Jay and Bob predict a winner in the Nebraska-Michigan State football game.
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00:00 Welcome to Sunday Morning Quarterback with Jay Stockwell and Bob Frady.
00:07 Going to Michigan State everybody.
00:10 Going to Michigan State.
00:12 Ooh ooh yeah.
00:14 Sorry I was a little Motown mood for today.
00:16 Wow, a little Gletschko and LeChak I was just saying.
00:19 Michigan, you need a little Motown in there.
00:21 Going to Michigan State everybody.
00:25 Don't you wanna go?
00:27 Plenty of seats available.
00:28 So, yeah.
00:31 Yeah, I'm sure there are plenty of seats available at 2 and 6 over there.
00:35 But I think we cannot overlook this game.
00:39 So, pro football focus has Michigan State at 89, we're at like around 50.
00:43 From a stats perspective, it looks like we have a chance to kind of overwhelm these guys.
00:48 They do have a good running back who carries at like, I don't know, around 4 yards a carry.
00:53 But we have the best run defense, or one of the best run defenses in the nation.
00:58 13th overall total defense.
01:01 They're 53rd.
01:03 And the line is weird Bob.
01:05 We're favored by 3, the over-under is 34.
01:09 I guess the weather's not gonna be the best, right?
01:12 What do they say on the weather?
01:13 What's the forecast?
01:14 Cold and gray.
01:16 Cold and gray.
01:18 That's pretty much the forecast for the entire Midwest for the next three months.
01:22 Cold and gray.
01:23 So, Vegas is thinking that it's gonna be a bit of a slugfest.
01:26 And I think these guys could be dangerous because they're desperate, right?
01:30 They're 2 and 6.
01:31 Lost 6 in a row.
01:32 They won their first two games, they lost 6 in a row.
01:34 And their coach got fired under a scandal.
01:36 And they play Ohio State next week.
01:37 Correct.
01:38 And the stats, you can just tell by looking at the colors.
01:43 I'm feeling bullish though, Bob.
01:45 Feeling bullish.
01:47 I have to say.
01:50 All we gotta do is not lay the ball on the ground.
01:53 And I gotta think that they are very focused on that this week.
01:56 And I think Matt was a really nice job of focusing on the team on the job at hand.
02:03 Which is what we're gonna know this week.
02:06 Okay, so.
02:07 Right?
02:08 And clicking all the noise out.
02:10 On SeatGeek, tickets are available for Michigan State versus Ohio State from $73 a ticket.
02:19 Next the following week against Indiana are $7 a ticket.
02:24 Tickets for Nebraska this Saturday, $3 a ticket.
02:30 Wow.
02:31 Wow.
02:32 You get, there are literally thousands and thousands of seats available for this game.
02:40 It will be fun watching it in the basement where it's nice and warm.
02:45 And it's just crazy how these seats, how many seats there are.
02:52 It is just nuts.
02:54 You can get row 28 for $47 each.
02:58 That's crazy.
03:00 That is just crazy.
03:01 Hold on, your basement is ready for games?
03:05 Oh, not completely.
03:06 Your basement's ready though.
03:10 We had good luck in that basement.
03:12 Oh.
03:13 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:14 And it's 11 o'clock game, so plan accordingly on Saturday.
03:18 Yes, we will wake up early.
03:20 Listen, I'm with you.
03:22 I'm optimistic.
03:23 I think that the over/under is just dumb.
03:27 If you take the average number of points that each team scores per year, it comes up to 39.
03:32 I don't think it's gonna be that much of a slugfest.
03:36 I think that it's gonna be a little more high scoring than we anticipated.
03:41 Assuming Harberg is gonna play this game.
03:45 Oh, he's playing.
03:46 He's playing.
03:47 You haven't heard that.
03:49 He got beat up pretty good last week, so assuming he's at reasonably full health.
03:55 Because he got waxed by that guy, the 260 pound linebacker guy.
04:00 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:01 Oh, yeah.
04:02 You didn't see him coming.
04:03 He went down hard.
04:05 Yeah.
04:06 So, yeah, I-- it's like, listen, you gotta feel bad for Michigan State.
04:12 Well, you don't have to, but I do.
04:14 They start out 2-0, start out house of fire, boom, coach gets fired.
04:18 They've lost every game since, which leads me to believe the fact that they ain't coming back from this.
04:23 They might not win another game the rest of the season with the possible exception of Indiana.
04:27 Or maybe they rally in their last game.
