PREVIEW + PREDICTION: West Virginia at Baylor
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00:53 - Hello everybody, it is the Walkthrough Gain Bay Show
01:05 presented by Country Roads Air Duct Cleaning.
01:07 Take me home to comfort.
01:08 That is Eugene Napoleon,
01:10 the legendary Mountaineer running back himself.
01:12 And I am Skylar Callahan here for Mountaineers Now
01:16 on FAN Nation/Sports Illustrated.
01:18 We're here to break down West Virginia and Baylor.
01:22 And we've got a whole lot of stuff to get to.
01:24 We're gonna talk around the Big 12 as we always do.
01:26 It's kind of our new segment here.
01:28 We'll look around at some scores from last week,
01:30 along with some Big 12 championship scenarios.
01:33 And we're gonna talk a little bit
01:35 about the future in Morgantown.
01:37 And not Neil Brown this time.
01:39 It feels like we've been talking about that all season long.
01:41 We're gonna talk about how the bright future,
01:44 or how the future looks bright for West Virginia,
01:46 surrounding some young players.
01:48 And we'll get into our preview and our picks
01:50 as we always do to wrap up the show.
01:52 So Gene, West Virginia, Baylor.
01:56 West Virginia's won five of the last seven.
01:57 They're one and four down in Waco.
01:59 But we'll get to that here in just a second.
02:03 I'm getting off track here.
02:04 Let's go take a look here around the Big 12 Conference
02:08 and some of the scores that happened
02:10 last week in the Conference.
02:13 So West Virginia obviously winning 42 to 21.
02:16 We're not gonna show that one.
02:18 But in case you didn't know the other scores
02:21 around the league, this is for you.
02:23 Oklahoma 31 to 24 over BYU.
02:26 That was a 10 a.m. kick.
02:27 You kind of felt like that could be a weird game
02:30 with how early that game was.
02:32 But Dylan Gabriel got injured.
02:33 He came back, finished the game for the Sooners.
02:36 They ended up surviving,
02:37 so they keep their Big 12 hopes alive.
02:39 TCU beats Baylor 42 to 17.
02:41 Oklahoma State over Houston 43 to 30.
02:44 Texas Tech over UCF 24 to 23.
02:48 Kansas State, and this is a big one for me
02:50 in the pick 'ems, by the way.
02:52 But Kansas State defeats Kansas 31 to 27
02:55 in the Sunflower Showdown.
02:56 And then Texas over Iowa State 26 to 16.
03:00 So here is the Big 12 scenario, Gene.
03:03 And I was gonna try and remember this
03:05 off the top of my head, but I said,
03:06 I'm not doing that.
03:07 It's just too complicated.
03:10 So I'm just gonna read this off of my phone here.
03:13 So Texas plays Texas Tech on Friday, on Black Friday.
03:19 The result of that game will kind of dictate
03:22 what scenarios are still alive for Saturday's games.
03:27 So per the Big 12 conference,
03:30 if Texas beats Texas Tech,
03:32 they clinch a berth.
03:34 That means these scenarios are alive on Saturday.
03:38 If Oklahoma State defeats BYU, that's it.
03:44 It's Texas, Oklahoma State.
03:46 Nothing else matters.
03:48 If Oklahoma defeats TCU on Friday,
03:52 and that win is followed by a Texas win
03:57 and an Oklahoma State loss,
04:00 the Sooners clinch a berth to the championship game.
04:03 So Oklahoma needs a win,
04:06 and they need a win by Texas and a loss from Oklahoma State.
04:11 For Kansas State, they need to defeat Iowa State
04:14 following a Texas win,
04:17 and they need a loss by Oklahoma
04:19 and a loss by Oklahoma State.
04:21 So they need the most help in that scenario.
04:23 Flipping it over to the other side,
04:26 if Texas Tech defeats Texas,
04:29 Texas can still clinch a berth to the championship
04:32 if one of the two loss teams,
04:36 say that five times,
04:37 one of the three two loss teams,
04:39 Kansas State, Oklahoma, or Oklahoma State,
04:43 lose on Friday and/or Saturday.
04:45 Texas and the remaining winning team of those three
04:49 will qualify for the championship.
04:50 And then lastly, if Texas loses to Texas Tech,
04:55 and two or three two loss teams
04:58 win against Kansas State, Oklahoma,
05:00 Oklahoma State on Friday and/or Saturday,
05:03 following along here,
05:04 there will be three or four teams tied
05:09 for both championship berths.
05:11 Multiple scenarios exist in this circumstance
05:14 contingent on which teams remain in the tiebreaker pool.
05:17 So if it gets down to that,
05:18 it's a bunch of tiebreaker madness.
05:20 Let's just keep it simple.
05:23 Oklahoma State, Texas win.
05:25 We don't have to worry about anything else.
05:27 So it'd be Texas and Oklahoma State.
05:29 My preseason pick of Kansas State is still alive,
05:32 but it's crazy, Gene, just to think
05:35 all these different scenarios coming down to the wire here
05:37 in the final week just shows how much parity
05:39 there is in this league.
05:41 - Which is a beautiful thing.
05:42 I mean, that's what we always talk about.
05:44 That's what you want.
05:45 And we finally got into a place
05:47 where that's exactly what you have,
05:49 is parity from top to bottom, which is really cool.
05:53 But I wanna say this, my friend.
05:55 For all those people who said right from day one
05:59 that WVU would end up at the bottom of the conference,
06:04 and the first show we did, if memory serves me correct,
06:08 I said West Virginia would either be nine and three
06:13 or eight and four.
06:14 And interestingly enough, it looks like
06:19 we have the potential to be eight and four.
06:22 - Yeah.
06:25 I mean, Baylor's a struggling team.
06:28 West Virginia's gonna be favored by a touchdown,
06:31 maybe more by the time that game comes around on Saturday.
06:35 So everything's setting up as if it looks like
06:38 West Virginia's gonna get to eight,
06:40 possibly nine if you win the bowl game.
06:43 So that kind of spills into the bright future thing.
06:45 But for the Big 12, since this kind of,
06:50 we're down to the final week here,
06:52 is there any team that surprised you,
06:54 good or bad, this season in the league?
06:57 - So I'm going to say,
07:01 I like the direction of where Kansas is
07:10 continually, steadily trending in this conference.
07:15 I've always had a healthy respect for Kansas State,
07:20 to be honest with you, because I've always viewed them
07:23 as a really, really solid program.
07:26 They get the type of recruits to continue
07:31 the uphill swing, I should say,
07:35 of where their program is going.
07:37 I've always liked their program.
07:38 So Kansas State, I can see why you,
07:41 in your head, they were one of your favorites
07:45 to make it to the conference championship.
07:47 I am surprised.
07:51 I don't know why I'm saying this, but I am surprised.
07:54 All of the new entries into this conference,
07:57 I'm surprised that they're finishing
08:03 where they are within the conference,
08:06 at the bottom rung of the conference.
08:09 For some reason, that surprises me.
08:11 I didn't think BYU would struggle this mightily.
08:16 I knew Houston would struggle.
08:19 I knew Cincinnati would struggle a little bit.
08:22 - I thought UCF would do a little bit better
08:25 than their five, six, three 11 games.
08:27 I just, I don't know, with that offense,
08:29 it felt like they were a little bit better.
08:31 - I felt like, because they're inconsistent,
08:34 and I felt like with them, the depth would be a problem,
08:38 the same as with Houston,
08:39 the depth I knew would be a problem.
08:40 But I didn't expect that from BYU,
08:44 and I didn't expect that wholeheartedly from Cincinnati.
