Hour 4: Chris Low, On3

Summary

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The Paul Finebaum Show

Host: Paul Finebaum
Episode: Hour 4 (with Chris Low, On3)
Date: July 27, 2026

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Overview

This episode features Paul Finebaum’s signature, caller-driven approach to college football talk, with in-depth discussion of SEC and national schedules for 2026. The main event is an interview with college football reporter Chris Low (On3), who breaks down the toughest and easiest schedules in the SEC and beyond. The rest of the hour is filled with lively, sometimes irreverent calls from listeners around the country, touching on the character of the show, conference debates, Black Hat committee antics, and team-specific gripes and predictions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caller-Driven Show Banter & Community (00:41 – 09:56; 12:42 – 34:30)

• Culture and “Black Hat” Committee

  • Callers like Eddie, Dylan, JD, AJ, and Johnny B. engage in humorous banter about Ric Flair memorabilia, wrestling nostalgia, and the show’s in-jokes (“Black Hat committee,” chicken coops, and X photos of callers’ feet).
  • The “Black Hat” committee is celebrated—a tongue-in-cheek honorary society for regular callers.
  • Listeners reflect on the importance of the callers themselves in driving the show’s energy, with praise for Paul’s ability to provoke, engage, and facilitate.

• Conference Rivalries and Schedule Complaints

  • Paige from Phoenix calls out the perceived weakness of Big Ten non-conference schedules compared to the SEC’s, using last year’s Indiana and Ohio State schedules as examples, and contrasts them to Oklahoma’s much tougher path in the SEC (04:21–06:13).
  • Caller Dusty (26:10–28:02) offers a West Coast perspective on Oregon’s future and contemplates whether Dante Moore can lead the Ducks past Ohio State in a crucial game—“We've seen the good, the bad and the ugly and it's getting better all the time...I think we're going to be a lot better.”

• State of Alabama Football

  • Several callers, including Johnny B. and Eddie (31:37–34:30), spar over Auburn and Alabama’s prospects, lamenting O-line woes and quarterback questions and poking fun at delusional fan expectations:
    • “The Iron Bowl, that’s a race to win seven games, man. Put that in perspective and kind of hold that as your standard.” (Eddie, 34:19)

2. Interview: Chris Low on 2026 College Football Schedules (13:15–23:34)

SEC: Who’s Got It Tough, Who Caught a Break?

• Texas Faces Its Toughest SEC Schedule Yet
  • Texas’ schedule is highlighted as the most difficult since joining the SEC, in part because of an early marquee matchup vs. Ohio State in Austin. “This is without question the toughest schedule that Texas will have played...this also will be [Coach Sarkisian’s] toughest schedule since he's been at Texas.” (Chris Low, 13:58)
• Tennessee & Missouri Have Manageable Slates
  • Tennessee is seen as having an easier draw, avoiding some historically tough matchups, possibly benefitting Coach Josh Heupel. Missouri’s schedule is also “manageable, but…there's not going to be a coach alive [in the SEC] that will tell you they got an easy schedule.” (Chris Low, 14:59)
• Fans Must Adjust Expectations
  • Low warns that with Power 4 non-conference schedules and more intra-league games, expect more three- and four-loss “good teams” missing the playoff—“There are going to be a lot of three-loss teams…and a lot of people are going to have a hard time...wrapping their hands around that.”

National Landscape: Playoff Paths & Schedule Superlatives

• Penn State, Georgia, and Nebraska: Softer Roads

  • Penn State is flagged for an easy schedule, particularly out of conference. Georgia gets to play eight of twelve games in-state, an advantage bolstered by the Florida game moving to Atlanta. Nebraska’s schedule, under Matt Rhule, is “a little bit more forgiving.” (16:35)

• Michigan, Ohio State: Brutal Slate

  • Michigan’s schedule is “really, really difficult” this year.
  • Ohio State’s path is the toughest Chris Low’s ever seen in Columbus: “At Texas, at Iowa, at Indiana, at Southern Cal, they have Oregon at home, and of course they're at Michigan and at Nebraska. That is...that’s a buster, isn’t it?” (Paul, 17:58)
    • “It's the hardest one they've had since [Ryan Day’s] been a head coach there.” (Chris Low, 18:26)

• Playoff Implications

  • A scenario is raised where even a highly talented Ohio State team “goes into that final game against Michigan needing to win just to get into the playoffs.” (Chris Low, 18:26)