04:29 So, I think they are-- you know, they're pretty down, and it's hard to come back from that.
04:36 So, I think that Nebraska is on the upswing, and, you know, they smell blood in the water.
04:43 I don't think they're over-- hard to say.
04:46 I mean, again, we're not in a room, we don't know.
04:48 This team seems to understand that there's opportunity, and they're taking it.
04:53 There's actually another stats guy that Oscar Max publishes for us,
04:59 a guy who basically does his own rankings, and he puts Sandra Granite and all the rest of them in there.
05:04 And he did something really interesting.
05:08 He dropped off the first two games and then ranked Nebraska in his sort of algorithm.
05:14 And if he does that and eliminates the first two games, Nebraska rises to 20th.
05:20 I mean, if we had like a mediocre offense, how good this team could be.
05:26 Well, to save people from trying to attack you at Minneapolis.
05:29 So, you know, if we had a good offense to finish off that game,
05:33 we wouldn't have had to walk out looking around like, "Something bad's going to happen here."
05:37 But, of course, Minnesota's really nice.
05:39 So, the mean fans are right.
05:41 And you know what?
05:42 I hope those guys have a perfect sit-down line of vision to the field,
05:46 because nobody's going to be standing up for Minnesota.
05:49 [laughter]
05:51 Get out of this stadium.
05:53 You're still chirping about Minnesota.
05:56 Oh, my God.
05:57 Salty.
05:58 You know what it is?
05:59 It's like, listen, I'll say this about Nebraska fans.
06:02 I've been to some games where there have been some questionable activities going on after the game,
06:08 between language and fisticuffs.
06:11 But for the most part, people take it with a degree, both winning and losing,
06:16 with a degree of grace and humility that I don't see in a lot of other schools.
06:19 Like, you go to a USC game, and frankly, the audience is a bunch of pricks.
06:23 And it's like it's no fun to go to the game.
06:27 You know, they expect to win all the time, and when they don't, they just crap all over you.
06:31 And when they do, they're like, "Yeah, your team sucks."
06:34 It's like Nebraska people are a little bit nicer than that.
06:38 Well, it's just everyone's civil, and everyone's there to have fun.
06:41 Not everyone, but the vast majority.
06:44 You know, we've been losing records for six years in a row.
06:48 Most stadiums would be, just like Michigan State, would be 40% empty.
06:52 Right?
06:53 Yep.
06:54 I mean, look at Northwestern a couple weeks ago.
06:57 There was just nobody in the stands.
06:59 Yep.
07:00 And so it is a remarkable thing.
07:04 And I think it's so attributable to the duration of the Osborne era
07:10 and the generation of people that he impacted with that amazing record, 255, 43, and 6.
07:19 People in Nebraska are just a little bit nicer than-
07:22 Yeah, I would agree.
07:24 By the way, the weather on Saturday is supposed to be actually kind of nice, high of 52.
07:28 Here?
07:29 No, in Lansing.
07:33 Oh, okay.
07:35 So, all right.
07:36 I think it's going to open up.
07:38 I think it's going to open up.
07:40 I'm feeling very optimistic.
07:42 I'm the one who's like, "Don't get over your ski tips."
07:45 Here's what I want to say to every bowl organizer in America.
07:52 Nebraska fans haven't been to a bowl game in six years.
07:55 This is going on for that many.
07:57 Everyone's coming.
07:58 Everyone's coming.
08:00 I don't care if you're the Tuxedo Bowl or if you're the Bowlmore Bowl
08:04 or whatever bowl comes.
08:07 You could have the IRS were going to audit you bowl,
08:10 and it would still be full of Nebraska fans because Nebraska kids are desperate
08:14 for a December vacation, which they haven't taken in seven years.
08:18 So, they're desperate.
08:19 Just remember that when you're putting out your bowl invites.
08:21 After this week, there will be bowl invites.
08:23 If Nebraska doesn't win, I will come on, and I will cry a humble pie.
08:29 But I'm not crying any humble pie.
08:30 It's time to get optimistic.
08:33 Look, there's all sorts of possibilities.
08:37 What we learned last week is that this team does not panic when something
08:41 goes bad, and that is a testament to the coach and the process.
08:46 They talk about process all the time.
08:49 I learned something this week in the Monday press conference.
08:53 The writers didn't even know what he was talking about.
08:56 He was talking about when the guys go over the goal line
09:00 and they put the fifth point on the--they grab their arm like this.
