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- [00:02]
Mike Ryan
You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.
- [00:12]
Sebastian Maniscalco
Feeling lucky? All bets are on Bookie, the hilarious comedy from Chuck Lorre and Nick Mackay, starring Sebastian Maniscalco as an old school bookmaker just trying to stay alive in a world of bad beats. Does a house always win? Find out as Bookie returns for season two, December 12th on Max. Please watch responsibly.
- [00:33]
Mike Ryan
Welcome back to Gen CFB. It's playoff week, Lucy.
- [00:37]
Lucy
It is playoff week.
- [00:38]
Mike Ryan
We're going a couple playoff games this weekend. Fingers crossed. For, for you in Texas getting your credential. I'm heading to South Bend tomorrow. We've got a lot to talk about in a very short amount of time. So I want to start with this. Notre Dame. There are rumors they may be wearing alternate uniforms for their home playoff game on Friday night. And so I have seen two fan mock ups of potential uniforms that Notre Dame could wear. I mean, these are. I think this one's a joke. It's like a Christmas sweater uniform, but it's really funny. But wait, the second one's even better. This is an advent themed Notre Dame uniform from Twitter. Will credit whoever made that in post. But what are your thoughts, what are your thoughts on the Advent uniform for Notre Dame this Friday?
- [01:24]
Lucy
Are we sure we want to credit who made these? You want to do that?
- [01:29]
Mike Ryan
I love college football and this is just one of the reasons why fans make the darndest things. They get so excited for these games. They're like, what's the craziest uniform I can make? And they come up with that. An advent uniform.
- [01:42]
Lucy
I am a firm believer. Unless you're Oregon, if you're hosting a home playoff game or you're doing a home playoff game. Let's not get fancy here, all right? Let's just, let's not even bring in the question of, like, fun new uniforms. Unless you're Oregon, because that's your whole bit like. No, no, just wear what you're supposed to wear.
- [01:59]
Mike Ryan
The classics. You know what, you sound like a Notre Dame fan. Because Notre Dame fans, they love tradition. They love to stick to the classic blues. They, they don't like the alternate uniforms. If Notre Dame wears an alternate uniform and they lose to Indiana on Friday night, every single fan will blame the uniforms. And if that's the case, if Notre Dame does in fact lose to Indiana, I'm just going to throw this out there. I don't think it's the uniforms fault. I think that this game, I know it's a cliche, it's going to be one on the line of scrimmage. And I think Notre Dame's defense is going to have to put Curtis Rourke on his back like Ohio State did if they want to beat Indiana. And that's the matchup that I'm going to be watching on Friday night. And I think it probably is going.
- [02:36]
Lucy
To be a pretty close game only game Friday night. So I will be watching that matchup. Yeah, I look at this game specifically. If Indiana can control the pace of play, which they've been able to do in every game so far with the exception of Ohio State, then I think it's Indiana's game to lose. Just because they are so efficient. Efficient in what they are doing and they can move the ball so quickly that if Indiana can control the clock, if Indiana can do what they want to do, I think they're going to win this game. But I just, I don't necessarily see that happening. I think Notre Dame is so talented that I think there's just going to be Mitch Mismatches there. So I think Notre Dame wins. But I love just having like, how lucky are we to have a like sneaky in state? Yes.
- [03:20]
Mike Ryan
Like, it's awesome.
- [03:22]
Lucy
Who would have thought we were here?
- [03:23]
Mike Ryan
Not me. Not me. I mean, this is Indiana and Notre Dame as like fan bases. Everyone from Notre Dame has Indiana family members. Everyone from Indiana knows Notre Dame family members or has Notream some of them. There's an Indiana campus in South Bend. Like some of them went to both schools. Like these are both schools where everyone's kind of, in my opinion, like everyone's kind of happy. Like we get to have this matchup because only in the College Football Playoff would you get this. Notre Dame never plays Indiana hasn't played them since 1991. I think like they played a lot in the 30s and then they stopped. So this is a big matchup for a lot of families, a lot of. A lot of house divided right now. Lucy with Notre Dame playing Indiana. But Notre Dame's defense is ranked sixth in S&P plus Al golden loves to blitz and Notre Dame has corners and safeties that are great in coverage. So that is sort of the defensive game plan and that's what they're going to try to do to slow down Curtis Rourke to stop the offense from moving. I think defensively both teams are really good. I think Notre Dame's offense is going to have to be productive. They have some of the best rushing attack in the entire, in all of college football elite. With Jeremiah Love, who is ready to play. He got banged up the Last weekend of the season against usc. Riley Leonard has scored a couple dozen on his feet this year. Also thrown a couple dozen. He's a, he's a dual threat, Lucy. He's a big boy. He likes to run, he likes to throw. And this is going to be a good game on Friday night. Notre Dame's favorite, seven and a half. I, I think, like I said, close game, Notre Dame. I also saw they're going to have yellow rally towels. Now, I don't know who told them to do that because Kurt Signetti, he's from Pittsburgh, he's going to think those are terrible pals and they're for him. I don't like that. Don't, don't make them yellow. Notre Dame, it's not too late. Go get green towels.