Conference Hierarchy Debate: SEC vs Big Ten

• Evolving Measures of Success
  • Chris Low notes how the SEC used to say “who wins the title, that’s the best conference,” but with three title-free years, “the goal posts sort of move…Depending on who's winning titles and who's not.” (19:54)
  • He now believes “the Big Ten at the top is as good, if not better than the SEC,” especially given coaching hires and program investments (20:35).
  • “You are what your record says you are. Until [the SEC] win another national title, they're going to have to keep answering these questions.” (Chris Low, 20:58)

Coaches: Changing Landscape and New Storylines

• Big Ten Gets a Coaching Upgrade

  • Big Ten stability and creative hires like Kyle Whittingham at Michigan and Matt Campbell at Penn State are highlighted as positives.

• SEC Coaching Carousel & New Faces at Power Programs

  • Lane Kiffin’s move to LSU is seen as a long-term win: “I’d be very surprised if...four or five years from now and he hasn’t won a national title.” (Chris Low, 21:41)
  • Pete Golding’s rise as a new head coach after a strong playoff run is “fascinating”—Low calls him “refreshing” and praises his connection to players and his authenticity (22:56).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Callers’ Role:

  • "You have from day one said this is a caller driven show. Do you agree, disagree?" (Odisha, 06:30)
  • “I don’t think there’s ever been a dispute about that.” (Paul, 06:55)

• On Schedules:

  • “There are going to be a lot of three-loss teams in that league, four-loss teams this year. They're going to be pretty good football teams in the year that aren't going to be in the playoffs.” (Chris Low, 15:39)

• On SEC-Big Ten debate:

  • “The goal posts sort of move, don’t they, Paul? Depending on who's winning titles and who's not.” (Chris Low, 19:54)
  • “You are what your record says you are.” (Chris Low, 20:58)

• On Auburn/Alabama Rivalry:

  • “The Iron bowl, that's a race to win seven games, man... If you win eight games, treat it like the playoffs. If you win nine games, treat it like a national championship.” (Eddie, 34:19)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:41–09:56: Opening calls, Black Hat committee, show community vibes
• 13:15–23:34: Chris Low interview—SEC/national schedule analysis, coaching talk
• 26:10–28:02: Dusty from Oregon on Ducks’ hopes and Pac-12/Big Ten perspective
• 28:18–34:30: Final flurry of callers on SEC rivalry, Alabama/Auburn prospects

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains Paul Feinbaum’s trademark: a lively, occasionally irreverent, deeply knowledgeable yet accessible conversation about college football. Callers provide color, humor, and fan insight, while the Chris Low segment adds analytical rigor and the latest insider buzz.

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Summary prepared for listeners who missed the show.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Rich Eisen]

The pride, passion and pageantry of college football lives here.

[Podcast Narrator]

This is the Paul Feinbaum show, our for podcast.

[Chris Lowe]

This might be college football.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Hey, welcome back. We'll talk to Chris Lowe coming up here in just a moment about schedules, how important they are. They are critical and you can get a good one and maybe go far or get jobbed and struggle. Eddie is up next in Georgia. Hello, Eddie.

[Caller Eddie]

Paul. Brother Paul. Been a while since I talked to you. You said you take. You, you'd say. You said you'd take just over a hundred dollars. I'll send you $120 tomorrow.

[Caller Dusty]

Give me.

[Caller Eddie]

I need your address and I'll have my address and I. Cause I've got a picture of Ric Flair coming out of a. It must have been a rope match or something and he's bleeding like a skunk hog. I've got pictures of people, some people might not know this Tommy Rich, he's looking dead at me. When I took his pair, I used. If I went to a wrestling match, I took my old Polaroid camera.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Well, remember, it is signed to me. Does that affect your interest in.

[Caller Eddie]

Doesn't matter. It don't bother me a bit. I'll put it in one of my. I'll put it in my. I have a sentimental room, sir. So I put it in the sentimental room.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Okay, well, let me, let me, let me ponder that. I may have talked too quickly there. Hey, thank you, Eddie. Appreciate it. I got Dylan. Dylan is up next in Jasper, Alabama. Hello, Dylan.

[Caller Dylan]

Mr. Feinbaum, I've always wanted to say this. What's going on? My black hat brother.

[Paul Feinbaum]

That is great. Thank you. Fantastic.