09:06 That's the fifth point of holding the ball snug, right?
09:10 And apparently, one of the pros, Jomar Chase or Justin Jefferson
09:17 or somebody in the pros was doing it, and all the young guys on the team do that.
09:22 We come across, they put that fifth, you know, just to make sure the ball is secure.
09:26 He cited that as an example.
09:28 That's our process.
09:29 That's what we do.
09:30 And that's why you see Heinrich up here running like this,
09:33 and then he goes like this, right?
09:35 Run, Heinrich, run.
09:37 He's the list of fours.
09:39 Made a lot of touchdowns for Alabama.
09:41 So Heinrich just broke the touchdowns for Nebraska.
09:44 I'm optimistic.
09:47 Yeah, yeah.
09:48 So--and look, I've been also listening to Tony White more,
09:56 and he's always talking about dominant contact and the process.
10:01 And the other thing I liked about the pressers that I saw this week
10:04 is that apparently the defensive guys came in on Sunday
10:08 and they were kind of honest with themselves and said, "You know what?
10:11 That really wasn't quite as good as we thought it was,"
10:14 in terms of like when you really evaluate the plays
10:17 and you look at what might have happened because some of our guys were out of position.
10:22 Yep.
10:23 So they are literally following a process,
10:26 and they're learning and coaching each week.
10:30 And you can just tell that, you know, Ruehl's a leader,
10:35 and he's got these kids focused and doing the right thing.
10:42 And he also came out this week and said,
10:44 "Look, Nebraska's ahead of where Baylor and Temple were at this time."
10:50 No kidding.
10:52 Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
10:54 Here's the crazy thing.
10:56 I was looking through the depth chart for the game.
11:00 How many seniors are on the top of the depth chart
11:04 for both offense and defense together on the team?
11:08 Oh, yeah, you said Texans got three, right?
11:10 It's three, yeah.
11:12 Yeah.
11:13 Newsom, a cornerback, Sanford, safety, and Luke Reimer.
11:18 That's it. That's it.
11:20 So if you think this team is good this year, it's going to be tough next year.
11:23 He keeps talking about a bunch of players that have red shirting
11:26 that are looking really, really good as well.
11:28 That was cool.
11:29 What else in the press conference?
11:31 They asked him about as he moved into his new office,
11:34 and he was just kind of stopping.
11:36 He's like, "That's the last thing I care about."
11:38 You know, "I'm completely fine with my old office."
11:42 You know, they were kind of pressing him on what about the new facilities is amazing.
11:45 And what he said was, which was an answer I really liked,
11:47 he said, "We have the best athlete recovery program in existence."
11:52 And he talked about all the different modalities of recovery
11:56 that they've got there to take care of the players.
11:58 I talked to a recruits mom, who you know, who went down there.
12:03 I won't say the name, from Minnesota, and the kid was incredibly impressed.
12:09 And he was one of, I think, four players that got to go to the coach's office
12:12 out of the hundreds that were there that weekend.
12:14 And he said, "Facilities, fan, experience."
12:18 And this particular family has another son that's already playing in Cal.
12:22 And he's like, "You wouldn't believe the difference."
12:25 I mean, it's night and day.
12:27 He said, "Too bad Nebraska's out in the middle of nowhere."
12:29 I'm like, "Come on! Who can do that?"
12:31 [laughter]
12:33 Keeps you out of trouble.
12:35 That's driving distance though, if I'm going to say it.
12:39 So I think it's going to be 35 to 7.
12:43 I think we're going to just run the ball down the field.
12:45 I think Emmitt Johnson is going to have a breakout game.
12:48 I think Heinrich's going to have a breakout game.
12:51 I think they're going to run the ball.
12:53 But then they're also going to do that belly option
12:55 because it's been working.
12:56 They get the wind in their right direction.
12:59 And the wide receivers are going to--Malachi's going to score another one.
13:03 That's bold, Doss. That's bold.
13:05 Yeah.
13:06 35 to 7.
13:07 35 to 7, and I'm taking the over.
13:10 I'm taking the over.
13:12 They're actually going to hang on to the football this week.
13:15 And I think Michigan State's going to want to play,
13:19 but there's just a lot wrong up there right now.
13:23 Now I will say this.
13:24 Rule really played it right just in talking about them.
13:27 He knows a lot of the coaches.
13:29 Mark D'Antonio is back.
13:31 So they're certainly going to make an effort.
