Saturday vs Sunday

In this episode of Saturday vs Sunday, we dive into the state of football in the Maryland/DC region—where expectations are sky high for the pros and a bit chaotic at the college level.

We start with the Ravens, a team that might have the most talented roster in the NFL. But playoff demons still haunt them. Is this Lamar Jackson’s last real shot? Can they finally stop finding bizarre ways to lose in January? We break down why it’s AFC Championship Game or bust.

Then we shift to the Commanders—coming off a deep playoff run and loaded with continuity across the board. But all that momentum hinges on whether they can lock in Terry McLaurin. Without him, the offense looks… average. With him? It could be the most creative and dangerous in the NFC.

On the college side, Navy is the surprise hit. Their “millennial wing-T” offense is as fun and unique as anything in the country. They’re a legitimate threat in the American Conference and an absolute must-watch. Meanwhile, the Maryland Terrapins? It’s a mess. NIL issues, transfer portal losses, and a brutal Big Ten schedule have them headed toward the basement.

From Super Bowl contenders to program rebuilds, we cover it all.

This is the state of football in Maryland and DC—one of the most fascinating football regions in the country right now.

This week on Saturday vs Sunday, we’re talking about a trend we can’t ignore — NFL teams clinging to aging quarterbacks like they’re a time machine. Joe Flacco is back as the Browns’ starter. Russell Wilson somehow landed another starting gig with the Giants. And Aaron Rodgers will be under center in Pittsburgh. All three of these guys have rings… but that was a long time ago.

We get into why these moves feel like a gut punch to the fans — not because they’re bad guys, but because they represent a total lack of imagination. NFL fans show up for hope, for the possibility of something new. And instead, they’re being asked to root for a rerun.

We break down why coaches might prefer the comfort of a veteran (hint: age bias, familiarity, and resume inflation), but also why it’s a disservice to the fanbase. The unknown is what makes football fun. That’s why we’d rather see Shador Sanders, Dylan Gabriel, Jackson Dart — even Will Howard — take the reins.

It’s not about disrespecting the old guard. It’s about embracing the new. If the NFL is an entertainment product, then let’s stop living in the past and give fans a reason to believe in the future.

Let us know if you’re just as tired of the recycled QB carousel — or if you actually think Rodgers, Flacco, or Wilson have one more run left in them.

This week on Saturday vs Sunday, we dive into why Week Zero in college football feels like a gift from the football gods — especially after slogging through another brutal NFL preseason weekend.

We admit it: earlier in the summer we convinced ourselves we were excited to watch preseason, to get a look at draft picks and see some depth chart battles. But after sitting through Lions vs. Dolphins and watching drives go backwards with endless penalties and retread quarterbacks, we’re done pretending. Preseason football is a terrible TV product. It’s unwatchable compared to what’s coming this Saturday.

That’s why Week Zero couldn’t arrive soon enough. We break down the massive Iowa State vs. Kansas State showdown in Ireland — a game that could shape the Big 12 race right from the start. Continuity at quarterback and head coach matters, and both programs check that box. We also look at Kansas hosting Fresno State in a newly renovated Booth Stadium, with Jalen Daniels back under center against Kurt Warner’s son, E.J. Warner. Add in the start of the Dan Mullen era at UNLV, and you’ve got real storylines, real players, and real games that matter.

This episode is about what we’ve been waiting for: football that counts. College Week Zero delivers intensity, uncertainty, and stakes. NFL preseason delivers three-and-outs, missed reads, and vanilla schemes. We know which one we’re watching.

Week Zero is greater than preseason, and we couldn’t be happier.

This week on Saturday vs Sunday, we’re diving into the state of football in Michigan — and between the Wolverines, Spartans, and Lions, there’s no shortage of storylines.

We start with the Wolverines, who come into the season with an 8.5 win total. Their defense is elite, but the big question is quarterback play. All eyes are on highly touted freshman Underwood, who chose Michigan over LSU and comes with massive expectations. With a favorable schedule — no Oregon or Penn State, plus Ohio State and Washington at home — the Wolverines could surprise, even if we think they might be a year away from truly contending.

Then we move to the Detroit Lions, who enter the year with real Super Bowl expectations. Their over/under sits at 10.5, they’re favorites in the NFC North, and they’re among the top five favorites to win it all. Hutchinson is back and reportedly dominating camp, the roster is stacked, and anything short of an NFC Championship Game will feel like a failure. The only question: can Detroit handle the pressure of being a front-runner instead of an underdog?

Finally, we break down the Spartans. Michigan State has a wild card in quarterback Aiden Childs — a big, athletic, rocket-armed QB who can make highlight plays but also too many mistakes. If he can clean up the turnovers, the Spartans have enough talent to get past their 5.5 win total and reach a bowl game.

