East 17th Street Ep. 2 -- Predicting the 2024 IU football season

[Music] welcome to episode two of East 17th Street a podcast by the daily hooer I'm your host Mike Schuman with me today again is Seth to and Owen Graham of the daily hooer uh today we got to start the same place we started episode one Believe It or Not which was talking about the name of this podcast uh East 17th Street some of you may have heard uh that a gentleman by the name of Harold Moro put out a uh petition on change.org I think in the days following our podcast uh you know starting a movement to change the name of e7th Street as it runs along uh Simon Scott Assembly Hall to Bob night way so we we have a bit of an existential crisis on our hands here we're gonna have to rename already very well could be the case we we're going to at least have to follow those developments and and see where things go here as it relates to uh the name out in front of Simon Scott Assembly Hall or or we just decide to kind of have a legacy name and uh keep it as it was but we'll see where it goes but I uh if people don't know Harold Maro is a former IU football player former coach longtime administrator at the school uh IU Athletics Hall of Famer uh in the class of 2016 and and he was friends with bob Knight and um I I think he's on the right track all joking aside I mean I I think you know we're we're you know close to a year since the passing of bob Knight and I think it makes sense in some way shape or form uh to memorialize his name on on the campus and specifically as it relates to IU Athletics in some way so I think whether it's changing the name of the street or you know one idea I've heard that I like is maybe changing um you know putting a sign out in front of the the basketball facilities there and calling it The the Robert Montgomery KN basketball complex that would Encompass the you know Simon's Scott Assembly Hall cook Hall uh something along those lines but but I think it's it's long overdue if if his family uh wants something like that done to to get something like that done so so we'll see what happens but it's obviously a funny coincidence to come up uh one one episode into our our new podcast with the name e 17th Street um wanted to to today SE Seth your voice is popping in and out um but you we we'll come back to Seth in a minute um you know wanted to uh to introduce today's topic go ahead Seth that should be better does does that sound better much better what are we gonna say about the about the name there oh I was just Jo I was just joking that they had a the temporary folding chair tribute outside the arena last year just get a bronze statue of a chair outside the arena now that could definitely be another way to go about it um uh today we're going to go game by game through the IU football season as everybody knows we're just a few days away from the start of the Kurt Signet era um and so I wanted for all three of us to get on here and share our predictions for the upcoming season but before we do that I did want to cover one topic of of news in the I athletic space um yesterday I the ium men's basketball program announced that they are going to play a preseason exhibition game uh down in Knoxville against Tennessee um you know I I think it makes sense for a number of reasons you know first and foremost just to test where they're at you know with with a difficult opponent uh in a game that doesn't ultimately count on the one loss record I think a lot of fans were a bit frustrated with the quality of opponents on the non-conference schedule um and you know if you're just truly focused on what's best for the program I think you know the top reason to be frustrated because you want the team to be tested early in the season so this doesn't completely F that need but I think it um at at the least does provide some feedback to the staff and gives them like a full month to um kind of assess what they saw in in a game like that in a setting like that and uh get ready for the Bahamas uh and they'll have plenty of time to to do that the other thing I like about it is that it's you know it's somewhat of a ro true Road game um you know typically one of the biggest challenges in getting ready for the big 10 is is you don't play true Road games and during the non-conference Slate um and you go on that first road trip in a big 10 game and it's just chaos and so you know I don't think this is going to be exactly like that but it's probably going to you know mirr it to to some extent and give some uh some some of the new guys especially some some feed back and some experience in that sort of setting Seth what did you think when you saw that news come out yesterday yeah I mean I think you've seen some of these types of games pop up a few little bit more over the last few years I mean obviously you see teams play you know true exhibition games against you know the marians of the world uh like Indiana does but obviously playing a team like Tennessee is going to be a bigger actual test for Indiana but I think it's probably good for the fans that they're doing it in this uh sort of format because you see more and more of these games as the secret scrimmages that are just all behind closed doors and you know the fans can only take so much from that because they can't actually watch any basketball there they just kind of hear what people say about the game the couple of people that is little bits and details leak out and it's probably better for the fans that a game like this is not behind closed doors and you know may is publicly available so it's probably it's a good test for Indiana against a team that's been pretty successful over the last several years and yeah I think it's it's probably good all around yeah I know when they've done those secret scrimmages in the past the only the only thing we'd really get out of it was a box score and and we'd all be guilty of you know trying to draw conclusions based on a stat sheet which was dangerous and ultimately didn't tell us a whole heck of a lot so yeah I mean I think this game was rumored for several months I had heard it was going to be played in Nashville at one point um and I think at the same time those rumors were going around obviously there was some truth to them but they um you know the NCAA was kind of uh deciding what to do with uh exhibitions and scrimmages and I think they settled on uh what Indiana and Tennessee settled on which is if you're going to play a division one team in in an exhibition there's got to be a charitable component to it so I think that's what they've done here um and you know I think it just all around makes sense and like you said Seth was also good for the fans which turns out this whole thing is actually about you know the fans without them there there's not much else going on so um yeah I think with that we we'll go into today's topic which is uh the IU football season starts on Saturday 3:30 pm. Eastern time at Memorial Stadium uh Big 10 Network is as the television aspect of that it's been real interesting for me to uh follow the predictions for Indiana during the preseason I I feel like there's been a real uh dichotomy in terms of of the computer predictions versus the human predictions uh when it comes to Indiana I think you know the the computers and I'm mainly talking about like ESPN fpi SP plus um you know they've got Indiana you know I can't remember if it's both 18th um but if not 17th and 18th um and I think part of the reason why is for those algorithms for for uh models like that it's really hard to take into account what's happened at at Indiana during the off season and everywhere else it's you know it's 18 different moving Parts at the