Sheryl Swoopes

This is an iHeart podcast.

Dan Rubenstein

Guaranteed Human if you're a QuickBooks customer looking to grow without the growing pains you need the Intuit ERP, the AI native ERP that upgrades right from QuickBooks. Learn more@intuit.com ERP this is tab Ramos from Inside American Soccer. The Cup Knockout round is now and DraftKings has you covered for every single match. The DraftKings app is now available in all 50 states and includes all markets, bringing the game straight to your fingertips wherever you are. New DraftKings customers sign up with code DK1 spend five bucks to get 200 in rewards within 21 days. That's code DK1 in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. Bet with DK Sportsbook gambling problem call

Ty Hildebrandt

1-800- GAMBLER 1-800- My Reset Connecticut call 888-789-7777 or visit CCPG on behalf of Boothill Casino in Kansas. Bet TaxPhou may apply in Illinois 21 and over.

Dan Rubenstein

Void in Canada event contract trading with DraftKings predictions involves risk of loss Availability varies. Bet to get bonus bets that expire in 7 days. Trade to get $50 in predictions dollars that expire in 1 year issued every 7 days via click to claim for 21 days. One non withdrawable reward Redeemable Predictions offer Void in New York ends July 19. Terms at DKNG Co Audio what's up fam?

Ari Chambers

It's sports journalist Ari Chambers.

Sam J

Hey, what's up y'?

Michael Rapoport

All?

Sam J

It's your girl, Sam J.

Ari Chambers

And we're the hosts of Everyone Watches Women's Sports. A new pod from Together we're breaking

Sam J

down the biggest headlines, the viral moments and the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports.

Ari Chambers

From game changing performances to culture shifting conversations. We'll give you our takes, our debates and a few laughs along the way

Sam J

because everyone watches women's Sports. Listen to Everyone watches women's Sports on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

Ty Hildebrandt

Welcome to the Solid Verbal. The Solid Verbal.

Dan Rubenstein

Come after me.

Ty Hildebrandt

I'm a man. I'm 40. I've heard so many players say, well I want to happy you want to be happy for a day. Eat a steak.

Dan Rubenstein

It's that Woo woo.

Ty Hildebrandt

And now, Dan and Ty.

Dan Rubenstein

Dan Rubenstein, welcome back to a little show we like to call the Solid Verbal. Today. It is the ACC

Sam J

part.

Dan Rubenstein

Duh duh. We've got nine teams on the menu for today. We've got Miami, smu, Florida State, Virginia, Pitt, North Carolina, Wake, Stanford, and a little Old team known as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. We didn't know where else to put Notre Dame seemed as if they fit neatly into this category, especially since on today's episode we'll be talking about the Miami Hurricanes. And as you know, Miami, Notre Dame inextricably linked in more ways than just one. They obviously play a little bit later on this season we will get into all of that and much, much more. Welcome back, my friend. How are you? Good.

Ty Hildebrandt

Woke up yesterday with some maybe knee tendinitis. Dr. Quickly said you've probably been carrying a college football show and it's the weight of that creative endeavor is probably weighing. And so you just have to, you know, rest and ice and elevate that kind of thing. And then I got to thinking, you know, maybe that's not it. Maybe I'm just feeling, I'm just empathizing with the Miami experience in this conference carrying as an ACC championship eligible program, carrying this conference forward into 2026. So I'm doing really well. I, I like a lot of these teams that we're going to be talking about today, so I'm excited to do so and figure out where they fit in the hierarchy. I mean, we talked about that on part one, but now that we're deeper diving these teams more deeply diving these teams, excited to figure out how we both feel.

Dan Rubenstein

I have a sneaking suspicion that you're going to like most of these teams more than I like most teams. I have picked up subtle hints along the way and perhaps we can unpack that a little bit more. I don't know if it's my bias sneaking in. I don't know if it's in some cases the scar tissue rearing its ugly head, but among these nine teams that we're going to discuss here today, usually I'm the one pumping the sunshine.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

My hunch is that you might be a little bit more Captain Sunshine than me today.

Ty Hildebrandt

There are a number of Buy low candidates, which is why I'm spearheading the Davis Warren Commission time.

Sam J

No,

Ty Hildebrandt

I am not doing.

Dan Rubenstein

Don't do it.

Ty Hildebrandt

That commission. No, there are, there are a number of. When you look at the quarterbacks on a number of these teams, when you look at the situations on a number of these teams, when you look at where they were or weren't last year with Notre Dame just deciding that they couldn't compete in the Pop Tarts bowl, that they were just like, you know, we've sort of hit our limit in terms of competition and we know when to call it a season. So there are a number of buy low candidates. There are a number of teams that like the constraints of a lot of these teams is actually what makes them interesting and potentially like, okay, how are they going to play around this obvious deficiency and how are they going to scheme up their offense knowing they don't have this or how are they going to get off the field on defense knowing that these players walked out the door? What is the creative thing that's going to be happening here? So that to me is always. It's actually kind of an exciting angle to talk about a lot of these teams. Do you talk about an angle in with. I don't know. But that. That's a, that's an interesting pursuit, I think.

Dan Rubenstein

So look, this is going to be our fifth preview episode that we dropped to the feed. When people listen to this, the first four have done really, really well. It is clear from our vantage point that the college football public, certainly the verballer hood, is starved for some actual football and so we're happy to bring that to you. If you enjoy what you hear here today, what you watch out on our YouTube channel, please hit follow or subscribe so that you do not miss any of the additional episodes. Coming Again, we're doing three parters for all of the Power 4 conferences so there is a long way still to go. We'll be running those consecutively. I think we've got a little bit of a buffer there in case any news breaks, but for the most part consecutively, until we get through all of the power conferences, please feel free to tell your friends. Please feel free to go on out to verballers.com that is our Patreon where you can support the team directly. If you want to help Dan and I keep the lights on. And last but certainly not least, we've got a bunch of emails that have come in. We do read the emails even if we don't respond to all of them. SolidVerbalMail.com has been our email address forever. Please reach out if you've got something to say. It is the much more direct path if you want to get our ear as compared to things like social media which we sort of moonlight here and there and check in on from time to time, but solverable@gmail.com is really the direct line into the SVHQ.

Ty Hildebrandt

I agree.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay, where would you like to start?

Ty Hildebrandt

Let's start with the most successful of these teams that we have batched out for part one and that would be the Virginia Cavaliers. They made a conference championship game. Obviously the the cowardice of Notre Dame eliminates them.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay.

Ty Hildebrandt

Miami didn't play in the conference championship game last year. I usually like to start with the defending conference champion having earned the right to sit atop the preview. But we put Duke in part two.

Dan Rubenstein

Did we not put Duke in part two? Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

So I suppose Virginia's breakthrough under Tony Elliott last year. I think they have emerged as the team that we should start with.

Dan Rubenstein

Let's start with the who's. I should add full disclosure. You sent me a panicked message this morning on Slack.

Ty Hildebrandt

Oh, yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

And at first glance I thought something was wrong. It wasn't a good morning. It wasn't the results of today's MAPTAP competition that you and I have going on.

Ty Hildebrandt

Not a sponsor would be thrilled to have MAPTAP as a sponsor.

Dan Rubenstein

It was a sentence with two expletives about Virginia's schedule.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

You think this is a good schedule? I'm not so sure. But really, you to defend yourself right now? Yes.

Ty Hildebrandt

Well, I guess I have to pull up the Virginia schedule if you're going to put me on the spot here. Virginia this season features a schedule that starts with NC State. No longer in Rio.

Dan Rubenstein

Not in Rio. Not.

Ty Hildebrandt

Not in Rio, but in Charlottesville. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

Yep.

Ty Hildebrandt

Norfolk State, West Virginia, neutral Delaware.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay. Blue, hence. Go Blue Hens.

Ty Hildebrandt

Florida State on the road. Yeah, I mean, could. Could be tough. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

We'll get to Florida State. It's a nuanced conversation, but that's.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's maybe a look ahead spot with Louisville and Miami in the weeks to come. Syracuse at home so they don't have to go to the JMA Wireless Dome and, well, who knows what Syracuse is, but they have a ways to go from where they were last year. But hopefully they're healthy at quarterback. SMU away. Tough, tough. I think definitely a tough, tough matchup traveling to Dallas. Duke at home, defending champ. But Duke without a lot of what led to a lot of those offensive fireworks.

Dan Rubenstein

Not knowing what a team is. I have no idea what to expect from Duke. But please continue.

Ty Hildebrandt

Wake Forest on the road. I like Wake Forest. I don't look at that as obviously dangerous. Even though I believe they did nothing offensively against Wake Forest last season.

Dan Rubenstein

Wakes can be a pain in the ass this year, again, like they were painful.

Ty Hildebrandt

I agree. But Virginia lost that game last year. Right. So the potential revenge spot, they have all of their attention. They did lose that game last year. It was like a low scoring game. Sixteen to nine after Wake, they have a buy before they host Cal. Traveling across the country. No Doubt Cal's going to be tough, but we don't know what Cal is going to be, especially on defense. It's a pretty big mystery about what Cal's defense is going to look like and it wasn't anywhere good last year. North Carolina should be improved, especially on offense. Can't go much lower than where they were in the accidentally last year.

Dan Rubenstein

I think they'll be better, but Bobby

Ty Hildebrandt

Petrino adds an element and they're on the road at Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Cup. But it's a first year coach. Don't know what Ethan Grunkmeyer is going to be. They miss Miami, right?

Dan Rubenstein

No Miami, no Clemson on this.

Ty Hildebrandt

No Notre Dame. No Notre Dame, if I'm not mistaken. No Pitt, who could be pretty good.

Dan Rubenstein

We'll get to Pitt, but we'll get to Pitt.

Ty Hildebrandt

That's all fine. We don't know what Georgia Tech's gonna be, but they don't play Georgia Tech, a team who's won a bunch of games the last few years. So just in terms of what the schedule could be and where their starting point is, which is to me, promising defense, coaching and coordinator, continuity, quarterback, while not my favorite situation quarterback. Should we be playing behind a good offensive line? I think when you look at the top tier offensive lines in this conference, Virginia is in that conversation. Absolutely. With what they're returning.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, they are. They are.