Michigan football is must-watch this season — on Saturdays and Sundays.

This week on Saturday vs Sunday, we’re digging into the State of Affairs in Colorado football, and there’s a lot to unpack on both the college and pro side.

We kick things off with the Colorado Buffaloes, where the biggest storyline isn’t just about football — it’s about resilience. Coach Prime is back on the sidelines after overcoming bladder cancer, and we can’t help but respect what that takes. This season is his first without coaching his son, Shadur Sanders, and it’s going to be fascinating to see how that changes his approach. The Buffs have talent at quarterback with Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and a highly rated five-star freshman, but the team’s identity could shift toward a more balanced attack.

That shift is badly needed — last year’s rushing offense was dead last in the nation at just 65 yards per game. We talk about whether this offensive line, with three returning starters, can improve enough to support the run game. The wide receiver room has been reloaded with strong portal additions, but replacing all four top receivers who are now in the NFL is no small task. On defense, there’s reason for optimism, especially along the line, but they’ll need to compensate for the loss of Travis Hunter in the secondary.

We break down their Big 12 schedule, which looks favorable in spots. They dodge Texas Tech, open with a huge non-conference test against Georgia Tech, and have some winnable early games before hitting the heart of the conference slate. The real test will be whether they can build momentum heading into season-ending matchups with Arizona State and Kansas State.

From there, we move to the Denver Broncos — and we’re talking about a team with legit top-three defense potential. They were already stacked last year, leading the NFL in sacks, and now they’ve added two Pro Bowlers from the 49ers in safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw. The big question is the offense. Bo Nix will need to take a step forward in year two, and we think the “sophomore slump” narrative is overblown. Draft picks like running back RJ Harvey and receiver Pat Bryant could be difference-makers.

We also look at the AFC West picture. The Chargers losing star left tackle Rashawn Slater could be a game-changer in the standings, potentially putting the Broncos ahead of them on paper. But here’s the real challenge for Denver — last season they racked up wins mostly against struggling teams. If they want to be taken seriously as contenders, they need to beat teams with winning records and show up in big games, not just against the bottom of the league.

It’s a year of transition and opportunity for both the Buffaloes and Broncos. Whether it’s Coach Prime’s first season without Shadur or the Broncos’ push to challenge the Chiefs, Colorado football fans have plenty to watch for in 2025.

In this week’s Saturday vs Sunday “State of Affairs” series, we turn our attention to the Empire State — home to one legitimate Super Bowl contender and a handful of potential spoilers. Let’s be honest: in 2025, New York football is a one-horse race for the Lombardi Trophy, and that horse is the Buffalo Bills.

We start with Buffalo, because they’re the only team in the state with a real shot at winning it all. Josh Allen is still the centerpiece — freshly paid, newly married, and every bit the MVP-caliber quarterback he’s been in past seasons. But as much as we like his game, the Bills’ offense is still built “by committee,” and they’re missing that one true game-breaking star like a Jamar Chase or Tyreek Hill. That worked last year, but can it work again against Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson? Most of the offseason upgrades came through the draft, so there’s a lot riding on rookies contributing right away if they want to get over the hump in January.

Once we got the Bills talk out of our system, we looked at the rest of New York’s football landscape — the Jets, Giants, Syracuse, and Army. None of these teams are likely to make a deep postseason run, but they’re all capable of “clipping” a top contender and messing up somebody else’s playoff or bowl hopes. Army is always tough because of the triple-option offense and the 100% effort they bring every week. Syracuse has some continuity with their coordinators, plus a transfer QB from LSU in Collins, which could be just enough to surprise an ACC opponent or two.

Then there are the Giants. The opening stretch of their schedule is brutal, with a real shot at starting 1-7. The defense is loaded with elite talent like Dexter Lawrence, but the offense could waste those prime years if the quarterback situation doesn’t improve. We even had a little fun debating the Arch Manning scenario — could he end up in blue? Probably not, but it’s an interesting “what if” depending on how his Texas career plays out.

The Jets? We’re not buying them as contenders either. But with nothing to lose, they could still ruin someone’s season — especially if their quarterback can extend plays and create chaos in a one-off matchup. Late-season trickery or a fluky performance could swing a game that matters to somebody else more than it matters to them.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, we went on a tangent about Madden ratings and Malik Nabers’ spot on the list — spoiler alert, we think he’s way too low. In our book, there are only a couple of receivers we’d take ahead of him right now.

At the end of the day, the “State of Affairs” for New York football is simple: one team is gunning for a Super Bowl, and the rest are lying in wait to play spoiler. If you’re a Bills fan, it’s Super Bowl or bust. If you’re rooting for anyone else in New York, your biggest satisfaction this season might come from taking down a contender when they least expect it.