same time um but it you know you got obviously a new head coach entirely new head coaching staff you got 30 transfers all of which or not all of which but most of which are going to play uh uh you know these aren't just you know guys that you know are unproven Commodities these are veteran guys and the uh dep chart is repete with guys from the transfer portal that that we expect to play um so it's a complete overhaul and and I you know I think those computer models are heavily weighted towards you know last year's results recent results um and and it's hard for them to account for a situation like what's going on at Indiana so I think that's why you see uh kind of the worst case scenario uh I think FBI uh predicted Indiana on a game by game basis would lose all their big 10 games and when you kind of pivot over to the human model you're not seeing much of that at all you're you're seeing you know people say like you know this is one of the uh upstart teams underrated teams I think CBS had a six-person panel last week and they were predicting Indiana in the 11 to 14 range um you know I think Brett McMurphy predicted they'd go to a bowl game last week so it's much more Rosy um from from a human perspective I think Vegas has them at uh 5.5 as the over under for their win total uh for the upcoming season which which feels directionally right you know it's a hard one to uh to to call but I think as we go through our game game predictions I guess we'll tell you where we think we would bet on on that uh over under if we were to do so um you know the the schedule I think is really interesting for Indiana this year as well I think you know there's there's a real opportunity for a fast start for this staff um and that's just not something that's always been there in the past um you know and you know some credit I guess has to be given to to the prior staff because they got rid of a a game against Louisville that that was in there for this year um and you know kurtti really didn't have much to do with putting this thing together this was you know football games as most people know are are scheduled you know several years in advance so this thing's been out there although the Big 10 aspect of it has changed many times in the last few years as the conference kept growing but um there there's a real opportunity for Indiana to to jump out to to a quick start here um no longer is Pinn State on on the schedule this year uh which I think is a welcome change and if you just look up and down the schedule um you know I think Indiana has from a big 10 strength of schedule standpoint probably has one of the easiest uh Paths of any team in the conference I think most of the teams they play are predicted to be bottom half type of team so uh Owen what's your reaction from a schedule standpoint just overall to to what you're seeing with what IU's got this year yeah I mean just looking at the first few couple of games you got FIU Western Illinois UCLA and then Charlotte I think a lot of fans are hoping that you can go four and0 through the throughout those four first four games and have some momentum going in to the Big 10 and then you you look at kind of that that middle part and there's still a lot of opportunity there so I think you know definitely it has a lot of Hope for for as in terms of big 10 standpoint but when you get kind of into that later part of the schedule you have Michigan and Ohio State which is you know going to cause some issues but you know I have been across the entire Spectrum going through this offseason I I've I've seen IND Indiana is a realistic team that could go you know maybe three or four wins and maybe reach up to that eight or nine win kind of total so it it's been tough for me just to make predictions but from a game by game basis but there's a lot of opportunity uh for Indiana to you know Make some noise in the Big 10 for sure yeah Seth when I think about a like a floor and ceiling for for wins for this team you know I I think you look at the three non-conference games and you know I obviously they could go 12 and0 and they could go 0 and 12 but realistically you look at the three non-conference games I I think it would be a major shock if they lost any of them um so I think um that kind of establishes your floor and and I think on the other end of the spectrum you look at Ohio State and you think there's just no way that's happening I I'm probably in a minority that that I believe Michigan is in play this year I think they've you know their roster has changed quite a bit I think you know they obviously have a quarterback change a head coaching change um they have one of the lowest levels of returning production in all of college football um and and that game's in Bloomington um you know obviously that's know week 10 so A lot's gonna uh change between now and then but just looking at it on paper I you know I I think Indiana you know at least has a chance there I'm not going to put it in the same category as Ohio State uh just not being winnable what what's your reaction to kind of an overall kind of for and ceiling for a win total this year I'm not sure I can get all the way with you there on Michigan but it is fair it is fair to say that Ohio state is in another class it's I if you're looking at the Big 10 as a whole this year it's I think a two horse race between Ohio State and Oregon I think I'd be pretty surprised if it wasn't one of those two if it wasn't those two teams playing in Indianapolis uh in December but when you're looking at a floor you're right I mean the it getting out of the Louisville series was smart for Indiana right now they're not a program that needs to worry about a resume or having non-conference wins that look good or you know playing strong opponents obviously that's the type of game that can be more fun for fans but you know what else is fun for fans winning games and right these are three games that they absolutely should be winning I mean Florida International I think they're a 21 and a half Point favorite against this weekend Western Illinois has been the worst FCS team in the country for the last several years and Charlotte is a team that they should handle pretty easily too these are three gimmies is in non-conference as much as gims can be in college football uh and then as you get into conference play Ohio I don't think they're going to beat Ohio State I I don't think that's a re reasonable thing to expect and I'd say the same about again to be to be honest uh but then if you're I think it's reasonable for them to say look there's a there's a good reasonable path to a bll game by winning three games between UCLA Maryland Northwestern Washington Michigan State and Purdue I tend to put Nebraska closer to that top group than than those other teams that that are on Indiana schedule but but those are like five or six games that Indiana would need to win three of to get to a bowl game and I think that's a pretty reasonable expect pretty reasonable goal expectation the floor obviously the floor they could bottom out and only win those three non conference games I think as far as a ceiling if if they went nine and three that would be an incredible season by Indiana standards if they went nine and three anything I'd be I mean I'd be pretty surprised if they went nine and three because just so many things would have to go right for that to happen I'm not I'm not sure that 10 and two or something like that could really truly be in play unless you're such like a cream you're looking at everything through cream and Crimson glasses and you're looking at everything the most optimistic way but I mean that's just rarely how Sports work and you know there's