Ty Hildebrandt

So starting point, schedule, experience at quarterback in major conferences. I'm not going to talk specifically about the ups and downs of that experience with both of these guys. I can go Purbulin, Eli, Holstein, but they've been there. Okay. I don't know how much I love Virginia, but I like where they're at given that schedule. How about that?

Dan Rubenstein

I'm worried UVA is going to be a half team and they could probably get away with being a half team against the schedule. I don't think it's quite as easy as you're making it out to be, but I also agree that the starting point is pretty positive. What UVA has going for it this year is defense. They could have created a bit more pressure last year, but it was all around pretty solid. In all the numbers that we track, this is a top 20 defense. They were really good on third downs, yards per play. All the stuff that we talk about when we do previews, all that fun stuff, definitely checks out this year. Per some of the projections, the defense is 20th in the nation, at least in terms of returning production. They're swapping in guys up front that they hope can be a Little bit more disruptive. There's a question about health in the back seven. Everyone's got health questions back seven this year.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah, I have health issues in my back seven.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, we got, we got health issues too. But if it's going to happen for Virginia this year, it's going to be driven by their defense offensively, offensively, outside of the line, which I agree looks solid. I just like. I don't know. There's massive turnover across the board. It seems like it's going to be a Bo Prabula offense at quarterback. It's not official yet. He comes over from Mizzou. If not him, it's going to be Eli Holstein, my one true God, who comes down from Pitt. Yeah, I. Bo's a better runner than Chandler Morris last year, but I think a significant downgrade in terms of a passer. So that's why if you read some of the practice reports and all the coach quotes thus far this season, everyone's talking about Bo's mobility. Not so much talking about him as a passer, as a pinpoint accurate passer. They're talking about, oh, he's good on the run, he's good with RPOs. So if he's the guy, and I think he will be, we're going to see an offense that's built around Bose mobility, that's built around their ability to run the ball. Otherwise, I think it will look a little bit different as compared to last season. Doesn't mean it's any better or worse, but definitely different in terms of what UVA is going to be putting out there compared to what we saw last year with Chandler Morris.

Ty Hildebrandt

The thing to like about UVA is they pulled out close games last year. There is some sort of proof of concept that Tony Elliott has his dudes prepared to play four quarters plus. Right. The double overtime game against Florida State. I want to say they beat Louisville in overtime last year as well. When I think the Cardinals came back to tie that game late. Yeah, that there is something there culturally, there's something there emotionally, mentally, whatever, that has this team prepared to win close games. The thing I don't love is some of those close games are against teams like North Carolina and Washington State. Right. Where you're like, okay, so they're of that quality, but they're pulling out those games, which you'd much rather have them do. And now that we have that base level, are they. If you're going to get better than that, which I think they do need to do. Right. You can't win 8, 9, 10 games, playing everybody good and not so good close because those toss ups are just not going to go math wise your way every time. And so are you going to bo probula your way to more 10 plus point wins. And that would be the case against this, that they weren't performing like a top ACC team against mid or lower tier teams last season and what have they done this year to say, okay, we're building upon those close wins and here's how and why.

Dan Rubenstein

The other bit of hesitation I have about the offense is if they're going to try and run behind the line and if they're going to try and lean into Beau, if he is the guy, his mobility, I think it means a lot on the ground. Probably a lot of shorter stuff through the air. Last year that was kind of their deal. By the way, this was not the most explosive offense in the world. They were like 83rd in the country in yards per play.

Ty Hildebrandt

Right.

Dan Rubenstein

So I could see a lot of small ball here without any obvious targets out wide. Like I was reading one of the reports that had Rico Flores. Do you remember Rico Flores?

Ty Hildebrandt

This is school number three.

Dan Rubenstein

School number three, ucla was at Notre Dame, went to ucla, now he's at uva. No disrespect to him, but when I see reports talking up Rico Flores as potentially wide receiver one, that's where I sort of get off the bus. I don't, I don't, I'm not really seeing that. So I have questions about the offense and what that looks like. But I would agree to the extent that the starting point, if your starting point is a pretty good offensive line and a defense that figures to be one of the best in conference, you could do a lot worse than that. And they'll probably win more games than they lose. They'll probably be in that conversation.

Ty Hildebrandt

So what you're essentially talking about is Mid Atlantic Hawkeyes here,

Dan Rubenstein

kind of successful

Ty Hildebrandt

small ball built around an offensive line, kinda specific defensive vision. They were one of the absolute best teams in America. Getting off the field and forcing three and outs.

Dan Rubenstein

I don't think they're as physical.

Ty Hildebrandt

No, no, no.

Dan Rubenstein

As Iowa.

Ty Hildebrandt

But just the intention. Right, the intention. So we can call him Ihua. Right. Would that be accurate? No. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

I would take Bo Prabula over Mark Kranowski, but I. Whoa. Yes, we could do that.

Ty Hildebrandt

I mean they're not dissimilar in how Iowa use Granowski. And I guess the best of what bro Prabula could be because he's going to be able to offer Something hypothetically that Chandler Morris was not able to physically, athletically, whatever. So, yeah, it's why I like Virginia. But I want them to be better in terms of outpacing the clearly lesser teams in the conference. And I love a team that does get that. Like, okay, we won last year. Here are the guys returning who got that taste. Here's what it takes, and here's how we're gonna build on it. Like, I. I don't want it. I don't want to believe it was a mirage. I want to believe there's enough back that the coordinators got a sense of what works and that there's more to come and that they are able to keep identifying dudes that can make a difference on defense. Especially because you're right, this is not going to probably be with BO PE at the helm. Probably not going to be a team that's bombing it downfield successfully like they did way back when with Bryce Perkins.

Sam J

Wow.

Ty Hildebrandt

That kind of. So that's. That's sort of my thing with Virginia. I like them, but I'm. I am a little bit afraid to get hurt again.

Dan Rubenstein

There's. There's a pretty obvious ceiling. That said in this conference with a big old meaty middle and no clear delineation with respect to who number two is, you could win with small ball against the schedule. You can win with small ball. So I'm with you. I'm optimistic on uva. I'm probably not as optimistic as you are, but I think we can comfortably say at this point, it's not like they're going to revert back to previous UVA teams, at least not this season where they go 2 and 10. This is still a pretty good team that's going to be in the hunt for a good chunk of the year.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah. By the way, I am very excited to figure out who the next Robert and I is. The annihization of the acc. Not that the ACC is any different than any other conference, but the like. Okay. And I. The early on in the running might be Eli Holstein, where Eli Holstein is just collecting passports all over the accident,

Dan Rubenstein

getting those stamps on.

Ty Hildebrandt

I hope. I hope I'm wrong, but yeah, we're like, he just ends up at Wake next year, then maybe closes things out at NC State or something. Yeah, I think we're vaguely in the same universe with Virginia.

Dan Rubenstein

We got eight teams left to go, dog.

Ty Hildebrandt

Let's do it.

Dan Rubenstein

Where you want to go next?

Ty Hildebrandt

Let's go Miami. Let's go, Miami.

Sheryl Swoopes

Miami.

Dan Rubenstein

Here we go. I feel like it's time for Miami to win the damn ACC already, don't you?

Ty Hildebrandt

I would be really. It'd be nice closure to them joining the ACC over 20 years ago. Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

And they feel it, too. From what I could gather, this was very much a focus of theirs in the off season. Because if you win the league, you don't have to worry about watching that stupid playoff special every Tuesday. If you win the league, you get that free pass in. You get the golden ticket to state the obvious. As you just alluded, Miami joined the ACC in the year of our Lord 2004, when I graduated college. They still have yet to win this league. So it is time. It is time for Miami. I also think it's obvious that Miami got a taste of success last season and they kept their foot on the gas, which is something I think we maybe like, don't cover as much as we should. But how many times throughout the course of just us covering this damn sport, do you see a team that bubbles up, maybe that's been building for a while, they get to some level of success, then suddenly they can't maintain it?

Ty Hildebrandt

Right?

Dan Rubenstein

Right. You do not have that in any way, shape or form with this Miami team. Now, that could be injuries, like if Darian Mansa gets hurt. If some things go off the swivel, then yeah, maybe that's a different conversation. But this is very much not a team that acted as if they got to where they needed to be and they were cool with it. They very, very much kept their foot on the gas. And I appreciate that perhaps some dark arts required to get Darian Mensah and by extension his top target at Duke, Cooper Barkade. But the Canes have definitely answered in a way that I think means that, or at least looks like they're here to stay.

Ty Hildebrandt

Definitely.

Dan Rubenstein

So I appreciate the killer instinct. I appreciate the roster. I think if Miami takes a step back at all this year, it's because of their lines, which we can discuss here. But everything being said, you and I are both very much in unison here in thinking that Miami is the cream of the crop here in the acc. There's no reason to think otherwise.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah, I mean, there's. There's no game on this schedule that will count towards their ACC record. So excluding Notre Dame, that they shouldn't win and be basically heavily favored in. There are certain games that always seem to be closer than they ought to be. Like the Florida State matchup always seems to be pretty competitive, if not for a half than the second half, something like that. No, Miami's battling Miami here. Right. That like it's just going to be a. Okay. We know Darian Mensah is good. We know he was good for Tulane. We know he was good for Duke. This is a different expectation. He is surrounded by a different level of player. Although Cooper Barkate comes with him, the receiver. Harvard to Duke, now to Miami.

Michael Rapoport

Yep.

Ty Hildebrandt

So he's on his own passport journey that Darian Mensah has at times thrown in dud games pretty rarely. But that's a concern that he is going to be the expected star player on offense. Obviously, outside of Malachi, Tony and you know, the stable of running backs. But quarterback is just the most important position for the conference favorite, playing with a specific kind of pressure that he has not played under before. Now he's won the acc, so there's something as a quarterback. He's played in big games, he's shown up in big games. But the concern now is what is Miami doing to put him and this offense in a terrific position? I'm not terribly worried about this defense.