In this State of Affairs episode of Saturday vs Sunday, John Barban and Geoff Dover turn their attention to two football-rich regions tied together by one city: Kansas and Missouri. From the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs to the Big 12’s Kansas Jayhawks and Kansas State Wildcats, and on to the SEC’s Missouri Tigers, the guys break down the storylines, expectations, and roster shake-ups that will shape the 2025 season.

The NFL Side – Kansas City Chiefs:
The defending Super Bowl champs enter the year with the fourth-shortest odds to repeat, but there’s a twist – last season was Patrick Mahomes’ lowest yardage and touchdown total in any full season of his career. The Chiefs leaned heavily on a stifling defense and opportunistic plays in 2024, winning a staggering number of close games. This year’s early schedule is brutal, with matchups against the Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, and Lions in the first six weeks. With the AFC West improving across the board, Kansas City can’t afford a slow start. Key rookies like LT Josh Simmons, DT Omar Norman-Lott, and WR Jalen Royals could be difference-makers.

The Big 12 Picture – Kansas & Kansas State:
The Jayhawks’ Jalen Daniels and the Wildcats’ Avery Johnson both have elite talent but need to cut down on mistakes to elevate their teams. Daniels has a cannon arm and mobility but must limit interceptions, while Johnson’s flashes of brilliance have been offset by inconsistency. Kansas State enters as a co-favorite for the Big 12 title alongside Texas Tech, with a title-game appearance as the baseline expectation. For Kansas, an eight-win season could exceed projections in a conference that feels wide open, with as many as six teams having a legitimate shot at the crown.

The SEC Angle – Missouri Tigers:
Missouri comes off back-to-back double-digit win seasons but now faces turnover on offense, including the loss of star WR Luther Burden and first-round OT Armand Memboo. Penn State transfer Beau Pribula is the likely starter at QB, inheriting a roster with nine defensive starters returning and a heavy dose of veteran leadership. The Tigers avoid both Texas and Georgia, get Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas A&M at home, and could once again play spoiler in the SEC. Early non-conference games, including a matchup with Kansas, will set the tone for the season.

The Transfer Portal Era:
John and Jeff also dive into how NIL and the transfer portal have made college rosters almost unrecognizable year to year, challenging fans to keep up with who’s who. That unpredictability adds intrigue – and chaos – to every new season.

From Mahomes’ quest to reassert dominance, to the Big 12’s QB drama, to Missouri’s defense-led reload, this episode gives listeners a comprehensive, opinionated, and entertaining look at Kansas and Missouri football for 2025. Whether you’re a die-hard Chiefs fan, a Big 12 junkie, or just curious how these programs stack up, this one’s for you.

In this episode of Saturday vs Sunday, John Barban and Geoff Dover take a deep dive into the football landscape of the Peach State in their latest “State of Affairs” installment. Georgia might not have the sheer number of big programs as Texas or Florida, but with the Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, it’s home to some of the sport’s most compelling storylines heading into 2025.

The conversation kicks off with the reigning kings of the SEC—the Georgia Bulldogs. The hosts debate whether new starting quarterback Gunnar Stockton will need to carry the offense or simply avoid mistakes while Kirby Smart’s NFL-factory defense dominates. They revisit last year’s offensive inconsistency, from dropped passes to Jekyll-and-Hyde performances, and dissect Georgia’s 2025 schedule—highlighting the critical matchups with Alabama and Texas, both at home, and early-season tests against Tennessee. With no shortage of blue-chip talent, the consensus is clear: Georgia is reloaded and primed for another double-digit win season.

From Athens, the discussion shifts to the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons, where the arrival of rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. has energized the fanbase. Barban and Dover explore the rare luxury of having both Penix and veteran Kirk Cousins on the roster, debating whether this unique setup is genius roster building or a risky investment. They break down the Falcons’ aggressive defensive draft strategy—two first-round edge rushers and two safeties—and whether these moves can fix a defense that struggled last season. Early-season division games against the Buccaneers and Panthers could set the tone for a potential playoff run in a wide-open NFC South.

Finally, the spotlight turns to Georgia Tech, the ACC’s potential dark horse. Returning quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes give the Yellow Jackets continuity and firepower, making them a legitimate challenger in the conference. The hosts revisit Tech’s near-upset of Georgia last season and their early-season trip to Colorado, a matchup that could establish Tech as a serious contender before conference play even begins. With a schedule that avoids Miami and SMU, the path to a 10-win season is there—if they can stay healthy and consistent.

Throughout the episode, Barban and Dover weave in their trademark mix of data, humor, and candid opinion, comparing Georgia’s programs to national contenders and calling out the players who could define the season. Whether it’s Kirby Smart’s relentless recruiting, Penix’s poise under pressure, or Georgia Tech’s smash-mouth run game, this episode delivers a full-scope look at why the state of Georgia will be at the center of football conversations in 2025.

