Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: W VUA FM tuscaloosa.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: Welcome in ladies and gentlemen to the low Tide here on 90.7 the Capstone. Nicholas Persley joined as always by Joe Schottz, Adam Hambray. How are we doing?
[00:00:24] Speaker C: Pretty good, pretty good. Obviously a really big weekend here in Tuscaloosa so a lot to talk about and a lot to get into. So I'm looking forward to doing, you.
[00:00:33] Speaker A: Know we haven't had really a bad weekend here in a while probably since that game. So you know as the football know, keeps know we're happier and happier know the other sports are doing pretty well. I mean there's some that have been a little lower than we've expected but they still got a chance so we'll get into that in a minute.
[00:00:54] Speaker B: Overall the Tide are rolling and they were definitely rolling inside Brian Denny Stadium last night when they beat the LSU Tigers 42 28.
Jalen Milrow runs for four touchdowns. The first Alabama quarterback in the history of Alabama to run for four touchdowns in the same game and he also joined.
He is now second on the list of any Alabama player to run for four touchdowns in a game of which there is quite a few but still good names to be with on there. So what was the most impressive aspect of the win for Alabama in your mind?
[00:01:39] Speaker C: I thought just the thing that really stood out to me first and foremost was we talked about a fair amount here. Just the second half adjustments by the defense. I mean this was LSU came in averaging 45, 46 points a game. Jaden Daniels is obviously a really good player and he played really well. It's not that Alabama completely shut him down but after really that first drive of the third quarter for LSU, the Alabama defense stood strong. I mean this was a game where Alabama knew that they were going to have to score a lot. They knew that the defense that had been playing so good was going to let up points and obviously the offense worked. Miller worked really well. But I think what was just incredible for me to see was just how that second half happened where Jaden Daniels was on fire in the first half, ran all over them. I think he had 150 rushing yards at halftime and Alabama holds him to seven on the first drive of the second half. So that's what really stood out to me first and foremost.
[00:02:49] Speaker B: Yeah. They continue to make at halftime. I don't know. Kevin Steele, I mean what a hire.
At least to this point in the season. Points allowed by Alabama's defense in the second half of big games. LSU. Seven, none against Tennessee. Three against A M, three against Ole Miss.
[00:03:07] Speaker A: We won't bring up the you know that wasn't an SEC game.
[00:03:11] Speaker B: I don't think anybody was ready to play. Was that even Alabama out there?
[00:03:14] Speaker A: Not Alabama, no, not at all.
[00:03:17] Speaker B: Completely different team I guess. I'll go the most impressive thing for me was the fact that the offense was able to hang around with LSU.
I talked for a couple of weeks on this show about Alabama's terrible starts. Like cannot score early.
They scored with 714 to go in the first quarter. A touchdown, not a field goal, a touchdown.
And I believe other than the Middle Tennessee State game, that is the quickest touchdown they've had all year. And they come straight back out. So they got the ball first. They went three and out.
[00:04:02] Speaker A: So Alabama gets the first. They go three and out. LSU goes right down and scores on that 40 plus yard pass to neighbors. And then right after that Alabama just.
[00:04:10] Speaker B: Took it immediate response and that's what's most impressive to me. I mean, I genuinely did not think that a this offense could score 42 points. What was the joke that we kept saying? They scored 28, they scored 24 24. That was the magic number.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: But recently they've broken that trend.
[00:04:28] Speaker B: I know, but I sure didn't think they were going to score 42 points as bad. And maybe this is we can kind of get into this, maybe it's just that the LSU defense truly is terrible.
But they went blow for blow with the best offense in the country in mean truly. Hats off Jaden Daniels. I mean phenomenal game from him. Even though he does get hurt there late in the game. It's unfortunate he has come out. But man, just think if LSU's defense is even average.
[00:05:02] Speaker A: Oh yeah. And for know I had had a good feeling going into this game. I thought we matched up with LSU a little bit better than we did against Tennessee. Mostly know our strength has been defense, theirs is offense. Their strength, their weakness has been defense and ours has seemingly been the offense. But we have seen the improvements, especially in that second half against Tennessee and really in the second half of most of the games except for Arkansas. I still say it's because it was an 11:00 a.m. Kickoff and the time that the second half was taking place is usually when our first half would be. But it's just joking. But the thing about this game, we expected Alabama to be able to score a little bit because of LSU's defense. We obviously didn't expect him to do that. Well, for me only giving up two sacks in that game was huge. And one of those sacks was on that first drive, that first three and out that Alabama had after that. Protecting Millro. Obviously the play calling was good. Using more of quarterback design runs and not just Millro running when it's broken down and then protecting the ball, no turnovers. Millro goes 15 of 23 for 219 yards. Jaden Daniels, obviously you just mentioned it, he did have the concussion, had to go out of the game. He was 15 to 24 for 219. So literally the same passing yards, almost the same completion percentage at that point, obviously in the fourth quarter. Mill row is not throwing it as much because we're trying to run as much time off the clock as possible. Jane daniels could have had more if he was able to come back. Hopefully he'll be back soon. And then on the ground, jane daniels eleven carries, 163 yards. Jalen millro, 20 carries for 155, and then obviously the four touchdowns. It was almost like most people coming into the game and still jane daniels is a very good player. Heisman should be a heisman finalist as long as he's able to come back. Plays like that in the rest of his games. Milro kind of showed everybody that he can play up to that caliber. People didn't look at Milro like that because of the turnover issues, and they're like, oh, we can't throw the ball. Well, he's cut down to the turnovers. He's making really good decisions and he's still an athlete. And now you just saw, I don't know if you saw it, but today the vegas ODS had Milrow as 7th for the heisman. Right now, not saying he's going to.
