Bama247 Roll Pod: Official Alabama vs. East Carolina Game Preview

0:00Just two more sleep until the third year of the K-Ondebor era kicks off with Alabama in Bryant, Danny Stadium against ECU, Saturday morning 11am ABC, Brett Greenberg, Microdac, Alex Scarborough, dive deep into the matchup, talk about some national game picks, call our shot on Heisman, National Chame-Champ Matchup, and eventual winner, all that and more on the latest episode of BAM-247 Robot. What's up, hello everybody, welcome to another episode of RollPod 2 Days. That is it until Alabama opens the year 3 of the K-Ondebor era against East Carolina and Bryant, their stadium, 11-07am kick ABC, long long long offseason, we are almost there, a couple more

1:02sleeps, I know, Alabama fans are excited about, I know Mike Alex, myself first, I about to have a lot more to talk about today's show, like I mentioned previously, we're going to have throughout the year, we're up Tuesday, Thursday, and then sometimes Saturday, mostly Sunday having the recaps, Thursday will serve more as a preview of the upcoming matchup Tuesdays, kind of putting a bow on that one, and then obviously Saturday, Sunday really diving into the game and the biggest takeaways there, we'll have our weekly round tables up on Thursdays as well, so the same time, same days, we're recording the previews, we'll have game picks out on Friday, for this week, just because again, there's not, I know there's a lot to talk about, but we've already hit on it so many times, and the Aussies will probably dive into a little bit of the VIP round table questions as well. I guess we'll go ahead dive right into it, but first, Mike Alex, I don't know, where's your mind at? Are you, you know, so excited, like, I don't know, I'm hydrated. I'm hydrated.

2:02The 100 and whatever degree heat index, and then Mike and I will go into the coldest press box on Earth, so we'll have the sniffles I guess, but no, it's exciting, like, finally here, you know, we got people calling in the right here, showing us, and Kiela Russell's a starter, people are coming out of hibernation, like, let's do this. That was a great call last night, but started off, he was asking about the heat, that somebody had already asked about the heat, so then the caller pivoted to, is Kiela and our starter was the question, and there was a very awkward silence after that. I think Kiela, you know, said yes, but I guess the actual question was like, how are we going to keep him healthy? Like, is this this offensive line going to be any good? It was basically I missed that. How did he, how did he answer that? As, as he, as one, as Kiela, yeah, as we'd expect, but it seems like the biggest controversy yesterday was this whole thing about Kiela and the board, not naming a long snapper on the SEC telecom, where he was asked about that, and there's a debate

3:07on whether he didn't know their names and just didn't want to butcher anything there, or be if he is withholding the long snapper information as a form of gamesmanship to which he was praised by certain people on Twitter that he is truly in the SEC head coaching game when he's withholding long snapper information, or as in his words, holding it back, I think were the words that he used yesterday. So, Ethan Stangle, the Syracuse Transfer, it Alex Rozier, are your two long snappers, by the way, Rozier returning for his fifth year, he has changed jersey numbers, he went from 52 to 44 last year, now he's going to be 55. Ethan Stangle wore 49 in camp, and now he's going to be 61, so that's for a long snapper minute. And where else can you get this information? Not from Kiela and the board. But yeah, apparently that was the biggest story yesterday was this whole long snapper thing. So, truly, it seems like we need to play a football game, because I'm not sure. Well, and why receiver three, I thought that was mildly interesting, that the least ringing endorsement

4:09possible that Rico's playing with you together. It's a tough question because it truly is very situationally, and there's times when, even last year, they would have like Derek Meadows and somebody else out there, and it's based on what your play call is, what you're doing. It's not necessarily like there's one, two, three receivers, and there's a very set hierarchy, it's a little bit more package specific than it would be for an offensive line or something like that. Do we think Rico at the end of the season will have more snaps than Derek Meadows, Senderian Morgan, or Derek Meadows and Senderian Morgan combined? I think it's quite possible. I think the more relevant question will be Noah Rogers. Where does he fit into that conversation? If Noah Rogers is your third receiver, then I think Rico's probably be probably, I guess he would be behind him in that case. It's a question of, you know, kind of those four guys against each other, which, you know, I think people are

5:09excited about Senderian Morgan. I don't know if I would put him in the starter category right now. I don't know if he's going to play as many snaps as Rico, Scott, or Derek Meadows. So, I don't know if that was music to people's ears who are super excited about Senderian Morgan, but it probably was music to people's ears that E. J. Grewel has been back at practice and looks to be on track to play somewhat of a role on Saturday. As we talked about in the last shout out, I don't know if it'll be a huge role, but that was kind of the news of the week. Long snappers and wide receiver three and Alex Esperruhoff is your punter. The return man, he talked to that. That sounds good to bring up too, yeah. You know, I think that's pretty much as expected. You know, some of those names have been out there, you know, from last year, Ryan Williams and Dejon Lee returned. Ponce last year, I think that'll probably be the same. Trashon Brown, the freshman running back, you know, probably will return some kicks and I think Rico Scott also returned the kicks. The only name that I would have maybe expected in there that wasn't was Lots of Your Brooks. I'm happy you returned some. I don't know if health has played a role in that or it's always been

