Dudes rock
• Senior reporter, The Athletic • College football, dogs and pro wrestling... skeets? • Co-host, Bunch Formation and Getting Over podcasts • DM, cvannini@theathletic.com, Signal: ChrisVannini.01 • linktr.ee/chrisvannini
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Dudes rock
Each of the last four episodes of Bunch Formation have become the most-listened-to show in our short history. Appreciate everyone finding the new show as we grow this thing. Follow the show here: linktr.ee/bunchformation
Alabama is No. 2 in 247's Team Talent rankings, tied for the most 5-star recruits on a roster.
The lawsuit is not challenging the idea of eligibility rules or asking for unlimited eligibility. It's just saying players should get five years. The co-lead counsel is the lawyer who represented Diego Pavia in getting extra eligibility.
News: A group of athletes, led by two Vanderbilt football players, has filed a class action lawsuit to challenge the NCAA's redshirt rule, saying athletes should get all five years to complete.
Texas State-UTSA too!
My man
Week 1 had the marquee games, but this Week 2 schedule is for the real CFB fans. Kansas-Missouri, Iowa-Iowa State, Baylor-SMU, Syracuse-UConn, Florida-USF, West Virginia-Ohio, Arkansas-Arkansas State, Houston-Rice Looks like regional rivalries are back on the menu, boys
Texas went 0-for-2 in the red zone in Saturday's loss to Ohio State. But it's not a new issue — the Longhorns' red zone success has generally declined since the start of the Steve Sarkisian era. I dove into that and the other key Texas issues that popped up @theathletic.com: nyti.ms/3HOnd7n
🚨 #WWE #Wrestlepalooza build off & running as Becky Lynch puts CM Punk in his place w/ AJ Lee return teased. @adamsilverstein.bsky.social & @chrisvannini.com also cover: 🫂 The Usos fully reuniting 🤩 IYO, Asuka, Rhea Ripley 🙄 AJ Styles losing in Paris ➕ Sami, SD creative 🎧: linktr.ee/gettingover
Feel like he needs leather pants. And a black trench coat. Maybe some black shades. I wouldn’t be mad if he had a sword.
2. Ohio State 4. Miami 15. Auburn 20. USF 49. Michigan State 71. Rice 124. Delaware This week's Athletic 136, ranking every FBS team: www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
2. Ohio State 4. Miami 15. Auburn 20. USF 49. Michigan State 71. Rice 124. Delaware This week's Athletic 136, ranking every FBS team: www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
Update! bsky.app/profile/mdwd...
📺 40 minutes of thoughts on UNC looking bad, TCU looking good, if Bill Belichick can do this and how many games they might win. On the Bunch FormationP YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbt6...
Why was Belichick's postgame presser at the senior prom
Before you get mad, please read the disclaimer in the story. LSU won on the road, against a Clemson team I had ranked higher than Texas. LSU's postgame win expectancy was 87.2%, compared to 17.8% for OSU. The case for LSU is totally valid.
📈 This week's Athletic 136 is live 1. LSU 3. Florida State 11. Utah 33. Tulane 51. Colorado 95. Stanford 135. UMass Full rankings: www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...
📺 40 minutes of thoughts on UNC looking bad, TCU looking good, if Bill Belichick can do this and how many games they might win. On the Bunch FormationP YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbt6...
📺 Going LIVE now on YouTube to talk about this TCU-UNC game. Let's unpack that whole thing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbt6...
Don’t forget, we’re shipping this to Ireland next year.
The reverse also true
Deion Sanders and Bill Belichick were never the same kind of coaching situations. Deion was a high school coach and then an FCS college coach before Colorado. He worked his way up and always understood CFB, and he had two elite talents with him.
Belichick learning about the college ref experience has been fun
Max Johnson coming back from the leg injury to throw a TD to his brother is really cool.
TCU will be able to score 60 if it wants to.
This is getting very very ugly for North Carolina. It's 34-7 TCU and the total yardage is 389-108.
UNC hasn't completed a pass in two hours.
The attention is on UNC but TCU looks quite good. Dominating the trenches in a way they haven't in a few years. Josh Hoover's been very smart with the ball. Looks like a very focused team.
This is what I thought TCU was going to do to Colorado in 2023
TCU now has a 322-103 total yardage edge after a 75-yard TD run opens the second half. 27-7 Frogs
UNC ran just 24 plays in that half. Going 0-for-5 on third down will do that. (TCU had 41).
TCU leads North Carolina 20-7 at halftime. Total yards TCU: 247 UNC: 103 TCU QB Josh Hoover is 20-for-25 passing for 193 yards. UNC is 0-for-5 on 3rd down
Why don't they make the whole plane out of the script?