08:48 For some reason, I kind of felt like depth-wise,
08:51 they had enough, and then if the ball bounces
08:55 one way or the other, they'll win some games
08:56 they shouldn't be winning or whatever.
08:59 But I really didn't think that all four teams
09:03 would be struggling the way that they're struggling.
09:05 But it goes to show you, from top to bottom,
09:10 how good the conference really is.
09:12 It goes to show you, I know most people say,
09:14 "Oh, well, they're down this year."
09:16 Well, it's kind of hard to say when you have
09:20 how many teams that are bowl-eligible in this conference.
09:23 What, seven, six or seven teams are bowl-eligible?
09:26 - I think there's eight now.
09:29 So you got Texas, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma,
09:31 Kansas State, West Virginia, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Kansas.
09:36 You have eight teams that are bowl-eligible,
09:39 and you have, catch this, you have TCU, who's at five wins,
09:43 BYU, and Central Florida.
09:46 So you got three teams that, if they win
09:47 in their final week, they're getting to a bowl game.
09:50 - That's crazy.
09:52 Think about that, that's crazy.
09:53 So, and I forgot about the other side.
09:55 So I forgot about Iowa State, no disrespect to them,
09:58 because that's another program that I have some respect.
10:01 But it just goes to show you,
10:04 when you break it down like that,
10:06 how strong the conference really,
10:07 and I'm not saying, I'm not saying,
10:10 I'm not saying that.
10:13 I'm saying it's a better conference
10:16 than what people give it credit for.
10:19 That's what I'm saying.
10:20 - It is, and it's gonna be really interesting
10:22 to see kind of how the Big 12's gonna shape up
10:26 after this year, when Texas and OU leave,
10:29 you bring in some of those Pac-12 schools,
10:31 how's their transition?
10:34 Is it gonna be pretty seamless
10:35 because they've been in Power Five before?
10:37 Did any of those bottom, or not bottom four,
10:39 but the newbie schools this year,
10:42 those four newcomers, are they gonna take a step?
10:45 Who's gonna become,
10:47 I don't wanna say the next Texas circle,
10:48 I mean, who's gonna fill in that spot
10:50 in the top tier of the Big 12 conference?
10:54 And to me, when you look at some of the biggest surprises,
10:57 I mean, it's hard to not say West Virginia, right?
10:59 I mean, everybody and their brother thought
11:02 that this was gonna be one of the bottom teams in the league.
11:04 They were picked 14th to begin the season.
11:07 Except, even I think Eugene O'Paulian said,
11:10 heck, if there was 15 teams, he'd put 'em 15th, but.
11:13 (laughing)
11:15 - We'll know it in, sir.
11:17 I kinda, I had this feeling,
11:20 and we spoke about it prior too.
11:23 I had a feeling that WVU could win eight to nine games.
11:26 - You did?
11:28 I'll give you credit for it, yeah.
11:29 And I know you're usually a little bit more optimistic
11:31 than me, but you were on that, you were on that.
11:34 - Yep.
11:35 - And I think-- - I'm glad to see it.
11:37 So I hope the so-called experts, after this week,
11:41 will come back and somewhat eat their words, somewhat.
11:44 I know they won't, but we'll help 'em with that.
11:47 We'll help 'em with that.
11:48 - Well, look, I mean, if West Virginia takes care
11:51 of business out in Waco, they're gonna be eight and four,
11:54 and six and three in Big 12 play.
11:57 I understand Texas could get to the playoff,
12:00 and that could, you know, make Steve Sarkisian
12:04 look really good, and you could talk about the turnaround
12:06 Oklahoma's had.
12:07 To me, if West Virginia wins this game,
12:12 Neil Brown's the Big 12 coach of the year.
12:14 There's no question about it, because this was a team
12:17 that you, the media, picked 14th.
12:19 I didn't pick a 14th, but a lot of people did.
12:23 And they go eight and four.
12:25 I don't care, Texas has all the talent in the world.
12:28 The expectations are up here every year.
12:30 They were picked to finish toward the top of the conference.
12:33 So it's not like they did something unexpected.
12:35 West Virginia, on the other hand, I mean, come on.
12:38 14th, dead last to potentially somewhere
12:41 in the top five or six of the league.
12:44 - I'm 100% on board with what you're saying,
12:46 and I know there may be a few people who say,
12:48 oh, no, no, no, but how could you not?
12:51 At least he would be in strong consideration
12:54 and contention for it, because you go from, again,
12:57 the so-called expert saying, you're gonna finish
12:59 dead last in a conference, and you finish middle
13:02 of the pack and get eight wins, come on now.
13:05 Come on.
13:06 - And I think the other team that we'll give credit to
13:12 is Oklahoma State, again, just because of the start, really.
13:15 And I've said it, you can call me out for it, too.
13:17 I said it back in the summer, I didn't think this team
13:20 was gonna be very good.
13:21 I thought they were gonna struggle
13:22 to get the bowl eligibility.
13:24 And it looked like I was gonna be spot on
13:26 after their start that year.
13:27 They get blown out by South Alabama.
13:29 I mean, we've told this story 100 times,
13:31 but it's just amazing to me.
13:33 Once again, the coaching job that Mike Gundy did
13:36 with this team, feels like every year,
13:39 it's his best coaching job.
13:40 I mean, it's insane how this guy just consistently
13:44 finds ways to get his team to eight, nine, 10 wins.
13:48 And here he is again, he wins this weekend,
13:51 they're playing for the baseball championship.
13:53 I mean, it's incredible.
13:54 - That might be, he might be in contention
13:58 - Yeah.
13:59 - For the year, because if you get them to a conference,
14:03 you know, to match up in a conference championship,
14:06 when you look to them early in the year,
14:08 like you said, they struggled mightily in the beginning,
14:12 that turnaround is serious.
14:14 - It is.
14:16 - Again, you have to give credit where credit's due,
14:17 Mike Gundy and his staff, they're doing a tremendous job,
14:21 but that's him, that's just what they do.
14:25 - And really the only down, or the only team
14:28 that surprised me in a bad way,
14:30 I would say it's probably this week's opponent, Baylor.
14:32 I mean, three wins, I mean, there was a lot of people
14:36 that thought highly of them, I thought they'd kind of
14:38 be somewhere in the middle of the pack
14:40 when this all shook out, but I mean, look,
14:43 I mean, Blake Chapin, he's been banged up,
14:46 he's doubtful for this week as well,
14:48 but I mean, they've had a lot of young guys playing
14:52 and it just hasn't been their year.
14:55 But for Dave Aranda to only win three games with that team,
14:58 a couple of years removed from one of the Big 12 title,
15:00 that's shocking, I would say.
15:03 - Well, it goes to show you, there's a lot
15:05 that goes into that, and we know,
15:07 from transfer portals to injuries,
15:09 there's a lot that just goes into that.
15:11 And it's hard to say because we're not in that locker room
15:14 to see what's going on day to day.
15:16 But I will tell you this, for some odd reason,
15:20 it surprises me that that staff can go from vying
15:29 for a conference championship a few short years ago
15:32 to now everybody screaming that they want this man out,
15:34 they want him fired or whatever the case may be.
15:37 Boy, does it, I'm gonna tell you,
15:39 that mindset, I just can't think
15:45 that people would be that short-sighted.
15:48 - He's a good coach, man, I mean.
15:51 - He's a great coach, and get this,
15:53 he's a tremendous recruiter.
15:54 Bale is not the easiest place to recruit.
15:58 - No.
15:59 - Let me be clear, they're not.
16:00 It's not the easiest place to recruit.
