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Hey everybody, and welcome to another episode of sports prep live, prep live, where we unbox the mic and talk excellence in athletics.

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What's going on everybody and welcome to the final episode of season one of sports prep live. I'm your host, Greg and Prescott. We got a lot to talk about today. There's been a lot going on in the sports world. And we're gonna dive right into it. You already know what it is Pep Talk great and Prescott KB you're ready to go.

Unknown Speaker 0:45
I am I am. Let's

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get right. Let's start off with a bang and possibly, if not probably the biggest thing going on in the sports world right now. Is the announcement of the college football playoffs. Roversi. Yes. So for some context, FSU finished the season 13. And no, they won the ACC championship. And they finished fifth of the teams. And they were left out of the 14 College Football Playoff correct first time in history that a Power Five team went undefeated and was left out of the college football playoff that has never happened before. Yes. The four teams that did qualify for the college football playoffs were Michigan at one, Washington to Texas three, and Alabama for the big controversy here obviously is Florida State being left out. And the reasoning for that was their quarterback suffered an injury toward Travis Yes, yep. Jordan Travis toward the end of the season. And their offense took a hit took a big hit. Statistically, right. And the college football committee decided that they didn't want to have a situation like they did with TCU last year, right? Where a team gets up, ends up being blown out 65 to seven in the championship game or in a playoff game. And they didn't think it was fair to Florida State to put them in that situation. So they ended up leaving them out of the playoffs. They will play against Georgia. In the Orange Bowl, I believe right before the college football playoff. So what do you think about Florida State being left out the teams that qualified what what's your opinion here?

Unknown Speaker 2:35
This is a controversial subject matter. I'm not sure where I fall on this debate or on this question. I I do take umbrage at the notion that it was simply done because and this is one of the things that's that's the arguments that's out there in the ether. I I reject the notion that it simply happened because of what happened last year with TCU. And that was an abomination. That was an embarrassment. And I understand the CFP not wanting to make that mistake again. And I'm sure that was a consideration. But I don't think that that was the primary consideration. I think you do have to give credence to the fact that your all star quarterback who led this offense, and is an exceptional football player, and, and an exceptional quarterback. And I mean, nationally speaking, he had an incredible year before the injury, you do have to give credence to the argument that hey, we've taken a hit in our offense, and we may not be as potent, we may not be as effective if we are going up up against the likes of Michigan, Alabama, at that point in time before they lost a Georgia and then obviously a Washington. These are Texas. These are extremely good programs extremely well coached. You have to bring your A game to play against these guys. And even then you're not even with your A game you're not assured of a win. So I don't know that I've I subscribe to the school of thought that it was all either political or it was all based on what happened last year to TCU. Although if I'm on that committee, I do want to avoid that outcome. Because that's not great for the fans to see a 65 to seven game in a national football playoff game. That's embarrassing. And I'm sure that TCU was embarrassed but it's also embarrassing for the committee. It's embarrassing for the sport, because there was a better game to be had out there. So I'm not sure where I come down but I do not subscribe to the school of thought that it was simply based on the fact that at TCU lost so, so, so badly last year,

Unknown Speaker 5:03
the coach of their team went on record saying Mike Norville, Florida State coach Mike Norvell. He went on record saying that this team is not just a quarterback, and that they have a lot of great players who earned the opportunity to be in the college football playoff. He's the coach. And it's true he asked to say that. And there's some truth to that, however, that let's not subscribe to the notion that the quarterback isn't the most important position in football. Right. And it could be the most important position in all of sports. Yeah. When you lose your starting quarterback, who was a fringe Heisman contender, correct, and was leading this team to one of the more prolific offenses in the nation, and they had taken down a couple of notable alternates. They defeated LSU earlier in the season ranked Clemson these are teams that Florida State was able to beat with Jordan Travis, running their field being their field general. But when he went down there offensive efficiency cratered. We saw them play Louisville for the ACC championship and finished the game with 16 points, right. Their defense, you know, held on against the

Unknown Speaker 6:17
barely got on evacuate, right unscathed.

Unknown Speaker 6:20
But when you look at Florida State, they were really relying on their quarterback play to be one of the top ranked teams and they were always in that four, three to five area as

Unknown Speaker 6:34
well. They should rely on their quarter every year. That's not.

