Be mature adults, but they're really not. Who's the kid here? Who's
the kid here? Are you kidding me? Now? Here's Nick Coffee.
That's right, let's get it started. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,
children of all ages, welcome in hump Day, Happy Wednesday. Everybody
Coffee and company. That's us. We are fueled by Thornton's here on Sports
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we have the company man, mister John Alden on vacation. Austin Montgomery has
been filling in so far this week, but he's out today. So we've
gone deep into the bullpen to a veteran. He's a Radio Rick ryder Rick.
How we doing today? Brother? We are doing great, Nick.
So I guess I'm the fill in company, right, That's right? Okay,
So you're still part of the company, right, you know, coffee
and company that includes you, my man, all right, and I'm here.
We're happy to have you. Always a pleasure to work alongside with Radio
Rick. And I'll start with this, you know, I I we got
a lot of things we're going to get into today. We've got a guest
that's going to join us coming up here at three thirty. That's going to
be Zach Barnett, a football scoop. But I do want to get right
into the basketball news that is out there because the acc SEC matchups. As
far as the accs SEC Challenge an ESPN event, they were just announced,
I guess to be fair, they haven't been announced officially, but John Rostein
and he's clearly as connected as is just about anybody when it comes to college
basketball, and he's broke news over the years and certainly is up there when
he's kind of a psychopath if you follow his Twitter, which I think that's
actually the brand he's going for. He's kind of a nut job about college
basketball, which hard for me to be critical because you know, I love
college hoops too, But nonetheless, John Rostein, I feel like every year
he's the first one that gets these matchups out there, and it has to
be a source that he has through ESPN, because again it's an ESPN event.
I remember when Louisville was in the ACC Big Ten Challenge prior to the
realignment and the network change as far as the Big Ten no longer being affiliated
with ESPN, he would always break the matchups as well. So Louisville is
in it. They were not in it last year, of course, because
there's usually one team left out and Louisville was that team last year. And
I'll save my thoughts on last year for later, because nobody cares about last
year. In fact, I'm sure a lot of you don't want to think
about last year, and I get it, I'm with you. But Louisville
is in the event this year and they are going to play Ole Miss.
So they're gonna host Chris Beard, who I believe with what he returns,
what he's done in the portal, and the fact that he is Chris Beard.
I'm pretty sure they're gonna be a top twenty five team preseason by just
about everybody out there that puts rankings together. Now, I guess what it'll
come down to is are they actually in the preseason a peopole And I guess
when you play them, are they going to be ranked? But on December
the third Tuesday, that's Tuesday Night, Louisville will host Ole Miss. And
this schedule for Pat Kelsey in year one is challenging to say the least.
I mean, I don't want to act as if this is this it's a
schedule that you know you should just be prepared for a bunch of losses because
you never want to look at it that way. But right now, Louisville
will play three SEC teams in then now, and that is ole Miss at
home, Tennessee at home, which they announced last week. It's going to
be a home and home and home series. You're gonna play in Knoxville next
season, and then of course you're gonna play at Kentucky. So two home
games against ole Miss and Tennessee and then at Kentucky. I mean, I
don't want to gas the SEC up here, but I'm gonna have to do
exactly that, to be honest with you. But those three teams give you
a really just those three teams alone give you a really challenging non conference I
mean a component to you. You only play what twelve thirteen games in the
non conference ish, so three of them are going to be against three teams
that will probably be ranked preseason in the top twenty five. In fact,
I'd be shocked if ole Miss, Tennessee, and Kentucky are not ranked when
you play them. In fact, if there's one team that's not ranked when
you play, then it might be Kentucky. And that's not a knock on
Kentucky. Is like, I think they're going to be terrible under Mark Pope
in year one, but they're not getting the same bump that they usually would
get under Calipari. In fact, that has made that was made evident.
I think with the matchup that Kentucky has, Kentucky's going to play Clemson.
