Does Jeff Brohm Play Minecraft?

Matt Childress: Welcome back to the Upper Deck Podcast. It is a new month. It's October first, 2026. September is finally at the wayside. We are at in full fall mode. Spooky season is upon us. Football's upon us. Playoff baseball is upon us. Basketball is actually upon us this month. There was already a little bit of college basketball played this past week. might touch on that. Might not. It really wasn't anything too important. Basically just
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: playing some in some blinding sun and in the shade on a tennis court for some reason. But grant you've already gotten the hoodie out for the season this year. So I'm gonna go ahead and start it off with I mean w what what's been going on? What's the weather in the old five two feeling like right now?
Grant skaggs: Dude, it's just hit or miss right now. I mean, it last week it was pretty much in the seventies, sixties the entire week. Last two days it's been back up in the high eighties and it's supposed to go back down to the sixties next week. So it's pretty much cold as piss in the morning, hot as hell in the afternoon. I keep this place on like sixty five degrees, so it's like an egg glue in here. So I once I'm done, yeah, I'm bundling up before I go to bed. But can't can't complain yet. I I need to go outside, touch grass and golf for the first time in like a month. I got like two scrambles coming up. I I just like I gotta swing my clubs again.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I haven't played golf since the last time you, me and Taylor went and it was so swelteringly hot we finished after like six holes. Yeah,
Grant skaggs: Six holes, yeah.
Matt Childress: it was my gosh, that was so bad. But I I I'm I'm excited for like it's basically just been fantastic around here in Florida so far this time. Like already it's like sixty nine degrees is the coldest it's gonna it gets right now and it's usually sitting around like seventy five to eighty. So it's making me really wanna go out there and play golf and you know, I'm trying to find some time for it right now, now that we're finally all You know, going pretty well. Everything's going well right now. I know that we're actually gonna be back in town here, not this coming week, but the next one we'll be back in town from the fourteenth to the nineteenth, fifteenth to the nineteenth. we have to go to one of her friends' wedding, but we're back in
Grant skaggs: Nice.
Matt Childress: town for about three or four days for that. So I was gonna maybe you me and Taylor get together and go play golf or do something like that if we can fit it in or
Grant skaggs: So yeah, we'll yeah, we'll have to pick a day. I think I I think one of my scrambles is on the seventeenth, but we could we could pick another day to go on. That's totally fine.
Matt Childress: Yeah. We can figure it out. but I mean it's been a depressing week, honestly. Like I
Grant skaggs: Fever dream really.
Matt Childress: i I've seen the Louisville fan base in some pretty bad times, you know, like especially on on Twitter it's
Grant skaggs: It's bad. It's bad.
Matt Childress: usually pretty bad. I I I don't think I've really ever seen it. I mean, I've definitely seen it worse. Like the nothing can ever reach Kenny Payne levels of like what's going on on Twitter and Louisville Twitter, but I don't think I've ever seen it this depressed. Like it's almost like the five stages of grief were way past all of them and now we're just at like acceptance. Like we're just like, Okay, this is just where we're at. This is where we're gonna be at, this is where we're always gonna be at. It doesn't nothing's gonna change. And it's really sad to see. It's very depressing 'cause it's not even just like the crazy burner accounts anymore. I mean there's like genuine people that like I follow in the media scene and there's people that I follow that are kind of a like you know, like Online sources, they may not like speak on the radio or anything, but you can you know you can get pretty reliable sources from them who are kind of just depressed. Like they're j they're looking forward to basketball already, they're ready to go. And it it's such a wild thing. I guess the way I can start off with is Grant, on a scale of zero to ten, how much of like a Brahm's never getting over this kind of like where are you at? Like
Grant skaggs: No. Seven.
Matt Childress: Seven.
Grant skaggs: Seven. I mean it's like was I was I pissed off after the result? Yeah. But like a part of me a part of me was it I honestly a lot of it was just acceptance. Like really it's just kind of like you know the game was coming. Like we just won a big game. We're gonna put out a clunker. It's we've seen it the last three seasons. It was a matter of time before it happened this season. Again, like I Told everybody like we're probably gonna rack off five in a row and then lose the UNC. Like I I've seen this movie before. We do we've
Matt Childress: Yeah.
Grant skaggs: done we've done it every year. And you know, it's it's that team like you had this is the most talented class you've had. It's the most money you've spent NIL wise. Easiest schedule you've had by far since you've been here, and you just can't get it done. You can't get it done.
Matt Childress: It really you feel like it's never gonna get done. I I mean i i and now I don't wanna, you know, rain on Wake's parade. I we talked about it going into it that like I don't think Wake Force is a team that anybody should be sleeping on. I don't think they're fantastic. I don't
Grant skaggs: I will say like out of all the clunker games we've had, they're the best team out of all of them. Like I by far say that.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I it it was definitely w I mean we we called it on our last podcast last week is that it was gonna be a shootout, they were gonna go to the air, they were gonna try and put it on us whenever they could. And it just seemed like every single time Louville either got a crucial stop or got a momentum ba like a momentum swing situation on the defensive end, something in that exact same play went wrong, extended the drive And then they scored on the very next play. It literally happened three different times.
Grant skaggs: Yeah. That and it doesn't it doesn't help when I think that might have been the best running game Wake Force has had in ten years. They averaged
Matt Childress: Yeah. that
Grant skaggs: like six runs a game. They did six runs on the first drive.
Matt Childress: Yeah, and and that just we touched on it last week. The th they're they're
Grant skaggs: Our front line our front line's a disaster. It's disaster.
Matt Childress: terrible. They're I and like the thing I will say is like in that game I felt like we saw Tyler Thompson and Clev Lubin kind of get in the backfield a little bit more than they had been. There there's no t like I
Grant skaggs: We c we can't finish. They can't finish plays. They can't do it.
Matt Childress: I had never seen a situation where the defensive line doesn't have time to get to anybody. Like there there The interior defensive line cannot get any push. So, I mean, th they're every single run play is worth six or seven yards. Every single time that it's that it's a drop back into a shotgun, they're able to get it off in the first two seconds 'cause they're playing such a soft ass zone trying to get into the backfield that he it's just checked down city. Like we cannot speed these quarterbacks up. We cannot put pressure on anybody. It's a it's just embarrassing. Like this
Grant skaggs: That and like it's so overly frustrating, and like then there's the points where like they don't they do it too well and we get we get roughing the passer. Like whether I will say
Matt Childress: Yeah. Some of the roughing the passer calls were the the
Grant skaggs: that I'm not like a blame the refs guy. They fuck that game. They
Matt Childress: It was
Grant skaggs: momentum swing after momentum swing on just I mean, like I don't know how you can like the same thing happened this past weekend with Patrick Mahomes and the Dolphins. You can't call these rough in the passers. They're bang bang plays. He still has the ball in his hand for a millisecond before he gets hit. Just really soft from the ACC crew. Watching the game. I I mean, I felt like this during the SMU game. I feel like the only penalties we get for us are just false starts, just to level the penalty field as far as the numbers. I mean at the beginning of the season, like, are we undisciplined? Yeah. Like we we get some pretty bad points because some g some of our guys just make idiotic plays. But now it's gotten to the point where like for the first time, I think we're getting reputation calls where it's like reps are expecting us to be dirty or be late on hits and they're just pulling it out before it even happens. And dude, it's just so frustrating to watch.
Matt Childress: No, I mean both of the roughing the passer calls Clev Lubin got in this game were absolutely egregious.
Grant skaggs: That's absolutely awful.
Matt Childress: I mean, it was I could not believe what I was watching half the time. especially the second one, when as he's getting hit, Gio Lopez spikes the ball short of the line of scrimmage, and not only do they give him a a roughing the passer call, they don't They don't call intentional grounding on it. Like they just let him go.
Grant skaggs: I mean look at it. Don't even look at it. Nope.
Matt Childress: He obviously just throws the ball at the ground just trying to save the play and he ends up getting a first down off of it. I I there there was that, there was the horrible, horrible non reviewed catch that God, who was it? Was it I think it was Trey it was Jalil Skinner, yeah. He came down on it
Grant skaggs: It it was Skinner. Yeah.
Matt Childress: and and his knee was down But he hadn't but he hadn't caught the ball yet and then took off and they called him down early and like they ended up
Grant skaggs: Well that well there's the f the first one was he got tackled but went over the body of the defender and then just stood up and ran. They
Matt Childress: Yes, that one. Yeah.
