← See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
CFB Teams MOST LIKELY to Make the CFP | SEC | Big Ten | Who Else?
00:48:36
Loading summary
Transcript183 lines
- [00:00]
David Pollack
What's up, everybody? David Pollack here of C Ball Get Ball podcast. I hope you like it, man. Be sure to follow the show Wherever you subscribe, YouTube or any of your other platforms. All right, everybody, welcome on in. Thank you for joining us again. Brent Rollins, David Pollack joined you as always. And weird, weird weather in Georgia. I don't know how the weather is across the country, but I literally put a sweatshirt on yesterday. It's just, it's August and that's, I've never done that in my whole time living in Georgia. My, my 30 plus years here. Maybe 40, maybe even more. Who knows? I'm old, but like, yeah, I was in the 60s, so that was, that was super weird, you know. You know, everybody loved everybody in football. Absolutely love that, Brent, like you went out there and this is like, this is November. This is gorgeous.
- [00:45]
Brent Rollins
It's, I've all, I've been here 21 years now, and I don't ever remember. And I think I looked today, the high today was in the 67, 60, mid-60s range. And it was the first time in, since 2013, 2012, that the high end. By the way, this isn't just like the end of August, maybe false fall as you see a lot of people talk about. This is the first week of August. And by the way, I'd rather it be hot. I'd 1000% rather be hot. That's why, you know, the pool's in the backyard. So jump in and be.
- [01:17]
David Pollack
No, no, no. See, what is wrong with you? Like, no, no, no, hot is good. But if we get a reprieve for a week, you tell them you're going to complain about a week in the 70s, you better shut the front door.
- [01:30]
Brent Rollins
Well, but it's also raining all day, every day for the past three days.
- [01:34]
David Pollack
So the rain, the rain sucks. Correct. But I love the thermostat. What do you keep the thermostat on, by the way? Because I have some friends. I've never seen anything like it. Like, they'll keep that thing on like 65. And granted they're like a little fluffy. I mean, they're, they're, they're some bigger people. They might be, they might have had a, a past life as an offensive lineman, but 65, like, I'm not paying for that.
- [01:56]
Brent Rollins
We're. I, I know you're also, you're also very cheap. So that, that, that doesn't, that's, that's a.
- [02:01]
David Pollack
You. What do you put it on at night?
- [02:04]
Brent Rollins
It goes to like at a certain time, 68 degrees. And then a little bit after that, like, 67, 66. Sometimes depends on the.
- [02:10]
David Pollack
Yeah. Hey, y' all can't hide money over at the Row. Golly. That's just the. Yeah. Hey, I made a deal with my wife. Now, listen, we built a bigger house than I would prefer, but I told her, I was like, baby doll, if you build this house and you want a house this big, like, if it's hot, you're gonna have to take more clothes off. If it's cold, you're gonna have to put more clothes on because we ain't running the thermostat up and down. And the kids now upstairs think they have a right to change it. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That. That is not happening in our household. This is not why you tuned into the show, but I hope you're enjoying the. The beautiful weather. Weather talk. But I think it's cool today, Brent, to have all the playoff contenders in all of college football. Like, we're going to list every single one of them and who we think are playoff contenders. And as the list goes on throughout the season, like, like, we can. We can even do a sound. We can get Wes to give us a cool little, little sound, but like, Family Feud, and you're wrong. Like, get rid of that one. And. But there's. There's. I think you're. If you're gonna make a list, I think you're. You're gonna make a list with at least 30. Like, I, I. And then I think there's. I think there's some fringe and some liberties, which I think will be interesting. But where do you want to start? You want to start with the. The fringe or you want to start with, like, the gimmes?
- [03:26]
Brent Rollins
Well, actually, let's start one other place first, because it came out just today, and that's an annual big thing that, to me, is a must read. And that's Bruce Feldman's freaks list, where he goes kind of talks to all the coaches across the country and gets all these guys weight room and, you know, speed and some of the stuff that they're doing. And of course, if you had to pick the biggest freak in college football and to put number one, who. Who would you put number one? Who do you think would be number one on the list? Because I'm guessing you didn't get a chance to read it.
- [03:57]
David Pollack
I did not read it. I'm saying Sammy Brown is going to be high on that list, though, from what I've talked to him about doing. Some freaky stuff.
- [04:05]
Brent Rollins
In terms of players, like already established great players who may or may not be on the COVID of, of video games.
- [04:12]
David Pollack
Yeah. Jeremiah Smith at 6 4. You know, 220 pounds is not legal. Correct.
- [04:17]
Brent Rollins
All right, so he did 20 reps of 225, which Feldman got him saying that. Well, he only did five when he got there. 11 foot broad jump, 5, 550 squat, 23.5 miles per hour on the GPS, and 38 inch vertical at like 6, 3 and a half. 225. I'll give you some other highlights and you can just tell me which one you think is kind of the most impressive. So you got Caden Proctor, offensive tackle at Alabama, 32 inch vertical and a 9, 3 broad jump at 366.
- [04:49]
David Pollack
I'm not impressed. With a 32 inch vertical. I don't care how much you weigh, like 93 broads. Pretty spectacular. 32 vertical. Absolutely not.
- [04:58]
Brent Rollins
Okay, other guys up there, Amari Washington from Oregon, defensive tackle at 633-38-20.89 in the GPS and 36 inch vertical.
- [05:09]
David Pollack
36 is, is pretty. Once you start getting over them three bills and you're getting 36 inches in the air. I love, I love when, I love when you have people over 300 pounds that are speeding in a school zone. I just think there's something spectacular about that.
- [05:23]
Brent Rollins
Dominic McKinley, who is five star defensive tackle, LSU last year, but now in second year, 66308. Power clean, 418 pounds.
