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00:00You try to do something nice for people that are supposed to be here on your show, you
00:09tease out their appearance, you build the optimism and the excitement and they let you
00:14down.
00:15Honestly, man, somebody call that guy up, tell him Newswire is about to start.
00:20So as we get things going here, DRS looking forward to a great final Saturday in October
00:26in college football.
00:27We will start where the mouth in the South often resides, that's in SEC territory.
00:34A great SEC Saturday once again.
00:37We have five ranked versus ranked games this weekend, the most on a single Saturday so
00:41far in the 2024 college football season.
00:45And the best game is a top 15 tilt in College Station.
00:49Kyle Field the setting for 14th ranked Texas A&M hosting number eight LSU.
00:55The Aggies, who have been a favorite in all seven games this year, lay in two and a half
01:00this weekend at home against the Bayou Bengals.
01:04DRS, let's start with that spread.
01:06In your estimation, is the correct side favored?
01:10I do think so because in college football, unlike professional sports now, we're always
01:13trying to gauge like what home field advantage actually means, because yes, it does matter.
01:17Not necessarily from a fan perspective, but just being home in your environment, your
01:21sight lines, everything is comfortable there.
01:23In college football, it really ramps up.
01:24Like you're not playing at, let's just say, an institution that Saban would joke about
01:29Vanderbilt like, hey, everybody goes on the road in the SEC to Vanderbilt's home field
01:32advantage for the road team.
01:33That's not the case.
01:34And Texas A&M is one of the best home field advantages in football.
01:37So I do think that plays out.
01:38And also, this isn't one of those A&M teams that we maybe look back in the past like,
01:41oh, we don't know how good they are, what they're doing in the SEC.
01:44They're 4-0 in the SEC.
01:45They've proven it here.
01:46Same thing with LSU at 3-0.
01:48Let me answer this question too, because I do think that spread is appropriate from
01:51where it is, where Texas A&M is about a field goal favorite.
01:54I was entering into the season saying, okay, everybody can get like one loss, but two losses,
01:58you're basically going to be out of it at that point.
02:00I'm not getting that vibe here late in the season, which I love.
02:03So for me, LSU, Texas A&M, I'm going to ask you this question.
02:07Is this an eliminator game if one of them loses?
02:08Because quite frankly, that means you only have one SEC loss.
02:12They're not out of the playoff picture, right?
02:13And maybe even still be favorite to make a playoff spot?
02:16Correct, ERS.
02:18I do not believe this is an eliminator game.
02:20One of the best things for LSU is how easy their schedule is this year as compared to
02:26many.
02:27Still Alabama on the docket.
02:28A&M has Texas to end out the year in a renewal of the Lone Star showdown.
02:33All of that is still remaining.
02:35Three losses?
02:36It makes it difficult based on your strength of resume.
02:41And these two teams right now have a couple of good wins.
02:45A&M beat Missouri.
02:46All right.
02:47LSU, of course, beating Ole Miss in its own home stadium a couple of weekends ago.
02:53Night game in Death Valley.
02:55So no, not an eliminator game.
02:57And it would be the first conference loss for both of these teams.
03:00Similarities in their trajectories this year.
03:03Both lost the opening weekend of the year in a marquee top 25 tilt.
03:07LSU on that Sunday night in Sin City against USC.
03:11A&M, of course, at home as an ever so slight favorite against Notre Dame.
03:16The two teams have responded.
03:18They have not looked great every single week in their response.
03:22Conor Whitman still scares me a little bit as A&M's quarterback.
03:26And LSU has left a few things to be desired.
03:29But the defense really improving for the Tigers.
03:32It's why I give them a slight edge here despite the home field advantage in College Station.
03:38But DRS, enough of us.
03:40Despite his tardiness, we'll still give him the billing that he deserves.
03:44That is Mark Zinno joining us here on this Thursday on the early line.
03:49Would you have to fix the hair?
03:51Make sure everything was good?
03:52What's going on?
03:53I mean, I'm not as naturally beautiful as you, Ben, on the inside of that matter.
03:57So it does take a little bit longer for me to get my game together.
04:01Listen, that felt like a shot that you were calling out my insides as though my emotions
04:06were the one slandering you here for you being a little bit tardy.
04:11Don't project onto me.
04:13Regardless, now our focus is college football.
04:16And Zinno, as always, a huge Saturday in the SEC.
04:20He's Mark Zinno.
04:21He's the mouth in the South.