- [05:01]
Lucy
Like, I know we should move on to other games, but emotionally, just how are you feeling right now?
- [05:06]
Mike Ryan
I'm excited.
- [05:07]
Lucy
This is the first 12 team playoff that your team has been in. Obviously they've been in the playoff before, but.
- [05:13]
Mike Ryan
Right.
- [05:13]
Lucy
This is a different animal.
- [05:14]
Mike Ryan
Yeah, I've been to Notre Dame playoff games before. I've been to big games at our stadium before. Night games are always fun there. I'm super excited. Look, I think it's totally realistic that loses this game and I have bad, dark thoughts. But then Christmas is four days later, so either way I'm just like, I'm, I'm happy to be included. I've been watching Mike Ryan like cry about Miami not making the playoff for the last three weeks and I'm like, holy, that could have been me. That could have been me. If Notre Dame didn't go on this 10 game win streak to finish the season, I would have had so much fomo. If everyone else made the playoff and Notre Dame was left outside looking in because of that stupid game against Northern Illinois earlier this season. But either way I'm, I'm happy to be included. I think Indiana is really good. I respect Indiana. A lot of people don't respect Indiana football. I think Kurt Signetti has done a great job there this year. Like their defense has been playing so well. Their offense has been so efficient. Just like you said, those two games against Michigan and Ohio State were really tough for them. And Ohio State like totally kicked their asses. So they're going to want revenge and to be able to prove that they can compete against these like, you know, higher weight class college football football teams that have been doing it for a long time, like the Notre Dames of the world and then Georgia if they win. So this is a huge chance for Kurt Signetti in Indiana to change the narrative and prove that they actually belong in this playoff. And Marcus Freeman just signed a massive extension. He's sticking around Notre Dame for six more years. So huge game for him to win. The first ever college Football playoff home game. It's just going to be really cool. It feels like a part of college football history and I can't wait to go. I'm going to freeze my little ass off and I can't wait.
- [06:46]
Lucy
Transition time. Look at how flawlessly I'm about to do this. SMU also a team that kind of has the hey, we need to prove that we should be here sort of mindset. They're at Penn State. Penn State is, as of filming an 8 1/2 point favorite. Penn State. Everyone sort of the conversation has been they got the best draw in the playoff with hosting SMU noon game. So they're obviously not going to be happy about that. And then potentially if they win, moving on to face Boise State. I, I do think Penn State's going to win. I think that they're a lot more talented than the other teams that SMU has faced. I think they're better than Clemson. I think they're better than byu. I think they're better than most of the acc. And I also think that like, weather plays such a factor in it. And this is Happy Valley in December. Pass.
- [07:34]
Mike Ryan
Yeah.
- [07:34]
Lucy
No, thank you.
- [07:35]
Mike Ryan
Three of these four playoff games are going to be frigid.
- [07:38]
Lucy
Yeah. And I don't. And look, that is a such a great crowd. That is not an atmosphere that SMU is like really going to be prepped for. I just, I think that Penn State has just. Their defense is too good. I think their defense is so, so good this season and that they're going to be too much for SMU to handle. I don't know if I think Penn State covers or not. Especially because this is sort of like, it's kind of a prove yourself game on both sides where James Franklin, can you win the big game? SMU did you really deserve to be in the playoff. I think Penn State wins this one though.