- [05:34]
David Pollack
That's freaking impressive. And I, I wonder now, it says power clean that like, it says power clean. And the interesting thing with me will be is that a hang clean or a power clean? Because there is a big difference. Power clean comes from the flow. Like that means you got to bring that thing all the way from the ground to, to the top. Like that is impressive. You might think that that's easier, it's easier to hang it. It's easier to get a little bit of momentum and hang it because you only got to go like this far. I watched, I watched Ben Watson clean close to £400 and I was just like, what is that? Like you're. I literally. I pressed his forehead. I'm like, are you real? Are you like AI, like are you, are you a, are you a bot? Like what is, what is going on? That's pretty. A defensive lineman with that kind of explosiveness at that weight, that is. That's freaky.
- [06:25]
Brent Rollins
Okay, so that tops the list. And then we got the other, other one that's sort of in that top part of that list. That. And we'll. And potentially get Bruce. Want to talk about the rest of the list? But Sunny Styles at Ohio State at six, four and a half, 243, 40 inch vert, 675 pound squat.
- [06:41]
David Pollack
673, 675 is pretty good. I can't, I can't. I'm old. I can't remember my squat. But it was six something. It was in the mid sixes to high sixes, I think. But, like, that's, and, and, and here's the thing. I'm just telling everybody out there, like, I used to be 6 4, but I put 600 plus pounds on my back and shrunk 2 inches. Like, it's, I, I maxed out as a sophomore in college and never maxed again. Like, I loved looking at the bar in the mirror, and it was like, bent like a mug. It was so cool. But I swear, like, putting that much weight, I was like, I will never do that again. Like, I did it. I got it. And that was fine. But yeah, I mean, it's interesting how you do, like, you see a lot more three rep maxes now than putting so much weight on the bar. But, man, I'm telling you, I've told y' all before, but when you walk in the weight room as a freshman and you used to be the biggest, baddest dude on the bill and on the block and in your building, and you look around and you're like, what? Huh? Like, I, I, I'm not even the top. Like, I benched 455 at Georgia, and I wasn't in the top 30. Like, 30. I mean, you're walking around with a bunch of dudes that are. It's unbelievable. Height, weight, speed, what they can do. And it's pretty, it's pretty, it's pretty humbling when you walk around with those dudes.
- [08:01]
Brent Rollins
So was Ben Watson the biggest freak that you. That you saw Played with in the weight room?
- [08:05]
David Pollack
100%. 100%. Like, Ben's 40 height, weight, speed, he benched as much as he squatted, but he cleaned, you know, right at 400. Like, it was, you know, I think he ran high four threes at the combine. Like at 2:56, four, like, long arms. I mean, it was just, yeah, he was definitely the, he would have been on Bruce Feldman's list for sure.
- [08:26]
Brent Rollins
Anybody in the pros that, that was a different level.
- [08:30]
David Pollack
You know, what was crazy? The, the crazy thing in the pros is you don't lift as much Weight. But I remember, like, guys like Bobby Williams who played guard, and they wouldn't let him go real heavy. But I just remember, like, him repping out 405. Like, I rep out 135, and I'm like, holy cow. Like, so you got a bunch of guys that, like, they made £400 on the bench look easy. But the weight room in the NFL is all about, like, longevity. It's not about explosiveness. And, like, when you're in college, man, you're trying to build as much as you can because you're trying to maximize the Runway. When you get the pros, it's like, let's dial this back. Like, we're not. We're not taxing the joints. You're my investment. I've spent a lot of money in you that I want to last over a long period of time. Chad Ochocinko was not a weight room guy, as you can imagine. Didn't see a lot of Chad, you know, busting the weight room was the most. It wasn't a lot. Hey, I remember hearing from people at Georgia, like, I think Champ did 185 back in the day once. Like, you can check that, but I think he did it once. But let me tell you something. When you run 4, 3, 1, it don't matter. Like, he can go cover anybody anywhere. But I will say this. Like, nowadays, man, you know, these kids are working out at a younger age, and they're building strength more. Like, high school programs now are so into it. And, like, look at Nick Chubb. We've seen him for years, like, his high school program. And, like, you're getting it so much that you're building strength and just compounding it year after year. And I remember when I was in high school, like, the workouts in the summer was on the board. Like, you come in whenever you want and go do it. We have our kids there four days a week in the summer, like, and it's. It's lifting weights, it's running sprints. It's. And then you get on the field and get some work in. Like, it's a totally different animal. So much better athletes nowadays.
- [10:20]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, I did 205, 15 times this morning, so I guess maybe I'm Bailey, but. But, yeah, I can't play football.
- [10:26]
David Pollack
God, don't you wish you could run like him?
- [10:30]
Brent Rollins
All right, the fun stuff, the playoffs. Who is actually going to. Who can? I think because drink, which started this conversation when he was talking about the percentages with the NFL versus college. He's like, hey, we should have whatever 30 something teams that. That should make the playoffs. But when you really break it down and look at who can make the playoffs, that, like you said, you're probably getting around 30. I've got my. You. We've kind of both looked at this independently. And then also I saw Heather Dennis with espn took. Took our idea. Like we did this well before that. She put that out. But her list with ESPN, using their Allstate playoff predictor, they had 32 that they can make. There's probably some that they have that we don't have. I know there was three that they had that I didn't. And then there's some that. That we obviously have there. So I guess. Do you want to go like, comp. We'll go conference by conference and start and see if. If there's commonalities here and then we'll talk about where. Where we differ.
- [11:34]
David Pollack
Yeah. Let's start in the sec.
- [11:36]
Brent Rollins
All right.
- [11:39]
David Pollack
I think this league has the most. That's. That's why I said start with. I think the SEC has the most. Did you have the most people? You think you could make the playoffs?
- [11:48]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [11:49]
David Pollack
Yeah. Okay. So that's why. That's why I say start there. That's what. There's the top tier. Do we start by just knocking off kind of the ones that everybody's gonna have? I mean, I think so.
- [12:00]
Brent Rollins
I think there's three.