6:13banged up, but he wasn't one of the names that Kaylyn mentioned yesterday. It's it's modly interesting to me that they would continue to put Ryan out there just because I think you want to protect him a little bit in terms of just the hits he's going to take and knowing how thin you are at wide receiver. Obviously, we've said in a million times they're good at the top, but they don't have a ton of death. And if you lose a guy like that for any amount of time that really could throw you out of whack. So we'll see, I mean, he's playmaker. You want to make plays, but I wonder if evolves as we get further into the season. But there's, you know, there's been questions with Ryan as far as returning punts too. There's been a couple snap boots, probably more expression near. So that's maybe where you do kind of miss a Cole Adams where he was back there kind of reliable. You don't really remember too many issues there. You don't really remember too many explosive returns either, but do you miss Cole Adams in that punt returner role? Yeah, it's one of the questions we can experience very solid. And I remember talking to Caitlin about at one point,

7:15like it just his ability to consistently get bored for a few extra yards. It's, you know, people say it all the time is they hit in the yardage of the game, but that's an important part of it because there's nothing that will drive a coach crazier than running backwards. Yeah, you don't really have that receiver. You know, I'm getting at like your slot receiver. Yeah, you can kind of put back there. You had that guy who was going to come and then Owen Cabell, that he went to Vandy instead. We see a shorter kid. No, he was bigger. Bigger kid. Yeah. Okay. I'm just thinking of like a, yeah, you're right, he was six too. Just, you know, a short little slot receiver. I like Cole Adams. Like, yeah, sometimes it's nice to have on his guy's on your team. Like he just kind of has that role and maybe, you know, reliable, shifty as a pun returner. I think there's a place for those guys. Yeah, I think all those good points out. She's in point about kind of the top heaviness of the

8:19receiver in that spare talented, but these only make caught punts last year too. But I think that's kind of that you can maybe make a same argument. Like if you admit, have him, you know, go down or whatever it may be, that's kind of becomes, you know, maybe a little bit of a conversation at the cornerback. Just, you know, between, uh, Jordan, it's being her and make sure I'm being a little banged up as well. But that's our, I guess, special teams extended minute of the, of the episode. Again, we need these games to start, but we'll kind of just roll down the, uh, VIP roundtable questions. You can get full thoughts as well on BAM247 by the time this is posted as well. But first question, I'll start with you. What is one thing our balance fans should be most excited about when it comes to this roster? One thing that should have fans a little bit worried. And again, when you get start, please be likely some repeat thoughts that we've had over the last five months or so. Or maybe, uh, I think the answer to both questions is the same. It's the youth of the team and the

9:21potential. They're both good. And if we're being totally honest, not good either, because you're just relying on so many, uh, not just a freshman, but especially that's that sophomore class. That's really promising. Michael Carroll, Dijon Lee, Lots of your Brooks, you know, Kiel and Russell, like all these guys have tremendous potential. A lot of those guys have shown some of that potential, but they showed it in limited action. We're talking about like one season or part of a season. Like, will you be able to get that consistently? Will you get that development? Because they're going to be the ones in a large part that will either push this team over the top with their playoff contention, or if they don't develop, will be, you know, in that second, third tier of the SEC. You know, again, it cuts both ways when we talk about potential and youth. There's a lot to get excited about, but I think you should also wait and see how some of these guys work, because it's like I'll run through it. I'll care of buying a new position. That's different.

10:23Lots of your Brooks coming off of injury now, Annie's five foot nine. And he had two touchdads last season and one game at the end of the season. You need to see more there. Kiel and Russell's never started a football game. Now, Dejon Lee's played really well, but I still think they're parts in his game that he needs to clean up. So a lot there that you can, if you're optimistic, you can be excited about, but if you're a little cynical, you kind of, I think you want to wait and see. So I think they're going to determine a lot of this. Yeah, you mentioned, yeah, I've ever said a great. Jackson boy. I'm in there too. Yeah. Yes. I was looking at it. I'll probably have a story out before the season starts. I mean, they're 21 high school signies in that first 2020 class. There's eight starters that I think there's going to be. And then there's eight or nine more that are going to play significant significant roles you're talking about. And I have an tailor London Simmons with Jeremiah being being out. So there's a lot of talent. There's a lot to be excited about, but also there's a lot to put in that. I put that up. Yeah, Leak Metz. Yeah. So kill that word said, showed flashes. You'd like to see more out of him as well. So I've