If you’re a Bulldogs loyalist, a Falcons die-hard, or just love seeing an underdog like Georgia Tech shake up the standings, this episode breaks down the matchups, rosters, and storylines you’ll be following all season long.

In this episode of Saturday vs Sunday, John Barban and Geoff Dover dive deep into the State of Affairs: Pennsylvania — a state that might just be the epicenter of American football in 2025. With the Eagles among the top Super Bowl favorites and Penn State boasting one of the most experienced and talent-rich rosters in college football, the guys explore what it would mean for Pennsylvania to pull off the unthinkable: a national championship and a Super Bowl in the same year.

Wearing their team colors with pride, John and Jeff break down the four major programs across the state — the Eagles, Steelers, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Pitt Panthers — and discuss which teams are real contenders and which still have something to prove. Can Drew Allar finally deliver on his five-star potential with a loaded backfield and new transfer receivers? Will Penn State’s continuity at quarterback, running back, and offensive line finally be enough to overcome Ohio State and make a deep playoff run? Or will a shaky wide receiver corps and pressure-packed expectations lead to disappointment once again?

On the NFL side, the conversation turns to Jalen Hurts and the Eagles — a team with veteran swagger, a retooled defense, and sky-high expectations. The guys question whether Philadelphia’s cheap defensive payroll for 2025 can hold up in the playoffs, especially with NFC powers looming. Meanwhile, the Steelers are the wild card of the conversation. Can Aaron Rodgers bring playoff credibility back to Pittsburgh? Jeff and John weigh the early schedule, the importance of their rookie class (including Oregon’s monster DE D’erek Harmon), and whether this team can finally break its postseason drought.

And don’t forget the Pitt Panthers — a team that started 7–0 last season before injuries derailed everything. If Holstein stays healthy and the ACC schedule breaks their way, Pitt could be a surprise contender once again.

From blue-chip recruiting to veteran quarterback play, from offensive line dominance to defensive reinforcements, this episode covers it all. It’s a detailed, passionate, and opinionated look at one of football’s most tradition-rich states — and why this year might just be the biggest yet.

Whether you’re flying the Philly green, waving the Terrible Towel, or chanting “We Are,” this one’s for you. Welcome to Pennsylvania, where Saturdays and Sundays both hit different.

In this week’s “State of Affairs” episode, John Barban and Jeff Dover dive deep into the gridiron battleground that is California. From the NFL elite to the unpredictable college scene, the Golden State is packed with drama, roster shake-ups, and sky-high expectations heading into the 2025 football season.

We start with the USC Trojans and the curious case of Jaden Maiava. Is he the weakest QB Lincoln Riley has ever started a season with? John and Jeff debate the pros and cons of USC’s new signal caller, the still-leaky Trojan defense, and whether this team can finally be more than just fireworks on offense. It’s Riley’s second year with DC D’Anton Lynn—will that continuity be enough to make the defense serviceable in the Big Ten?

Then it’s over to UCLA, where the most talked-about offseason saga featured former Tennessee star Nico Iamaleava transferring west. The guys discuss the bizarre path that brought him to Westwood, the impact of losing continuity, and whether Nico can elevate a UCLA roster that’s good—but not great—in a tough Big Ten draw. Spoiler: there’s skepticism.

Shifting to the pros, the debate heats up: 49ers or Rams—who’s the top team in California? Jeff makes the case for San Francisco, praising Brock Purdy’s development and the return of defensive guru Robert Saleh. But John thinks the Rams might be the best team in the NFC, citing their loaded young defensive line led by Jared Verse—who John boldly predicts will become the highest-paid non-QB in the league.

Speaking of Verse, the guys break down his game-wrecking potential, comparing him to a bigger, more powerful version of Micah Parsons. Add that to a healthy Matthew Stafford, the addition of Devonte Adams, and a quietly dangerous Rams draft class, and you’ve got a team that’s way more than a wild card contender.

The Chargers round out the pro talk—and not in a good way. Jeff questions what, if anything, they’ve done to improve beyond adding running back Omarion Hampton. Ladd McConkey is an intriguing weapon, but with Bosa gone and a brutal three-division-game start to the season, Harbaugh’s squad is already on the brink before September ends.

Finally, they touch on the forgotten programs: Cal and Stanford. Cal’s mass exodus and Stanford’s lame-duck coaching situation offer little optimism, despite deep institutional resources and past quarterback success stories.

If you’re trying to make sense of the California football landscape, this episode has it all—hot takes, deep dives, and a fair share of skepticism. Whether you’re an NFL fan, a college die-hard, or just love a good football debate, you’ll come away knowing exactly where each program stands—and what’s at stake this fall.