- [12:01]
David Pollack
Here's one. Here's one thing first. One thing first. If you did this exercise several years ago when there was four, and then before that when there was two, the list was like, every year I did this on game day and all stuff. The list was like, you were choosing between four teams, four to six teams and one like, ooh, who's one craziness? Like, if everything went wacky. And that's where it's kind of cool. I think not only have we spread the talent out, got more competitive, people are going to different spots, nil transfer portal. But now I think because of competitive balance, you also have the ability for more teams to make it, which is cool because I want to watch the last weekends of college football, and I want them all. I want them all to matter. I don't want them to be in a spot where it's like, okay, they can lose these next two. They almost like, you know, you could. You could sit in the NFL, you see, where you literally sit for a couple weeks and don't play games. Like, I don't want to get to that point. But it's it's pretty cool having so many. But you want to take Texas, UGA and Bama out of the mix. Is that the three you want to take out?
- [12:58]
Brent Rollins
I think those are the three. We can speaking to Georgia first, though. And real quick, did you see who happened to make an appearance at UGA this weekend? Yeah, yeah, Chucky. Coach Gruden made an appearance. So how. What do you think those conversations are like? Or what's your sort of best fun, most fun interaction you have with Gruden?
- [13:22]
David Pollack
Well, first of all, those two. Those two are cut from a similar cloth. Like, Gruden is all gas, no brakes, like all football. And I think obviously Kirby is the cool thing about them that would be fun in a room is one's offense, one's defense. And the interaction back and forth would be. Would be fantastic to listen to. But I think with Kirby's messaging, like, if you're listening to Kirby, like, he's trying to get the fire, the passion, the energy, right? Like, that's his. He's trying to fire those things out of his kids. Chucky will do that. I wanted to sign players that had it. All my coaches had to have it. Don't be afraid to showcase your emotion, man. Get excited for the guy next to you. Like, Gruden's going to walk in there and he's going to light it on fire. And I saw a little bit of the clip of that. Actually. I don't look at many articles, but I do like to look at that kind of stuff. And just listening to him talk and he always speaks with. With such conviction and such, you know, he's just. He's a great motivator. Like, he's a. He's a coach and you can see it runs through him. And he's always been a passionate coach. And listen, I. I've. He's gone. He went through a rough patch, right? Like in a different stretch and getting fired from the NFL and all the stuff that went into it. But I like that we're getting to see Gruden in his element because this is something he's. I think he was created to do. I mean, he's just created to do to. Created to talk ball and fire people up. Like, I think that's a strength of his.
- [14:40]
Brent Rollins
Obviously, he exudes passion for the game of football, unlike many. Like, he's sort of top of that list. Did you ever have any, like, interactions with him, whether it be sort of NFL and. Or.
- [14:52]
David Pollack
Yeah, NFL and. And media? I've texted him a bunch during especially during the hard times because he's went through some stuff, man, with all the emails and all the stuff that went public with his. With his stuff. It wasn't the most trying time, which is always. I always try to reach out to guys like that when they're in those times and try to make them realize that people still care, you know, like people still cheering for you. And this is hard, but you'll get through these rough patches. And obviously, not surprisingly, he did. And he's still him. And you watch him. You can watch him anytime you want now, which is. Which is cool. We'll break down the game six ways this Sunday and have a board of 6,000 things to think about, which is. Which is really interesting. All right, who's on your next tier?
- [15:37]
Brent Rollins
This the same ones that we've kind of looked at. I mean, I guess Bama is included in that list, but the same ones at the end of the year, last year. But ole miss, SC, LSU are the next sort of three, I think that are kind of the Ole Miss, South.
- [15:51]
David Pollack
Carolina and who lsu. Okay. I mean, you don't have Tennessee on that next list of being able to do it. I mean, I love their schedule, bro. I love their schedule.
- [16:09]
Brent Rollins
That's one of those ones where you. You want us. I just want to see what it looks like for them from an offensive standpoint. Where can the defense. You very much believe in the defense and I think they will really good defensively. But can you have something from your offense and not turn the ball over? Let's see that first, I think. But they. I guess they should be in that next tier.
- [16:34]
David Pollack
I thought they were. And then I would even put A and M in that next tier too, because I think A and M, I think that people are going to realize about A and M. I think their offense is going to be a problem this year because you look across the line of scrimmage on that O line, like they got a lot of bodies, a lot of girth. They got Bell at running back who's going to dot your eyeballs. They. They got a QB that can absolutely fly and can throw the football. They've built it with weapons I think that are quick, elusive, can do. Can add the jet sweep component and the. The plus one in the running game. I think with Marcel Reed is going to be a big deal and it's going to be very difficult. So I had A and M on that tier as well with those teams that you named.
- [17:12]
Brent Rollins
Well, one thing I did though, when I was looking at it is I didn't necessarily, I didn't necessarily put them in tier. So I looking down my list, I was just kind of reading the ones that I did. But the thing that you mentioned there was and it will come back to something that we've talked about already with a couple other teams where you were sort of very high on Notre Dame's running back room, best in the country. And, and then also, you know, the Penn State sort of had those two guys with Singleton and Allen there. But if you look at teams that have two running backs that are coming back or at least added to their roster who had an 80 point higher, 80.0 higher Russian grade, PFF rush grade, there's five teams and a couple of them you don't really wouldn't think about. A M is one of those teams with, with Daniels and Moss and then you also got such a stud and the other one is Baylor with Pentagrass and Washington. But then another one that might not really think about is Georgia. Georgia actually with McRae transferring in from Illinois, Frazier, like they're, there's, they are part of that five groups that have multiple running backs that can be sort of potentially really, really good for their team.