11:24100% spot on. Mike. Yeah. I mean, that was my answer. So the question was, it's the potential. Like you can see the path for everybody. Keelan Russell turns into a star right away. If he did your career, he turns into a star. Ryan Williams gets back to what we watch your brooks, takes another step. If it's very Morgan plays a bunch and Harold and Jackson Lloyd are all SEC players and like you can work go right down the list. There's there's potential. There's ceilings there. But the offense is very inexperienced. It's not there's not a whole lot of production. You can lean on in terms of what you expect from some of these players and even where players have played like a race in Delgati at Cal Poly or even Javan James. If you want to talk about Toledo and Mississippi State, like this is a different level. It's a different level from Mississippi State even. That's supposed to be real. So, you know, it's just you don't know. And it's the unknown versus the potential. It's really the spread here. And it's a wider spread than I think we're used to

12:30seeing from Alabama. So, you know, that's that's where I'm at too. Yeah. As you're walking into Bryant, Danny Stadium, or maybe you thought about this is our second question, you know, you throw up the binoculars aside from kind of making your checks of who's, you know, who's dressed out and, you know, cross the roster, who's injured, who's not playing whatever it may be. I know Mike always does that and gets kind of report on the on the board and then, you know, does does his eventual snap counts. But like, what are you aside from that? What are you hoping to learn or check in on or however it may be over the course of the game and then coming out of the game as well? Like, what is it? Personnel-wise, coaching is it? Whatever it may be, Michael start with you. What do you kind of hope and to learn, see, observe, whatever it may be in the stadium on Saturday afternoon, morning slash afternoon? It is. Yeah. I mean, it would be the morning. So, I think, first of all, yeah, like how energized is the team? I mean, look, I think the whole effort thing was overrated last year in Florida State game. I think did it play a role? Yes. Is it like,

13:30does it explain everything about the Florida State game last year? No. Like, I think there were flaws about that team last year that were exposed in the Florida State game that couldn't run the ball very well. XXYZ, like, there's all sorts of things. I don't think that was like just an effort thing. But you want to see Alabama come out with more effort and energy than they did in that game last year. And I think they will. You're playing in front of a home crowd. I think that's going to be a differentiator, but it is a morning game. So, that's part of it. And it's as a opponent that is not a name brand. So, you know, that's part of it. I think everybody's going to be looking at the running game. The first run that they run, how many yards do they get? If they get one or two yards, people in the stadium are going to be groaning and moaning. If people... Yeah. Yeah. I didn't want to take from Alex, but like, just don't run into the back of Michael Kiel. Right. But I'll let Alex talk about that. But if the first run of the game, Daniel Hill goes

14:32for five or six yards, people are going to think it's all fixed and, you know, everything from last years absolved. So, that first run, what happens in that first run is going to be like, everybody's going to be watching. Like, ooh, that was just look. But look, I guess I'll get into it now. He's Carolina is a more experienced team than Indiana. Everybody jokes about Indiana last year, being like average age of 27, which isn't really true. But they had obviously a lot of four, fifth, and a couple, six-year players. He's Carolina's average age of their depth chart that they put out is actually of their starters is higher than Indiana's last year in Osble. Has over four years of experience per projected starter, 4.13 to be exact. Wow. They have several, several fifth-year players, multiple six-year players as well, and a lot of transfers. It's not a lot of guys who have just played only in the American conference. They've come from different places. So, if that matters in college football, and I think we've had all sorts of

15:33conversations about maybe that it does, how does that play a role in this game as opposed to you know, a Mercer or whoever else coming in. I think just people expect to show up to the stadium on Saturday and watch Alabama win by 50 points. Could that happen? Sure. Will it happen? I don't know. I think we should be a little bit cautious about assuming too much here. And as I told Alex the other day, you think about it. Not that there were Alabama's playing a power conference team, but Alabama has lost its most recent game against the Big Ten opponent. It has lost its most recent game against an ACC opponent, Florida's Bay last year. It has lost its most recent game against the Big 12 opponent, Texas three years ago. So, it has lost its most recent games against three other conferences other than the SEC. In fact, it has lost three out of its last five games against the Big Ten. The last two times that Alabama has played a team from the American conference was Alex Gola, South Florida, happened both in 2023 and 2024. Combined the first three quarters of those games, Alabama outscored USF by eight points. 24 to 17. You might remember the 2023

16:38game in the rain, in Tampa, under Nick Sabin, those the Thai Simpson, Tyler Buckner game, we're actually Tyler Buckner, then Thai Simpson. And then you had Kalin the Boors first season where USF came in and was playing a very tight game for the first three quarters. And people were very nervous about that game. And that was an American conference team. Well, East Carolina is in the American conference. So just because it's not an SEC team, I think we should probably drop the assumption of Alabama beating the shit out of them because the record recently, under multiple different coaches, Sabin and the Boer, is not actually that well, that great against teams outside the SEC within the last three or four years. Outside of those two Wisconsin games really. So, I'm not as Wisconsin. I know. Lutthickel stills a job. But let's talk about something else for a second here too. Can I just em butzman this for just one second? Please. Texas was in the SEC. Not that year? Twenty-two years ago? They were in the big 12. Were they in the big 12?