[Caller Dylan]

You know, you know, Paul, I'd like to thank the four members of the Black Cat committee that voted and everything. And that, that really means a lot. Guys, I just want to say that from the bottom of my heart and you know, and, and that's just a good family to be a part of right there. And y', all, y' all represent the

[Chris Lowe]

class and that's for sure.

[Caller Dylan]

But you know, you know, you want to know something, Paul? You really want to know something? What's good is now me and you are limousine riding, jet flying, kiss stealing, wheeling and dealing this son of a guns that can kiss any girl and make them cry. And you know that's because we're partners. That's why, baby. That's why. But you know, I, I, you said something earlier, Paul, that about Clemson and everything, and you was dead on the money. You, you was spot on because that, that, that, that, that little show right there is going to be a disaster. And speaking of Clemson, I saw, I saw a picture today on X. I was going through there and, oh, Chris from South Carolina had his feet propped up in a, in a, in a beach chair and I saw nothing but dad gum toes. Dude, I'm gonna tell you something and he's do something with them swamp toes. I'm, I'm telling you that right now. Them things there. Oh, about, I about saw my lunch again after that. But anyway, Paul, the dirtiest player in the game is out of here. Thank y'.

[Caller Dusty]

All.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thank you very much. Congratulations, Dylan. And let me check in with Paige, who is in Phoenix. Hello, Paige.

[Caller Paige]

Hi. How are you doing?

[Paul Feinbaum]

We're doing great, thank you.

[Caller Paige]

Well, the reason I called is I was gonna call tomorrow, but once you had Stephen A. On there and he's talking about how marvelous the Big Ten is, I was like, you know, I, I certainly appreciate people being honest and telling the truth, but you gotta know the facts first. And the facts are that Indiana last year played Old Dominion. Kennesaw State, Indiana State, Illinois, they weren't ranked. Number 23. Iowa, number. They were ranked, but they haven't gotten a national championship in many, many years. Michigan State, the last time they've had a national championship was 1966. Maryland, I don't even know if they've had one. And then Wisconsin had one national championship. Purdue has zero. And then you have Ohio State. So they played Iowa, that was ranked. And then they played Ohio State. So they get to play teams where they're, they're making, they're putting up 70 to 0 points and against all those teams that are not ranked. And Ohio State did the same thing. And Ohio State gets to skate every single year while the SEC team have to play. Well, this year, my Oklahoma Sooners, they will be playing 10 ranked teams from the top 25 preseason Colts. And every other SEC team will be playing at least three to four.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Okay, yeah, I got a little bit lost there, but we'll try to make sense out of that as we do every single caller here on the program, sometimes with more success than others. Odisha is up next.

[Caller Odisha]

Thanks for taking my call, as always. So I tried to call in Friday because there was some of the regulars that basically called in and said, well, it's just not the same without you. But Mr. Fine mom, you, you have from day one said this is a caller driven show. Do you agree, disagree?

[Paul Feinbaum]

I don't think there's ever been a dispute about that.

[Caller Odisha]

Absolutely. So here's, here's my qualm about this. Now I try to call in as much as I can because I live just right outside of Birmingham. WJOX is the station that I listen to and I listen to you on it. I love Cole Kubelet, absolutely love the take that he has. He played for Auburn, but he doesn't pull for Auburn when Auburn is not good. He says that. And I just don't understand where, if the caller driven show is here, where are the callers? And I just, I get aggravated when they call in. And yes, I do miss hearing your voice. I absolutely do because I love the way that you take the calls. You engage, you provoke at times, but the callers are just not there. And then they want to call in and complain. Well, it's just not the same. Well, this, this and that. Well, call in and make, make your call, make your voice heard. If this is a caller driven show and I would love to hang up and listen to your response.

[Chris Lowe]

Thank you, sir.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thank you. Yeah, I mean, that's. No one would dispute that. Cole is an outstanding host. I'm one of his biggest fans. JD Is up next. Good afternoon.

[Caller JD]

Hey, Paul, Glad to have you back, man. Went a long time away, but it's good to have you back.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Caller JD]

Hey, first off, I want to say thank you for mentioning the 2010 season for my Auburn Tigers. You could have threw the 2013 Miracle of Jordan Hare in there, too. That would have been good too, for my sweaty Eddie friend. Next, I want to say congratulations to the dirtiest chicken farmer in the game for being elected into the black hats. He, he's, he's among some greats. Got Iman and Legend and, and Squirrel and all them. And now he gets to pass out medicine, cook breakfast and grease walkers and take out trash. And I'm happy for him. I like all them guys. I got a lot of respect for them and I'm happy for my buddy Dylan. And that's all I wanted to say, man. Thanks, Paul.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thank you very much. JD we are heading to a break. A special guest coming up in a minute. And then we'll spend the final 30 or so minutes getting your phone calls. Chris Lowe joins us next.