And I know Clemson made a run to the Elite Eight last year and they
had like their first good season ever. In fact, they were pretty mid
but they did get it done in the tournament, which, as you know
is a college basketball super fan, I'm sure a lot of you love the
sport in a big way. It really only matters what you do in the
postseason in the tournament, and Clemson had a good run. But I'd be
a liar if I said I think that Clemson's run is sustainable. So I
don't know. Clemson in Kentucky just feels like a missed matchup, like Kentucky
should be playing somebody a little more relevant in the ACC. Now, with
that said, the ACC doesn't have a whole lot of momentum right now when
it comes to basketball. Now, anyways, back to the Louisville side of
things, You'll play those three teams as I mentioned, which give you you
know, that's what twenty percent fifteen percent of your non conference schedule that's pretty
challenging. And then you're going to play in the Battle for Atlantis. And
we don't know the matchups just yet in the Battle for Atlantis. But here's
the field outside of Louisville, Arizona, Davidson, Gonzaga, Indiana, Oklahoma,
Providence in West Virginia. I'll be one thousand percent honest with you,
that field is not as loaded as it typically is. I just feel like
there's a there's just a little bit of firepower missing from the Battle for Atlantis
as far as we usually see. However, there's still some like playing any
of those teams. Arizona, Davidson, Gonzaga usually get three games in the
Battle for Atlantis, I believe. So you know, let's just say you
played Davidson, Arizona, and Providence. I mean, heck, all those
teams could be in the tournament next year. I don't know, but it's
you know, it's not like you're playing New Mexico State And who else did
Louisville play last year the beginning of the season that you know was just I
mean teams. I don't want to say that, like, you know,
you should never play, but I mean Louisville schedule last season was very strategically
designed to have a bunch of bums on the schedule so you could stack up
some wins for Kenny Payne. And sure enough, in the end you still
lost to some of those bumps. But like, I can't even think of
the name of the team that beat Virginia in the tournament whenever Louisville or whenever
they were a one seed, and that's how irrelevant they are. Yeah,
you played UNBC to start the season. You played Coppin State, who finished
three sixty one, which is near dead last. New Mexico State was two
ninety no offense to Scotty Dan Bellerman, but they are in the three hundreds.
In the kin Palm, you played Pepperdine, So you know, playing
you know, no matter who you end up with, Let's just say you
ended up with the easiest. Like in the end, the teams you play
in the Battle for Atlantis and the Bahamas are the three worst teams there.
It's still a better challenge, a bigger challenge than playing, you know,
teams that a lot of us have never heard of. So I'm excited.
I hope that Pat Kelsey is a guy who will embrace this, and look
he's going to right out of the gate, I'm sure he's going to talk
about how excited he is that they've got a challenging schedule, you know,
with the with the with the challenge. You know that's there, meaning playing
some some legitimate teams early on to kind of cut your teeth as the head
coach at Louisville. It also gives you a chance to take advantage of that
and make a statement and create some noise and some momentum right out of the
gate. So I love non conference schedules that feature teams that give you a
chance to actually give some value to your resume. And for the most part,
I feel like Louisville rather it be Denny crumb Rick Patino, Chris Mack.
Louisville has always played a fairly challenging schedule in the non conference and in
a previous world when you played in the Big East and in the ACC in
the first what five six years of the league. As far as Louisville's,
Louis being a member, even if you didn't have a super challenging non conference
schedule, it would all end up working out because in your league you'd play
night in and night out teams that gave you a chance to really add value
to your resume, but now that that's not really there. And I gotta
be honest with you, when I look at these matchups in the ACC SEC
Challenge, I mean, I think it's going to be a blood bath.
I think the SEC is going to mop the floor with the ACC in this
challenge. I mean, I hope I'm wrong, because again, the ACC
being good is a good thing for Louisville, especially if they win games.
In fact, regardless if you win or lose, you know, losing to
teams that are good really doesn't benefit you unless you're actually a good team yourself
and you pile up some good wins along the way. But it's always best.
It's always better for your league to be good, regardless if you're winning
or losing. So I hope the ACC is better. I hope it takes
a big step forward. But I actually think this year we're going to see,
once again the league continue to take a small step back. And I
know some people love to brag about NC State's tournament run as if that,
you know, means that the league was great. North Carolina ended up losing
Tobama in the elite. I mean, last year, Miami was one of
the most disappointing teams in the country, didn't make the tournament. I mean,
let's just be real with ourselves. Like Dukalu lost NC State, which
I guess if you take out one of your own, it's hard to you
know. I guess Duke can claim that it was the ACC that took him
out. But people who live in that world as if the ACC hasn't taken
substantial steps backwards in recent years, it's just either not paying attention or their
lying to themselves now. I guess on the other side of that, you
could start winning some games and really, you know, piling up wins,
and hey, I'll take it given that we're in year one of a new
era here with Pat Kelsey and a brand new team. But it does make
me sad if the ACC is a conference in basketball doesn't end up becoming elite
once again, because it's not right now. I mean, the brands are
