College Football Playoff Semifinal Preview & Bengals Bring Back Zac Taylor

This is the height differential. It's our first episode in 2026. That's the 6-6, Neil. I'm the 4-10, Nick. We got plenty to talk about. We're gonna break down and go into the college football playoff final four, which will happen this Thursday and Friday. A bunch of NFL to get into. A lot of coaches getting fired. Some were not fired. And then we'll talk a little college hoops and

Neil (00:32)
Some were not. Some were not.

Nick (00:35)
Get into some other stuff, but I guess Neil, can you believe it's already 2026?

Neil (00:44)
Man, it's 2026 off to a great start. I must say after the Indiana Hoosiers absolutely take it to the Alabama Crimson Tide on New Year's Day. So 2026 off to a great start for me. But New Year's Eve was great. I we had a little party at some of our friend's house. Saw the ball drop at midnight and came home and went to bed. So I don't know, did you do anything exciting?

Nick (01:14)
⁓ We were gonna go over the big dogs and it didn't happen So then I just went up the hoops and I had a couple couple beers and came home yeah, so nothing nothing nothing too crazy, but nothing too crazy

Neil (01:21)
Drinking the New Year Hoops? Alright, there you go.

There you go.

Nothing says New Year's like some boneless wings and champagne.

Nick (01:31)
Well, I didn't have any bonus wings, but I a lot of blood lights and some little too many shots as well probably. yeah, I guess we can get into go straight into the college football playoff. you want to start with the, I guess we should start with the Fiesta Boats since that game comes first. We can obviously get into your Hoosiers, but let's start with the Fiesta Boat. Who thought we were going to be seeing Miami and Ole Miss?

Neil (01:38)
There you go.

Yeah, neither one of us because I'm pretty sure we had those two teams as our least likely upsets and look what happened. They both did it. So if you're listening to the height differential podcast, which I hope you are, ⁓ if you're listening, if you're hearing us, that means you are, we don't know ball. So we don't know ball. We just talk a bunch of nonsense and did not expect either one of those teams to be in the position that they are, especially Ole Miss with all the kind of circus that went around the coaching. ⁓

turn over there and who's coaching, who's not coaching and all that. man, credit to them. They played a great game against Georgia after they lost to Georgia earlier in the year and came back and got that revenge.

Nick (02:43)
I mean, they've lost one game and they've led for three quarters in that game and then blew it in the fourth and that was Georgia and then they ended up getting a revenge on them last week. I didn't like all these games and now we've seen it teams with the buyer one in seven overall. Indiana is the only team that's won after getting a buy and we'll get into that in their game more but even them on their first drive Mendoza gets sacked twice. They go three and out.

Neil (02:45)
Yeah.

Nick (03:12)
They kind of were able to get in the rhythm after that, I didn't think Georgia played terrible in this game.

Neil (03:18)
No, this game was definitely the game of the quarterfinals. mean, was back and forth, it was close pretty much the whole way. Georgia kicks the field goal with less than a minute to play to tie it, and Ole Miss goes right down the field and kicks that game winner with six seconds left. So ⁓ it was by far the best game of the four. And you talked about it with the teams on buys being one and seven, and we mentioned, is it a disadvantage not playing for a month?

These teams that are coming off a game from the week before, 10 days before, are back in game shape. And you take that month off and it's almost like you're starting the season over.

Nick (03:59)
Yeah, but I don't think that played that much of a role in this game. Because I didn't think Georgia came out and played poorly. I mean, they built a lead and really looked like they were in control. But the best player on the football field to me was Trinidad Chambers. And when they were able to get pressure on him, he was able to make those Superman hero plays.

Neil (04:13)
Yeah.

Yes.

Nick (04:28)
to keep Ole Miss in drives. mean, he's running back to the five yard line at one point. Yeah.

Neil (04:31)
He went almost into his own end zone. He about ran

into his own end zone and came out of it.

Nick (04:35)
And I mean, it helps when you've got the best player. And on whatever day that was, New Year's Day, he was the best player and I think he was the reason why they were able to come out victorious. I don't think it was because George was on a bye and was kind of sleepwalking. I don't think that was the case. That's been the case in some of these games. And I don't think that was the case in that game.

Neil (04:39)
Yeah.

Yeah, no, I

don't think in this game it was either. mean, like you said, Traynette Chambliss was the best player on the field. I mean, he threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns against a pretty good George defense. So, yeah, I mean, Ole Miss won it. for a little bit of that game, like you said, Georgia was in control, were up nine, but.

Ole Miss was just the better team that day, which to me is just kind of surprising. Like I said, with all the stuff that went around after their last game in the Egg Bowl and Lane Kiffin leaving and who's coaching and all that. So credit to that coaching staff to get these guys focused and have a game plan together to beat Georgia.

Nick (05:31)
Yeah, and then on the other side, I I don't think either one of us obviously didn't see this one coming as well. As Miami's defense continues to play lights out in the playoff, they're not doing a ton offensively, but they haven't had to in the first two games. And I do think maybe the buy affected Ohio State a little bit potentially. I don't think they played as smooth as game as I said, like I don't think it affected Georgia. I think maybe it did affect Ohio State but

I mean, Miami in their two games have rushed for 330 yards. ⁓ So it's a lot of people are comparing this Miami team to Ohio State who made the run through four games and won it all last year.

Neil (06:16)
Yeah, I mean the story is Miami's defense obviously, especially their defensive line probably the best in the country with Ruben Bain leading the way there. And you know, they showed it once again against Ohio State. They had that defensive touchdown, which really kind of set the tone when they were up 7-0 and put them up two scores. But yeah, I mean, Mark Fletcher is a beast. They dominated pretty much that. They were in control that whole game against Ohio State. And then you look at Ohio State, it's...

It's did we over overestimate them like did they? You know that the three games where they played their quality team or their top three teams that they played all season. They put up low scoring number. They put dead 10 against IU or something like that and against Texas they put up with 13 and then 14 here against Miami. So you know when when the competition gets tougher. Ohio State just doesn't seem to put up. Very impressive offensive numbers.

Nick (07:10)
Well, I I think it's kind what you see in college football. You don't get to play everybody. You're kind of stuck in playing your conference. You get one or two non-conference games, and then sometimes you get ⁓ situations like this. now we've got Miami and Ole Miss. Who are you leaning towards to go to the chip?

Neil (07:28)
That's a tough one, That's a tough one. If I had to pick a team that I would probably say, I mean, I keep going against the Canes, but I'm probably going to say Ole Miss ⁓ would be my favorite to win that. Like said, they've only lost one game all year. They've been challenged. They played in the SEC, so they've been challenged against some good teams, ⁓ mainly Georgia twice and some other good ones. And Miami.

I I keep underestimating them. I mean, with that defense, I wouldn't be surprised if they won. ⁓ But I just think Ole Miss might be just a little bit better. I don't know.

Nick (08:06)
Well, I think whoever wins this game is going to have to score 20 points at least. And who do I have more confidence in doing that?

Neil (08:11)
Yeah.

Nick (08:15)
I don't know, like we've talked about how good Miami's been rushing the football and that's what they want to do. They want Carson Beck to just kind of control the game, don't make mistakes and rely on that running game. Like I said, they have 330 rushing yards in their first two games. Ole Miss has given up 150 yards per game throughout the entire year. So that lends to think that maybe Miami can have success running the ball. They still got to get to that 20 point mark, I think, who wins that game. ⁓

Neil (08:25)
Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Nick (08:44)
To me what it comes down is because Miami is gonna get pressure with their front four. They don't have to blitz, they're gonna bring that front four, they're gonna get pressure on Chambliss. Can he make plays like he did against Georgia where he's out of pocket? Because if he starts running around and making those linemen run all over the place and wears them out a little bit, maybe that plays in the favor of Ole Miss. I think it's a tough game. I thought you were gonna go to Miami, I really did.

And I was going to go on this because I just to me, Trinidad Chambliss is the best player on the field at this point. And that makes me want to lean Ole Miss. I didn't go Ole Miss last week because all the coaching staff stuff. And now there's more changes. Some of them are driving or flying back and forth between Oxford and Baton Rouge. But I, I, this is why I had it as the least likely upset last week. And, and now I'm kind of flipping to where I don't think it matters. I just want to,

Neil (09:10)
I

He is.

Yeah, well that's that's true.

Yeah.