Dan Rubenstein

No, no, no. Well, okay. The two points of failure, if you want to call it that outside of a catastrophic injury, one is the defensive line. I think the defensive line has to take a step back because they lose Ruben Bain and Akeem Mazador, both of whom were absolute game wreckers off last season. Like, if you watch them at all last year, those guys were everywhere. They were frickin everywhere. That's why they're both now in the NFL. Obviously, very talented pass rushers. Perhaps more importantly, though, really good edge setters. And we saw that manifest in terms of how they played the run. They were forcing opposing running backs back inside. They weren't getting beat to the outside. It was a huge part of why this Miami defense was so successful last year. This season they're trying to bring in Damon Wilson from Mizzou.

Ty Hildebrandt

They succeeded, by the way. They brought him in.

Dan Rubenstein

They brought him in.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

What I mean, though is they're trying to bring him in and integrate him as like the next big pass rusher, somebody who can provide something of the same disruptive force off the edge. I think he can do a lot of that. I don't think he's as good as an edge setter. And so I'm curious to see how teams run against Miami if it looks different this year than it did a year ago. Just because they don't have those two anchors on the end of the line, if that makes sense.

Ty Hildebrandt

I. I think that's fine. I just don't think There's a team on this schedule, again, that will count towards their ACC record, that is going to be good enough to do it successfully for four quarters to the point where they are winning that game. So I think if we're going to have a Miami conversation, as sort of presumptuous as this is, it's like, okay, can they beat a team like Ohio State or Oregon or Texas or Oklahoma or, you know, you know, take your pick, Indiana. Those types of teams, given the changes up front on both sides of the ball now, there are guys who are back who played significant on both of these lines.

Dan Rubenstein

Look, don't get. This is still the best defense. We're splitting hairs here. I don't think it'll be as dominant and I do think the run defense is going to be something to watch more closely. But again, I'm splitting hairs here. That's one point of failure. The other point of failure for me is the offensive line because the offensive line is four new starters. They've got a true freshman at left tackle. Some guys changing position. I'm not as worried about this either. I think this is a coaching staff that knows how to coach up a.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's the benefit of the doubt.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, so you give him the benefit of the doubt. Nobody has said anything negative about Jackson Cantwell, the five star that I just referenced. I have seen absolutely nothing to indicate that he can't step in right away and be an anchor on the left side, plug and play. So I think they'll be fine. But those are the two things that you look to, I think immediately when you're trying to figure this team out. Otherwise, though, barring injury, I think Darian Men says in effect a RAM upgrade at quarterback.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah, I mean, look, he. He's had some sloppy moments as a quarterback in lesser games, so it's a bigger stage.

Dan Rubenstein

Is he better than Carson back, in your view?

Ty Hildebrandt

I think his arm will be better and he has the ability to throw to an even more evolved Malachi Tony, which is one of the ultimate luxuries of this sport. To have one of the best three receivers in the sport, something like that, at your disposal and then to have other options. Now we'll see at tight end. But the running game should be very, very good, unless the offensive line just doesn't work out for whatever reason. But they are. The running back room there is deep and dangerous, highlighted of course by Mark Fletcher. So, like, it's a question of mistakes on offense. It's a question of. It's probably not in the big Games. Right. It's the, the medium sized games that have troubled this Miami team as a favorite. And so are they able to shed the slop of those medium sized games from previous years and come in with a better plan to put a quarterback in position to succeed? And if so, there's nothing to worry about. When you look at the meat of this schedule, when you look at what Miami has here, Stanford, Wake, Clemson, I mean, Clemson's tough. It's going to be a way. But like how tough exactly? I, I'm a little bit limited in my evaluation of Clemson, Florida State, pit at home, both of those games at home, North Carolina and Notre Dame in consecutive weeks on the road, not worried at all about North Carolina.

Dan Rubenstein

That's a trap spot. That's an interesting trap spot on the road.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's a look ahead. It's after Pitt, who could be decent and it's before Notre Dame. But I don't, I don't see North Carolina, Billy Edwards ing their way to a win against Miami. Duke is very much in flux and Virginia Tech I think will be maybe challenging by then, but the game is at home and they finish with a Boston College team at home. Essentially, them losing a regular ACC game would be pretty disappointing and unlikely.

Dan Rubenstein

The over under is 10 and a half for Miami. I think I take the over.

Ty Hildebrandt

I think so.

Dan Rubenstein

I think I would take the over. And I know it's like, you know, I've told the joke here on the show countless times. It's not even a specific joke, but have referenced these brain farts that we've seen Miami have. I just like, I don't see it. I think they're better at quarterback. We could talk about Malachi, Tony and Mark Fletcher and Cooper Barkate and all the weapons that they have, but provided the line doesn't bottom out on offense, they're going to be fine, just as good, maybe even better. The defense, I talk about the defensive line, which again is splitting hairs. The strength of this defense now actually shifts to the back four because this is one of the best secondaries in the country. Even if they're weaker in the front seven, Dan, they're not going to get burned through the air. So if you want to beat them, you're going to need a good running game. Frankly, if you look at the schedule, which you just referenced, I'm not sure anyone on the schedule has a good enough running game to deal with that. I'm just not. So I don't know how you go at this defense based on what I'm seeing. Here, other places in the acc, no

Ty Hildebrandt

secondary stacked linebacker has a ton of experience, the schedule really good and the like. The hidden thing with this schedule too is they don't have a random week seven Friday night in Berkeley or in Dallas. Right. There's no long trip in the middle of the season. I want to say they open at Stanford, which we don't exactly know what Stanford is going to be like under Tavita Pritchard, but we have a pretty good concept that they don't have a roster to beat Miami in week one. So I like the advantage of not having that cross country travel because they probably should have lost that Cal game a couple years ago, but otherwise I just think it works out really well. And if we're previewing Notre Dame on this episode, we should mention that game looms huge. Not necessarily, obviously not necessarily for an ACC record, but as a measuring stick as to where both of these programs are mid year when that was the game last year that essentially decided who would or wouldn't be in the College Football Playoff.

Dan Rubenstein

I mean, I don't think you could ask for a better schedule. The toughest game is Week 10 on the road at Notre Dame, not a conference game. Otherwise, outside of a Clemson game in week five, everything else of real substances at home. Again, the over under is ten and a half. I think I take the over. I like this team a lot. I was skittish on him last year. That's on me. It was a really, really good team the full way through, even though they had a couple moments here and there. Miami's winning this conference.

Ty Hildebrandt

I can't wait to see the creativity with which they use Malachi Tony. Like he's going to get the Steph Curry, Reggie Bush gravitational treatment. They're going to line him up in different places. Defenses are going to have to shade to him and it's going to open up in a perfect world for Miami a ton for this offense. What's up, fam?

Ari Chambers

I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers.

Sam J

Hey, what's up, y'?

Dan Rubenstein

All?

Sam J

It's your girl, Sam J.

Ari Chambers

And we're the host of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together. And I heart women's sports because, let's

Sam J

be real, women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days.

Ari Chambers

So Kelsey Findler, she became the first female solo rower to go from California to Hawaii.

Sam J

My first thought is, like, what's up with the snacks? Like, what are we eating?

Ari Chambers

The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire

Sam J

timeline and the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports.

Ari Chambers

Naomi Osaka showing out. She beat Sabalenka.

Sam J

Shout outs to you, Naomi.

Ari Chambers

You get the Palm. Naomi, you get the Palm for that.

Sam J

Because we're not just interested in what happened. We're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's Sports on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Sheryl Swoopes

Hey, everybody, I'm Tareka Foster Brasby. What's up, y'?

Dan Rubenstein

All?

Sheryl Swoopes

I'm your girl, Sheryl Swoopes. When you tune in to a new, new episode of our podcast, Levels to this, you're definitely going to get some spy CWNBA analysis.

Dan Rubenstein

Yup.

Sheryl Swoopes

But then the conversation goes on and levels up beyond basketball, because on Levels to this, the game is always the starting point. But we're more than just hoops, and the real conversation is what we actually bring. This is Levels to this, the podcast about all the levels of stuff that women go through. Listen to Levels to this with Sheryl Swoopz and Tareka Foster brasby on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Michael Rapoport

This is Michael Rapoport and my podcast, the I Am Rappaport Stereo podcast, is unlike anyone you've ever heard. We're a variety show, and if you're looking for strong opinions, funny opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now. This kid, Jafar Jackson, is as good as Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, and it's as good as Timothee Shamalay as Bob Dylan. And I say that with love and respect for both of those actors. And I don't know how many Oscar nominations they give out. I don't know if it's 5, 6 for best actor. 150%. This kid Jafar Jackson should absolutely, positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am rappaport on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Sam J

I Am Rappaport podcast.

Dan Rubenstein

Did we then want to pivot over to Notre Dame?

Ty Hildebrandt

Sure.

Dan Rubenstein

So Notre Dame is not in the acc, not officially play a bunch of ACC teams. That's why we're including them here. Also, it keeps things to a nice round 18 number, and we don't have eight on one preview and nine on another. So we'll talk about Notre Dame, if only because we're talking about Miami, and

Ty Hildebrandt

they were the team that the ACC network put on its airwaves 400 straight times as they were trying to influence the College Football Playoff with Miami beating Notre Dame last season. So if they're good enough for the ACC Network.

Dan Rubenstein

Right.

Ty Hildebrandt

They must be good enough for our ACC preview.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay. This is the best Notre Dame team at a minimum since we started our show back in 2008.

Ty Hildebrandt

Really?

Dan Rubenstein

Oh, yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

And if I think back to even like the better teams we've seen over the last 20 years, there was always an Achilles heel. There was always something. There was always a hole that we could talk about openly that everyone knew about, that could be exploited. I don't think that's the case this year.

Ty Hildebrandt

Let's. Let's not talk about exploiting holes on this show. This is. There are people listening in the Chrysler Pacificas. Let's just.

Dan Rubenstein

I don't even want to talk to you about.

Ty Hildebrandt

Settle down.

Dan Rubenstein

The text message I got from Mama H when he started referencing the glory hole on the Preview.

Ty Hildebrandt

Oh, yeah. G6 Football colon filling the glory hole.

Dan Rubenstein

Make me talk about that any more than I have to.