17:39No, they were in the that was that was completing that non-conference series which was started in 2022 in Austin. That was in the recovery toe toe. Did the horns down and Nick Sabin on TV? They completed that non-conference series by coming to Tuscaloosa. That was Queen Ewers. And then Texas joined the SEC officially the year after. How about that? The USF comparison is the one I think that every Alba haven't been since. But continue. Your rant is not done. No, it's not. It's not. And there's all this talk about Albahemma and their defensive line being bigger this year. Well, if you look at the two defensive tackles at Albahemma that we expect to start, Terrence Green and Kendrick Bingley Jones. One of those is 303 pounds. Correct. That was completely true. Sorry. 302 pounds. Terrence Green is 313 pounds. The two defensive tackles who are starting for East Carolina are bigger. Preston Cars, 313 pounds. A fifth year player.

18:40Ryan Rosebro is 312 pounds. A fourth year player. So East Carolina actually has bigger defensive tackles than Albahemma. If you want to look at those two positions now if you want to look at East Carolina's offensive line, left to right. You have a fourth year player left tackles. 6, 4, 323. Sorry, that's left guard. 6, 4, 323 left guard. 6, 7, 3, 16, 4th year player left tackle. Center. 6, 4, 313. Fifth year player. Right guard. 6, 4, 310. Sixth year player. Right tackle. 6, 7, 320. Fifth year player. On an average weight basis, East Carolina's offensive line, they project to start. Average is 317 pounds. Albahemma's projected offensive line on Saturday. Average is 318 pounds. Albahemma's offensive line is on average 1 pound heavier than East Carolina. So the idea that East Carolina is going to walk in here and look like a high school team body wise physically against Albahemma, I don't see it. They have the same size players into trenches. I can look at them in a

19:45mix saving press conference right now. And I've said this before, look at what those players have come from. Like if there's going to be disrespect for a team that's in a lower conference than you, Albahemma's starting center was playing at Cal Poly last year. The right tackle was playing Mississippi State in Akron, or Toledo before that. Like you have guys who are in high school that are going to be out there playing in their first game in the SEC for Albahemma. Their defensive line, I mean, Kendrick Bingley Jones, Mississippi State, Terrence Green played in the big 10. They're soft. They're not the SEC. So this is all going to be different for him. It just means more in the SEC. Devin Tomkins played in the big 10 and the pack 12. In fact, the pack 12 was super soft. As we all know, so why is there an assumption that just because Albahemma puts on this Crimson Jersey with an SEC logo and another team walks in without one, that Albahemma's just going to be the shit out of them. This is not 2015 anymore. It could look different. It could look the same, but it could look different. That's my red. I'm done. With that, that's the end of the

20:48role-ponsed record. I'm just getting Alex. I don't know if you remember the question, but no, I don't look like you were looking some stuff up. I was. I was just going to see how East Carolina fared against Power 4. They beat Hit last year. They in a bowl game, in a bowl game to be fair. I mean, you said they're not going to look like a high school team. I forget what I said. I feel like they're going to look like the way you described them, like a team from the longest yard. They're a bunch of grizzled old men with felony charges on them. They're going to come in there with switch blades and try to beat Albahemma. I'll answer your question. From last year, they lost by six points at NC State and they lost at home to BYU. They host a lot of them. They always give NC State trouble. I feel like I've watched 10 games where East Carolina is almost beat at NC State. They lost 34 to 13 against BYU last year at home, which I don't why was BYU going to East Carolina? Because it's pretty. Look, everything just that's right. East Carolina is a good program and

21:53football has changed. And what the hell was the question about what I'm looking for? What I'm looking for? That's what you're looking for trying to learn, see, observe, during the game. I had to relook up. But we wanted to get Mike the floor there. I was really looking for East Carolina. Pull off the upset. I'm not looking for the record. I picked East Carolina to lose by like 25 points in our predictions that will be published for about it. I'm not picking East Carolina to win. I'm just I'm combating the assumptions that are made that I think need to change among fans that still think it's 10 years ago in college football. Not just Alabama and college football in general. Things have changed. Things are different now. roster construction is a lot different now and people need to catch up with that. Yes, Mr. I'll be watching the offensive line. How they do against those big old sunbitches from East Carolina. I don't even know how to respond after all that.