there, Well, here's what we used to say. It wasn't just the
brand, but coaches were a part of those brands that you know, really
enhanced how you viewed those programs. Right, Like Carolina is still Carolina and
they've been good. Let's be real, They've not been elite, but they've
been good. But Roy Williams being there also made them more relevant. I
mean, coach K is duke basketball. Duke basketball is coach k. So
we'll see what Shire does. But Beheim, I mean, he was not
good towards the end and now he's gone. Larra Innega, I think he's
viewed as a pretty good coach. But I mean at Miami he's had like
one really good year, seemingly in the last five or six. And again
last year, I think Miami you could make the case they were the most
disappointing team in the country. And then, of course Louisville. I mean,
let's be real. One of the reasons why the the ACC as a
conference is not viewed like it previously was is because Louisville has gone from being
a consistent top team in that league and at times a consistent top team in
college basketball, to going through a three year stretch where they were the doormat
of the league. So you know, it's not I it's Louisville's a part
of it as well. But you know, let's just start with these matchups
Arkansas at Miami. I mean, Miami they may be good again this year,
but again they're coming off of a terrible season and they lost some really
good players. So Arkansas and Cal going to Miami like there'll be more Arkansas
fans there than Miami fans. And I can say that as someone who has
gone to a Miami basketball game before when they were actually pretty good on their
campus. And like nobody cares about Miami basketball in Miami. If you're thinking,
like big atmosphere for these games, right, a chance for ESPN to
kind of have, you know, because this is an ESPN event, But
I don't think you're going to see a wild atmosphere at Miami. In fact,
I remember when I went to Miami for the basketball game. It was
actually the same week that Louisville played Miami in football and Chris Mack opened up
the season. I think it was a Tuesday night game against Miami and they
won, and then that Saturday, Louisville played Miami in football and I was
leaving. I only got to stay for the basketball game, and I was
at the airport and I was heading out of town, and I had a
Louisville polo on and The bartender at the airport asked me, you know,
did you just get here? And I was like, no, I'm I'm
actually heading out. He was like, well, you didn't even stay for
the game. He's just a layover. And I said, no, I
was here for the basketball game. Guy had no clue. Louisville and Miami
even played in basketball the night before. So, you know, I just
feel like that's a missed opportunity for me ESPN because Arkansas has has relevancy now
because they've have Cal, and let's be real, they had relevancy before.
They've been good recently. Last year they had a dud year, no doubt,
But prior to that, I don't know. I don't know if you'll
find a program that had really more of a come up than Arkansas did during
really the like you know, I guess that three year stretch with Eric Musselman.
All Right, Cal at Massoo that's a non start. I mean,
that's that's that's just a waste of a game. I mean, Cal's been
terrible for many years. Maszoo. Did they win an SEC game last year?
I think they might have gone defeated in the league. Florida State at
LSU that could be a decent matchup. You know, Florida State under Leonard
Hamilton, they've taken steps backwards recently. LSU. This is I believe year
three for Matt Matt McMahon, and I think it is kind of turning into
like a make or break here, right Like, if they're not good enough
to sniff the tournament, he probably gets fired this year. Georgia Tack at
Oklahoma, I mean Georgia Tack they've been a bomb. Maybe Damon Stottamar breaks
through this year as as a coach that can you know, compete in the
ACC. And Oklahoma under Lon Krueger. I mean, I feel like during
his stretch, they've had regular seasons where they will get hot, you feel
like they're going to be a team to watch in the tournament and they don't
make the tournament. And then Kentucky at Clemson. I just get that one.
I mean, Kentucky is still the you know, the program in in
the SEC when it comes to basketball, and I know they haven't been lately.
Right Like, if you go and look at a lot of the I
mean Tennessee, who else I mean Tennessee and who else am I think of
missing here? Oh? Arkansas again under Muss. Mostly you know, Arkansas
wasn't good last year, but like Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn under Bruce Pearl.
I mean, there have been teams in the last five years or so
that probably have a better record in the ACE in the SEC than Kentucky.
But still Kentucky is the basketball school within that league and I don't see that
ever changing. So to give them a road game at Clemson, it's just
a head scratcher to me. Notre Dame will play at Georgia. Those are
again two teams coming off of seasons where they were in the bottom tier of
their league. Ole Miss atwell, we talked about that one, and you
know, I think Louisville will probably you know, it's tough to say at
this point, but it'll probably be. It'll probably be. Ole Miss is
a slight favorite, unless Louisville is coming off of a really impressive trip to
the Bahamas. But that's actually one of the better matchups here. And again
I say that, you know, knowing that I'm biased because I'm a Louisville
fan and I know there's a good chance Louisville could could have some success this
year. But you know, I'm curious wonder what Old Miss thinks about this
Louisville matchup. Are they feeling underwhelmed that they didn't get a bigger challenge,
because let's be real, Louisville is coming off of a season where they won
eight games in just what two games in conference play? I believe? Or
was it two? No? I guess it was? Was it three?
Maybe four? I don't know, doesn't matter at this point, right Syracuse
at Tennessee that that doesn't look bad on paper, but it really turned.
