Tackling Traditions: College Football's New Era of Challenges and Champions

Prepare to be blitzed by our fiery debate on the college football playoffs and the chaos the transfer portal has unleashed upon the sacred Bowl season! We tackle the tough questions: Can Michigan's impenetrable defense withstand Washington's offensive juggernaut? Is the pay-for-play model, the controversial offspring of the NIL era, going to upend decades of college sports tradition? Our no-holds-barred discussion takes you through the twists and turns of the playoffs, the impact of coaching legends like Jim Tressel, and the strategic plays that make or break a national championship.

Strap in as we dissect the power plays between college football's Goliaths—Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State—and the underdog triumphs that have us all rethinking the meaning of a 'super team.' Feel the ground shake as we debate whether Michigan or Washington will emerge victorious in the national championship—with our predictions based on the latest intel and our signature blend of expertise and enthusiasm. We're not just talking touchdowns; we're talking the future of the game itself. And remember, the conversation doesn't end here—catch us on "Three Guys Around a Table" for more unfiltered insights on the day's hottest topics.

Transcript

Speaker 2 0:06

The Beer Brothers proudly present the best of a podcast about the best of everything, from the mundane to the ridiculous. Just three buddies sitting around the car table talking about things that absolutely matter to no one.

Speaker 1 0:20

Welcome to the New Year, boys. It is now 2024 unbelievably so and we are going to talk about the college football playoffs that just happened. We're going to review what happened and we're going to preview the final game. Before we get started, though, we're going to also mention that we're going to have a second podcast coming out soon, and everyone needs to be on the lookout for that. This podcast is all about the best of, where we just talk about the best of everything, and we realized as we started doing this that we like to talk about all kinds of things. So this next podcast, the second podcast that we're going to do, is going to be called Three Guys Around a Table, and we are going to just talk about the topics of the day and have some fun doing it, so be on the lookout for that. My name is Mark.

Speaker 2 1:10

I'm Chris, I'm Greg.

Speaker 1 1:12

And we are the beer brothers and this is the best of and the best of college football. We've discussed throughout the course of this year a couple different times, but now that the playoffs and the playoffs- you're talking about playoffs.

Speaker 3 1:28

I'm sorry, in the basketball season in the great state, in the great Commonwealth it is definitely basketball season.

Speaker 2 1:35

It is basketball season.

Speaker 1 1:36

Actually more so in Lexington.

Speaker 3 1:38

Yes, Well, that's true, it is the best week of college football, I would agree I would agree.

Speaker 1 1:44

Bowl season, you know, we can kind of talk about Bowl season.

Speaker 2 1:48

Bowl season has little Bowl, bowl Bowl season discussion.

Speaker 1 1:54

But you know, bowls are not what they used to be.

Speaker 3 1:57

Most of them are. I don't like the players often out.

Speaker 1 2:01

I'm not. I don't like it at all. I mean off my lawn.

Speaker 3 2:06

If you're getting paid to play Yep and that's that's the universe we're in right now Then you should have to play. You play to win the game. Hello.

Speaker 1 2:17

Exactly.

Speaker 2 2:19

Here's what they've done, and I agree with what you're saying. I can't stand it. You know when. I mean let's just go and open up the can of worms. When Missouri beat the Ohio State, the, the, the problem is as much as I would if that would been Kentucky. When we beat the Ohio State, the, I would have said the.

Speaker 2 2:36

I would have said the. I would have said, hey, we beat the Ohio State. And the first thing Mark would say is no, you didn't, you beat our third string quarterback. You beat us without our two best receivers. You beat us with. You know, all these guys transferring.

Speaker 3 2:50

Well, that goes to the question Should the transfer portal happen before the bowl games are completed? Absolutely not.

Speaker 1 2:57

If it would just not open until January 15th, that that should be the opening of the opening of the portal. You know, let's get through the national championship, let's get through the bowl games, then, you know, feel free to pick and choose where you want to go In this new era you like the transfer portal? I do not.

Speaker 3 3:16

I do not Get off my lawn Exactly. Look, and I'm a younger guy than you, but I'm. I don't like the transfer portal.