Ty Hildebrandt

Chrysler Pacifica, not a sponsor. Come on board.

Dan Rubenstein

Come on board.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

This is not the case this year with Notre Dame. This is a very complete team. That's not to say there aren't questions. There are questions, but the types of questions are different going into now year five under Marcus Freeman.

Ty Hildebrandt

They're winter wonder type questions.

Dan Rubenstein

Notre Dame is loaded. This team is loaded. I am beyond excited as somebody who roots for Notre Dame. They are loaded. They are number one in the nation in returning production. CJ Carr is one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy. The offensive line, though, there are some new faces, figures to be just as good as advertised, as good as we're used to seeing from a Notre Dame squad. They've got more edge rushers than they know what to do with and they've easily got one of the best secondaries in the nation. There is a lot to work with here. I don't know where you want me to start. I could probably talk until I'm blue in the face. I've got a lot to say about Notre Dame in 2026, but based on what you have seen as, I guess, the objective third party, if you want to call yourself that, which is probably a stretch. Where are you at with Notre Dame? Before I wax poetic, I think the

Ty Hildebrandt

depth is there for a deep run in the playoff. I think the upside is obvious with this team. I think the Double digit wins is sort of a foregone conclusion given this schedule. The, the question I have with Notre Dame right now with how the roster is currently constructed is if we are buying into the CJ Car hype, which I think is worthwhile to do. The question with CJ Car is kind of a data point thing that they played their biggest games in the first two weeks of his starting career for Notre Dame. He didn't have an incredible game against usc, although I think the weather was pretty shoddy for that one in the rain in South Bend. And he wasn't bad against Miami or Texas A M early. In fact, he made a bunch of impressive plays. Given how it was his first and second start as Notre Dame quarterback. The question to me is what kind of push comes to shove? Quarterback? Is he. Because they didn't play in January. Not, not making fun of the Pop Tarts bowl in this moment, but because they didn't play.

Dan Rubenstein

Right.

Ty Hildebrandt

Ohio State, Oklahoma, you know, Miami again, Oregon, Indiana, that kind of game with CJ Carr. So you're like, okay, what does he look like in late December, early January? We don't know, right. When everything, when teams have a full season of tape on him, how does he, and you know, Mike Denbrock, how do they respond? Yeah, the other thing is the gravity on this team last year was next to CJ Carr in the backfield, and both of those dudes, Darian Price and Jeremiah Love, are off to the NFL. It's been a minute since they've had a receiver who has occupied that gravitational space. So if you're asking me, like, what the question is or what I'm interested in with Notre Dame, it's basically because I don't have a question really about this offensive line. I don't have a question about what the vision for this offense is going to be now that we saw C.J. carr play a lot more fearlessly than recent Notre Dame quarterbacks downfield. It's okay, who's scaring the, you know, Texas secondary, Oklahoma secondary, LSU secondary, whoever they might end up playing at some point. Who are those dudes that are scaring them and will it even come close to mattering until then?

Sam J

Right.

Ty Hildebrandt

That's, that's where I still am with Notre Dame, because as you mentioned, I think all three levels of this defense should be good roster wise. I think they're all kind of coached, though, by guys who are just learning where the bathrooms are in the Notre Dame facility.

Dan Rubenstein

Well, it's okay, we'll. We'll get into this.

Ty Hildebrandt

But yes, and so it's Chris Ash working with three new dudes on that side of the ball. At least three. But again, these are luxurious questions for Notre Dame in this moment.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay, so let me start at the top.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

The biggest question is indeed how Notre Dame is going to replace Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price, both of whom went in the first round of the NFL draft. We do know the way that Mike Denbrock likes to use running backs with a lot of inside zone and RPOs and stuff like that. So the question is, who fits that profile currently on the Notre Dame roster? I think first dibs go to Aeneas Williams. Neas Williams has been on this roster. We have seen him. He's been very good in the passing game. He just hasn't gotten a lot of work because the other guys have clearly been a little bit more prominent.

Ty Hildebrandt

Sure.

Dan Rubenstein

So we'll see what he looks like in this role. I think it's a fair question. If it's not him, maybe it's Kedron Young as a power back or Nolan James Jr. Or Jonas Walton or some others. Again, you mentioned the depth. There are options here, but in terms of who the gravitational player is going to be that steps up alongside CJ Carr, it's an open question. I agree with you on that front. It's not easy to replace both Love and Darien Price. Secondly, then, on the point of C.J. carr, I think the theme of this offense this year will be giving CJ Carr a lot more control than we saw last year, because he really did mature quickly. And there's a case to be made that if they had taken the gloves off sooner, maybe the games against both Texas A and M and Miami, especially Miami, could have gone a little bit differently. He was much more ready than I think a lot of people realized in the moment. There were reports out of spring camp that, of course, brought a tear to my eye that there was nothing the opposing defense could throw at C.J. carr that he didn't just figure out immediately. And we hear this a lot. This is a very popular spring trope. I get it.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

But the veteran quarterback, or at least the experienced quarterback who has the field vision and the football IQ and can just see what's coming at him and can decipher it immediately, that just gives you. I don't know, that warms the cockles of my heart.

Ty Hildebrandt

Look, he's. There are a handful of quarterbacks in the country who are of a similar level to CJ Carr, and you're probably counting on a hand that's missing a finger too.

Michael Rapoport

Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Right.

Dan Rubenstein

I mean, he's, he's in rarefied air this year.

Michael Rapoport

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

And the fact that he can go out there and have the confidence to kind of figure out what's going on on the fly, that's. That's absolutely a luxury now. I wish the receiver room were a little bit more set in stone. I like that Jordan Faison is back. He clearly is a reliable target. But outside of that, it's just options at this point. It's options and its names and its recruiting stars. Right. So like Jaden Greathouse is supposedly back after being hurt for most of last year. What can they get out of him? Is he going to be an injury concerning? I don't know. Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter, two big name receivers who transferred over from Ohio State.

Ty Hildebrandt

Big recruiting name receivers.

Dan Rubenstein

Recruiting name receivers. Yes. Didn't get a whole lot of playing

Ty Hildebrandt

time, but what can the most Notre Dame ass name at tight end? Cooper Flanagan.

Dan Rubenstein

Cooper Flanagan, yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Is a real name at Notre Dame. Perfect.

Dan Rubenstein

I could list off a dozen other guys at wide receiver and at tight end, all of whom I think could play a really big role. I just don't know how that's all going to fit together. It's worth monitoring.

Ty Hildebrandt

Sure.

Dan Rubenstein

I'll tell you this though, to my earlier point again about Notre Dame being loaded. Marcus Freeman's not going to be trotting Matt Salerno out there as a third wideout like they did back in the day. The next guy up is probably a four star buried on the depth chart. It's a different conversation. The other thing that I'll bring up here, just in terms of concerns, is the other point that you referenced about Notre Dame's defense and the coaching staff. There is a lot of turnover on the coaching staff. Mike Mickens left for the Ravens. Max Bullough left for Michigan State. Al Washington left to join the Bengals. I really like the guys they brought in. And Chris Ash is still in place as defensive coordinator, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Sam J

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

At this point in time, we would be remiss to not mention the schedule. And I credit you, you are a gentleman, you are a scholar for not leaning too heavily on the whole schedule thing because this is going to be a very popular point of contention around Notre Dame. There are four marquee games. Week one, Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, Week seven at byu. A huge game. It's a huge game for BYU in the Big 12, week 10, the one that we've been referencing at home against Miami. Week 12 at home against SMU.

Ty Hildebrandt

What week do they play USC?

Dan Rubenstein

You're going to have to ask Lincoln Riley about that one, Dan.

Ty Hildebrandt

Well, Lincoln Riley says ask Notre Dame. Notre Dame was willing to play weeks.

Dan Rubenstein

They would have played Week 7, but they got BYU instead.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yep.

Dan Rubenstein

There is a very good chance they win the other eight games on this schedule by like three touchdowns apiece. And there's a really good chance that they're going to be favored in all 12 of these games. Keep this in mind. If you are a Notre Dame hater, I'm going to tell you something that you do not want to hear. Make the jokes about the schedule at your own peril because this will be a top 10 caliber team, not solely because they've got a soft schedule, but because they're freaking loaded. I'm sorry if that spoils the joke. I don't care. Bear in mind, this is a really good team, completely independent from that schedule. If you don't want to listen to the guy with the Notre Dame penance behind him, I get it. Yeah, I get it. But this is not a team that is solely going to be in this conversation because of the schedule. They're going to be in this conversation because they're one of the best teams in college football, full stop.

Ty Hildebrandt

Funniest possible thing that could happen to Notre Dame this year is they are very, very good. Maybe they lose something close to Miami and South Bend in that huge game where they lose to byu. And I think it games in Provo. Right at altitude.

Dan Rubenstein

At altitude, yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

They lose a weird game. Who knows? They're 10 and 1 as the season comes to an end and it's clear that they're going to make the playoff at 11 and 1 until Steve and Jelly and the Syracuse Orange who lost 70 to 7 last year and everything in the dome. We're going to clip this. Today is July 14th where Dan predicts Steve Angeli.

Dan Rubenstein

You want the timestamp on this, right?

Ty Hildebrandt

Waiting in the wings. That's it.

Dan Rubenstein

Let's talk about SMU then.

Ty Hildebrandt

Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

Where are you at with smu?

Ty Hildebrandt

I'm in a good place with smu. I'd like to see why am I in a good place with smu? Offensive line, quarterback, play caller, all still there. They have an upper tier ACC quarterback in Kevin Jennings. They return enough on the offensive line. They seem to be doing the plug and play offensive skill thing often enough where they're decent at evaluating and developing. I know that they're making a change at coordinator or their coordinator left, but it's Still Rhett Lashley calling the plays. Defensively, it was hiring internally for new co coordinators with. With Scott Simons, right, who left for the Cowboys, who's been there. Very good defensive coordinator. Although last year up and down, it's a decent enough starting point for me where against this schedule. As I bring up the schedule, 9 and 3 seems like the region if they like early on split, maybe at Florida State and at Louisville. They have Notre Dame on the road late, so they've got some challenges on the road, but obviously teams have to come to Dallas too. I like teams that are really good in the red zone on defense. There's something to me, I mean, obviously the play calling is in new hands this year, but there is something to me about that, like that organization and that coordination that I like a good deal. So I think SMU is going to win a bunch of games. I think there's a talent ceiling and a roster ceiling to this team. I do have questions about where this defense is going to be, but I don't know. They're another one of those teams like we talk about, like Alex Mirabal getting the benefit of the doubt with an offensive line. I kind of give Rhett Lashley the benefit of the doubt with winning ACC games.