Nick (09:40)
row the momentum and see them go all the way without laying given.

Neil (09:45)
Yeah, it's going to be a close game, I think. And I think you're right. You score the 20 points, you're probably going to win. I think Ole Miss wins if they don't make mistakes and turn the ball over. So they don't turn the ball over. think their offense is good enough to get to that 20-point mark, even though Miami's defense is top 10 in the nation or top whatever they are in the nation. I mean, you look at Ole Miss's offensive outputs in the last, I mean, they haven't scored less than 30 points since October 11th when they scored 24 against.

Washington State, but ever since then, they've put up over 30 and even into the 40s. So their offense, I think, is good enough to get to 20 points against Miami. As long as they don't turn the ball over, think Ole Miss probably does win.

Nick (10:23)
It's definitely a game where it's a tale of two strengths. It's Ole Miss' offense against Miami's defense. If Miami is able to get a lead early by running the football, and then I think it definitely leans in favor of the Hurricanes, this is not a game that they want to get behind in.

Neil (10:40)
No,

they won't win playing from when you need Carson Beck to come from behind, I don't think.

Nick (10:45)
But if

they get up 10-0 early, I mean, I know we saw Ole Miss come back against Georgia. I think Miami's defense is a little better than Georgia's. Can they do it two games in a row against a better defense? I don't know. But I'm surprised you're going to Ole Miss. I'm going Ole Miss as well. But if he's, do what? I mean, nothing's going to shock you at this point. And look, here's the thing, like either way,

Neil (10:48)
Yes.

Yeah. I mean, it wouldn't shock me if it went the other way either. How they gonna be close? Yeah. Nah, it's true.

Nick (11:15)
We get to see Pete Golden take Ole Miss to the championship without half the coaching staff. Or we get to see Miami play for a championship in their home stadium. And they're the last team that got in, and now they have a chance to play for a title in potentially their home stadium.

Neil (11:19)
That would be sick.

Yeah

Yeah, that would be good. Yeah.

Nick (11:36)
Well, to get to the peach bell, I guess first off, your thoughts on, you already kind of touched on a little bit, but your thoughts on Indiana is just putting it on the crimson tide.

Neil (11:47)
I mean, it was a dominating performance. mean, 38 to 3, I did not see that coming. I thought IU would win, but I thought that it would be maybe a one score game. I mean, was just dominating. The IU defense, absolutely outstanding.

Offense also great, know Mendoza didn't have to do too much but what he did he was almost perfect He was 14 of 16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns And then on the ground they ran for 215 yards. So offensively a plus defensively holding ⁓ Alabama to three points a plus and I know Simpson went out with an injury. Was that right after halftime? So

At that point, the game was pretty much over anyway. Yeah, so I don't really think that they were going to come back, but dominating performance on both sides of the ball for Indiana.

Nick (12:31)
This was REO.

I it kind of looked like what Alabama used to be, I mean, just fundamentally sound, not missing tackles. They just do everything perfect. They just execute everything. They don't miss tackles in the open field. Every play they run, I feel like they run it to perfection. It's just, I didn't think.

Neil (12:43)
Yeah.

Nick (13:08)
Like everybody was talking about that's one of the few things I think I got right is I didn't think Alabama was gonna be in Indiana. And you waver on it a little bit just because once had you see Indiana and you see the name Alabama and it makes you waver. But what we've seen all year long is Indiana, if they play an inferior team, they put it on. And I don't care if this team is Alabama, they still were an inferior team and they put it on them.

Neil (13:20)
Yeah, that's it. I mean, that's really what it was. Yeah.

Nick (13:38)
I mean, Indiana is the clear cut best team in the country. And if they play two games as well as they can and should play, they'll win a title.

Neil (13:38)
day there.

Yeah, I mean, I'm a little worried about the game coming up. know they've already beat Oregon once and we'll get into it, but I think Oregon's the best team left. I mean, if they get through Oregon, I think they win the title.

Nick (14:06)
Well, I guess we'll go ahead and switch over to Oregon who we talked about Texas Tex defense and being one of the best in the country. But offensively, they had moved the ball all year. And they don't get a point against this Oregon defense who obviously played their best game defensively that they have played all season just needed 23 points to win.

Neil (14:15)
Yeah.

Nick (14:36)
And now, I mean, there really isn't a lot to dive into that game. It was just a dominating performance by Oregon. I mean, do you have anything to add? Yeah.

Neil (14:42)
Yeah, no, I mean, you shut out Texas Tech.

Like you said, only 23 points to win and you still win by 23. mean, that's pretty good. And the Oregon offense against like we said, that Texas Tech defense was their strength all season. And Oregon still put up 390 yards on them, 245 passing, only 64 on the ground. But they really didn't need to do much to win. So.

Nick (15:06)
No, no. And

for all the very best question in their defense after James Madison in the second half was kind of having their way. They put those questions to bed real quick. And now.

Neil (15:16)
I mean, turnovers

by Texas Tech really kind of did them. I think there was one pick in the end zone ⁓ in that game as well. So yeah.

Nick (15:24)
But really just a clear cut dominating performance by both of these teams. And now we do get a rematch in the Peach Bowl. I mean, do you say anyway that the result is different this time?

Neil (15:37)
I can see it. I mean that was a, the game in Eugene was a close one. mean, IU didn't win it until late. And when they had that interception to kind of seal it, they only won by, what was it, like three, I believe, and found that score. Nope, they ended up winning by 10. But they put it away late. But that game was close almost the entire way. was 20 to 20 in the fourth quarter. So.

Oregon was right there with them. I know that was at home, so it makes it more impressive that IU went into Eugene and won. I can see the result being different. I don't think it will be different. ⁓ But Oregon's a really, really good football team. Like I said, I think they're probably the second best team left in this playoff. So if IU can get through it, think they probably take the whole thing.

Nick (16:21)
I mean, per rankings, yeah, they are.

Neil (16:25)
I mean, think talent-wise, I think overall they are. Like, you just use the eye test, I think they are.

Nick (16:30)
But

going into the tech game, the one thing that I said about Oregon is their offense has not been that great when they're playing top level defenses. They didn't score a ton of points against Indiana. They didn't score a ton of points against Iowa. you know, I mean, they scored 23 against Texas Tech, but that's, mean, and they really didn't need to put a ton of points up. I think you can kind of push that one aside. ⁓ But Dante Moore.

Neil (16:40)
Yeah.

Nick (16:58)
threw for less than 200 yards the last time out, threw two picks, was sacked six times.

Neil (17:00)
Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Nick (17:04)
But Oregon is now seeing Indiana's defense.

Neil (17:06)
I was about

to say, probably have learned from that. You know what Indiana can do and you've seen it firsthand. So now you make those adjustments and Dante Moore's one of the top quarterbacks expected to go in the draft. If it's not Mendoza at one, it would be him at one. So, know, so those are... Right. Right. So, Moore's got the talent to improve on 186 yards and two touchdowns. I would be shocked if he puts up better numbers than that.

Nick (17:20)
These are, yeah, and then you got Chambliss on the other side who's trying to get a six year and come back to Ole Miss. But these are three of the best quarterbacks in the country.

Neil (17:35)
⁓ But like you said, like you've seen this defense once, you know what you're getting yourself into, you make the adjustments. And Will Stein is still the offensive coordinator there before he goes to Kentucky, is regarded as one of the best offensive minds in college football. So I think he makes the adjustments necessary and I would expect Oregon's offense to perform better than what they did.

Nick (17:58)
Yeah, we'll see. We'll see. And you got to try to get their defenses got to get some pressure on Mendoza. ⁓ You know, the one thing that he does sometimes is take sacks. So they got to try to make that happen. I just there's there's nothing there's no way that I can bet against Indiana after after.

Neil (18:16)
No, wouldn't. I would not either.

I think Indiana wins. And I expect it to be a largely pro Indiana crowd down in Atlanta because it's not too far from Indianapolis and in the heart of Indiana. So I mean, it is a drivable trip. And it is not for Oregon. So I would expect it to be a huge pro Indiana crowd, which plays into the Hoosiers favor. I think they ultimately they do win. But I think it will still be a pretty good game.

Nick (18:31)
And it's not for the other guys.

One thing we didn't touch on was the offensive line and what, Pat Coogan getting the MVP of the World Cup? Yeah.

Neil (18:52)
What, winning the Rose Bowl MVP?