16:02 So if you get the players in there,
16:05 and you're a little bit more patient,
16:07 I think the turnaround for them is in the near future.
16:10 I don't think that this man deserves to lose his job
16:13 because of this year, that's just my own opinion.
16:15 - No, I think you can fix this quickly because,
16:17 and he admitted it during his press conference this week,
16:19 that they just gotta figure out the NIL situation,
16:22 they gotta be more aggressive in the portal.
16:24 And look, West Virginia, at least as of right now,
16:28 is paying off their patience with Neil Brown.
16:31 And he's a guy that didn't have any success
16:34 prior to this season.
16:35 Dave Arena won a Big 12 fricking championship
16:38 for crying out loud.
16:38 So give the man some time to adjust.
16:41 I think you bring him back,
16:44 and if next year it's the same thing,
16:47 and it's just continued regression,
16:49 then okay, you maybe have an argument there.
16:51 But as of right now, I think that would be a major mistake
16:54 because it would just kind of,
16:57 it would tear down everything that they built,
16:58 even though it doesn't look like they built much right now.
17:00 I mean, this is still a program, again,
17:02 that won and was sitting at the top of the Big 12
17:05 just a couple of years ago.
17:06 So they'll get it right, they'll get it figured out.
17:09 But in terms of Neil Brown and this team,
17:13 I mean, we just talked, we just hit on it.
17:15 Eight wins, potentially, maybe even nine.
17:17 But the thing to me, at least, Gene,
17:21 that really stands out about this season
17:25 is the young core of players that have really emerged
17:30 here in the last month of the season or so.
17:32 You've got Rodney Gallagher, Trae Lynn Ray, Jaheim White,
17:37 and there's others,
17:39 but we're just specifically talking on the offense here.
17:42 Trae Lynn Ray looks like a dude.
17:45 If he gets bigger, which is expected,
17:47 and he puts on that much-needed muscle,
17:51 he's going to be a dude.
17:52 Rodney Gallagher, once he gets that full offseason
17:55 to actually learn how to run routes and use leverage,
17:58 he's going to be a dude.
17:59 Jaheim White, he's already a dude, isn't he, Gene?
18:03 - Yes.
18:05 (laughing)
18:06 He is something special, man.
18:08 I love watching him tote that rock
18:11 because he has the ability to take the distance.
18:16 I don't care where you are on the field.
18:18 He is explosive as explosive can be.
18:21 And man, I'm looking forward
18:23 to him getting a full offseason
18:25 and feeling really comfortable about this offense
18:29 and learning the nuances and different things
18:31 he's going to learn during the off.
18:32 'Cause he seems to be the type of kid
18:35 that is going to work.
18:37 He's going to put the work in and forget about it.
18:41 I think the sky's the limit for that young man.
18:44 - I think the sky's the limit for this team, too.
18:46 I mean, I've not been very optimistic
18:49 in the last five years or so,
18:53 but again, you look at everything that could come back.
18:56 Now they're going to have to work through the NIL stuff.
18:58 They're going to have to retain guys,
18:59 but if you can keep the core of this group together,
19:03 I mean, Garrett Green's not going anywhere.
19:05 I mean, he loves this program.
19:07 He just, he does not seem like a kid
19:09 that would dart to go anywhere else.
19:12 It wouldn't make sense for him to anyway.
19:14 - Right.
19:15 - You get C.J. Donaldson to come back,
19:16 you get some of those key pieces on the offensive line back.
19:19 The defense returns just about everybody.
19:22 And I'm telling you, man, like those three,
19:25 those three kids I just mentioned, Ray, Gallagher, and White,
19:28 they're all true freshmen,
19:30 and they're helping in a big way
19:32 winning football games now as kids.
19:36 Imagine what they can be as they grow into young adults
19:40 and can be counted on consistently.
19:45 - What has to happen, and here's the mark again
19:49 of a good head coach with great assistant,
19:52 with good assistant coaches around them.
19:55 They have to figure out a way to keep that nucleus intact.
19:58 - Yeah. - You have to figure that out.
20:01 If, like you said, if they can do that, Skylar,
20:03 I'm going to tell you, it will be really hard pressed
20:08 to say that West Virginia won't be fighting
20:11 for a championship next season.
20:13 It'd be really hard pressed to say that they won't
20:15 because you're getting to see the development
20:18 of these young pups right in front of your eyes right now.
20:21 You get them together, and they stay during the off season,
20:25 and they work their tails off, like I know that they will.
20:29 Anything is on the table,
20:31 and anything is possible next year
20:32 because they already have,
20:35 they know what it tastes like now
20:38 to be able to get into these games and compete,
20:40 and they showed up in these games now.
20:44 So imagine next year, man,
20:46 the confidence should be through the roof.
20:49 - To me, I think it would be a disappointment that,
20:53 and I don't think it's that far-fetched of an opinion here,
20:58 but if West Virginia doesn't get
21:02 to a Big 12 championship game or doesn't sniff one,
21:06 and like say it comes down to the last week,
21:08 and for some reason, some stupid tiebreaker keeps them out,
21:11 but if they don't even sniff a Big 12 championship
21:14 during these three guys, again,
21:16 I know it's very early in their career,
21:17 but you can just see the potential.
21:19 - Sure.
21:20 - If they don't sniff one in these three guys' career,
21:24 when would Neil Brown ever get there?
21:26 - Well, I'm gonna be honest with you.
21:30 Again, when you have a quarterback,
21:32 when you have a dominant backfield,
21:35 when you have a solid, good to solid offensive line,
21:41 and you got a steady defense,
21:45 there's no way that that's a recipe
21:47 for a championship pedigree on any level,
21:51 and West Virginia has that coming back.
21:53 - And you got an experienced starting quarterback now.
21:56 - Right.
21:57 - That's the big difference.
21:58 - If you cheat everybody, they finally have that.
22:02 It'll be the first time in a long time
22:04 that you have all the pieces that you could put together
22:07 to build around.
22:09 You have that.
22:10 Yeah, I agree with you 100%.
22:12 There will be no way in no scenario
22:14 if all of the pieces come back
22:17 that you will tell me within the next year or two
22:19 that they won't be fighting for a conference championship.
22:23 No, there's just no way around that.
22:26 - Last question before we hit our break here,
22:29 because I know you love this kid,
22:31 and we talked to him multiple times
22:32 before he landed at Morgantown.
22:34 Jaheim White can be the best
22:38 West Virginia running back since blank.
22:41 - Hey, Mr. Zeraway.
22:44 - Oh.
22:45 Oh, Amos.
22:49 Okay, so you're talking even,
22:51 maybe even better than Noel Devine and Steve Slayton.
22:54 - I will say this, because Amos was really different
22:59 in between the tackles and in open field, right?
23:06 Zeraway had something just a little bit different.
23:11 Now, you're talking about styles,
23:14 like boxing styles make fights, right?
23:16 - Yeah.
23:17 - You can't compare to me.
23:21 Noel Devine was in a class by himself.
23:27 - He's so unique.
23:28 (laughs)
23:29 I mean.
23:30 - It was his style in a class by himself.
23:33 So if you're keeping it relative
23:35 to running styles or whatever,
23:37 even Steve Slayton to a certain extent
23:40 was in a class by himself,
23:41 because Steve Slayton, in my opinion, was a slasher.
23:44 You know what I mean?
23:45 So it's interesting when I watch,
23:48 he reminds me, and again,
23:50 White reminds me a little bit of Zeraway.
23:55 He gets in between those tackles and he's not a big back
24:00 and people, you lose him between the tackles.