04:23These are his SEC picks.
04:33Zinno, five ranked versus ranked, top 25 tilts on Saturday, the most in a single day.
04:39All you three of them from the SEC.
04:42Zinno, let's get to it here.
04:44How did that look?
04:45Things look a little bit weird on your end when I was talking right there?
04:48A little skip.
04:49Yeah, it looked like it was skipping through there.
04:51Yeah.
04:52Yeah, a little.
04:53Okay, anyway.
04:54Zinno, let's get this segment going, huh?
04:55You heard our insight on A&M LSU.
04:58How do you break down the top 25 tilt in Kyle Field on Saturday night?
05:03I'm going with LSU.
05:05I'll take the points.
05:06I think they win the game outright.
05:08To your point, the quarterback play for A&M has been a little bit suspect.
05:14It certainly raises a lot of questions about what this offense really can be.
05:18Look, I was one of the people at LSU tabbed as an outside shot to win the SEC this year.
05:23They've held up their end of the bargain.
05:25It is head scratch.
05:26When I go back to it now with some context, the hell did you lose to USC?
05:29Honestly, that is not a good football team at this point in time.
05:34LSU continues to put out great wide receivers.
05:37That's where their edge is.
05:39They make Garrett Nussmeier's job very easy.
05:41As good as the A&M defense is here and the job that has been done by Mike Elko over at A&M,
05:47I look at the spot here and I think LSU, I give the nod to Brian Kelly as a game planner and a schemer.
05:54It's going to be tight.
05:55It's going to be fun and interesting, but I'll take LSU with the points.
05:57I still think they win the game outright.
05:59There you go.
06:00We're back in the SEC.
06:013.30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
06:03Missouri and Alabama.
06:04My goodness.
06:05We've got a runaway line here, Mark.
06:06Taking a look at a 13.5 that was available earlier this week.
06:09We're now seeing 16.5 at the Fables Sportsbook and a total of 51.5.
06:14I don't really know how good Missouri is, but the one thing I do know is Alabama can't afford another loss.
06:19Otherwise, they're out completely.
06:21How do you play this one between Missouri and Alabama now over a two-touchdown spread?
06:26The reason for the line movement is Brady Cook is now questionable or doubtful, rather,
06:30and it looks like the starting running back is also going to be out for Missouri,
06:33so their offense is taking a huge hit.
06:35But in reality, guys, can you really lay more than two touchdowns on Alabama at this point?
06:40I'm not saying bet Missouri here.
06:42It's probably a stay away given all the variants, but there's just no way at this point,
06:47given what I've seen from Alabama's defense, the lack of a running game on offense,
06:50and Jalen Millrow's erraticness over the past couple of games.
06:53There's just no way, no way I can lay this number with Alabama.
06:56I'll stay off the game, and I think Alabama probably wins it.
07:00You know, if Brady Cook was healthy, I'd be more inclined to lean on Missouri here
07:04to be able to cover this number, but just too much variance for me to get involved.
07:08Brady Cook, man, the stones last week.
07:11Goes to the hospital to get an MRI on his ankle injury in Columbia.
07:15Returns to lead a huge second half and fourth quarter comeback against Auburn
07:20to keep Mizzou with only one loss this year, but just one and three
07:25against the spread against Power 4 competition.
07:28They had only scored at most 27 points against Power 4 foes,
07:33and they've allowed at least 21 points.
07:35Listen, I'm not really buying into Alabama.
07:37The way I would play this game, if any, is looking at the total, 51 1⁄2.
07:41Okay, you've got some questions without Brady Cook and Nate Noel,
07:45and we're turning now to Drew Pine,
07:47the former Notre Dame and Arizona State quarterback for Mizzou.
07:50Maybe Alabama's team total, figuring things out at home over 34 1⁄2.
07:56You know, to your point, Jim Miller, leading Russia for Bama last three weeks,
08:0045 yards or less in all three.
08:03It has not looked like Alabama football at times.
08:06How about this one?
08:07The first time we have seen Vandy in Texas square off in nearly a century
08:12since 1920.
08:14What?
08:15If we sat here a year ago and said, okay, it's weekend college football.
08:18Let me think of the SEC ranked versus ranked matchups.
08:21I'm sure Texas Vanderbilt all came to all of our minds.
08:24Yeah.
08:25Come on now.
08:27Let's give it up for the Doors, checking in at number 25 in the AP poll.