It all comes down to Red Autry. Is is Red Autry ATC is going
to be able to make them relevant? You know, he didn't have a
good first year there taking over vig in Behim and the best matchup, so
I mean, the best matchup in the best two matchups in this from a
national perspective is Alabama at North Carolina and Auburn at Duke, Like those are
going to be really good game. Those are four teams that you know,
I don't think anybody be shocked if any of those four, maybe multiple of
those four end up in the end up in the final four. I mean,
who knows at this point, but wouldn't be a shock Bama's coming off
of Final four appearance. Duke in Carolina could get there any year and it's
not a shock. And Auburn, you know, they were really good last
year until they played Yale pitt in Mississippi State. You know, Jeff Caple
still surviving at Pittsburgh. Chris Jans at Mississippi State. You know he's coming
off of a tournament appearance, and I believe his second season. Texas at
NC State, like that'll get some attention because Texas is Texas is their first
year in the SEC. They always have talent. N C State, I
mean, they're fresh off of Final four, but other than that, I
mean they were bums last year. Vandy will play at Virginia Tech and then
Virginia will play at Florida. So I mean, I'd be shocked if the
SEC doesn't end up winning this challenge and it's not particularly close, but hey,
we'll find out, and I'd love to be pleasantly surprised because I would
prefer the ACC be much better in basketball than it's been at recent years.
And yes, I'm well aware, I've already checked the text line and I
can see that. You know, you guys are reminding me that one of
the reasons why the ACC has been bad in recent years is because Louisville has
been really, really bad. Here, I am dogging the ACC as far
as not being good enough for me when it comes to basketball for my expectations,
whereas the team that I care about and cheer for has been the worst
team in that league the last couple of years. Well aware, I know,
and I don't know how it breaks. Somebody's asked how like who got
left out? So you got to keep in mind, this is the first
year where both of these leagues have been have expansion. Right, You've got
SMU, Stanford, and who else Cal in the ACC, and then obviously
Texas and Oklahoma joined the joined the SEC. So I don't know who officially
got left out. Clearly Stanford and SMU are not in the event. So
I'm curious is the ACC, if they're asked, are they going to tell
us that because there's three new members, the last place team wasn't you know,
wasn't invited or War I'm sorry, was included because the new the new
team, you know, the new schools are going to have to wait before
they get involved, because again, I mean Cal is new they're getting to
play. Why isn't Stanford in in SMU And nobody cares at this point.
But I'm telling you guys, there's no scenario in my mind that Louisville missed
out on the ACC SEC Challenge because Kenny Payne did not want to play in
it. Because, yes, they can fall back on their policy where they
just leave out, you know, when there's an when there's an uneven number,
meaning somebody's gonna get left out of the ACC, they can just fall
back on it being the team that fin last. But they'd never followed that
consistently. Again, the best example is in two thousand and nineteen Virginia Tech
when Buzz Williams was there. They were fresh off of a Sweet sixteen appearance,
and they finished twelve and six in the ACC only to be left out
the following year like that. You know, so they don't follow that all
the time. But I'm glad louis was involved in it. I am because
it's good. It's good for it's good for notoriety. It's a bad look
for a school like Louisville to be left out like it was a year ago,
and it gives you a chance to pick up what could be a really
valuable win in the non conference portion of your schedule. So I'm excited about
Louisville basketball. I've made that pretty clear anytime we discuss it, and now
just can't wait for the season to actually get here. All right, So
tomorrow we are going to have Pat Kelsey on the show. So in fact,
in about twenty four hours and nine minutes, he will be joining us
right here at three point thirty, So hopefully you guys will tune in for
that. Looking forward to to bringing him on the show. As I mentioned
yesterday, there's a lot of perks that come with the Louisville job. I'm
sure being able to be a guest on Coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's is
one of the perks that Pat Kelsey's going to experience in his early days here
at Louisville. I'm sure it's a big honor. I'm sure it's a big
accomplishment for him in his career. So congrats to you, Pat Kelsey for
joining us. And again, if you if you can't pick up on sarcasm,
this show probably isn't for you. All right, let's do this.
Let's get to a quick break, we'll come back on the other side and
welcome in a good a good friend of ours, friend of the program,
a guest. In fact, he's not just a guest. I feel like
he's kind of part of the show. When we talk college football, we
talk with Zach Barnett, a football scoop. So he's going to join us
on the other side. Looking forward to catching up with him on a variety
of things when it comes to college football. And if you guys want to
join us today, Zach is our only guest as of right now, so
we'll open up the phone lines a little bit later on five oh two five
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The text line LNN Federal Credit Union text line five oh two sixty five three
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way. All right, quick time out again, we're going to talk some
football coming up on the other side right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and company, fueled my Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine
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scoop. He is. He doesn't know it, or if he does know
it, he probably doesn't brag about it. But he's our official college football
correspondent here on Coffee and Company. Zach, longtime, no talk, brother,
How you doing doing well? And before we get going. Can we
set the record straight here, Let's do it. You're not just a fool
if you don't use the Thornton's Frequent fly I forget the name of Refreshing Awards.