I mean they did give up two sacks on the first drive, so I was kind of surprised by that. They were, yeah, they were lights out.

Nick (18:59)
Well after that...

After that, look, we're talking about the buy, not being ready. They weren't ready for three plays. And then it was like, all right, let's go.

Neil (19:07)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Nick (19:12)
But do you really, whoever wins this game, you think wins it all?

Neil (19:15)
Yes.

Nick (19:15)
So I'm not so sure on that.

Neil (19:17)
Do you think Ole Miss could beat one of these teams? Because you have Ole Miss beating Miami, so you think Ole Miss?

Nick (19:20)
I

think Ole Miss or Miami can beat Oregon.

Neil (19:23)
Okay.

Could they be in Indiana? Okay.

Nick (19:27)
mean, anything can happen, but if both teams play their best games, no.

Neil (19:30)
Indiana as a national champion football team would be unbelievable. Blows my mind. Blows my mind.

Nick (19:34)
I mean, we've talked about it. There's

nothing comparable about it in college athletics and athletics maybe ever.

Neil (19:45)
And then on top of playing in the semi-finals and playing in the Peach Bowl on Friday, the transfer portal is open. Guys are making trips to campuses and Kurt Signetti is hosting transfer portal guys on campus and he's cleaning up in that too. He's got one of the top quarterbacks. He's got one of the top wide receivers coming in from Michigan State. Like he's cleaning up in the portal all while preparing to try to get to a national championship game.

Nick (20:01)
Yeah, well, they've made more moves than anybody else.

And also, like, Dan Lanning is right. Like, you shouldn't have to do both of these at the same time.

Neil (20:18)
No,

it's absolutely ridiculous that this has happened.

Nick (20:22)
Like I don't know how they finished the tournament before New Year's Day. But I mean.

Neil (20:28)
Why can't you

just open the portal after, on February 1st? I don't know.

Nick (20:31)
Yes.

I I don't

know, but it's the same in basketball too.

Neil (20:39)
I mean, I guess because you want to get guys enrolled for the winter semester, or spring semester, so they can play spring ball at the new school. I mean, I'm guessing that's what's behind it. Yeah, but it's.

Nick (20:48)
No, that's what it is. That's why they want it open. And

I mean, look, the teams that aren't playing right now, they ain't crying for the teams that are, that are having to do this all at the same time.

Neil (20:56)
Yeah.

I mean, I guess it's true. If you don't want to have to deal with it, then I guess your team could suck and not be playing right now.

Nick (21:03)
Yeah, just lose games and don't play. But it is a mess. It absolutely is a mess.

Neil (21:08)
Yeah,

it's not affecting old Kurt Signati. He's cleaning up in the portal and I'm sure he'll have his guys ready to go on Friday.

Nick (21:15)
It is just, I mean, you cannot say enough about the job that he did in his first year. Now he's one of two up in it. In his second year, it's just, it's remarkable. now Indiana is the heavy favorite to win a national title.

Neil (21:35)
they bring it home.

Nick (21:36)
to the NFL.

Neil (21:37)
Yup. We talking about the games or we talking about the coaches first? And he just talking about the Bengals for another hour.

Nick (21:41)
Well, I mean, let's just

start with the Bengals. I mean, the game, it was clear they had no interest in getting Joe Borough hurt. Bunch of quick outs, didn't really run their full offense until the last drive of the game where they ran the classics where they got to you with the back shoulder. Jamar across the middle, finally got him in the end zone to take the lead. Joe misses the throw on the two point conversion to put him up three where he had him. ⁓

Neil (21:59)
Yeah.

Nick (22:09)
Browns get two defensive scores, McPherson misses two extra points, and that's how you end up losing.

Neil (22:16)
I mean that's what it is, it's more of the, I mean, not, the game doesn't really matter. And to be honest with you, I didn't watch the game, because A, it wasn't on local TV, and B, we had women's basketball games, so I was working. But I did catch, know, read about it, caught the highlights, and it's more of Cincinnati just beat themselves than Cleveland won it. I mean, the two defensive touchdowns, I Cleveland scored six offensive points. Six. And two missed, three extra points, I missed two point conversion, two missed extra points.

Nick (22:20)
That doesn't.

Yep. And three of them were at the buzzer.

Neil (22:46)
I mean, that's what it is. mean, the Bengals just lost the game themselves and they once again goes back to not being prepared. You're coaching all of it. Whatever, it doesn't matter.

Nick (22:55)
But look,

here's my thing. We talked all about this last week, all the momentum, whatever, this fake momentum at the end of the season. I'm glad. I'm glad they're going in the off season with a loss. Now, is it making changes? No. But I'm glad they're going into the season with a loss and we're not able to talk about, we went into the end of the season winning three in a row, winning five in a row like they did last year. They don't get that talking point. But before we move on, no offense.

That was his third time this year that he has put the ball on the ground and another team has picked it up and scored. And one other stat for you, only three teams this year in one game have had a pick six and a scoop and score.

Neil (23:38)
Saw that.

It's happened all three times against the Cincinnati Bengals. Yes. The dealers and the brands. Yep.

Nick (23:45)
All three of them against the Vikings, the Steelers and the Browns.

and

Neil (23:50)
And Noah

Fain was involved in all three of those scooping scores.

Nick (23:54)
Yes. ⁓ Zach Taylor and his post game says that was a fitting way to end the season. Like what, what do you think when you hear the head coach say that? Because he ain't wrong. It's fitting, but is that really what you want to say?

Neil (24:14)
But

that's not taking responsibility for the way the season went. It's like, it's just fitting. It was just bad luck that things just didn't go our way. It's like, no, they didn't go your way because you didn't have the team prepared to play good football. Take some responsibility. It is a fitting way, but it's fitting because you made it that way.

Nick (24:33)
Well, how many times this season have they had the lead with less than two minutes to go in a game? And how many times have they stopped the defense from scoring in that situation and won the game?

Neil (24:48)
zero times.

Nick (24:50)
Yes, and the only time they did win a game late was game one when Cleveland missed to Phil Go at the buzzer. So it wasn't because your defense...

Neil (25:00)
And you could also game two when Browning scored with what? 10 seconds left.

Nick (25:04)
But they didn't

give him a chance to get the ball back really. So I mean that also happened in the Steelers win. I mean T Higgins slides down so the defense doesn't have another chance. So in order to win games, you either got to score at the buzzer or your players got to take these inside of five and rely on kicking if they'll go to win it.

Neil (25:07)
Right.

Yeah. that's right. Yeah, no, you're right.

Pretty sad.

Nick (25:25)
Jamar Chase, they ask him about, what do you think Zach meant when he said this a fitting way?

Neil (25:31)
⁓ he said you have to go ask that. He wouldn't even like... Yeah, he's like, yeah. Yeah.

Nick (25:33)
He had no idea what he was talking about.

And look, it is fitting and this is the way that you've lost every game. But instead of saying it's fitting, say our defense isn't good enough to hold teams in the final minute to win games. And if they were, our record would have maybe flipped three, four, five games. And if you do that,

Like, you're in the playoffs.

Neil (26:01)
Yeah.

Nick (26:02)
But this defense is what we knew they were, changing your defensive coordinator and adding two rookie linebackers and one defensive lineman is not gonna go from being the worst defense to even 20th. They got worse. And now you're in the same exact situation and you're bringing everybody back.

Neil (26:17)
Big hours.

Bye.

Nick (26:26)
How many coaches got fired today?

Neil (26:27)
I don't know if at least four, how many ended up getting fired.

Nick (26:31)
At Falcon's, fired. Raheem Morris is gone.

Neil (26:33)
Yup.

Browns. Raiders. Cardinals. Cardinals.

Nick (26:36)
Fanski gone, Carroll gone.

Yes, gone. ⁓ I don't I didn't write him down, but the. Plenty of coaches got the axe today.

Neil (26:42)
Is there another?

Yeah.

Except the one that probably deserved it the most.

Nick (26:52)
but we knew it wasn't gonna happen. I will, there was one telling thing today, one telling thing in Mike Brown's statement.

Neil (27:01)
Yeah.

Nick (27:03)
talking about how they believe in this staff and they're all coming back next year. He mentioned Duke Tobin.

Neil (27:11)
Yeah.

Nick (27:12)
Dootobin usually does not get mentioned.

