a bit much. Yeah, it kind of seems like a nine and three type of team. 

33:32
uh, so agree, I'm not, but I'm not laying that type of juice on an over eight and a half um. So I mean I I agree if you got an early nine and a half um. I still think there's a couple probably game of the year fade prices out there on them that I think are uh worth a sprinkle, depending on where you go I think if that, if you can find oklahoma minus three, I still would lay it with oklahoma. 

33:52 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Not that I'm wild about oklahoma this year, I just that's asking a lot of a young quarterback. Uh, in hostile territory there. Uh boy, the nc state game like you mentioned. That's not a gimme. I just boy nine and a half. I think a good season is. Nine and three, like I would be like yep, good season, tennessee. Yeah, nine and three. I Like I would be like yep, good season Tennessee. Yeah, nine and three. I just boy. 

34:10
10 and two was asking a hell of a lot that I was treating this team like a top 10 team and I I don't see it with this year's Tennessee team although clearly top 20 team and cable If they get a good break in one of them games capable of maybe sneaking into the playoffs this year. Speaking of sneaking into the playoffs, they would have made a 12-team playoff last year and there's some high expectations about this year's team, that being Missouri next in line. Here you look at a team coming off a historically great season, at least for them, best season that they've had in about a decade 14 returning starters, brady Cooks back at quarterback. You do lose your leading rusher in Cody Schrader. Although they brought in a couple of nice transfers from the group of five level, from Georgia State and App State, they don't need to be the guy, they can share the load. So I actually liked what they did there. I liked their wide receivers quite a bit, led by Luther Burden who could be a first-team All-American type. Offensive line's okay, defense is a question mark. They lose their DC and a couple of studs on that defense side of the ball. 

35:12
But I get why people are fading Missouri because they saw that nine and a half win total. When is Missouri's win total? Nine and a half? But man, you got to look at that schedule. I mean for SEC, for a team in this conference it doesn't get any easier than this. I know they got Alabama, but no Georgia, no Texas, no LSU Outside of them. Two road trips at A&M out of Alabama. I mean they get Oklahoma at home. Look at that non-conference Murray State, buffalo, boston College, massachusetts. Eight, buffalo, boston College, uh, massachusetts. I mean that's a slam dunk four. No, plus Vanderbilt at home, auburn at home, arkansas at home, mississippi State with a first year coach. I'm not wild about South Carolina, I just I mean to me eight and four. It would be a terrible season. So I I think nine and three, ten and two seems about right for Missouri. 

36:08 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
You looks like the over 9.5 plus 146. I'd rather I mean I'd rather have a flat 9, but I'm kind of with you here they don't have like that many really losable. I mean the way it broke out, as you're saying, especially the start of the year, outside of that trip to, you know, a texas a&m and alabama um I sound like those are automatic losses no, no, right, like you're not talking about. 

36:40 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I'm tired of a&m. 

36:42 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, it's not, you know, saban's alabama or anything, so I'm maybe come back to that, okay, we come back because that? 

36:48 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Okay. We come back because I like the plus. Yeah, because there's a lot of flat nines out there, I know. 

36:55 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I would agree, if you're playing, I'd like a flat nine. 

37:00 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, that half win in my opinion on this Missouri team is worth more than 70 cents. 

37:06 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I totally agree. 

37:07 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
We love FanDuel, but we're always going to say I don't care who's sponsoring us. We're gonna say shop around if you find a nine. 

37:13 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I think over nine is a pretty solid bet, yeah because I agree it nine and three should be a floor type season for what they have, bringing back the money this program is spending right now. Quarterback elite, you know first round ride receiver a lot on the defense coaching staffs in, there's not a lot of room to poke outside of. You know, cody straight Like. But I agree with you, I liked the guys that, the guys they brought in, I mean Marcus, carroll, nate, noel, those were real guys in the Sunbelt that can play and so and I mean listen, I sure I know he was a great story, he was around forever, walk on like people loved them and stuff we're not talking about. Like saquon barkley here, you know losing, uh, you know a generational talent it was a nice college running back there. 

37:56
But I don't think we're losing a guy, you know. So to me that should be back fillable, uh, especially with the guys they brought in, and I mean you know what the rest of the roster brings. So yeah, I and I know people say you know the devil's advocate would be. You know Missouri's typically an eight, you know a 7A win program. They regressed to the mean in that I don't see it this season. You can tell me that maybe next season. 

