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Spartan Red Zone breaks down everything happening in the world of Michigan State University football.
Welcome back, everyone, to Spartan red zone episode 9. We have a little bit of a lighter room today as I am your host, Oscar Henderson, alongside my partners, Tim Marshall and Jacob Mauer. Guys, how are we doing on this great Friday morning that we have?
Tim:Energized, ready for the weekend. Got a big matchup in East Lansing. Very excited.
Jacob:Yeah. Like I said earlier on on this podcast, I love the schedule, how you have the back and forth of away game, home game, away game, home game. So they're kinda separated. So I've been at a long enough point to where we haven't had a game at home in a while. So now I'm I'm ready for it.
Jacob:Spartan Stadium is gonna be a good atmosphere to be at Saturday night.
Oscar:Definitely. Very, very excited to see how it's gonna look in that night game. Tim will have a preview for tomorrow's game, by the way, for the matchup against Ohio State. That should be coming up sometime today on the WDM website. Me and Joe will be on the broadcast tomorrow for the game, 7 o'clock pregame, 7:30 for the kickoff.
Oscar:That'll be here on the WDM airwaves. But before we go into that game, we are first gonna talk about last week's matchup against Boston College as MSU suffered their first loss of the season 23 to 19 against Boston College. They led 13 to 6 at halftime, but then scored only 6 points, throughout the rest of the game and then gave up the rest of those points to Boston College. Did not have much of an answer to their attack in the second half. Jacob, you were on the call for that game last weekend.
Oscar:What did you see? And, I guess, what was your biggest takeaway from, that game and the reason that you'd say we ended up suffering a defeat?
Jacob:Yeah. I mean, I think the point you hear this all the time, but I think that game is just a classic example of Boston College did not win that game. Michigan State lost that game. You have 4 turnovers, which it's really hard to win a game in college football with 4 turnovers, let alone on the road against a team that really, I think, should have still been in the top 25 even though after playing state. I don't really think they were a top 25 team, but they went on the road and played.
Jacob:And they were ranked, and they played a good Mizzou team very close. But, I mean, I I was surprised because the Spartans came into that game. They were very low on the depth chart, especially the receivers. They only had Montore Foster, Isaiah Johnson, and then that was it. Like, you you had Jack Vealing running seam routes.
Jacob:And so he was basically their wide receiver too. And so for the Spartans and I was really impressed with Brian Lingren. I know they only scored 19 points, but he had some plays where Michigan State only had a few threats, and he was making guys wide open. I think I was most disappointed in, however, Aidan Chiles because I I counted multiple times when there was just wide open guys and just overthrows, and you just can't have that right here at the power 4, d one college level. And, I know he's young.
Jacob:I know he's had, this is only what his 5th week going into, today, but Yes. It's still like, those are throws you need to make and, you know, like, he he came here where with NIL, you're getting paid a lot of money. And so with a lot of money, comes a lot of expectations. And so I was pretty disappointed in his performance, and I think he knows it too. He can be a lot better.
Jacob:He was really good with his legs, though. He extended a lot of plays, a lot of drives with his legs, but his arm I know it was raining out, but, it's still you you need to make those throws. You need to have those timely good decisions to make and, win that game, and sprints didn't.
Oscar:Yeah. Chiles threw 3 interceptions that game, including one that sealed it. It was a deep ball to Montore Foster who was double teamed and, yeah, did not end up so well. Tim, I wanna talk to you about your biggest takeaway. I wanna first speak on the defense, though, because the defense really did its job.
Oscar:And, I mean, that's sort of been what we've been seeing week in and week out. Joe Rossi has really been, you know, commanding this team into a different type of aggressive defense that we weren't really used to seeing the past 2, 3 years. I mean, just what were your takeaways from it? I mean, what did you like from Joe Rossi that you saw? And especially against, you know, such a wild and different offense that they faced in Boston College, especially with Castellanos.
Oscar:Like, what did you see so that they were able to do so well to contain that offense?
Tim:Yeah. The defense bailed them out for most of the game for what, the offense and special teams were doing. They were putting them especially with the fumble to begin the second half, they put them in this 5 yard line. They were able to force a field goal there. Like, the defense kept them in this game much longer than what the offense and special teams allowed them to be.
Tim:This should have been a game where BC was up by 14. Like, it felt you felt terrible in that second half. But the defense just kind of made it tough for BC, made it tough for Cassianos who really didn't run that much, which was a good thing. That was kind of the game plan on him, keep him inside the pocket. And then they just let up that one big play in the Q4 that kinda killed him.