Grant skaggs: called it dead. And then the second one he j he bobbled it and then caught it and was up again. Yeah, they botched both of those.
Matt Childress: I couldn't believe that look, if you're gonna call that down on the field, whatever, that's fine. But none of it even went to review. Like nobody ever looked at it. They never questioned it. The whole new thing that ACC has on the other conferences, they have that like live look in with the video replay crew and the official crew and all this shit. And we're
Grant skaggs: And they just and they and they just sound like a bunch of jackasses w especially on T V with the comment 'cause the commentator booth are like, It doesn't look like that, but I'm sure they got the camera angle that shows it every single damn time.
Matt Childress: It was just it was one where I know that Louisville's gonna play better than that game. Like I just like I know they will, their defense will play better, their offensive play like it was a bad game all around. It's just the fact of after year four, it's really setting in of like, my god, Jeff Brahm actually may never get over this. Like this might be something we sit with for his entire tenure. And you get put in this awkward situation of You don't want to get rid of him as a coach because he always wins you the big games. And it's like if you get to the playoff, I'm fully confident that Jeff Brahm can gather the guys and game plan for those kinds of like he beats those kinds of teams literally every single year. That is his memo. That is what he does. That that is the idea of Jeff Brahm. That's why you pay him the big bucks. But it is the fact of are you ever actually going to get there? Because he cannot beat the the the most beatable teams in the country. Like yes, Wake like we said, Wake Forest is not awful, but that is not a game you lose. Especially it's not a game you lose at home. I I and that is a whole different topic that I want to get into is that like I have been on the c the Lou fan side for the like the last two seasons so far. Ever since we really kind of have dove into the whole like revivalistic idealism of fans are coming back. Our fans fucking suck. Our fans
Grant skaggs: It's dead. It's dead. I mean,
Matt Childress: are awful.
Grant skaggs: like you come off one of the best wins we've had in recent memory. Like against a team we haven't beat historically. It's the first time you beat him in ACC play. There's no
Matt Childress: First time we beat ever.
Grant skaggs: there's no one in the game. There's no one there. Now you can they came out, I think they said like forty five thousand or forty thousand people were there. No, it's Just peop people aren't going. I get like Bourbon Beyonds g b going on, Louder Than Life's going on, but the stadium's too big. The stadium's too big.
Matt Childress: Which I that that's a whole that's a whole nother thing. Can we fucking stop planning some of these ranked games, these home games,
Grant skaggs: Home games around it. Yeah. It makes it
Matt Childress: Deer and Louder and Life and Bourbon and Beyond? Just move Just move to the end of the season. Like I I don't understand because i it it towards the end of the season it usually does liven up a little bit. Like the Clemson game went to last year was pretty decent. Like
Grant skaggs: Yeah, 'cause nothing else is going on, yeah.
Matt Childress: Yeah, nothing's going on. Like, stop scheduling our ranked game so early in the year. I d I I don't understand why we do that. But it but it's also not just the scheduling. It really is like the fan base is just awful. Like it it's it's so bad.
Grant skaggs: It's it's fair weather. I mean it is like I mean dude, it was seventy degrees on a Saturday morning. Nobody's there. Like other like other like not even like kind of like neutral fans are there. Like nobody like they're complaining about like nobody's at the game, there's nobody tailgating. Just nothing going on. I get this general general point. I didn't think we'd get there. I think you have to tarp up the upper deck. You know, I ironically, and then the standing deck or the standing room. I think you gotta tarp off. And you gotta fill the lower bowl, fill the beak up on the on the north side. Like it I mean, it just for T V sake and aesthetically, it looks awful.
Matt Childress: It really is. I mean, I understand
Grant skaggs: Especially when you w especially when you got like forty and fifty recruits coming to some of these games, it looks terrible.
Matt Childress: It looks bad. It it's just disappointing to watch. Especially like I hated it when I was there. I really hate it now that I have to watch every game on TV. It it's just I I can't stand looking at it. I I can't stand when they pan the camera out there before halftime or whatever. The entire upper section is just dead empty. I or
Grant skaggs: Yep, always.
Matt Childress: or half of the end zone end is just completely ab abysmal. It's it's it's a ghost town over there. I just We've said it on this podcast a hundred times that the party deck just needs to explode. Like just just do something. At the same time, it that's not even the total problem anymore. It's that like people just aren't going. Like, and I I really don't understand why. Because I mean, at the end of the day, yes, all of our expectations are we want to make a playoff, and that's what this the goal for the program should be, especially when you're taking out so much debt. To play sports, like you have to shoot for the highest
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: possible outcome. But Louisville fans in general do not have the right to boycott a football team. Like they they don't. Like like yes, we've had great w
Grant skaggs: There's nothing else here. Like there's nothing else to look at.
Matt Childress: we've had great teams in the past. We've never been good enough to say that it's playoff or bust. I'm sorry. Like I I feel like we should be. Like we have the money, we have the talent, we have the coaching. But w we've never won anything. You know what I mean? Like our big our biggest one of our biggest wins ever is Notre Dame in the regular season. Like, you know what I mean? Like one of our biggest wins ever is in a bowl game against Alabama, like twenty years ago. Like like w or Florida.
Grant skaggs: Or Florida in twenty thirteen.
Matt Childress: Like and those are really big wins. Those are like, you know, decade divining wins for us. But at the same time, like, yes, that should be the standard. But we haven't earned the right to say, I'm not gonna go see that football team play 'cause we're not gonna make a playoff. Like that's just not th it's just not gonna happen.
Grant skaggs: Well it's and honestly and I'll spin another way too, 'cause like a part of it like is are people quitting on the team already in terms of like you have a loss, your chances of going to the playoffs or the conference championship, like they're more shakier. A part of it a part I think another part of it is like war in the ACC and eighty percent to ninety percent of these games and the namesake, people don't care. Like Like if it's not Miami, it's not Clemson, it's not Florida State, like people don't give a shit. Like nobody wants to go watch us play NC State or Virginia or Virginia Tech or or Wake Forest for that matter. I mean, no one gives a shit. Like if we if we if we were in another conference, whether Big Ten or SEC, I think you would see imp like attendance improve because there'd be more prestige name wise in the games, but I just don't th I just don't think Louisville fans are attracted to our schedule like at all. And I mean like I'm going to the games and and I'm still like I don't really give a damn about going to watch some of these games 'cause like the the competition and the namesake just doesn't buzz me.
Matt Childress: No, I I get that too, where it's like ticket prices to go to some of these sporting events are so outrageous, especially if you're a seasoned
Grant skaggs: Or crazy.
Matt Childress: ticket holder and you just have no marquee matchups to be excited about. Like I I completely understand that too. it's just the fact of if you really want to sit here and tell me that we can't fill out a sixty five thousand seat stadium, then you're just you're
Grant skaggs: Can't do it.
Matt Childress: lying you're lying to me. Like that that's like I I and and the whole A C C issue is just a whole nother problem because I don't know if you were on Twitter earlier today, but like
Grant skaggs: yeah. I I saw that one tweet. I almost blew up. Like that's I mean
Matt Childress: Basically
Grant skaggs: it's the it's it's the problem with the Louvre brand. It just is. Like, you know, we're not a you know, we're not really a big name anymore as far as like basketball and football is concerned. I mean, we've took a giant dip over the last, you know, decade or so. We're kind of starting to get our name back at that back out there in terms of football and basketball, but it's not like it was in twenty ten or twenty thirteen.
Matt Childress: No, I I mean all basically every media outlet today was talking about the realignment and what where teams can go, this and that. And I mean I was viscerally sick to my stomach the way that I was seeing some of the people lay this shit out. Like and what the ACC was gonna look like. I'm talking one
Grant skaggs: it was bad. It bad.
Matt Childress: of for example, that really caught my eye was the changes to the SEC. They're expecting four ACC teams to go Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. One, I get North Carolina because of the basketball brand, but that also doesn't make any fucking sense to me because you
Grant skaggs: For any other sport.
Matt Childress: because they don't want to keep Duke in the ACC. You know UNC's whole brand is Duke versus UNC. So like that doesn't
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: make any sense to me. Virginia Tech, I mean that makes that doesn't make any sense.
Grant skaggs: Worthless, worthless. Why not good at basketball, not good at football, baseball, not not nothing of value. Noth nothing works over there.