38:19 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I don't know, I don't think they got it. I think the people that tell you that they don't have a handle on what this team's doing in recruiting the last couple years they're recruiting the last couple years they're spending money their NIL program inside. Again, this is in the weeds. They have a really good high school NIL where they get like additional monies if they, if in-state kids go to Missouri. They instead you know they did stay in state there they get additional NIL. They got a really good set up there. Uh, hey, this is. I don't think they're going away. I'm not saying that they're going to be a playoff team every year, but if you're expecting this team to be 6-6 every year, I don't see it right now. The way they're recruiting. They're going to be too good for that. So we might come back. No, we're not going to come back. Drop around Nine's good, because I think that's a push at worst. 

39:04
A&m's next First-year coach, mike Elko. An A&M team that's getting a lot of love. We're recording this on a Friday. They're getting love in the market, particularly in week one. Season-long, though, you've got an A&M team that obviously probably upgraded a coach, to say the least. Elko is familiar with Texas A&M. Being the recent defensive coordinator there, he won immediately and won big at Duke. 

39:26
Didn't need any rebuild there, provided Wigman can stay healthy at quarterback. He hasn't the last couple years. I think the defensive line and some of the transfer portal guys that he brought in led by Skorton on that defensive front. I mean I like some bits and pieces here. What I really like about A&M, besides the talent and the coaching, I think I like the schedule, because they're four toughest games Notre Dame, missouri, lsu, texas, all at home. You don't get that very often, so there's not a lot of where's the slam dunk loss on this schedule. You and I bet A&M against Texas. That would probably be their toughest game as far as projected spread, I mean you can see why people ran and bet over 7.5. They bet over 8. And people that I respect are still betting over eight and a half wins for this team. 

40:17 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I mean, this is a team that if you would have had Zach, can we still swear on this show that, like I know, we're official sponsor now. Is that okay to go with? If you wouldn't have had a fucking idiot at like at head coach and both coordinator places for the majority of the last few years, that this team would, I mean with the talent they had on the roster. The job jimbo fisher did and dj dirk and I'm gonna throw him in there too was criminal. Also, the money they got paid. You You're talking about the highest paid head coach and the highest paid DC in the country and both those guys don't belong on a G5 team any longer. Here it was coaching malpractice. So give me Mike Elko, who I really like, who they probably should have. Let him go off to Duke. And then you bring in DJ Durkin who's running a 3-3-5, that go-junk version of the 3-3-5. That didn't matter. You had a true freshman defensive tackle who just got on campus like 18 years old playing in the middle of that 3-3-5. He didn't know what he was doing. 

41:21
You bring in Mike Elko. I like it a lot. I like what he can take. This I mean you have top five, star four and five star players everywhere, especially on the defense, and Connor Wiegman who I think can be very good, injured last year but hopefully stays healthy. This, if he stays healthy, I think he, you know, the offense can even see a nice bump. It was better under Petrino, um, but they, they had some miss, you know, basically misfortune and also losing Evan Stewart hurts, uh, you know, from from I I don't, I don't blame him after what he went through, you know, in this program to to finally hit the road, but still some talent there at the skill positions, um, I know that they lost ruben owens, I believe. 

42:01 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, they're a little deeper running back it's a lot for later and you know you want to have quality depth, but it's not like he was going to be slam dunk the starter or running back. Yeah, in the weeds I have heard the offense hasn't looked good during camp so far, but I'm not surprised by that, because Elk was a defensive mind coach and they got some elite defensive personnel. How are we betting this team? Are we getting involved on this team? We both like them. 

42:27 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I still what's that game? I don't think they should like that game against texas. I know we bought, we bet some, some even higher. 

42:35 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Now I think anything over a field goal is good there there you go, put that one in a and m plus three and a half, I don't I don't be a wild scene I think you know for all the. 

42:48
You know we're oh, I'm old man yelling at clouds so thankful that rivalry is back. Are you kidding me? There was no business why those two teams haven't played each other in almost 15 years ridiculous. But to get that game back. I wish they would have put it on like Friday night or something to me that's a throw. 

43:10 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
We talked about the Egg Bowl. That's a throw out. Give me the points in that game with Texas A&M at home. And again things can change, quarterbacks can get injured and all that, but I love over a field goal there. If that game was played week one, it would be a large position on me for over a field goal at Texas A&M. 

43:32 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I'll tell you that Interesting A&M plus 3.5 against Texas, a line that we both support, a bet that we both made, I still would lean over an 8.5. Wins, just letting you know. Starting with that, we'll be talking that opener. We might end up. Make sure you're watching the show. Keep in mind starting on Monday, monday, fridays, Saturdays, kanish. You're watching the show. Keep in mind starting on monday uh, monday, fridays, saturdays, kanish. You're getting us three times a week. As far as the shows, now, the saturday show is just gonna be a quick kind of like halftime peeking, look. But uh, we'll be definitely talking week one at texas a m notre dame, uh, with some line movement. Uh, you know a lot of money coming in on a m oklahoma's next, and now we're already the top ten. As far as my power rings, I'm not sure that you have Oklahoma in your top 10. I gotta take a look at that. I I was waiting at bated breath to see who you had your top 10. You did not have Notre Dame in your top 10. 