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[Caller Eddie (second Eddie)]

foreign.

[Podcast Narrator]

To the Paul Feinbaum show podcast.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Welcome back. Let's check in with Dusty, who is up next in Oregon. Hello, Dusty. Go right ahead.

[Caller Dusty]

Hey. Hi, Paul. Nice talking to you. I talk to you as much as I can. That was a year ago, but I turn in whenever I can. But looks like you've grown some hair since the last time I've talked to you, which is always a good sign that means you're doing well. So I, of course, being Big ten, and I appreciate Nicole and what she's just been talking about, they always seem to place a lot of emphasis on the dust.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Hey, hey, Dusty. Let me, let me break in. I apologize. Don't go anywhere. I want to finish this conversation. I remember the last time we talked, but our guest just showed up and I don't want to keep him waiting. He's a busy guy. Chris Lowe joining us from on three, talking about schedule superlatives, easiest, toughest, everything in between. Is it important? Yes, it is. It's critically important. Chris, thank you for the time. Good afternoon. And I know you looked into a lot of this. There's some ridiculously tough schedules. Penn State, I don't know who, who they were able to cajole, but they may have the easiest schedule I've ever seen. But let's, let's starting in the sec. What did you see?

[Chris Lowe]

Hey, Paul. Yeah. I think this is without question the toughest schedule that Texas will have plates and start well since they've been in the SEC when you throw in the Week 2 game against Ohio State. Now it's in Austin, but they've got a really tough schedule in the league too. And they got a break. I thought the Longhorns got a break the first two years in the league, their schedule, you look at their schedule and stack it up against Oklahomans inside the league. The first two years was much easier in Oklahoma. So it sort of turns this year it's a lot harder. So, you know, Sark told me when I was there this spring, he thinks this is the deepest, most talented team he's had across the board on both sides since he's been there. This also will be his toughest schedule since he's been at Texas.

[Paul Feinbaum]

On the other hand, Chris, within the league, there's a lot of debate about who has an easy schedule. And I know that nobody wants to hear that that is possible in the SEC with non conference gains but who would you say maybe caught a few breaks along the way?

[Chris Lowe]

Yeah, I think Tennessee got. You know, you're right. First of all, with nine league games there's not going to be a coach alive. They'll tell you they got an easy schedule. You know with Tennessee avoids some of their traditional teams that they played and had trouble with in the past. Not Alabama but in the Georgia and Florida's which is probably good for Josh Hypo. I think Missouri schedule is is manageable but I don't look at any schedule in that league. And listen when you play a Power 4 non conference team so you're playing 10 legitimate games, ADs and fans and boosters that they better reprogram their brains in the SEC because there are going to be a lot of three loss teams in that league, four loss teams this year. They're going to be pretty good football teams in the year that aren't going to be in the playoffs. And a lot of people are going to have a hard time Paul wrapping their hands around that. And even some of the teams that I think are really talented, you know, like a Texas at Texas A and M. Look at Texas A and M's closed season. It's brutal. You look at Oklahoma's open to the season. Remember they got to play Michigan in week two. So those are two teams. I guarantee if you talk to both those fan bases, Texas A and Oklahoma who absolutely expect to be in the playoffs, well, they got really, really tough schedules in front of them.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Chris Lowe with us from on three. Chris, let's broaden the scope a little bit nationally because you can get in the CFP with a really great schedule and you might not have any chance if you're good, maybe not elite with a difficult schedule. I alluded to Penn State. Is that the one that stands out to you?