22:58It was really good. No, I want to see how they do. Are they cohesive? I don't think their ceiling is like sky high. I mean, their talent compared to last year's not to say it's just not. But I think as I've talked about a number of times, I think you can still perform more effectively by having chemistry and by playing with an edge with an attitude. As I've said a million times, if you're going to fail, fail going 100 miles an hour into somebody else's face mask, that's what I want to see. Can you be effective running the football? It's not running for 200 yards, although you'd like to see that. Harmony would like to see a ton of reps for Kylian Russell. Can you consistently get positive yardage against those big old sunbitches? Can you get a couple of explosive runs? Those are the two things they need. They don't need a lot of them. They just need to consistently avoid negative yards in rushing because it just kills every drive. Then Kylian

23:58create explosive plays to open up the defense a little bit and take the load off of your quarterback shoulders. That's what I'm looking for. Those big old sunbitches. It's the interior of this game that intrigues me the most because I feel like there's a better chance for East Carolina to match up on the interior than there is in the passing game. Besides, I think there are quarterbacks. Give me a big question, Mark. He's 87 years old, but Mitch Griffiths, who can be turned 25 next week, 70 or quarterback, hasn't played a lot. It hasn't done very well when he's played. Then their talent wide receiver, questionable. That's where you have an advantage, especially when you're matching them up with Xavier Brown and Dijon Lee. Opposite side as well. Kylian Russell, Ryan Coleman Williams, Lots of Your Brookes, should dominate the competition on the other side of the ball. But again, Lots of Your Brookes is a three-star kid from New Jersey, so clearly he's not very good.

24:59He's not from Alabama. It drives me nuts sometimes. He's not an in-state recruit. So he can't be good. Lots of Your Brookes. He's not from the South. He's not from Alabama. They're poor. He can't be good. I actually write up a good little point right there. And your answer there that I wanted to ask about. I've seen it kind of on our board as well. Do you think, I know this is... I didn't pull up my binoculars for that. There we go. You're looking at talking about Kylian Russell and Gale. You want to get this run game going. You want to create explosive plays. As far as the playbook, Kylian, do you just throw it all at him against this team? Or do you kind of... I've seen something that discussion about it. Do you hold a little bit back? Try to get him fully comfortable? Hit some more eater media throws? Or do you throw the whole book at him to get him ready for what is going to be a good environment at Kentucky week two on his first rope start? Look, I'm always going to be of the opinion, don't get cute.

26:04Just do what you're going to do, especially with the first year starting quarterback and figure out what he can accomplish in a game that you should have some breathing room in. And you know, cuts both ways. Oh, don't show the opponent what you're going to do. Well, if you show the opponent a lot, it gives them even more to prepare for. And remember all the trick plays that they ran early last season in games that like, did you need them necessarily? I don't know. Like, they did all that and it just gives... it makes the opponent account for a practice and takes time theoretically away from somewhere else. Mike will come from the Bill Bellicic School, tell them and give them nothing, you know, put the field goal post in the video board or that was awesome by the way. I've known that for years. I'm surprised like all of a sudden became a thing this week. Yeah, I guess that's how it works. For people who are not online as much as we are, their video board is right behind the field goal post and they would show the field goal,

27:06the view of the field goal post, but offset. So it almost looks like there are two sets of field goal posts. Awesome. Maybe that's what they're doing. That giant video board and Coleman Coliseum, they're going to put a couple extra nets. I don't know. I just think you do what you do when you've got this much new. Now, I think bigger picture, do they have a slim down playbook overall? I think that's potential when you have a younger quarterback that you're just going to say, hey, here's 9-10 things we do really well. And if we can master that, then we'll start bringing stuff more stuff in as the season goes alone. And side note, I'm really interested to see how much RPO they do. And that leads into the other question that we asked is, or you asked, is like, what are we looking for? Do you think the coaching staff is looking for? I think you can question the third one. And I think it's the operation at the line for Keylon in and out of

28:06the huddle. It's been something that's mentioned like he needed to get better at from the spring in terms of getting to play call out, having players know what they're doing, all that, like the huddle to line operation with him was probably an area where Mack had an advantage. But if Keylon's able to execute that, that's what you want to see, I think, as a coaching staff. But I think they also don't necessarily want him to get so far into the weeds with checking out the line. I think that became a problem last year with Ty. I think as Kaylon has described, it doesn't always need to be the perfect play call. Ty last year would go down to the play call being zero because he was trying to set everything up perfectly. And they had to call some time out. Sterevice delays again. There's issues with that sometimes. And I don't think it needs to always be like that with Keylon. It just let him play. Let him let it fly a little bit. So, you know, it's the huddle operation, the play call executing all that. I don't think you want to make it super wide and breath. Like you think you want to still have it rather contained in terms

