Chapter 3, Week 3: Western Kentucky @ Indiana / Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 99

Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 99 — Chapter 3, Week 3: Western Kentucky at Indiana Hosts: Alec Keezer & Bradley Loomis | IndianaVOCFB Flagship Tuesday show (approaching episode 100 on the Tuesday count). Presented by FanDuel. Logistics & viewing WKU at Indiana is on NBCSN / Peacock. Make arrangements if you don’t have Peacock. Quick app talk: ESPN app integration (fantasy, Watch ESPN, Reels), X live box scores ~40 seconds faster, Fox Sports loyalty question. National picture & odds (FanDuel) Ohio State remains national title favorite at +550 despite the Texas loss and a brutal remaining schedule. Hosts see no panic button but note Jeremiah Smith reliance and the 21-unanswered collapse. If OSU reaches the field they should be dangerous; getting there is the hard part. Top 6: Ohio State +550 | Texas +600 | Georgia +650 | Notre Dame +700 | Miami +800 | Indiana +900 Oregon dropped out of the top group. A later weekend game (implied 7 vs 8) could move someone. Metrics like Miami, Georgia, and Indiana early; sample size is tiny. Check back in October. One composite computer site has Indiana No. 1; hosts say that’s expected given how they played the first two weeks, not just who they played. Too early to overweight. Goon Poll Unchanged since Sunday. Added Maryland and South Carolina as teams to monitor. Eyes also on Duke, Kansas State, Virginia Tech, Nebraska, Florida, Penn State, Washington, SMU, Boise State. Solid top 20; last four in: UCLA, Missouri, Houston, Virginia; Iowa locked at 25 (“who can go into Kinnick and get a dunk”). Order can shift with results. IU smoke Tyreek Tucker named to Collegiate Man of the Year (Jason Witten-style) watch list. Nickname “Squeak.” Media still asking how he got it; hosts say pay more attention to one of the best players on the defense. Stampede intro video tease. Fans thought a live bison was coming to Memorial Stadium. It’s the old video/intro coming back. NFL debuts: Omar Cooper Jr. (pancake block + 31-yard YAC catch, then ankle; ~4 weeks), Khalil Benson starting LT for the Chiefs on MNF and dominating, Kalon Black splitting carries with Christian McCaffrey. Surratt inactive (opportunity incoming). D’Angelo Pons won a Titans championship belt betting his jersey. Cignetti’s process/intangibles cited as the reason so many IU guys (16 in two years) stick in the NFL. Benson went undrafted because he lost his starting job on a contender; still a great story. Favorite IU players (chat + hosts): Fernando Mendoza as best; D’Angelo Pons, Wap Fillier, Michael Penix Jr., Mike Kadick, Micah McFadden, Jazz Johnson, Tevin Coleman, Anthony Thompson, Antoine Randall, Tyler Farrow, etc. 2020 team nostalgia. Scheduling debate Two separate arguments that get mashed together: Easy non-conference helps you play more healthy football in November/December (last three national champs). Fans would rather see better early games. Hosts: until Power 4 / Group of 5 split or promotion-relegation happens, every program should schedule tune-ups within the rules. FCS games shouldn’t be allowed. “Spot the ball” — Indiana hasn’t lost in 18 straight. Ride Cignetti and Scott Dolson. Misc smoke David Hale “scientific attractiveness” coach rankings: Manny Diaz No. 1, Cignetti No. 2, Barry Odom last. Cignetti will treat No. 2 as a challenge (“the standard is the standard”). Purdue’s near-miss vs Wake Forest; hosts joke they’re on a 1-11 / relegation path. Bison Drop dropped a national-championship-seal Yeti cooler backpack (proceeds to Hoosiers Connect / NIL). Brandon Sharp (Brownsburg, future Hoosier) set the school’s all-time receiving yards record; program chasing a third straight national title. Weekend slate & picks Hosts run a long “Goon Poll / eye-test” slate. Not gambling advice. Key leans: Rutgers + points vs USC (East Coast travel, last East trip was a Maryland loss). Louisville + points at home vs SMU (SMU hasn’t impressed; Louisville looked good vs Ole Miss). Michigan vs UTEP: intriguing moneyline discrepancy (UTEP +3500 vs typical blowout +8000s). Like UTEP points; Michigan may not score 35. Duke -9.5 vs Stanford (not believers in Stanford yet). South Carolina -3.5 vs Mississippi State (home environment, Sandstorm; one host attending). Camario Taylor watch. Fade the Goon Poll ranking here. Florida over Auburn (Summerall year-one rebuild; Florida as the better team). Nebraska covers big number vs North Dakota FCS. Notre Dame -29.5 vs Michigan State (should obliterate; reverse-jinx talk). New Mexico +22.5 at Oklahoma (Mateer chatter, “Eckhead” lean).