08:31First time ranked in the middle of a season since 2008,
08:35and a perfect 4-0 number this year's NL for Vanderbilt as an underdog.
08:41They're getting more than three scores at home.
08:44They were getting more than three touchdowns at home when they upset Alabama
08:49after the Crimson Tide played Georgia.
08:51The Longhorns lose to Georgia last week.
08:53How does Texas respond?
08:56Feels like a pound of flesh game for Texas, right?
08:59Like they're going to take it out of Vanderbilt.
09:01You know what?
09:02Look, Diego Pavia has been excellent.
09:04Clark Lee looks like he's turned the program around.
09:07And I just wonder how much Texas is going to get up for this game after Georgia.
09:13I would probably take the points with Vandy,
09:15but it wouldn't surprise me to see a Texas blowout.
09:18I'm going to take the points with Vandy,
09:20who has beaten Texas eight of the 12 times they have played
09:24for around the country.
09:25Again, five ranked versus ranked matchups in week number nine,
09:29the final Saturday in October of this 2024 college football season.
09:34What makes five ranked versus ranked games?
09:37We already talked about Vandy checking into the AP pool at number 25
09:41for the first time in the middle of a season since 2008.
09:45The Doors, one of the reasons we have five ranked versus ranked contests.
09:48So are the midshipmen of the Naval Academy,
09:51ranked for a second consecutive week, number 24 in the nation.
09:56They take on 12th ranked Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon
10:01inside MetLife Stadium.
10:04And here we are, Mark Zinno, despite your army allegiances,
10:07unbiased breakdown, please, for this matchup between Notre Dame and Navy.
10:1312 and a half point number in favor of the Fighting Irish.
10:16The total is 51 and a half.
10:20Not only is Vandy, or excuse me, Vandy,
10:22not only has Navy six and O for the first time since 1979,
10:26they are also a perfect five and O against the number in games played
10:31against FBS competition.
10:33Can Navy pull off the upset over Notre Dame on Saturday?
10:39I don't think they could pull off the upset.
10:41Can they stay within this number?
10:42I think the answer may be yes.
10:43I mean, look,
10:44if there was one team that's not a service academy that's equipped to
10:47handle the triple option,
10:48it's Notre Dame because they play Navy every year.
10:50Marcus Freeman has been a defensive coordinator at Notre Dame for a long
10:53time. He's done this every single year.
10:55This is not new to him in how to prepare for the mid shipment.
10:59Now I'm somebody this year has made a ton.
11:01And I mean a ton of money on Navy in the first half because they've scored
11:04at least 21 points in every first half this year.
11:07And I've covered the number in the first half.
11:09However, in this game, I'm actually playing the other side.
11:13I'm taking Notre Dame and there is a six and a half out there at a major
11:16sports book minus six and a half in the first half.
11:19My biggest concern here.
11:22I mean, look, I think it's absolutely possible.
11:24It could be a 1410 in favor of Notre Dame at the end of the first half,
11:27but Notre Dame's defense should be able to do the one thing that's made Navy
11:31potent this year.
11:32And that's negate the passing game just simply because they had better
11:35athletes, right?
11:36Like that's what it boils down to here.
11:38The level of competition that Navy is now playing is a huge step up in class
11:41from an athlete perspective.
11:43And I think that's the reason here to take Notre Dame in the first half
11:47minus six and a half.
11:48They get out to a fast start.
11:50Remember this game isn't in Annapolis.
11:52It's at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
11:54It's a neutral side game.
11:55It's not, it's not a Navy home game per se.
11:58So it should be a very partisan Notre Dame crowd making the trip up to North
12:02Jersey.
12:03And I think really when it boils down to it here,
12:05as long as the Notre Dame offense scores, when they touch the ball early,
12:08Navy was going to have a hard time playing catch up against us.
12:10Notre Dame defense.
12:12So fun game to watch excited to watch it.
12:14And also army Navy,
12:15one of the biggest army Navy games setting up in the future.
12:17So great times ahead for that football team,
12:19Illinois, Oregon.
12:20Yeah.
12:21It's going to happen back to back.
12:22First time ever.
12:24And Notre Dame has suffered some defeats here to some military academies in
12:28the past.
12:29We'll see if they can do it again.
12:30Illinois, Oregon has been, would say the best team in the big 10 is Oregon.
12:33Thank goodness.
12:34We're getting that imported into the big 10.
12:36What a shame that conference would be, but that's for another day,
12:38Illinois, Oregon, in this game, matchup heavy,
12:40three touchdown favorite here to a rank opponent.