Tim:But besides that, I I liked what they had. I liked what that defense did. They brought pressure, contained the run. It all really worked out for them.
Oscar:Yeah. And, I know we're we're gonna touch on the offense again a little bit. Like you said, they were riddled with injuries, last week. They had Antonio Gates again as wide receiver 4 on that depth chart when he's really, like, wide receiver 6, fully healthy. But, I mean, we we like you said, Brian Lingering was able to call up a lot of great plays with what he had, but, again, it just comes down to that execution.
Oscar:And Aiden Childs, like you said, you know he's young, but with this new world of NIL and what they they're getting paid now, you have to come with these expectations. And he's, I guess, currently failing those expectations right now that we have for him. And, especially, I know it's hard to, I guess, measure that with such a young QB, only 19 years old in in his 5th career start now this week. But
Tim:You you didn't they didn't pay him that NIL money for this year. They paid him they paid that money to get him here and develop him.
Jacob:Yep.
Tim:They this isn't everyone wanted this to be a rebuilding year coming into the season. Then they beat Maryland week 2, which, honestly, that could have been that might be the greatest curse of this team. It was a great win. Yeah. But they looked amazing, and now that's the expectation for Charles to throw for 400 yards and Marsh to throw for or receive 200 and get 2 like, it it's not a realistic it's not realistic for a 19 year old QB to be doing this.
Tim:We you can't really hold him to that standard. Obviously, this is the big town. There it should be better, but the these are just battle cigars that are gonna happen. It's gonna help them out in the long run, but, yeah, right now, it's just kind of difficult.
Jacob:Yeah. I think the big thing is, you know, it's gonna be rebuilding, but you just look for weeks of improvement. And the thing with Chiles is we keep seeing the same mistakes. He can't consistently read a double team on his receivers. He consistently has those overthrows, and he consistently has those, times when he should run out of the pocket, but he doesn't and tries to extend a play that really isn't there, enforces something that really could end up badly.
Jacob:Childs in that game should have really had 6 interceptions. There was a time when Boston College, both their defenders collided together, couple of drops in the rain from Boston College defenders. But, I mean, I've just been looking for improvement for Childs and just to fix these mistakes. And the fact that he hasn't not that it concerns me because I know he has a lot of time here, and you've seen the talent in the Maryland game, but it still causes a lack of or I guess more so disappointment in his performance.
Tim:I liked him in the running game, though. That was something we really haven't seen. He had 60 yards in the first half. I thought that was pretty impressive.
Jacob:Yeah. That was the only thing where I thought, okay. He really has improved because there'd be times against Prairie View, even Maryland, where he could've used his legs, picked up the first down, and he didn't, and he tried to force something. So when you saw that against Boston College, I mean, you just saw the dynamic that he can bring. But, I mean, especially in the passing game, you still saw those same mistakes, which really, really kills you.
Tim:Honestly, I wanna say that's really his first true road game because Maryland was basically east east Lansing. Yeah. We're being honest. Like,
Oscar:that is about a third of Spartan fans in that stadium.
Tim:And there was only probably a third of the stadium full. Like, it was not a very, tough environment where BC, on the other hand, red band the end of game, emotional. It was packed. I it was a sellout. So I I think that's something where there are gonna be a few bad boys.
Oscar:Yeah. Definitely. You mentioned, that that Maryland win might be a a curse in disguise sort of for this team. I wanna go on and how we think this first loss is sort of gonna affect the rest of the season. Do we think it's gonna kinda derail what our expectations were possibly for, this team, especially now looking at that back end of the schedule?
Oscar:It's not as easy as we thought it was gonna be. So, do we think this kinda maybe would be a blessing in disguise to sort of manage the expectations of this team and, I guess, realize that they are still in a rebuilding, year, and, you know, we can see improvement week after week, but we shouldn't put total, I guess, accountability into the win loss total, or do we think this sort of might derail the chances that we have and sort of, you know, throw us off course of where we, you know, seem to be trajectory wise?
Tim:I'd say maybe not totally in the win total. I think 5, 6 wins would still be a a success for the season. Not 5, but 6 would be a success. But I I'd look at the point differential. Can't be losing the teams like Penn State or this week to Ohio State by 49 points.
Tim:It just can't happen. You have a new coach. You have a lot of new players, obviously, but that's what all that turnover is for, to not lose by 49 to these top teams. So keep it close. Make it tough against one of them.
Tim:Maybe you have a lead, but just just play a a regular football game and don't be the laughingstock at big time.