Matt Childress: Florida State is the most dead program I've ever seen in my entire life. Clemson, horrible at basketball, won't fire Debo Sweeney. I I don't like I don't understand. But the point is is that they're keep they w everybody wants to keep Louisville in the ACC, and the best case scenario is they move him to the Big Twelve. Which the Big Twelve would basically stay the same with a couple extra teams like Boise State could move in there, like NDS you can move in there, but most of them have Louisville staying, and that's the worst possible outcome because he I I want
Grant skaggs: No, but it would be it would be the death of it. Like I I c I couldn't do it.
Matt Childress: I want to list some of the teams that they that these people want to
Grant skaggs: god.
Matt Childress: join the ACC. One is Army, another is Navy, Memphis, USF, Tulane, JMU, UConn, Washington, and Oregon State. Th I mean it would genuinely be a a group of five conference. Like it wouldn't need th there's no power four anymore, like
Grant skaggs: I mean we pr I mean it would just be no ordained schedule. That's all it is.
Matt Childress: It it's it's just like and I said this earlier, like I I tweeted this out earlier that you already said it the last decade of problems that not just the Katina Powell stuff, not just the Kenny Payne stuff, not not just like that's basketball side, right? You can you can move on. You know, football is the moneymaker of the United States. The Scott Satterfield era mixed in with that at the exact same time did such irreparable damage to U of L's branding in sports that you're right, we're kind of building up now. Everybody like Pat Kelsey's doing a great job in recruiting, getting Louisville's name out there early on. there's a five star recruit. I forgot what his name is. I had his stuff pulled up a second ago.
Grant skaggs: Jihad Brown.
Matt Childress: Jahad Brown well, yeah, Jah Brown, but I meant like there's a basketball recruit for twenty twenty seven.
Grant skaggs: sorry.
Matt Childress: He's in their top four right now. King Gibson is what I talking about. So he's a he's a number
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: 16 prospect in the 2027 class. He's down to Louisville, Arkansas, LSU, and Providence for next season. It like it's the fact that like Pat Kelsey's getting us on the map early in this season, but the brand isn't recovering because, you know, like he's not doing that well within the regular season, like or in the tournament. Like he's building, he's getting better, he's getting better, and we'll see where that goes. But then the whole Kenny Payne mixed with the Katina Powell stuff, mixed with the Scott Satterfield just not understanding how football works. Like, it just did such damage to the brand of this school and the brand of these teams that when you The conference realignment situation is such an advantageous position for Louisville to be in because if in the next three or four years before this stuff gets enacted, you go out there and you really show your shit, you don't have to win a national championship in football and basketball, but like you you make a playoff or you make the Elite Eight two times or this and like you show that the that the brand is growing and you're bringing money into the university and i it's a hot spot for people to come and play there and it's the the viewership's going up. If you b if you really buckle down and you and you you know show some shit for the next two or three years you're going to get the the the projections that like this team needs to be in the Big Ten this team needs to be in the SEC they they're gonna get this TV deal they have the opportunity to do this and bring these guys there is just it it's like it's like when you when a movie comes out and you go and see it just for fun, you're like holy shit this movie was really good. Why did nobody go see it? And then you realize it hasn't even been marketed for the past six months. They just they just basically shadow dropped it. I something needs to happen and I think the the uncomfortable nature comes from the fact that it needed to happen right now and the clock is ticking and the whole Jeff Brahm blunder situation is just not making it any easier.
Grant skaggs: Yeah, I mean like it like it's gonna come back around towards the end of the season. Like I said, like I think we go on another win streak and we're gonna drop we're gonna drop another game and get even with SMU. we'll pull it back around, but like I mean for the university of Louisville, it's like, you know, basketball, you're competitive again. Football, yep, you're competitive. You've been you've kind of been a college football playoff dark horse for like two or three years now, but again, blunders happen and you haven't gotten across the line. Baseball's always competitive. Going forward, we'll see what the pitching staff looks like with baseball. if they can get it together, they're gonna be a powerhouse again, like they were back in our late 2010s. golf is on the rise, soccer's been playing well. Like we're good at just about every other sport you can think of, but it's just nobody is up to like the superstar level in terms of like they're the school, like they're not the top tier of anything right now. And You know, some some of some of those programs are making their way up, but I mean, you're talking like if you don't make the right decision and make the jump to another decent conference, you could sink the ship. As far as like 'cause like the revenue's not going to be the same. I think attendance would drain out. college athletics is in a really crazy spot right now if they if you really don't take care of your athletic program.
Matt Childress: No, I mean y you're at this point where there's genuine conversation of like making super conferences and like just SEC Big Ten going doing their own thing and like i i it's gonna be them against the world, right? Like and you're just in a spot where when revenue and money rules college sports, you have to make changes. And the ACC is just the last conference to make any changes ever. Like they They physically do not want to change anything because they're scared to death of what's going to happen or what the outcome might be. And now it's finally like they basically were held together by their dominance in basketball for over t two decades. Ever since we were kids. Like ev ever since the big East kinda died, it's just been the ACC running the show in basketball. And like
Grant skaggs: yeah.
Matt Childress: the past three or four years it's been horseshit. It's been terrible. So now their big money maker doesn't exist anymore. The SEC owns that too. It's like, wow, you can legally spend money on players. Now the conference with the most money becomes the the best basketball and football conference. I mean the Big Ten's arguably been the best conference in both the past couple seasons, but you know I mean. It's such a precarious situation because you need money to survive, but there's not money coming in from anywhere. And unless you're in the SEC or in the Big Ten, you really just have to be winning championships to make money. Like you have to be in the upper echelon of every possible sport.
Grant skaggs: And I and honestly, I don't know if they're making money, if we're being completely blunt. I really don't know how much like like winning a national title or anything like that really affects the bottom line. Like I don't think if they are making profit, I really don't think it's that much with how in the red most universities are right now.
Matt Childress: It's it's coming down to the only positive news on the Louisville sports front is the the passing of the what is it, the the Protect College Sports Act that happened the other day.
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: it went through the Senate, it like seventy seven to twenty two or whatever, so it was a pretty resounding win for them. Still has to go to the house to get passed, but I guess a simple breakdown for anybody that doesn't know what it is. I i it basically it limits you to five years of eligibility no matter what. That's your five and five that they already talked about. It's already a thing. you only get one free transfer without penalty, which means you can transfer more than once. It's gonna i whether it'll cost money or it costs years of eligibility, whatever it is, they'll decide that later. But you only get one free transfer and it also limits the amount of NIL any a certain school can spend. Genuinely
Grant skaggs: Mm.
Matt Childress: just overall. So is that gonna be held accountable? Probably not. It's probably just gonna be put in place and then we're gonna go back to the old West where teams are paying people onto the table all over again. It's gonna happen, whatever. But at least it's gonna be somewhat regulated to kinda have a baseline and that's kinda what it's rooting for. And I think that's what, you know, guys like Josh Hurd are rooting for and that's why they're shoveling out so much money right now, just to keep sports alive, keep things going here, because at this point you're seeing what the fan turnout looks like without major success. I literally couldn't imagine what would happen to this university if he was just like, guys, we're just not gonna spend any money for the next six or seven years until this is all settled, and then we'll jump back in. Nope there'd be nobody there. There there there'd be nobody going. It would be a non existent. You you could just cl you could just close sports down at the University of Louisville forever and it probably wouldn't make a difference. I I it's such a depressing situation to be in and I I I feel like That Jeff Braum blundering over Wake Forest is just like the most perfect, well tuned metaphor for the entire situation of what Louisville Sports is going through.
Grant skaggs: Yeah, no, yeah, so I'm right there with you. I mean, we are we are the kings up j at just morale dumping every time we take a loss. 'Cause again in this city, there's not much else. There's you know, it's Louisville athletics, it's you know, it and then outside of that, like maybe you're a Reds fan, you're disappointed about not making the playoffs, or maybe you're a Ravens fan, Steelers fan, you know, so on and so forth. But like, you know, if we take a loss. We have to pretty much soak that shit in until the next Saturday. There is nothing else besides that. we're just like any other fan base. We're just as negative, you when negative things happen, we're down in the absolute dumps. When good things are happening, you know, we're putting linking keyholes on Mount Rushmore. That's just all it is.