12:43Is Oregon rolling here today, Mark?
12:45Again.
12:47I mean, it's hard to step in front of Oregon at Austin stadium.
12:50Right?
12:51Like that just seems like a bad play overall with a game like this.
12:56And I'm not a big fan of Brett.
12:57Belem is offense by any stretch of the imagination.
12:59I love his defense, but you know, the offense leaves a lot to be desired.
13:02And because of that, I always use the same philosophy.
13:05I tell you guys about all the time.
13:06If they ain't covering earlier, they ain't covering late.
13:08So if I'm taking Illinois,
13:09I'll take the 11 and a half in the first half because if Oregon is up 14
13:13and a half, how is Illinois playing ketchup?
13:17Like literally Howard without Oregon making some mistakes or special teams
13:20touchdown or whatever.
13:22I don't know how Illinois can catch up to Oregon is leading by 14 at
13:25halftime.
13:26Like it just doesn't seem like it's a good recipe.
13:28So Illinois is going to have to keep it close.
13:30Stay close to the entire game.
13:31Possibly have a lead at halftime if they have any shot at winning this
13:34game.
13:35So give me, if I'm going to take Illinois,
13:36give me the 11 and a half in the first half.
13:39Certainly.
13:40So Mark's, you know,
13:41it's a great way of looking at the align.
13:42I under Brett Bielema since he took the reins in champagne in 2021,
13:47Illinois is 16 and eight against the number as an underdog with 10 outright
13:53victories.
13:54They are one of four power,
13:55four programs in that span to have double digit wins outright as an
14:00underdog this year,
14:01a perfect for no ATS as a dog winning outright three times.
14:06Oregon has been a favorite in three of four,
14:09big 10 games.
14:10They are one and two against the number.
14:12All three.
14:13The total has stayed under,
14:16could be ugly in Autzen for Illinois to cover as a three touchdown dog.
14:21Mark said,
14:22we've got a little bit of time here in this segment.
14:24We've hit the sec.
14:25We've hit the other two ranked versus ranked matchup.
14:28So let me direct your attention to Friday night,
14:31perhaps huge group of five news this week,
14:34Liberty upset last night by Kennesaw state,
14:37the owl's first ever win over an FPS program,
14:40which even opens up more doors to,
14:43but to the potential group of five game of the year,
14:47Boise state number 17 in the nation on the road tomorrow night on a Friday
14:52night in Las Vegas to take on you and LV,
14:56the Broncos and Ashton Gente,
14:58a three and a half point favorite against highs,
15:01Malik Williams,
15:02and the go-go offense of the running Rebs who wins tomorrow night in Las
15:06Vegas.
15:08I mean,
15:09I would take the points with you and LV for a team that has scored at the
15:13rate that they've scored in these totals that you have here.
15:16You know,
15:17you saw that Boise only scored 28 at Hawaii granted.
15:21They did score 30,
15:2234 in Oregon,
15:23but you know,
15:24look getting out on the road for the second straight game,
15:26even though they had a bye week in between Boise,
15:29it probably doesn't bode well for them after the last two road wins for you
15:33and LV,
15:34particularly the one at Oregon state.
15:35You know,
15:36they have to feel really good about their offense and the position that
15:38they're in right now,
15:39you know,
15:40and you look at kind of what is developed for highs,
15:43Malik Williams as a quarterback here or you and LV.
15:47I think this all works out really well for the Rebs here,
15:51as far as being at home in front of that crowd and a night audience,
15:55if they can contain Gente and by campaign,
15:58I mean,
15:59you know,
16:00just kind of like limits one touchdown about 150 yards.
16:01That would be a good job of containing him.
16:03They have a shot to win this game outright and kind of knock off Boise,
16:06which oh,
16:07by the way,
16:08we'll open up a spot for one of the two service academies who win the
16:10American to get to the college football playoff.
16:12That would also be very,
16:14very huge,
16:15you know,
16:16quickly.
16:17We look at the national championship odds.
16:18Is there anybody right now entering this last Saturday in October?
16:21You think is worth a wager from the value perspective.
16:24I'll give you this one thing instead of taking Georgia plus three 30
16:27rolled Georgia Moneyline over the next three opponents and you'll make more
16:31money than taking Georgia to win the sec.
16:35I like that.
16:36Look,
16:37Mark's,
16:38you know,
16:39what do you think about it?
16:40Way to use different pieces to form your profit.