Jacob:Yeah. I think I mean, guys, they could've so easily been 4 and o Definitely. Against Boston College. And I wonder what the conversation would be right now if they did pull out that victory. Like, there's about 12 plays in that whole game.
Jacob:If just one of them changed, Michigan State would have won. Yeah. So I don't know how different we expect the season to be if they were 4 and o versus 3 and 1, but I still have those high expectations. I mean, this defense, I think, is really legit. Boston College was a good offense.
Jacob:They were still able to run the ball on Michigan State, but there's times too when the Spartans were able to stop them. I mean, they made them one dimensional, which, in the rain, I mean, maybe that forced it, but, this Spartan defense really they came up big when they needed to. So I think the key that we saw from the last regime versus this one is these big games against Ohio State, like the big dogs, they would get blown out. And so, it's gonna be key. If Michigan State loses by 30, I think we definitely have that conversation of, okay, how do we, just take on this rebuilding year?
Jacob:What do we wanna see improvement from? But if Michigan State can keep it close, I think they have a good shot to keep in a lot of these games, and why not try to win them?
Oscar:Yeah. Definitely. It'll be very exciting to watch. Speaking of which, we are now gonna move over to tomorrow night's game against the number 3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State is 23a half point favorites in this game tomorrow.
Oscar:Line was at 24a half couple days ago, so it does keep on moving into MSU's favor, luckily, but yet still a 3 touchdown spread. This is the biggest test by far MSU is going to face. And, yeah, this Ohio State team is no joke. Tim, you've been doing a lot of looking into them. I've done a lot of, you know, looking into them in terms of prep for tomorrow's game.
Oscar:This is, in my opinion, the most talented team I've seen maybe since that 2019 LSU team in terms of on roster talent.
Tim:And And they're more spread out, obviously. Yeah. LSU had the wide receiver in the QB. Ohio State is everywhere. They have
Oscar:It's everywhere. Yeah. Yeah. So, I want you to go into a little bit about, you know, what should we expect from this Ohio State team and, you know, where is this talent mainly the biggest contributor in terms of how they're winning games so dominantly so far?
Tim:Well, so it's not the Ohio State of old. It's not CJ Stroud or Justin Fields with a bunch of really good receivers. The bunch of really good receivers are still there, but now they have Will Howard at QB who's more of a game manager type. He's gonna get the ball to to the wide receivers when he has to, but they've relied a lot more on the run game now. They have Trevion Henderson who's been there for a few years.
Tim:He's finally healthy. His injury concerns have really been what's held him back the past few years. And then there's Quashawn Jenkins who is he's real he's the real deal out of he was out of Ole Miss last year. So they they have 2 those 2 guys who they really haven't used as much. Only 10 carries per game for both, but they both have, like, 3 or 4 touchdowns.
Tim:They both ran for 300 yards already. They're really what this offense leans on. They lean on the running, and then the passing is just extra. But they have the best wide receivers in the country too, so it's just the whole attack they can get you from really anywhere.
Oscar:Yeah. Like you said, Will Howard has really not had to make any crazy throws as of late. They're relying a lot of on yards after catch from Abuka Smith and, Carnell Tate, 3 of which were the fastest wide receivers in the nation. So it's worked out pretty well for them. But, you mentioned, Quashaun and Treyvion.
Oscar:It sort of feels like they're kind of replicating what made Michigan, I guess, so successful these past 2, 3 years and really relying on a 2 headed running back beast. It kinda reminds you of Edwards and Quorum a little bit from last year, but, you know, really relying on the run game to run that offense. And like you said, a little bit earlier in the show, it kinda feels like they're built like Michigan to beat Michigan
Tim:sort of.
Oscar:And I guess how does that sort of, you know, play into how they're gonna play against Michigan State? And I guess for the rest of the season, how is that gonna, you know, fare out for them, you think?
Tim:Well, there were reports over the summer that this Ohio State roster cost $20,000,000 to assemble. That's a lot of NIL money. Money. And they have guys at every position. And, yeah, it it's very similar to the Michigan team of last year with Judkins and Henderson.
Tim:Judkins is more of the speed yacht. Mhmm. He can really and he he's a threat to score a touchdown
Oscar:for him anyway. Second level, he's gone.
Tim:He's very he's very fast. Yeah. He he's outrunning most guys. And then Henderson's more of the bruiser. He'll run up the middle, run through your face.
Tim:If they need 1 or 2 yards, they'll go to Henderson. So, yeah, that's what to expect from that running game.
