College Football is BACK / Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 96

Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 96 – College Football is BACK Hosts: Alec Keezer & Bradley Loomis IndianaVOCFB / Voice of College Football Intro & Catch-Up (0:00–2:00) Late start (Alec’s fault after Greece trip). Brad covered while Alec was out. Channel growing (approaching 700 subscribers). Clips from last week’s solo show with Tim still rolling out. Football is finally here. “We’re just going to be talking ball non-stop.” Heavy Hoosier focus mixed with the full slate. Week 0/Opening Weekend Slate Picks & Talk North Carolina vs TCU (12 p.m. ET) TCU –7.5. Brad: TCU smashed UNC last year and UNC hasn’t done enough to change that. High correlation between past success and future success (Indiana the clear outlier). TCU has national title history, invests in football, Sonny Dykes in year 5 (17th overall as HC). Like Jaden Craig (6-3, 230, Ivy Player of the Year from Harvard) making the transition. UNC called a “shit show” under Belichick (GM on leave, etc.). Brad predicted perennial 6-6 (or worse) when Belichick was hired. College-to-NFL HC transitions rarely work on the first try. Both like TCU and the points. USC vs San Jose State (3 p.m.) USC –38.5, total 60.5. Like USC and the over. Offense was humming last year with Maiava returning; O-line projects as Lincoln Riley’s best at USC. Running game (King Miller, Waymon Jordan) still strong. New receivers will settle in. Defense under Gary Patterson is the key (former TCU HC coordinating one side). Talent disparity is massive. Expect USC in the 11-15 “could make the playoff” range. Aim for holding SJSU under 20. Both like the points and over. USC should be a 45-ppg-type team. NC State at Virginia (later afternoon) Virginia –5.5. Virginia was one game from the ACC title last year (lost to Duke in championship after splitting the series). Return a lot of O-line, bring in Bo Perbula. Home revenge after losing at NC State last year. Alec likes C.J. Bailey’s tools and takes NC State. Brad lands on Virginia and the points after talking it through (week 0/1 games often closer than expected in Power conference play). Jacksonville State at North Dakota State (5:30) NDSU –7.5 in their FBS opener (FargoDome). Both strong on NDSU. Winners continue to win. Jax State has the 6-8 receiver everyone wants to watch, but NDSU by a couple of scores feels right. Fun, electric atmosphere expected either way. Potential playoff dark-horse program long-term (eligibility questions aside). Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan (6:30) EMU –9.5, total 52.5. Sac State fascinating NIL-era story (not traditional FCS power but pouring money in). First-year HC with limited head-coaching résumé. Big Sky is tough. Brad takes EMU to win but cautious laying the points (unknown + money on Sac State side). Total is a pure stay-away. “No-touch” play is often the best play. Florida State vs New Mexico State (7 p.m.) FSU –30.5. Long discussion on the 2023 12-0 team being robbed of a playoff spot and the motivational hangover that followed (2-10 the next year). Sanctity of the sport took a hit. Still a blue-blood program with history. Ashton Daniels at QB, Chroma back, Deuce Robinson, etc. Talent gap is huge. Brad likes the points; Alec talks himself into it. College football is better when FSU is good and the stadium is rocking. Loyalty to Norvell is notable. Hawaii at Stanford Stanford –3.5. Hawaii won last year on a late FG (Brad lost the bet). Micah Alojado can play. Stanford in year 2 under Andrew Luck GM era: five O-line starters back, leading rusher, seven defensive starters, Davis Warren at QB. 3.5 is a tough number. Brad leans Stanford but cautious; likes the 48-ish total as a possible play (need ~7 combined TDs from the QBs). (Hosts continue through the rest of the early slate with similar structure—talent gaps, returning production, home/away factors, and responsible gambling notes.) Second Annual Smokies Awards – Preseason Watch List Reveal Alec presents categories with initial nominees; Brad and chat add names. Plan is to revisit and hand out awards at season’s end. Goal: keep lists tighter (around five per category). Riley Nowakowski “I Didn’t Realize How Valuable You Were Going to Be” Player of the Year Nominees: Trevor Gibbs, Davion Chandler, Quan Sanks, Jacob Savage. Adds: Daniel Ndukwe, Tyrone Burris, Carson Williams. Kobe Martin “I’m Not Missing