24:03 And next thing you know, this guy is in the secondary.
24:07 - Yeah.
24:08 - So I think he has a chance to be,
24:10 and again, this is crazy.
24:13 The kid could be a 5,000 yard rusher at West Virginia, man.
24:16 - Wow.
24:17 That's insane.
24:18 That's insane to think.
24:19 And again, they've committed to this new identity
24:22 of running the football,
24:23 and it doesn't seem like they're gonna go away from it.
24:25 So if you have the big boys up front to pave the way,
24:29 Jaheim doesn't need all that much help in the first place.
24:32 - Peek this.
24:33 Could you imagine, okay, check this out.
24:36 God willing, he's a true freshman, right?
24:38 So a 1,500 yard season next year as a sophomore,
24:41 just hypothetically,
24:44 another 1,500 yard season as a junior.
24:47 That's three bills right there, right?
24:50 - Plus what he got this year.
24:52 - Plus what he got right now,
24:53 and he still has a year to richer,
24:57 due to injury or whatever the case may be.
24:58 You got an extra year in there somewhere.
25:00 I'm just saying, I can see this kid,
25:04 all right, realistically, 4,000 yards, realistically.
25:08 - That's crazy to think.
25:09 - I can see that.
25:10 I mean, in his career, I can actually see that
25:13 because he's such a breakaway runner.
25:16 You know, that kid, in between the 20 to the 20,
25:22 come on, man.
25:24 - And then you, yeah, I mean, and he's gone.
25:28 - 60, 70 yards.
25:29 Yeah, nah, he's that type of back.
25:32 So he's not one of them, you know,
25:36 I'm gonna fall five yards in a cloud of dust type backs.
25:39 That's what I mean.
25:40 He has explosiveness and things that you can't teach.
25:44 - Yeah.
25:45 - Instinctive, very instinctive.
25:47 I love it.
25:47 I love watching that kid grow.
25:48 - And you know what the good thing
25:50 about all this talk and hype around Jaheim is,
25:53 everyone keeps forgetting about CJ Tolleson,
25:55 who's the starting running back of this dang team.
25:58 And he's a load himself, but in a much different way.
26:01 So, I mean, and Gene, I hate to-
26:04 - That's the one-two punch.
26:06 - Yeah.
26:07 - That's crazy right now.
26:08 That's the one-two punch, man.
26:09 - I hate to bring up these type of comparisons,
26:12 but like, you really can't compare this one-two punch
26:17 at running back and quarterback all together.
26:21 Those three guys, Garrett Green, CJ Donaldson,
26:24 and Jaheim White, when's the last time
26:27 they've had three really good players at those two spots?
26:32 And a mobile quarterback.
26:36 I mean, you're probably talking about
26:38 like Steve Slayton, Noel Devon, right?
26:41 - Now look here now.
26:44 Now, okay.
26:45 There's a lot of, okay.
26:51 Because in each era, you gotta remember,
26:57 even before the Pat White, Steve Slayton, Noel Devon era,
27:02 the quarterback and backs prior to that
27:06 were very, very good.
27:07 And then the backs and quarterback prior to that
27:12 was also very, very good.
27:15 And then my years was very, very good.
27:19 So, which I love it.
27:24 When you think back about,
27:26 that's the greatness of WVU.
27:28 When you think about each era,
27:30 each three to four year era, if you look it up,
27:34 and you had a quarterback that was decent,
27:36 you have backs that were also decent.
27:38 Mark Bulger years, those were good backs, man.
27:42 I mean, you stop to think about that.
27:43 So, obviously, Major Harris with A.B. Brown,
27:47 myself, Andrew Johnson.
27:48 - But since Pat, Steve, and Noel,
27:53 I don't think there's been anything close to this.
27:56 - Well, now listen.
27:59 - Because Gino didn't have a running back.
28:02 - He got Korber.
28:04 Those years, think about it now.
28:06 - Yeah, but I'm talking like after Pat, Steve, and Noel left.
28:09 So, from them on, not before, if that makes sense.
28:12 - Oh, not before, okay.
28:13 - Yeah, yeah, just--
28:14 - Now, that makes better sense.
28:15 No, no, no, you're 100% correct.
28:18 No, no, you're right.
28:20 Now, this is the new crop.
28:24 Yeah, I would agree.
28:25 I would agree.
28:26 This definitely is the new crop,
28:27 because I'm thinking,
28:31 yeah, 100% right.
28:33 - Yeah, 'cause Gino didn't have a run game.
28:36 You're talking about the Will Greer years,
28:37 and obviously, they were aerated out.
28:40 So, I mean, there's really not.
28:44 - No, I mean, you talk about the years
28:47 when you had to put Tavon back there
28:50 and let him do his thing.
28:51 - Yeah.
28:52 (laughs)
28:53 - You know what I mean?
28:54 So, you're right.
28:55 This particular group has a chance
28:57 to be very, very special and historic,
29:00 and I'm thinking that they can do that,
29:03 and hopefully, like we're talking about right now,
29:05 if you can keep them all there,
29:07 boy, this could be really special,
29:09 the next one, the two, actually, the next three years.
29:13 - Yeah, it certainly can.
29:14 So, fans, let us know your thoughts
29:17 in the comment section.
29:18 If you're watching here on YouTube,
29:19 what you think about this young core
29:21 of Trae Lynn Ray, Ronnie Gallagher, Jaheem White,
29:24 all those other guys,
29:25 what should be the expectation next year
29:27 for this team, win total-wise?
29:30 Let us know in the comment section.
29:32 We're going to take a break,
29:33 and when we come back,
29:34 we're going to break down and dive all into
29:36 this Bears-Mountaineers matchup.
29:38 Last week, it was the poor, poor Bearcats,
29:41 and this week, it's the poor, poor Bears.
29:44 So, the Bears are literally limping into this game.
29:47 They're three and eight on the year,
29:49 nothing really to play for
29:50 other than to send their seniors out with a victory.
29:53 So, it's the season finale, not of this show.
29:56 We'll have one for the bowl game,
29:57 but when we come back, we'll dive into that matchup.
30:00 But first, a word from Country Roads Air Duct Cleaning.
30:03 Take me home to come.
30:04 - Do you have dirty air ducts?
30:05 Is your dryer vent plugged up?
30:07 Well, odds are, you probably don't know
30:09 the answer to that question.
30:11 Fortunately for you, we know a guy.
30:13 Give Justin at Country Roads Air Duct Cleaning a call
30:16 at 304-639-3395 for your free home evaluation.
30:22 That's 304-639-3395.
30:26 Country Roads Air Duct Cleaning.
30:29 Take me home to comfort.
30:30 - It's the Bears, it's the Mountaineers
30:32 here in game number 12 to wrap up the regular season.
30:36 Can't believe it's already here.
30:38 It always happens like this,
30:39 but West Virginia wrapping things up
30:42 out in Waco before bowl season comes around.
30:46 West Virginia taking a look here at the series.
30:48 They are one and six, Eugene, on the road.
30:52 Or excuse me, one and four.
30:53 I'm thinking about Baylor's home record, by the way.
30:56 One and four in Waco.
30:58 The only win that West Virginia has at Baylor came in 2017.
31:03 West Virginia was up 38 to 13.
31:05 This was Will Greer's first year.
31:06 If you remember, they got up to that huge lead at half.
31:08 Looked like they were gonna blow the doors off the Bears.
31:11 And then they came storming back.
31:13 Baylor outscored West Virginia 23 to nothing
31:17 in that second half.