- [18:25]
David Pollack
And I think McCrae is a guy that for Georgia could be a physical element that you welcome. And we like the short yardage that was not as great as years passed. The offensive line is going to be very new inside. So is that, is that a guy that can hammer away? And then you've got Frazier who's, who's, you know, everybody thinks Nate Frazier is an elite talent. Nobody says he can't run the football, nobody says he can't make big plays. But everybody going to say that he's put the ball on the ground a lot and when you put the ball on the ground a lot, you don't play a lot. Like that's pretty simple for most coaches, obviously across the country. I would have known that with McCrae. I wouldn't have known that with Baylor, obviously with Penn State, Notre Dame. And listen, Penn State fans, you have a gripe with my debate. You have a legit gripe. I am, I am here for, I am here for debate. I am here for all the discussion we want about all those different things. Your running back room with Allen and Singleton, you have two starters. You have two guys that could play for only almost any team in the country. You have a compliment of a 1 and 2 because you know, Allen obviously can be the hammer. He's rushed for over 2k. He could be physical and, you know, Middleton has a little bit more of the lightning, more of the receiving. Like, they're a great duo. They're great backs. The difference to me is Jeremiah Love is the best back, period. And the difference for me too is when you go to the other guys, I think having the other guys appears and having Williams in the running back spot, I think you have more variety. You have three guys that can do different things. Penn State's running back room is elite. It's elite of elite.
- [20:03]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [20:05]
David Pollack
I'll still take Notre Dames over Penn States. And that's not an insult. That's not an insult, but it's the truth. Okay.
- [20:11]
Brent Rollins
By the way, we've gone through the SEC and we're at half of the comp.
- [20:15]
David Pollack
Okay. So does that mean we need to go faster?
- [20:17]
Brent Rollins
No.
- [20:18]
David Pollack
Okay.
- [20:18]
Brent Rollins
That doesn't mean we need to go faster at all, but it's.
- [20:20]
David Pollack
I have more names. You have more too, right?
- [20:22]
Brent Rollins
I have definitely more names, yes.
- [20:23]
David Pollack
Okay. You want me to go?
- [20:26]
Brent Rollins
You can you go? Because I think I got Auburn.
- [20:29]
David Pollack
I got Auburn.
- [20:30]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [20:31]
David Pollack
I got ou.
- [20:32]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [20:33]
David Pollack
And I got Florida. And then I have one more that. With their schedule, I think they have a chance to not leaving their state very much. Missouri. I think Missouri still has a chance because I think their record will be really solid. And again, there's not much of a better schedule in the country than Missouri football. It's pretty dang good, bro.
- [20:54]
Brent Rollins
Yep. They stay at home through like mid October in terms of that. But Oklahoma is one you're seeing a lot of hype about just in terms of.
- [21:03]
David Pollack
We've been on them for a while.
- [21:04]
Brent Rollins
And you want to see it. You get the. You get the Michigan game early, which might end up being a kind of differentiator game in terms of who potentially gets a tight playoff spot. But they can. Any of those teams, if they get the right sort of bounces. To me, Auburn, Oklahoma, Florida, even Missouri to that extent can.
- [21:25]
David Pollack
We're not saying they're going to make the playoffs. We're saying that they're in the position, they'll be able to maybe put themselves in a position if things go right to be there. And, you know, that's. That's a lot of teams. Did you have any more?
- [21:36]
Brent Rollins
I had one more. And you're probably going to be a little. Little shocked by this one. There's a world where Vandy could potentially be a playoff team. And the reason I. And. And. Yes. Would I pick that in a million years? No, I would never, ever pick that. But you, Clark Lee talked about it. They all the one score games they had, they were that close to being 10 and 2 a year ago. If they take care of their business, by the way, it's not going to happen. Not going to happen. But could they.
- [22:05]
David Pollack
Because wait a minute. If it's not going to happen and then you say could they? Like those don't work. Those are mutually exclusive.
- [22:14]
Brent Rollins
Okay. I, I just, I think if my.
- [22:16]
David Pollack
Aunt had balls she'd be.
- [22:17]
Brent Rollins
My only losses are. By the way you look at their schedule, this teams they beat a year ago and what if they go 10 and 2 and their only losses are at Alabama and at Texas? All right, listen, not going to happen.
- [22:32]
David Pollack
But you said you're saying it could happen.
- [22:36]
Brent Rollins
That's point one percent chance.
- [22:40]
David Pollack
I love what you're doing there. And listen, Vanderbilt had a great season. This is also a team that I think they won like six games the past three years. They won. They went five and five in one score games. I think which is. Brent, that's good. They're not going to do that again. Like that usually will even out. The talent will even out. Like they beat. They didn't. They, they obviously beat up on Alabama which was the biggest thing of their season. They beat Alabama and Auburn which is a kind of a miracle. Don't think that's ever going to happen probably in the season again. I'm not with you on Vanderbilt. I love Pavia. I. No, I, I'm not even putting them on my fringe like that.
- [23:19]
Brent Rollins
Okay.
- [23:20]
David Pollack
No, no, I'm out.
- [23:22]
Brent Rollins
You got anybody else?
- [23:24]
David Pollack
Thank. Please tell me you don't have anybody else for God's sakes. Because you just put Vandy in there. Okay.
- [23:29]
Brent Rollins
No non zero chance. That was all the only reason I included them because to me there's a chance.
- [23:34]
David Pollack
Listen, I, I like the, I like including those teams on the fringe. I have no problem with that. Who's the next conference for you with the most, most competitors to do this thing?
- [23:44]
Brent Rollins
That would be the Big Ten.
- [23:45]
David Pollack
I would think so too.
- [23:47]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, sure. There's, there's three sort of automatics, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon.
- [23:55]
David Pollack
You're putting them in no matter what.
- [23:57]
Brent Rollins
I'm putting them in.
- [23:59]
David Pollack
Okay. I feel good. I feel, I feel good with you saying that.
- [24:02]
Brent Rollins
I just think those three, you took.
- [24:05]
David Pollack
Three from the SEC and you said I feel great about those three from the Big Ten. You feel great about Penn State, Ohio State and Oregon.