44:19
That is something that we will be we will be discussing that on Monday's show. Uh oh, did Oklahoma make your top 10? 

44:26 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
yeah, just I think I had him 10. Yeah, I am 10 too. 

44:28 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
uh, I like the defense. Uh, I do. Yeah, just I think I had him 10. Yeah, I have him 10 too. I like the defense. I think it could be one of the better defenses in the country, saying a lot, because boy Venables did not inherit a good defensive situation from Lincoln Riley At least it's taken him three years to get to it. But nine returning starters there. I don't know if they have a bunch of first-team All-Americans, but they have a lot of guys that have played a lot of snaps and can be productive Offense I like Jackson Arnold at quarterback. I don't think it's that big of a downgrade from Dylan Gabriel outside of experience. They had a key injury in camp Gibson. I mean not that he was going to be their top wide receiver, but he was going to be in the rotation. He's out for the season season, but don't worry, baby, we got. 

45:07 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
We got the number one ride receiver all set to go. 

45:10 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
We don't need him yeah, dion Burks you're talking about and I'll let you expand on that. Uh, the worry that I have, the biggest worry is you got a shaky offensive line room with only depending on how you count offensive line stars, maybe one guy back, uh, on that offensive line. Not ideal for an SEC schedule. But you look at that back half the starter schedule is advantageous, especially if they can beat Tennessee in week four. Should get off to at least a 4-0 starter, 4-1 there if you throw in the Auburn game. But man, that back half at Missouri, alabama, at LSU, at Ole Miss, texas, in there as well, I mean they could be underdogs in a bunch of those games. 

45:53 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, totally, and I think this is a team that I'll probably like backing in that role, kind of a feisty team in some of these games where they might be a little undervalued as opposed to do. I think this team can win the SEC. No, did I play the win total? No, but I think there's going to be some nice spots here as kind of a play on. Like Jack, I mean to me, if you let Dylan Gabriel walk out the door, I mean, maybe it could have been a financial you know who are we going to pay here. Maybe Jackson Arnold would have walked out the door if he wasn't getting the job. 

46:19
But I think you got to believe that this kid's the real deal and I think he is. I think you'll get a pretty electric season out of him. And this offense so defense, decent amount of returns there Big question, oh well, we'll see. Thankfully Arnold's got a little bit of juice to him, so hopefully not running around totally, but it was an offense that really popped at some points last year. I like their receiver position, even though with the injury and our man, deion Burks, our Bolitnikoff, get him in the trophy room there. But I don't really have any preseason love. I love it where it's at. The win total is at what is that? I should have had it. 

47:04 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Second half was off, yeah. It doesn't really I lean over. 

47:09 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I would lean over as well. Doesn't make me want to jump, but I think there'll be a few games that we'll love to back them in this year. 

47:16 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, some early markets like Fandula had the Texas game priced way high. In fact, I would still bet Oklahoma on that one if you want to pull that one up. Has there been any movement there? Open 10.5. Yeah, can you believe that Anything by? Uh, has there been any movement? They're open ten and a half. Yeah, can you believe that anything over a touchdown there? I kind of like oklahoma again. We're we're gonna start lining up against texas here quite a bit. Yeah, uh, eight and a half. You want to put that one in? I kind of like that, me too I, I bet that as well. 

47:44
So yeah, let's put that one in oklahoma game of the year, plus eight and a half against texas. Uh, because I could see Oklahoma being five and O entering that game, or at least four and one. They won't be getting that big of a number in my opinion if that's the case. So Oklahoma there and again we'll be talking. I mean, we're not alone. I mean, even against Temple in week one, that line's popped up three, four points from like what? 38, 39 up the foot, you know, crossing even through the key number of 42. For those listening instead of watching, I put the air quotes there. But yeah, I think they could be a little underrated Now, even though they're number 10 in the power rating. I didn't run and bet over seven and a half wins. That just tells you how tough this schedule is. 

48:29
Let's talk about LSU's next. You and I are not big Brian Kelly fans, to say the least. Obviously you lose a lot of production three first-round draft picks on that offense alone, led by the Heisman winner and Jane Daniels. The quarterback Defense was abysmal, one of the worst in the history of LSU football last year. You do like the coordinator hire, bringing in the history of LSU football last year. You do like the coordinator hire bringing in the guy over from Missouri. I don't like the talent, though, on defense Boy. I don't think that gets fixed overnight. I do like the offensive line. I think they got maybe the best set of offensive tackles duo in the country. They'll be okay. They're going to take a step back. They're not going to be the number one offense in the country like they were a year ago, but they're not going to be the number one offense in the country like they were a year ago. But I'm anxious. Before I wrap this up, let me get your thoughts on LSU, because we might have a bad year. 