- [08:09]
Mike Ryan
I also think Penn State will win. I think that it's win win for people that think James Franklin can't beat the top teams in college football because if they do win, it'll be easy to dismiss it as like, well, SMU wasn't a top five team. They were. They haven't beaten a top 25 team this whole season. Did they even deserve to be in the playoff? Like, they got lucky. Alabama should have been in this game. But I do think Penn State has an underrated, underratedly, really tough defense, and I don't think the offense will need to be explosive to beat smu. On the other side of that, Kevin Jennings for SMU has been really good. He has, he has a couple picks in him, but he loves to throw it downfield. And I think if you can get a couple of those passes completed, like, you can disrupt the game plan a little bit. So that's going to be an interesting thing to look at. I do think Penn State will win, and I think they will move on and play Boise State.
- [08:58]
Lucy
Yeah, I was really, really impressed with what I saw from Penn State at the Big Ten championship game. I didn't know their offense had that in them. I didn. They sort of had that fight in them because even though every time Penn State got close, Oregon was able to, you know, pull away again. It was just, they were moving the ball. Drew Aller looked really, really good. The defense didn't look as great. Oregon can do that to everybody. So I just think that Penn State is kind of trending in the right direction right now. But I just say all this stuff. I'm like, James Franklin, you're gonna make me look stupid.
- [09:24]
Mike Ryan
Yeah, don't blow it. Don't blow it. Yeah, I'm with you. Also, Penn State's backup quarterback who, who did play a lot this year, they.
- [09:31]
Lucy
They worked in the office quite a bit.
- [09:33]
Mike Ryan
So that's weird.
- [09:34]
Lucy
Yeah, just a tough situ. He even came out and said like, I didn't want to do this, but you know, I know that Drew Alders coming back next year. I'd like a starting job.
- [09:42]
Mike Ryan
And the longer you wait to go in the portal, the worse, worse options get correct.
- [09:46]
Lucy
Man, you would have had to go to Iowa. She would have to be the hot guy.
- [09:50]
Mike Ryan
Starting quarterback. Question for you. We both think Texas will be Clemson.
- [09:55]
Lucy
Yeah, I, I don't. I, I don't feel like incredible, like unbelievably confident in any of these games. And all of it isn't for real, like analytical reasons. Just like Texas vibes would be loose.
- [10:07]
Mike Ryan
Well, I think the 5C. I think the reason. Yeah, like Texas offense has been so injured this whole season. Their defense is great. I think that's where it's, it's coming from for me. It's like Clemson's going to have to try really hard to score points in this game. But I think you're to your point about. I think these four games in Particular are all. We've seen all eight of these teams flaws all season long. Like, none of these teams went undefeated. All of these teams have tough losses. All of these teams have faltered in some way and have a weakness. And so, I mean, I think this is why where coaching is going to come in and which coaches are going to be able to game plan around it and which coaches are going to be able to exploit it on the other side. And I just think Sark is good. I think Sark is a really good coach and, you know, Dabo obviously is as well. But I think their offense is going to struggle against Texas defense. Texas offense is also going to struggle against Clemson's defense, but I think to a lesser extent.
- [10:59]
Lucy
Yeah, the Clemson has scored 17 points in the two games they faced SEC defenses this year and their game against Georgia to start the season and then South Carolina in the season. And Texas's defense is, I think, up there with those two schools. Like, Texas has such a phenomenal defense. I don't think Clemson's gonna be able to move the ball and like, okay, yes. Quinn, yours is hurt. Let's hope your backup is talented and qualified. Oh, wait, it's Arch Manning who your fans have wanted.
- [11:26]
Mike Ryan
Why? Yeah, how many snaps do we think he's going to get?
- [11:29]
Lucy
I don't know. All the. All the. I know one Texas fan, but the one Texas fan I know has furiously texted the group chat. I never want to see Queen again. So.
- [11:40]
Mike Ryan
Which is. Yeah. But I also, I. We have.
- [11:44]
Lucy
We've.
- [11:45]
Mike Ryan
I get it. We've seen the last couple games, like, Texas offense limped into this matchup. That is fair, I think. But yeah, on defense, like, one of the best pass defenses in college football. Best cornerback in college football. The Thorpe Award winner. Although, like, award season was very contentious this year and we don't have time to talk about it. But I, I don't think there was a single award that everyone was. Except the Do Walker Award. The Herbies, everyone was mad about. You were happy with. Everyone was mad about Tyler Warren winning the. Oh, fuck the Mackie Award. Yeah, anyways, whatever. I digress. This is a long digression. But yeah, I think that. I think Texas will end. They'll play Arizona State. I think Texas will probably also win that game. But Scatterbo, maybe. Maybe we'll have a career day that. That day.