[00:07:28] Speaker B: Win it, but it could get really interesting.
Milro continues to play like this for the last couple of games. You go and you beat Georgia in the SEC championship games, things get really interesting. And I think without a doubt, if there was a most improved award for any player in college football, it probably has to be, I mean, because he's a completely different player than who we saw after that game against texas when he gets benched.
[00:08:00] Speaker C: Yeah, the other thing, too, with that, I mean, listen, I'm not going to say jim moore is going to win the no, I'm not saying, you know, if you want to think like optimistic world, like maybe he goes to new York just for the mean. You look around like caleb williams is not going to be there. Probably he's one of the best players, but his team's not doing good. Michael Pennix and BoNix at oregon and washington, they're going to play each other. So one of mean, I'm just saying know, it's kind of like a hype award is the heisman. And if jalen Millrow kind of keeps winning, keeps improving, like, you georgia beats georgia for the I mean, he could very well find his place in new York, not maybe holding the trophy, but in the suit nonetheless.
[00:08:46] Speaker A: I don't remember the exact week that we had said it last year, but it was over halfway through the season. And that's when we made the joke of somewhat serious, somewhat joking, of bo nicks potentially being a heisman. And then he started playing like it, and now it's like I had mentioned it to somebody right after the game, I was like, how high is he going to move up? Because obviously that was his best overall performance of his alabama career so far. Not the most passing yards, but no turnovers. He didn't have a passing touchdown, but he had four rushing touchdowns. And he was like the player of the game for me. Now, another thing I do want to mention that we have said it the whole year about how the atmosphere in Bryant Denny has been way better than what it has been in the past. And a lot of that has been the games have been closer. We don't see this team as dominant as those other teams have been. And so the crowd has kind of seemed to take it upon themselves. And obviously, when they show the video of Nick Saban in the last two games, of him telling the crowd to be loud yeah. The crowd in this game after the tipped interception set the Bryant Denny decibel record of 113.1.
[00:10:06] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: So now we actually have proof that the crowd has been louder than what it has been.
[00:10:12] Speaker B: Yeah. No, it really was fantastic.
And Saban played that card. He said before what was it, the Tennessee game? He was asking the fans to get involved, to make their presence fell. And since that moment, Brian Denny has been fantastic. Fantastic environment, I'll say. Okay, interesting thing that nobody's really thinking about.
Let's play the hypothetical game. If Alabama goes to the SEC championship, they beat Georgia. I think definitively this might be Nick Saban's best coaching job.
[00:10:57] Speaker C: It would be one of his best.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: Look at where this team was after that Texas game. Look at where they were at halftime of that's. Not even you can't compare these two teams. I mean, completely different.
It's wild to me because I'd love to go back and listen to that show from South Florida week. Well, luckily yeah, luckily you can. On Apple Podcasts and Spotify Voices ua.edu Shameless Plug that was fantastic. You walked me into the segment.
Fantastic work.
But, yeah, I'd love to go back and listen to what we sounded like after that game compared to completely different team. Now that looks to be in the driver's seat until we get to the SEC Championship game. And speaking of the SEC Championship game, this win all but secures the SEC West for Alabama. I believe to fall out of getting to Atlanta, they would have to lose to both Kentucky and Auburn and Ole Miss would have to beat Georgia. Which first one? I'm a little more comfortable saying ole Miss could beat Georgia. I'm just going to put that out there. Georgia got tested this week against Missouri. Good game.
Ole Miss is better than Missouri.
[00:12:28] Speaker A: Yeah, a little bit.
[00:12:29] Speaker B: Ole Miss is a good team.
[00:12:30] Speaker A: Yeah, ole Miss is good. If the game was in Oxford, I'd feel a little bit more comfortable going with Ole Miss. With it being in Athens.
I think all of us are still going to Lean George in that game. At least I am just with even if they still don't know their best player.
I think Georgia wins that game, but it'd probably be a lot like the Missouri game where it's pretty close. Georgia might pull away late, but then after know Georgia goes to know they got a tough remaining schedule, but all Alabama has to do to lock up the west is just take care of business next week against Kentucky. And very possible it is an 11:00 a.m. Kickoff. I'm not happy about that. But do we think if they beat Kentucky and lock up the west, does that make that Auburn game, which then is a meaningless Auburn game? Because it doesn't matter at that point now for the players and the coaches it does matter. For us, it should matter. Well, it's a different atmosphere and I'll.