going to be injuries there's going to be things that go wrong like it's football like there may be some call that goes Indi against Indiana's way that then just changes the course of a game that they otherwise should be winning things will happen but that's like like I said if you're making it like the over under five and a half feels pretty reasonable because like I said you have that those like four five six games that if they can just get three of them to add on to the three non-conference games then you're going to a bowl yeah and and the problem with going nine and three or 10- two is that I think as you're alluding to there there's you know call 5 six seven whatever whatever total you want there's there's so many tossup games that as we'll go through this I I think truly could go either way and to try to run the T on those games which they'd have to do to to get into that kind of lofty sort of record it just seems impossible for the reasons you're suggesting you know it's just football's a crazy game at the end of the day it's a very offensive oriented game uh of late which means you know you haven't won until the the final uh horn sounds I guess there's no horns in football are there until until the final seconds tick off the clock how about that but let's let's let's go through it uh as I already said week one is here it's Florida International um you know a team that you know returns a lot of talent but you know it's probably one of those teams that you know returning a lot of players from a bad team isn't isn't necessarily a good thing so I'm not sure that you know Indiana I think if Indiana has an exposure here and Kurt cetti alluded to this a little bit um it's their quarterback because because he's a dual threat and um they're they're FIU on paper looks to be a little bit stronger on the offensive side of the football Indiana defensively likes to get really vertical with their defensive line and that seems like it could set up a little bit for the quarterback to to leak out of the pocket and have some running Lanes kind of visions of the Akon game last year um but um you know I'm going with Indiana winning that game 42 to 21 what are your guys thoughts on week one yeah I'll go ahead and take this one sorry um yeah I mean you you have the Dual threat quarterback with Jenkins through 11 touchdowns but also had 11 interceptions so kind of basically you know kind of evened out in that point but they also lost uh one of their big receiving Stars Chris Mitchell um was was no longer with the team so um in terms of I think STI said first you know Jenkins is going to look for those Lanes to scramble but he's also you know his first idea is going to pass so I think if he if if that Reigns true I think with Indiana's defense um it could cause some problems so um I think Indiana gets through this one with with little to to no harm I think they win it 3714 that's that's my prediction what you got Seth yeah so I I mean most the score picks that I have for this you know maybe the margin there's something you read into it but I picked 38 to 10 but kind of just picking a lot of random numbers sometimes with stuff like this but uh I mean at least with this that would that would put Indiana covering the spread and under the total but for whatever that's worth uh but I don't I don't have too much other analysis to add on top of what you guys have already mentioned I mean Jenkins is this kind of dual threat quarterback but for whatever his numbers were last year he was a true freshman there some development from last year to this year is reasonable to be expected at that point point so you might get a little bit of an improved version of what you saw last year out of him but that said it would be surprising if Indiana had real struggles with with a team like this I can't believe you revealed that there's no secret formula to these predictions it's just you're just pulling it out of the air come on Sir look I'm sorry to give away the secret there but um week two I I don't want to spend a lot of time on Western Illinois I think this is the the um the game where everybody gets to play including the Walk-Ons as Seth mentioned this is uh not only the worst team on the schedule probably one of the worst teams at the FCS level as well I'm going 527 here Seth what do you got for for this one I put 63 to7 wow no no respect for the leathernecks huh I gave them a little respect I got him 45 to seven so all right a little bit less of a margin there so everybody thinks they're going to get on the board anyway yeah something weird is going to happen like we said something weird is gonna you know it may not be a traditional touchdown drive but it might be a third string defensive back tripping for Indiana that then get lets a guy Coast into the end zone or some unfortunate penalty or something something's gonna happen I can't remember the exact play but that happened last year against Indiana State I forget how they got their touchdown it was a pick six yeah yeah yeah Bloomington uh Bloomington native by the way madx Blackwell that's right that's right yeah you got to got to get your local props in there ow y I like that I like that so you know moving on to week three I this is where the schedule gets interesting um you know this is going to be kind of the first major uh inflection point of the Season Indiana going out to UCA a lot of people have been talking about a return trip to the Rose Bowl since 1967 and here you go everybody you got it and Kurt cetti has already put some bulletin board material out there at Big 10 media day I I'll probably butcher his quote but it was something along the lines of we're just going out to an old stadium to kick some ass and I can confirm I saw in some uh West Coast media that that did get noticed and picked up so UCLA is going to be aware of that that comment it was obviously you know just cetti being tongue and cheek he knows what he's doing when he says stuff like that but um nevertheless if UCLA smart they will use it um but I I think this is you know one of those games we talked about at the outset that there's there's you know whatever you want to call it five six seven games that I could truly see going either way um UCLA's 37th in Sp Plus on on uh ESPN and also 37th in returning production so they they've got some uh Talent on this team uh if if people don't know what I'm referring to when I say returning production that's uh Bill Connelly of ESPN his a measure of the amount of uh players who played and made an impact a year ago being back on the team and it also takes into account transfers uh which which is important so if a guy was uh had a lot of snaps at another team and now he's playing at at a team like UCLA that counts in the returning production total so uh 37th in returning production is Meaningful uh new new head coach there and Deshawn Foster uh which which is a variable to to consider but but I I've got UCLA winning this game and a bit of a shootout 34 to 31 Owen what do you got yeah I I kind of went a similar way look I think if there was one game that I mean fans analysts whatever you want to call it that has has it circled on Indiana scheduled I think this one is it because this game kind of not necessarily determines but has some maybe maybe have some L lingering effects in the next few weeks just with you know how the fans are going to react if Indiana goes to the Rose bow and wins this game how many fans are going to keep coming to these games like that's the biggest thing that I can think of um if you go into the Rose Bowl and win that game but that's that's easier said than done right I mean it's across the country you know majority of fans will