Dan Rubenstein

Well, that's the thing. Like, I think SMU is quietly one of the most interesting teams not just in the conference, but around college football. Because in a very short period of time, the plot line has shifted from whether they belong to what it's going to take for them to fully break through. SMU made the title game their first year. They made the playoff their first year in the acc. And if not for Wake or Cal a year ago, it might have happened again in 2025. They've been really, really solid. It feels like they're on the cusp of maybe being something more, which I think is what you're getting at here. Because the next step is absolutely winning the conference, I. E. Or getting to the playoffs and winning a playoff game.

Ty Hildebrandt

Well, no, they've already got. They've already made the playoff.

Dan Rubenstein

They've already made the playoff.

Ty Hildebrandt

The next step.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, but winning. Winning once they get there is I think, the next step for them. Two schools of thought with SMU for me, on one hand you got Kevin Jennings, star quarterback. You mentioned him still there. The offensive line looks like one of the better ones in the league. They did really well in the portal, I think, to fill in the gaps. All that stuff's really, really good. On the other hand, there's a lot of new skill guys. There are questions about both the front and the back of that defense. And as you mentioned, the two coordinates, certainly.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

So there's a little bit of a push pull. The most fascinating subplot, though, is their new running back.

Ty Hildebrandt

Sure. Kendrick Raphael.

Dan Rubenstein

Kendrick. Raphael killed him last year when he was playing for Cal.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

So what'd they do? Brought him over.

Michael Rapoport

Yep.

Dan Rubenstein

Brought him over. Trying to give the running game a little bit of a boost. SMU was not a consistent rushing team at all last season. A lot fell on the arm of Kevin Jennings. He had to make magic in very obvious passing downs. So it was telegraphed and it made it harder for him. Teams are playing drop coverage really hard to throw into that this year. They're hoping that new running back, new Mojo, maybe the receiving core can step up again, provided they can get a little bit more of a boost on the ground. I think. I think there's a strong likelihood that that could be a pretty big missing piece that we didn't see a year ago.

Ty Hildebrandt

If we get good Kevin, they're winning a bunch of games.

Dan Rubenstein

We get good Kevin, they're winning a bunch of games.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

High havoc defense was really good against the run. Last year. They had issues against the pass. This year, like I said, issues for me, both the front and the back of this thing. I think they're big enough up front. More question of can they get the same production off the edge that they had a year ago? Because if you're not getting the pressure, you're putting a lot more pressure on your secondary. And there are certainly some teams in this schedule that I think could take advantage.

Ty Hildebrandt

Agree.

Dan Rubenstein

Schedule spaced out pretty well. It's clear that there isn't a whole lot of room for a slow start because they got road games against both Florida State and Louisville in the first three weeks of the season. That game against Louisville is going to be really big.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yes, agree.

Dan Rubenstein

But after that, you know, Cal, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, still in the schedule, win totals at eight and a half. I'm with you. I'm on the over. I think they get to nine. I think they end up playing Miami for that conference title. But it is not going to be a walk in the park for smu. And there are some really, I think, interesting questions about what happens this year.

Ty Hildebrandt

Their swing games are also, at least after that, the first, I guess it's two out of the first three weeks, but Virginia's at home, Cal's at home, Virginia Tech's at home, Wake is at home. A lot of those like I don't know if I like them on the road. A lot of those games are in Dallas and so the other game that feels a little bit trappy if Stanford has a heartbeat getting them on the road after a road game at Notre Dame. However that Notre Dame game goes, we've seen it happen before. Didn't Louisville lose at Stanford recently? Like there's just situationally and I think that's Stanford a week after the rivalry game against Cal. So that's. It's tricky for Stanford too. But that game in Palo Alto, we

Dan Rubenstein

shall see where are we going next.

Ty Hildebrandt

Also Steven Jelly will win that game for SMU somehow. So to finish out the season.

Dan Rubenstein

How Some way. Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Let's go to pit your beautiful pit Panthers.

Dan Rubenstein

They're not my beautiful pit Panthers anymore. I'm actually going to let you go first. I have pit scar tissue after being super high on him last.

Ty Hildebrandt

You're going to swing too far in the other direction.

Dan Rubenstein

Tbd. I just, I need a moment to decompress. So you go first.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's kind of just all offense with pit. Right. It's how can pit become more boring in a good way? Last year was sort of boomer bust and Mason Heinshall was a revelation. They won a bunch of games in the middle of the season. They weren't competitive with Notre Dame at least after the first quarter. They definitely weren't competitive against Miami in a game that felt trappy for Miami and Miami just stomped on them there. The scheme helps the defense stop the run really nicely. I know they're making some changes on the defensive staff. To me the question with Pitt is like a poor man's Notre Dame question of like who are those dudes that are just devouring yards on this offense? Like where. Where is the game changing running back or receiver coming from? I think we like Cade Bell as an offensive coordinator.

Dan Rubenstein

I do. Yeah, I do.

Ty Hildebrandt

I just want to see like Mason Heinzel thrive as a boring quarterback in addition to what he can do really well. Right. That like looks under control and knows where the eight yard pass is on third and six. Right. The boring stuff there. If they can unlock anything with this offensive line in the running game and protecting Mason Heinzel, that would go a long way for me defensively. Obviously changes happening once again. But if we're going to talk about benefit of the doubt pit figuring things out on defense, even making changes along the coaching staff, I think there are enough pieces that like there are very specific questions with pit, like can they get pressure up front without, you know, blitzing stuff like that. But I think they're going to be sound. I think they're going to be well developed. I think they're going to be well coached. I think Pitt is sort of occupying a pit space in the ACC right now. Generally not going too far below, even though they did a couple years ago. Generally not going too far above. It's. It's the worst compliment I can give a team in that. I just say I think Pitt is just pit at this point with Pat Narduzzi in year. Whatever. Like, they're going to have some games where you're like. You convince yourself they're good and they're going to have some games where you're like, did they not even. They just like took the week off from studying and game planning. Schedule seems fine. Like, they should start out the season going like four and oh, five and oh, six and oh, something like that, and then come careening back down to earth as a. The schedule is backloaded with Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville and Cal on the road. Cal is on the road. Florida State's at home, Georgia Tech's at home. But there are way more often in the back half. The teams seem harder in the back half. And so I think we are setting ourselves up to like a 6 and 1 start, 7 and 5 finish. Something like, I was not ideal back end.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, Pitt. Pitt's one of those teams that I think I'm least sure of. Like, I can make a case for 5 and 7 or 10 and 2.

Ty Hildebrandt

You know, like the 10 and 2 case is tough.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, but so is 5 and 7. So I just. I think I'm with you. There's a baseline here with the defense. I think the defense would be pretty good. Like, the line will be fine. It's stopping the run. Braylon Lovelace, their linebacker, is a legit star. The secondary, I think will be better than some people expect. They'll be fine on that side of the ball. You're right. It comes down offense. It comes down offense. I like the setup where it's Mason Heinshall, another year with the same coordinator, Cade Bell. I think the offense will make for good tv. It always does. Because Cade Bell likes to spread you out, likes to play with tempo, and he likes to throw like crazy. That's what he does. Okay. If he can take a step forward the way I expected Eli Holstein to take a step forward at the start of last year, this offense is going to be more explosive, it's going to be more efficient, and it's going to Be better. Yeah, but who are those dudes? Who are the other dudes to watch? Is it going to be Sincere Lee? Great name. Played for Cade Bell back in his days at Western Carolina. Had like 1400 yards over two seasons in the Cade Bell system. Didn't play last year. Transferred, red shirted. Could he be a guy who steps in at wide receiver and be really productive? Who are those dudes? I don't know. Which is part of why I'm not sure where to go with Pitt.

Ty Hildebrandt

The good news for Pitt is in mid July, the defenses that they're scheduled to face. I know there's not a lot of obvious records.

Dan Rubenstein

No, no.

Ty Hildebrandt

This schedule. No, like, we think Florida State's defense should be pretty decent. There's talent on that defense. They have a respected defensive coordinator and Tony White. We think Louisville, even with sort of promoted coordinators on defense, has enough on that roster to field a good defense. Yeah, we know Miami should have a good defense. Beyond that, at best, fan bases are hoping the defense works out otherwise. So that's a. That's a nice start.

Dan Rubenstein

In theory and on paper, the matchup with Miami late in the season could be really interesting. In theory. In theory, I'm not going where I went with it. Last year. Miami killed Pitt. He beat the brakes off him.

Ty Hildebrandt

Right.

Dan Rubenstein

But in theory, it could be a

Ty Hildebrandt

letdown after an emotional Florida State spot for Miami. Yeah, in theory, but the game is in Coral Gables.

Dan Rubenstein

I tend to come down at like 8 and 4 for Pitt.

Sam J

Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

A very pity. And yeah, Pittsburgh, 8 and 4.

Ty Hildebrandt

There's a lot of. A lot of teams, it seems, that are settling into or continue to settle into a spot. Like, there's a giant ACC sectional couch and Pitt's like, second cushion from this armrest. That's where we are. That's where we've entered our ass groove.

Ari Chambers

What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers.

Sam J

Hey, what's up, y'? All? It's your girl, Sam J.

Ari Chambers

And we're the host of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together. And I heart women's sports because, let's

Sam J

be real, women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days.

Ari Chambers

So Kelsey Finler, she became the first female solo rower to get go from California to Hawaii.

Sam J

My first thought is just like, what's up with the snacks? Like, what are we.

Dan Rubenstein

What are we eating?

Ari Chambers

The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire

Sam J

timeline and the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep Going all week, every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports.