13:33 But I just feel like this team, with the result--
13:37 they went 31 to 14 last week with four turnovers.
13:42 So you clean up four turnovers, you get a pretty good team.
13:47 And we got that deep threat now, and I think we know how to use that.
13:52 And we got a couple of slant patterns that are good, they'll bring out.
13:56 But bottom line is they're going to run the ball
13:58 and they're going to stay in control of it.
14:00 They're going to win the time of possession.
14:01 I have a prop bet for you.
14:03 So the first play from scrimmage for the Nebraska offense,
14:08 are they going to run or are they going to pass?
14:10 They'll run the ball.
14:11 I think they're going to pass.
14:12 They did it the last two games in a row.
14:14 First play.
14:17 I couldn't believe they did it last week.
14:19 I'm like, are you kidding me?
14:21 You're passing on the first play?
14:24 And they did it anyway.
14:26 So I think I'm going to go with the trend.
14:29 But they won the last two games, and they passed on the first play
14:32 both games.
14:33 So I've got to say they're going to pass on the first play.
14:35 And the loser owes the winner 20 push-ups.
14:39 If they pass on the first play, you've got to do 20 push-ups.
14:42 If they run on the first play, I've got to do 20 push-ups.
14:45 All in a row, none of this, five at a time.
14:48 Can you do 20 push-ups, Jimmy?
14:50 Oh, please.
14:52 Do I have to get off my knees?
14:53 If I do it on my knees, I'll do like 40.
14:56 I can do 20 push-ups, please.
14:59 I've got to do it in this outfit and wear it next week.
15:04 Oh, man, that's awesome.
15:05 So what's your score?
15:06 What's the score of the game?
15:07 I think it's going to be a little bit closer.
15:09 I think it's 28 to 14.
15:10 So 42 points, so it's over.
15:13 But I don't see Michigan State hanging in this game.
15:16 Possible, it's entirely possible.
15:17 You never know what's going to happen.
15:19 But I am getting -- I was optimistic to start the season
15:24 and tempered it a little bit after the first two games.
15:26 I'm like, all right.
15:27 There was a reason I was optimistic after this season --
15:30 before this season, excuse me.
15:32 So I'm thinking good things for the mighty, mighty Big Red.
15:36 Bring it home to bacon.
15:38 And remember, you heard it here first, a winning record this season.
15:44 Yeah, I think it happens this week.
15:46 I really do.
15:47 And then let's do spend a minute just thinking about what comes next, right?
15:51 Let's save that for the midweek when we see what happens.
15:54 Once we see what happens, we can enter the prognostication phase of our lives
15:58 because, believe me, we've got to buy a plane ticket somewhere.
16:01 So I just wonder where we're going.
16:03 Yeah, and I'm with you.
16:04 I want it to be Florida, man.
16:05 Florida, golf, you know.
16:08 Yeah, Tampa, Boca Raton, Orlando, ding, ding, ding.
16:15 Although I did at the beginning of the season, I think I predicted the Holiday Bowl.
16:18 So that would be another ding.
16:19 San Diego works just fine.
16:21 San Diego would be fine.
16:23 Arizona would be fine, even Texas.
16:25 Don't give me freaking Detroit.
16:27 We're not going to a Detroit-free game.
16:30 The Music City Bowl, whatever.
16:32 Yeah, whatever it is.
16:33 I think Music City Bowl is Nashville.
16:36 That could be okay.
16:37 And Detroit is the--oh, it's Detroit Bowl.
16:40 It's like congratulations for qualifying bowl.
16:45 So look at Bob Brady said no prognostication,
16:47 and then we just talked about five different bowls.
16:50 Those are different bowl sites.
16:52 Bowls indicate whether we're going or not.
16:55 But let's talk about that come midweek.
16:58 All right, so that's it.
16:59 That's it.
17:00 35-7 on my side with the over.
17:02 Bob's 28-14 with the over as well.
17:05 We are thinking we're going to have a pretty good week.
17:06 I love what I'm seeing in Lincoln.
17:09 I think Matt Rule is the guy, and I'm really impressed with Tony White,
17:14 and I think Prasad Abdul-Mateen, if he didn't have so many injuries,
17:16 would be in a better spot too.
17:18 But these guys--it doesn't seem to faze this team.
17:20 They seem completely fearless and can go out there and get it done.
17:23 So eager to see it.
17:25 So take us out, Bob.
17:26 Go Big Red!
17:29 Go Big Red!