[00:13:35] Speaker B: Bring up it definitely still matters when it comes to the playoff playoff because I'm going to be completely honest with you right now. There is a scenario where Alabama wins the SEC, they beat Georgia, they have one loss and they get left out because right in front of and we're going to talk about this in the next segment. So I won't go there. But there is a scenario for that and they would almost assuredly be out if they were to lose to Auburn in the last week in a meaningless game. So I get where you're going with.
[00:14:03] Speaker A: Like it's not meaningless in the grand scheme of the playoff and everything, but how some people would talk about it. Know it doesn't matter if Alabama wins, they're going to be in the SEC championship game. And we all know what happens when Alabama goes to Jordan Hare.
[00:14:18] Speaker C: Even when we especially a bad Auburn team. This is dangerous.
Two and four in the SEC right now. They want nothing belt more than just to get that third SEC win against us.
[00:14:30] Speaker A: So 2021, which wasn't the best Auburn team, but that one went into the overtime. Bryce Young had to leave the 90 plus yard drive to send it overtime. Then you had 2019 a little bit better. Auburn team, mac Jones, a couple of starts into his career, throws two, pick sixes, they lose by three. 2017 lost to Auburn, still got into the playoff, won the national championship but didn't even get to go to the SEC championship. 2015, it was like a double digit win, but it was pretty close until the fourth quarter. 2013, we have the kick six. 2011 was last time Alabama just went in there and took care of business. They won that game like 40, 214, I think it was. So the history of Alabama and if we 2000 and 926 21, I believe was the final or somewhere around that they had to throw the touchdown pass to Roy Up Church to seal the game at the very end. So Nick Saban, Alabama teams in Jordan Hare, other than like two games, I mean, they've won a lot of them, but it's been scary.
[00:15:29] Speaker B: Yeah, well, I hope Nick Saban doesn't listen to this show because this is straight rat poison. We're talking about Auburn and we have not beaten Kentucky yet.
[00:15:40] Speaker C: That's true.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: Well, you were talking about the SEC championship.
[00:15:42] Speaker B: True. That's fair.
[00:15:44] Speaker C: So anyway, you were talking about an eleven and one SEC champion, Alabama in.
[00:15:49] Speaker B: The playoff conversation getting left out. Yeah, to be fair, I did say that's true. Yeah. You know what, there's so much rat poison on this show. We're awful. When we come back, the first College Football Playoff rankings came out, we never got to react to them, so we're going to react to them. Tell you who we think could move up, who could go down, at least in that top six.
And we're also going to talk about the Kentucky game when we come back here on 90.7, the Capstone, nick, Joe Adam talking Alabama football. And first, before we get into the playoff rankings, the newly released College Football.
[00:16:56] Speaker C: Playoff rankings, which have been a little damaged as of now.
[00:17:01] Speaker B: But yes, we'll talk about them a little bit here in a couple of minutes. Got to talk Alabama versus Kentucky, the next test on that road to the SEC championship game.
As you were saying before, Adam, alabama can take care of business.
Yes, it would be this week, this coming Saturday, 11:00 a.m. Kick at Kroger Field in Lexington. Yes, okay.
[00:17:30] Speaker A: Yes, nice seven hour drive north.
[00:17:32] Speaker B: Yeah, I will not be making that drive.
Both programs coming in off great wins.
Kentucky beat Mississippi State in Starkville for the first time since 2008. And obviously Alabama big victory over number 13 LSU. Are they 14? I swear they're 14. Number 14, LSU. Yes. In the one that matters, number 14 LSU, according to an unnamed sports betting website, alabama opened as a ten point favorite.
Okay, so what do we think?
[00:18:12] Speaker A: That was a lot.
[00:18:15] Speaker B: How are we feeling, Alabama? Kentucky? I think it's interesting. I love how I just asked a question and then immediately jumped in. I didn't get this part out.
Kentucky, this definitely looked like a more formidable team earlier in the season. Looked like this was going to be a ranked game.
Not looking so much now. So how are we feeling about Kentucky at this point?
[00:18:38] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm kind of in the same boat. I was actually just about to say that exact same thing. I mean, Kentucky kind of entering the season. I thought this was going to be a really tricky game because Alabama and it still is to an extent, because Alabama is coming off of very big, high emotional wins over Tennessee, LSU, and then they have to go. On the road to play Kentucky, who is just one of those you're going to get their best shot because they're just trying to get something out of the season.
They're five and three. But excuse me, six and three.
Three and three in the SEC, and all three of the losses have been to essentially, for lack of a better term, all the good teams on their schedule have been those three losses. I mean they lost to Georgia at Georgia, they lost to Missouri, then lost to Tennessee in consecutive weeks, like you said, beat Mississippi State last week, but I'm maybe not as concerned. Devin Leary, their quarterback, who's a transfer, has shown the ability to turn the ball over quite a lot, has seven interceptions and 18 touchdowns. So I'm not super, I'll say this, I'm not as worried like you said, not as worried as I am now because I think Alabama, they've shown something to me in the last couple of weeks.