Usually he's in the shadows. It at least tells me that they are aware that the job that he did last off season wasn't enough. And they still believe in him because he's been there 20 something years and he had drafted at Kelly Smith in 1999. They still believe in him. But I do think it shows that they're at least aware that they need to do more in the off season.

Neil (27:16)
What does that tell? So what does that tell on you?

Okay.

Heh heh. Heh heh.

Well they better be aware. Every fan in Cincinnati's probably emailing Mike Brown saying get rid of Duke Tobin. He's probably heard the name Duke Tobin more times in the last six months than he has in previous ten years. Yeah. Everybody has. So of course he's aware.

Nick (27:53)
I mean, have you?

And Duke Tobin, never talks to the media, guess what he's doing on Friday?

Neil (28:03)
I don't even want to hear it.

Nick (28:05)
I mean, it's gonna be interesting to hear what he says. Like the fact that...

Neil (28:08)
Would you de-believe anything that he says?

Nick (28:10)
Well, we'll see what he says. But the way this team was constructed with that defense and the fact that you thought, I don't know if they thought or not, there was no way that that defense was gonna help you win games. There's just no way. And I hope that he admits that a little bit on Friday, because they have to do more.

Neil (28:12)
Okay?

No. No.

Nick (28:38)
You have to do more. They are seventh in the, they rank seventh in cap space with like $77 million available and that accounts with Tray's money coming off the books.

Neil (28:47)
All.

All of that money should go to defense. Don't touch the offense. Bring back Reisner, everybody else back on that offensive line that you know of. Everybody else is back on that offense. Don't touch it. All defense. All $70 million of it, defense. They better spend it. They better spend it. If you got the space, spend it.

Nick (28:58)
Yeah, no, they are.

Yes.

Well, yeah, and we talked about this last week. has to be like the off the free agent signings where they brought in Trey and they brought in Von Bell and they brought in that's you have to do this again and you have to get it right. And, hey, Joe Burrow was his hair all grown out and he's running his fingers through it the entire press conference. But.

Neil (29:40)
He kinda looks like a bum.

Nick (29:42)
And he needs a haircut. ⁓ But this- he said it!

Neil (29:43)
Yeah.

Should he go see Tammy at the Fern Creek Creek Lifts?

Nick (29:49)
He needs

to go see somebody. But this off season is big as it gets. And look, I get on the national media for this narrative that he doesn't wanna be here, that he's gonna retire, that he's gonna leave and all this. But if you do this again and you make no changes to this defense.

Neil (29:54)
Now it is.

No, this is your last chance. This is your

last chance to get this right. Because if you don't get it right this year, it's over. It's done. It's done.

Nick (30:11)
I, yeah, and it's

absolute disservice to not only him, to Jamar Chase, to Tee Higgins, to Chase Brown, to all those guys on that offense. And you finally got your offensive line. It's the best offensive line they've had since Joe's been there. And you've got a chance to bring that same offensive line back to have continuity.

Neil (30:26)
Yeah. This is your last chance to get it right.

Yep. Correct.

Nick (30:40)
Which we know how important continuity is when it comes to offensive line. And Reisner in his post game is just talking about how much he wants to be here. And he just hopes that the organization wants him there too. I mean, look, we've said a lot of bad things about the organization. don't think if they can't get this one done.

Neil (30:43)
Yep.

I don't see where it would.

Nick (31:00)
But, all right, it's just.

I think Joe Burrow is very

Neil (31:02)
I mean, we're not the only ones that feel

this way. I mean, I sent you the Nick Lachey. Can Nick Lachey buy the team? Because Nick Lachey thinks like us. 98 degrees, they didn't go 20 times platinum enough to get the money by the team. Let's read his quote here for you. He posted this on his social media. I it was Instagram or something. But Nick Lachey.

Nick (31:09)
I don't think he's that rich.

What did Nicholas say?

Neil (31:28)
This is a quote from Nick Lachey. As you said, he's more than 98 % right. He's absolutely right. He's 198 % right.

Nick (31:38)
He's more, you stole, we stole my line, but yeah, he's, he's yeah.

He's a hundred.

Neil (31:46)
Like that's the way

that I don't understand how we can all see it and old man Brown doesn't understand it.

Nick (31:54)
Well, he might understand it, he just don't want to spend it. Look, they're loyal to a fault and look loyal can be a good quality. It can, but I just think that this offense deserves somebody else in charge. I don't get a sense of 100 % confidence in this staff when I hear Joe talk, when I hear Jamar talk.

Neil (32:20)
No.

Nick (32:20)
and

You want that and look, this offense is fine. Like everybody's talking about takeaway play calling from Zach. That's not why they're losing games. There's times where I'm like what? Like, yes, but that's, but that's going to happen with any that that's going to happen with any play caller.

Neil (32:32)
his decision making, his decision making.

His game management and his decision making is poor. And it happened yesterday. And we saw it on the one where it was fourth and one and we took the delay of game and we should have gone for it. And there's another time where maybe you shouldn't have gone for it you did. But it happens time and time again where they take delay of games or they're not lined up ready and they just look a mess. And that's on the head coach. And that has nothing to do with play calling. It needs to grow up.

Nick (32:50)
or Senate.

Well, I'm not right.

But I mean, his play calling is not why they're losing games.

Neil (33:11)
No, it's not. But he needs to grow up as a game manager. And that's a big part of being a head coach.

Nick (33:18)
I think more importantly is you need to be a team manager and you got to play complimentary football. Because how many times do we see this team play complimentary football this year? Well, I think twice. The last two before this one when it was already over.

Neil (33:25)
Yeah.

Zero. When? Baltimore?

Maybe the Baltimore game at Baltimore. We created what four turnovers or five turnovers.

Nick (33:35)
the mean.

Yeah, potentially. Maybe three.

But I don't know, it's just hard to see all these teams make moves and you know your team's not gonna make move and then it doesn't.

Neil (33:51)
Speaking of making moves, and we can get off the Bengals finally, will the Baltimore Ravens make a move? After the loss last night. I mean that's the speculation going around right now is will Jim, John Harbaugh, will John Harbaugh be back next year? What that team looks like.

Nick (33:57)
I mean, I don't see why they would.

Well, if he's not, then I'm gonna go be in charge of the Bengals and fire Zach Taylor and bring him to Cincinnati. Because that would make no sense to fire him. I mean, you're gonna fire a guy because your kicker missed a 44 yard field goal. In a season where you started one and five and all you need was a 44 yard field goal to win it.

Neil (34:13)
I would agree with that.

or the fact that you... I mean that might be why you fire the guys

because you started, you had no business starting one in five and you missed the playoffs.

Nick (34:34)
But they did. I mean, they raved it over.

Neil (34:36)
The Ravens have

no, with the roster the Ravens put together, they have no business missing the playoffs.

Nick (34:39)
Well, here's,

look, we can get into that game last night. Both those teams suck. Like neither one of those teams are good. Like, yeah, they both kept scoring because both defenses are terrible. And we've talked about how bad all the defenses are in the AFC North all year.

Neil (34:54)
Yeah.

Nick (34:55)
Like, those are not two good football teams. Those are two bad football teams that can't figure out a way to stop the other team.

Neil (35:04)
It It is true.

Nick (35:06)
And it just so happened that a rookie who had been great all year just wasn't up to the moment. And that's why Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin are going to play off and John Harbaugh Lamar aren't. is that gonna be if you're gonna fire John Harbaugh anyways? I'm not because they lost that game either way can't be a reason why you fire somebody.

Neil (35:30)
I think maybe because you missed the playoffs with a roster and talent that has no business missing the playoffs. Kind of like Cincinnati's offense, like we have no business.

Nick (35:38)
What

is their roster that great?

Neil (35:43)
think so, yeah.

Nick (35:44)
Is it? Like

neither defense is good. Like they're getting older. Like these aren't the same Pittsburgh Baltimore defenses that we've seen in the past. Like we're acting like it is. And now they've had a lot of injuries too. But.

Neil (35:57)
I mean Baltimore or what?

mean, in

last, but when you're Baltimore and you're coming off an AFC title appearance and then last year, you would you lose in Buffalo with a chance to go to the US because Mark Andrews dropped that two point conversion. Like you're a play away from getting back to the AFC championship game two years in a row. And then all of a you start one in five and miss the playoffs. What was that about?