- [12:30]
Lucy
We'll see. I won't even think about Arizona State right now.
- [12:33]
Mike Ryan
I don't even. That's next month's problem.
- [12:36]
Lucy
That energy, I can't have that in My life right now, it's a little too much chaos for me right at the moment.
- [12:40]
Mike Ryan
Fair enough. But yeah, Clemson, I think, limps into the playoff, but will ultimately lose that game has the biggest spread, another seven and a half point spread. Tennessee at Ohio State. The second night game, the Saturday night game. Humongous, ginormous game. The winner plays Oregon. This one I feel like I keep going back and forth on because again, both really elite defenses, but I think I like Ohio State winning at home. I don't think Tennessee is going to have a great day offensively.
- [13:10]
Lucy
I think it really comes down to me, like, Will Howard. What. What are you going to do?
- [13:15]
Mike Ryan
Right. Let's do something.
- [13:16]
Lucy
What's the plan here? Because if Will Howard plays. All right. I think Ohio State will win this game. I also think the circumstances of this game are really weird where I don't necessarily know if there's a team that's hosting a game that's fans hate more right now than Ohio's.
- [13:31]
Mike Ryan
A hostile environment.
- [13:33]
Lucy
It's a hostile home environment.
- [13:35]
Mike Ryan
Hostile in general for everyone.
- [13:37]
Lucy
It's. It's a really interesting situation. I think people really underestimate when we talk about a lot how good Tennessee's defense is. And Ohio State's offensive line has had issues the whole season. And I think Michigan put together sort of the perfect plan to beat Ohio State. And now you can sit here and look at that if you're Tennessee and be like, we can just do that. You have Dylan Sampson, one of the best running backs in college football.
- [13:57]
Mike Ryan
Like, he's great.
- [13:58]
Lucy
It's. I think that like Tennessee is a matchup nightmare for Ohio State. And I think the circumstances of losing to Michigan the way you did, how you did when Tennessee is like a much better version of that Michigan team. Way more fun and adds more of a quarterback.
- [14:15]
Mike Ryan
But it's not Michigan. Their name's not Michigan.
- [14:17]
Lucy
Not Michigan. So maybe hold up.
- [14:21]
Mike Ryan
I have an idea.
- [14:22]
Lucy
I have a plan. I take back what I said about alternate jerseys. Tennessee, you're going Mason blue.
- [14:27]
Mike Ryan
Oh, that's a great idea. Wearing those. That is a great idea.
- [14:31]
Lucy
Solved it. You're welcome.
- [14:32]
Mike Ryan
If that happens, I'm changing my pick to Tennessee. Tennessee's defense, according to Bill Connolly, fourth nationally in havoc rate, which includes tackles for loss, pass breakups, interceptions, force fumbles, etc. Etc. So havoc rates ball. Having it. Yeah. Having a offensive line that is not its strongest with a lot of injuries, like you said, that can be kind of scary for Ohio State. But I don't know. Someone has to win the game. So I guess I'm picking Ohio State. I don't feel great about it. I don't feel great about any of these except I guess Texas, but not that great.
- [15:03]
Lucy
I don't know. I don't know.
- [15:05]
Mike Ryan
Slightly better.
- [15:05]
Lucy
I think I'm paying Tennessee, I think screw it, ruins. And they also, Tennessee did not play in the SEC championship game, which I think works in their favor. Obviously Ohio State didn't play in the Big Ten championship, but they were, they were doing things.
- [15:16]
Mike Ryan
Yeah, they were really upset. So if Tennessee does win in this hypothetical situation, what time is Ryan Day fired the next day? Before 9am noon. Which we saw like over, under, like he's gone. Right. I think everyone's gonna be so mad.
- [15:30]
Lucy
If I'm Ohio State. I wait, I do it the good old fashioned way and I wait till kickoff at the Rose bowl. So everyone's thinking of other things and everyone look over there and then I drop fired. It's a, it's a tweet that's like third in the thread.
- [15:47]
Mike Ryan
No.
- [15:48]
Lucy
And it's like, oh, we. What a great season. We're looking back. Third tweet.
- [15:51]
Mike Ryan
By the way.