Matt Childress: Lincoln Keenholz, unironically, he was getting some hate in that game from people online, which blew my mind because he was genuinely
Grant skaggs: Which is ridiculous. Ridiculous.
Matt Childress: the only person on the field who looked any good. Unless you c I Jalil Skinner, but like it I mean
Grant skaggs: I mean, look, I'll like give Wake Forest their credit. Like they set their edge well. They got into the backfield pretty much all damn day. We couldn't run the ball. Lincoln Keyholz maybe had two or three seconds per play to actually get the ball out. He was kind of running for his life. I especially with what he's shown us the la the last, you know, three or four games. Like, no, I'm not putting that on him. And let alone, you know, we've had to pretty much eat that. It's probably likely that he's not gonna play this weekend from everybody I've talked to.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I mean it's a game he's a game time decision. He was listed as questionable. I I wanna say he's probably not gonna play, but knowing the guy he is,
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: I don't think he won't play. Like I I it depends on how much they really value this NC State team, which we don't they don't have the ability to look over anybody.
Grant skaggs: Yeah, but I don't think I don't think they value this NC State team at all. Like I feel like Vegas is already kinda on it. They've they have set a pretty scary ass spread for this game that I do not like. I just I just don't think we really value this game to put Lincoln out there.
Matt Childress: Yeah, yeah, I I don't think so either. I'm not getting my hopes up. But I mean i even in dude's worst performance in which I felt that like once again, I felt like Jeff Braun was really holding him back. I mean, we didn't rarely ever see him use his legs until the end of the second half, like when we couldn't get anything going. He really sat in the pocket the whole game and I feel like that was a hindrance to him. We never saw him roll out. We never saw him do any of the things that he does when he's comfortable. And I f I don't know if that's a coaching decision, if they're trying to force him to stay back there. I I don't know what it is. But I mean, even in his worst game, the dude threw for three hundred and twenty four yards, one touchdown, one interception, and went twenty seven for thirty six. I mean, like that's that's ninety percent of quarterbacks in the country's one
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: of their best games of the season. Like I I mean
Grant skaggs: Yeah, like I mean, I do think part of it is Jeff Braum trying to like prepare or develop him for the next level in terms of being being a pocket passer 'cause I can like we've seen over the last couple of years, like Jeff Braum coaches pretty just like stiff twatts who just sit in the pocket having almost no athletic ability outside Tyler Shuck with, you know, four broken legs. But I think he's trying to develop him, but I'll I'll honestly I'll give the credit to Wake Forest. They really contain the pocket pretty damn like they got out wide just to keep him overall contain. I mean, it's not anything new. Like Lincoln can kill you with his legs in terms of getting up and down the field. So I will tip my cat off to wake tip my cat to wake for us. They contained him pretty well, but we definitely did any didn't do any favors in terms of A getting the run game going and just letting him unleash a little bit, which yeah, I just the the offensive line, there was so much to be desired though. They they did not give us much during this game.
Matt Childress: No, th they didn't. I I genuinely don't think there was a single level of the ball that played any good in this game. I I think the the
Grant skaggs: No.
Matt Childress: safeties were terrible. Like they did the complete opposite of what they'd been doing. The problem before was that they would bite too early on plays and like that w that was how we were stopping the run game. The this one felt like they just didn't cover anybody. Like they just got to everything way too late. Like they were sitting too deep and they got beat over the top. The D Bs I felt like just I I don't even We we for a team that plays so little man defense, we leave holes in the zone everywhere. I I don't
Grant skaggs: We get burned, burned.
Matt Childress: and it doesn't help that like we're we're rushing five or six dudes at the same time, except for on third down. Except for on third down, we're bringing three
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: guys only and we're putting no pressure on the quarterback, giving up eight years to throw the ball. I I this is another thing I mean I get the whole there's like five hands in the cookie jar on defense.
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: Mark Ivey can't call no more plays. I can't I can't watch it anymore. I don't know what he's doing over there. He genuinely looks like he doesn't understand how momentum works in football. He doesn't it looks like he doesn't there's no system. There's no s like scheme to what's going on. It feels like he just has ask mad and open and is just picking the first option every single time. And I and I don't get it. Like there the defense has actually been so bad. Like I thought twenty twenty four Louville defense was bad, but I felt like there were in big moments they did hold up and played like pretty decently. Th this defense is awful. Like it's terrible.
Grant skaggs: Well then we just like we don't disguise anything. Like you know when the pressure's coming and then you know when we're just sitting back. Like there is no like there is no mixing and matching with it. I know, you know, Coach Ellis is in control of the DBs and 'cause people were giving Ivy shit and people were kind of looking at Ellis like, aren't you the DB's coach slash co coordinator? So he's been getting a little bit more, but the scheming's been awful. The defense can't get off the field. Every third down, it's either a fifteen yard pass down down the w you know, a tight end or a slot receiver sitting right in the middle of the zone for an easy for an easy ball, or it's just a stupid penalty that just pushes them forward. We just can't escape it. We cannot escape it.
Matt Childress: I mean, right now they're listed as the sixty-third best defense in college football, which with
Grant skaggs: That's generous.
Matt Childress: with you have the twenty-ninth best offense. This is this is a random rating. It's based off of a bunch of percentage. This is not like an official rating from anybody, but this is just what this website came up with. But sixty sixty-third is generous. I mean I saw somewhere where they're like in triple digits for Like passing yards per game, rushing yards per game, points per game on the defensive side. I mean, it's it's It's one where you have guys on Twitter genuinely begging Ron English to come back. Like I don't
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: I don't know if there's like a disconnect with what's going on, or I don't know if it's people don't understand their assignment or if there's growing pains because this is almost the exact same defense we had last year, which we had some issues, but was good enough to get a lot of stops in game. I mean, this is the same defensive front and defensive, you know, like defensive personnel. that held a streak of Louisville was one of the best teams on defense in the first quarter where they didn't s they didn't allow a touchdown the first quarter for like two straight seasons. I mean, we can't stop somebody from scoring for thirty five seconds. I I can't
Grant skaggs: No.
Matt Childress: it it it in like does it come up if you're if you are a if you are a casual or a neutral fan and you're not watching every one of Louisville foot Louis Louisville's football games, I don't know what you're doing. Because these are the most exciting games on the planet
Grant skaggs: It's just electric, yeah.
Matt Childress: It it's a complete shootout all over the place. Something physically has to change. Whether whether your idea of success is still somehow making the playoff AC championship, because it is still possible. Like you got a big win in the season already. You're just outside top 25. There are other ways. There's other avenues, right? We saw the the ACC is a complete fucking mess. So like we know th teams are gonna fall off. We know what's gonna happen. Still possible. If that is still possible. in your head. If that is still the idea of that success for us this year, you have to make some serious, serious changes to defense at this point, whether it's who's calling the plays, who the personnel out are on the field, whatever it is, or just a schematic change, whatever your philosophy, your identity is, it's just the same conversation we were having last season in basketball with PK. Where's like something has to change. Like It's not that we're going out there and we're losing. In basketball, we were getting our ass beat by anybody with the pulse. This def this football team has a good enough offense to beat genuinely any team in the country. They will put up points against anybody in the country. It does not matter. They have the talent. They have the play calling. They have the ability. I mean, we're playing a con we're playing a game of football that Grant, you and I are talking about I feel like we're playing conservatively and we're putting up forty points a game. You know what I mean? Like that should be good enough. to get you at least eleven and one. Like I I can't the defense is just it's just been awful.
Grant skaggs: It's I mean it's I mean it's like and like you can it's boom like it's you can we can get beat defensively any way you please. Gash us with the run, just I mean zone drops all the way down the field, or we just get sixty yard bombs up. It's part I mean a part of it is guys just completely missing assignments, guys completely missing tackles, or guys just can't comp can't complete a tackle in the backfield and we let the we let the quarterback run out and roll out and get a wide open guy or You know, we just spear somebody in the face 15 yards out of bounds. I mean, it's they're gonna have to make a change at some point. And and like this NC State game coming up, I mean, I'll be honest, like NC State is doo doo butter. Like they are not a good squad. I don't feel good about this game. I hate to say that. Like, I don't feel good about and this this NC State team, it's fucking awful.
Matt Childress: I haven't I don't feel good about this game either. We talked about it earlier. I I think the spread right now is still Louisville minus three and a half.
Grant skaggs: It's three and a half, I just checked it.