31:18 And if memory serves me right,
31:20 I think Baylor was going for a two-point conversion
31:23 to tie the game up and didn't get it.
31:26 And I think it may have been one of the Stills brothers.
31:29 They kinda messed that thing up.
31:31 I can't really remember 100%,
31:33 but I think that's how that thing played out.
31:36 But West Virginia's won five of the last seven meetings.
31:39 Again, they're one and four in Waco.
31:41 But the good news is,
31:42 Baylor is one and six at their own stadium this year,
31:45 which is even crazier to think.
31:48 So Gene, just before we dive into the X's and O's
31:52 of this thing, just your initial thoughts
31:53 on the Baylor Bears this year and their down season.
31:56 - Well, I'm gonna tell you something.
31:59 And I always say this,
32:00 this is why they give other teams scholarships as well.
32:03 So you never know, any given Saturday night,
32:06 any given Saturday, whatever.
32:07 It'll be interesting.
32:09 And like we said earlier,
32:11 we are surprised at where Baylor is right now.
32:13 They're down, but I don't think
32:16 they're gonna just lay down at home.
32:21 They wanna send the seniors off right.
32:24 They wanna get them their last victory or whatever.
32:26 And let me say this,
32:28 I don't particularly think they care for us.
32:31 You know what I mean?
32:34 So it's not like you're going in there,
32:36 yeah, we're going in ready.
32:39 They're limping, but boy,
32:42 have you ever seen a bear that's hurt?
32:45 - Yeah, last week actually.
32:48 Or is a bear to bear cat the same thing?
32:50 I don't even know what a bear cat is.
32:52 Like, is that a thing?
32:54 - They didn't either.
32:55 - I mean, I think it's just,
32:58 is it a species of bear?
32:59 I mean, I may sound stupid right now, but like,
33:02 I don't know.
33:04 - You don't sound stupid, but I'm gonna tell you this.
33:07 I'm looking forward to,
33:09 and I know it's gonna sound crazy
33:10 because they're not having a great year,
33:13 especially at home.
33:14 I'm really looking for Baylor to give us their best shot.
33:19 - Why wouldn't you?
33:19 This is technically their bowl game, right?
33:21 They have nothing to play after this.
33:23 - No, absolutely.
33:24 So I want them to give us their best shot.
33:27 And I think that they will.
33:28 I don't think they're gonna lay down.
33:29 I really don't.
33:30 - That's something to keep in mind here
33:33 is that since this is their last game,
33:35 they don't have to hide anything, right?
33:37 They can throw the kitchen sink at West Virginia.
33:39 They could go for it on fourth down.
33:41 Every time they get to fourth down,
33:42 if they really wanted to.
33:44 It doesn't really matter
33:45 'cause it's not gonna affect them in the standings.
33:47 It's not gonna affect their bowl positioning.
33:49 So they can be as aggressive as they want,
33:52 and I expect them to be,
33:53 especially for a team that's hunting a win to end the year.
33:56 So diving into this thing,
33:58 we'll go Baylor offense, West Virginia defense first.
34:01 And this is a huge, huge development
34:04 that we've kind of became aware of
34:07 over the last 24 hours or so.
34:08 And that is that starting quarterback, Blake Chapin,
34:11 is doubtful to play in this game.
34:14 And he has been banged up all season long.
34:16 He's been a tough kid.
34:17 He's had a really good season one.
34:18 He's been healthy.
34:20 I think he's kind of the straw that mixes the drink for them.
34:25 But so that's gonna be a tough loss for them.
34:29 And if he does not play,
34:30 they're gonna turn to Sawyer Robertson,
34:33 who does have some experience
34:35 filling in for Chapin this year,
34:37 completing 50% of his passes at touchdown and four picks.
34:41 Typically, Eugene, this is a team
34:43 that likes to put the ball in the air
34:45 and has had success throwing the ball.
34:47 But I think also part of that too
34:49 is they're finding themselves behind in these games
34:52 and they have no choice but to throw the ball.
34:54 So I think Baylor in this one,
34:57 especially if Robertson plays,
34:59 they're gonna wanna get those two running backs involved.
35:03 Dominic Richardson, Dawson Pendergrass,
35:06 big kids at running back, 6'2", 219, 6'1", 206,
35:10 big, thick backs that can take a beating.
35:13 They wanna minimize, I would imagine,
35:15 as much of this game plan as possible
35:18 for Sawyer Robertson in the passing game.
35:20 They don't want him thinking too much.
35:21 They want him to kind of play freely
35:24 and kind of a one-two read and go kind of a thing.
35:27 I don't know that they really wanna risk
35:29 putting the ball in the air,
35:29 especially when you got maybe one of the best cornerbacks
35:32 in the country, Beanie Bishop, on the other side.
35:35 - Absolutely. No, I agree with you 100%.
35:37 And I also think outside of the pure run game,
35:40 the extension of that is screens.
35:42 - Yeah, that's a good point, yep.
35:45 - If I see multiple different types of screens,
35:48 because, no, I agree with you.
35:50 I'm not going to put my quarterbacks in harm's way
35:55 when I know you got a ball hawk like Beanie Bishop
35:57 in the back end.
35:59 I'm not gonna do that.
36:00 Or you run the risk of the sacks
36:03 because there are-
36:04 - Which has been a major problem for Baylor.
36:06 - Major problem for Baylor up front.
36:08 You know what I mean?
36:09 So, no, I'm gonna extend this thing
36:11 by different multiple types of screens.
36:14 I'm gonna try to get the running game going,
36:17 minimize him having to throw the ball down the field,
36:19 anything more than 20, 25 yards,
36:21 and see where that lies.
36:24 I'm not saying that's gonna be a successful game plan.
36:27 That would be one that I will be considering.
36:32 - Yeah, I mean, again, you look at the running backs
36:34 between Richardson, Pendergrass,
36:35 and even through Richard Reese in there.
36:37 I mean, they're averaging like four or so yards of carry.
36:40 It's not that they can't run the football.
36:42 It's they're getting so far behind in these games
36:45 because of their defense.
36:46 When you're down two or three scores in the second half,
36:48 you can't run the ball.
36:50 I mean, if you are, you're throwing up the white flag
36:53 and saying, just let this game end.
36:55 So, I mean, I think they can run the ball.
36:57 They will run the ball,
36:59 especially with Robertson potentially and a quarterback.
37:02 They're also a team, Gene,
37:03 that is towards the top of the Big 12.
37:05 This has kind of become a key metric
37:07 that we like to look at because they've been so dominant
37:10 in West Virginia, and that's time of possession.
37:12 Baylor likes to hold onto the football, too,
37:14 even though they like to pass it.
37:15 So, now that they're gonna probably see
37:18 that the needle move a little bit more towards the run game,
37:21 I expect they're gonna play kind of that ball-control
37:23 type of game, too, and again,
37:25 going back to throwing the kitchen sink at West Virginia,
37:27 being aggressive.
37:29 Don't be surprised if it's fourth and four
37:30 from their own 35 if they go for it.
37:32 And if they get it, guess what?
37:33 The clock keeps running.
37:35 They're holding onto the football.
37:36 I think that's a very key point for them
37:39 is to get some success on the ground early in this game.
37:42 West Virginia's actually done a really good job,
37:44 particularly last week.
37:46 Corey Kiner, man, I'm telling you,
37:48 he is one of the better running backs in Big 12.
37:50 No one really talks about it.
37:51 Cincinnati, they held him in check for three quarters.
37:54 They held that Cincinnati rushing attack
37:56 in check for three quarters,
37:57 and then when they got into that little bit of a,
37:59 I know you don't like to call it garbage time,
38:01 but they got to the game was out of hand,
38:02 and they threw some reserves,
38:04 and it started to skew the numbers a little bit.