Ari Chambers

Naomi Osaka showing out. She beat Sabalenka.

Sam J

Shout outs to you, Naomi.

Ari Chambers

You get the Palm. Naomi. You get the palm for that.

Sam J

Because we're not just interested in what happened. We're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's Sports on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sheryl Swoopes

Hey, everybody. I'm Tareka Fosta Brasby. What's up, y'?

Michael Rapoport

All?

Sheryl Swoopes

I'm your girl, Sheryl Swoooops. When you tune in to a new episode of our podcast, Levels to this, you're definitely gonna get some by CWNBA analysis.

Dan Rubenstein

Yup.

Sheryl Swoopes

But then the conversation goes on and levels up beyond basketball, because on Levels to this, the game is always the starting point. But we're more than just hoops and the real conversation is what we actually bring. This is Levels to this, the podcast about all the levels of stuff that women go through. Listen to Levels to this with Sheryl Swoopes and Tarika Foster brasby on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Michael Rapoport

This is Michael Rapoport. And my podcast, the I Am Rappaport Stereo podcast, is unlike any one you've ever heard. We're a variety show, and if you're looking for strong opinions, funny opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now. This kid, Jafar Jackson is as good as Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. And it's as good as Timothee Shamalay as Bob Dylan. And I say that with love and respect for both of those actors. And I don't know how many Oscar nominations they give out. I don't know if it's 5, 6 for best actor, 150%. This kid Jafar Jackson should absolutely, positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am rap on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Dan Rubenstein

I'm about 80% of the way out on Florida State.

Ty Hildebrandt

Florida State's tough.

Dan Rubenstein

I am hedging a bit, though, because there are aspects of this team that I really like. But the elephant in the room is that it's gonna be year seven under Mike Norvell, and Florida State went five and seven a year ago. Granite did some work in the Portal. They come in as, I think, Bill Connolly's number 35 overall team in the SP plus for whatever that means to you, tough schedule. I think Bill had them at like six and a half projected wins, which is probably not good enough. They get the six wins. I think Orell's done so right. So it's a bit of an uphill climb. But there is talent on this team. What I took at least a little bit of comfort in is the fact that Norvell has at least acted in the off season as if he knows it too. He's taken play calling duties back. Gus, Mel's on retired so he's no longer in the equation. But it's going to be all on Norvell now to call this offense. They did do some work in the portal. I don't know if they did enough work in the portal at quarterback. This has been the thing that I've really been grappling with a lot. Ashton Daniels was named quarterback 1 back in April. Ashton Daniels comes over from Auburn. Previously he was with Stanford. This was a very curious decision in my view. It just does not seem like the type of quarterback decision that's going to save a coach's job if in fact that's what Mike Norvell is trying to do. Ashton Daniels at his best, Dan, is a big mobile quarterback who is a load to bring down.

Ty Hildebrandt

Agree.

Dan Rubenstein

And if you read the practice reports, he made strides this spring. Pocket presence, vertical shots, all the things that coaches like to talk up, all that stuff. It's tonky dory great. He's also been fairly inconsistent as a starting quarterback. He's got a career completion percentage below 60%. If this is gonna work, especially behind a new offensive line, they're gonna need to build the whole damn plane out of the threat of him running. Can he run? Will he run? If he's gonna run, the defense needs to be aware of it. Maybe that's how you open up some of these shots downfield. That to me is the main point of tension when it comes to Florida State. I don't get the quarterback decision, Dan. Whether it was a decision guided by budget and what they had to spend at the quarterback position, or whether it was just they saw something here that they liked and thought could fit their scheme. Whatever it is, I don't agree with either. And that to me is the biggest thing stuck in my crawl with Florida State going into the year. And I know I'm not alone in that one.

Ty Hildebrandt

I mean, isn't this the like foundation of a lot of HGTV programing? When you have like a house in a terrible location, you need to find A buyer. The buyer is like, look, we can live with this house because of the price point. We know that there's weird sex dungeon stuff everywhere, but we think if we spend less, we can. We can use that budget on a renovation. Right?

Dan Rubenstein

Right.

Ty Hildebrandt

So Florida State in a weird way is you're like, love it or list it. I don't watch enough HDTV to know which show this is most appropriate to compare it to. But we are sort of dealing with that with Florida State. That's why they have Ashton Daniels. Ashton Daniels wants to start for a major program. Florida State needs somebody who has started for a major program or as shown the ability at a lower level that he could thrive at a major program. We're looking at Florida State as a team with a. Not a lame duck coach, but a hot seat coach. A coach that I think a lot of Florida State people are not thrilled to have back. And that's why we have Ashton Daniels. You get who you can get. Ashton Daniels goes where he can go. And here's the marriage.

Dan Rubenstein

The reason I'm not fully out. I do like their skill, talent.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

I do like Deuce Robinson, who's 66230 out wide. One of the best receivers in college football. Backfield's awesome. I really like the backfield. Trey Wisner comes over from Texas. Usman Croma had a really good campaign last year as a freshman. Could be a star in the making. It sounds like they might find some sets where they can get both their running backs on the field at the same time, which is low key. A fantasy thing over these last couple seasons. I don't know if you've taken note of this. Right.

Ty Hildebrandt

Sure.

Dan Rubenstein

When a team's got more than one running back, we're going to find ways to get them both on the field.

Ty Hildebrandt

Of course, that's fine.

Dan Rubenstein

I like it. I mean, I think that's fun.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

So there is that. It's not like they're totally void of talent. That's not the case at all. But it's a question, I would say, at least at the quarterback position. Defensively last year, Tony White, they did make some gains, as Bill Connolly pointed out in his preview. They got better at bending without breaking.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

But didn't force enough turnovers. They weren't very good in the red zone. They still allowed too many successful plays. It was better. And I think it could be better again this year. They did retain the services of the Dasseer twins, who are both in the portal at one point, but then came back. They're Going to be guarding the edges. I like the line. I do get more leery on this defense the farther back you go into the back seven. But I would say defense is not my primary concern.

Ty Hildebrandt

I mean, you said bending but not breaking. They had the kind of inverse of that though, didn't they? They sort of had the like not bending often, but when they did, they would break.

Dan Rubenstein

There was.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah, the red zone defense wasn't good, but they limited big plays.

Dan Rubenstein

It was a very strange profile.

Ty Hildebrandt

It was a Dos Equis profile.

Dan Rubenstein

It was a strange profile. The issue I see for Norvell, outside of the offensive stuff that I mentioned is probably the schedule. There are seven teams on this thing inside the S and P top 40.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's just SP. It's no longer S and P. They can't. Bill, can't use that anymore because I

Dan Rubenstein

think standard imports, I think at Miami, at Alabama, home against Florida, home against Clemson, at Louisville, home against smu, home against Virginia. And by the way, they're also at Pitt for a road spot. Pitt would be number 41 on the S, SP plus preseason projections. So this is tough. This is a tough slate. Florida State in week one is home on a Monday night against smu. They're off the next week, then they go to Alabama. It's going to start off hot and heavy for the Seminoles.

Ty Hildebrandt

Correct.

Dan Rubenstein

I almost think that SMU game is a must win.

Ty Hildebrandt

Sure. I agree.

Dan Rubenstein

I think they got to build some early vibes because this could come off the swivel rather quickly, especially with this schedule where they might not be a prohibitive underdog against a lot of these teams. But there are a lot of coin flips on here, Dan. And you know as well as I, you start losing vibes, things got off to a bad start. It could go south in a hurry. That's what happened to Penn State a year ago.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah. And look, I want to believe in reclamation projects that sometimes it's just bad luck where you've been. And everything that happen happened at Stanford and Auburn last year for Ash and Daniels. But if I'm a starting point person, SPP offensive line questions and quarterback accuracy and turnover questions in the same stew. Yeah, feels a little bit funky. And I, I just don't. I, I don't like getting behind that. The schedule at least. Look, they've already proven that they are better than Alabama. Right? They've already proven that.

Dan Rubenstein

They have proven that. They have proven that in a moment in time. They did not.

Ty Hildebrandt

Not long ago.

Dan Rubenstein

No, no, it was. Yeah,

Ty Hildebrandt

they don't have A cross country road trip. Right. They're going to Alabama, but they're not going to smu, Cal or Stanford. Correct, Correct. They, I think, don't get what they don't get. Oh, they do get Boston College away, but otherwise they don't really face the perceived lowest tier of the conference all that often, if at all. Whoever you're considering that to be like, everybody kind of has a heartbeat on here and that's not ideal for a team looking to win eight games. Now you can also look at where Florida State was last season. Like, look, they weren't far off. They were competitive in a lot of the games that they lost. And so it's figuring out how to go from a three quarter team to a fourth quarter or a double overtime team. They return a lot of players. Good and bad, good and bad for the situations. My actual concern with this team on defense is just like, I think they've got pretty good players, but who's the eighth best player on this defense and how does that compare to the best of their schedule? I just, I actually think it's a quantity thing at a certain point on this defense and obviously still questions on the offensive line. I don't think they're far off, but I think that's kind of the problem too that he's had this much time to be not far off in year seven at Florida State.

Dan Rubenstein

Right. In year seven.

Ty Hildebrandt

Kind of the problem if you want

Dan Rubenstein

to start talking about like renovation projects.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

I have a friend who has been renovating his bathroom for seven years. At some point you got to finish the project and you got to show that there's a vision to move the whole thing forward.

Ty Hildebrandt

And he's not finishing with a Toto Japanese built in bidet situation.

Dan Rubenstein

I don't. It's probably a little bit above his price range.

Ty Hildebrandt

Toto not a sponsor. 100%. Could be.

Dan Rubenstein

No, we absolutely. This has got to be the year for Norvell. It's got to be the year for Norville.

Ty Hildebrandt

Got to clean that ass. Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. If he goes 7 and 5, I think he's done. So I think it's like, well, it's a wins or bust.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's a money thing too. Right. I think it's not just a will they, won't they thing. It's will they, won't they find the cash.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. All right. I want you to talk to me at this juncture.

Ty Hildebrandt

Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

About our beautiful North Carolina Tar Heels.