Unknown Speaker 6:38
That's not That's not a bad thing. Correct. I think that could have happened to any team where if the starting quarterback for Washington goes down who is in the top three, he's a Heisman finalist, top four, for the Heisman Michael Penix. If he goes down, Washington's not going to be in the playoffs. If Jalen milnrow out of Alabama, right, he goes down.

Unknown Speaker 7:04
I'll take it a step further, you know, if Patrick mahomes goes down? Yeah, what happens to chiefs? Right? You know, you can go at any level, in any sport, you take a key player like that, and architect of the offense, you know, in basketball, we call them the floor general. But that's what they are the field general in the sport of football, and to lose that player. And I think they were playing with a third string quarterback, yes, unfortunately, you know, you're hanging on by a thread that is not to knock the effort, and the grit and the hard work that it took to get to the point of being 13. And no, on the year, they are to be commended for that, it is not a knock against that football team or its program, or coach nor Val, that they, in my estimation, do not belong in the playoffs. I would have liked to have seen Georgia in the playoffs. Georgia suffered one loss, just like Alabama, Georgia suffered that loss to an elite team. They're just like, like Alabama. So you know, to be the number one team and then the fall all the way down to five, six, or six, I think that is more egregious than the knock against Florida State. So yes, they lost it was late in the season, they lost to a football Titan, a program that is is not unlike themselves. And then look what they had to pay as a consequence of that loss. And it was a close loss. So I get you know what the people who are supportive of Florida State, I get the argument that they're making. But this was not a knock on Florida State. It was not a knock on the effort. It was not a knock on the coaching or the program or the school or anything like that. It makes all the sense in the world that because of that injury, and because of the level of football that they were going to be playing against top tier teams in the nation. It made all the difference in the world that the committee thought about this broader question of are we putting together the best football games among the most competitive teams that we possibly can? And that's a fair consideration to to evaluate. I

Unknown Speaker 9:26
think they got the playoffs as close to right as you can. Yeah. For me, it would have had to come down to the three teams. Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, right because Ohio State lost one game right to the number one seed right and that was it wasn't an Alabama or Georgia situation where it was one against eight it was two against three. And Ohio State was to and Michigan happened to be three but it could have gone either way. And Michigan won the game by six points and Ohio State fell from two to seven Right. I don't I don't agree with that. I think Ohio State should have still been in the playoff hunt. Just like they were last year. They lost a Michigan last year, but they still made the playoffs and they were one egregious ly missed field goal away from beating Georgia. Right. So

Unknown Speaker 10:17
you very well could be in a situation and I don't think you would get a lot of pushback where you've got Alabama who suffered a loss that ends up making the playoff, Ohio State who suffers a loss that ended up making the playoffs. And then Georgia who suffered a loss that ended up making the playoffs and they are still the tightened football programs in the country. Yeah, I think those loss or no loss three

Unknown Speaker 10:39
of the top four teams in the contract. You could argue, of course, there's no denying you have to have Michigan, they would have been my fourth Yeah, they beat Ohio State. There's they shut out Iowa, there's just nothing you can say. To take that away from them. And then Washington. That's they played in a week conference, Pac 12, with a great team in Oregon, and USC, who started off the season high and cratered, but they beat USC and then they they beat Oregon. And then in the Pac 12. Championship. Oregon was nine and a half points favorite to beat Washington, Washington on Washington's home field. And Washington won the game and they weren't. So I don't know if I could take that one away from Washington either. That would be tough for me. But I would have liked to see Georgia still in the playoff because Alabama eight I never agreed with I think they should have been a top five team. Correct. perennially, they lost to Texas. And

Unknown Speaker 11:43
you know, I think there's a lot of fans of Georgia and Ohio State and what is the other team that I'm missing here? In Alabama, those teams with one loss? I think there are a lot of those that would say, yes, Washington did beat USC. They did beat Oregon. But those are good programs. They're

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not great. Not

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great. Not great. They are very good programs. But Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia have the legacy that they have for a reason. Yeah. So I would have taken those losses with a little bit more of a grain of salt when they are competing against other top tier programs and losing by, you know, a touchdown or two. I just don't think that the sanction for the loss should have been as severe as it was.