[Chris Lowe]

Yeah, Penn State stands out. I would say Indiana's gets a little tougher this year because they got Ohio State on the schedule. Now once again for the third or fourth straight year they don't play anybody outside the Big Ten. The non conference schedule, which I think makes it a little bit easier. You know Georgia, you asked me about easier schedules. Georgia plays eight of 12 games in the state of Georgia this year because remember the Florida game because the renovation and the stadium there in Jacksonville will be played in Atlanta. So I think they get a little bit of a break too. And I think six of their first eight games are in Georgia. So that helps a team that I think will be probably Kirby's best since they won their last or since the 23 season. I thought last year was a little bit of a bridge. Kirby would never admit that, but a little bit of a bridge year for them. So I think having that many games in the state of Georgia helps them. I think when you look at some of the, the other schools, Nebraska schedule in the Big Ten and listen Matt Rule 1017 in Big Ten play, he needs a big year. I think their schedule is a little bit more forgiving. So there's some schools like that in Michigan. I think Michigan's another schedule. When you look at teams that have a chance to play their way into the playoff but don't have a schedule that made these playoff conducive. Michigan's another school that has a really, really difficult schedule this year.

[Paul Feinbaum]

And Ohio State, which may have the most talent of anyone in the country, has, according to your research, among the most difficult schedules you alluded to, at Texas, they're at Iowa, at Indiana, at Southern Cal, they have Oregon and home. And of course they're at Michigan, they're at Michigan at home and at Nebraska. That, that is. Well, I can't say the word I want to say, but that's a, that's a buster, isn't it?

[Chris Lowe]

Yeah, well, it's, it's when I was with Ryan Day this spring and even he talked about their schedule, it's the hardest one they've had since he's been a head coach there. I don't think anybody would debate that. And when you throw in, as you alluded to that second week game in Texas, that's a ninth game at Texas. You look at a team, you know, if they don't, if they don't get it done there. You already got one loss two weeks in, and you're still talking about Indiana and Indiana, you're talking about Oregon, you're talking about at sc. You know, God knows Lincoln Riley needs a breakthrough season this year at sc. I think this will be one of his better teams. So you're potentially talking about. I know as crazy as this sounds, because I do think Ohio State's really talented. Them going into that final game against Michigan, needing to win that football game just to get into the playoffs.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Yeah, it seems like that should happen anyway. But we know, we know how that game has been lately. Chris Lowe with us. Chris, let me drill down a little bit on the sec, which of course media days last week and this back and forth, which by the way is fairly irrelevant about which conference has the best, which is the best conference. So some of us tend to look at who wins the championship. Others look in between. Is there a best way to try to evaluate that, or should we just forbid the question in the future?

[Chris Lowe]

The goal posts sort of move, don't they, Paul? Depending on who's winning titles and who's not. And I, I think the SEC probably has done a little bit too much talking about why they haven't won the last three years, because when they were winning, it was who wins the title. You know, they had what, seven straight. I remember Mike Sl, our good friend Mike Sly saying he thinks that's something that'll never happen again. A league winning seven straight national championships with three years that the SEC doesn't even have a team in the championship game. So I think you got to look at it from a thousand feet away. And I think there are a lot of different factors. I do believe, and I say this very confidently, that the Big Ten at the top is as good, if not better than the sec. I think when you look at the coaches, what they've been able to do, the commitment the schools have made, you got a lot of new coaches in that league this year. I think Kyle Whittingham was a terrific hire for Michigan. They need stability in the worst way. Matt Campbell coming into Penn State, another guy who has time and time again turned down opportunities to go elsewhere. So I think the coaching across the board, the Big Ten has gotten a lot better. And you know, what's the old parcels line? You are what your record says you are. Sec. Until they win another national title, they're going to have to keep answering these questions.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Chris, let me ask you about the coaches, because, you know, all these guys. And again, let's, you know, let's take Saban off the table because he's been gone a couple of years. But is it the coaches aren't as good? Is it that, you know, guys like Brian Kelly just, you know, get eaten up in the midst of the problems that you have to deal with, especially now. What exactly is it that the Big Ten has ended up with better coaches?

[Chris Lowe]