49:15 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I tell you I'm concerned and I thought Jaden Daniels just did so many things for this offense and I think Nussmeyer is actually a good, solid college quarterback. And I think Nussmeier is actually a good, solid college quarterback, but you're talking about a guy in Daniels who could like with his legs I mean, how many games in a row did he have 80-plus yards rushing. Where all of that is gone, with Nussmeier and a couple of you know huge first-round receivers, like that type of receiving talent will be a step back. We'll still have talent, but not not the incredible amount of wide receiving talent that they had last year Malik neighbors and Brian the other guy's name is escaping me, but I mean they that, though that type of combination is just impossible to replace at the college level. 

50:07
And you said the defense. You had Brian Kelly going out there and there's always Brian Kelly, very calculated. There's nothing organic with Kelly, including him pretending to like Fish when he got to LSU or Grouper or something whenever he gave that quote oh, I love the red snapper, I'm in a Southern voice or something. It's all calculated and him saying that he made some quotes about them not getting the players a roundabout way of saying we didn't get the players that we wanted on defense in this transfer portal and I don't think the defense is going to be good enough to overcome what they're losing on offense. So, yeah, I'm under nine and a half. I don't think this is a 10-win team. I'm under nine and a half here. I know it's juiced but yeah, that'm under nine and a half. I don't think this is a 10-win team. I'm under nine and a half here. 

50:51 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I know it's juiced, but yeah, that's going to be the best bet. I was waiting for you there, even at minus 170. As we always shop around a little bit but there's not, nine and a halfs are disappearing. I can tell you that there's a lot more nines now in the market. I think that's a really good bet under 9.5. And keep in mind we like SC in week one against them. And then I mean that's not even getting to the Ole Miss game. It's not a slam dunk win At A&M. It could be tough Alabama at home. Oklahoma Boy yeah, they need a lot to go right for them to go 10-2. I think they can step back, mr Kelly, I will not be sad about that. So let's go. Beth Fett under 9.5. Wins on LSU. 

51:31
Next up, ole Miss, lane Kiffin. A lot of preseason expectations for this team, to say the least, maybe the highest preseason expectations that Ole Miss football has had ever. Deserve it too. I mean, when you look at a team coming off an 11-win season, key guys coming back like a Jackson Dart Went super heavy in the portal, spending money left and right, and some services out there have him as the number one transfer portal class in the country. So this is an all-in type of season for Ole Miss Schedule sets up nicely where they probably should be undefeated when they go to LSU there in week seven. They should be 6-0. It'd be a disappointment if they weren't. George is at home. 

52:09
With that being said, how does a team like this handle expectations that are at the highest ever? Lane Kiffin has not handled high expectations well in his coaching career. Just go through it. He has not had back-to-back big-time 10, 11-win type of seasons in back-to-back years. We've seen the win total 9.5. I think Joe Q Public is of seasons and back-to-back years. So we've seen the wind total nine and a half. I think joe q public's gonna want to go over nine and a half. We haven't seen hardly any line movement on it, so I think that's about priced right yeah, I don't, you know what, I I've never lane kiffin. 

52:41 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I love them in spots where you know you've had them as your oc or you've got them in a place like florida, atlantic or something. With these type of expectations that they have coming into the year with a team that again has some really nice pieces and, as you said, brought in another nice transfer class, I'm not totally I don't Jackson Dart's not a Heisman type of quarterback for me or an elite type of quarterback. 

53:07
You don't think so, I bet him to win the heisman I said I not granted, like could he put up the numbers in that? I don't know if he's that type of player for me, um, but at terms of like, just just talent wise, but hey, maybe you know lane gets in there enough um clip that zach for later in the year when DART Week 7 is the Heisman favorite. 

53:31
I know also some people their playoff odds. Some people, you know these opened, I think, plus 125, now FanDuel sitting at minus 130 for them to make the playoff. I'm just I don't have a way that I really want to play this team. I don't want to go over 9.5. I don't want to lay the playoff price because I think they need 10 wins. So to me that's about the same bet. I'd rather bet the 0.5 at minus 110 because I don't think 9 and 3 gets you in. 

54:00 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, a team like Ole Miss ain't getting in. 

54:02 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
No, no, no, with three losses. 

54:04 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
That's where you need to be a blue blood to get the benefit out, because they're not bringing in an audience. Remember, this is a TV show, folks. 