Matt Childress: That is the biggest trap spread I've ever seen in my entire life. Like i it it if you would have if NC State would have played Louisville last week and you flopped those games, Louisville would be about a twenty point favorite in this football game after how they've lost their past couple games. NC State played their last matchup against App State last weekend and it went to a shootout. It was hold on, I have it I have it right here. Forty one to thirty one went over Ap State. Like the team could put some points up, but their defense is horrendous. Like this I I just you they had one of the worst losses in college football history that I've literally ever seen in my entire life. And it doesn't help that this might be the longest worst injury report I've ever seen a football team have in the history of their university. I mean, I have
Grant skaggs: Yeah. Yep. It's bad.
Matt Childress: to s I have to scroll to watch it. Like the players that are probable Kewan Brown, AJ Green, and War O'Neal. That might have been updated. This is from yesterday. It might be more now. Questionable. Dalen Russell, Elijah Lewis, DJ Waller Jr., Loweine McCoy, Collin Jr. Lincoln Keenholes. Four starters on that list are questionable. One being, you know, Lincoln Keenholz. Out, Sam Dawson, Hamilton Atkins, Montavian Quisenberry, Sam Seacrest, Ellis McAdoo, Brighton Close, Jacob Baker, Travis Egan, Bullet East Boy, Antonio Watts.
Grant skaggs: We're still waiting for Travis Egan to play. This fucker's been out all season. I need to see my boy shine.
Matt Childress: I think there's something behind the scenes going on with Travis Egan where they're just conserving this man's eligibility for like year ten and he's just gonna come out and be the most developed Q B ever.
Grant skaggs: Yeah. They see they saw what happened at Tyler Sharp and they're just making sure it doesn't happen again.
Matt Childress: He's gonna be like a thirty four year old Q B starting for Louisville and he's just gonna he's gonna
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: piece everybody up. But it this just the only positive statistic I've seen was I saw one earlier on Twitter is that Louisville teams coming off of a blunder loss have outscored their opponents like sixty to nine.
Grant skaggs: Yeah. Like I said, like I you
Matt Childress: But the
Grant skaggs: know, like I expect us to go win five in a row and then UNC's the is the game on the schedule where like I it's the second blunder.
Matt Childress: And UNC has a really good defense. So like that doesn't make me like for a team that can't stop anybody and gives up big plays out the asshole, it makes me terrified to think of playing a team of a competent defense. Like 'cause we really thought Ole Miss had a good defense going into the season. That defense is buns. It's terrible.
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: Their defense is bad. I I I It really sucks, man, because we watched us play Old Miss, high powered offense, score a lot of points on us. SMU, incredibly high powered offense, one of the best offenses in the country score a lot of points on us, and we literally talked we're like, you know, maybe we just got a tough draw at the beginning of the season, you know, maybe we really hadn't seen us play against some average talent on the offensive end. No, it's just really this bad. Like it's it's it's extremely disappointing to see where we're going and the it like The issues here are it doesn't look like things that are improvable. Like it doesn't look like things that throughout the season we'll figure out. It genuinely looks like massive shortcomings on one side of the ball that we're just gonna have to deal with just like twenty twenty four and Tyler Shaw. I I guess it c for me I mean no matter what you've set yourself up for, you could win this game by sixty five points and nobody would give a shit. Like I I think
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: y you're at the point where be f after you beat SMU, we already talked, it was all it was all out in front of you. You have the easiest schedule in college football. You know, you got all like everything is ahead of you. And you actually had some help. Whereas like some of the ACC teams out there are appro are performing above expectations. So some of your games down the line might end up being ranked matchups and might end up meaning more than they are. For example, this weekend Virginia Tech and Pit play. This is the first time in FBS college football history, two four and teams fr from my power conference are playing each other and neither of them are ranked. Like i if I if that was two SEC teams, I don't care if it's UK and Mississippi State, they'd be top twenty programs. Like they they like they would put in there easily. It'd be college game day the next week. Two four and teams in the ACC are unranked playing against each other. Like you have the ability that some of these teams to the end of your row end of the line can bolster your resume even more and you can really take advantage of this and not only be, you know Pushing for AC championship type level play, but you can beat an at large bid in the College 12 playoff alongside Miami. And it's just you create this mountain for yourself. Last season got out of the it got out of hand. You could see dudes giving up. Nobody on the team gave a shit anymore. Lost to Cal, lost to Clemson. You know they're gonna wake up for Kentucky, which is I guess nice, but like it's just the feeling of Every single time you get a good win, you feel like you have to pay it back. Just I mean, it ruins the sport. Like I I and I I can't stand anymore. I can't stand Phil.
Grant skaggs: Yeah, no. Yeah, you're absolutely right.
Matt Childress: to get out of the the Debbie Downer for the week. I I I I guess we'll go ahead and w finish off this segment with so looking towards NC State, I mean, I I I don't really feel like giving like predictions out for this. I I mean it's this is one where Louisville should take care of business. This NC State team and you already said they're terrible. They're they're they're buns. If you've out there watched any of N C State play, you've definitely seen at least one play of it against Vanderbilt. It's really they're really bad. CJ Bailey is just not the quarterback that people thought he was going to become. He looks like he's almost regressing. with the Wolfpack, their fans on Twitter are non-existent. They literally want them to lose. Like they're basically
Grant skaggs: Wow, yeah.
Matt Childress: sitting in the hotel cuck chair begging us to go into their hometown and beat the shit out of them. So besides making a score prediction and thinking of MVP and all this stuff, what is something that can happen in this game that would basically Maybe not give you a full 180 on the season, but make you think like, okay, this is salvageable.
Grant skaggs: Probably six sacks and giving le giving up less than ten.
Matt Childress: You think it's that extreme?
Grant skaggs: Yeah. Yeah. It's been it's been multiple games. Our defensive line hasn't shown any sort of life. The secondary and the top of our defense non existent for again every single game we've played this season. Offensively, I know what we are. Like we're gonna put up points no matter how conservative we are. The running game's there. We have you know, we have special players at at tight end receiver. I'm not worried about the quarterback position. You know, we'll see if Briggs Cherries or Dwyinder go out there this weekend. But I mean defensively, it's the only thing it's the only thing that matters at this point is is defense. If we can't if we can't get stops, it doesn't matter. Like it doesn't matter. And like at the end of the day, like if this defense can't do anything, we're gonna end up in the pop tarts bowl again. Like, and no one's gonna give a rat's ass.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I I mean I'm right there with you. For me, it's like the defensive line just needs to wake up. I mean, like somebody needs to light a fire under these dudes. Understand that like, dude, you're a division one college wall player, it's getting paid, like you're gonna you're playing in a power conference. I I feel like we look like a group of five team playing on a defensive line out there. I I it's just it'd be different. Like last season we got beat over the top a lot. But you counteracted that with having one of the best like edge rushing attacks in the country. Like d d if you took more than two seconds in the pocket, you were getting sacked. Like it didn't there was no there was no if, ands, or buts about it. We can't get dudes enough time to get in the backfield because dudes are so open early on in the play. And it doesn't help because w it doesn't help that every other team's run game has their best game of the season against us because I mean just gaping holes in the defensive line. I mean, I'm seeing these dudes shoot out of a cannon as soon as they hit they hit the B gap. Like I I I we're not plugging the the line of scrimmage. We're not showing any fight at all up front. We're just hoping our team just shoots our way out of it. I need, I need to see some dominance on a defensive front for once. I I'm not expecting the first drive to go out there and get a twenty yard sack. Like I I feel like what I'm asking for is very simple. of a team that spent this much money in the offseason. I mean, just show some dominance on the defensive side just against an inferior team one single time. And I'm gonna go back to what I said earlier. I mean, the history about Brahm after losing some of these games is pretty good. So I'm hoping it sticks up to it. I'm hoping but at the same time is there are there's no room for mistakes anymore. You you you've you've run out of losses. It's over. Because the Ole Miss loss, there's no more talking of like Yeah, they lost early in the season, but it was a really close game to a top ten program, possibly a college ball at the playoff team. Like there's no more talk about that anymore because you lost Wake Forest. If you don't lose to Wake Forest, you still have the good loss on your resume. Now it's just like a Was Ole Miss that defense really that good?
Grant skaggs: No.