I don't think a lot of good hires, first of all. I mean, you take a guy like James Franklin. James Franklin, built, for the most part a perennial top 10 program at Penn State, it just couldn't beat the team's account and they get rid of. And I think when you bring in a guy like a Whittingham who has proven. We talked about Matt Campbell, I think the coaching. The SEC is still really good. You got a lot of new faces and, and some, some guys at New Places, you know, we'll see how Lane does at lsu. I personally think Lane will win big there. I think it went really big. I'd be very surprised if the two of us are talking five, four or five years from now and he hasn't won a national title. I don't know that he's going to do that right away. Transitions are hard, even at a place that has committed as much money as they have to building that roster. And I think Pete Golding, to me, people say, what do you, what are the storylines? What are you looking forward to? I think it's fascinating a guy like Pete Golding who a year ago at this time would have probably not been on anybody's radar as a head coach. He falls into that. He's put in a very difficult position, coaches his butt off. His team plays great in the playoffs, they're recruiting at a high level. That's a team that I think is going to be really good again this year. There's a lot of excitement around that program. Now we get to see him over the course of the season, what he does with that program. I find Pete, having visited with him a couple times, got to know him a little bit when he was Alabama, really refreshing. So I think to me, if you say, hey, what's the storyline that you most look for forward to what can he do and build off of what they did last year in the postseason and they can they sustain it because I know the kids on that team and spending some time with guys like Trinidad Shamlist, they believe in him and believe in what he. They bought in completely in his direction and just sort of how real and genuine he is with those players.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Chris Lowe, always great on three. Many thanks, Chris. We'll talk to you soon. We're up against the break. 30 minutes remaining here on a Monday afternoon.

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[Paul Feinbaum]

Brian Kelly has a job Officially. It was announced today that CBS Sports has hired the former Notre Dame and LSU coach. He will be on their Tuesday night Inside College Football show that's on the CBS Sports Network. He will also be in the booth for several games, including Week zero where he will be in the booth for the Jacksonville State North Dakota State game that will be in Fargo. That's an interesting game. North Dakota State has an amazing reputation out in Fargo. That game on August 29th. Let's go back to Dusty. We were talking to him when we broke into the when Chris Lowe showed up. I'm sorry, Dusty. I appreciate your patience.

[Caller Dusty]

Oh, that's all right. I had to have a nap anyway, so I appreciate you Getting me on. 35 year season ticket holder for the Duck. So we've seen the good, the bad and the ugly and it's getting better all the time. I did enjoy Nicole's comments about well, the Ducks are a team that they really haven't proven themselves, so we'll wait and see if they can do something this year. But a lot of the Ducks have held over. They're going to play again. They could have gone and turned pro last year. They didn't. But it's I think a matter of whether more deliver as quarterback. There's certainly some questions in the old Duck fans around whether he can really get it done or not. I I think we're going to be a lot better. We've got really good receiving core this year, whether our fifth offensive line, we replaced three or four guys. Whether they can hold up or not is a good question. I did like the comments from Chris who said, well, the SEC hasn't won it in three years now and why haven't they? Well, they finally decided they're going to play a full schedule and when you play full schedule, it's not like tying up three or four patsies and playing those teams, and then you play maybe three games away from your own base and you end up with a pretty, pretty nice schedule. So Big Ten now, it's going to be a tough schedule this year. The Nets go back and play Ohio State back there. Can they get it done? We look forward to that matchup. So I just want to know who you think the next been playing the Natty this year.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Hey, thank you, Jesse. I haven't made a final decision. Thank you for the call. I like Oregon right now. I know Ohio State has more firepower, but I like the quarterback coming back, Dante Moore. A.J. is up next.

[Caller AJ]

Mr. Paul Fine, Bomb Esquire. Hey, can you smell the pig skin in the air now, media days that behind us. I mean, it's here, Paul. I mean, it's talking season, but now it's walking season because there's a lot of your callers that need to be walking off, away from them telephones and quit hitting them buttons over there. In particular, I guess we could say, Paul, let me ask you this.

[Caller Dusty]

All right?

[Caller AJ]

So you got the Black Hat committee has given out a Geico hat because it's so easy a caveman can get one. And they think it's some kind of honorary thing. I mean, by the time Alabama, two weeks into the Alabama football season, Dylan's gonna have somebody going to put a pin in his head like we had to do Chris a long time ago, so he can fit in that chicken coop, so he can actually feed his chickens with something other than his toenail. And the thing about it, Paul, is this, you know, Squirrel. I know why Squirrel nominated Dylan as the Black Hat member is because you remember when he labeled the Auburn fan, the woman that would call in and she'd say, hey, pal, thank you for taking my cow. Don't cut me out. You remember her? And he labeled her as Lizard Feet Ledge. I mean, not Ledger, but a squirrel over there. Yeah, he named it Lizard Feet because he was paying attention her toes. And then when Dylan calls in here, an Alabama RA reject fan, like all Alabama fans are called, he sits there and he says, you know, thank you for taking. This is a great honor, guys. Because you know what? He made a call and he was talking about Chris from South Carolina's toes. I mean, how many people from Alabama is going to look at a X picture and say, the first thing I see is his toes, you know? So I think that's why him and Squirrel get along, because they like to look at people's feet. Anyway, another thing, too. You got. I man, over there, he's just dispersing out them. Why don't you give out them stupid shirts to all them Lincoln hats that y' all give out? Because like I said, it's so easy. A caveman can do it. Y' all get ready. Auburn's fixing to shut a lot of people up and they gonna give you something to talk about and not be so silent about media days. Thank you, sir.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Johnny B. Is up next.