54:14 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I don't have a lot. I mean I'm not going to bet them to win the conference, but at the same time I don't have a big fade portfolio built up on them. 

54:22
I agree with that Outside of the Egg Bowl game with the big numbers, I'm pretty neutral. Could it go right? Could it all go right for Lane and them? They just they got to win. I mean they either got to upset Georgia or win at LSU. You know one of those games that they got to have, one of those two, and so it's. Can you get to one of those? Can you get to 10? Can you get in the playoff and make some noise? I just, I don't really, but I'm not a lean believer in that sense. 

54:53 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
So yeah, I'm still not a believer in the portal heavy culture. 

54:58 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Fair I agree with that too. 

55:00 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Georgia and Ohio and Georgia and Ohio state aren't doing it. Michigan, I mean, they go out and get the guys that they need. 

55:06 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, you get guys to fill a few positions. 

55:09 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Let's go out and get 15, 20 guys this offseason. Nobody that's been an elite contender has done that. So, yeah, I think it's a really good Ole Miss team. On paper, if everything goes right, I certainly could see them in the playoffs. But I question them winning multiple games in the playoffs. I'll just put it that way Yep, alabama's next. 

55:35
Uh, the crimson tide first time in nearly two decades. Uh, no more nick saban. Uh, roaming the sidelines. You want a hot take? Uh, I think they. You know who would I'd rather have for the next five years nick saban or kaylan deboer. I'd rather have kaylan deboer for the next five years than nick saban, because I don't think think Alabama's been overly well-coached the last couple years. They've, I think, been fortunate in a lot of games, otherwise they'd have three losses in some of them seasons. Not much as far as returning production, but we're still talking about a team as far as overall roster talent. I mean, 128 schools would love to trade places with Alabama as far as a roster. But with that being said, there's some holes. They're going to rely on some true freshmen in the defensive backfield. I don't think the defensive line has as many difference makers as far as pass rushers or even some defensive tackles like they've had in the past. The linebackers are okay, but again, I don't think they have a couple of first-team All-Americans there. Offensive line should be better than what it was a year ago. Man, it was not good. In fact it was historically bad as far as Alabama expectations. Last year We'll see what Mill Road can be in a new offense. Kalen DeBoer is an offensive coach so you would think on paper that gets better. 

56:47
I originally was down on Alabama when the news broke. Fanduel, give them credit. They had the win total up at the time. I've been under 9.5 at that point. I don't love that bet now. I thought they would get absolutely gutted because, keep in mind, there was a 30-day window where Alabama's roster was open to the transfer portal and the portal was closed for everybody else. So I thought they did a good job keeping at least most of the roster that they could intact. So I got them fifth in my power ranks. It's not like you're taking that far of a drop. 

57:16 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Here's a fun hypothetical. You always set these up for me. They got a 2013 lead with five minutes to go in the semifinal versus Michigan. They have a third down which, if they convert, they win the game. Then they would have won. I think they beat a Washington team who I think would have been over man there. Yeah, where are we if Alabama holds on to that Michigan game and, I think, wins a national title? Nick Saban still the coach right now. 

57:42 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, probably. 

57:45 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I know, it's just funny. 

57:47 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
He gave a context clue in that ESPN article. Yeah, he originally was thinking he had a national title contending team for this year. Yeah, because he thought a lot of those guys can come back and remember what he said. He said they were more interested in how much money can you give me, nil, or I'm hitting the portal, type of things. And I think he just said forget it, I'm done. 

58:08 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I agree Cause, as you said, just the timing of it was like you know, it's what he is, what he built, that style of program. It's kind of cause he kind of saw it going. It's like where Dabo is still like in the, in the, like his own world of like this can still work. I think Saban kind of saw the writing on the wall where, like this, this, what I had built, isn't really gonna gonna win moving forward. And so what does Alabama do they get? Of course they go get the guy who like the perfect replacement or like the number one guy who would have been on the board there for Kalen to board. So I agree with you, I'm not. I think the handle over nine and a half now is plus one, 16. That's probably not enough for me to think. I think nine and three would be a good year. 

58:48
I agree they did fight. They lost some pieces, but they were able to kind of fight back and retain a couple of guys. They get Proctor back. They brought in a nice. They were able to poach one of Michigan's who would have been a starting safety this year in Keyon Saab. So I think they've got enough with a coach under DeBoer who is just I mean just the all-time ATS god since he started head coaching and it's such a. I mean they do have some tough road games. We'll give it that. I mean the road schedule is not easy, and then they have Georgia coming in, so we'll see what De the board's made out of. But I didn't go either way on this one. I know I agree with that early move, but it looked like they were able to kind of weather the storm and still be in that 9-10 win range. 