Matt Childress: Or like isn't it's you you you've lost the grace period's over. You have to handle business and like I'm not one to give up on anything. There's such a long season left to go. We don't know how the ACC's gonna turn out. We don't know I think the SEC looks pretty lackluster this season. I think the Big Ten has looked lackluster this season. I really don't know going into the playoff who's gonna be the top dog going into it. It's very interesting to see. I actually think the A C C has overperformed a little bit. I still think it's great, but I think they've done a little bit better of a job than people give them credit for. but i it's it comes down to can Can you really rally the troops and really buy yourself in and I mean to defend the football team a little bit, it really doesn't help when your fans don't show up. Like it just it just it doesn't
Grant skaggs: Yeah, yeah.
Matt Childress: it doesn't help. I I I can't get over it. I I felt like just even two years ago, there w I mean I I felt like the first season and a half of Jeff Braun being here, I genuinely was like, I think we have one of the best home environments in college football. Like we don't lose at home. Like, if you're a good team coming in to LNN stadium, you don't win. Like, it just doesn't happen. Like, there's it's such a great environment. It's fully bought in. The fans are there. And like that's why the alley's here now. We got all these things around the tailgate's huge. It's just it's died and I genuinely think it's died solely because of the like people are just waiting for Brahm to get over the hump and it just it just hasn't happened. It just it just unfortunately it just unfortunately hasn't happened. So
Grant skaggs: Yeah. Unfortunately, I gotta agree with you.
Matt Childress: But on a positive note, before we get to the final act here of the podcast, Thursday football's on. It is the
Grant skaggs: It's a shit show.
Matt Childress: it's a shit show so far. It's the Steelers versus the Browns. speaking of the Steelers, did you tune into Mike Tomlin's Minecraft stream the other day?
Grant skaggs: I didn't, but he's put in that work. I saw some clips. I saw what the city was like. I saw people pull up the stats pre and post Minecraft. That shit's hilarious.
Matt Childress: Did you see the one the tweet today from his son who was like, I'd come home, my PlayStation's gone, I wasn't even in trouble? Like his it's like I g it his Minecraft video has already generated more views than like I think it was Monday Night Football the other night. So i this man Mike Tomlin, I saw so many tweets this week this night today they were like, There's definitely been about at least one play in the Steelers history. Or he just wasn't locked in. He was thinking about what building he was gonna put up in Minecraft when he got home. Like I can't
Grant skaggs: yeah. I mean they I mean they did like the stats like before he started Minecraft versus after he started Minecraft and it was like, you know, he was like nine and three in the playoffs, Super Bowl champion,
Matt Childress: Yeah.
Grant skaggs: over like over seventy five percent win percent. And then he started Minecraft. He went three and nine in the playoffs, went over five hundred like twice. I mean, good on him. There's an MLS stadium in the Minecraft world. Like he's done a great job.
Matt Childress: You know that you know that meme, it's like Lizzo with her shirt off, it's like beautiful, strong
Grant skaggs: Ta
Matt Childress: queen, and the other side it's Rick Ross's shirt off, it's like it's like put a shirt on, bro. Like
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: like like Mike Tomlin is Lizzo in this, and then Kyler Murray is Rick Ross. Like Kyler
Grant skaggs: yeah.
Matt Childress: Murray does it and there's a problem. Mike Tomlin is throwing the Steelers' seasons away for his Minecraft realm and i i it's perfectly fine. It's fun and it's quirky, but that that's just been like the biggest turn for sports in me.
Grant skaggs: Can we can we can we name this episode the same thing he named his shit? Penthouses,
Matt Childress: What was it again? I I don't remember what he named it.
Grant skaggs: buildings and something. I don't know. Penthouse was definitely
Matt Childress: I'll have to
Grant skaggs: part of it.
Matt Childress: I I'll look it up and yeah, I'll put it on there. But I just wanted to touch on that. I thought it was super funny from this week. But moving on to possibly the only true positive part of the podcast, and it's because it's really the only thing that's gone well the past couple weeks. our our
Grant skaggs: What Dante Moore's alive?
Matt Childress: Dante Moore is unfortunately almost an unfortunately, fortunately
Grant skaggs: He's unfortunately alive? Shit.
Matt Childress: Fortunately, Dante Moore is alive. That was one of the dirt like the nastiest hits I've literally ever seen. I mean, that dude was curling his fingers on the ground. But it's time to go on to the helmet bed of the week. I remember what our what was our one last week? yeah, and that thing Yeah, it wasn't even close.
Grant skaggs: One easy. Easy. I think I went three and again last week. The the helmet bets were are we three or four or four or five? We only missed one. Three or
Matt Childress: We're three of four right now, I believe.
Grant skaggs: four cooking pretty hard right now.
Matt Childress: So I think for I think I went first last week. So I'll let you start us off this week. What was your first pick for the helmet bet of the week?
Grant skaggs: So I mean going off last week, I I you know, I talked last week about kind of how I feel I did honestly did not feel good about any of the games. I end up going three and on all my picks. I think I feel even worse about this week. There's Vegas is doing some things at this this week that are just there's a lot of lines that just don't make any sense whatsoever. So I'm trying to play the field a little bit. But a mo a lot of my picks I'm very concerned over. So the first one, I've already been burned on them one time this year versus Mississippi State. I already have their helmet on over there in the corner. But this line doesn't make any damn sense. It's South Carolina minus two and a half against Kentucky. South Carolina.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I saw that line earlier.
Grant skaggs: South Carolina has been Astastic. They dropped to Mississippi State. They got their shit whacked at Alabama. In nobody's right mind, would anybody think they would be still a favorite over Kentucky? I mean, don't get wrong, Kentucky still really hasn't played anybody this year. Texas AM was really, really disappointing again this this past week. They're just not that great with Marcel Reed. But I'm gonna take the Gangkoks at home. The line doesn't make sense. I don't have any stats to convince you about it. It's just something where I'm just going against I just think Vegas is cooking with something here.
Matt Childress: No, I mean, I I agree with you. I'm not fully bought in on the Wildcats just yet. I their defense is immaculate. I they're tied in the SEC for the most interceptions in the league with Alabama. I think of six already. But i I I don't think they have like a true identity just yet. Like they struggle with South Alabama through the entirety of the first half. I think the
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: first half ended like seven to seven or something like that. And then they finally kind of all both offenses got going the second half. Texas AM, like you said, I think they're on fraud watch for the entire country. I don't think anybody believes in that anymore. Alabama put the absolute boots to them in the second half of the first game or the second game of the season. I'm not bought in on the Wildcats just yet. I I know that the SEC is really pushing on them right now. They broke the top twenty five for the first time in like five years this week, so good for them, I guess. But I I don't hate it, especially because like they just can't win in Columbia. Like they just can't. I I I don't remember the last time they went to South Carolina, won a football game, even they're against really
Grant skaggs: I mean they I mean yeah, they lost their last time and that South Carolina team was bad too.
Matt Childress: Yeah, they got the belt put to them last year in South Carolina. I so I I don't mind that pick. Are you just taking a money line or are you taking the spread?
Grant skaggs: I'm taking spread, I'm taking minus two and a half. Which
Matt Childress: Okay.
Grant skaggs: is damn near a pick'em to be honest.
Matt Childress: My first one and it's probably the one that I actually feel the most confident in. And I'm taking the under in Pittsburgh versus Virginia Tech. I mean, this is
Grant skaggs: I I actually did see that. Virginia Tech is playing some nasty ass football. Like Haramball level football. Like this it's ugly as hell.
Matt Childress: I mean, that's just what James Franklin does. Like you gotta think this is
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: a dude who tried to develop Drew Aller into a NFL level quarterback. Like these like James Franklin teams don't put up points unless they have the number one running back in the country going into the draft. Unless they have a Nick Singleton or a Sequan Barkley or like they don't put up a lot of points. And then you're going up against probably if
Grant skaggs: Boston College. They they they barely got by Boston College and now yeah, you're going against Pittsburgh, which I actually like Pittsburgh in this game. They're just you know, Patton Arduozi, like his guys are gonna be ready. Like they're hard nosed, they don't have a lot of resources, but they're always ready to play ball.
Matt Childress: I Pat Narduzzi's also like the most defensive head coach of in college
Grant skaggs: yeah.