Nick (36:19)
Well,

that's because their defense wasn't good at beginning of year. And also Lamar, even though he made plays yesterday, it's still not the Lamar that we're the Lamar we're used to seeing. No, it's not. It's broken plays. Like you could have, you could have made those throws to save flowers.

Neil (36:22)
Thanks.

I think yesterday was the Lamar we used to see.

He was good yesterday.

That throw that that throw on fourth and nine just put him into field goal range before the miss field goal was great.

Nick (36:41)
Yeah, a fantastic catch by Isaiah Leichli too on the other end. But like, he completed what, 11 passes for 250 yards? Because over 100 of them came on two busted plays. And you can tell when he's rolling out that this is not the same Lamar. He's not 100 % healthy. He hasn't been.

Neil (36:43)
But you put it in? Sure, yeah, but...

Well

he's not as fast as he was when he was a rookie. I mean he's not gonna outrun dudes anymore.

Nick (37:05)
We're

not talking about a rookie, we're talking about last year.

Neil (37:07)
I know, I wouldn't say he's not as good, he's just not as fast.

Nick (37:10)
He just, he's not 100%. He's not 100%.

Neil (37:14)
I don't know that 100 % Lamar is even going to be the same Lamar that you expect.

Nick (37:18)
Well, maybe not, but he's not at 100 % capacity right now. And I mean, they took advantage of, I mean, the same play twice. It was a replay where Zay just gets completely free, which I don't understand how it happens. But just my bottom line on that one is neither one of those teams are very good. And I would be shocked if the Steelers.

even really give Texans a run for their

Neil (37:48)
Yeah.

Nick (37:49)
⁓

So, Raheem Morris talked about him. He's one of the coaches that got fired. They were like 4-1 in primetime games. They were eliminated from playoff contention on November 30th when they lost to the Jets, 27-24. And if you lose to the Jets, you should be eliminated from playoff contention. Right? Right?

Neil (37:55)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

You should have like a three year post-it in vain. Yeah.

Yeah.

Nick (38:19)
So they're eliminated from playoff contention on November 30th and then they lose to the Seahawks. They win their next four and they end up in a tie with the best record in the NFC South. Even though they were eliminated in November, the Jets in their five games after beating the Falcons, all losses are outscored 188 to 54.

Neil (38:32)
That's wild. That's wild.

and Aaron Glenson.

Nick (38:43)
And they also

finish the season with Goose Egg interception.

Neil (38:49)
and Glenn

did not get fired, Also, how about the Jets? Go 17 games, full season, and don't have an interception. Zero. That's, like, not even like a tipped ball that just falls into a defender's hands. Zero. Like, every team gets a lucky interception. Like, you know, like that ball that's tipped in the air of...

Nick (38:57)
Zero. Zero.

Neil (39:11)
deflected something here and overthrow quarterback makes an overthrow in his lanes right in the safety slap. I mean even Gino Stone had more than one interception this year and he's the worst safety in the league and it's all because the ball just somehow magically thrown right to him.

Nick (39:21)
The

only thing he does well, Neil, is sometimes play center field. He's just, yeah.

Neil (39:27)
and just wait for the ball to hit him in the lap. But how does

that not happen to the Jets? Not one time.

Nick (39:33)
Well, terrible football team, terrible, terrible football team that, that being the Cincinnati Bengals.

Neil (39:39)
There have been terrible football teams before. There

have been 0 and 17 football teams before. The Browns, the Lions, and they all at least have an interception.

Nick (39:47)
Yep, this team didn't get one.

Neil (39:49)
That sounds... that blows my mind. No.

Nick (39:51)
This team did a good one.

And there was another play, the Colts. Did you see the play in the Colts game? They ran a fake punt like on fourth and five in the first half against the Texans. They get it. They leave the fake punt unit out there for first down. They left it out there. Yeah.

Neil (40:01)
No.

Okay.

Yeah.

Well, they went like, no huddle.

Did they like, or did they huddle up?

Nick (40:20)
They just went no huddle and they get a 12 man, 12 men on the field penalty against the Texans.

Neil (40:21)
Okay.

⁓ smart. Okay.

Nick (40:29)
Didn't win on the game, I I had never seen a team leave their punt unit out there after running a fake punt and picking it up and leaving them out there for first down. But that was something that was.

Neil (40:36)
What? No, it's...

an interesting move.

I mean when you're eliminated from the playoffs you can get creative with doing stupid stuff like that and make it fun. So, good for them.

Nick (40:49)
The only other game that mattered this week was the Bucks in the Panthers game. The Panthers lose, lose three out of last four. But then thanks to the Falcons beating the Saints, they still get into playoffs through the Panthers.

Neil (41:04)
Yeah.

mean, the Panthers have some big wins this year. I they beat the Rams.

Nick (41:10)
They have

less wins than have losses.

Neil (41:14)
I mean, no,

they're under five. They're hosting a playoff game with a record of eight and nine. But in those eight wins, they've beaten the Rams, they've beaten the Green Bay Packers, they've beaten what's at the time I thought was a good Dallas Cowboys team. You know, so they've beaten some decent teams along the way. So any one game can they win? Sure. But more than likely, they're gonna lose. And

Nick (41:42)
with our 10 point dog.

Neil (41:44)
They're playing the rams again, right?

Nick (41:45)
They're playing around, so they just beat them.

Neil (41:47)
beat them on, yeah, right after Thanksgiving on the 30th. So, it's not unheard of, they can do it. I don't think they will, but it's possible.

Nick (41:57)
I mean,

if you get 10 points, taking that against a team that they just beat?

Neil (42:01)
I mean, was...

Nah. Wait, say that again?

Nick (42:06)
Like they're getting 10 points at home.

Neil (42:08)
I mean, you were to... Would you take them?

Nick (42:10)
Probably not.

Neil (42:12)
Hahaha

Nick (42:14)
But it, I mean, I'll probably get burned by it.

Neil (42:17)
But also, can we stop with this? If you have a losing record, you don't get into playoffs. You just go to the fourth wildcard team. Just get a fourth wildcard team in there, some team that at least is a couple games above 500, and let's go. You should not be a playoff team with a losing record.

Nick (42:33)
Well do you know who gets in? Before you make up this point that you want to bring up? Because it's J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings.

Neil (42:36)
no. no.

But they've got a winning record. So yeah, think the Vikings deserve, you don't think the Vikings deserve a better, have a better shot than the Panthers?

Nick (42:46)
They do.

I mean, they won one more game. The Panthers won their division. I don't know, like.

Neil (42:59)
It's a terrible division.

Nick (43:02)
Well, it's not like the Vikings won one more game. I don't know. Like if there would have been a team that was 10 and 7.

Neil (43:09)
But like, would've liked a scene, I would've,

like, maybe, if it's not the Vikings, then the Lions. The Lions are also died today. Either one of those scenes.

Nick (43:15)
Well, maybe you should

get into the college football playoff where you can just pick who you want to get in because that ain't how the NFL works.

Neil (43:22)
I just think that in a losing record, no matter if you win your division, you should not be in the playoff.

Nick (43:27)
I that's why I brought up the question. But later.

Neil (43:32)
especially hosting a home game. Like how ridiculous is that that the St. Louis or that the LA Rams have to go to the Panthers in this playoff game?

Nick (43:42)
Yeah, I mean, it's not the first time this has happened. I mean...

Neil (43:44)
Like you shouldn't just automatically

get home field advantage because you win your division.

Nick (43:48)
This ⁓ is an annual problem with the NFC South. This is not the first time. The Bucs usually are the, they take advantage of this and now the Panthers are taking it. Heck, the AFC South a ton of times too has had this issue.

Neil (43:58)
Don't.

the Rams

are 12-5 and have to go across the country and play an 8-9 team. If four more wins and have to play on the road. Makes no sense. They need change that. You agree with that?

Nick (44:17)
What do you do?

Neil (44:18)
Like if you win your division, maybe you get in the playoffs, but you see based on record.

Nick (44:24)
Man.

Neil (44:24)
So then put the Panthers as the eighth seed. And not the fourth. And not the fourth seed.

Nick (44:30)
I don't think I would have a problem with that.

But so is your, if they are nine and eight, they get to host?

Neil (44:38)
Only if you're a top 4C.

Nick (44:41)
Okay, so you just have to have the top four record, regardless of the... So your division winners get in, but then the top four records get through.