Refreshing Awards, You're you're downright moron. If you don't sign up for
Thornton's Refreshing Rewards, I mean, come on, what are you doing?
Exactly exactly It's just a missed opportunity. I mean, I say it from
time to time. I don't. I don't. I don't like to be
dramatic. We like to have fun on the show, but I don't how
you go at home to your family if you're not a member because you're you're
you're you're spending money you don't have to spend. You could be saving money
every time you're at the pump. So I appreciate you reiterating that for us.
Zach, you know what, just just getting for the dinner table in
front of your family and just light some money on fire. It's basically your
lifestyle if you're not a member. So I'm I'm with you. We're on
the same page we are. So I'll start with this, How's how's the
off season been? Treating you, my man. A lot of changes coming.
In fact, there's already been changes in college sports in recent years,
but it's been a while since we chatted. Are you Are you geared up
for another season? I know we still have a few months before we get
there, but I know you're a Texas guy, and you guys are going
to make your debut in the SEC this year, and I don't know if
the timing could be better. Yeah, I joke. It seemed like ever
since twenty twenty, this sport is hee has tried as hard as it can
to tear itself apart every off season, and then the first Saturday in September
or this year, the last Saturday in August gets here and we all remember
why we put up with so much nonsense from the sport. And this year
seems to be testing that more than ever with everything that's going on, and
then the promise of the twelve team playoff, Like, I don't know what
the vibes are going to be like this season, And in some ways,
I've never been more scared. In other ways, I've never never been more
excited. Well, when it comes to the fear, what is that?
Is? It? Just the uncertainty and it being really I mean, keep
in mind in recent years it's been so different with the portal and nil now
here. Soon schools are going to be tasked with having to pay. I
mean, I guess they don't have to. I mean, nobody's going to
force them. But if you don't pay your student athletes as a school,
you're not really in the business of being competitive anymore. So is it just
I guess the uncertainty? And really things were always the same for decades,
I mean really generations, and now in just a five to six year window,
I mean, everything's different. Yeah. And what I was referring to
in the previous answer was just when the actual games start, it's going to
be different in that when all of us, and I'm speaking mainly to my
experience, we came of age of college football was the ultimate reality show in
that any single week and you could a law a ross, a loss to
the wrong opponent at the wrong time or even in the wrong season, and
you're out of the national championship hunts, and you know, Ohio State Bowling
Green might seem extremely boring on the outset, it probably will be, but
just wait until it's a four point game in the fourth quarter, and then
it's going to be the most exciting game you've ever watched in your life,
because, oh my gosh, we'll have the entire season is online. There's
no way they're going to play in the championship game for the lost bowling Green.
And that was largely true through the end of last season, and now
it's not anymore. And you know, everyone's pointing the Florida and sings that
they have, and I think one of the main subplots of this season is
going to be pitting you know, Florida or a team like it. You
know, how many losses do they need to have until we can cross the
Gators out from the national championship hunt? And that has been fundamentally different than
the bargain that we all took when we became college football fans. Whenever that
was no doubt about it. And I think if you're gonna you know,
from from my ends as a guy who covers and is a die hard fan
of Louisville, the expanded playoff, I used to just think it a waste
of time, because, to be honest with you, this sport is really
broken down where you have a very small elite tier. I mean, not
many teams win a first I mean when the last time a team won a
first time national championship was It wasn't it Florida back in the day. I
mean, that's been a long time. Yeah, So, I mean,
really, the vast majority of participants in FBS football are really just competing for
trying to be in that upper echelon of that second tier. And you know,
it's kind of sad to think about it. I remember, you know,
giving it some thought and really looking over like wow, I mean,
like really, there's only a handful of teams that really can say they are
competing at the top and everybody else they may have a good year here and
there, but it doesn't really equate to being a national championship contender. So,
you know, being able to have twelve teams like Louisville realistically could see
themselves in the playoff. It wouldn't be a crazy thing because twelve teams get
in now. Their league is not super I mean they I mean, heck,
last year they won ten games playing in the championship and I'm not exactly
sure if they were a really great team. So being able to have more
inclusion to where you know, and maybe this is just me as a basketball
fan, I think you're going to have teams that look at an appearance in
the college football Playoff, knowing they had no chance of actually winning the whole
thing, they can kind of chalk that up as a final four in basketball,
and it gives you a chance to kind of feel like you are.