29:13of what you're showing and what you're giving him to do. He's only a sophomore. So, I don't think you need to throw everything at the wall in this first game. Yeah. Fourth question was sent around the Russian tag, which we kind of hit on earlier in the show. I said, anybody wants to add anything, but again, run forward and don't just fall down. Like five, five, five yards. I think would be a nice number to add in this. Yeah. So, last one. One bold prediction, which we'll have a lot of questions via the B. Brown table. It'll be this every single week, but one bold prediction for the season opener. That's first touchdown, sack leader, whatever it may be. Alex. I think Bright Hever is going to score a touchdown. I think he's, if you said, be bold. So, I'm going to be bold. I think. Lushing or receiving. Right. I don't know if it's a fumble recovery. I don't know if it's an interception, but I just think he's going to start the season on a tear. And we've all raised saw a lot of last season. How he can just be all over the place. So, I'm kind of,

30:13I'm kind of leaning towards like strip sack. Go the other way for six points. I think he's going to be around the line and scrum's a little bit more this year. So, yeah, said be bold. I'll be bold. Why not? Bright Hever for a touchy. I bet Conor Talti to make all of his field goal attempts. Alabama's. How many is all zero or one? They're just going to score in every drive, I guess, you know, like we're just going to, we're just going to be bold. Alabama's going to score in every drive. You could be bolder than that, which I guess it is real. That is a bold. Okay. I mean, I need to dust off my dust off my next statement voice for that one. But I mean, look, how many games was Conor Talti perfect last year? Not a particular amount. Let's say perfect on multiple field goal times last year. Oklahoma and playoffs, Auburn and the Iron Bowl. That's it. As far as being having multiple field goal times in the game being perfect. Those were the only two games. So maybe it is bold. I think people want to see consistency out of that spot and part of me

31:18thinks he's going to deliver. Yeah. I'm going very, very, very, very bold. 50 plus yard rushing touchdown. I can see that. By who? Do it. I don't think it's a name they, I want to go Kevin Riley. Oh, really? I was going to say Trace Young. Where are you? Just say which quarter are we talking about? Right. That's a good point. That's a good point. Anyway, good preview. Anything else you guys want to add? If not, we will close it out. We're going to do game protection. We're going to do one of the picks in the game. Yeah. That's a couple of games. We've got, I guess, I think there's a bigger game. I guess not with everything that's going on, but we'll start with Clemson LSU. I think there's a better matchup later on that we'll discuss probably next, but Clemson LSU in the, I guess, the real death valley. I don't know which, I don't know, you know, they both, they both, you know, which one's the real

32:21death valley? Who knows? But LSU, I last checked this was Thursday morning. I believe is still minus 10. That's a big number. It's a big number. Mike, we'll give you your pick first. Are we picking a cover or outright? I guess everything's betting these days. So you do both. All right. I think LSU is going to win the football game. I just, I don't know about Clemson going into that SEC environment, even though Alabama goes to LSU a lot and wins other people are warm there. At the end of the day, I think Clemson can still cover. I think Davos not done yet. I think he has another trick up his sleeve and I think he's going to play a competitive game. It's just, I think Sam love it to get quarterback. Like, he had a really good year in Arizona State two years ago. And I think there's definitely some talent on the SLSU team, but it's just, you know, it's week one, it's new coach, new talent, very unpredictable. I'll go LSU to win, but Clemson

33:24the cover. I just think Clemson's going to win. I don't know why. I don't trust Chad Morris as far as I can throw him as a coordinator. It's just been so long since he's been successful called plays. Maybe he'll rediscover it. I don't know. But it just feels like Davos got this thing to him this offseason that I think he really likes this position where he can be undervalued. And he's got his guys. And I just, I think that the LSU circus is not a good thing. Like, yeah, there's talent there, but it's just so, you know, so many new pieces and new places. And it just, I don't know, I just think Clemson's going to pull off the upset. I want my money on it, but I'll pick it. Why not? Stick it on Saturday. Baylor Auburn in the Benz in Atlanta at I think 230 ABC.

34:31We talked about Alex Bolshell a little bit of the show, so we're going to back up. Auburn is minus seven and a half. Alex, give you the first pick there. I think Auburn will win. But lag ways the wild card to me, if he can rediscover some of the flashes he saw from two years ago. There's obviously a lot of potential there, but I just don't know how good the rest of that Baylor team is. I think if Mac Rhodes hadn't got himself fired, I think Dave Randall would probably be in a different locale right now. So they're not exactly in a very great place. And I think Auburn's got a lot of enthusiasm behind them. And while it's a lot of newness there too, it's a lot of guys who've played under Goalish before, most namely, Fire and Brown. So I don't know that it'll be a pretty game for Auburn or decisive, but I think they find a way to get the win. Yeah, I'm in full agreement. I think it's basically home game for Auburn. And just don't see it. Surprise, Dave Randall is still there. It just seems like they need to be