[00:20:03] Speaker A: It'll be interesting going back on the road. They've been last three games have been home games, had Arkansas, you had LSU and then Tennessee in between the two. But going back on the road, last time they were on the road was Texas A and M. They took care of business there. Going on the road is always tough. This is also Kentucky's last home game, so their players and fans are going to be really pumped to try to get a win at home, especially over Alabama top ten. Their last two games of the season are going to be on the road at South Carolina and at Louisville. So they're going to want nothing more than to beat Alabama. They still want to get to at least nine and know if they won out they still want to improve their bowl projections.
But I would say this would be a week where you might be looking at one of those hangover games, especially like with Alabama just beating LSU. And it was what looked like probably the best overall game of the season so far from offense, defense, special teams was a little lower than what we had been seeing, but when stuff like that happens, if you've looked across college football teams will have like a really good game and then the next know they just fall off. They have the hangover from beating a big rival. Now with this game still being like, if you win, you're going to be in the SEC championship game, you're going to win the west with this win and with this Alabama team specifically, you could have had that hangover after A and M, which you kind of did. You let Arkansas hang around. They come back in the second half after taking the 24 six lead. You could have had the hangover against Tennessee, you could have had the hangover against LSU. And they just continuously time and time again show that they come to play, and especially in the second half with the defensive adjustments, only giving up ten points against SEC opponents in the second half. So this game, I feel like just the attitude of this team is different than what we've seen the last couple of years, that they show up ready to, you know, a couple games last year. Nick Saban said that his team showed up with anxiety, like against Tennessee and LSU. And this year, if you've seen the clips of the team before the LSU game, they were ready to play in that game. And I think going back on the road, you might be a little nervous about them going back on the road when they've been at home for the last three weeks, in the bye week. But I just think that the attitude of this team. They're not taking any of these games for granted and they're just going to come out. And I expect a real dominating defensive performance, kind of like you were saying, Joe, with Leary showing that he's turnover prone at times. I expect our defensive backs and Dallas Turner basically just to wreck havoc the whole game. And hopefully the offense continues to improve. But I think the defense is just going to shut Kentucky down in this.
[00:23:01] Speaker B: You know, I hope that they come out and they're ready to play. But I have some concerns right a m. It would be impossible not to if you can't get up for that game.
I mean, come on. Tennessee revenge game, LSU revenge game.
So I'm with you. I hope that they come out and they've shown us I have no reason to doubt them. Right. But there is a concern. I'm saying there's a non zero chance that they come out. They get off to a slow start. They're not ready to play. How do you fix that? You come out like you did this week, first drive, whatever. Maybe it's just knocking the rust off, getting that rust off quicker. Come out, score early, get a lead, play for the entire game. Don't let them come back into it like when they played at you know, it looked like the game was over at halftime. Mississippi State comes down, drives immediately, first drive of the game. And now you got to wake back up, wake the stadium back up.
So come out in this game, play great defense, a dominating win.
Just continue to pad that resume and keep looking better and better.
Kentucky has only ever beat Alabama twice in the history of the series, 38 two and one. I don't know the story behind the one. I wish I did.
[00:24:34] Speaker C: Yeah, this is a weird sorry.
[00:24:35] Speaker B: Yeah, okay, sorry.
[00:24:36] Speaker C: You're going to get into this a little bit. This is a very weird matchup because these teams I wanted you to finish your point, Nick. I'm very sorry, but they stretch. This was brought up to me from 1947 to 1972. They did not play at all for some reason for like a good 25 years. Alabama and Kentucky, bear Bryant, the connection you would think they would have had once, but they don't.
[00:25:08] Speaker B: That's crazy.
[00:25:09] Speaker C: It's very weird.
[00:25:10] Speaker B: So two wins for Kentucky all time, a 60 win in Lexington in 1922.
[00:25:18] Speaker A: That is their largest margin of victory.
[00:25:20] Speaker B: And a 40 to 34 home win in 1997. So the last time Kentucky beat Alabama in 97.
Tough. Yeah.
Stoops. Owen three in this matchup, 48 seven loss in 2013, a 34 six loss in 2016, and a 63 to three loss in 2020.
Imagine if this offense came out and put up 63.
[00:25:49] Speaker C: Yeah, that would be I'm pretty sure that was, like, one of Bryce Young's first appearances.
[00:25:57] Speaker A: I have found the time.
[00:25:59] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:26:00] Speaker C: All right.
[00:26:00] Speaker B: We got to hear the story.
[00:26:01] Speaker A: So I'm trying to see if I can actually get, like, actual stats from the game.
Obviously, they wait, when was this game? 1939.
Birmingham broadcast seven to seven tie, and obviously Kentucky had won in 1922 with that six nothing victory that you just mentioned.
[00:26:23] Speaker B: And let's see those pesky 30s overtime rules in college football.
[00:26:29] Speaker C: Yeah, we got to change them.
[00:26:31] Speaker B: Don't exist. Come on.
[00:26:32] Speaker A: 16 straight Alabama victories before the seven to seven tie in 1939.