And I guess it's not just a feeling. I mean, if you are
in the playoff, you did get to the ultimate tournament that decides who wins
the national championship. So I actually think for fans of you know, that
that era, you know, that tier of college football, it gives you
a chance to dream big and not be completely delusional, right because if you're
talking about going to the national championship and winning it and you're not one of
those elite tier teams in the last you know, couple of decades, like
you, you need you probably would be needed to be checked out by,
you know, somebody mentally because you're you're crazy. Well now again, if
you're just talking about making it into the twelve team playoff, easier said than
done, but it could happen. But I think what you alluded to is
kind of The downside is that now you have teams that you know can slip
up here and there, and you could say, well, that eliminates them,
but you know Tom will tell that they may not right. It may
not even be that big of a deal when it's all said and done.
So I hope, and I guess I choose to believe that fans will still
watch this even if they know that this game won't decide if one team's going
to either be in or be out of the playoff or at least their you
know, their chances are over. But I think people will still tune in.
They'll still be excitement, Like I'm hoping that the expanded Playoff actually gives
you know, there'll be more noise out there from fans all over because you
know, there's now twelve teams when there used to be four and prior to
that it was just two teams. Yeah, I think I think a game
like Texas Michigan will matter less than it would have because we could have argued
that was an elimination game right then and there on September eleventh, and now
no one watching that game is going to be under any delusion that either team's
season will be ruined by a loss. So the the bad part about it
is that game is going to mean less. The upside is will probably because
it means less, we'll get more games like that moving forward. Whereas in
the old system would have incentivized Texas to play you know, North Texas that
weekend instead of Michigan. Even though Texas still loaded up its non conference schedule,
it did so with an enormous risk, and that risk is now gone
for the most part. But the upside is a game like the Louisville wake
Forest late in the year, what could matter a lot because if the saving
grace of this system, the way I see it, is that the ACC
and Big twelve champions for the most part are guaranteed buys into the first round.
And you know a lot of people that my school now has to formally
associate with would argue it should be the twelve best teams. And if Florida
goes seven and five, but five of their losses are the teams of the
top ten, well, by god, they should be number eleven. They
should be in this thing. They would beg to differ. But I I
love that we're still acknowledging conference champions in putting that quirk into the system to
where you have to be a conference champion to earn them by. So if
you're Louisville and you're eight and three going into your ACC finale, you win
that game, you think, you know, all we need to do is
get into the a SEC championship game. We get a three seed, and
you know who the six to eleven matchup is this game, and maybe the
eleven has a good shot of winning, and maybe they're tired, blah blah
blah. Really, all all we're asking for is sports fans is permission to
dream big. And I think this system, for as long as we have
it, this system keeps it alive, no doubt about it. Zach Barnetta
football Scoop is our guest here on Sports Talk seven ninety. I've got a
dumb question. I believe I know the answer. But when it comes to
winning your conference and getting one of those buys, it's winning. Is it
winning the conference championship game or winning the league regular season? It's a conference
champions That's what I say. Now, Yeah, any one of these conferences
could scrap their championship game and just crown regular season champion. That's not going
to happen because now these conferences are so big, you could easily have two
teams go eight and oh or nine to zero and never play each other until
the champions took game. And also the main reason is they all like money.
Of course, no doubt about it. Now let me ask you this.
I I'm somebody that you know. I'm a Louisville fan. I have
no problems saying that. But because louisll has been in so many conferences over
my lifetime as a fan, I don't really have that conference allegiance that a
lot of fans have that have really been born into the sec of the Big
Ten and are never going anywhere. So I have no problem acknowledging that the
ACC is a football conference. You know, it's not been It's not been
stellar, right, Clemson carried the league for a while. They've not been
what they once were. But I think prior to Jordan Travis's injury last year,
Florida State was viewed as one of the better teams in the ACC.
And maybe I don't know, four years or so, so, you know
they would win their they if they would have stayed healthy and the team and
the playoff was at twelve last year and they got to buy I don't think
you'd hear a lot of people belly aching as far as they don't deserve it.