- [24:12]
Brent Rollins
Yep. And a lot of that is when you look at this, it's, it's total talent and they just have total talent. And I know Buddy, Buddy Elliott does his blue chip ratio every year of terms of got to have like 50% or greater of four and five star guys that to be able to win the whole thing. And these are teams that definitively have that in the Big ten plus have really, really good play.
- [24:35]
David Pollack
It's kind of, it's kind of like when you're, it's kind of like when you're, you know, picking teams for the next to win a championship and stuff and like do well. It's, it's a given. Like Georgia has a lot of question marks that we just talked about, but there's also a lot of talent that is there that you know is there that have been highly, highly recruited. And so they're going to step in, they're going to be successful, their ceilings are higher and that you'll see that in the draft. Right. So I understand exactly what you're saying. So Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan or Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Next tier. I'm interested. My next tier was, I want to know if you got this team on here. Usc.
- [25:11]
Brent Rollins
Yes. They're in my list of possibilities for this, for this conference.
- [25:15]
David Pollack
I am super interested to watch USC this year. Like super interested. And when you look at their schedule, here's the hard part about their schedule, but here's the good part. I'm going to give you both sides. They've got some serious challenges on the road like at Notre Dame, at Illinois, at Oregon, like that is a, that is a tough stretch. Who are all going to be on our list for playoff contenders. But what if you steal one? Like steal one of those and now you look at taking care of business at home. Missouri State, Georgia Southern, like they got to go to Purdue, they host Michigan State. They, they've got to, they host Michigan, which is good and then they host Northwestern, they got to go to Nebraska, they host Iowa, ucla obviously doesn't matter. It's in the same state, same place. That schedule is not the worst schedule in the world. And I think it's just a matter of how you feel about Lincoln Riley and what he's been doing while he's been there at usc.
- [26:16]
Brent Rollins
And also too, I think when you look at these schedules, we talked about this previously, what if there's a whole bunch of teams that are 9 and 3 that are right in that ranked 10th ranked team to the 20th ranked team and you've got 10 teams that are 9 and 3, how are you going to distinguish them? And it might be who beats who in, in A head to head or who has the better non conference win. That kind of thing where you've got the fourth SEC team or the fourth or fifth, you know, fourth or fifth Big Ten or SEC team like and that's a possibility. It was last year you had the SMU getting in the championship game and being ahead of those SEC teams. So does one of those ACC teams fall back potentially and you got a whole bunch more so that are 9 and 3 then you've these teams definitely as possibilities. I got all three of the eyes. Illinois, Indiana and Iowa as possibilities because. And we talked about Iowa with the Gronowski kid coming. Ever play QB Rougherio with the. With the slow mesh, their offense being different. Does that become something process?
- [27:26]
David Pollack
Yep.
- [27:27]
Brent Rollins
The schedule is sort of favorable for them in terms of home away. Do they get Iowa State in that game early? That, that props them up a little bit. That's one. Michigan was also on my list.
- [27:38]
David Pollack
Yep. Michigan, Michigan has to be because of the talent like we talked about with other teams. Like that's they're. They're going to recruit elite talent. Here's another thing with Michigan like every year speaking of Feldman's list. Every year there's more guys on that list every year. Like it's like oh the next guy, the next guy. And I haven't read the list but I'm sure there's Michigan guys on the list. Like it's just. They find those corn fed mules and they get. They have great defensive line play. Can their offensive line play get better? Do their weapons get better? I mean they've obviously had big wins even when they haven't had great seasons the past couple of years. So that, that OU game I think for them, I think that OU game is an elimination game. Like whoever loses that game is not going possibly not going to the playoff because of that out of conference loss. Like because everybody else is going to be like I said, like you said, everybody else is going to be in that range I think and competing and I think they're going to lose several other games. And so that will be a big out of conference game that will really matter now.
- [28:34]
Brent Rollins
And if you lose that game you now have to have a massive win to overcome with that somewhere else. If you're Michigan, you got to go beat Ohio State again. You've got to.
- [28:43]
David Pollack
Which they hadn't had a problem doing that.
- [28:45]
Brent Rollins
They haven't had a problem doing that. But you know that's something. It becomes a have to versus more of a thing and they got to.
- [28:52]
David Pollack
Go at usc, which is interesting. But if you look at Michigan's schedule, just tell me where Michigan's going to lose a bunch of games. Brent, like I'm going to read it to you. Like, oh, you obviously is a. Is a big game. I don't, don't give me New Mexico. I'm not worried about New Mexico. Central Michigan at Nebraska, host Wisconsin at usc, host Washington at Michigan State, host Purdue at Northwestern, at Maryland, Ohio State.
- [29:26]
Brent Rollins
Like there's seven wins instantly easy if you're, if you're competent. Like yeah. On offense, like the step that they could take offensively.
- [29:36]
David Pollack
And it's okay if you lose to Ohio State, you beat Oklahoma, you got a good out of conference game. I think that's going to be a big game for them. And Nebraska, like that's a big game going to Nebraska. Do you have them on your list?
- [29:48]
Brent Rollins
So that was the only other team on the Big Ten list that I had. So nine of the eight. I had nine of the 18 in the Big Ten as potentials and I did have Nebraska because they get that game and they get that game against Michigan at home and they only have to play.
- [30:04]
David Pollack
Have you seen their schedule to start the season? Five straight home games.
- [30:09]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [30:10]
David Pollack
Like, that's a tough place to play.
- [30:13]
Brent Rollins
The first game's in like Arrowhead, I think the first.
- [30:15]
David Pollack
That's right. Kansas City. That's right. But Cincinnati and then you got akron for, for $4 million without cheating. Can you name Houston? Their second game is Houston Christian. That's their name's Houston Christian for 500. Can you name the mascot?
- [30:35]
Brent Rollins
I got no shot.
- [30:36]
David Pollack
Houston Christian.
- [30:37]
Brent Rollins
I mean it looks like a Husky. It's a Husky on the picture. But yeah, I wouldn't have been able to name it without seeing the picture.