38:07 But I really like West Virginia's run defense,
38:10 did last week,
38:11 but this is a premier opportunity
38:16 for that front seven of West Virginia
38:18 to really get after the quarterback,
38:20 because again, we talked about it.
38:22 Baylor has given up 31 sacks this year.
38:24 That's dead last in the Big 12 Conference.
38:26 Third quarterback, no wonder why Blake Chapin's out again.
38:29 This kid has just been beaten
38:31 and thrown around week after week,
38:34 tough deal for Sawyer Robertson here to come into.
38:38 - Yeah, well, he's been beat like a pinata.
38:41 So it's unfortunate.
38:43 He's been hit that many times,
38:44 and you hate to say that because that means,
38:46 yeah, you are struggling up front.
38:48 So I really like our chances,
38:51 to get some hits on the quarterback
38:53 and get them to the ground.
38:55 The funny thing about Baylor and where they are right now,
39:00 because they have nothing to lose,
39:01 those games are kind of the hardest games to go into,
39:05 because it would not surprise me,
39:08 anything less than two to three yards,
39:11 fourth and two, fourth and,
39:12 and even maybe fourth and three,
39:14 fourth and one for sure,
39:16 it wouldn't surprise me if they go for it
39:18 60, 70% of the time,
39:20 because you want to convert those fourth down
39:23 into first downs,
39:24 because that way you're keeping
39:26 West Virginia's offense off the field.
39:30 So there's a lot to think about on their side,
39:33 more or less for West Virginia.
39:35 Yeah, we're going to come in chomping at the bit,
39:36 because not to be disrespectful,
39:39 but this is a real thing.
39:41 You look at this and this is stat day.
39:44 - It's yeah, it could be.
39:45 - Stat day.
39:46 This could potentially be that type of game.
39:48 So I know we're ready to get to where we go and get it on.
39:53 Take the gloves off, ring the bell, let's get it on.
39:57 - And the three receivers that are going to be
40:02 the most prolific in their game,
40:04 Monterey Baldwin's a name everyone pretty much knows,
40:07 speedy kid, really kind of short and compact,
40:10 but man, he's got a lot of speed and he can make you pay.
40:13 He's their leading receiver.
40:16 And then they've got,
40:17 actually they got the tight end involved here.
40:18 Gene, I know that's kind of more back in your day.
40:20 You like the tight ends getting involved here too,
40:22 but Drake Dobney, 31 catches, five touchdowns.
40:27 He's averaging over 17 yards a catch.
40:28 So that means when they're throwing in the football,
40:31 it's probably a lot of those passes up through the seam
40:33 and he's getting a lot of yards after the catch.
40:36 So got to watch him over the middle of the field.
40:39 And then Ketron Jackson Jr., 25 catches, 401 yards.
40:43 He's their big, long receiver
40:45 that they can take those home run shots with,
40:47 six foot three, 200 plus pounds.
40:49 And they've got like four or five other guys, Gene,
40:51 that they've given the ball to 10 or 15 times through the year.
40:53 So I wouldn't say they're necessarily deep at receiver.
40:56 They just play a ton of guys,
40:58 but those are the three to highlight.
41:00 So flipping over to the other side,
41:02 West Virginia offense, Baylor defense here.
41:05 And boy, Baylor's defense, man.
41:08 It has been struggle bus all year long,
41:11 which is kind of surprising under Dave Aranda,
41:14 defensive-minded coach.
41:15 But the one thing that really kind of sticks out to me here,
41:20 their dead last in the Big 12 in terms of scoring defense.
41:23 They're giving up 33 points a game.
41:25 You would think they're a terrible red zone defense, right?
41:29 That they're just giving up defense
41:31 or touchdowns 95% right.
41:33 Nope, not the case.
41:35 This is actually the fourth best defense
41:39 in the red zone in the Big 12.
41:40 So what's that mean?
41:41 A lot of explosive touchdowns,
41:43 a lot of passes that are going 40, 50 yards, big run plays,
41:48 more of which are probably coming on the ground.
41:52 And this is good news for West Virginia
41:54 because they have not fit the run well at all this year.
41:58 They've given up 101 points in the last two weeks
42:01 to Kansas State and TCU.
42:03 So if you're C.J. Donaldson, if you're Jaheim White,
42:07 if you're Garrett Green, you're just licking your chops
42:09 when you look at this matchup.
42:11 - Yeah, and that's what I mean.
42:12 This can potentially be stat day.
42:16 So, and I think with that being said,
42:19 we control, again, the line of scrimmage control,
42:23 the ground game, control the clock
42:25 and all these other things.
42:26 It may not be the type of day that Garrett Green
42:29 is gonna want throwing the ball,
42:31 but I think it will be that type of a day on the ground.
42:34 - Absolutely. - I really do.
42:35 I think, yeah, I think there'll be explosive plays,
42:38 big gaping holes to dance through,
42:41 you know what I mean, for our backs.
42:44 And it could make, it could be potentially a long day
42:46 for them poor, poor Bears.
42:48 - And I mean, hey, let's be honest here.
42:52 West Virginia just ran for 424 yards
42:55 against what we were talking about
42:58 as the key matchup in that game with Cincinnati,
43:00 a very good defensive line, very good defensive front
43:03 that has been very good against the run all year.
43:06 We talked about that Zach Frazier
43:07 versus Dante Corleone matchup
43:09 and Zach Frazier whipped him up and down the field
43:11 all day long.
43:12 So if they can do that against Cincinnati,
43:15 what do you think they can do against this defensive front
43:18 who has been struggling against this all year long?
43:21 - So-- - Absolutely.
43:22 It's about being consistent.
43:23 It's about playing--
43:24 - Yeah, and when you look at what they want to do,
43:31 Matt Aranda talked about, or not Aranda,
43:33 Matt Rule, Dave Aranda, combining the two here,
43:36 but Dave Aranda talked about it.
43:38 For them to have a chance in this game,
43:40 they can't allow the Jaheim Whites of the world
43:43 and even Rodney Gallagher's on those jet sweeps.
43:46 They can't let them get sideline to sideline
43:48 and beat them on the perimeter.
43:49 They've got to be able to contain that
43:51 and funnel everything inside to their main guy,
43:54 which is Matt Jones.
43:55 Matt Jones who?
43:56 But 76 tackles, four sacks, 10 tackles for loss,
44:01 five pass breakups.
44:02 I mean, this is literally their defense, right?
44:04 I mean, it's this kid in the middle,
44:06 Matt Jones, their senior,
44:07 you know he's going to be ready to come out
44:09 and play well in his last game as a Baylor Bear.
44:12 But you look at their stats, Gene,
44:16 you can tell a good defense from a bad one
44:18 just by simply looking at the tackles
44:20 a lot of the times, right?
44:21 Who's leading in the tackle department?
44:24 If it's the secondary, you're in deep, deep trouble
44:27 and that's the case here with Baylor.
44:29 - Yeah, that's a problem.
44:32 If you look back there and you see their safety
44:34 is leading your defense in tackles,
44:37 yeah, it's going to be a long day.
44:39 (laughing)
44:41 It's going to be a long day.
44:43 So I see this as being an explosive offensive day
44:46 for our Mountaineers.
44:49 And again, I'm very careful to say that
44:51 without saying we just have to be consistent
44:54 with what we do.
44:55 - Yeah.
44:56 - You can't go out here all willy nilly.
44:58 You gotta be really consistent with what we do.