Oscar:Yeah. So I wanna look at MSU and specifically the defense because as we said, this offense has so many playmakers on it. It's really hard to dial in on 1, but I wanna ask you guys, what do you think this MSU defense is gonna really have to focus in on? Like, what's gonna be the key thing thing they're going to have to take away from this offense for them to have a chance even in this game of possibly pulling off the upset, you think?
Jacob:I feel like they need to stop the passing game because the passing game is how you score quickly, and that's how you, get on the board. And, I mean, Ohio State, they're they're known to score, like, at least 30 points by Michigan State at halftime, and it's all through the passing game. So if Michigan State can stop that, you force Ohio State to run. Yes. They still have an awesome running game, but, I mean, that longates the game.
Jacob:So I think for Michigan State, their best advantage is to make this game as short as possible. So for the Spartans on offense too, you I they're not a running team, but if you can do anything to elongate your drives and just keep it going, you only want Ohio State to get the ball maybe 4 times before halftime. If they get it more than that, then, Ohio State probably has a good shot of just scoring a bunch on you. So if Michigan State can do that, force Ohio State to go to their run game, they can shorten the game, be in the game. And if you're in the game, you never know what can happen.
Tim:Yeah. They also need to finish drives. That that that was a huge thing in the first game. It was a huge thing against BC. And you can't score 3 points against this Ohio State team because they're gonna be scoring up.
Tim:That's just how it's gonna be. They've scored 49 points or more in all 3 games. So, obviously, those against worst competition, but you you gotta think they're at least getting to 30. MSU, they got to 40 against Prairie View, but that's Prairie View. So it's gonna be it's gonna be tough for them to keep up with the offense.
Tim:Like Jacob said, they're gonna need to play by their own rules, keep the keep the ball for long periods of time, and just manage the game that way.
Oscar:Yeah. Definitely. Looking at the offensive side of the ball for MSU, they have a tall task in themselves on their own. They're going against what I think is the best defense in the entire country, especially looking at that front 7 and then the 2 safeties sitting in the back, Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom. And it's almost feels impossible to throw the ball on them, let alone run the ball on them right now.
Oscar:So, who, I guess, needs to be the biggest contributor on this offense for MSU to keep them in this game and even have a chance? And more specifically, what type of game, I guess, are we gonna have to see from Aiden Childs, tomorrow to give them a chance to pull off this crazy upset?
Tim:I think you have to look at the running backs. I think they have to establish establish the run early because that's where the play action comes into play. And that's where Charles has been best kind of on the bootlegs on the rollouts out of play action. So I I think, first, you establish the run, then it opens up the passing. I I think those 2 work very well together.
Jacob:I think, Charles will need to establish his legs because if he can establish himself as a dual threat, they're they're gonna have to pay more attention to him, maybe have a spy on him. But I really think the difference is Michigan State, they're best when they throw the deep ball. And we saw that against Maryland, and, that's when Charles is at best too if he can finally hit those passes. So I I hope Nick Marsh plays. I know he's still questionable, but if Nick Marsh and Montore Foster play, you can't double team them both.
Jacob:So one of those guys is gonna be 1 on 1 on a go, and, Childs is just gonna have to make those throws. And I think if Michigan State wins it, it's gonna be a lot of those type of plays, big plays for the Spartan offense that really gets the crowd in it, and, it can pick up a lot of yards.
Oscar:Definitely. Jaron Glover is actually officially active today or this week as well, so he will play against Ohio State. Nick Morris's status still up in the air currently, but we should have a announcement on his, availability by tomorrow. So we're gonna go off score predictions here. I know these are probably going to be, very lopsided in terms of how our scores are going to be, but, we're gonna do them anyway.
Oscar:I it's very hard, especially after last week to, you know, feel confident in this team going up against the Goliath that is this Ohio State Buckeyes team. I know they have them at home at 7:30. It's the first big 10 night game that MSU has this season. It's gonna be a very, very, I think, environment still in Spartan Stadium. There's still a lot of excitement, I think, around this team even with the loss last week, but Ohio State is just a different monster.
Oscar:And I don't I I think right now, talent wise and just, you know, skill wise, they're just not quite there yet at that level, and so I think it's just gonna be it's gonna be a rough one for the Spartans this week. I'm gonna go I think a 38 to 14 game feels about right. I I'll say 38 to 14, Ohio State wins.
Tim:Yeah. I something about this I think the first half is where the Spartans can get Ohio State because MSU's been a first half team. Ohio State's been a second half team. Yeah. They they even against these, group of 5 teams, they've started slow.