Speaker 1 3:23

Universities invest a large amount of dollars and I understand that it's a pay for play thing and I don't like that either, and I do. I do agree in some respect that for name and name, image and likeness, a kid should be able to earn while they're in college off of their name, image and likeness. However, this hey, give me a two million dollars and I'll come to your school next year.

Speaker 2 3:48

But see that that's just that's where we're at, and that's not the way it was supposed to be.

Speaker 2 3:53

The way it was supposed to be is, they said, kids could have camps, they could sell their own jerseys, make their own deals with shoes, and instead of what you've got is these collectives and all these. You know. I say have a look at Paul Miller Ford, you know we're going to give you a pickup truck. You come here. So now these guys are top in the country can say, well, I'll go to UK and I'll get a free pickup truck from Paul Miller Ford, you know. So basically, what happens is the pay to play. The more money you spend, the better off you are.

Speaker 2 4:17

Yeah you know it's, it's the Yankees, it's the Steinbrenner law of physics is what it is.

Speaker 1 4:22

Well, the issue is, you know, in a lot of ways go back to Jim Trestle's last year Ohio State when he had the Well, Jim Trestle was awesome when he had.

Speaker 3 4:33

Did you know? He was from Lima.

Speaker 1 4:35

No, he's, you know what Youngstown guy actually we've already told we told the Lima story, but we've got to do it.

Speaker 2 4:41

on the new podcast, we'll do it in the first episode.

Speaker 1 4:42

Yeah, let's, let's push it off till then.

Speaker 3 4:44

Let's make sure we make a memory. So he's not from Lima.

Speaker 1 4:47

No, Youngstown.

Speaker 3 4:48

Who drove through Lima in the last week, I believe that would be you.

Speaker 1 4:51

That's this guy.

Speaker 2 4:53

Did you stop and get you something?

Speaker 3 4:55

I did not stop in Lima. What are they known for? They have a.

Speaker 2 4:59

I was going to say beans, but I didn't.

Speaker 1 5:01

Football.

Speaker 3 5:03

That's Ada Same. Thing.

Speaker 1 5:04

Yeah, it's close enough. Anyway, going back to Jim, Ohio Northern University. Ohio, northern and Ada. Yes, so Jim.

Speaker 3 5:12

Trestle.

Speaker 1 5:12

Jim Trestle terrible coach. Yeah, kids.

Speaker 3 5:15

I'm sorry.

Speaker 2 5:16

And terrible discipline.

Speaker 3 5:17

But he wore a nice sweater vest every day and glasses he had nice glasses.

Speaker 1 5:20

His favorite play was the punt. So, and that's true, ask anyone he loved if he could punt on third down. He'd punt.

Speaker 2 5:28

Didn't he have the players that got the tattoos in exchange for their jerseys?

Speaker 1 5:31

That's what I was getting Details, so so they they received some memorabilia, like every all these players get at these bowl games, and things like that. They traded that for tattoos, which oh all right Fine.

Speaker 3 5:45

I was hard to grip into right Expensive dude.

Speaker 1 5:47

No, no, no, no, you know, these were players. You know, like current players, terrell Pryor was the main. Terrell Pryor.

Speaker 3 5:54

That's who I was thinking. That's right Expensive.

Speaker 1 5:57

And uh permanent ink is really expensive.

Speaker 1 6:00

And you know that they lost. Uh, ohio State lost their eligibility to play in a bowl game. The following year, as a result of that, which was Urban Meyers first year, which was the other, ohio State went 12 and 0 under Urban Meyer and couldn't play in a bowl game because they traded memorabilia for tattoos. Now we're giving bags of cash legally to kids and Paul Miller Ford trucks to kids. It's just, you know, that's problem. So, moving on from our discussion about tattoo gate and everything else, how much did your?

Speaker 2 6:35

last tattoo cost.

Speaker 1 6:37

I'm not at liberty to say.

Speaker 2 6:38

Did you exchange a?

Speaker 1 6:40

I am not at liberty to say Remember earlier, so uh, so what did you think about the games this weekend? The games yeah, in terms of the playoff Playoffs, michigan beating Alabama was uh and and I'm going to be honest here I was following it on my phone.