Unknown Speaker 12:40
Yeah, Washington was perennially, a top 10 team. They beat Oregon by three in their first matchup. They beat Utah who made a run. They beat Oregon State who was number 11. And then Oregon again. They got Texas in the college football playoff. Right. I think that's going to be a great game. Texas is tough. I believe they are undefeated. If not they've lost one game and it would be Georgia. They they beat Alabama. Early in the season. Yes. That

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was a one loss.

Unknown Speaker 13:20
No, no, no. That was Alabama, Texas, Alabama. Actually, Texas was one loss was to Oklahoma this year. Okay. Great program. So

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again, what we're talking about here is beating a top 15. Top 12 Top 10 team is not top five. Right there is there's not a speed bump from top 10 to top five. It's a mountain.

Unknown Speaker 13:48
So here's my question. Okay. Michigan last or pardon me, Ohio State last Michigan number three. Okay, I'm just gonna throw out the numbers at you. Texas made the playoff, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia did our Georgia last to Alabama number eight, who is now number four, and should have been higher throughout the year. Everybody recognizes that. And now they're the favorites to win the championship. Ohio State lost Michigan number one now at the time. At the time. There were three now there one. Texas lost to Oklahoma who was 12 when they lost, right. How does Texas belong in the playoffs?

Unknown Speaker 14:30
I agree with you 100%. You know, Oklahoma is nowhere to be seen. Yeah. And were it not for a loss between top five schools to one another. I don't think Texas would be anywhere to be seen, again, not to detract from the season that they've had. But there are levels to this. And Ohio State and Michigan and Georgia and Alabama are teams that are on this Same level

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is Texas is saving grace beating Alabama. It would

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have to be Yeah. I don't see any other reason for putting them above, say, Georgia who lost to Alabama?

Unknown Speaker 15:13
Yeah, they beat Alabama by 10. However, there is some context to that. It was early in the season, I think Alabama was on the second string quarterback. And if they weren't on a second string quarterback, then their first string quarterback hadn't developed yet. And throughout the season, he's developed a lot. And then he had the performance of a lifetime against Georgia. Yeah. He started out the season cold and was struggling to put up 20 points against unranked team. But then, you know, Nick Saban got its claws into him a little bit. And,

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and he knows what he's doing. Oh, yeah. He knows what he's doing. And coach of Alabama for the uninitiated. Next

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thing you know, he's one of the best players in the country. So torching matters. This was early in the season where Texas beat Alabama, but then they followed that up by losing to Oklahoma. So I don't see how Texas is a team, their great football program know quite right. I don't know if they belong.

Unknown Speaker 16:14
Yeah, I think so the consensus is, we respect Texas, we respect Washington and the fact that they got into the football playoffs. But I'm not willing, I'm not willing to sign on the dotted line with those who say, those institutions, those programs belong not to take anything away from what they achieved this year. It is notable, it's commendable, all that good stuff. But it is just as notable, it is just as impressive. What Ohio State and what Georgia has done and they play much tougher competition. Game in and game out in their schedule. They don't shy away from anyone.

Unknown Speaker 16:54
Yeah, Florida State. We know lost a quarterback. Yeah. Without the quarterback. Do you think they're closer to being number 10? Or number four? In your opinion, in the ranking? Well,

Unknown Speaker 17:08
I'm gonna say neither. I don't think they're closer to being number four. Yeah. Without their quarterback, definitely not.

Unknown Speaker 17:16
Well, let's list off teams. Would you take Texas above them? I would. Alabama. I would Georgia. Yes. Ohio State? Yes. Michigan? Yes, Washington.

Unknown Speaker 17:27
I'm not sure.

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Washington didn't lose. And they beat Oregon who was number five?

Unknown Speaker 17:32
I understand. But there is. And you read, you know, this from being a sports aficionado yourself. There is ranking inflation. It happens all the time. In fact, I think we're gonna get to it. A lot of ranking inflation has taken place as of late in the women's NCAA basketball rankings. There are teams that have secured a spot in the top 10, top 15, top five, that should not be there. When you win a game and you jump five or six spots or seven spots or eight spots. That is ranking inflation. You don't necessarily lipo necessarily belong, where they're putting you. And how was that? Born out? How do we find out that you don't belong, where they're putting you, you stay there for all of one or two weeks three at the most. I mean, you suffer a loss and sometimes a humiliating loss. And then you begin to get back down to where you belong. And that it has probably happened to a really good program in if I can digress. women's sports, women's basketball, Connecticut, you know, Connecticut came in opened up the year two, at number two, four and three, as of right. And I think for the first time in 30 years, they are out of the top 50 out of the top 10 or top 15. It's

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got. I mean, they're number 17.