Tim:So there might be a little opening in that Q1, Q2 for MSU to do something. I I wouldn't be surprised if they even had a lead at halftime if it was, like, 14:10 at half, but that's not gonna hold up for the next 30 minutes in the second half. I'm gonna go MSU 21, Ohio State 37.
Jacob:I think this Michigan State defense will hold Ohio State to under 40, which is a pretty good task for I think Michigan State did last year against Ohio State, but I don't even know if Ohio State played their starters in the Q4. But I I think it could be close, and, I'm gonna give 2 options here. I'm gonna give a pathway for how Michigan State wins and what the score will be, and I'll give a pathway of what I think will happen, which is Ohio State winning. So we'll start with Ohio State. I think I think they will start off slow because they have started off really slow in these games.
Jacob:And then end of the second quarter, start of the second half, that's when they just ignite. So I think Michigan State could, like, be in it. I I'm not gonna say they're gonna lead, but I think they could be in it for that Q1. And then that Q2, I think Ohio State will get a nice, like, 20 to 10 lead. And I think it'll be, like, a 34 16 game for the Buckeyes.
Jacob:But if Michigan State will win it, I think the Spartans will need the lead at halftime because Ohio State will come out chopping in that second half. It just depends, like, can you slow them down enough to give yourself a shot? I think if they were to win, it would be like a walk off field goal type of fashion, and I think it would be a tied game for some reason. So I'm gonna say the teams would be tied 24, 24. Spartans would have it 3 minutes left.
Jacob:They'd march all the way down. Jonathan Kim is gonna hit over a 50 yard field goal, 51 yards with, like, 36 seconds to go. He'll hit it. Michigan State wins.
Oscar:Will he hit the Geiger celebration after kicking the field goal?
Jacob:No. I think he's gonna run and do one of these, like, Jordan jump.
Oscar:No, no windmill.
Jacob:No windmill. No. That's that's only in Columbus.
Oscar:Alright. Well, hopefully, we can see some celebration from Jonathan Kim after a game winning field goal, tomorrow. But, however, we will see what the outcome will be. Again, we will be broadcasting the game 7 o'clock pregame, 7:30 kickoff on our airwaves, and Tim later today, will have his preview out for this game as well on the WDM Impact Sports website. We are now gonna move on to the world of college football going on looking at the stuff going on around the college football landscape, and we're gonna start with probably the biggest game of the year so far.
Oscar:Number 2 Georgia is going ahead to Bryant Denny Stadium to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Georgia comes in as one point favorites. This is the first time that Alabama has been a home underdog in, I believe, about 20 straight home games or something like that. It has been a very long time since they have seen something like this, and this is this is gonna be a great game. I wanna the first thing I wanna talk about and ask you guys with this game is there's been a lot of talk about with the 12 team playoff that, you know, the the implications that this game would have, the past couple years is not the same as it is this year.
Oscar:Do you guys feel like that is the case, that looking down the road, this game is not gonna have as much value or meaning as we might think it does right now because of the 12 team playoff, or do we still think, like, this is a really big game for both of these teams, and this will be a massive massive victory for either one of them.
Tim:I think it's still a big game because the conference championship still means so much. And this is a conference game, obviously. So I I think that definitely adds to this because if you win your conference, you get a top 4 seed and a buy, which is, which is definitely huge, especially in the SCC where 7 6, 7 teams might make it. That means, say, you're the 10 seed and you have to go travel to another SCC team. That's a that's a dangerous thing.
Tim:You wanna get your wins in the regular season, like, when you have to, and then you're hosting that game. So I think it still definitely matters. I I I like Georgia in this game. I I think Carson Beck is he's he's a really good QB. And I I don't know if Alabama's quite ready.
Tim:They they have had some interesting games so far. So
Jacob:I I tossed back and forth in this game because I really have no idea. As far as the meaning of it, I honestly do think it still means more. I I I did not mean to say this to the SEC.
Oscar:It just means more.
Jacob:Wow. But, I mean, Tennessee, they look really good. And I think, they could easily roll into that SEC title game. And so I can't really say this is the loser just gets the 5 seed in the CFP because I it could not happen. It could it could fall down all the way to the 8 12 range even if they don't deserve it.
Jacob:So, it it definitely is a big game, and, I both these teams will definitely obviously be wanting to win it. But Alabama is a tough place to play, but they have had home losses in the past few years. So I I don't know if it's, like, the toughest place to play or, like, the most guaranteed. But Georgia was on the road against Kentucky, and they barely pulled that one out. But the thing is they did.