Matt Childress: football. That man literally would not recruit offensive players if he didn't have to. The one thing I would actually lean towards Virginia Tech in this matchup for is that because James Franklin's problem is he can't win the ranked games. He can't win the big games. But he wins a lot of the unranked games. Like i if you put a team, he's like the opposite of the Jeff Brahm effect, where like if you put a team up there They could be nine and but if they don't have a number next to their name, James Franklin will run him out of the r run him out the stadium. But as soon as you put a top twenty-five ranking up there, he shits down his pants. So mine, I'm not taking any winner in this. I think it's a stinker of a game. I think it's
Grant skaggs: I don't mind the
Matt Childress: it's fifty-four and a half. I'm taking the under.
Grant skaggs: I don't mind it. My next pick coming up. I think US USC's got a couple guys suspended for this next game. I think after losing losing to Oregon, I think the Lincoln Riley ship is is probably gonna set sail after this season's done. They really needed that win after last week. I think this I think they're I mean their fan base is worse than we are. I think they don't give a shit anymore. I'm gonna take Washington to roll in there and at least cover the spread. I'm gonna buy a point up. I'm gonna take it at Washington plus ten and a half.
Matt Childress: I don't ha I don't I don't mind it at all. I Washington's actually hasn't played horrendous this year, at least from what I was keeping up with.
Grant skaggs: No. Desmond Williams is still there. They're solid. They started out this year rank. I and they, you know, they had some trouble along the way. But I mean, USC just I don't think it matters who you have on offense in regards to USC. They're just gonna give up points.
Matt Childress: my second pick, this one is kind of a stinker. This is kind of a vibes pick for me. I'm taking Auburn plus seven and a half against Tennessee this weekend. I I do not believe in this Josh Hybel Tennessee team. I think they're buns. I think they're bad.
Grant skaggs: And you believe in the Auburn team?
Matt Childress: I believe in the Auburn team to cover the spread. I I I like seven and a half.
Grant skaggs: no.
Matt Childress: I I mean it's gonna I I don't think That Auburn is gonna be soft enough where they just let Josh Heipel do what he wants, where because Josh Heidel's teams always wanna go through the air. They always want to kind of, you know, go over the top on you. I think that they'll have a real struggle doing that against this Auburn football team. I don't think it's gonna be I don't think Auburn's gonna come out here and shock anybody and win this game. I just think they're gonna make it they're gonna muddy it up. And I just don't see Tennessee I just don't believe in this Tennessee team. I think this is one of the worst ones he's had in his tenure so far. I don't think they're good.
Grant skaggs: I mean I'm not gonna it was it seven and a half?
Matt Childress: Seven and a half.
Grant skaggs: I mean it's it's at Tennessee.
Matt Childress: let me double check.
Grant skaggs: I mean, I would imagine it's it has to be a tennis for just plus seven and a half.
Matt Childress: think it is at Tennessee.
Grant skaggs: I mean the I s I mean the Auburn I mean that Auburn
Matt Childress: Either way, like I
Grant skaggs: team like it's getting better. Like they weren't real convincing in their win against Vanderbilt last week. I took them in money line. they looked awful against Florida. They just they still have not figured out Byron Brown yet. They I mean it's not hard to figure out Byron Brown's throwing mechanics are bad. He's just a super athlete who you just need to let him rock.
Matt Childress: Yeah.
Grant skaggs: it's just two bad football teams. I I don't hate the pick mainly 'cause like Tennessee's just
Matt Childress: This is the this is the
Grant skaggs: like I think t it's 'cause like Tennessee, I think I'm comfortable with them holding Auburn at bay offensively. I just there's nothing offensively there that I give a shit about as far as Tennessee.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I mean, this is the one that I feel the worst about, but I just thi I feel like this game is gonna be similar to how like the Kentucky Auburn game was last year, where it's just like the most horrendous football game you've ever had to watch in your lifetime, and
Grant skaggs: Mm-hmm.
Matt Childress: then some team just gets like a forty yard touchdown and ends it and it ends like seven to three. Like I I
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: I just don't like Josh Heipel's whole thing is like they've had this incredible offense like with Hendon Hooker. Can you can just sling it down seventy yards downfield and somebody's gonna be down there to beat you to catch it. But he just doesn't have like the athletes on that side of the football right now. Like I just don't think the team is is that great. But that's just my second one. So you go ahead and give me your second.
Grant skaggs: This next one, again, I'm just going against logic. I'm going against the public. I'm actually gonna go here, let me find out what was the number real quick. I'm taking I'm taking under sixty and a half points in the Bama Mississippi State game. It's the one that doesn't make sense. You're gonna fully expect Keelon Russell and Camario Taylor to lose their absolute damn minds. Both their over unders are like over three hundred and ten yards. Every single game for Miss for Mississippi State has been a absolute shootout. It's been glorious to watch them play. Alabama's put up a some crazy scores the last couple weeks. It just makes total sense. This game's a blunder.
Matt Childress: I really like that pick because I actually am kind of going against the grain on this one. I really think that this is the week that Kamario Taylor like kind of wakes up to reality. Like and like I I really think that Alabama's success on the offensive side of the ball has kind of shadowed how good this defense is. Like we've
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: seen how incredible Georgia's been, and they've kind of been like the defensive monster in the SEC this season so far. But Alabama has been I mean, putting their teams in a chokehold. Like besides the first half against Kentucky, they really haven't given anybody an inch for any i So and this is one where it's a Mississippi State team that I don't wanna use the phrase like untested because that's not true. I think Gamaro Taylor
Grant skaggs: They're n I mean they're they're sim they're not. I mean they had their first like here's the thing, like Missouri, it feels like Missouri every year
Matt Childress: Missouri's fraudulent. I don't I don't believe in that team.
Grant skaggs: no, Missouri every year is ranked twenty-fifth. And it's like they're supposed to be the like the living test for how good an SEC team is. Like any team that's kind of like on the ropes of being good, you always beat Missouri. That's how it always is. Missouri is always there in the top. 24 25 every single year and never deserves it. they're overrated. that South Carolina team, they they came back and beat obviously not great. but again, I mean they're talented. Camaro Taylor's electric. He he goes full Zach Kessler from five yards out and throws bullets, but got his long ball is just you know it's the Russell Wilson moon ball. I mean, it's impressive. But you know, I think I think it will be a come to Jesus meeting for him this weekend.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I that's that's you know it could end up being a full shootout. It could end up being Camaro Taylor really cements himself as a Heisman candidate. I just think that this is gonna be the one where like you're gonna see like, okay, this is still Mississippi State against Alabama. Like, you know, it might be a close game for a little bit, but I think kinda like the Kentucky game, second half, they kinda get whipped into shape and Alabama kinda puts their foot on the throw and slows it down a little bit. Especially 'cause I mean, in that Missouri game, like Mario Taylor didn't look fantastic in the first half. Second half is kind of where he started cooking. so I don't hate that pick at all. I I don't I don't hate at all. my last pick, we kind of we just spoke on this team already. This is another spread that kind of blew my mind. Jaden Ball is the best running back I've seen in college football since Saquon Barkley.
Grant skaggs: Yeah, yeah.
Matt Childress: Florida is gonna run Missouri by thirty five and the spread is minus five and a half. I genuinely don't know what Missouri is gonna do to slow down this Florida offense. Like I I mean, John Summerall has these dudes looking like like I don't even what was the lat like like two like twenty ten Florida? Like I mean these dudes look ridiculous.
Grant skaggs: I mean it's it's prime I mean it's prime time Urban Meyer swamp territory. I mean they're they're rolling right now. It was just it was one of those things where like I was almost offended by the spread line. Like it's very trappish to me. Like it there's no w to me, there's no way the line is that small. And like I get it. Missouri kinda gets three points from it for being at home. But I don't see how Florida just doesn't roll through. I mean, they're a running game. in respect to Philo, he's made some plays down the road, but I mean Baugh is he's a different breed, man. I mean, two plus touchdowns every single game this season, almost over a hundred and thirty or a hundred and fifty yards every single game this season. I mean, I mean, they've been unstoppable.
Matt Childress: Yeah, I mean it's w they have one of the best offensive lines in the country. It's not even close in ball. I mean, returning off of like a twelve hundred yard season last year, I mean, the dude is
Grant skaggs: Who was not even respected for it?