[Caller Johnny B]

Lord have mercy to follow aj and he mentioned, smell that call stunk like I all get out. And that's Ms. Pat that you're talking about. That that squeal has the fade issue for. But I'd like to wish you a happy belated birthday. And I'll talk a little bit about Alabama football because I read an article the other day. Here we are 40 something days away and the Boar is saying we have line issues. Paul, you know as well as I do, line issues go back all the way under Saban. We got to get away from these big old fat guys. They cannot stop these edge rushers. There is just no way. And Alabama can't line up anymore and say we like one yard and we're coming at you and get it.

[Caller Eddie (second Eddie)]

I'm.

[Caller Johnny B]

I'm interested to see what's going on. And I hate to admit it because AJ's an Auburn fan. Just following him and, you know, he's my buddy still and everything, but I think Auburn will be the program to watch this year. I think Golish is going to bring something to him and it's just going to be a hell of a year. Thanks for taking my call. Talk to you later.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thank you, Johnny. Great to talk to you. Eddie is up next. Hello, Eddie.

[Caller Eddie (second Eddie)]

Hey, Mr. Paul Feinbaum. Great to be on with you and welcome back.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thank you.

[Caller Eddie (second Eddie)]

We miss you. But we definitely appreciate the people that stepped in for you because this is the format to be able to talk and listen and hear everything about sports. Congratulations, Dylan, on the black hat. AJ is completely delusional as always. Him and jd, I kind of be in the spaces. And I was talking with both of those guys last night and they are so far off. At one point, JD was telling me to squint my eyes. And Bobby Brown, Byron Brown, he looks like Cam Newton. And I told him, hey, when I un. Squint my eyes, there's no asterisk, there's no apostrophe. When you look at somebody like Cam Newton or Derek, hearing you kind of see what you're looking at, you can almost look like them. But you Might not look like them. So I told him, hey, when I unsquint my eyes, I don't see Cam, dude. I see Kank Newton. It's not happening, man. Y' all think Golish is the next coming? A Pat Dye or Tommy Tuberville somewhere in between. I can't wait personally to see when Sheila's intuition about the coach's nickname is going to come true. Coach go. That's what they're going to be chanting in a couple of years. I don't know what's really going on in the state of Alabama, but Auburn and Alabama. Speaking of Alabama, Paul, the thing about Caleb and I think. I think the fans and really the expectations, the media as. As far as what they want from him. Deacon Debo is not going to tell a lie, Paul. He's not gonna come on here and promise no national championship. He do not want that on foul saying, hey, you promised us a national championship. Because that's what the fans are gonna do. Because they are that delusional and kind of think that, hey, it don't matter which quarterback we got, we still gonna do good. We AOR got offensive line issues. He just figured that out, Paul. We knew he had offensive line issues week three of last year. Did your head coach just figure that out? But I don't really. I don't know what's going on. It seems like it takes four days. And this fan base kind of goes from listening to reality to thinking they're in the hunt again. All right, the A's are getting F's in football this year. Arkansas is going to be at the bottom of the barrel. Alabama's going to be right there, too. And Auburn, you're right there. All right, The Iron bowl, that's a race to win seven games, man. Put that in perspective and kind of hold that as your standard. All right? If you win eight games, treat it like the playoffs. If you win nine games, treat it like a national championship. But go ahead and print up one of those fake banners. Hey, go dogs.

[Paul Feinbaum]

Thanks for the call. We're up against the break. Few minutes remaining here on a Monday afternoon.

[Rich Eisen]

Thank you for listening to the best

[Podcast Narrator]

of the Paul Feinbaum show podcast.

[Rich Eisen]

Watch the Paul Feinbaum show weekdays from 3 to 7 Eastern on the SEC Network. Plus, you can listen and watch on the ESPN app.

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