Speaker 3 7:01

I watched the whole game.

Speaker 1 7:02

I got to watch it. Very little of it, but seemed like an amazing game. It was amazing coaching job.

Speaker 3 7:08

It was a great game. Yep, I think Harbaugh out coach saving, correct. Um. I think the game Michigan should have wanted in regulation yeah, because they had their special teams, couldn't have played worse, including a botched field. Extra point that they should have won the game. When it went into overtime I knew Michigan was going to win. I mean the momentum had shifted, yeah, um.

Speaker 1 7:36

I think I want to. I want to jump in and say one thing about I don't know that Harbaugh necessarily out coached Saban, and I'm going to explain why. I think Harbaugh, harbaugh, has two amazing coordinators, sure, sure.

Speaker 3 7:51

As a coaching staff. Michigan beat Alabama 100%.

Speaker 1 7:54

I think mentor, the defensive coordinator for Michigan, I think he took Tommy Reese to school. You know Alabama's offensive coordinator and every, every time he reads a problem for Alabama though the whole year.

Speaker 3 8:09

I mean he's look, and where did he come from? The no traditon and you guys know I'm a big fan of Notre Dame but he's terrible. Yeah, yeah, he wasn't good at Notre Dame. What about the last play? I've seen a bunch of stuff on the last play. Yep, and I think Alabama's quarterback panicked a little bit.

Speaker 2 8:33

The snap was a little bit low which, by the way, the snaps had been bad all day long by their center.

Speaker 3 8:39

I think that he panicked a little bit. There was a hole to the left. He would have had to beat one guy and he would have got in. I don't know that he could have beat the one guy, but there was a hole to the left and why he ran it right up the center's butt. I have no idea that was interesting.

Speaker 1 8:54

The Saban said after the game it looked like they knew what was coming. I wonder if he was making a reference at that point Awkward. Oh yeah, I didn't think about that. He did say that I mean now.

Speaker 3 9:05

One of us in this room believes Saban's going to retire. That's a true statement.

Speaker 1 9:09

That's the one's been kind of quiet over there, I do think he's going to retire.

Speaker 3 9:12

I think he will retire at some point. I don't think it'll be this year.

Speaker 2 9:15

I do. I just think he looks so defeated after that last game and I understand it was a let down, but he looked more so defeated than ever. I mean to me, did, and you can just tell this was. It's taken his toll on him and I think you know, as bad as, I hate to say it, Nick Saban was up until NIL the coach. I mean, you think about it, he was basically he got the players he wanted when he wanted.

Speaker 2 9:39

He's still getting a pretty good class no he's still got the top five class, but you're starting to see diversity across the other teams I mean the good dogs are getting the best To players now. So NIL right, and then you're also getting the transfer portal and Alabama is not the not to use the word dog, but Alabama I don't think is the top dog in the SEC now.

Speaker 3 10:01

I think George has replaced him. I think so, and and.

Speaker 2 10:04

I honestly do you think his ego, do you think?

Speaker 1 10:05

Saban's ego will, do you think?

Speaker 3 10:07

Michigan's replaced Ohio State is up no no, I don't.

Speaker 1 10:11

I think that they've had a little run here.

Speaker 3 10:12

Yeah, they have.

Speaker 1 10:13

I mean, when you look back 20 years, 17, Ohio.

Speaker 3 10:17

State's dominated that, and you know so I would say that but if you did that same analysis, then Alabama is still the top dog in the SEC.

College Football Playoff and National Championship

Speaker 1 10:25

Well, that's how I would differentiate it. I would say in college football right now, I think you could have gone back a few years and you could say maybe there were four super teams. Now I think there are three. I think there's Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State. I think those are the three teams that since the college football playoff came into existence, they've had more playoff appearances than any other.

Speaker 1 10:47

They always are in the top three, top five recruiting classes every single year. This year is the first year that we're not going to have a super team in the final. I mean, when you think about it that way Michigan and Washington both tremendous seasons, not taking away anything from them.

Speaker 3 11:05

You called Washington early in the season. I did?