Ty Hildebrandt

Oh, Unc, I don't think I feel great, but I think I can talk Myself into year two of a definite improvement. Offensive coordinator.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

A defensive coordinator with track record of decent success making a smarter decision, I think, with regard to how they've sort of attacked the portal more just in general. And I'm open to North Carolina winning some of those close games with good, if not better coaches, even though I think the talent on defense is sort of coming and going. And I. I'm not going to talk myself into Billy Edwards ing myself to nine and three or something.

Dan Rubenstein

No, but they'll be better.

Ty Hildebrandt

I think they'll be better.

Dan Rubenstein

It might take until November to realize.

Ty Hildebrandt

Might be gone till November. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

Because of the schedule. Because of the schedule. Because North Carolina opens up with TCU in Dublin. They've got Clemson on the road, They've got Notre Dame, all in the first five weeks of the season. They've also got Miami, Louisville, Pitt, Virginia and NC State on this thing. So it is by no means what we would consider an easy ACC schedule. And I think there's a really good chance that they start the year one and three and everyone writes them off. Then you stop paying attention. And that's why I say it might take a minute for people to realize like, ah, they're actually not as bad as we thought Initially. I think their defense will be fine. It was a mess at the start of last year, but then quietly it got better throughout the course of the year. Athlon. I don't know if you read the Athlon. I know you like the Athlon preview. Athlon had a blind item in there from an opposing coach who basically said that Carolina was running the standard Belichick offense or defense.

Ty Hildebrandt

Excuse me, defense. Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

And that it was mixed up a lot, depending on matchup. They did a good job using their personnel. I think we'll continue to see a better defense this year. I am fully expecting them to hold their own on that side of the football. The question, though, is offense. And this is where the Bobby Petrino thing makes it kind of interesting to me. Petrino wants to run a power spread, I. E. Spread him out. Hand it off to a guy who's a downhill runner.

Ty Hildebrandt

Worked really well for Arkansas last year. No, it did.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

No, it did. They were an awesome rushing team. Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

All things considered, it did work pretty well last year. There was a lot of other that didn't work on the Arkansas side. But my assumption here is that this offense is going to be based around Billy Edwards Jr. Handing the ball off to Demond June. And if they can do that somewhat effectively, that's when we start to see more play action. That's when we start to see more RPO stuff mixed in. That's when maybe we can see Billy Edwards use some of his mobility again. I'm not crazy about Billy Edwards ing their way to like a seven win season. There's a lot, a lot that I need to see from Billy Edwards before I'm confident even saying that much. Yeah, but that's apparently what it looks like here at the start of the year.

Ty Hildebrandt

We're, I mean, look, we're also talking about a North Carolina team that you have to give the benefit of doubt. Benefit of the doubt in terms of like, this was all brand new to

Dan Rubenstein

check last year and there were all these distractions. Right. I mean, it was sure. This was a circus.

Ty Hildebrandt

Well, those may persist. We'll see. But they've upgraded, They've hit the portal. We talked about the schedule. I think the home road splits are like decently favorable ultimately. Doesn't matter if you don't have the guys, but I think there's guys along this defensive line, linebacker, they're starting over secondary, we'll see. Offensive line, we'll see. They've got interesting upside at receiver. You talk about that. They're going to focus on running the ball. I think they'll be okay. They were like a minute and a half from going seven and five.

Michael Rapoport

No.

Dan Rubenstein

And I don't hate the roster. I don't hate the roster. Like, if their line could be just okay, that probably opens the door to a bowl.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah, I think that's fine. I just. I'd like to watch North Carolina after six weeks and say to myself, I could see them scoring 28 plus more often than not. Like that feels like the number that if they can get to like 28 to 31 points with a decent clip, they'll go to a ball game. Wake Forest, really interesting team.

Dan Rubenstein

You love Wake, don't you?

Ty Hildebrandt

I don't love Wake. I really was impressed by them last year. I think they'll be. In some ways I think they could be better given that it was like the weird Jake Dickert timing of everything.

Dan Rubenstein

They won nine games with Robbie Ashford.

Ty Hildebrandt

They won nine games. Robbie Ashford. They have Geo Lopez, Geo Lopez's offensive coordinator when he was at South Alabama. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

He is back with Robbie Zell. Yes.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yes. I think the defense has pieces on multiple levels, which I like, and I think they're decently high ceilings there. There's playmakers there. The schedule is both tricky, I would say, but also interesting. They're the gumpy team. To me, when you look at where Wake schedule is this year, they open on the road. Well, they open their power for schedule. They have Akron week what? I think it's week one. But they're at Purdue. They have Miami and I don't think there's anything gumpy. When we say gumpy, we mean like find themselves at weird spots with weird timing like Forrest Gump did. So they get Miami early and that's going to be very difficult.

Dan Rubenstein

And Louisville in September, they have Louisville

Ty Hildebrandt

sandwiched between SMU and NC State. They have Stanford at home. So Stanford's traveling across the country. And they play Wake a week before Notre Dame, NC State, they get after Louisville, Cal, they get. They have to travel across the country and play California. But it's a week between Virginia Tech and SMU for Cal. Wake gets Virginia, which should be tough. And that's after, you know, SMU and Duke. So that's not, you know, super difficult scheduling wise for them. They get SMU between Virginia Tech and Notre Dame and that's Notre Dame on the road for smu. So that's a huge circled game for the Mustangs. They get Georgia Tech be sandwiched between at Clemson and Georgia. They get Duke, I believe after the rivalry game. No, excuse me. They get Duke after. Duke has Clemson as well. So they're in like kind of a sneaky quicksand spot for a lot of the teams on their schedule. They have to be good enough to win those games, which is the most important thing. But situationally, don't hate it.

Dan Rubenstein

Here's something else that's a weird quirk. Wake opens with a Friday, Thursday and Friday game. Saw that their first three games of the year. They don't play on a Saturday until their fourth game of the season. I don't know if they are unique in that sense. I don't know if there are any other college football teams that kind of are in that category, but I found that interesting. Well, the story of the defense, story of the season last year was defense.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

Which was legitimately very good. They produced some really weird results. They had a 13 to 12 win over SMU. They were 4 and 1 in one score games.

Ty Hildebrandt

Beat Virginia.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, beat Virginia. The offense was clearly the limiting factor. Sometimes it was good. Most of the time it was too many turnovers and not good enough in the red zone. So now moving to 2026. You mentioned the Geo Lopez thing. They are retooling the offense around Geo Lopez. Geo had a good season two years ago at South Alabama he's now reunited with that offensive coordinator. The UNC experience didn't work last year, so now he is off to perhaps greener pastures. He is not a huge guy, but he is a mobile guy, so they got to find a way to keep him upright. The line is a bit of a concern for me. Jake Dickert said back in January that the line was not physically strong enough. He called him out again in April that the pass protection needs to get better. If the coach is saying this on multiple occasions, maybe we should take note of it.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

And so maybe that's why I'm a little bit worried about the Geo Lopez thing. Even though he's back with a coordinator that he's comfortable with, they got to keep him upright. They got to keep him upright. I don't know if that's a great sign, but TBD on that front, I think it's running back by committee. I do like what they've got out wide, but I think they need to add a little bit more depth out wide. So frankly, it's a line thing for me. I think they could be better offensively because I like Geo Lopez a lot more than I liked Robbie Ashford a year ago. And I think there's enough skill, talent, even if we don't have a bunch of names jumping off the page at us, that they'll be okay. They just got to get enough protection up front to keep Geo upright. If they do that, I think the defense is good enough to kind of keep them in a spot where they're not going to get blown out. And then how do they contend with that schedule? You know, there's a bunch of questions here with wake, but I agree with you. It is, if nothing, a very, very interesting team to monitor as we go Forward now into 2026.

Ty Hildebrandt

Okay, Ty, are you ready for impromptu trivia?

Dan Rubenstein

Okay.

Ty Hildebrandt

Are you ready?

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, sure. Thank you.

Ty Hildebrandt

Okay. I used the phrase when talking about Wake Forest schedule last season, I mentioned that they beat Virginia. The song Meet Virginia peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay.

Ty Hildebrandt

Who sings Meet Virginia?

Dan Rubenstein

That's Trane.

Ty Hildebrandt

You absolutely nailed it.

Dan Rubenstein

Is that it?

Ty Hildebrandt

I knew you would know.

Dan Rubenstein

Is that it?

Ty Hildebrandt

You're. That's it. I said the word beat Virginia, and immediately in my mind, I went, meet Virginia. Yeah. And I just. I had to make sure. Because you are a long established train head.

Dan Rubenstein

I am a train head. Yeah. Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Do train fans, I think you would know this. Do they call themselves, like, conductors? Is there, like, a special train related fan term? I don't Know Die hard trainers.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I don't. That. That. I can't.

Ty Hildebrandt

Engineers.

Dan Rubenstein

I can't.

Ty Hildebrandt

Cabooses? No, don't know. They should. Okay. That's all. I just want to verify that you knew that.

Dan Rubenstein

Cabooses might be a little bit too much of a double entendre, but yeah. We got one team left here. That's Stanford.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

Your beautiful, beautiful Stanford Cardinal.

Ty Hildebrandt

I've had good experiences in Palo Alto. I have enjoyed my time there, going to Stanford games.

Dan Rubenstein

I was just out at Palo Alto.

Ty Hildebrandt

Oh, you passed through the national team game?

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I took. Took the Caltrain down to the VTA orange line from Mountain View over to Santa Clara and there was a Palo Alto stop here.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's a good time. I enjoy it.

Dan Rubenstein

How are we feeling about Palo Alto and the Stanford Cardinal this year? Again, it's a color, not an actual bird.

Ty Hildebrandt

It's going to take a minute. It's going to take a minute. So the defense was ahead of the offense last year with, what was it, Frank Reich running things as an interim role? Defense was ahead and defense wasn't good. No, it was just ahead of a very bad offense that I think it was. Bengal Branson was the one in charge of operating under center, so look, he was thrust in a bad position. The whole thing. It. It's just been tough in Palo Alto.

Dan Rubenstein

Can we call the offense the Warren Commission this year?

Ty Hildebrandt

I reserve the right to. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

I mean, you came up with it. I'm just wondering how I know.