Neil (44:43)
Yeah, correct. Yes. But you

don't automatically, it's just like the college football playoff. Like you win your conference, you're in, but that doesn't guarantee you a buy or doesn't guarantee you a home game. Like you seed based on record. You can get in, but you might be the eight seed, as it should be. Got it.

Nick (44:57)
I can live with that.

I can live with that. Yeah, I can get down with that.

mean, an eight, nine team hosting a team that is 12 and five doesn't make a ton of sense.

And that game will be Saturday at 430 surprise surprise surprise surprise the Saturday night game Packers at Bears. We just saw this one a couple weeks ago

Neil (45:16)
As it should be. As it should be.

Nick (45:23)
You think the Bears are going to do it again? Well, they split in the regular season.

Neil (45:28)
They did split the regular season. I mean, I've kept doubting the Bears all year and they keep winning. So no reason to doubt them here. I think at home, I think the Bears win. club, once it spreads only one and a half. So almost a toss up there. I mean, that definitely helps. Do I think the Packers are a better team? Probably. But like I said, doubted the Bears all year and they've proven me wrong. And with it being at home.

Nick (45:42)
Jordan Leather is supposed to play.

Neil (45:57)
I would go Chicago.

Nick (46:00)
Yeah, I I think I'll go Packers just because they've got a little more experience. But the Bears, this is probably gonna be a close game and what has the Bears done all year until they lost to the Niners? And I don't know, I'll go Packers in that one. The final game of the NFC will be Sunday at 430, 49ers at the Eagles.

Neil (46:10)
They win close games.

Yeah.

Nick (46:23)
Should be, I think this one I'm looking forward to.

Neil (46:25)
Yeah, mean, Purdy got hurt in the finale of their day, didn't he? Is he supposed to play? I mean, I'm probably going Eagles.

Nick (46:30)
It'll play.

I'm going Niners in that one. I don't trust the Seagulls offense. Their defense is good. But I don't see them slowing down this 49ers offense. I mean, the 49ers were, mean, the Seahawks are just, their defense is incredible. But they had an opportunity to get the one seed. I just think they've been playing better as of late. I'm going the Niners in that one.

Neil (46:35)
Right.

Yeah, I know. think playing a playoff game in Philadelphia is going be tough. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Niners won it.

Nick (47:09)
Yeah,

I think it'll be a good one. Then Bill's at Jags, which I think is super enticing.

Neil (47:17)
I think that's probably the, if I had to pick, I'd say that's probably the game of the first round, would you not?

Nick (47:23)
Sunday at one o'clock.

Neil (47:24)
Like don't you think that's the most intriguing matchup out of all six?

Nick (47:27)
Yeah,

I mean, the Bills are a one and a half point favorite on the road. And I I think if I was making a line, I would have something similar to that. mean, Liam Cohen to me is the coach of the year. people were, yeah, I do because I think people were almost counting Trevor Lawrence's career is done. And in

Neil (47:38)
Yeah.

or variable. Over variable?

Yeah, I agree. probably

would say the same. think he's probably coached the early because he's a first time head coach.

Nick (48:01)
Yeah, but also the fact that, I mean, a lot of people were thinking Trevor Lawrence might be in the same position that Tua is in right now after this season. And instead, you're 13 and four, you had a chance to be the number one seed in the AFC. I just think it's an incredible job that he's done. Now, when picking this game, I think this is Josh Allen's chance to win the Super Bowl. I think he's gonna take advantage of it.

Neil (48:09)
Yeah.

Yeah.

it's his best chance he's had. I mean, you got...

Nick (48:29)
I think he's gonna

at least get there. don't know if he's gonna win it, but I'm taking the bills.

Neil (48:33)
I mean, when you're in a playoffs with no Mahomes, no Burrow, no Lamar, this is your chance. So I think he takes advantage of it. I think they win that game. And I think they probably, if I had to pick a winner of the AFC, I think I'm taking Josh Allen in the bills overall.

Nick (48:41)
100%.

Yeah, just said the same thing. And look, and it's probably us both being hard headed because the Bills have been there and the rest of these teams haven't. And they've lost some games this year that they shouldn't have, but he's the best quarterback in this tournament. And so I'm rolling with him. Chargers at Patriots, Sunday night, 8 o'clock.

Neil (48:54)
Yeah. Yeah.

I think the Patriots win that one. I would say that they win that one pretty easily too. Two score Patriot win.

Nick (49:21)
Upset.

Neil (49:21)
Justin Herbert, you going with Justin Herbert and the Chargers? My God.

Nick (49:24)
Yep,

one always happens. This is for Drake Bay's first time. It's not Justin Herbert's first time. Jim Harbaugh has proved that he can win these games. I know their offensive lines banged up a little bit. New England's only a three and a half point favorite at home, which tells me that Vegas thinks this game is gonna be a lot closer than some people think too.

There's gonna be an upset. This is the one I'm rolling with.

Neil (49:50)
there was an upset, it's gonna be, I know that we just said how bad they are, it's gonna be the Steelers over the Texans at home.

Nick (49:57)
Tell me why.

Neil (49:58)
Just dot it's at for laws that it's at Pittsburgh. They have the home field advantage which is Well panther suck there eight nine, please the Steelers have a winning record But Mike Tomlin Mike Tomlin has been here. I mean he does this year in and year out Don't doubt Aaron Rodgers. I need to Has it but most of the ones he's lost have been on the road the ones he loses

Nick (50:03)
So did the Panthers, you didn't pick the Panthers.

He doesn't win playoff games, you're in and you're out.

You were in IU

the last time we won a playoff game.

Neil (50:25)
I mean, the most, ones who, but they've all pretty much been on the road. I don't know. I think, I'm not sold on the Texans. I know they've won, how many have won? Nine in a row.

Nick (50:33)
Dude,

best defense in the league. You think? Best defense in the league.

Neil (50:36)
Yeah, I don't know. I think if there's a chance

for an upset, it's gonna be, it's gonna be.

Nick (50:42)
So Texans are three point favorite on the road. I mean, I.

Neil (50:46)
I think Texans win, doesn't mean wrong. I don't think there will be an exit.

Nick (50:49)
I at

least had the stones to take an underdog. You're just saying this is the most likely one.

Neil (50:55)
Yeah, it is most likely. I don't think there will be an upset. I don't think there's gonna be an upset in the first round. There won't be.

Nick (50:57)
Well pick it, pick it.

There's always an upset in the first round.

Neil (51:03)
Well when we get on this pod next Monday I'll be like, Nick, there was no upsets. And you'll be like, you were right.

Nick (51:08)
But yeah, there's no way there is absolutely no way I'm taking the Steelers in this one. They will not score double digits unless they get a defensive score.

Neil (51:18)
as possible.

Nick (51:19)
I'm just telling you.

Neil (51:20)
All right.

Nick (51:20)
⁓ We won't get too much into it because we've already gone almost an hour There are six College basketball teams and I promise you at some point we will start diving into the college basketball a lot more There are six undefeated teams right now Michigan Arizona, Nebraska who won tonight Iowa State Vanderbilt, Miami, Ohio

Neil (51:38)
Yep.

Nick (51:44)
At this point last year, do you know how many undefeated teams there were?

Neil (51:49)
What, what, was, is, is this a trick question? Was there at least one? ⁓ god. was, ⁓ two undefeated teams at this point last year. Houston and somebody else.

Nick (52:00)
There was one

Neil (52:01)
This is Houston.

Nick (52:03)
It was Tennessee.

They were 14 and 0 and they lost the next week to the eventual national champion, Florida Gators, 73 to 43. So they emphatically got beat. But I mean, and just to give you a stat on Michigan to kind of talk about how good they have been.

Neil (52:19)
Yeah.

Nick (52:30)
They beat USC 96 to 66 to improve to 13 and 0. They're the first team in AP poll history to win three straight games against ranked opponents by 30 points or more.

Neil (52:45)
That's crazy. It's insane. That's insane.

Nick (52:47)
just putting it on everybody.

And I mean, we've talked about it, how talented these teams are. mean, Michigan and Arizona, they're gonna be up there all year. ⁓ But I need to sit down and-

Neil (53:01)
Yeah.

Can we talk about

the Nebraska Cornhuskers though? To me that's the darling of the season so far.

Nick (53:09)
Yeah?

Well,

both of Fred Hoyberg's connections are undefeated. He's the coach at Nebraska, used to be the coach at Iowa State. And both of these teams are undefeated. They win at Ohio State tonight.