- [30:43]
David Pollack
So I think they're going three and oh, then they host Michigan and then they host Michigan State and then they go to Maryland and then they go to Minnesota. Like they could have a lot of momentum going. Listen, Raiola is one of the better most. He's one of the most talented quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Like you, I feel really he's one of the more talented quarterbacks in the country. He was highly rated for a reason. Like that dude was elite of elite with and you saw, listen, don't give me the Mahomes stuff, but just the arm angles and the different creativity to be able to make plays and throw the football. He's going to take steps forwards. Matt rules program is going to take steps forward. Like and then you couple that with that Schedule or early in the year. And then you host Northwestern and then you host USC and then you got UCLA at Penn State. Obviously is difficult. That Iowa game late in the season might be for something like that might be for something because you gotta love Nebraska's schedule. I mean gotta love it.
- [31:39]
Brent Rollins
The, the additions outside as well with Dane Key coming from Kentucky and the boy can fly that are both big and very shorthanded receivers. Very minimal drops, both of them.
- [31:54]
David Pollack
And when you watch Nebraska a year ago, they needed playmakers. They. They needed to have more of that in their offense. And I think that will go a long way. And again, another year in the system too is not going to hurt with Matt rules. So Nebraska fans, is this, is this the year? Are we finally going to take that? Because here's the thing. They had a winning season. Like they, they took a step forward. They. They didn't do the we break your heart and we completely suck. Like they took steps forward. Do they take that next step? And if, if they take that next step, Big Red's going to be jacked up out of their mind because that's such an elite fan base, man.
- [32:28]
Brent Rollins
34 teams in both of those conferences. We got 21 basically that have a chance to make the playoffs. The, the hyper competitiveness of the Big Ten in SEC this year is going to be fascinating to watch because now I'm interested in a lot of things that can.
- [32:42]
David Pollack
Yeah, well, give me. Give me a lot of teams that can in the next couple conferences. I want to see what you're. I'm interested to see what you're. Cause mine are very similar here.
- [32:50]
Brent Rollins
All right, so the next team with the most that sort of can to me next conference was the Big 12.
- [32:55]
David Pollack
Yep.
- [32:56]
Brent Rollins
And that's mainly because I think any of these six or seven teams could win the conference. Not necessarily get the auto bid, but win the conference. And I'll give you my list and then we'll see if you got any different. I got Arizona State, Baylor, Iowa State. That's one where I, I only included him because the QB's coming back. I don't know that I. And the camp, Matt Campbell and what he's done there. Not necessarily. I think they're going to take a step back.
- [33:23]
David Pollack
Is this like a Vanderbilt where you're giving them 0.01 chance or are you giving them like.
- [33:27]
Brent Rollins
It's definitely a non. 0 chance. No, it's. It's higher than 2.6.
- [33:31]
David Pollack
Okay. All right.
- [33:33]
Brent Rollins
Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech and Utah.
- [33:38]
David Pollack
Okay.
- [33:39]
Brent Rollins
Seven teams there. And by the way on Heather Dennis that did with the ESPN stuff, they also. They had Kansas and BYU as potential playoff teams. So I didn't have.
- [33:51]
David Pollack
I didn't have either one of those. But I can understand. Well, I can understand why, you know, BYU with what they've been able to accomplish and what they were able to accomplish last year. But, you know, obviously losing your qb, I think hurts the consistency and somebody that you can trust. I know he made mistakes as well, but I'm not there yet. To me, there's. There's five that are no brainers, and that's to. I have five that I told you I thought could win the conference. That's. That's how deep I think the conference is. Arizona State, Utah, Baylor, Kansas State and Texas tech are my five that I think can win the Big 12. And then my fringe, that. That I feel confident saying that if. If things went really right, not 0.01% chance, like a really good season. TCU, we just saw him do it not too long ago. If the defense takes a bunch of steps forward, I know the offense is going to score. I know they're going to score. So that side would just have to take a huge leap. So I don't. I don't need both sides to go nuts. I just need the defense to get much better with some additions. And then I had Iowa State on the fringe as well. Just. I mean, that's just. I just don't think. I don't know if I can see them overcoming those two losses at receiver. I know the quarterback's there, but man, that was such a big part. So I just. I had those. I had those five and then those two. On the fringe.
- [35:11]
Brent Rollins
Yeah. So that's. Our list was the same for that conference. Acc.
- [35:18]
David Pollack
Yeah.
- [35:19]
Brent Rollins
By the way. Well, and I'll include Notre Dame in here because we both, like. Notre Dame is a definitive.
- [35:26]
David Pollack
Okay, we're counting that in the acc.
- [35:29]
Brent Rollins
Yeah. We'll say. Well, I mean, in a way. Yeah. Because they play.
- [35:31]
David Pollack
I put those in the. On the out. Like I put G5, Notre Dame. And then below it, I started putting the teams that was outside of it. Obviously they don't count for the G5, but I'm just saying, like, outside of it, I think acc, I think we're going to have. I'll be interested to see this. I have. I have a fringe team that might not be on your list, but I'm assuming you're going to have Clemson. Obviously, I'm assuming you're going to have Miami. I'm Assuming you're going to have smu, I'm assuming you're going to have Louisville, Georgia Tech. Those were the, the main, the main. Several that I had. Did you have anyone else that you felt very confident about besides them?
- [36:09]
Brent Rollins
So I didn't have Louisville and I think mainly because of their schedule and the, the fact that they have to play the other like two or three of the other big ones. I can't remember exactly.
- [36:23]
David Pollack
Yeah, they got to play Clemson and Miami and the smu. So three of the, three of the teams that we're putting in there, they've got to play.