[00:26:42] Speaker C: It's actually been a decade since Alabama's traveled to Kentucky for a game. I mean, they've only played three times, but you kind of brought them up. It was 2013. Alabama won 48 to seven. Then the next time they played was 2016, and then 2020 was the last time they played. And I'm pretty sure they weren't even supposed to play that game. But that was like the COVID all SEC schedule. So they put Kentucky on Alabama schedule. So, yeah, I'd said, this is like a weird matchup history if you look at it.
It hasn't been particularly close most of the time, but, yeah, it's still a big game.
[00:27:24] Speaker A: Are we going to trust Wikipedia for the 1939 game story?
[00:27:28] Speaker B: I mean, I don't think we have anyone else.
[00:27:31] Speaker C: I mean, if somebody's editing that story, then I'm pretty confident that we just really need to change our ways.
[00:27:39] Speaker A: All right, so Alabama entered the game at number 19 and Kentucky entered at number 15 in the AP Poll.
Seven to seven tie in the first game played at Legion Field that year. After a scoreless first, holt Rast blocked a Kentucky punt that was recovered by Alabama at the two yard line. Two place later, Paul Spencer scored on a short run and Bud Waites converted the extra point to give the Crimson Tide a seven nothing lead. Still down by a touchdown at the end of the third, kentucky tied the game in the fourth on a short Noah Mullins run and Jim Harden extra point, bringing me back against Kentucky. And after that game, the Alabama Kentucky record was 17 one and one.
[00:28:23] Speaker C: God just so nostalgic.
[00:28:26] Speaker A: With a game attendance of 11,000, you.
[00:28:29] Speaker C: Think they played the Nick Saban Clip there. We need our fans to get loud.
[00:28:35] Speaker B: Oh, man.
[00:28:36] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:28:37] Speaker B: Now we're a history show. Bringing your history. We got something new every week.
[00:28:41] Speaker A: Alabama finished that season five wins, three losses, and one tie.
[00:28:47] Speaker B: So, needless to say, they did not make the College Football Playoff.
[00:28:51] Speaker A: So their wins were Howard Fordham, Mercer, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt losses. Georgia Tech. Number five Tennessee and number seven Tulane.
[00:29:06] Speaker B: Man.
[00:29:07] Speaker C: Wow, that's a were they were shut.
[00:29:11] Speaker A: Out in all three of those losses.
[00:29:13] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:29:14] Speaker B: Shut out by Georgia Tech.
All right, anyway all right, we're done. We're done. Sorry guys, taking the time machine back. We might have to do that in future weeks. That was kind of fun.
So College Football Playoff rankings, the very first ones for this season came out last Tuesday on Halloween. Halloween, great.
[00:29:37] Speaker C: Scary.
[00:29:38] Speaker B: They were scary. Great video package on ESPN. That was really fun.
So top four, ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, Florida State with Washington left out at number five.
Tragic. Alabama at eight, texas just ahead of them at seven, oregon at six.
How did we feel about these rankings? I know I certainly did not agree.
[00:30:08] Speaker A: Well, the big thing, they still have Michigan in the top four. They had them at number three. And when they asked after the rankings have been announced, basically the committee is saying that it is not on them to make a decision. It is on the NCAA. And obviously we know the NCAA likes to take their sweet time, so it'll probably be multiple years before they make a decision. So after that, reports of coaches from around the Big Ten calling the Big Ten office, basically telling them they need to make a decision on this team before the NCAA does because of everything that's going on, we'll see what happens. I didn't really have a okay, but.
[00:30:45] Speaker B: Then did you see okay, I don't know if you saw this, but then the Big Ten president called Michigan's, I think the president of the school or the Ad asking Harvard to be suspended for two games.
[00:31:00] Speaker A: Do they get to pick the two games?
[00:31:03] Speaker B: Yeah, sure they get to pick the two games.
Absolutely.
I'll say this off the record, just absolute joke. I understand that the Big Ten commissioner, I believe he was in the TV business before he became the Big Ten commissioner. And obviously.
[00:31:24] Speaker C: You don't want to jeopardize TV stuff.
[00:31:26] Speaker B: Potentially having two teams in the College Football Playoff, very lucrative, especially that everybody is going to be watching that Ohio State Michigan game at the end of the year.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: We'll see what happens. Michigan has Penn State this week in Happy Valley. In Happy Valley. So that'll be tough.
Obviously Penn State has not done well against top ten, top five opponents. Michigan and Ohio State usually beats Penn State, but it's going to be a tough game. Penn State has a very good defense. Offense hasn't been that great this year, but that defense can still keep them in the game.
[00:32:03] Speaker B: It's also worth mentioning the team affiliated website for on Three Sports for Michigan came out with a report that was basically linking the source of a lot of that initial information that was discovered about the whole Michigan scheme back to Ohio State and private investigators. That they had hired, which why this matters.
[00:32:31] Speaker A: It doesn't. I mean, it's really just a way to be but it's them. But I understand if you're saying that they're making up the information, but all the information that has come out so far has not been debunked.