Speaker 2 11:08

You said they were really good. If I'd seen Pinnick's play I would have agreed with it. Pinnick's is legit. He is amazing.

Speaker 3 11:13

I mean, I don't like a left hand to quarterback. Oh my God though, but he's legit.

Speaker 1 11:16

Yeah, and you know four. And in terms of four and five star recruits, michigan and Washington have far fewer than Alabama.

Speaker 3 11:26

Joe.

Speaker 1 11:26

Iowa State. You know the exactly. So I think Neil is going to level that playing field a little bit. I don't think there's going to be three super teams anymore.

Speaker 2 11:38

So I think that's what I was saying. Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, the first five. Yeah, he also, right I?

Speaker 1 11:42

agree. I think if Saban retires it's going to be because of the fact that he doesn't have the ability to have that edge over in the rest.

Speaker 2 11:50

Correct and that's that's where I go back to and back to what you said, greg, about Harbaugh. Simply, I agree with you Harbaugh coached Saban.

Speaker 3 11:57

Right, the staff, yeah, yeah, right Now did he have insider information.

Speaker 2 12:01

One of us at this table seems to think that seems to be a problem in Michigan.

Speaker 3 12:07

Don't you think? Don't you think Alabama would have changed their signals between their games and like what they did in the playoffs?

Speaker 1 12:12

Yeah, one would think, but I would think so. But the biggest thing is, all these wins are going to be vacated next year, so I am going to enjoy it, allegedly It'll happen, so moving on.

Speaker 2 12:23

So yes, I think that IELs is having more effect on people like Alabama, because you're not the bags of cash or on the table.

Speaker 3 12:32

Instead of under the table. Yeah, that's what I was going to say.

Speaker 2 12:34

Or in the VHS yes, oh, the Emory package Details what Anyhow.

Speaker 3 12:39

What about the national championship game now, washington versus Michigan? For those, for those gamblers in the states where it's legal, the line is currently four and a half Michigan's favored.

Speaker 1 12:50

Before we, before we jump into that, just two seconds on Texas and Washington. I thought that game was over and man Texas made it an unbelievable.

Speaker 3 13:02

As you guys know, I thought Texas was going to win the game. It was a really close game until the start of the third quarter and then it went pure Washington.

Speaker 1 13:11

Yeah.

Speaker 3 13:11

But then Texas comes roaring back.

Speaker 1 13:14

Yeah, washington. You know why didn't they just take a knee? Well, Washington's.

Speaker 3 13:20

The thing I like about Washington is they are not afraid to throw it down the field. Yeah.

Speaker 1 13:25

Yeah.

Speaker 3 13:26

Look, in the Devon Leary, Kentucky teams we're not afraid to throw it. I mean we are afraid to throw it more than 10 yards, that's a true story.

Speaker 2 13:34

We're afraid for him to throw it and and he's.

Speaker 3 13:38

I couldn't be happier he's gone. But Washington, they've not seen a bomb that they've not liked.

Speaker 1 13:44

Yep, yep, they, they sling it. And you know and their quarterback is accurate every time and you know they're running back getting hurt there at the end of the game trying to run out the clock, that's that's disappointing A bit. Quinn Ewers comes out and flings it down the field and they get down and they've got three shots from the 12 yard line.

Speaker 3 14:02

Yep Couldn't get it done.

Speaker 1 14:03

Yeah, and so amazing game, but I, as you said, I've been impressed with Washington all year long.

Speaker 2 14:12

And the.

Speaker 1 14:13

you know they went through a little bit of a spell where they were just barely winning games. I think that helped them, that you know they they had to play some close games, so talking, about national championship.

Speaker 3 14:25

What do you think about that?

Speaker 1 14:26

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Washington's going to win the game.

Speaker 3 14:30

I think I told you both that. I think the national championship game was Saturday.

Speaker 1 14:35

I understand.

Speaker 3 14:35

Yep, and I think whoever was going to win and I could totally be wrong, so but I thought whoever won the Michigan Alabama game will win it all- and so I do think the maze and blue will be the national champions.

Speaker 2 14:49

You do have a 50-50 shot of being correct. That's true, that's true.