- [36:30]
Brent Rollins
Right. So the team, the other team that I put there as my last sort of fringe team is Duke. Because if you look at the Mensa versus Malik Murphy, like dairy Minsa, way better, a lot better player. And you look at their schedule, if they happen to get the sort of early with Illinois at home and then at Tulane from the non conference. Because to me having those AS non conference victories to where you may be your only conference loss, I mean they were 5 and 3 in the conference a year ago. They win those same games. They host Georgia Tech.
- [37:07]
David Pollack
Yeah.
- [37:07]
Brent Rollins
And they gotta go to Clemson. But don't play Miami, don't play smu, don't play Louisville. So it was more about their schedule and could they be 7 and 1 and happen to find themselves in the ACC championship game. I mean that, that to me is a. Definitely a possibility.
- [37:23]
David Pollack
I can get down with that. Like the Vanderbilt, you can jump off a cliff. I can get down with the Duke because that. I worry about Illinois early and Tulane both. Being early, by the way, at Tulane is not fun either.
- [37:38]
Brent Rollins
I don't.
- [37:38]
David Pollack
That's.
- [37:39]
Brent Rollins
That's always strange when you mentor playing his former team like that. That's.
- [37:42]
David Pollack
Which is, which is cool. But yeah, obviously Georgia Tech, but I mean nobody's worried about Cal that much. And then Virginia, we don't expect a lot. Wake Forest, we don't expect a lot. So I understand the, the reasoning behind it. When you watch Duke play a year ago, they were fun to watch, man. I mean they were. But, but they beat, you know, UNC by. I think they beat UNC by one. Like it was 21, 20 by like a touchdown. And so I just, you know, I'm not seeing that touchdown. Yeah. And I just. That that's a, it's. But that's, that's what's called smart. That's a smart deduction. Like I'm good with that. Like I'm smart with you looking at that and seeing it and saying because of the schedule. Vanderbilt, you didn't say that. And that's why you deserve to be, you know, probably stoned. Yeah. Roasted a little bit when, when Vanderbilt goes. Oh, and one to my friends team who they lost to last year. Virginia. No, who they beat last year. Virginia Tech.
- [38:37]
Brent Rollins
Virginia Tech. Yeah. I, I, I, which by the way, Heather Dennis Tech.
- [38:42]
David Pollack
Oh, did you, did she.
- [38:43]
Brent Rollins
Yes.
- [38:44]
David Pollack
I did not, I did not think, I did not think that would happen with, with Virginia Tech. But here's the thing with Virginia Tech that I find very interesting is the, is the one, two punch to start the season at South Carolina and Vanderbilt like two chances to get one of those games and then when you start to look at the AC and they're in the ACC and they host Miami, which they played a great game with Miami last year, but they go to Georgia Tech. But. And they host Louisville. So they've got, I think they'll be a solid football team and I think they can win more games. But, but I don't, I'm not, listen, I'm putting them on the fringe. I'm not definitely saying that they're going to be there, but they're a team because of their schedule and if they could sneak away with like South Carolina is breaking in a ton to start the season. Like if you're going to play South Carolina, I want to play them early.
- [39:34]
Brent Rollins
Right in that, that's in, that's in Atlanta. Right?
- [39:37]
David Pollack
I think, yeah, I think, I think it's a neutral site, but like. Yeah, yeah, it's a Mercedes Benz but that, that's one you, you, you sneak up and, and have a good, a good opening game and then obviously you get some momentum and steel. The reverse of what happened to you which Vanderbilt did to you a year ago. So I put them on the fringe and obviously understood they were out on the, on the outside fringe.
- [39:59]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [40:00]
David Pollack
Okay. I, I do, I do want one thing out of this though. The more, the more I study, the more I look at it. I have a, I have a hang up with picking Miami. I have a hang up with. I've seen enough, right? Like I've seen that movie. I know the credits. I know how it ends. Right. But Carson Beck is going to be great in south beach because his offensive line is going to be really good. Like top 10 pick on the offensive line, other guys across the board with depth, big physical maulers, like they're going to create balance. They're going to protect him. Carson Beck protected a couple years ago was lights freaking out like he was lights out. He is this. When the secondary play comes in, it becomes a little bit harder. Miami's got speed. Their defense, Brent, cannot get worse. It absolutely can't get worse. It's going to get better. So like we've talked about the ACC and we went through that with Miami and the other teams. Notre Dame breaking in a lot. A new quarterback. Miami wins that game early in the season. Yeah, Miami's going to the playoffs. Like they're going to be very much in the mix. It's hard to pull the trigger. But the lines of scrimmage and that team, I mean, it's, it's going to be fun to watch. I think Miami's in for a good year.
- [41:30]
Brent Rollins
You talked about back and being protected last year. Even last year, by the way, even last year he was I think third in the power four in terms of clean pocket passing grade. So when he was kept clean, he's one of the best there is. And by the way, it was even better. I think he was number one the previous year or two the previous year too because Jaden Daniel was so, so good. But, you know, keep him clean. Different animal, but so much.
- [41:55]
David Pollack
I think they can keep going.
- [41:58]
Brent Rollins
Cam were making plays to sort of save them.
- [42:00]
David Pollack
Yeah, but Cam. Cam Ward danced. Cam Ward. Cam Ward didn't play within structure as much as I would like. Cam Ward has more Caleb Williams in him than, than, than obviously Carson Beck's going to have. Carson Beck understands like ball needs to come out. I take layups. I can't run. I'm not a great athlete. I'm a decent athlete, but I have much better athletes to get the football too. And so I'm just saying Miami plays early in the season. We're going to find out with Notre Dame and Florida within the first, you know, four games of the season. But, you know, they don't have to play. They don't have to play Clemson this year, which is good. They play smu, they play Louisville. But this is a team that they should be in contention. They should be one of the top tier teams on your list that you go Clemson, Miami X. You know, I'm saying like those, you should do that and you should say they're in the, they're in the playoff contention. They should be that last year they were on the fringe. They should have been in. They should have done a better job finishing games and beating teams and not letting people hang around. But is this the year for Miami? That's, that's tough. It's tough to pull the Trigger and say, yes, but the, the components are there, man. The components are there because the coach.