Ty Hildebrandt

I said the Davis Warren Commission. Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

Right.

Ty Hildebrandt

Okay. So you have a quarterback who at his absolute best might be like, efficient and not mistake prone. I think that's what we can say given offensive line questions, receiver questions, transfers coming in, we'll see. On defense, I just. I don't know, the. I guess the defensive line would have to be more disruptive than we think. Look, if they're making a bowl game, which I think is the absolute height of any Stanford expectation in year one, or Tavita Pritchard, which is a cool story given his time at quarterback there and, you know, coming full circle, if they make a bowl game, that means a couple of these transfer receivers work out. I think they're bringing in one from Yale who had a big season last year. It means, yeah, defensive back has to be, I guess solid defensive line has to show something. And the list of teams is probably Hawaii, Duke, Georgia tech, Elon, NC State, Cal. Given where they're playing a lot of those games, that's the best possible situation. I think there needs to Be patience. There needs that. This needs to be built from the offensive line out. Given Stanford's reputation, given where this program has had somewhat recent credibility in developing offensive linemen, Stanford should be able to find large humans to build a team around. They're in the unenviable place of literally Northern California playing in the acc, but it's still a school that should appeal to everyone. Given the academic ceiling. I think it's gonna be a tough year. I think Davis Warren is plugging a hole on a raft awash at sea right now and that's okay. They needed somebody and I think they'll get to an interesting place eventually. But I just. I think it's a Jimmy and Joe thing right now.

Dan Rubenstein

I do think it was a smart hire. I like that.

Ty Hildebrandt

I hope so.

Dan Rubenstein

I think Stanford already feels more organized. The roster is a big shrug and to the point of the schedule, there's like only one game on here. That looks like a guaranteed win to me. So it could go south in a hurry. But you know, Tavita Pritchard's been in the NFL the last couple of years working with Jaden Daniels. I don't think he's going to turn Davis Warren into Jaden Daniels, but it's clear that maybe he knows what he's doing, at least in terms of developing quarterbacks. Maybe that's why he got the job under Andrew Luck. Stanford does bring a lot back from a year ago. Again, bad team, so make whatever you want of that. But just to keep the roster somewhat intact, I think in and of itself is a bit of a lift for a new coach. The most important player on offense this year is Micah Ford, the running back. Whatever the offense looks like, it's going to be built around him. He's the type of guy who's fun to watch because he runs through contact and there's a decent chance he gets to a thousand yards. So keep that name in mind. Micah Ford. The offense will probably run through him. And defensively, Matt Rose is the name at linebacker, had over 100 tackles last year. He is clearly the most important player on defense. Anything good that happens to Stanford this year is probably as a result of one or two of those guys. Just keep that in mind. But in terms of expectations and what we're thinking and a Stanford a bold team, are they not? I'm not even going there. This is a full reset. It's going to take a minute. I like the hire. Let's see what he can do. He's obviously a Stanford guy, but yeah, it's going to take a few cycles for this to fully materialize, if it ever does.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah. So we're saying they're far away. Which brings us to our next trivia question. Meet Virginia. Came out in 1998.

Dan Rubenstein

Oh, my God.

Ty Hildebrandt

The number one song from 1998 on the Hot 100 Billboard charts according to Wikipedia.com was by a band named Next. What was the name of that song?

Dan Rubenstein

A band named Next.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yes. And I connect this to the fact that if Stanford is far away, they're definitely not blank. Which was the name of the song from Next.

Dan Rubenstein

We did an episode themed around this.

Ty Hildebrandt

Did we?

Dan Rubenstein

Too close.

Ty Hildebrandt

Too close is correct.

Dan Rubenstein

I have the sound on my board somewhere. I could pull it up if I had a little more time. Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah. So it is hard for Stanford, but they're not too close.

Dan Rubenstein

I mean, they're making it hard for us to find a way through to a bowl.

Ty Hildebrandt

Exactly right. Exactly right. So full circle. I forgot we did that.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. Do you remember it now?

Ty Hildebrandt

It was. Remind me. It was. Once again, you just said it. It was teams that are extremely close to bowl eligibility.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. And we.

Ty Hildebrandt

Can't we do that in season?

Dan Rubenstein

No, no, no. It wasn't in season. It was clearly an off season concept.

Ty Hildebrandt

Classic. Classic us.

Dan Rubenstein

That was all you.

Ty Hildebrandt

All classic ties suggesting songs about boners.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty Hildebrandt

Tying it to college football.

Dan Rubenstein

Good stuff.

Ari Chambers

All right.

Dan Rubenstein

All right. On that Note, SOLID. Verbal mail.com is the email. Please follow us across social media. SOLIDVerbal.com Newsletter will get you signed up for our free weekly newsletter. Verballers.com is where you can go if you want to help support the team. Ad free episodes, bonus content. You will eventually get access to our verballer portal, which I have yet to take the bubble wrap off of, but will do so shortly. And of course, if you are ever so inclined, hit, follow or subscribe. If you have yet to leave a rating or review. All that stuff really goes a long way towards helping other people find the show.

Ty Hildebrandt

Absolutely.

Dan Rubenstein

This is part two of the ACC preview. We've got part three coming up on our next episode. Included in part three. Dan Rubenstein, are you ready?

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah. I'm included in part three? Yes.

Dan Rubenstein

Well, you are included in part three, as are these nine teams.

Ty Hildebrandt

Eight teams or nine teams?

Dan Rubenstein

Nine teams. Clemson, Louisville, Virginia Tech.

Ty Hildebrandt

Oh, because we did nine with Notre Dame today.

Ari Chambers

Continue.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

NC State, Georgia Tech and Cal and then Duke, Syracuse and Boston College.

Ty Hildebrandt

Fun teams maybe.

Dan Rubenstein

Ah, not so much on the Boston College side.

Ty Hildebrandt

You know, we're gonna. We're gonna find stuff, Ty. We're gonna orbit. We're gonna spelunk. We're gonna do whatever it takes to find something fun about all of these teams.

Dan Rubenstein

Oh, I could find fun stuff about all these teams.

Ty Hildebrandt

You and I are gonna go on a road trip to the. The Saginaw State campus. Isn't that where the quarterback transferred in from?

Dan Rubenstein

This is Mackenzie. Yes.

Ty Hildebrandt

We're gonna find something fun.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. Okay.

Ari Chambers

Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

How close are you to Saginaw State?

Ty Hildebrandt

I think I. Because I just was in Michigan last week. Yeah, I think I was. Not far, but it might have just been a turn off to get onto a highway that eventually got to Saginaw. I'd have to look.

Dan Rubenstein

You could have done some on the ground field reporting.

Ty Hildebrandt

I could have. I was actually more obsessed with finding a window to pick wild blueberries because blueberry season just started. Oh, and southwest Michigan, look at you. Is the midwestern capital of blueberries.

Dan Rubenstein

Did you pick any?

Ty Hildebrandt

We were driving through too late. They call it. You pick like the letter. You dash pick when you get to go to a farm.

Dan Rubenstein

So this is a setup where they. It's like apple picking and they tell you.

Ty Hildebrandt

Correct.

Dan Rubenstein

So you're not actually going out into the wilderness and finding it on your own.

Ty Hildebrandt

No, you're not foraging. You're going to a farm and you get to put. There's a lot of varieties, though, of blueberries.

Dan Rubenstein

So you're.

Ty Hildebrandt

But also you're cheating. Also, Thai. There is a current. I think it's called cytospores. You know about these?

Dan Rubenstein

Yes, I know about this.

Ty Hildebrandt

You're not suffering, right?

Dan Rubenstein

No, I'm not. I'm not. But I had to throw away all my bagged lettuce.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah, that is the pre bagged lettuce. I want to say raspberries are one of the crops affected. Blueberries were not on that list.

Dan Rubenstein

I'm not dealing with that.

Ty Hildebrandt

But I was. I was considering diarrhea. I was considering that as a potential diarrhea issue.

Dan Rubenstein

So I'm not dealing with that. Man.

Ty Hildebrandt

I still would go. I would still go. Blueberry picking. Shout out. Holland, Michigan. Shout out. South Haven. I love a blue. And so blueberries not on the list. But in any case, from. From the solid verbal family to yours, wash your produce. Thoroughly.

Dan Rubenstein

Cook it. Cook it.

Ty Hildebrandt

Yeah. I mean, look, make a pie. Make a. Make a mixed green pie. Yeah. Make a. Make a raspberry or blue mixed berry cobbler. Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

Bake it. Get it to 165 degrees, whatever.

Ty Hildebrandt

Exactly right. All right.

Dan Rubenstein

Nine teams down, nine more to go. ACC part three coming your way next episode. Thank you so much for hanging with us here over the Last hour and 15 hour and 20 or so for that guy over there, my good friend Dan Rubenstein. For myself, Ty Hildebrandt. We'll catch you all next time. In the meantime, stay solid.

Ty Hildebrandt

Peace. What's up, fam?

Ari Chambers

It's sports journalist Ari Chambers.

Sam J

Hey, what's up, y'?

Dan Rubenstein

All?

Sam J

It's your girl, Sam J.

Ari Chambers

And we're the hosts of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from 2gether.

Sam J

We're breaking down the biggest headlines, the viral moments and the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports.

Ari Chambers

From game changing performances to culture shifting conversations. We'll give you our takes, our debates, and a few laughs along the way

Sam J

because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to Everyone watches women's Sports on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dan Rubenstein

I'm Jake Brennan and on the Disgraceland podcast I explore the wild lies of rock stars and unbelievable true crime stories from music history. These are the stories you haven't heard, the kind you'll end up telling someone else. Like the time Paul McCartney spent in a notorious prison. Or the bizarre crime Lady Gaga is accused of. Or that time Blondie's Debbie Harry escaped Ted Bundy. Listen to Disgraceland on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Michael Rapoport

This is Michael Rapoport and my podcast, the I Am Rappaport Stereo podcast is unlike any one you've ever heard. If you're looking for strong opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now. This kid, Jafar Jackson should absolutely, positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am rappaport on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Sheryl Swoopes

This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.