Jacob:And there's something about those teams that when you go on the road and have a ruckus game like that and you can still win, it's like a winning DNA that you have inside of you. So I lean to big Georgia in this one because I think they'll have a good bounce back, and, I I don't know. This is gonna be close, but I Eileen, Georgia.
Oscar:Yeah. I think this is gonna be a close game. I really wish I could pay my full divided attention to this game, because I think it's just gonna be amazing, but I do have another duty to call the Michigan State, Ohio State game. Yeah. I am actually going to differ from both of you guys.
Oscar:I think I'm gonna go with Bama here.
Tim:Really?
Oscar:I I've liked what I've seen from them the past couple weeks. I know they struggled a little against a a little bit against USF, but in their first, like, tough road environment, they absolutely dominated Wisconsin. And looking at how Georgia responded to their first road environment, it was not as good as I thought it was gonna be, especially against the Kentucky team that lost a lot of talent last year and is not as good as it was in previous years. So I don't know really what to expect from this Georgia team. I both of these teams are coming off a bye, so they'll both have a lot of week, a week to sort of figure out their stuff, I think, but I I like Bama at home.
Oscar:I I don't know if this Georgia team is ready to stop Jalen Milrow and the type of dynamic he brings to this offense. And I like what Kaelin DeBoer is doing with that offense. He's playing to Jalen Milrow's strengths, and they've been doing it really effectively. So I I'm gonna go with Alabama at home here. I think Brian Denny's gonna be too tough of a place for Georgia, and I think Alabama continues to haunt Kirby Smart's dreams here.
Tim:The only thing about Georgia in that game against Kentucky, obviously, they didn't look good, but they've won, is it, 3 seasons worth of regular season games in a row? And they've had close calls, like, against Missouri couple years ago when they really weren't that good. So I I I think that's just kinda what Georgia does. Coming off of the buy, that'll be huge. In that game last year where Alabama won an SEC championship, Georgia was really banged up.
Tim:They were still undefeated to that point too. So I I I like Georgia in the regular season, especially now that Kirby doesn't have to coach against Saban.
Oscar:That is true.
Jacob:Yeah. That's that's the thing. When Georgia looks rough the next week, they come out firing. Now I don't I don't think they've had, like, a back to back type of thing. I know they have the buy in there, but, like, on the next game, be an opponent like Bama on the road.
Jacob:But they still do. They still look a lot better. So that, dude, I still, like probably still wants to pick Bama, but
Oscar:I know. It it's a tough pick, but we're gonna see how these two teams play. Really, really excited to see the outcome of that game. We're gonna move on now to the 2nd biggest game probably of the year. No one real or of the week, no one really had this one as being a very good prime time game, yet they've played their way into it.
Oscar:Illinois and Penn State face off, and, Happy Valley looks like this game is going to be the whiteout game for Penn State as they welcome in number 19 Illinois. Illinois had a very, very impressive win last week on the road against Nebraska, and now they come in to an even tougher environment in Happy Valley with the whiteout game. This Illinois team feels like every Illinois team that Brett has ever coached. This is an amazing defense. Luke Altmaier, though, I think, has been the really big difference for this fighting a line item.
Oscar:He's been playing some phenomenal quarterback, and they've been able to, I think, really have a consistent offense, which is something that they've been kinda lacking for, these past few years. But what type of challenge do we think this, alignite team is gonna give Penn State, especially concerning this feels like the first real test that these these these Nittany Lions are gonna end up having this season.
Tim:Yeah. This is this is gonna be a tough game. I still don't know what to make of Illinois. Like, everything points to them being good, but I I still just have that block in my mind that they're Illinois. Yeah.
Tim:It's Illinois. Like, what? Like, Lou Lou Paulmire wasn't supposed to be good this year, but he he's completing 70% of his passes. Yeah. And he has 10 touchdowns and 0 interception.
Tim:He has been playing really well this season. I don't know what that's about. I I genuinely don't know if I believe in it the rest of the year. Like, I think that Nebraska win was it was a good win for them. It was just a very odd game.
Tim:I I think Penn State kinda they roll here. This is their first big test. These are the ones they still win. Like, it it's the top tier times the top tier games that they kinda fall apart in. These games are where Penn State kinda takes care of business.
