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.
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 YearNominees: Trevor Gibbs, Davion Chandler, Quan Sanks, Jacob Savage.
Adds: Daniel Ndukwe, Tyrone Burris, Carson Williams.
Kobe Martin “I’m Not Missing a Single One of Your Press Conferences” Award (Best Presser)Nominees: Kobe Martin, Tyreek Tucker, Billy Gowers, Adam Olajani.
Adds: Josh Hoover (“Joshie”), Nick Marsh (gold cleats energy).
De’Air Hill “Running Back Crowd-Pop Creator of the Year”Nominees: Turbo Richard (kick returns), Byron Baldwin Jr. (Peach Bowl special teams blast), Elijah Hardy.
Discussion of Charlie Becker deep-ball/sideline potential and possible game-winner scenarios.
Aiden Fisher “That Guy’s Cheating” Award (Football IQ)Nominees: Bones (Isaiah) Jones, Preston Zachman, Mario Landino, Tyreek Tucker.
Adds: Josh Burnham, Tyler Morris, Josh Hoover, others. Heavy chat participation.
Charlie Becker “Here When You Need Me the Most” Clutch Player of the YearNominees: Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh, Roe Hardy, Josh Hoover, Nico & Patty Mac (kickers).
Adds: Mario Landino. Chat throws in historical names and basketball crossover jokes.
D’Angelo Pons Defensive MVPNominees: Elijah Hardy, Isaiah “Bones” Jones, Toby Osunsami, Stephen Daly, Kellen White.
Strong push for Mario Landino (NFL-caliber 3-tech pass rush). Also Farrell, Sharp, Baldwin, Tucker. Unit projected as a machine—may not produce a clear single MVP.
Charlie Becker / Stephen Daly / Daniel Ndukwe “Next Man Up” AwardNominees: Hollywood Bell, Garrett Reese, LeBron Bond, Jackson Wasserstrom, Austin Leibfried, Tyrone Burris, Kyler Garcia, Cam McGaney, Henry Olinger, Carson Williams, Davion Chandler, both Williams, Jerrion Campbell, Tyler Cherry, etc. Depth is a major theme.
Brian Haynes “Tweet of the Year”Nominees: Brian Haynes, Curt Cignetti, Nick Marsh, Mama Marsh / Mamatron, White Boy Rick.
Mario Landino “Wait, This Guy’s a Freshman” Award (True Freshmen)Nominees: Trevor Gibbs, Kevontae Hugin, Blake Smythe, Demonte Timms, Henry “Hank/Hanko” Olinger, Cam McHaney, Sam Simpson, Jerrion Campbell.
Note on the 5-5 rule and special-teams usage of the twos (less reliance on starters than previous years).
Fernando Mendoza Offensive MVPNominees: Josh Hoover, Turbo Richard, Kobe Martin, Chuck B (Charlie Becker), Nick Marsh, Brock Schott, Trevor Gibbs, Carter Smith (O-line representative). Feeling that the line as a unit could claim it.
Chat encouraged to keep adding names; Alec will note them for the end-of-year reveal (likely January).
Closing Thoughts – Indiana Hoosiers Outlook
Alec: Indiana is about to take massive real estate from the top of the sport (Big Noon slots, national attention, “red team” brand equity previously owned by Ohio State). The landscape will have to react to IU being front-and-center.
Brad: Ohio State fan base has been the most respectful all offseason—they know what IU has become. Expectations have been blown out of the water two straight years. Realistic bar now is “make the playoff every year.” Avoid becoming the delusional fan base; enjoy the ride, talk shit where earned (especially certain rival fan bases), but stay grounded. History is being rewritten.
Team on paper is more talented and deeper than last year. Projected as a buzzsaw against most of the schedule; the top-7 national group will be real tests. Goal is multiple titles in the Cignetti era.
Special-teams depth will keep more starters fresher. QB2 situation (Tyler Cherry vs. Grant Wilson) discussed—Wilson for in-game relief, Cherry if a full start is needed.Housekeeping & Outro
Next week: Full North Texas preview (IU’s season opener, ~10–11 days away). Back to two shows per week.
Subscribe push (chasing 700, aiming for 1,000 before the season). Like, comment, share. Follows: @AlecKieser, @Bradley_Loomis8, @theVOCFB, and the broader Voice of College Football network.
Fantasy college football league still filling—reach out.
Go Hoosiers.Key Themes Across the Show
College football is officially back. Talent and investment gaps between Power Four and everyone else continue to widen. Indiana is no longer the outlier—they are the standard others are measuring against. Depth, special teams, and sustained culture under Cignetti are the biggest internal storylines heading into the defense of the national title.
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