- [43:09]
Brent Rollins
Who does the coach does a phenomenal job at probably priority one of your job, which is recruiting guys, talented dudes to come to play for your team. He hasn't done the job of the actual part during the game when the 60 minutes is rolling and that's the part that's just hurt them to the end.
- [43:26]
David Pollack
You're not wrong. You're not wrong.
- [43:28]
Brent Rollins
Unfortunately, I did have. So in terms of the group of five teams, I had 17 of the group of five teams as possibilities. Basically, it's Mountain West Conference, American Conference and then Liberty, like in terms of, you know, the top three in each of those conferences. So. Yep, Memphis, Tulane, Navy, Boise, unlv, San Jose State and then Liberty. Like, it's, it's going to be somebody. It's got to be one.
- [43:55]
David Pollack
It's always one of them. Okay, I have one extra that you don't have, and I don't have some that you have. So I had a jmu.
- [44:03]
Brent Rollins
Okay.
- [44:03]
David Pollack
I think JMU returning a lot, built a culture, had a really good season last year. I think they put up 70 on North Carolina last year. I think, like return a lot of their defense. I think that's a, a program worth respecting. Their schedule obviously, is really, really good. And then they're at like at Texas State might be the biggest challenge on their schedule. That's a, that's a recipe for success. I think JMU's in that mix too.
- [44:28]
Brent Rollins
So my total was 42. Well, 41. If you take off my. Off my. My point, not my non zero vanity chance. So if you go down there. And by the way, I didn't have Louisville. You had Louisville, so that was. Yeah, we're pretty similar in terms of.
- [44:43]
David Pollack
You had Vanderbilt but not Louisville. That makes total sense. Yeah.
- [44:47]
Brent Rollins
That makes finding that like non zero chance.
- [44:51]
David Pollack
I mean, I would bet, I would bet whatever you wanted to bet that Louisville's record's going to be a lot better than Vanderbilt's.
- [44:59]
Brent Rollins
Is that.
- [44:59]
David Pollack
I mean, it.
- [45:00]
Brent Rollins
Little sidebar.
- [45:01]
David Pollack
Little sidebar. Yeah. Whatever you'd like to put on that there, sir.
- [45:07]
Brent Rollins
Yeah.
- [45:07]
David Pollack
How big a boy are you, Roy D. Mercer?
- [45:09]
Brent Rollins
Come on, you're going to be right on that one. That's for sure. Likely. Especially since I said it's just like last week when I asked you the question, are we ever going to see an undefeated national champion again? Somebody's. And watch Clemson or somebody or you know, Texas, whomever, Notre Dame, whomever, they're gonna go 160 this year and prove that wrong instantaneously.
- [45:28]
David Pollack
But that's prediction season is so much fun. I mean, this is just not said nobody. Like, this is. There's so many. I love when we get to see them, you know, and just watch them and then start to diagnose as the year goes on. Like, because nobody would have put Notre Dame in there a year ago. People would have doubted Penn State. And then you start to watch them long enough and you're like, oh, okay. I mean, Colton Ecki is good. Oh, Al Golden's pretty good. Oh, I mean the Riley Leonard kid can play. Oh, they're physical. Like, I mean, I think we'll start to see SMU last year. I mean, Kevin Jennings turned that offense into an explosive machine and I think we'll start to see those. And those are more fun to. To watch and. And to be a part of. And. We ain't far, dog. We ain't far. What are we gonna talk about Wednesday? What are we gonna do Wednesday?
- [46:14]
Brent Rollins
That's a great question. We haven't really got there yet. We might. You want to actually make some predictions since we've got this big list, we could. We could make some predictions off of our big list here in terms of who's going to make the playoffs by the way, off of this. So we looked at around 40ish teams. How many of those you think can win the whole thing?
- [46:34]
David Pollack
That's a much different conversation. I mean, I kind of had a line like, like through mine where I kind of divvied them up and.
- [46:45]
Brent Rollins
Because I've got eight teams that I think can win the whole thing.
- [46:50]
David Pollack
That sucks because my lines are at 8 too. Like if I just added up my lines real quick of where I drew them over that I had eight.
- [46:57]
Brent Rollins
Three from the Big Ten, three from the sec, Notre Dame and Clemson.
- [47:05]
David Pollack
You have none from the Big 12.
- [47:07]
Brent Rollins
No.
- [47:09]
David Pollack
You don't think Arizona State could win it?
- [47:12]
Brent Rollins
I don't know about the whole thing.
- [47:13]
David Pollack
Look at what they showed you against Texas. Like Texas got fortunate to win that football game late. Like if they would have started now. Listen, Dillingham's not showing us anything yet. Like, what he's showing us in his team is they better get that entitlement out of their system. But like, I'd be okay with. With putting Arizona State on that list. I think the question is in the, in the acc. I'm with you with. With Clemson, but go. I just. Sometimes I start to. The more I start to get a feel for teams, I start to get a feeling in here, and I just got to go with it. And something about Miami, it just feels that way. Like, I feel like. I don't know why. I just feel like they're going to put it together and they're going to have a good season, and I know it's been a lot of not great. And shoot, since they joined the acc, we thought they were going to take that league over. They've never won the league.
- [48:03]
Brent Rollins
Right?
- [48:04]
David Pollack
They've never won it. Like, I don't think they've won it once. Correct. Like, literally, I don't think they've won the acc. That's nuts to think about when they came into that league and what we thought they would be. But. All right, well, I guess. I guess we'll see you. We'll see you Wednesday. And we'll. We'll predict more, I guess, because it's predicting season, but we're getting closer, we promise, to. To the real deal thing. Thank you all for. For listening. Thank you all for subscribing, rating, doing all that crap. That. That's a part of the. The service that makes us better and that makes us grow. We continue to grow, and we thank y' all for it. We'll see you in a couple days.