Speaker 3 14:53

But would you put money on Michigan? That's the question at four and a half, because, what you know, michigan's defense fantastic, yep, they've not seen an offense like Washington's either they haven't, and you know they. But you know what I thought what stunned me about the Alabama game About three plays in. You could see Michigan's playing zone everywhere. So when Alabama sent somebody in motion, their defense didn't move because they're playing his own they don't care where you're lined up at Yep and Tommy Reese couldn't think of anything to do over that.

Speaker 3 15:26

I mean, that's a 1980s defense and he just couldn't do nothing with it.

Speaker 1 15:30

Here's why I think Washington has a chance to win. I think they can score points and they have the best offensive line in the country, if not the best, one of the top three.

Speaker 3 15:40

They're good.

Speaker 1 15:41

And Michigan's strength on defense is their defensive front. They're strong.

Speaker 3 15:46

Yeah, they're dominant, strong.

Speaker 2 15:48

If Washington's offensive line can hold up and give Penic's time to throw, then I think, I think I'm a part, I think Panics legit, yeah, yeah, and he's so fun to watch.

Speaker 1 16:00

Yeah, he is so fun to watch, yeah, so.

Speaker 3 16:04

So you're saying Washington wins?

Speaker 1 16:05

I've got Washington winning the game outright.

Speaker 3 16:09

The over under is 55 and a half.

Speaker 1 16:11

I go under. I don't think it's going to be as many points as you think. I don't you know, but who knows?

Speaker 3 16:18

I'll take the over. I took the over and the Texas Washington game and that was a ching ching, yes.

Speaker 1 16:24

Yes, uh, I think it's going to be under and I think Washington wins. You've got Alabama, or I mean?

Speaker 3 16:32

yeah, I've got Alabama winning.

Speaker 1 16:34

No.

Speaker 3 16:35

I've got Michigan winning um something like 28, 21, something like that.

Speaker 1 16:42

I'll take. I'll take Washington um 31 21. Okay, chris.

Speaker 2 16:52

I just hope everybody has fun.

Speaker 1 16:56

You've added so much to this episode. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha.

Speaker 3 17:01

Did you Do you know what a football is? I think the difference is what what or how Michigan special teams plays. I think that's the difference.

Speaker 2 17:09

Uh, there are people who are playing football, or how Michigan special teams plays. I think that's the difference. Uh, their punt returners got to learn to catch a ball, you know um overrated.

Speaker 3 17:20

I didn't get to see you. You don't have to catch it.

Speaker 2 17:22

How's their kicker, washington's kicker, good? Can you kick it out of the end zone?

Speaker 1 17:25

every time? Yeah, good, I think. I think Blake Horm can run the ball.

Speaker 3 17:31

He can run.

Speaker 1 17:33

And I will tell you that's my concern. That's someone who's rooting for, for Washington. I'm concerned about them.

Speaker 3 17:39

So do you think you have a dam about the whole state of Michigan?

Speaker 1 17:42

Not one tiny thing, by the way. Yes.

Speaker 2 17:44

Michigan wins. I agree, michigan wins because of Blake Horm.

Speaker 1 17:48

Give us a score.

Speaker 2 17:50

Well, I said over on the points, so I'd say it's going to be a 98 to two.

Speaker 3 17:56

That's a lot of points.

Speaker 2 17:59

It is a lot of points, but you've got panic slinging that ball. So, uh, I'm not going to give you a point spread. I think they're going to be over, but I'm going to tell you that you've got to give points.

Speaker 3 18:09

Everybody else did, I'm not giving points.

Speaker 2 18:10

I say Michigan wins by 10.

Speaker 1 18:12

Oh, I got them all. I got them all. All right, michigan wins by 10. Michigan by 10.

Speaker 2 18:20

So he's, going over he's going over.

Speaker 3 18:22

So I'm going to say it's 38, 28.

Speaker 1 18:25

Okay.

Speaker 3 18:26

That gets you just over. That's 56 points.

Speaker 1 18:29

That's reasonable, that's not truly. When is it? Next Monday it's.

Speaker 3 18:33

Monday night.

Speaker 1 18:34

We're going to find out next Monday night. Until then, it's been a fun one.