Neil (53:20)
Yeah.

but like, like...

Yeah, but like they've been good team like they beat Creighton by 21. They have a road win or a rank road win already at Illinois when Illinois was 13. They win a ranked game at home against the top 10 Michigan State the other day and then another road win tonight at Ohio State like they just continue to keep rolling. I mean they're winning close games. It's not like they're dominating some of these games, but they're playing good teams and they're finding ways to win.

Nick (53:54)
No, the Illinois game, they hit a game winner at the buzzer to win that one. And they're radio guys.

Neil (53:56)
Yeah. Yeah.

Nick (54:00)
with the run that they're on and the calls that they're making in these games or they're winning the internet right now. So if you haven't listened to some of their calls, just Google Nebraska basketball radio guy calls and they're fantastic. ⁓ The call in the game when they beat Michigan State over the weekend, ⁓ God, what was it that they said?

Neil (54:14)
I'll you on the next one.

Nick (54:28)
Make room for daddy is what they said.

Neil (54:31)
What

does that even mean?

Nick (54:34)
Because they're in the top 10. They're talking about being, they're saying, we're moving into the top 10. Make room for Nettie. So if I was more prepared, I would have their names. I do not have that. But if you haven't listened to their calls, definitely check that out. yep, no, Nebraska. Nebraska. Vanderbilt gets Alabama, I think.

Neil (54:39)
Okay. Okay.

Michigan radio guys guy. ⁓ sorry Nebraska radio. Yes. Yes

Nick (55:02)
in the next week. So if they win that one, they'll really, you really can kind of start looking at them. Their coach came over from James Madison. ⁓

Neil (55:03)
think that's probably where they, I think that's where their train stops.

Yes.

See the Kurt Signetti of men's basketball?

Nick (55:16)
It could be, he could be. I mean, I'll tell you James Madison, man, they invest in their facilities and their coaches and.

Neil (55:26)
I mean, I feel like they've got a

pretty decent alumni base over at James Matt. That they got some money.

Nick (55:29)
But 100%, yeah, they got some money over there.

We got to see Dashi. He got in the game at TCU. Didn't take long.

Neil (55:40)
He did. He was booed. First of all, he had a jersey without his name on it. He got booed. And then his stats weren't overly impressive, right? Was it like 5 points, 4 rebounds, or somewhere along those lines?

Nick (55:52)
They lost by six first of all He had five points was two for three had four rebounds almost fouled out he had four fouls But but yeah, I mean dude it they got him into a game so quick that the jersey didn't even make it He's faster than FedEx

Neil (55:53)
They did lose. They did lose.

Like they had to get

like they had to get him into a game so quick before he was ruled ineligible, but.

Nick (56:14)
So yeah, I think he's supposed to wear 46. He's wearing number 50, no name on the back of it, booed by TCU fans. And dude, I'd boo too.

Neil (56:25)
I mean I'm not booing him, he's still like, what do we do? What is he, 20 year, 21, 22 years old? I'm not booing a 20 year old. He might be. If he's 34 then maybe I'm booing him, but don't boo him. Don't boo him, boo the, if you're mad about him playing or you don't want him playing, boo the NCAA.

Nick (56:32)
He's 34. He's 34. No, I think legitimately, I think he's 24.

I he's 24, 25.

Neil (56:46)
I'm not booing a 24 year old person playing basketball, but if you're mad about it and you take exception to it, just write the NCAA letter. Call up Charlie Baker and boo him on the phone.

Nick (56:59)
put his number and I guarantee you people will be calling. But then if their team gets him, they don't care, right? If it's your team that gets him, who cares? ⁓ Cats in the cards both coming off a loss this week. Which loss is more concerning? I don't think it's much of ⁓ a debate.

Neil (57:05)
Right. Yeah. This is wild.

Yeah.

I mean, losing at Stanford's not great. ⁓ know, Louisville's got, they've got a couple issues on the defensive end, trying to stay in front of people and play defense without fouling. I mean, both games on the West Coast, I mean, go to the West Coast and winning both games is hard. Only one team did it last year. ⁓ But, you know, play defense without fouling. Both games they had a lot of fouls, a lot of foul trouble. ⁓ Just so happened they made shots against California and didn't make shots against Stanford. you know, this

Team is, they're a top 10, top 15 team when Mike L. Brown Jr. plays. And without Mike L. Brown Jr., they're still a really, really good team. I still think they're a top 25 team, but it's completely different. It's completely different.

Nick (58:01)
Yeah, and look, some games just have the look and the onset. You're like, this is going to be a tough one. And that game just kind of had that feel. And I don't think people put enough into the fact that how hard it is to go out West and win two games when you're there for a week. And you're getting ready to come home and then you've got Duke on the horizon and you're playing without your best player. And the threes aren't falling.

Neil (58:20)
Yeah.

Nick (58:29)
like they normally do. And look, this team is really relying on three point. And when they're not falling, they're sometimes gonna have issues. ⁓ But I Stanford was just coming off a loss and they played really well and made shots and Louisville can get enough stops. I'm not that concerned about Louisville. Obviously they need to get Mikel Brown back on the floor. And I mean, it's not gonna be there on Tuesday night.

Neil (58:53)
Yes. I mean, there's.

No, they're they're still there. They're a very, good basketball team, even without him, but they are a great basketball team. When they're all playing and they're playing together so. Yeah.

Nick (59:08)
And we've seen how good they can be.

This game reminds me a little bit of the Georgia Tech game last year.

Neil (59:15)
Yeah, yeah, I would agree with that. But I mean, give Stanford credit, that freshman they have was Okori that put up 28. I mean, he's third leading freshman scorer in the country right now. And he was ranked, I think, coming out of high school in the 180s. Didn't get very many offers. I heard he was supposed to go to Harvard or something like that and ended up going to Stanford.

Nick (59:23)
Yeah. ⁓ was great.

Neil (59:40)
Nobody really talked about him and here he is sitting third in the country in scoring for freshmen. So they got some talent. Yeah. Yeah. Yes.

Nick (59:46)
And when they need buckets, he was getting them, right? And well, that's what we see Mikael do for Louisville. When they need buckets, he goes and gets them. So

I go out west winning both. think it's tough. You don't have your best player. Yeah, it sucks to lose, but I mean, this Kentucky team.

They get a win against St. John's, they get Quentin's back. You think maybe they're gonna start playing some better basketball and I don't know what offense they're running. All game against Alabama and they ain't getting stops. They ain't stopping anybody. We knew that from the beginning of the year, but I thought at least they would score with people and half the time I don't know what they're running.

Neil (1:00:24)
Yeah.

I did not see any, I mean I just caught pieces of the Alabama game, flipping it around and I saw they were down big early. They made a late run, I think they made a late run, I was watching it, they cut it to nine and then Alabama just went on like a little 6-7-0 run and put it right back to, it was not really in jeopardy but.

Nick (1:00:38)
Yeah, they were.

When

they're down that big, they're never gonna get enough stops to get completely back. I mean, he almost did against Louisville, but their offense was clicking then. Well, that was even before that too, they got it to four. But I don't know, this team's got issues. a lot of fans are complaining about their rotations, not playing the right guys together.

Neil (1:00:50)
Correct.

I mean, it's missing six free throws kind of also help.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Don't count them out

though, man. I mean, they've got, they still have talent, a lot of talent. I would not put it past them to turn this thing around.

Nick (1:01:15)
They got talent.

You know, I had 22 and eight and.

Neil (1:01:23)
I mean they're about to enter a stretch of very very winnable games I believe. Aren't they playing like Mississippi State, LSU, Missouri and the next three games are Missouri. They got Missouri at home.

Nick (1:01:34)
They

got Missouri, Mississippi State, LSU in the next three.

Neil (1:01:36)
Yeah, so I mean they should handle those teams. I would say early.

Nick (1:01:39)
And then they get Tennessee on

the road, and then they get Texas and Ole Miss. So two more.

Neil (1:01:43)
I mean they theoretically

should win five of the next six.

Nick (1:01:46)
Well, I don't, think they need to. They've got to get some comp.

Neil (1:01:49)
Yeah, I'm gonna think they came.

Yeah.

Nick (1:01:52)
They got to get some confidence, I don't know. Obviously, I'm more concerned if I'm a Cats fan than I am a Carts fan right now.

Neil (1:02:00)
You wouldn't know it based on Twitter. Said you wouldn't know that based on feign reactions on Twitter.