45:01 The play calls have to be consistent.
45:03 You have to have, and I'm sure they will,
45:06 it has to be scripted right
45:07 and really maximize every possession.
45:11 - Yeah, and again here, just going back to the secondary,
45:16 Caden Jenkins, he's their leading secondary guy
45:19 and he's a true freshman.
45:20 33 tackles, three interceptors, three PBUs.
45:24 You got true freshmen out there going up against
45:26 some of these guys in the big 12.
45:28 You're going to have a long season.
45:31 So Gene, I think the one thing I definitely want to ask
45:35 before we move on here is, look, Baylor, again,
45:38 we know they're all going to be throwing everything
45:40 that they got at West Virginia,
45:41 but if you're the Mountaineers,
45:42 you're looking at this game like,
45:44 man, this is just Baylor, it's a three-win team,
45:46 it's the end of the season,
45:47 we just want to get to the bowl game.
45:49 How do you avoid overlooking a team like Baylor?
45:54 And I know Neil said,
45:56 we have no reason to overlook anybody and he's right,
45:59 but again, this is 18 to 23-year-olds
46:01 that we're talking about here.
46:02 So how do you avoid overlooking a three-win team
46:06 that's won one game in their own place this year?
46:09 - It's the mark of a good coach and a good coaching staff.
46:13 And that's the discipline that you have to go into
46:16 this game, understanding that,
46:17 but it's not just about this game.
46:20 That should be the temperament
46:21 and that should be the attitude
46:22 from starting back in camp.
46:25 That shouldn't even be a question.
46:28 You take on the temperament of your head coach
46:31 and of your staff,
46:33 and if it's the mark of a good ball club,
46:35 and it's the mark of a good ball club that's well-coached,
46:38 none of that should even be a question.
46:40 They should be looking at Baylor
46:42 as if Baylor was freaking Oklahoma or Texas,
46:44 to be honest with you.
46:46 That's how serious in nature their mindset has to be.
46:50 And this is a business trip.
46:52 - It is.
46:53 - Honestly, they should look at Baylor
46:55 as if Baylor was freaking undefeated.
46:59 That's how serious this game has to be.
47:00 But that starts from the top down.
47:02 That attitude actually starts in camp.
47:04 Yeah, you don't get that during the season.
47:07 That starts in camp.
47:09 - And two, I think Neil made this point, too.
47:12 Like, the kids are out of school this week,
47:15 so this is simulation, essentially,
47:18 of what an NFL week would look like for you,
47:21 if that's your dreams and aspirations.
47:23 It's all football all the time.
47:26 You've got to be able to put all your focus,
47:28 pour all your focus into this.
47:29 If you're guys like Zach Frazier, Lee Cobo, you're a senior,
47:32 look, you only got two opportunities left.
47:34 So you got to make the most of it
47:36 to put as much good stuff on tape for those NFL scouts.
47:40 And it's the same thing for the guys that are young,
47:43 even the three that we talked about earlier.
47:45 You want to continue that momentum
47:47 so that way you roll into the bowl game
47:49 with a boatload of confidence.
47:51 You're not questioning things.
47:52 You go into the bowl game, you perform well there,
47:54 and then you're off and running into 2024.
47:56 So West Virginia-
47:58 - And that should be the mindset.
48:01 And I believe it will be.
48:03 - Yeah, so West Virginia Baylor, seven o'clock on FS1.
48:07 And for a moment here, we're going to pretend
48:09 like it's 648 Eastern time on Saturday
48:12 as Eugene's going to get us ready for this one
48:15 as we run out of the tunnel here, out of the pregame.
48:19 Give us your fire me up speech,
48:20 your last one of the regular season.
48:22 - Let me tell you something, it's real simple.
48:25 I'm actually going in the locker room
48:27 and before we do anything, my thing is this,
48:32 don't say a word, don't say a word.
48:35 I'm going to write on the board
48:36 what the experts said that we're going to be this year.
48:39 Here's what the experts said.
48:40 They said that we're going to finish last
48:44 in this conference.
48:45 They said that there's going to be 13 other teams
48:52 better than us.
48:54 They said that I should be fired.
49:00 This whole staff should be fired.
49:01 We should be working at freaking Kroger's.
49:03 That's what they might as well have said.
49:05 So to my players, I'm asking you to do this.
49:10 All I want you to do, the last game of the regular season,
49:15 before we go in the bowl, right?
49:17 Before we go bowling, I don't need this.
49:21 I don't need you chirping.
49:23 I want your play, tonight's play,
49:28 to send a message of what we're going to look like
49:32 as we prepare for our bowl and going into 2024.
49:36 I don't want no talking.
49:38 I don't want no celebrating.
49:39 I want total domination for four quarters.
49:44 So as we leave this locker room in Waco,
49:48 everybody, I want the trainers coming out like this
49:51 because I don't want words, I want action.
49:56 Let's go, Mountaineers.
49:58 - How can you not get pumped up for that, man?
50:00 That's some good stuff.
50:02 And it is all about finishing this week, right?
50:04 You have another opportunity to prove them wrong.
50:07 And that's one way you can look at it.
50:08 If you think that you're worried
50:10 about this team overlooking them,
50:13 just think this is another opportunity
50:14 to get another Big 12 win.
50:16 You win six out of your nine Big 12 games,
50:18 that really makes those guys that picked you 14th
50:20 look like idiots, doesn't it?
50:21 So anyways, let's go ahead and get into the favorite time
50:26 of our show, and that is the weekly pick 'ems here.
50:29 As Eugene, I gotta say, my friend,
50:32 I got a little hot streak going now.
50:34 I'm 5-0 last, I went 5-0 last week.
50:36 I gained a little ground on you.
50:38 Thank you very much for parting ways
50:40 on a couple of those picks.
50:41 So I'm now 29 and 26 on the season.
50:44 You're 32 and 23.
50:46 I still need a little help.
50:47 Again, we're gonna do a bowl show.
50:49 So we're gonna have another week of this
50:51 to see who is the winner.
50:53 And don't forget, put in your picks.
50:55 You still got two more opportunities
50:57 to go five for five in our weekly pick 'ems.
50:59 And if you do go five for five,
51:01 you get a Eugene Napoleon autographed picture.
51:03 So definitely don't wanna miss out on that opportunity.
51:06 So let's go and kick things off here with some G5.
51:09 Love, G.
51:10 We're going back to the G5, and that's on Black Friday.
51:14 UTSA, the Roadrunners, taking on the Tulane,
51:19 the Tulane, good Lord, Tulane Green Wave at 3.30 on ABC.
51:24 This is a really good matchup.
51:26 I'm a huge Jeff Traylor fan.
51:28 I'm a huge Frank Harris fan.
51:30 I love UTSA.
51:31 For some reason, I'm gonna go with Tulane here
51:34 and Michael Pratt.
51:35 I think they find a way to outscore UTSA
51:38 in what should be a very interesting up and down affair.
51:41 - UTSA, that's where I'm going.
51:46 - Okay, I'm fine with that.
51:48 Keep giving me opportunities to climb up.
51:50 - I'm helping you out.
51:51 That's where I'm going.
51:52 I think they get it done.
51:53 Now, they're at Tulane, correct?
51:55 - Yes, at Tulane.
51:57 - Oh yeah, yeah, nice little road win for 'em.
52:00 - And it is rivalry week,
52:02 so we could not not feature the game, right,
52:06 as they call it, and that is Ohio State at Michigan
52:09 in what is not only a Big 10,
52:12 a ticket to the Big 10 championship online here,
52:15 but you can maybe even say it's an elimination game
52:17 for the college football playoff as well.