59:42 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, if I got a 9, I'd bet over, to be honest with you, and make a much bigger bet on over 9 compared to what I originally bet on under nine and a half. So, but never saw it again. We, after that initial maybe 20 cent move on alabama under nine and a half. We haven't seen any movement. I agree with you, know the the want to defade this team has kind of subsided and for those of you that were, you know, oh, alabama should have gotten sark or should have gotten Dan Lanning, because they served under Saban's staff. 

01:00:12
Old DeBoer 5-0 against Sark and Dan Lanning, the last two years Underdog in all five games, won them all five outright. You are talking about an elite coach. It doesn't mean he's going to go win five national championships like Saban did, but I can count on one hand how many coaches I'd rather have coach. And it doesn't mean he's going to go win five national championships like Saban did, but I did there. I can count on one hand how many coaches I'd rather have than DeBoer right now and I wouldn't be using all the fingers on the hand. 

01:00:36
I can tell you that. So great job by Alabama with that hire. I think Alabama football is well set for the future here. Recruiting's going. The recruiting was a question mark. Again, I always look at recruiting being that leading indicator. Uh, oh, there's concern, they go. They lost the greatest recruiter of all time in Saban going. Recruiting was a question mark. Again, I always look at recruiting being that leading indicator. There's concern. They lost the greatest recruiter of all time in Saban. They're right at the top this year. I'm talking the 25 class coming in. So far, so good. Texas is next at four. 

01:01:01
It's not been a good fall camp for Texas, losing a couple of running backs. You talk about cluster injuries impacting a team's power rating. We've seen some movement against texas, whether it's the win total market or a little bit of movement even in week one. A little bit of money coming in on colorado state. Uh, texas off a play, their best season in 15 years. They made the playoffs a year ago. Uh, underperformed against washington again, were favored in that game. You know washington and I played them for. 

01:01:26
For a of it, boy, they got some question marks. I thought what separated Texas last year was two defensive tackles. They're both gone. Sweat and Murphy also had an elite wide receiver core. The top four guys are all gone Now. They did a good job in the portal bringing in four guys with experience, but I still think that's a downgrade. I'm not a huge Quinn Ewers guy I talked about. Oh, I bet Jackson Dart to win the Heisman. I bet Nico Iamaliaba to win the Heisman. I didn't bet Quinn Ewers to win the Heisman, so I don't think much of him. I still think I like Sark, but I'm not in love with Sark. I still think he's got some questions that he needs to answer. As far as a consistency to answer, as far as the consistency, can he put back-to-back years together? I guess what I'm getting at is you and I gave out under 10.5 wins a couple months ago. I love, love, love that bet. 

01:02:17 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I know we got it at a lot cheaper juice than what's out there now and it pays to be a Summer Hit the Books listener, because I agree. I mean, this team has I still would lay that's juiced out. 

01:02:28 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Pays to be a summer hit the books listener. Um, because I agree, I mean this team has. I still would lay I that's juiced out. 

01:02:30 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
If you're late to the party, I'd play it because most places are 10 now I mean, yeah, totally, because I mean at michigan, which I know we've talked about in your donuts, we got, they've got the red river, you got georgia coming in, you gotta go to coyote field in texas. I mean this team has four absolutely massive, you know, head to head games, with a couple of them being on the road and that that's that's going. You know, then it's not like they've got cake on the rest of the schedule here. So and again, I think the team is extremely talented. 

01:03:06
But Quinn, who was as you, as you, you said you laid out very well there that the running backs had some cluster injury. The wide receiver is going to take a step back, the defensive line takes a step back and again, they're not short on talent, so I'm not going to make it out like they. They've got some legitimate all-american, you know, left tackle. Anthony Hill is a fantastic first round type of player on defense. So they're not short on talent overall on the roster. But you got to be to go 11 and one with this schedule and those, those four, that four pack of games on there. You got to be lights out and I don't think I agree with you that the hottest take of this year. Was that that? I don't. I think we see Arch Manning at some point. Yeah, you're pretty confident on that. 

01:03:52
I just like what I saw from him in the spring and that Quinn Ewers hasn't put it together. He's either been injured or inconsistent the entire time he's been in college. Even when he was on the practice field at Ohio State, they didn't feel that confident that he would be the next guy, and I don't think he's shown an elite level of play over the course of more than a couple weeks since he's been in college. So I don't know, man, with the expectations at Texas and the first year in the SEC, I'm not going to stick with him if he's playing mediocre football. 