[00:32:47] Speaker B: The Future beef History episode my gosh, Michigan. Ohio State is going to be crazy. The 30 for 30 is going to be fantastic.
And I wish that I was the guy who got to make the pregame hype video that they're going to play on probably on what, on Fox before that game because, oh man, there's so many.
[00:33:09] Speaker A: It would be more interesting, like if Ohio State was also doing this and then that's why they were like, oh, throwing Michigan under the bus. But the only thing I could remember similar to this is early 2000s. Tennessee and Alabama are trying to get a recruit.
Recruit chooses Alabama, and then Tennessee people basically ratted Alabama out to the NCAA, saying that they were giving this guy gifts when Tennessee was trying to do the same thing, but they didn't get their way. So Tennessee was like, hey, Alabama's doing stuff illegal. And then we had scholarships taken away postseason, you know, at the time. Had to go through a couple of mediocre coaching years before finally getting so, you know, thank.
[00:34:05] Speaker B: You. Where the conversation even started.
Yeah, obviously Michigan being in there, that's kind of a shame. Overall, the playoff.
[00:34:15] Speaker C: Realistically, that's such a tough position for the playoff committee to be in because really their job is just to select the four best teams. Like the NCAA can tell them or the Big Ten can say Michigan's banned from the postseason and they'll change it.
[00:34:29] Speaker B: But here's what I want to bring up.
Are we so sure that Michigan is the third best team in college football?
I think some shaky stuff, like you can easily okay, if you want to argue that they're better than Oregon, they're better than Texas, they're better than Alabama, who all have one loss. Okay, sure, they're undefeated, but you cannot sit here. Michigan does not have a win against a single team in the top 25, not one. Their strength of schedule is like, what, 11th. Now, granted, yes, they have some hard games at the end of the year, and if they beat Ohio State, I'll be more than happy to put them number two. Number one, because if they beat Penn State, I'll be more than happy to boost them up. But as of right now, Michigan does not have the wins to be at number three. They don't have better wins than Florida State. They certainly don't have better wins than Washington. If you want to put them up there just because they're undefeated. Sure, yes, they've been beating a lot of teams, but even outside of the whole, like let's ignore know massive red flag of all the events that have been happening, which they went through the entire show on ESPN and did not mention it one time until after when they were interviewing. So shame on them because how now.
[00:35:58] Speaker A: I see a couple of things on here where overall it's going to work itself out. Hopefully by the end of the year, hopefully we don't have just a bunch of one loss teams trying to get in, but I'm looking at it. And so you have Washington's undefeated. Oregon's got the one loss. They put them right back to back. Obviously the head to head is keeping Washington ahead plus being undefeated.
But then you see a little bit of recency bias, I would say, when you have and now after Oklahoma's lost two games, but this was before Oklahoma lost that second game to Oklahoma State and they were Oklahoma, Texas, both seven and one, but they had Texas two spots ahead. Oklahoma, they kept Texas head of Alabama, which you could give the head to head to know back in week two, beating Alabama and Bryant Denny. But then Oklahoma had just beat Know a couple weeks before that. And if you're going with that, these head to head games matter. And I could get it. You look at Missouri and LSU. LSU had two losses, Missouri only had one. So they had Missouri ahead even though LSU had beat Missouri. But then when they both had the one loss, it was like, well, Oklahoma lost more recently. So they had Texas up there. Now Oklahoma's lost again. So that argument's not going to work like this week. But it'll be interesting to see how they reward head to head games in the future. Are they going to keep it to know if you beat them, you're ahead, or is it going to be like, well, if you lost more recently, we're going to move you behind them?
[00:37:29] Speaker C: Yeah, that was a good point. That was kind of my big takeaway was there were some inconsistencies.
Like you said, Adam, in hindsight, it's obviously Oklahoma's two losses.
Some of these teams don't look as good, but I never really loved how they do that where it doesn't really matter if you win. It's like kind of when I never really love that. And obviously it's week. Well, going into last week's rankings, everyone essentially eight games slate. So you have four more.
Now you have three more. So it's not like it's definitive, but I didn't love how that's kind of the precedent that they set where you have Oklahoma who beat Texas behind Texas because know, they lost to Kansas three days before the ranking came out.
[00:38:29] Speaker A: Like Texas, they took care of business against Kansas, they beat them pretty convincingly. But it's know, like you were saying when we did our rankings right and I had Oregon ahead of Washington. Now maybe shouldn't have done it. I just felt like Oregon was a better team. But Nick brought up his point. Know, you saw pretty recently, even though Washington had struggled. Washington beat Oregon and they haven't lost yet, which was a great point.
But it's like to the committee, sometimes it matters, but sometimes it doesn't.
[00:39:01] Speaker B: Yeah.
It's going to be very interesting. I think this week's going to tell us a lot, right?
You will see.
I'm more interested to see how much are we going to punish Missouri for losing to the second best team in the country? I don't think they should be punished at all.
How bad are we going to punish LSU for losing to an Alabama team that should beat them?