35:38blown up in a new direction. Just that is done. See it with Baylor. That's probably more like I don't know if I see it with Auburn. I just don't see with Baylor. It still aches me out that like, this game should be adjourned here. Stayed here. And they're trading in Infraredeio money. And like, I get that, but like, come on. Like at certain points serve your own fan base. And don't go around saying, oh, we're gonna get concerts to make up for the revenue. Like get out of here. You can do both. Like moving that game for Baylor and I own money is just insane. Like, you know, that should be a home game. Sorry. Yeah. I never wanted to get that out of him. I didn't say the same thing. It's stupid. I remember watching the game last year and it was like, I looked it up. Arnold had like a 100, Jackson, I had like a 130 plus Russian arts. They made it look like a potential husband Baylor did. So that was a weird game. Like watching that in Mariana, Florida. And it was just like Ruby Tuesdays. And a Ruby Tuesdays. One of the last locations on earth blockbuster now. And just like,

36:39neither team really wanted to win. But all he was gone. Yeah. Sunday night in another neutral site. It's in Nashville. I think this game is the best game has planned. Yeah. I think it's best game in board. I don't know if it has playoff indications that both can go, you know, technically when they're respected conferences, but it's Louisville first Ole Miss 730 ABC Sunday night. That'll be a nice game to kind of cap off the first week. Ole Miss minus six and a half in Nashville. Mike. Don't doubt peak golding. Peak goldings my new Davos Swinney. Like I'm on the peak train. Look, they won multiple playoff games last year. Peak golding is a head coach. You can talk about the players and all that and the offensive staff's tag. It wasn't an implosion by any means from Ole Miss after Lane Kiff and left. I think Pete is going to show something as a head coach. He just got some, doesn't give a damn offense authenticity to him.

37:44Got some Sam Kacel. That's what that is referred to. Yeah. And he's got some players too. That helps. I think Ole Miss has been aggressive obviously in the portal. I think their quarterback has the potential to be the best in the SEC. And I think they're running backs one of the best in the SEC. This whole idea that Lane Kiffin is going to leave Ole Miss and Ole Miss is going to turn into a burning trash heap. I just don't see it. I think Ole Miss is the team to be reckon with this year. That's certainly what Lane Kiffin would like to see. If you want to be more on that, go read up on our good friend, John Tallte. He made some waves on the social media space. He's got a book coming out and puts some excerpts out. I think it was Vanity Fair. Lane being late. A lot of things that people in Tuscaloosa had been here for a while. I know Mike and Alex were here. A lot of stuff. But I encourage you to read that. John Tallte is great, right? A great friend of ours. Go buy the book. Lane being late. Out. Go ahead.

38:44Yeah. I don't expect Ole Miss to implode either. I think they win and I think they cover, even though I think Louisville is a good team. I think the test for me about the gold area is more so next year and beyond that. Can you build sustainably there? That remains to be seen. I'm starting to come around though. I was skeptical at first, but I like what he's done. This offseason, I like the things he said. I just think when you've got the best backfield in the country, with Trent and Chandler and Keaton Lacey, that's hard to stop. Then you layer on a very talented team around them, I think. And enthusiasm on him. That was a question for me. How much does the win come out of their sales after basically playing to show Lane Keaton up during the playoff? Is what it felt like? I think they can still use that because that storyline continues. I like Ole Miss in this game, although again, natural, just odd locations. I like that game. It's probably equidistant for Louisville fans and

39:45an officer Mississippi. Neutral fight games. We're done. We're done with that. Play games on campuses all the time. I think Ole Miss will cover, by the way. And I think Auburn will cover as well for Baylor for picking coverings, if you will. Last one for you. It's a Monday night. It may not be as big of a game, but it's it's SMU at Florida State. That is a good game. I think it's a good game. And I guess you kind of answered that. I have two questions for you. Is there a team that needs to win more in the country? Then Florida State. Number two. And I guess you kind of answered there. How is it almost only minus three? Press is wild. That's just like I'm not asking for a minus 10, but like six and a half, seven, seven and a half? I don't know, but Alex, I'll give you a minute. No, I like SMU here. I mean, you're right. I think Norvell needs a win. He needs a good month to survive. I don't think he's going to get it. But no, SMU is good. What Wretlashley's done

40:50there is really solid. You get Jennings back. You've got players on both sides of the ball. They spend money. Are they to go back to earlier? Are they pound for pound? What Florida State is? I don't know. They gas sons of bitches. Some bitches. Some bitches. Yes, you are. But no, I think SMU is just a better football team. And it's not like Florida State showed a lot in weeks, they found a way to win, but they barely found a win. I mean, it's all relative in terms of the question of who needs a win most. I think any of these teams that you expect to go on win this week, if they don't, that's a little bad. Hell doesn't mean to win. But like anybody gets upset by Northwest Tennessee State this week, then like, that's bad. But I agree. In the context of like competitive games, Mike Noel-Rell needs this because if he loses this game, you know, you're you're looking at getting fired by October territory if not sooner. I think he's in really precarious spot there.