Oscar:They're kinda lucky that this game ended up being a whiteout, and that's against a ranked opponent because, originally, this was just a stupid white out game against Illinois when they had Ohio State at home too and Oregon for that matter. But, yeah, Jacob, what are your thoughts on this game, and how do you think Penn State's gonna end up
Jacob:Yeah. So I, doubted the Illini last week, and, they proved me wrong. They went to a tough tough place to play against Nebraska and beat them in overtime. And I don't care how that game unfolded. They scored more points than the Cornhuskers, and that is tough to do at, in Lincoln.
Jacob:So I would say that because of that, they can play in any environment, but then they go to the hardest environment to play in Penn State, especially a whiteout game at night. So somehow it gets even tougher for the Illini. And like Tim said, these are the games that, Penn State takes care of business. We saw it a couple years ago against Auburn, top ranked opponent in, like, the twenties, nineteens. That's when Penn State can take care of business.
Jacob:It's when teams start to get in the top ten, and they play them a happy valley that James Franklin kinda chokes on the fork a little bit. But, I I still lean Penn State here, but if Illinois wins this game, we we need to talk because we we are already talking. Right? Great turnaround. But if they, if they can do it in a whiteout environment, where can they not win?
Oscar:Yeah. Shout out Brett Bilamo, by the way. He's been doing an amazing job coaching this Illini team for as long as he's been here. We're gonna move on now to another game that I think has, the 2nd biggest college football playoff implications of this week as Louisville is going to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this week in South Bend. Notre Dame is 7 point favorites.
Oscar:Not only is this a big game for Notre Dame as this is one of 2 only tough or tough tough scheduled games that they have on their conference, but Louisville is also looking to play their way into the ACC championship game and possibly the playoffs, and this would be a really great first step for them. But, again, both of these teams, they kinda desperately need this win, it feels like, to make their mark into the college football playoff.
Tim:Yeah. Louisville was, my dark horse at the beginning of the year for the ACC. I'm proud of how they've started. Like, 62 nothing against Austin Peay. Big win against Jacksonville State, and then a win against Georgia Tech.
Tim:Georgia Tech has a win against the top 10 opponent. Don't look up who that
Jacob:Who was that top 10 opponent? Are they still there?
Oscar:Great question.
Tim:The game happened overseas. They don't really keep track of that.
Oscar:They won that.
Jacob:They're still in the top 25? Do they do they have a win?
Tim:They do have a win. They do
Oscar:have a win. Yeah. They have a win.
Tim:They beat the liberal agenda
Jacob:in You're right.
Oscar:They beat Kawalk left.
Tim:But, yeah, this is gonna be I I like Louisville in this game. Notre Dame, they've beaten up on some lesser opponents since that loss to Northern Illinois, but I I I still don't believe in them as much. I'm gonna go Louisville here.
Jacob:Wow. I I wanna pick Notre Dame, but then, again, they have, I don't know. Notre Dame, like, seems to show up in the big games. It's just this the games that against inferior opponents that they kinda choke, especially against Northern Illinois. But they showed up against, Texas a and m.
Jacob:They showed up against Purdue. I know Purdue isn't a top ranked opponent, but that's still a road game after a tough loss, and they dominated. So I feel like this is Notre Dame's to win. I like I like the touchdown spread. I think Notre Dame will win by a touchdown, so give me the Irish.
Oscar:Oh, this is such a this is such an intriguing so my thing with Notre Dame is they still cannot throw the ball. Riley Leonard, I I know he threw his 1st touchdown pass finally last week, but their their passing game has still been a a a huge struggle. And I think a lot of that does also have to come down to they don't I don't think they have the, I don't think they have the guys at wide receiver right now either. I don't think they have the skill players for them to have an effective passing game, but it I think that's just a factor that it it makes them so one dimensional on offense that I think I think Louisville is gonna come into South Bend, and I think they're gonna be able to pull the offset because I I I don't like what I've seen from this Fighting Irish team so far in terms of what I've seen on offense. I think their defense has been playing phenomenal so far this season, though, but, yeah, that offense is just gonna give them fits, I think, all game, tomorrow.
Oscar:Yeah. I I Louisville's, I think, gonna take advantage of that.
Tim:This is a very similar similar Notre Dame team to last year, and they got blown out by Louisville last year. All although it was at home. I mean, Louisville, they had a good year too. They just ended kinda poorly, but still, I I think this could be a I I think Louisville has a real shot at winning this game, and I I love the plus if 7 points is the spread, then I'll definitely I
Oscar:would be looking into that. I'd be all over that.