It's going to be very interesting. Are we potentially punishing teams for barely winning when play I'll play devil's advocate, right? What if Texas drops behind Alabama? I think it's unlikely, but Texas struggled almost did not beat Kansas State. They do beat Kansas State, but Alabama had a harder matchup in LSU and won the game significantly. What's the word I'm looking for? Dominate.
What's the word I'm looking for?
Comparatively more convincingly won their game. Yeah, that's what I'm looking for. Against a harder opponent. So does that factor in Oregon destroyed who did they play? Cow, like 60, 314 or something, I think was the final score.
[00:40:20] Speaker C: By the way, just a quick note. USC led up like 48 points to cow.
[00:40:24] Speaker B: Yeah, USC, hopefully they will not be ranked. They shouldn't be poll. They shouldn't be ranked in this.
[00:40:31] Speaker C: They shouldn't be ranked.
[00:40:32] Speaker B: The fact that they're ranked in this poll is embarrassing.
[00:40:36] Speaker C: Seven and two or whatever. I kind of get it now. There's no excuse for them. But yeah, it is interesting. If Alabama goes ahead, Texas and what the committee because obviously Quinn Yours is out.
I guess he's supposed to come back some point, but they said two to four weeks.
[00:40:55] Speaker A: So this was his second week.
[00:40:56] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:40:57] Speaker A: I haven't heard officially if he's going to be back in the next game but should be within the next couple of weeks. And if their next two games are on the road, it could be tough.
[00:41:08] Speaker C: But what I'm saying is that Quinn Yours is out for Texas and even to an extent, like Brock Browers out for like, say either one of those teams slip up. Now Texas, obviously, if they lose, has two losses, they'll be out of it, but say they just kind of keep squeaking by with like three, four point wins. I wonder if there is going to be that point where Alabama does jump them because you're like, okay, this teams are subjectively right now, playing better.
But say Georgia drops their next game against Tennessee.
Ole Miss this, yeah, yeah, that's right. Ole Miss say like they drop that game to Ole Miss and it's kind of because of potential Brock Bowers not being here. Like the offense doesn't play as good, which I don't necessarily think is going to happen, but if it does.
[00:41:58] Speaker B: It.
[00:41:59] Speaker C: Seems like there's just going to be a real tricky scenario that this committee has because you already have you've kind of established this precedent, you know, like Oklahoma at the time, seven and one. Like right behind Alabama, even though they beat Texas. But say Georgia loses to Miss, is Georgia going to drop to number nine in the know and Ole Miss beat number eight or seven and then is Alabama going to be above in that?
[00:42:25] Speaker B: Yeah. So where does Ole Miss go? Yeah, because I mean, then you're looking at Ole Miss that beat Georgia, but realistically doesn't really have a chance to.
[00:42:34] Speaker C: Make it's like that. Spider man meme of every single argument is pointing at one another to rank the teams.
[00:42:40] Speaker B: Ole Miss has one loss.
Yeah. So one loss.
Oh, man, tough. Anyway, well, I'm sure we'll debate this all again next week when the new rankings come out. I wish we did a show like right after the rankings came out. Anyway, when we come back, we've got so much to talk about. Men's and women's basketball starts tomorrow night. Very exciting. So we're going to talk about that when we come back here on 90.7.
[00:43:23] Speaker A: W v uafm tuscaloosa.
[00:43:36] Speaker B: Welcome back in, ladies and gentlemen, to the final couple minutes of the Load Tide here on 90.7. Nick Joe Adam just wrapped up our football discussion. We're getting away from football because basketball season starting, folks.
[00:43:47] Speaker A: I'm excited.
[00:43:48] Speaker B: I'm excited. How about you all?
[00:43:49] Speaker C: I'm pretty excited.
I will say that. Obviously, like last season, it was very hyped up because we did have Brandon Miller coming in and a lot of hype around the program. But I'm in a way more excited to see this team because of it sounds like there's going to be a lot more depth. So I'm interested in seeing who stands out, who kind of gets going for Alabama and what some of the returning guys do look like.
[00:44:15] Speaker A: Yeah. I'm more trying to focus on have they learned from those experiences that they had in the couple of scrimmages against, like when they played Wake Forest and they had a decent lead at halftime and then it was just like they couldn't get it going. Maybe they got complacent and we saw that with last year's team at times early and it's just going to be interesting to see how quickly they turn the page and they start playing how we know they can play. And then first couple of games, obviously they should win those games. They are tough opponents. They should win. And then once we get into November, they start playing some really tough games.
Not December, then my bad.
[00:44:56] Speaker B: So doubleheader tomorrow, obviously the men taking on Morehead State at 07:00 P.m. Central.
That will be on SEC network. Plus. And let's see. I don't have the women's basketball.
[00:45:10] Speaker C: They play Alabama State at 430. Yes, also on the SEC network.
[00:45:15] Speaker A: Plus did you see their scrimmage score from the other night?
[00:45:20] Speaker C: Yes. The women's team crushed Alabama Huntsville by 50. Points. It was 82 32.