01:04:29 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, just if you think we're way down in texas, I have number four my pop power ratings in the cut, not in the sec. Overall in the country four and you put that powering in their schedule. I got 9.7 wins. So, and now it's before the baxter stuff. Uh, then I gotta do some slight adjustments. So and I'm here to tell you yeah, they deserve to be pretty big favorites against flor and Kentucky, but still, florida and Kentucky are better than Texas, tech and Baylor. 

01:04:53 - Zack Phillips (Announcement)
Right, great point. 

01:04:54 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
This is a program that they could have lost to TCU last year. They could have lost to Kansas State. Go back and watch those games. Those aren't slam dunk wins and boy if the team's a little bit better. So under 10.5 there. I also got to mention that Alabama. I gave out Alabama plus 950 to win the SEC. I know you weren't wild about that, but we have not had that price on Alabama in the conference in about 17 years. And again I like Kalen DeBoer, and getting Georgia at home if they can win that game might give them the tiebreaker to make it. Keep in mind, divisions are thrown out the window. You just got to have the best record. So we did give that out One more team and it is the number one team. Although, boy, I got to mention this to you who would you have favored on a neutral, georgia or Ohio State? 

01:05:49 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Georgia and this to you who would you have favored on a? 

01:05:50 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
neutral georgia. Ohio state georgia and I know what your body is saying slam, dunk. Ohio state number one. I can't believe that no, I'm not there. 

01:05:55 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I'm not there at all, especially with, especially with, will howard, a quarterback so let's talk georgia's quarterback, which is one of. 

01:06:02 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
How often has georgia had one of the top five quarterbacks in the country and maybe even the best guy as far as next year's draft in Carson Beck. I'm not a huge Carson Beck guy, but the talent's there Moore's going to be on his shoulders this year. I mean this is a loaded roster In my opinion. Some people don't think so, but I think the offensive line's as good as it gets in college football. Coming back, wide receiver's pretty solid. They do lose their top two running running backs, but they've recruited that position very well now. Is the defense as good as what they were in 21 and 22? No, but they got experience coming back up front. I think they've recruited linebacker the last couple years as well as anybody I've ever seen in college football. Uh, secondary would be okay, but I mean still got guys like starks back there. 

01:06:44
Uh, schedule is tough though. At alabama, at texas, at old mints, I mean you're playing three top six teams in the country all on the road. Georgia's schedule and this is a much tougher schedule for georgia than what they played the last couple of years. But you know what? Uh, it's not a 14 playoff anymore. They could lose a couple of them, games and boy georgia. As long as they make the playoffs and they're relatively healthy, I I mean I don't care if they're 10-2 and in the playoffs I mean there's not a lot of teams I'd rather have than Georgia. And would you have wanted to play Georgia? As a Michigan fan Say, you had to play them after playing Alabama and Washington. Would you have wanted to play them last year? 

01:07:24 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Well, I mean absolutely, I think we would have killed him. Oh, yeah, yeah, no, I know, listen, I hear you. 

01:07:38 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
What's that, Zach? That was amazing. 

01:07:41 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
There's only a handful of programs that can have this kind of depth in the modern era of college football, and Georgia is just one of them where even your guys that are, like you know, the, the, the team too, are like four and five star, like younger players in that, and I thought they were able to backfill. I love Colby young. Getting him out of Miami I think that was a massive pick. I think he's going to have a big year, so that that was a really nice steal from Miami. We had a team that you know isn't scared about paying their players, so that was a nice get. And Trevor Etienne from Florida, I mean those are a couple of real for a team. 

01:08:18
That kind of their weak spot was going to be the skill positions went out, were aggressive. That's how you use the portal when you're a big-timer is you go out and pluck. Oh, I'm going to take one of the best running backs in the conference, I'm going to take one of the best wide receivers in the country and easily backfill a couple positions that we lost. And, as you're saying up front, on the lines, I just think they're as good as it gets offensive line, defensive, that front seven. So yeah, I mean the big qualifiers, as you said in a few of these past years've had like legitimately, like one, maybe two losable games on the schedule. 

01:08:51 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Uh, in some of those years it was like it was like one one, yeah, yeah, we're like wait, you got one game you need to win and the rest you can make. 

01:08:58 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Not so much this year. Um, with that said, I haven't, I, I do not. I don't think I have a pre-season position on this team at the moment. Um, you got, you got anything, I don't. I don't have win total, I don't have conference have a preseason position on this team at the moment. You got anything, I don't have win total. I don't have conference winner. 

01:09:12 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I didn't play. I met him early against Clemson. That's out to 14 now. 

01:09:15 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Okay, okay, yeah, we want. No, I agree with that and I think I actually joined you on that. 

01:09:19 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
But I laid because the game kudos to FanDuel. They had the Georgia-Al line up when that news was sitting, so I laid two and a half there. I wouldn't bet that now Georgia at Alabama. But that I was thinking, hey, alabama could be way down this year. No, that's about it. I like the team. 