But you know, two years, let's just go back to two years
prior to that. I can see this happening. There's gonna be a Big
twelve champion. There's gonna be an AEC champion at some point, maybe not
this year because maybe Florida State's legit and they're really really good. But there's
gonna be so many teams in fan bases, I should say, from the
SEC and the Big ten that are gonna be hoping that get one of those
at larges and they're gonna feel justified and they may be right and saying that
they freaking know they're better than the three and four who get a bye from
the ACC and the Big twelve. Like that, that's gonna be That's gonna
be a conversation, right, Yeah, it'll be a huge subplot to this
season. It'll be really annoying when let's just say Tennessee. Let's say Tennessee
beats Alabama but does nothing of substance other than that, I guess we're not
in the world. Well, let's say they have a week SEC schedules beyond
that, and they're gonna their entire season is be propped up by that one
game where they played good, and outside of that, they're a whole bunch
of math and they're gonna say they're better than the undefeated Florida State and this
is an injustice blah blah blah, and we're all going to be annoyed by
it. But that's the type of stuff that's made college football so intoxicating for
so long. Is it's a sport just built to make people scream at each
other on the Internet. And I hope we keep that alive and not try
to nflize this sport out of existence. People losing their mind, screaming at
each other on the Internet, acting out of character, kind of losing sight
of who they are because they're so obsessed and crazy about this sport of college
football. It sounds like a really toxic situation that you know, most people
would want to fix. Not me. I love it, give me this.
I mean, college football brings out something that I'm not sure any other
sport brings out in people. And I really can't put into words as to
why, because Obviously, the NFL dominates viewership like no other sport always will,
but college football is just different, man, And can I say it's
something that earlier In regards to Texas joining the SEC, I'm immensely gratified because
back in twenty twenty one, the narrative was, well, Oklahoma's coming to
the SEC because they've outgrown the Big Twelve. They win it every single year.
They're coming to compete. Texas is just coming to get paid. And
now you don't hear anyone say that it's well, all of the hot take
artists are, well, is Texas really going to be run this conference?
So they're gonna be the big bad boy of this conference. And you know,
I'm not going to sit here and predict Texas is gonna win the SEC
in year one. By I find it gratifying that Texas is now instantly treated
as a legit team before even joining the conference. And the other narrative out
there is Texas is just going to destroy the SEC. They want everything given
to them on a silver platter. They destroyed the Southwest Conference, they destroyed
the Big Twelve. And then I say, yes, we are as sleeper
ll sent here to destroy this conference with our toxicor the we're remand that the
the SEC headquarters moved to Austin. The championship game is going to be in
Dallas. We're going to make all in your lives miserable and we are going
to ruin this conference. That's that's our that's the role we've been casting this
reality show, and that's what we're going to play. O. Well,
I was going to finish our conversation by giving you three hot takes that I
have for the next season and having you kind of, you know, tell
me if you think I'm an insane person or not. And one of those
was that Texas wins the SEC in their first year in the league. Because
yes, I mean clearly, the competition week in and week out is going
to be different than what Texas is used to. But Texas is also coming
off of a breakthrough season where they did make it all the way to the
playoff. They bring back the core I mean, you know, I know
you're you profiled earlier, there aren't that many teams that uh at football school.
By the way, great piece by Zach who he mentioned the lack of
team that bring back all their coordinators, a head coach and a quarterback that
has started multiple seasons. Well, you guys have all that, and you're
coming off a great season, so you know it's gonna be easier said than
done. But I actually think that is not that crazy of a thing to
throw out there. Yeah, I mean, I don't think Texas is going
to win the SEC. I think especially I mean that Texas A and M
game is going to be something unlike anything anyone alive has ever experienced the emotions
of that game. So to put an official expectation on this team that they're
going to go in a college station and win maybe the ultimate g hot game
in college football history, and then turn around and go to Atlanta and Georgia
and basically a road game or if it's not Georgia, someone else that's really
really good. That's a lot to expect of any team. And I don't
expect Texas. Say expecting it's different than saying like it could happen. I
mean it's not happening. Yeah, I mean, the of the handful of
teams that realistic could say they could win that league, there's certainly one of
them which I think, you know, makes it to where you know,
I may have to check some some future odds here, because I don't think
that's a crazy thing to throw out there at all. Right, I'm up
against it. Not a whole lot of time left. So I'll say two
other predictions I have, and I'll let you give some quick thoughts on one,
that Kurt Signetti gets Indiana to a Bowl gaming year one, which isn't
saying a whole lot, but we're talking about Indiana. And I think cam
Ward really helps Mario Christobal in Miami actually becomes a real contender in the ACC
again, a team that you know might find themselves as an at large team.
That's a little bit more of a hot take, but just your thoughts
on those two things. I agree, I can see Indiana Bowl game.
I don't have their schedule in front of me. But on the whole yes,
and I'm not. I just don't think Mario Christobal is a good head
coach. He's a good recruiter, good old line coach. I don't think
he's a good head coach. And I think as good as cam Ward is,
I'm not taking Miami seriously, all right. I'lled one more question here,
and I'm putting you on the spot of all of the teams that are
making the move from previous leagues to either of the SEC, which is Texas
Oklahoma, and then the schools that are making them move to the Big Ten
that are that are leaving the PAC twelve. Who do you think, you
know outside of UCLA, because you know they're in a different situation. Who
do you think which program of those that has like real expectations do you feel
like is going to have maybe in year one the you know, some real
growing pains as they transition to a better league. I think Washington is a
team that could really be important. I know that they are fresh off They're
basically an expansion team, yeah compared to where we last saw them. New
head coach, a veteran quarterback and Will Rogers from Mississippi State. But I
know they play Michigan. They got to go on the road for that game.