- [15:51]
Lucy
Ryan Day is done.
- [15:52]
Mike Ryan
Yeah, I mean the vibes are really rancid there, but they, I also think they could easily win. And then if they win that game, I think they could beat Oregon.
- [16:00]
Lucy
Absolutely.
- [16:00]
Mike Ryan
A one point game last time. I think their run game against Oregon puts them in a good spot actually. So I think you could say the same for Tennessee and Samson there too. But anyways, I think it's going to be a fun weekend. It's the first time we've ever had a 12 team college football playoff. Like there. It's going to be super fun. And if it's not fun, my take on that is like, well, the semifinals are never fun. So hey, you got more not fun games. At least they're college football games. Right? But I think they will be fun.
- [16:27]
Lucy
No, I think we're going to get some really competitive football games.
- [16:30]
Mike Ryan
Yeah.
- [16:30]
Lucy
We have four options. So like.
- [16:32]
Mike Ryan
Right. At least one's got to be good.
- [16:33]
Lucy
Yeah.
- [16:34]
Mike Ryan
And if they're not, I mean they're on college sites. So like there's cool. It's at least it's not like a neutral site or an NFL stadium because that stinks.
- [16:40]
Lucy
It's good for the economy.
- [16:42]
Mike Ryan
Yeah. Welcome. I mean, hey, La Quinta is getting all my money. Congrats to La Quinta in South Bend. I'll be staying at you this weekend before we go because it's our last show before Christmas and probably also until New Year's because we're our show's going dark for two weeks. Not. Not GenCFB all of Levitar's show. Surprise. What's your favorite bowl game matchup that you're looking forward to outside of our.
- [17:07]
Lucy
Like little playoff spectacle? I am very intrigued by the energy happening at the Birmingham bowl, which is Georgia Tech. Vanderbilt.
- [17:17]
Mike Ryan
Yes.
- [17:18]
Lucy
Say it's going to be like a.
- [17:20]
Mike Ryan
Two and a half point favorite.
- [17:21]
Lucy
I want to say it's a very just like funky vibe.
- [17:25]
Mike Ryan
Yeah.
- [17:25]
Lucy
Like some something's going to go off. Something weird is going to happen. They are probably going to be like, let's just evacuate the city right now. No fans in the crowd. Let's just let whatever happens happen. So weird energy. I'm looking forward to that.
- [17:37]
Mike Ryan
Yeah, I think the like obviously with the opt outs the games are harder to predict. They can't really be like an indictment on your team season because half your players are probably gone or whatever. But like so narratively they maybe mean slightly less. But there's opportunities for so many weird and fun and stupid things to happen and that's what I'm excited for. We got the Alamo bowl is like byu, Colorado game. Sure, why not? Like sure.
- [18:03]
Lucy
They're in the same.
- [18:03]
Mike Ryan
Might as well do a secondary. Like it's like the Big 12 championship for third place. Yeah, we have that and we've got Iowa and Missouri, your alma mater. You're wearing an Iowa shirt, Lucy.
- [18:14]
Lucy
I'm wearing an Iowa woman's basketball shirt.
- [18:16]
Mike Ryan
South Carolina and Illinois. I don't know. Like, I'm just excited for all of these bowl games. I'm just going to be in my jam jams watching bowl games on my ass laying down on the floor for like three weeks and I can't wait.
- [18:27]
Lucy
Look, if you're bowl games, bowls are supposed to be weird. Just let it happen.
- [18:33]
Mike Ryan
Lean in.
- [18:34]
Lucy
Let the Pop Tarts bowl exist. Enjoy the Mayo dump. Enjoy the French fry dump. I'm sure there's going to be more dumps that happen. What if the Turbo Tax bowl is tax farms? Even though I don't even know if the TurboTax bowl exists anymore, there's definitely a tax ball that exists.
- [18:48]
Mike Ryan
There's some sort of tax ball and it's.
- [18:49]
Lucy
It's accountants giving you the trophy.
- [18:52]
Mike Ryan
They drop an abacus on you.
- [18:54]
Lucy
Perfect.
- [18:54]
Mike Ryan
I love it. Yes. Everyone lean into the silly and the fun. We've got like 50 college football games left and I can't wait. Lucy, thanks for listening. To Gen CFB this season. This year, 2024. What a year. I don't know what our next episode will be, but happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year to everyone. Enjoy the football.