[00:45:27] Speaker B: Yeah. So if you needed your joyless murder.
[00:45:30] Speaker C: Ball fix, nick, listen, like me and you covered the women's team last year. This is like a theme, early season Alabama women's basketball. You're getting just schools you didn't know had basketball.
[00:45:42] Speaker A: I was at the game and this was a little bit longer. Two years ago they opened the season with Charleston Southern and they scored like 110 points in that game.
[00:45:51] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:45:52] Speaker B: I will say pretty fun when they're scoring over 100 points.
Pretty hype.
[00:45:58] Speaker A: Hopefully they can carry that success into the SEC unlike some of the previous years.
[00:46:04] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:46:06] Speaker B: I will say I'm going to miss Brittany Davis bringing her entire family to the games and then them getting insanely loud. That was so much fun.
[00:46:12] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:46:13] Speaker B: Better miss that whole team from last year. It's going to be quite an adjustment.
[00:46:17] Speaker A: And no Bryce Young in the stands.
[00:46:19] Speaker B: Yeah. No, Bryce Young.
[00:46:20] Speaker C: Exactly. What are we to do?
[00:46:22] Speaker B: No Bryce Young. No Brandon Miller there.
That's going to suck. Honestly, those were some fun games last year on both sides.
Lots of people leaving, but a lot of new faces, a lot of potential there. Essence. Cody, five star center for Alabama. One of the biggest recruits I think they've ever had.
[00:46:47] Speaker C: She might honestly be the best in terms of ranking where she is in the recruiting ranking. Yeah.
[00:46:54] Speaker B: And having watched that team last season, having a good center if they could have had her last season, man, but should be interesting to see, obviously. Who knows when we're going to see their first real test.
[00:47:08] Speaker C: Yeah. It's looking like at least just sifting through their schedule. November 24 against Louisville. Seems like the first on paper at least.
[00:47:18] Speaker A: They don't have to deal with Haley Van Lith. She's transferred to LSU. They can wait a little bit to face her.
[00:47:24] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, God speed to I don't even know when Alabama plays LSU January 18, it's at home. That's the first edition. February 11 is when they play in Baton Rouge. Like godspeed to them in that game because that's like a dream team for women's basketball. Is this LSU team that's scary.
[00:47:43] Speaker B: And they got last year when they played LSU. Oh, man. Angel Reese is looking like a different beast out there. But it should be good games. Excited to see where they're at. Should be fun. I'm just excited for basketball season. I love basketball. I'm hyped.
[00:48:00] Speaker C: And the men play more head steel.
[00:48:01] Speaker A: There are no fogs in this room.
[00:48:04] Speaker B: Very true. Well, yeah, no fogs in this room.
Adam, I think you were going to touch on soccer a little bit. Yeah.
[00:48:12] Speaker A: So Alabama soccer team, they were in the SEC tournament this past week and did not go exactly how the fans were hoping or we were hoping or anybody associated with Alabama was hoping.
They lost to Mississippi State for the second time in as many weeks.
And so now they have to wait. So the NCAA selection show is going to be tomorrow, monday, November 6 at 03:00 P.m. On Nca.com where they will see where they were ranked. This game was so disappointing if you were watching it because Alabama led in shots, shots on goal corner Kit. They were leading in pretty much everything. They just couldn't get the ball in the net. They scored in the 24th minute. Brooks Steer scored to give a one nothing lead. Mississippi State tied it back up in the 55th minute with Martinez Montoya. She has dominated pretty much both games that we played each other in. And then it ended in my least favorite way for a soccer game to end, which is the penalty kick shootout after the overtime where Mississippi State won two goals to none. So now Alabama will wait. Tomorrow they will find out if they are going to host the first two rounds.
There is still a chance. I know the athletic department is preparing as if they are hosting, but they still have to wait until tomorrow to see what seed they get.
[00:49:39] Speaker C: Yeah, and then I'll swing it over, I guess. Probably our last thing. We're talking about Alabama volleyball team.
It has been tough for them in the SEC, have yet to win a game in the SEC now. Owen 13 as they dropped game or a match to LSU this week or excuse me, today in Baton Rouge. Three sets to one was the final. Alabama won the first set and then LSU pretty much swept them aside in sets two, three and, uh, it was pretty much all LSU, all Tigers after that first set. But I will first that that first set win was their first.
This is going to sound their first set, one win in the SEC since 2022 against South Carolina. So maybe a bright spot there. But overall it's been tough for Alabama since hitting that conference schedule block.
[00:50:37] Speaker B: Give them some time that's coming.
[00:50:39] Speaker C: Yeah, to be fair, they've improved on the win total. So maybe if you can just transition it into conference opponents slowly and steadily.
[00:50:48] Speaker A: Second year head coach, they're doing a good job with recruiting. I know at Alabama we like to see immediate success, but sometimes it takes.
[00:50:55] Speaker B: A little while, takes some time. Folks. You got to get your players in place. You got to get your program settled. Anyway, that's going to do it for us here on the Low Tide. We'll be back same time next week, so we'll see you then. Thanks for listening.