Maybe it's at home. Either way, they play Michigan. That's tough
to be in Seattle, Washington playing in a Midwest and East Coast conference to
begin with a lot of new parts, new head coach. I'm selling whatever
stock I have in Washington fair enough. Zach has always appreciate you making time
enjoy the rest of your summer and we will catch up soon, brother,
so good. Thanks. All right, that's Zach Barnetta football scoop. Always
enjoy the conversation and appreciate his time in a major way. I also appreciate
him doing you know what most people do, which is just gas up Thornton's
for being great. So thank you, Zach. All right, quick break,
we'll come back on the other side for a very short segment to wrap
up the three o'clock hour and keep this thing rolling along again. It's Coffee
and Company Field Butt Thorton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. Trust me, we're
going to get back into the basketball conversation in the four o'clock hour because not
a surprise, but it sounds like Kenny Payne and John Caliperi made a request.
I shouldn't say it sounds like it meaning like it's coming from a legitimate
like a report. But there's noise about on behalf of Kenny that Arkansas was
making sure they didn't end up playing Louisville in the acc SEC Challenge. Again,
don't know if that's true, but trust me, I wouldn't be shocked
if it was. So we'll get back into the basketball com station in the
four o'clock hour, because there's a lot more to get into when it comes
to this schedule and just the expectations that I still don't I mean, fans,
I think are so intoxicated by this honeymoon phase where Pat Kelsey's come to
town and really injected some enthusiasms, some life into the program and of the
fan base, and I'm not even sure fans have really given a whole lot
of thought to expectations. And I'm not saying that you should, because you
know, I still look at this. I mean, they need to be
good this year. I mean, if not, it's not going to be
the end of the world. They're going to clearly be a lot better than
they were in the last couple of years. But I still look at this
as kind of like a I don't know, not a free season where they
can win ten games and everybody's going to say, who cares, it's year
one. But I mean when you're coming off of the recent seasons that Louisville
has had, and I think we all deep down know it's a big unknown
in regards to what to expect because it's all brand new. I mean,
any little bit of success they have. Yes, I'm going to be well
aware that it's Louisville, you should expect to be successful, but also like
it's been a while since we've been successful, so I'm excited. But real
quick, we don't have much time left here in the three o'clock hour.
Again that's due to my poor clock management. But sticking with football, we
just had a good conversation there with Zach Barnett, a football scoop and if
you guys, if you missed it, make sure you check it out on
the podcast. But Phil Steele, who is still doing his thing. For
those who are unfamiliar with Phil Steele, he is the I mean he used
to work for ESPN, I believe in some capacity. But he has the
annual Phil Steele College Basket or from sorry, college football. I don't know
if he calls it a yearbook, if he calls it a you know,
I mean it's a known thing if you know college football. He puts together
a huge I wouldn't call it a magazine. It's bigger than just a magazine
that profiles every team in college football. Well, he has put out his
preseason All American Teams and Ashton Julottie preseason first team All American not a real
surprise there, and fourth team All American offense. On offense for Louisville according
to Phil Steele, is Colin Lacey, a transfer from South Alabama who I
believe only two players return to college football this year that had more receiving yards
than Lacey did last year at South Alabama. So he didn't make a lot
of noise during the spring, which doesn't mean anything, but that's a good
weapon that I kind of forget about that they've added. But one thing I
don't understand is Quincy Riley. He's preseason second team All ACC according to Phil
Steele, at the cornerback spot, and I just I mean, last year
it was criminal that he was honorable mention, and I kind of feel like
Phil Steele, this is maybe a little bit of an example of him at
times in recent years, just kind of like, I think he's just basing
it off of where guys finished a year ago, because it was a crime
that Quincy Riley wasn't a first team All ACC performer a year ago. And
I think he's going to have a monster season once again. I think Ashton's
going to have another special season, and he'll probably end up being a first
round draft pick. But I wouldn't be shocked if Riley ends up not only
having a good year because I think it's going to happen, but also putting
himself in a good position to get drafted. You know, Louisville getting Jelatti
and Riley back, I think is as big as any addition they made in
the portal. And I say that knowing that they're viewed as one of the
bigger winners in the portal in college football. So good vibes for Jeff Brahm
in year two. All Right, we got to get to a quick break.
Apologies for the short segment here.