Unknown Speaker 19:03
Right the moment so it must be out of the first time in 30 years, they're out of the top 15. That sounds right. Yeah. So that is ranking inflation. Now, the injury to one of their key players has played a part in that, but I'll be honest with you, I don't think that they were number two coming into the season. Right. And so that happened, you know, not to get to our basketball discussion. So that does happen. And so when you talk to me about a team like a Washington or what have you, belonging in that top four, I think they may have been able to take advantage of some ranking inflation. So no, I don't believe that they are a top 14.

Unknown Speaker 19:42
But the difference is Washington proved it. Like they didn't lose the game either. You know, they didn't. They didn't lose game. But Washington didn't lose the game. Their quarterback who's going to be a Heisman finalist is still I don't believe he's gonna win the Heisman. I think Jaden Daniels from LSU has that locked up, but he's going to be a high Isn't he's a Heisman finalist, he's going to be probably runner up. If he doesn't win it. I don't believe he will. But he'll likely be the runner up for the highest here.

Unknown Speaker 20:09
Let me let me save you your argument. And I think a lot of listeners are going to agree with me here, no matter what you say. I am never going to put at least never in terms of in the modern era. I'm never going to put Washington in the same category. Ohio State Michigan, Alabama, or Georgia. I'm

Unknown Speaker 20:32
not. I'm not I haven't I'm not arguing that they're not they're better than those. Okay. i My, my personal College Football Playoff would have had to have been Michigan because there's no way you can leave them out. Right. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State Correct. That's, that's the way I'm with you. That's what I would have had to go with. No disrespect to Texas, or Washington State or Washington state. Those are great. Those are great teams had great years. But those are just the teams I would have selected. However, my thing what I was saying was I would take Washington, what over Florida State without their qB. Okay. I gotcha. Gotcha. All right. We talked about women's college basketball, a little bit in this discussion. So there's been a lot of movement. Yeah. ranking changes in the women's college basketball, read off the top 10 to you. Okay. We have South Carolina won UCLA to NC State. North Carolina State of Iowa for Texas is five USC, Juju nm six LSU seven, Colorado eight, Stanford nine, Baylor 10. What. So Stanford lost the other day to a team that they should not have lost to and Gonzaga, who was ranked 23rd. Right. They were unranked at the time, and their ranking dropped from I think, three to nine, Colorado, who was a top 14, they lost to air for non Air Force, who did Colorado, they lost NC State, who was third? So you know, eight feels like a decent ranking for them. But they beat LSU and they're behind LSU. So I don't agree with that. Right? I was four. Um, they had a loss to a team that was unranked. And they're still fourth. I don't know if that is warranted. They

Unknown Speaker 22:33
lost to a team that they have recently beat. They redeemed the last Kansas State. But you did name some teams in there that have suffered from some of that. Ranking inflation. Right. And I don't know that I do know, the teams that we opened up with as the top teams. And this isn't to say that there isn't going to be movement in the rankings. You do expect some movement, but this has really been chaotic. Yeah, it is. The list is almost completely different. Save maybe South Carolina, Iowa. And maybe there's one other that was in the top 10. What did Stanford drop down to? Nine? Okay, LSU is still in the top 10. And okay, and LSU. But look at all of that movement that has happened, you know, we've got new teams coming in, some of the favorites have dropped down in the rankings, at least, you know, some out of the top 10 entirely, you know, as in the case of a UConn, others dropped down, and Virginia Tech, who, I'm not sure where they are now, after, you know, their second loss, they just lost to LSU, I believe 15. So yeah, you know, I think they open the season up at number four, or five, or somewhere in there. So there's just been a ton of movement. And I think some of that happens, because teams are put into position that they haven't necessarily earned. Yeah. And when you have to put, you know, sneakers on the floor, it's difficult to fake. And not that the programs are attempting to do that. But I think some of the, the media personalities that are voting on these things, and even the coaches, there might be a little bit of nepotism or favoritism that is happening there. And then those games are played. And then we see what those rankings are as things shake out what those rankings really should look like. And now it's beginning to settle into something that I'm a little bit more comfortable with something that I think is going to be a little bit firmer going forward. The NCC is a dynamo. Iowa is still tough. South Carolina looks like they are going undefeated the whole year. In fact, they're my favourites to win at all. I was impressed with Stanford. It was a tough loss for them, but it was a loss. Nonetheless, Colorado came up, and then boom dropped off, you know, after a couple of losses. So there's USC and Juju Watkins. Wow. Right. Yeah. You got to expect, you know, really good things out of him in that program. Hidalgo out of Notre Dame, you know, they're they're making, they're making a run. So there's going to be there has been a lot of change. But I think things will begin to settle out over the next couple of weeks here. And it's starting to look like the list that it should have looked like earlier in the season.