probably be UCLA fans but you'll have some Indiana um strain through in there it I've gone back and forth on this one all the time the new head coach Deshawn Foster as well that's gonna you know put some wrinkles in in I guess your preseason play and stuff like that but the return Ethan garbers who had a pretty good um last few weeks of UCLA season last year threw for 11 touchdowns and three interceptions so I don't have it going as that high scoring but I I follow the same train as you Mike I have uh the Bruins winning this one 28 to 24 um I think it's gonna come down to the last few possessions though I think I think it's G to be a good game to watch yeah and Seth um one thing that's interesting to me about UCLA at least recent vintage UCLA is that they um and maybe these videos I've seen and photos I've seen are just uh you know I I shouldn't overreact to them but I don't think they're draw a big fan base at all like I've seen shots of of the Rose Bowl where there's like 20 30,000 people at the game and this is a I think you 90 100,000 seat stadium so I I don't think this is going to be a massive uh Road advantage or Home Advantage for UCLA against Indiana and I I suspect there's going to be a lot of enthusiasm by Indiana fans to get out to the Rose Bowl for it you know in part for what I said is you know they've been wanting to do this for you know whatever it is 57 years here so um I think that's a factor as well what do you think about this game yeah it may not be a classic Home Advantage that you think of with like a loud roaring crowd but don't underestimate the advantage that UCLA will have of sleeping in their own beds and being in their preferred time zone compared to Indiana having to get out there probably late at night and taking a long flight out there and just kind of being in different surroundings I mean that's not don't overlook the advantage of that especially when you're Crossing time zones right um that's I mean that's got to be a factor that you think about uh I went pretty close in score to Owen I went 2724 UCLA it's definitely a game that Indiana can win but honestly I've been a little surprised as you hear some kind of discourse about you know Big 10 predictions and things like that I feel like I've seen a lot of predictions that you like for UCLA to finish kind of close to the bottom which that kind of surprises me I don't see them being that bad this year they've like you said Mike they have a lot of returning production this year and they were were pretty good last year like they had the second best Rush defense in the country last year they only allowed like 80 Rush about 80 rush yards per game that's pretty good and it's it's definitely Indiana's first real test of the year like if that Rush defense is really good again what I guess we'll find out what happens to Indiana if you kind of make their offense onedimensional or just we'll start to learn little things like that about this team in this game and but I like I say I think it really could go either way but nothing's perfect in football I think I just think this tends to go UCLA's way yeah we'll certainly find out if there's anything to this notion of Kurt cetti magic uh in that game because a three and0 start would would as Owen alluded to would start of a little bit of a frenzy amongst the fan base um one other factor to consider in that game I that I think is relevant it kind of goes into the time zone issue is just the fact that that Western Illinois game is on a Friday night so indan is going to have an extra day of rest going into this game they're you know they're Al they're also going to be coming off the Western Illinois game which means you know the the starters probably won't have played a whole heck of a lot in that game so th those are variables as well but I I think the consensus there is that this is going to be a really close game that could go either way um week four U they come back home they face Charlotte I saw their coach uh a video posted on X yesterday he was talking about um injuries during the fall Camp I think he said something along the lines of like eight starters were were out with injuries I I don't know if that's specifically like out for the season but this was already a team that wasn't good last year um aren't returning a lot of production 94th and returning production so if they're missing eight starters in this game it could be even uh you know more of a uh White open game for Indiana that than what we expected I've got this one going 4510 for Indiana Seth what do you got well Biff poy is a character so that's doesn't surprise me uh I put Indiana at 41 to13 here Owen what about you yeah I I I kind of touched on the health concerns like eight or nine starters is I mean and I think he said it could be like week three week four until they could return so um that definitely plays a factor in to it I went 35 to 10 I think Indiana takes it and Charlotte just for a side note and Seth you can correct me if I'm wrong here since I know you're got some Maryland background in you they went out to uh Maryland last year and actually gave them a test didn't they yeah I mean it has nothing to do with my Maryland Roots but I do remember watching that I do remember actually watch having that game on uh that that night last year and I think I mentioned this in the pre the Charlotte preview I did over the summer but yeah I I I don't remember the exact score or whatever it was but it they kept it close like through halftime and then Maryland kind of pulled away in the second half but there was a little bit there towards the end of the first half of that game where you're like oh Maryland might be in a little trouble right now right right um I think charlott's a little bit more known for their defense and I think they had some things clicking on that side of the ball that day but um it makes for a good segue because Maryland is the week five opponent as Indiana pivots fulltime into to Big 10 play and I will say this is another one of those games that that you look at and you think it's it could go either way I mean I think um you know Maryland you talk about UCLA standing out in returning production Maryland's kind of on the other end of prod of the spectrum 103rd nationally in returning production the headline uh player that they're missing is that quarterback with tago Viola finally being gone he's tortured Indiana for a number of years I think he uh broke all the records uh in the Maryland books against Indiana um but but they're still going to be good mikae oxley's a good coach they they run good offense um I I think it's you know could go either way this time being in back in Bloomington I'm GNA say Indiana's going to win that game 2724 what he got on yeah I mean you kind of mentioned it quarterback's the biggest question and it just came out recently Loy named the starting quarterback but is not going to tell anyone so does that count as naming yeah so we don't know nothing more college football than that yeah yeah so I mean it's kind of an unknown um there's three main candidates uh it's Billy Edwards MJ Morris and Cameron Edge have have been battling in that camp solely for that reason just with the uncertainty at QB it kind of reminds me of of last season with Indiana so I think Indiana um defends home turf I have it 2717 in favor of the Hooters and I think um for the hardcore IU fans they'll they'll remember Billy Edwards I think it was a couple years ago in Bloomington that um Tigo viol actually got knocked out of the game I can't remember if it was the whole game or briefly but Edwards came in and just ran up and down the field all over Indiana and completely changed the game so