Nick (1:02:03)
Do what?

Well, fans are are fans.

Neil (1:02:10)
Fans are fans, that's right.

Nick (1:02:12)
⁓ That's why they're called fanatics All the bowl games you see all these ceremonies free game Did you see the parachuter at the Armed Forces Bowl?

Neil (1:02:20)
Yeah.

I did. Got caught in the Fugl net. And then he fell, right? Okay. Well I saw him fall. But also...

Nick (1:02:29)
It wasn't hurt. Was not hurt.

How does that not happen more often? I don't know. It shouldn't be,

Neil (1:02:36)
Well why is the field goal net up when a parachuter is coming in? Put the net down!

No! Like put the net down! Nobody's kicking field goals!

Nick (1:02:46)
Like I just, every

single time I see it, I'm amazed how they get so close to land on the X.

Neil (1:02:52)
Yeah.

Nick (1:02:53)
And like, is this one of those days where they didn't know that the debt was up? There's no way like the facilities. don't.

Neil (1:03:01)
I mean if you're the par-

I mean if you're the- I don't know if he got off course or if that was supposed to be his course. That's the way he was supposed to be going but if you're the parachuter and you're coming in, you probably can't tell that the net's up from that high up. I it's just some thin wire.

Nick (1:03:14)
I mean, it looks clear. Like if you look

at it from certain angles, you can't see the net at all.

Neil (1:03:18)
Right, it's some thin wire, like he probably didn't even notice it until it was too late. But I don't understand if you're the bowl game, why the net's up when you've got a parachute guy coming in from that direction.

Nick (1:03:29)
Dude, he knows what it feels like to be like a bug and get caught in a spiderweb now.

Neil (1:03:33)
I so.

Nick (1:03:34)
Like, you don't see that thing coming at all.

Neil (1:03:37)
No, that's actually, no, that's true. just, yeah, I mean I put the blame on the bowl game on this one, to be honest with

Nick (1:03:44)
I didn't think about that. Do you think normally the nets are down?

Neil (1:03:48)
I would assume so. ⁓

Nick (1:03:53)
Because I'm just thinking

he was off course, but maybe he was on course. And this was a facilities issue where they didn't put the net down.

Neil (1:04:00)
I think you should put the down regardless if he's on course or off because he could get off course. Why would you have another obstacle that could just get the guy? Put the nets down.

Like he might have been off course, but even if he's off course, the net should not have been up because this is 100 % preventable.

Nick (1:04:16)
1000 %

Neil (1:04:17)
Like nobody's kicking field goals when the parachute guy's coming in, so we don't need the field goal nets up.

Nick (1:04:22)
Yes.

Neil (1:04:23)
I don't get it. Come on. Come on, forces, Paul. We gotta do better. Military boy, what was it?

Nick (1:04:26)
And I guess.

That was the Armed Forces, that was the Lockheed Martin. I'm not 100 % sure, there's so many dang bowl games. I guess one more bowl game I want to talk about before we get out of here is Wake Forest beat, who'd they beat? A team that didn't even have a 500 record. Yeah, Mississippi State, five and seven Mississippi State in the Duke's mayonnaise bowl. And not only did Coach Dickert take the bath in the mayonnaise,

Neil (1:04:35)
The one that was in Dallas, Louisville played in there. I Louisville might have played in

Mississippi State in the Duke's Duke's Mayo Bowl.

you got the whole family involved.

Nick (1:05:00)
He brought the whole fam!

The mayonnaise that they dump on them looks a lot more runny.

Neil (1:05:07)
So you don't think it's real mayonnaise.

Nick (1:05:08)
I I'm not a mayonnaise guy, so I'm not an expert in it, but mayonnaise is thick, right?

Neil (1:05:16)
Yeah, but if you try to dump the actual real mayonnaise, it's not gonna come out of that cooler. You're need a spoon to start slapping it out. have to slop it out of the cooler if it was like the real thick mayonnaise.

Nick (1:05:24)
and it- Dude, it's a liquid.

watch the video. It's a straight liquid coming out.

Neil (1:05:33)
Maybe it's ranch dressing made to look like mayonnaise.

Nick (1:05:37)
Or maybe they just water it down, because all mayonnaise is is what, eggs and oil?

Neil (1:05:41)
Eggs

and oil, yeah. Yeah, so they could have watered it down. It might be real mayonnaise, but like you said, watered down so it does come out of the cooler. Because otherwise, you're scooping that with a spoon.

Nick (1:05:43)
That's all it is, right? Maybe it's.

But if you beat five and seven Mississippi State, you taking a mayo bath? You bringing in the whole fam?

Neil (1:05:55)
Yes. You won the Duke's Mayo Bowl, my guy. Of course you are.

Like, you take the mayo bath, you take the cheese at bath, you eat the Pop-Tart, the Tony the Tiger's, you get the cornflake bath, like the potato bowl, you get the french fries on top of you. I mean, I'm really disappointed in the Butchers' Big Bean Bowl. We didn't dump the beans, but at least they had a big old bowl of beans to eat for the players. Do I? Yeah, yes, yeah. So, you know, that was fine.

Nick (1:06:08)
Amen.

And they were in the trophy, which was pretty cool. They were in the trophy, which was pretty cool.

Neil (1:06:25)
But I mean the gimmicks of the bowls are what make them fun So like these different bass and these different things that are coming out of these coolers on them on the coaches and like do you see the pop tart bowl the ratings that it got? insane

Nick (1:06:30)
Yeah.

Yeah, because people just

want to see those, the Pop Tarts go through the toaster.

Neil (1:06:42)
I'm sorry, Notre Dame didn't want to play in it, but they would have been the most watched bowl game.

Nick (1:06:47)
Yeah, I think it's on all these bowl games because nobody cares. Nobody cares. But if they do the Pop-Tart or you do the mayonnaise, people show up for that. And the Pop-Tarts have the Pop-Tarts running around the whole game. There are four different flavors in this mascot. Yes, they do it right.

Neil (1:06:52)
You have to do the gimmicky stuff.

Yes, people watching. Yes.

They've got sprinkles in the end zone, they've got sprinkles on the helmets, sprinkles on the sidelines.

No, they do it right. The Pop Tarts Bowl does it perfectly. This was the first year Bush's bean sponsored a bowl game and they did it right. I was there and there was beans on literally everything. Bean hats that they gave out. We had bean shirts, bean hats. There's baked bean chapstick that I put in my wife's stocking.

Like there's beans on everything. Beans on literally anything that you could put a big bean on, they had a big bean on it. So their branding was on point. On point. So they did a great job. A lot of these bulls do a fantastic job of just making it entertaining and making it fun for the fans that are there and the fans that are watching at home.

Nick (1:07:34)
That sounds awful. That sounds awful.

Well, next step you turn the end zone into a big old bucket of beans or a big old pile of mayonnaise. So you guys dive it into the end zone. Yeah, I don't know how you can finish your route, unless your Jesus can walk on mayonnaise.

Neil (1:07:55)
Why not? Why not? It'll be kind of fun.

Nick (1:08:07)
But yeah, all these bow games need to be creative if they want people to watch them because

Neil (1:08:12)
And most of them don't.

Yeah.

Nick (1:08:13)
We're not, I mean, now that the playoffs here, your people aren't showing up just to watch two teams that didn't make playoff in a boring bowl game. You need to go watch Stranger Things? Is it too late? Are you gonna watch it tonight? What's that? How long is it? You are not gonna watch it tonight.

Neil (1:08:24)
We're gonna try it. Two hours worth. It's a two hour finale.

Be over by 1249. We'll Yeah, I've been talking. I've been yapping with you too long.

Nick (1:08:36)
Well, let's get you out of here so you're not going to be all day about a wife.

But alright, let's get out of here so we can watch Stranger Things not get yelled at by his wife. I'm still having watched season four. So I mean, I hadn't watched it when was season three, like 2019. Yeah, I mean, I was off for the last couple of weeks, said I'd watch it and it never even crossed my mind.

Neil (1:08:50)
You quit. You're done with it.

along.

Nick (1:09:03)
Maybe one day, we'll see. Let me know how good the finale is.

For the 660, I'm the 410 Nick. Make sure you're subscribing on all whatever platform you listen to it. Watch us on YouTube. You can also watch us on Spotify. We'll talk to you next week. You've been listening to Height Differential.