52:19 So Ohio State at Michigan, 12 o'clock on Fox.
52:23 This is a true toss-up game for me, man.
52:27 I'm going to go with Michigan.
52:31 I think I'm going to go with the sign-stealers,
52:33 the Michigan Scandlers.
52:34 I think they've got a little bit of motivation here.
52:38 Even with Jim Harbaugh out,
52:40 I think they're very motivated.
52:41 I think that they are honestly the better team.
52:44 You get this at home.
52:45 They've won a couple against the Buckeyes here recently.
52:48 I'm going to go with Michigan.
52:50 - No, I'm with you.
52:50 I'm spot on.
52:51 I'm really not a Michigan fan per se,
52:55 but all of the hype lines up.
52:59 They're at home.
52:59 This is a big one for them,
53:02 and that's the thing about being motivated.
53:04 So I'm with you.
53:05 The motivation swings to the Wolverines,
53:09 so I'm going to go with Michigan,
53:10 although I really didn't want to.
53:12 - Going down to the swamp,
53:16 and we've got Florida State at Florida,
53:18 seven o'clock on ESPN.
53:20 Huge in-state rivalry here,
53:22 and my goodness,
53:23 if you didn't see it last week,
53:24 Jordan Travis,
53:25 just a very ugly injury
53:27 that's going to knock him out for the rest of the season.
53:29 You'd hate to see it.
53:31 Just absolutely tough.
53:33 Could hurt the Seminoles and their CFP hopes,
53:35 but where am I going here?
53:38 Am I going with the Noles?
53:39 Am I going to go with the Gators?
53:41 I'm going with...
53:42 Yeah.
53:45 Just kidding.
53:45 Oh!
53:46 - Oh!
53:47 - I'm going Florida State.
53:50 I'm going Florida State.
53:51 I know, I know,
53:53 Jordan Travis is not playing this game,
53:55 but when you look at this roster from top to bottom,
53:58 and the coaching,
53:59 I'm taking Norvell over Billy Napier.
54:02 Florida State finds a way to rally
54:04 and keep their college football playoffs hope alive.
54:07 - No doubt about it,
54:08 and I was going to say the same exact thing.
54:10 They got a lot to play for, man,
54:11 at the end of the day,
54:12 and also they want to prove a point as well.
54:15 They got a good football team.
54:16 No disrespect to the Gators,
54:18 but they won't get it done.
54:19 They won't be chomping on anything.
54:21 (laughing)
54:23 Even though it's in the swamp,
54:24 it ain't going to happen for them.
54:25 Yeah, I'm going with Florida State.
54:27 - North Carolina at NC State,
54:29 8 p.m. on ACC Network,
54:31 and last week I went against the Tar Heels,
54:33 and I got it right,
54:35 and I'm going to do it again here, Gene.
54:37 I hate to do it because I can't stand NC State.
54:40 You know that.
54:42 And maybe this is just more of a reverse psychology thing.
54:45 You know I'm kind of into that, right?
54:47 So I'm going to go with the Wolf Pack.
54:50 They've got a really good defense.
54:51 Tony Gibson, obviously,
54:52 former WDC, doing really good things over there
54:55 with that defensive side of the ball.
54:57 And look, Carolina has not played well here recently,
55:00 over the last month or so,
55:02 and they're going to rally.
55:03 Tough place to play.
55:04 This is NC State Super Bowl.
55:06 I'm going to go with the Pack.
55:08 - Dude, let me tell you something.
55:10 As much as I like North Carolina,
55:12 I'm never going against Giddy.
55:14 (laughing)
55:16 Are you kidding me?
55:17 NC State, baby.
55:18 I mean, they got, nah, NC State.
55:21 You know, they're going to do their thing.
55:24 The DB coaches, that's my guy as well down there.
55:27 So no, they'll be just fine.
55:28 And North Carolina coming to them at home?
55:32 Nah.
55:33 That place going to be lit, as the kids say.
55:36 - The game we're all here for,
55:37 that is West Virginia at Baylor,
55:39 seven o'clock on FS1.
55:42 West Virginia's won five of the last seven
55:44 against the Baylor Bears,
55:45 but they are one and four in Waco,
55:47 as we mentioned earlier.
55:49 This isn't an opportunity for Baylor to get off,
55:52 to end the season on the right note.
55:54 This is an opportunity for West Virginia
55:57 to make a statement,
55:58 and that is to go eight and four,
56:00 and six and three in a conference
56:02 that everyone said you would finish dead last day.
56:05 Here's Neil Brown, the head coach of the Mountain.
56:08 - I tell our guys, if you want to be a pro,
56:10 this is the week where you're kind of in training.
56:11 There's no class in session.
56:13 It's just kind of football.
56:14 And I guess the secondary piece would be food,
56:16 but it's all football.
56:18 I'm not sure we need to be overlooking anybody.
56:21 I think to me, it's just about finishing.
56:24 This has got a singular focus this week.
56:27 Only game, there's not any school stuff to worry about.
56:30 And they really dominated us down there.
56:34 Not just, I think one and four is a program down there.
56:37 And we went down there in rules last year
56:40 and had a chance to beat them.
56:42 And they beat us right at the end of the game,
56:43 and they had a really good team,
56:45 and then they smoked us down there in 21.
56:47 And so, we understand it's a tough place to play.
56:53 You got to stay about an hour away.
56:54 And so there's some things that we got to handle
56:56 from a travel standpoint that are a little unique.
56:59 But for me, it's just for us,
57:02 we got to continue to play well.
57:05 That's what kind of is that Oklahoma game is in my crawl.
57:09 Not that we lost, but we just didn't play very well.
57:11 And so for me, it's about playing good football.
57:14 And that's really what the push is this week,
57:16 to go play good football.
57:17 - Last regular season pick 'em here
57:19 for the West Virginia Mountaineers, Gene.
57:22 I've gone against them, I've gone for them,
57:25 and it's paid off for me, and it hasn't.
57:27 It's kind of been of a mixed year for me picking this game.
57:31 But this is exactly my same feelings
57:35 as it was last week for Cincinnati.
57:36 I think this is a very similar team to Cincinnati.
57:41 Mountaineers, roll baby.
57:43 They cover the spread, whatever it is,
57:45 it could get up to 10, I don't care.
57:46 West Virginia, they take care of the Bears.
57:49 They finished the year eight and four
57:51 with a chance to get that win number nine
57:53 in the bowl of season.
57:54 - I love the way you think, I really do.
57:57 And finally, the Mountaineers has proven themselves to you.
58:02 - They have.
58:04 So all I'm gonna say,
58:05 you already know I'm going with the Mountaineers,
58:06 but I'm not gonna say a word.
58:08 Let the action speak, Saturday night, man.
58:14 Let the action speak.
58:15 No words, just action.
58:18 - Again, let us know your picks
58:20 in the comments section on YouTube.
58:21 You go to 5for5, you get that man's autographed picture,
58:25 and you'll have a chance to do it
58:26 for the bowl show as well.
58:28 So we thank you guys for tuning in
58:30 to this week's episode of the Walkthrough Game Day Show.
58:33 Presented by Country Roads Air Duct Cleaning,
58:36 take me home to comfort.
58:37 And make sure you give us a like
58:39 and subscribe to our channel on YouTube at Mountaineers Now.
58:42 Give us a follow on X at the same channel.
58:45 And we will see you guys here in a couple of days
58:48 for the Mountaineers Now post game show
58:49 as Eugene and I will recap the action
58:52 between the Bears and the Mountaineers.