Matt Childress: No, he was I mean, that Florida team was not good and like he was kind of the one shining moment there. But John Summerall brought back the dudes he needed to bring back and reloaded this team and I mean, in Gainesville, I I mean, as a Florida resident Walking around town, like I live in South Florida, like but not south enough to be Gainesville, not south enough to be near the swamp. The vibes of people on Saturday is something that like I had not felt of a of a Florida fan in y I saw a dude the like this Saturday, which funny story, like Paul and his family was in town this weekend, so we hung out on Saturday for them. So I had to watch the game like on my phone all day and like follow it around. But We went to downtown, I it was Safety Harbor, which is a little like an hour away from me. It's like near Clearwater. and I mean, dudes like I had never seen so many grown men down to the socks in orange. Like down literally shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, hat, and then it's like this, you know, very attractive woman next to her in this really nice outfit, go into like a brunch spot and do just orange down to the socks, like ready to go for the weekend. I mean The vibes in Gainesville are going crazy and I completely understand it. I mean, they beat the absolute breaks off of Ole Miss this weekend. That was an embarrassment. I the I I I genuinely didn't like this is the like the opposite of what you were saying with the South Carolina and Kentucky game. Like Vegas has to know something on this that I don't like Jane Ball is like has one leg now and won't tell anybody and then it's gonna drop it five minutes before the game. I I
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: genuinely don't see how they don't cover this and just soar over it. Five and a half is is abysmal.
Grant skaggs: Yeah, it's I mean, it's kinda giving me the the Michigan Oklahoma vibes. where, you know, you couldn't really quite comprehend why Michigan was you know, only like a three point underdog or something like that. So it's one of those things like in my mind, like it should be like a thirty one eighteen type of rumble. but yeah, I'm right there with you. Vegas knows something here. I just don't know what.
Matt Childress: Well that's my three. You got one more for us?
Grant skaggs: I I gave three.
Matt Childress: you gave yeah, 'cause you went first. You went first. Okay.
Grant skaggs: Now out of my three, what do I think's my favorite? I think my favorite is under sixty and a half. Alabama, Mississippi State.
Matt Childress: Alabama. Yeah, I really like that one. I'm torn between the Pit and Virginia Tech Under and the Florida spread. Those are the two that like if you wanted to take either of those, I'd be fine with literally either of them. I think I feel
Grant skaggs: See?
Matt Childress: more comfortable with the pit Virginia Tech Under because
Grant skaggs: I was gonna say I feel more comfortable with the pit Virginia Tech.
Matt Childress: Ca like I think like I don't like I think that Florida spread's in insane, but like I said, there's some stank on it that like
Grant skaggs: There's something there I d 'cause like yeah, there's something there I don't know of and I'm not trying to get burnt on the like the the upset of the week. So I think Virginia Tech Pittsburgh Unders, I think that one's pretty rock solid.
Matt Childress: You wanna take that one?
Grant skaggs: I think I'll take that one.
Matt Childress: All right, we can do that this week. other than that, I mean, there was some like a little bit of basketball news that like we can touch on. I mean they're they're kinda like right now releasing all of the workout videos and everybody's getting really excited. for like the ACC Media Day is they're about to do, I saw that it's Flori Badunga and Adrian Wooley are gonna be like our representatives for it this year. Adrian Wooly has gotten some like serious, serious love in this offseason.
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: Like not just from like outlets, but like the team in general is putting his face everywhere. So like that makes me really confident in that situation. I you know, I don't want to go too long into this 'cause we've already been doing we're over an hour and ten minutes already, but early on prediction, with all the new additions, with some of the guys that are coming back, who do you think is gonna be the fan favorite for Louisville basketball this year?
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: 'Cause it looks like Seth Tremble's gonna play. From what I'm seeing and hearing, it looks like he's
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: gonna end up playing.
Grant skaggs: It's one of those things, like who do I want it to be? I want it to be Woolley. But then a weird spot in me think it's gonna be Deshaun Montgomery. Yeah.
Matt Childress: You think so? I could see that.
Grant skaggs: He I think he's just gonna be like an X Factor guy. But at the end of the day, if Seth Trimble plays with how he's looked at Carolina, I'd it'd be shocked if it wasn't him. I think he represent a lot, he represents a lot of what Lul has craved in the past as far as like you know, that Chucky Hepburn bill, like. Strong, athletic, kind of defensive minded, hard nosed. I think I think he'll get along well with the fans.
Matt Childress: I could definitely see that. I think that Deshayne Montgomery brings a lot to the table. His athleticism and his defensive ability. I think for me, I as well also wanted to be Adrian Wooley. he's a guy who didn't have to come back here. There was plenty of schools around the S SEC and other power conferences that wanted to pay him serious money to come play there and with some serious minutes. And he came here and took a backup role. Like he told PK he's like, I don't mind coming off the bench. And there's been other people stepping up. Talking about like, hey, it's no joke. Like the culture at Louisville is one of the best in the country. We love playing there. We love the guys. And it shows that like, hey, man, like PK is one of the best in the is one of the best in the business at bringing these guys in and really, you know, leading a brotherhood. I'm excited to see where it goes. I wanted as well to be Adrian Wooley. If I had to pick someone else. think I I think Carter Knox has a really good chance. I think that he has if he stays
Grant skaggs: It could if he stays healthy more than anything.
Matt Childress: healthy, yeah, I think he has that kind of like boomer bust ability out there where like we're gonna see some games where it's gonna be the Carter Knox show and there's gonna be some games where, you know, he might sit in the corner like a cow team, you know, like but I think that he's gonna be a guy who's gonna have the energy to be able to do that. If I had to make a serious yes, I think it's gonna end up being Adrian Woolley. I think he's won the trust over with everybody. But I am Really excited for this basketball season. We're getting closer and closer. I the Pacers play seven days from now. Like the NBA's finally back. I'm excited for that. Our we get to see Tyrese Halliburton for the first time in over three hundred and sixty five days. That that one Twitter account every single day posts how many days until Tyrese Halliburton's return. I literally almost broke down in tears when I saw that it was seven days away today when he tweeted it out. I I'm so excited. The team looks it's gonna be nice having NBA that I give a shit about again. I also saw that Obina Kezier is finally done with his rehab. He's back to full practice now. PK is like leaning really hard on him right now, and he thinks he's gonna be a big piece for this team. I've seen a lot of people hyping up Booyan Jong in the offseason saying that
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: he's doing really well. So this team's gonna have some depth. I'm really excited to see what happens, especially with John Anderjek kind of leading the whole like they're kind of running like a football style, like he's gonna be the defensive coordinator kind of guy. I'm really excited for basketball this year. I I actually feel like I'm more optimistic this year than I was last year. I feel like we kinda went into the portal, not just with players, but in coaching staff as well and made some changes that were necessary. And seems like PK kind of fessed up and announced that like I know what the problems are. We're gonna fix them. So I'm excited, but I'm cautiously hopeful because I'm not gonna really believe in anything until I truly see it. But other than that, you got anything else you want to touch on before we get out of here?
Grant skaggs: Mm. I think I'm good.
Matt Childress: All right, well, that was, you know, very depressing episode that we've had to do. hopefully next week we'll
Grant skaggs: Yeah. Break Sherry leads us to greatness.
Matt Childress: I think he's gonna end up playing. I think Lincoln Heel's gonna play. I think they're doing it as a precaution i in case something maybe develops and he gets worse than we think he is. Didn't feel good about what Jeff Brahms said about him. He's like, I don't want to comment on it. I'm not gonna speak on what's going
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: on. Didn't like that at all. But I think he ends up playing. I mean, I think if you're someone and maybe you have some insider knowledge on if he's gonna play or not. I would put all your money on Louvre Spread because as soon as Lincoln Keenholes gets announced, that spread's gonna go up by like ten. Like so
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: there's probably free money there for you, but that's really all I got. next week, hopefully we have something really fun to talk about. we'll get to do some our first like NBA preview of the season, which will be fun. baseball offseason so far is or postseason has been terrible. I mean, the Yankees just beat the shit out of the Red Sox back to back day. It's like everybody's getting blown out.
Grant skaggs: Yeah.
Matt Childress: So, I mean, baseball is just in a such a horseshit state right now. Like it's really bad. But yeah, so we'll see you guys next week. Probably around Thursday once again. I want to get back to doing two a week if we can find time, but it's just just been really hard. So Thursday's kind of been the sweet spot. But yeah, we'll see you guys no matter what next week. we'll talk to you guys later. Go cards.
Grant skaggs: No guards.