if you're uh wondering who this mystery quarterback is as an IU fan you probably hope it's not Edwards but but we'll see what what do you got for that game SE yeah th this is the first time that we differ on the result of a game I think I got Maryland winning this game I picked 30 to 20 Maryland I think this is a case where and obviously you could Mike Boxley has had Indiana's number for a lot of his tenure in College Park and you can only put so much stock on that with a brand new coaching staff in Indiana and a pretty new looking roster at Indiana but I think it there's something to be said there that Moxley I HomeField Advantage I don't think Maryland and Mike Moxley are going to look at this game be all worried about the home field advantage Indiana has not to say anything about Indiana fans but like I said Maryland has had Indiana's number the last bunch of years under Mike Loxley I don't think they see this as a road game that's gonna be a big challenge they probably have this one circled as the game that they can win I wouldn't really classify their quarterback situation as Indiana's last year aside from the uncertainty right now of who it's going to be but the guys that are there battling for that job now are you know that have battled for that job have a lot more experience than the guys Indiana had last year there were it was both relatively unknown quantities that you had last year in Indiana Morris was starting I think at NC State last year and Billy Edwards has gotten a lot of playing time as Maryland back up under under taga Vala and I think losing when you look at Maryland's returning production yes like in terms of the rankings they're kind of low in terms of returning production but I think losing taga vioa May account for a good amount of that just by himself right because when you look at some of the other pieces they they have back like you you get kind of surprised like that Maryland is that low you know doesn't have a higher percentage of returning production because they've got their starting running back back in in Roman HMI they lost their best receiver Jon Jones but they've got two really good receivers back and Ty Felton and Kaden Prather I felt in torched Indiana last year in college park like they've got pieces that are back in the returning production just looking at that at the single number with that I don't think tells the whole story with Maryland because I think just losing this really productive starter starting quarterback I think that accounts for a good amount of that lost returning production yeah that that's all all fair points and your point about uh the you know the home venue not being a a a huge factor I mean I think most people would would agree with that in terms of of Indiana and Memorial Stadium maybe that changes this year but but it provides another good segue into uh week six because I think the most interesting thing about Indiana's road trip to Northwestern is the uh venue that they will play at I think most people probably know that the old Ryan Field has been demolished and the new stadium is being constructed which means that the game this year in all of north or not all of northwestern's games but this game particularly is going to be played in a uh what I don't even know how best to describe it it's basically just you know they they threw some bleachers together along the Lakeside um it looks like an awesome setting I'm excited to go up there just to to watch a football game along along Lake Michigan um but I think it's going to hold in the neighborhood of 20,000 may maybe give or take on that but you know if if typical Northwestern hold to to form a decent chunk of those fans will be IU fans because I don't think Northwestern draws a great deal for for for football or basketball and they always have because they're so centrally located they always and IU has a bunch of fans in Chicago uh they they always have opposing fans at their game so it's it's gonna be you know the the the most interesting venue that that Indiana plays at uh this year northwestern's just a interesting team uh above and beyond all that just because they were the kind of the surprise team of the Big 10 last year you don't really know know what to expect from them uh that they're they're 80th in returning production so you know they've got some rebuilding of their own to do I'm calling Indiana to win this game 23- 17 um Seth what do you got I'm pretty close to what you have there this feels like what's going to be the first ugly big 10 game of the Kurt edti era but I took Indiana to win this one 26 to 21 okay and I I I want so bad for the tradition at this Stadium to be that if you score a touchdown you throw the ball in the lake I don't I don't know if I don't I don't know if we'll see that but I based on the pictures I've seen it looks like the lake is Within Reach if you got a good arm so that that's one possibility what what are you seeing for the game Owen yeah this has like everything that needs to happen for like the weirdest game of the entire season to happen because these are two of you know the not so great performing historical wise in football and then you bring them together in this like Lakeside venue where a soccer stadium used to be it's it's just it's a little silly when you really think about it but um in terms of actual like football you know Northwestern had a pretty good year last year but I just I I just don't see it being in the same kind of year as they did last year I have Indiana winning in kind of air weird score I I put down 30 to 28 I think it is going to be a little close just just with you know Big 10 football is just weird sometimes and and you can't really put names or numbers to it but yeah just a two-point victory for the hooers to get out of Chicago so northwestern's defense was stronger than its offense last season and there's just a lot of question marks about northwestern's offense going into this season they have a new quarterback a transfer in Mike Wright that is a run first type of guy from Mississippi State and so there it could kind of get interesting in that aspect of the game but as when you're looking at Northwestern as a whole it they're gonna they may need their defense to have a similarly strong performance to what they did all of last season for them to really keep up the level of success that they had last year right Fair Point fair point and I think that that takes us halfway through the season I I've got Indiana at five- one to start the season um you know it if that were to be the case I think the amount of enthusiasm uh in Bloomington would would be at you approximating a fever pitch but it's it's the back half of the Season where the schedule really takes off um you know game game seven is against Nebraska and this is the first team that Indiana will play that in the AP preseason AP Top 25 is even receiving votes and that's where they the Corn Huskers fall is receiving votes I kind of you know I kind of kind of feel like Nebraska is going to be and I think Seth you alluded to this a little bit as well like one of those teams that is gonna you know play Above what what people are expecting going into the season I I don't know how much of that is like based on historic impressions of the program I think everybody likes to point to Nebraska football as being kind of the IU basketball of of the world where they've you know got the the history but they haven't been really good lately they haven't had a winning season in a while but I I think they'll get there this year um 42nd in Sp plus rankings 23rd in returning production seconde head coach in Matt rule who you know you expect your two to to really get