01:09:40
I know Kirby's saying he's not as good depth-wise. You're not going to be, that's just the reality, uh, but neither is anybody else, yeah, so I, just, I, I wouldn't trade their roster with ohio states. We're just being honest, I wouldn't, especially a quarterback with a healthy back and uh, I, I, I like, I know they got a speeding problem there, uh, but I, outside of that, I mean I, they're pretty buttoned up to me. This is the new Alabama, it just is so. Then Kirby's learned from the best. So I think they deserve to be the preseason favorite in the conference national title and be interested that. The one thing I would wouldn't mind getting involved is say they lost on Alabama or Texas. You know what's that in the futures market look like for this team. 

01:10:29 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I love where your head's at right there. 

01:10:31 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Yeah, that's where I might finally jump in and be like, hey, now this price is in line, because I think this team will win out. So we'll know how good they can be week one against Clemson, because that's a game they should control. They don't need to blow that game out. But boy the line saying that they're going to control Clemson, to say the least. But I'll use. I'll say one more thing. If you don't think they have depth, go watch the second half of the orange bowl. I get it, florida state didn't want to be there and whatnot, but that was all backups for Georgia, going up and down the field, true, like a bunch of true freshmen in there just kicking Florida state's ass, and guys that haven't even played all season. I mean, I'm talking the whole lineup in that second half was backups and true freshman for Georgia. So I think they got better depth than what your buddy on Twitter was talking about today. So again, closing thoughts before we recap all the bets. 

01:11:24 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
I mean, you know what, and I know as two guys here who haven't been totally in favor of the new shuffling around in the college football and the expanded playoff, I got to tell you there's going to be some when you sit back and look at it, man, there's going to be some great games this year, especially in this conference. I mean, every week they're going to have something in the SEC that you're going to be looking forward to. 

01:11:51 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I don't think we've seen Georgia at Alabama. I would say we've seen Georgia at Alabama in the SEC. We have not seen Georgia play at Alabama, I think in 15 years. Yeah, yeah. And then you get Georgia at Texas. I think Georgia at Ole Miss is a great team and we get Texas at Texas. 

01:12:06 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
So there's some as much as I can. Sit here like an old man yells at the cloud and say oh, we're ruining all their tradition. I've got to tell you some real tasty games coming up. 

01:12:15 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I'll be watching. Oh yeah, yeah, there's a lot of them. So there's that. Let's recap the best bets. Obviously, one that we gave out Texas was a couple months ago, under 10 and a half wins, uh, we gave out also lsu on today's show under nine, uh, nine and a half wins, and I'll let I'll turn it over to the real star of the show, the producer, uh, zach phillips, to fill in the rest yeah, so we added, uh, texas. 

01:12:43 - Zack Phillips (Announcement)
so we added lsu under nine and a half onto what we already had, with Texas under 10 and a half, kentucky over six and a half and Alabama to win the SEC. And then as well, we added two bets for games so far this year Oklahoma plus eight and a half minus one 10 against Texas, as well as Texas A&M plus three and a half minus one 10 against Texas, plus three and a half minus one 10 against Texas. 

01:13:07 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Beautiful and Zach did a really nice job as far as we have and shame on me he gave me the list of the preseason list right before the show, so we have that document up for you and I to track. We only you and I, only three head to heads. We're going to have to go ahead to head here. 

01:13:23 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
We have to get a few a week. One head to heads going on here. 

01:13:29 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
Great minds think alike. I've been hanging around you too much. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I don't know if there's too much to disagree with, but boy, was there anything you wanted to double back on South Carolina? No, I'm not running there. I kind of like our portfolio here as far as the SEC. 

01:13:46 - Joey Knish (Co-host)
Yeah, I'm with you. I think we keep it as it is. Couple of nice adders there and you know what looking forward to? We got the live shows coming back and the chat and the week one and we're off and running baby. 

01:14:00 - Brad Powers (Co-host)
I don't like people, I really don't believe it or not, and even though he seems kinda nice, I really don't. But one thing I did miss the last few weeks, as we've been previewing all these conferences, I missed the chat. Yeah, we got a great chat and I'm glad to be back with the chat on Monday. If you're following and watching along this weekend, we will be back with our starting off our schedule, which will be the case the entire college football season Mondays, wednesdays, saturdays for you guys, and obviously all live shows, all with the chat heavily involved. For the man, the myth, the legend himself, joey Knish. For producer extraordinaire Zach Phillips I'm merely Brad Powers. You just watched Hit the Books, part of the Hammer Betting Network sponsored by FanDuel. You