41:51And look, I don't expect Wisconsin to go on win, but if Wisconsin gets absolutely whipped by Notre Dame this weekend, I think, pickles in pretty similar spot where he's, you know, he's needing some some big 10 wins pretty quickly there. So both of those coaches are very much nationally very high in a hot seat list and both have, you know, pretty tough games this week too. Yeah, run a little long here, but I'm put in Mike and Alex in the spot. We didn't discuss this before we hit recording. Mike, give me your Heisman and your national champion matchup and national champion. Jesus. Okay. And again, I promise you, we did not discuss this before. I just wrote a good one. I just thought about this. But no, I think Dante Moore is probably my Heisman pick right now just because I feel like, you know, there's a better chance of coming out of the big 10 with some stats in that offense and kind of the, you know, what you're able to do there.

42:55He'll be my Heisman pick right now. I think national champion matchup, I don't know if I buy it completely into the Notre Dame hype or Notre Dame expectations. I think, I think Ohio State underwhelmed last year in terms of what they're capable of doing. And I think talent-wise, they're still right there. I think Ohio State to me is probably in the national championship game. Beyond that, I really, I struggle to find another team I would feel confident about. If you're putting me on a spot to pick someone, I will go with Texas. And again, I do not feel confident in Texas. I understand all of the questions that exist with Texas and I agree with them. But the ceiling is very high for Texas. If they hit on all those cylinders, then I think they are a team that can go deep into playoff. So with Archbanding and Cam Coleman and some of the guys that they, you know, Hollywood smothers, some of the guys that they really, right? Really, around it. There's definitely talent there. And there's potential. So I guess I'll go Texas,

43:58but not with any degree of confidence. CJ Carr for the Highsman, I think Notre Dame will finish the season ranked number one, the regular season. I think, so am I picking who's going to be in the national championship game? Yep. Yep. And then one wins. So I'll continue that. I think Notre Dame will be in the national championship game. They will face Georgia and Georgia will win. I think people are, are counting out Georgia way too quickly. And this is somebody who thinks Alabama could beat Georgia. I don't think it really matters in the first half of the season because I think Kirby smarts a damn good coach who will know how to navigate a situation like that. And even if Gunner stopped and is this much better at quarter time, everything is amplified because they have dudes, they have the defense. And again, Kirby smart is a damn good football coach who can, again, when you give these guys real motivation, it means something. And these like nobody's

45:03talking about Georgia and they're going to lean into that so freaking heavily that they're going to come out ready to burn the world. I think they find a way to get another championship and we stop talking about how is Georgia falling behind, which is still sort of insane to me. People even saying that. And if my pick wasn't clear, I'll go with Ohio State. I think like year in and year out the last three, four or five years, they've been right there. It's not the best team in the country. They're right there. I think they'll continue to be right there. They have the resources and talent and all that. Heisman, I'm going to go with Daria Mensa. I think they just have so many weapons over there. I think he was really good due last year. I think he had a lot of drops. I think the schedule isn't too hard. They played Notre Dame, but the ACC isn't that good. I think he can stack some stats for the national championship. I'm going to go Ohio State and Georgia. I completely agree about Georgia. Maybe it's because I live in Atlanta. I'm here and all the Georgia talk,

46:09but it is. Yeah, a little bit disrespected. I think if you're Curry Smart, you feel better about that, you know, being a little disrespected. I'm going to go Ohio State. I just think Julian saying, Jeremiah Smith, that seems always loaded year in, year out like Mike said. Yeah, I think they're going to be games where Georgia just runs the ball down. People's freaking in front. Yeah. And how much is that? They did that Alabama last year. Still lost, but I'm sure as hell did that. I guess the count argument to my own pick of them, you know, being very, very good. How much of that running down the throat is because Gunner doesn't necessarily have the ability to maybe push the ball down field. The receivers are still a little bit unknown as well. But anyway, I think he has the ability. I just don't think he's executed on it yet. And I just think they can get a little bit more out of him. I'm a little bit of a bobo hater, not as much as Twitter as, but if he can just, just a little bit, just a little bit, I think they could be dangerous. Yeah, Georgia fans are not a fan of Mike Bobeau by any, but anyways, as always,

47:11Cornelis on Thursday, games officially start. Like the Lord, Alabama ECU Saturday, morning in Bryant, Danny, Stadium, Mike and Alps would be there. We'll have coverage coming out of that as well. Stay tuned on Bayman Tour 7 for VIP Roundtable, GamePix recruiting, guest list and all that in between. Get this on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, and Bayman 247. Thank you guys and enjoy your college football Saturdays. The world crowned its winner. Now, the Champions play. We're the best players from the best clubs. Harry Sajaman, Chate de Lille, Collide from September to June. And every match. His paramount. This is the moment. This is the world's best soccer. They've waited for so long. The UEFA Champions League stream every match live exclusively on

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