things going I think this is going to be a really tough game for Indiana I've got them losing 30 to 24 what do you got onow yeah I think another big storyline there and it's all signs are are expecting for the true freshman Dylan riola to to start for them and he was obviously really highly rated I believe the number one quarterback uh in the 2023 class so I think that's something you have to keep an eye on you know is that going to continue throughout the entire season um there's there's a lot of questions there but like you said I think rule takes takes that step in the second season having that NFL experience as well and their defense I mean they had a top 10 uh run defense nationally last year in a top 15 defense I think overall so I think this is going to it's still going to be aose CL game I think just with the I think a home field advantage if you go five and one in in in that first six games then you could you know draw in a good crowd so I have but I still have Indiana losing that game 28 to 35 what about you Seth yeah I mean I think this could be a close game as well but I agree with you all that Nebraska I think is going to be good and I will just say also I don't think whatever we put as like a final score doesn't indicate if a game is closed or not I put 35 to I put 35 to 20 Nebraska on here but that could just as easily be you know a 3 to seveno margin the whole game and then Nebraska scores a touchdown to pull away and but then people only look at a 15-point margin as the final score and say oh it wasn't actually that close when it was pretty clo it was pretty close the whole game but like you said like you say you both said uh raola uh number two quarterback in the 2024 class is uh I mean great player by all accounts we I I'm I'm excited to get to watch him in person honestly he seems like he could be the real deal and uh I mean they have their entire offensive line back and their offensive line was pretty solid last year their defense is pretty good like Nebraska on the whole like has the makings of being a really solid team this year yeah and I to your point about the this predicting the scores I Kirk cetti likes to point out I guess he's defending Tom all and that that game at Penn State last year was like you know what was it tied with two minutes to go or I can't remember the exact margin but it it got weird in the last two minutes and the score would not suggest you know how close the game really was so so good point there um you know not to dig into everything else that happened in that game yeah let's just not go there um another team in the following week and again this is the another weird aspect about Indiana schedule is just how many home games they have um you know Washington comes to IU uh the following week they're they're receiving votes as well um I I feel like they're kind of the inverse of Indiana to my original point about you know how the computers are are looking at teams um you know I obviously played in the national championship game um but they had kayin dor as their head coach who's now at Alabama they have Michael pennick at quarterback who's now with the Atlanta Falcons they are 124th in returning production I think that's out of 34 teams uh so they they have taken a major hit I think the offense is you know where a lot of that hit was taken that could be in large part again as Seth you mentioned on with Maryland that could be a large part because of pinic but but nevertheless this is a completely different team brand brand new head coach um Mak it making the trip to uh the the not the East Coast but the Eastern Time Zone with Indiana so there there's a lot of reasons why I think think Indiana can win this game and I think they will but again Big 10 football close teams could go either way another close game I'm saying 2724 IU wins us what you got Owen yeah I went back and forth on this one you made a lot of excellent points you know kayin deor leaving penx isn't there the offense looks pretty much completely different um the one thing I will give Washington is I think they really made a good with jetfish and the season he had at Arizona last year I think it was losing to boore to Alabama obviously is you know that's that's tough to kind of replace but I think fish was a really good hire there and he brought a lot of players with him he had 28 incoming transfers even with a lot of those former Huskies um going elsewhere or going to Alabama so I I think fish I I think he still has a good roster under him I think this one's going to close um I actually have the Huskies taking this one against Indiana 35 to 38 um I would not be surprised to see this one go into overtime as well I I kind of put that as a side note but wow yeah we're gonna have to note this SE portion of the podcast and come back take that one to Vegas what do you got Seth yeah uh I think so I like I pointed out before I think that the Northwestern game is going to be kind of that first you know real ugly classic big 10 game for cetti I think this game has the potential to be one of those games where Washington brings the Pack 12 style of football to the Big 10 I think that this game could become a little bit of a shootout I think for this game I picked Indiana to take it 34 to 30 but like I said like you said Owen I think they made Wasington made a really good hire with Jed fish uh and they brought some good pieces over from Arizona too but to the other point about the returning production I think it's less like Maryland with with t losing tag of vioa accounting for all that when you look across the roster for Washington I mean they lost all of their top receivers from last year and they had a really good receiving Core last year with adun and pul and McMillan like they lost all of those guys they lost their starting running back they lost a lot on defense there there's just a lot of turnover I think Washington still will be pretty good this year they are probably a bow Team but I think this is a game that can go either way and I think it I think there some of those you know could go either way games uh I've had going against Indiana so far and I think this is one that goes IU way got it well week or or game nine I think is the first time I'm going to disappoint IU fans because I think you know people people you know Circle Michigan State at as you know a team that's down um but also yet yet another team going through a coaching change they're 71st in Sp plus 72nd returning production um haven't been good the last few years in Indiana actually got them the last time they went up to Spartan Stadium where they're where they're going in November this year um but you just can't discount a program like this an environment like that it's not going to be easy um I I think they're going to come up short when they go there and I think it's going to be the start of the first adversity in in the Kurt cetti era as you know the schedule gets much more difficult uh in in the back uh third of the season I I think Michigan state is going to win this one 23 to 20 Seth what do you got so I picked Indiana to win this one I put Indiana at 33 to 27 uh again another one that could really go either way and you're right that Michigan state has struggled the last year and they their roster looked better than it did last year but I think they still had a ways to go and and I think Jonathan Smith is a good coach and I think he'll get that program going in the right direction long term I just think he's got a lot of work to do this year uh with that roster that he's got there and I mean he brought some pieces over from Oregon State and there's plenty of scenarios where I could see this one not only going this