Unknown Speaker 25:34
It's great impressed got here on Sports prep live, and we're discussing some college sports, college football playoff and some of the UNLV updates in the sports world get into it. All right. As we get ready to wrap up the show here UNLV football program had one of their most successful seasons. Yes. Yeah. In a while they had they had a rough one the other day though, against Boise State. Boise State. Yeah, they were there nine and for right now, after the Boise State game. They play Kansas on December 26. Okay. That's a game. I think they can win. Yeah, and I believe it's here. So that should be a good game.

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We were pulling for him. Yes, we are. I thought they had the Boise State game.

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I started I started i i was i was surprised. And then there

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were a couple of inadvertent plays and interceptions. A lot of turnovers. Yes. Yes. A ton of turnovers. And the tide turn.

Unknown Speaker 26:31
Yeah. On the basketball side, we'll start with the men's team. They are currently three and three. They're gonna have they're gonna have some home games that they can pick up some who can't wait to get home and go see these guys. But here's the big here, the big two. They play number 10 ranked Creighton December 13. So this show is based on a whole game. Let me check this show is being recorded December 5, so a week from tomorrow. Okay. A week from tomorrow they play Creighton in that game will be at

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drumroll please.

Unknown Speaker 27:15
That game will be I believe it's here actually. Okay. Yes, it is. Okay, that game will be here. Alright, so that helps. And then next month, January 6, in San Diego, they will take on number 25 rink San Diego State who are also the National or defending national runner ups. So that'll be those will be two tests for them. Looking forward to see how

Unknown Speaker 27:39
they're Diego state is always one of those teams that when you see them on your schedule, you're like, ah, like, that's not a team you look forward to running into because they can they can pop up and bite you. They

Unknown Speaker 27:50
aren't one of those teams where you sit like they don't have the Kentucky or the Duke, right. It's like, oh my goodness, but San Diego State a solid every year. We went to see them we went to see UNLV or me and my my family and some friends went to see UNLV play against San Diego State a couple of years back. And we went into the game thing you know, you know you and San Diego State's gonna be you know, they're they're a solid look. Yeah, we didn't we didn't know much about them. We checked the rankings. They're fourth in the country.

Unknown Speaker 28:23
San Diego State it's not sleep on this team. And I don't I don't think that there's any team out there that sees them on their schedule and thinks Okay, we got this. You want

Unknown Speaker 28:32
to know another team I think shouldn't be slept on UNLV is women's basketball team. Yeah, they're unranked at the moment. However, this is an eight and AAU team. That took on Arizona. Now, for some context, Arizona has perennially been one of the good women's problem, right? They have a great coach. And they had one of the best recruiting seasons and a while they beat that team 72 to 53.

Unknown Speaker 28:58
So you're basically saying look out for good lungs for UNLV

Unknown Speaker 29:02
UNLV women's team? I think they're underrated. I think they should be a ranked team. Shout out to the female Running Rebels. Yes, sir. All right. Well, this has been sports prep live. I'm great. I'm Prescott KB. Thank you for joining me. Always a pleasure. All right. And thank you, everybody for tuning in. You can check out all our episodes on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and we'll see you next season. Here on sports rep live. Thanks, everybody. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of sports prep live. I'm grading Prescott and don't forget to catch all of our episodes on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and be sure to follow us on Instagram or Twitter at sports rep LA. Thank you

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