Jacob:I feel like it's either a Notre Dame, like, 10 point victory or it's a Louisville win. Like, I don't think we're gonna have a 4 point Notre Dame win. It's either Louisville is able to keep Notre Dame 1 dimensional or not. Yeah.
Oscar:Yeah. I agree. Alright. We're gonna talk about one more game here as we go over to the big twelve as we have 2 teams who suffered very, very tragic losses last week looking to bounce back and play their way back into the college football playoff and the big twelve championship. We are talking about Oklahoma State and Kansas State.
Oscar:Both of these teams had pretty pitiful performances to say the least, against their opponents last week. Kansas State going on the road against BYU and getting absolutely annihilated after the Q1, and then Oklahoma State playing at home against Utah last week could not get anything going on offense and just got Kyle Whittingham to death is how I can basically describe it. But, yeah, both of these teams are still have a chance to play themselves in the big 12 championship game, still have a chance to possibly play themselves into the college football playoff. These are these are the games that these teams are desperately to win, and it feels like your season's basically over for either of these teams if they lose this game.
Tim:Yeah. I I don't know how many, Taco Bell burritos will be involved in this Kansas City game, but,
Oscar:I hope none, and we have to stop this track. It's
Tim:getting are getting crazy.
Oscar:It's getting crazy.
Tim:But neither of these teams really looked good. They they both had high hopes coming into the preseason, and neither have really lived up to it. Oklahoma State, that game was just ugly last week against Utah. And then Kansas State, Avery Johnson kinda were overhyped a little bit. I mean, to lose to BYU on the road
Oscar:In that fashion.
Tim:In that, yeah, in that fashion is just not a great look. Yeah. This game is kinda I guess, this is one where both teams are playing bad. This can really end the team that loses it. Yeah.
Tim:They can end their season, like, just now and still in September. And then whoever wins it can kinda bounce back and build momentum towards the rest of the year.
Jacob:Yeah. I just don't get Oklahoma State right now because they returned, like, most of their offensive line, and you have Ollie Gordon still back there, and they cannot get the run game going to save their lives. Yeah. So is this the game where they can do it? I don't know because I thought Utah could have been that game, and it wasn't.
Jacob:So
Oscar:Again, to be fair, Kyle Winningham, oh, consistently has a top 15 defense in the nation at Utah. He he is one of the best defensive minds in all of college football. So I I don't I don't put too much into them not being able to run a ball against Utah. However, they couldn't run it against Tulsa. They couldn't run it against Arkansas.
Oscar:They couldn't really run it against San Diego's or South Dakota State.
Tim:Well, Gordon had a under 26 in that game. He did against that, but still, besides that, like, it's been bad.
Jacob:It's Yeah.
Tim:Been 49 under 50, 42. Like, it's been tough for him so far when he was probably one of the the Heisman favorites to coming in.
Oscar:2nd or 3rd, at least. Yeah.
Tim:He was really in that conversation, and now that's just not the case. But then again, this is a spot where Mike Gundy kinda wins. Like, they're always hovering around 25 to 20. They never like, they were just in the teens. They kinda bring themselves back.
Oscar:It's the Mike Gundy.
Tim:This is the Mike Gundy line. Yeah. Like, right at
Jacob:He just makes you forget about them, and then they're like, what the heck? They're playing in the championships. Yeah.
Oscar:It's like is it one loss game against Oklahoma for that big 12 championship? What?
Tim:That's where I think, like, if they bounce back, that Colorado game will be interesting because I think at the end of the year, they could definitely they could definitely blow that one. But I I I I guess I'll go Oklahoma State just because I like them more than Kansas State. It's a pure just biased. Biased pick. Yeah.
Jacob:Yeah. Honestly, dude, I don't know. I don't want either I don't
Tim:have a mid off.
Jacob:I feel like yeah. I feel like they're both overrated. They're both mid, and I don't wanna see either of them in a championship game because they're not really fun to watch right now. But, Kansas State at home. Sure.
Jacob:Kansas State.
Oscar:Alright. I'm also gonna take Kansas State as well. I do not have a lot of faith in Allen Bowman. And, again, Ollie Gordon has not been playing up to par neither has his offensive line, so I think that we'll continue to struggle. But that'll do it for us here today on Spartan red zone.
Oscar:We will be back next week to talk about the Ohio State game and, of course, look at the next week going on in the world of college football. But for now, thank you for listening. You can catch us, tomorrow, again, live on WDM 89 88.9 FM, actually, for the 7 o'clock pregame and 7:30 kickoff. Thank you guys so much for listening, and we will see you all later.