game not only going to Michigan State's way but there's plenty of ways I could see this you know Indiana kind of falling behind by 14 20 points early on and just not really ever being able to get back in that game in a road environment like this but I think this is a game I I think I can see you know this at least with the way I've picked this season to play out this would be the game that gets Indiana Bowl eligibility at six wins and I think there there's something to be said for almost like you say like you know it can create the adversity knowing what they've got in this third half of the schedule if this is the game that gets you to six wins I think there's a very easy talking point there for Indiana to say let's just get this done now and then anything we can get done against Michigan and Ohio State that becomes a bonus yeah very similar to the 2019 season I think they clinch bow eligibility right around that same point at Nebraska um you know Owen the you get into November in the Big 10 and other things start to pop up into play like the weather like I I I think the last time they were up at Michigan State it was wind and snowy and miserably cold it that changes things it just does you know in terms of you know how how effective your key players are you know how you might have to scheme a little bit differently so you know a number of things could be a factor by that point in the season so it becomes harder and harder to predict not not to mention injuries but what do you see happening up there yeah I I gotta I'm in the same boat as Seth I got it going Indiana's way um and again I think that they did everything right in the offseason they got a new head coach uh Aiden Charles is also a a very good quarterback and was really uh highly touted in the transfer portal but um Michigan State also plays Four ranked opponents uh in terms of preseason rankings before they get to IU and and the game before that is Michigan so um I you know we have some doubts as Michigan as we'll talk about here in a few seconds but um yeah I think Indiana like Seth said has that chance to clinch the bll eligibility with this game and um I think you know with cetti in that attitude he's just like let's get it over with and and finish out this season strong so I think Indiana takes it um pretty close game but 24 to 21 um in East Lancing yeah the has a lot of returning sorry Michigan state has a lot of returning production on defense but their defense wasn't very good last year so I'm not sure that you you can always look at oh returning production equals good like if if you're returning production but it was bad production that's not good right yeah right um yeah no doubt about that um I think I think I teased Michigan at at the outset here if if there's any Michigan fans listening they're probably rage listening at this point waiting to see what I'm gonna say about this game and I think they they 51 minutes thanks for staying with us there and I think you be glad to hear I do I am predicting Michigan to win this game uh 24 17 to 24 I I think um you know the overarching theme of what we've been saying here is these games could go either way and I do truly feel that Michigan's in play and it could go either way but but I feel like I've seen this script too many times um where Michigan does feel like they're they're they're beatable and it doesn't happen in a close game um there there there's been a number of games in the IU Michigan series including the the bill Lynch gum gum toss game and I think what was 2009 up in an arbor um you know they did get him a few years ago uh in the in the co season but um you know I I think it's it's going to be a low-scoring game and I think um you know Indiana's gonna struggle to to find a way to win this one in the end what do you got Seth well now the you the Indiana fans that waited this out to hear you pick Indiana over Michigan you just let all them down I need to learn my audience better I got to I got to have the I fans happy with me in the end uh I took Michigan 35 to 13 uh yes I think obviously Michigan had a lot of roster turn turnover but I think they still have a lot of uh they have still have a lot of good players coming back I mean you look at like Mason Graham on defense like that Mason Graham could easily be like big 10 defensive player of the year quality type type of player this year I just think Michigan is very likely to take a step back this year but I mean they were what 15 and0 last year like of course they're going to take a step back there's nowhere else to go right right right they're gonna take a step back from that but I don't think it's G to be such like a d step back from obviously national champions undefeated I don't think they're going to be like I said at the beginning in the same class as Oregon Ohio State like kind of the top dogs in the Big 10 but I think they're still you're still probably looking at like a top third of the Big 10 type of team that I think is still several levels above Indiana and I just think this is this is the first real real good team like I I put Michigan still probably a class ahead of Nebraska where I think this is probably the first real real good team that Kurt zetti is gonna face and I'm sure that for I'm sure that Michigan has remembered what Kurt zetti has said about them and oh State last year after he took the job I'm sure that these guys remember that and are gonna want to stick it to him yeah uh I believe the word was that they suck um hey this could this could be uh one last chance for Jack Tuttle in Bloomington yeah yeah that's definitely something to note I think he's hurt to open the season they I don't think they've announced a quarterback either unless unless I missed it Tuttle was in contention for that and I guess ultimately by this point in the season could be the quarterback they're they are the first AP Top 25 team Indiana will face all year um preseason anyway number nine number seven and SP plus so to sets point0 and this this is a legit team at least on on paper and I you know Michigan's always a legit team so there's no reason to expect they're going to be uh they're going to fall off a cliff or anything like that do you think Indiana has a chance here I I will agree with you Mike I think it a win is in play at the very least but I still have Michigan taking it 24 to4 um over Indiana um you know their offensive line is going to be good uh that I mean that group has always been good um for the past couple years and you also have another defensive player will Johnson on the outside cornerback I mean he he's one of their best returners on the defensive end so I will agree with you there it's it's definitely a step back so ow when is at play for for Indiana but I just think they have too much talent and give the hoers too many problems so that's why I have them winning that one there's a coordinator hire here that I want to hire that that I want to highlight that I think could be a big factor in this game Michigan bringing in wink Martin Don wink marale as is defensive coordinator that dude loves to dial up blitzes and a lot of creative blitzes and I think that's the type of game like we haven't talked really that much about like oh like how Indiana's going to look against various teams I think Indiana's offensive line is going to be tested more against Michigan than any other team they play this season just with the amount of creative pass rush looks that Don win Martell throws at opponents like I think Indiana's offensive line is gonna have a tough day yeah yeah great point I think Indiana's I thought we lost you there Seth um I think Indiana's offensive line is the biggest question mark of of their offense and teams like Michigan will'll certainly uh test you no no doubt about that uh we we've already talking talked about Ohio State that's game 11 um you know there there's this notion of uh teams looking ahead um this would be for Ohio State this will be their game before they play Michigan um and they're gonna they've lost what is it three in a row to Michigan so the Ohio State's very focused on ending that losing streak but I'm not a big believer in that concept of looking ahead and I think Ohio State's just they're just too good for that to even really be a factor I mean they that they they've got too much death that that even if injuries were a factor at this point in the season I don't think it would change the outcome of this game uh preseason AP number two SP plus number two 54th in returning production but but again you know the the guys that haven't played are still really good players uh for for Ohio State so um I think you know Indiana's gone back and forth in this series they they've made it interesting a few times but they've gotten just completely embarrassed uh more often than not recently I think um I'm going 3820 in this one I I think you know it'll be one of those games where I think in the first half you're like oh oh that that's interesting they have a chance here and then before you know it Ohio state will score four touchdowns and we'll be right in our post game stories in in the late third quarter yeah it's kind of what happened last year I mean the defense certainly showed a little bit of effort there in the first half but then it kind of fell apart but um Ohio State they have a lot of talent I mean Judkins the transfer from Miss at running back uh will Howard coming in from Kansas State got a lot of of young receivers that show a lot of promise that are going to be excited to watch so yeah I think um kind of what Seth said about Indiana's o line about the Michigan game I think the defense really gets tested and especially the secondary uh for Indiana and I think the Buckeyes give them fits I have Ohio State taking this one 31 to1 what you got Seth I took Ohio State 48 to 14 I I mean I think Ohio state is maybe the best team in the country if not probably one of the top two teams in the country this year and I mean you're right I don't think looking ahead is really that much of a thing for Ohio State it might be it might be Factor if Ohio State wasn't one of the best teams in the country but I think with just the amount of talent Gap like they could be looking ahead and still kind of cruise to victory in a game like this even with Indiana having a rest Advantage coming off a buy going into this game I right don't know that this game is going to be particularly close it's it's hard to come up with enough variables like that to convince yourself that that Indiana could win this game I see I see alli's made an appearance on the podcast can can we get one can we get one bark for Indiana or two barks for Purdue I don't know that I'll be able to get might not Park very much might be le best to let sleeping dogs lie there if we get him going but but no metaphor is there Purdue is the final opponent on the season they are 68th in Sp plus 63rd in returning production um this was a game last year in West Lafayette that Indiana gave away I they they had that game won and just fell apart in the fourth quarter um you know I I think you know this is the eighth home game of the season I I like the fact that it's in Bloomington I think it does matter in these type of games um I think Indiana is going to win at 38-28 what what do you got Owen yeah I have 3520 I mean I don't really have much to say on Purdue like you said they had that game one in West Lafayette and and really kind of handed it away so um depending on how the season works out you know that still could be another one of those games where you clinch bow eligibility you just never know so I mean I I think the hoers have a lot to play for add on the Rivalry to that and I think that they take that one Seth I took Indiana 27 to 20 against Purdue uh I think the circumstances like of both probably both teams but especially for Indiana I think the circumstances going into this game are going to dictate a lot about how this goes because I think I almost like Indiana better in this game if they've already clinched bul eligibility and they're just kind of out there playing for the bucket like if they're sitting at five wins and they need to beat Purdue to get to a Bull game I think you already it's a you know the Rivalry you already have you know the element of chaos there and just you know both teams are going to go super hard at it but if Indiana needs to win this game to get to a bowl I think they may there's a chance they come out a little bit tighter and you know they know they have to have this game versus if they have already clinched bull eligibility they're sitting at six wins and it's pretty much just Signet firing them up to win the bowl and beat to win the bucket and beat Purdue I think I like Indiana's chances in a game like that yeah that that scenario of sit sitting at five wins going into the Purdue game I think that was Tom Allen's first two years yeah and it didn't go well either time and probably for part in part I think both teams were in that scenario as a matter of fact um I think that was three straight years that happened I think that happened in Kevin Wilson's final year too so I think it was three straight years that that happened yeah I I agree that Indiana would be well served to to not be sitting in that spot um did did I I wasn't tallying everybody's picks here but did did we all land at seven and five I think so did I had a predict piece earlier that said six and six but it was the Michigan State game where I initially had a loss so I changed M S5 I'm sorry all right all right so that that's interesting we we diverted our path to get there a little bit but all landed in the same place so I guess back to the over under if if you want to make a bet and blame us later take the over gambling advice no no I don't gamble so I don't Tex I texted a buddy uh yesterday that I was picking him to go seven five and he responded almost disa like kind of disappointed like you know he's like man I think they could be even better I'm like seven and five would be a really good first season for he he's I'm sure that Signet would feel that he left even more on the table and you know he's gonna keep talking his his his talk you know no limitations of what we can achieve y Yad y all all that sort of stuff you know we can be the best team Purdue sucks y y but like you he's going to keep talking like that but I got to believe there's some tiny cell in his body that will understand that going seven and five in your first season at a program like this is a really really positive step in the right direction yeah there there's not a world that I've ever known where a seven and five Indiana season is a Bad season I mean that you know I think like to your point cetti's done such a good job of of hyping up the fan base and his track record is so good that you know there there's some outlier fans that you know want to talk about nine 10 wins and and like we said at the outside it's not outside the realm of what's possible but I think if this thing does turn out how we're saying here at seven and five with so many 5050 games out there I think that would be a great season for Indiana yeah all right guys well we've we've gone over an hour here I think that's enough for today for episode to um until next time uh for east7 street or or whatever we call the next time we reconvene uh we we'll see you all the next time around