UNC's drives since the opening TD: Three-and-out Three-and-out Three-and-out Pick-6
Bud Clark is good. Pick-6 for TCU.
Wouldn't be a Kendal Briles game without getting too cute in the play-calling
What a BULLET from Josh Hoover wow
North Carolina has negative-10 yards in three drives since the touchdown.
Just saw that Nico Iamaleava was pressured on 59% of his dropbacks against Utah. My god.
TCU settled down and Josh Hoover delivers a perfect TD pass.
UNC has a lefty QB and center. TCU has a left-footed punter. Nice to see some representation for us.
Love that both UNC and TCU are wearing normal clean uniforms and not weird stuff.
North Carolina makes that look easy. Bullied TCU at the line and Gio Lopez delivered some dimes. The Belichick era can't start better than that.
The scene at UNC looks awesome. Great job by ESPN giving the whole feel.
📺 I'll be LIVE on the Bunch Formation YouTube channel after tonight's UNC-TCU game for some Instant Reaction. Come join me: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbt6...
News: The ACC has fined Florida State $50,000 for the field storm after beating Alabama. New conference policy this year, similar to the SEC.
CM Punk and Becky Lynch with a Promo Segment of the Year contender, and that eventual AJ Lee pop is going to be insane
I've seen enough. AJ Styles in France is bigger than Bret Hart in Canada.
Confirmed no nipple piercings on Mike Gundy.
Alabama plays ULM this week. 18 years ago, ULM stunned the world and beat Nick Saban's first Bama team, and fans put up a billboard. This is the story of that billboard: www.nytimes.com/athletic/390...
Alabama WR Ryan Williams is in concussion protocol and is day to day, per coach Kalen DeBoer.
Cal 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looks like a DUDE. 20-for-30, 234 yds, 3 TDs and delivered several NFL-quality throws. I'm all-in on him.
🎙 New @gettingovercast.bsky.social Clash In Paris Instant Analysis 🗼 Why couldn't Bronson Reed get the win? 😎 Seth + Becky will be really fun 🥩 Sheamus-Rusev was my match of the night 🎧 Listen: linktr.ee/gettingover
UTSA ran for more than 200 yards against Texas A&M. Not sure what to make of that yet.
🎙️ New Bunch Formation, full of Week 1 reactions - Florida State back? - Alabama doomed? - Does Miami have the talent to win it all? - Did @davidubben.bsky.social survive his trip? Plus Ohio State, Arch Manning, Auburn, USF, Utah, Iowa St & more 🎧📺: Listen/Watch: linktr.ee/BunchFormation
i'm very excited to watch this miami team all season because we saw tonight that they are supremely talented, like very obviously national championship caliber talented, and we also confirmed mario did not learn anything about clock/situation management this summer. perfect combo.
.@davidubben stopped at a McDonald's somewhere on his trip to record the last part of tomorrow's episode of Bunch Formation. Week 1 Mega Breakdown will be in your feeds in the morning. Follow the show: linktr.ee/bunchformation
Lee Corso goes out with PERFECT picks. The legend.
This was a helluva Week 1 for “first time starters who look like they’re being asked to control a fire truck on day 2 of driver’s ed”
Miami and Florida State both looking good could be a lot of fun.....
Whew buddy that Miami defensive front blows up Notre Dame's No. 1-ranked OL twice to seal the game.
Good kick! Lot of time left for Notre Dame, though
Miami playing for a long field goal with a shaky kicker with a whole minute left?
It does with the extra effort.
Last time Miami had 3rd-and-2, it couldn't convert, kicked a FG. That OL that was dominating early is slipping. They have to hold up here.
Or the Atlanta Falcons
Miami's win probability was 93% three game minutes ago. The game is now tied.
And Here Come The Irish
Miami's looked like the much better team but Notre Dame's still hanging around. Miami's missed FG and inability to convert 3rd and 2 deep loom large.
That INT doesn't happen if it isn't kicked further into the air by Miami. A defensive Flea-Kicker.
A double-doink interception for Miami
The last time CJ Carr took a real snap, it was a TD pass to tie things at 7. He now comes back down 21-7. That's the Middle Eight Difference.
This Miami offensive line is EATING. Just dominating up front. Big boy football.
Miami delay of game after the second half kickoff. Game management...
Notre Dame looked like a team with a freshman starter and spent much of the first half trying to make him comfortable, which I think they did. Surprised Love only has four carries, but Price has run well. Might see things open up more in the second half.
Miami in the trenches has lived up the hype so far on both sides. Carson Beck has looked comfortable. Other than the botched field goal and coverage bust TD, Canes look pretty good.
Ridiculous
WHAT A CATCH CJ DANIELS
Miami sure could've used an extra timeout right now.
Malachi Toney takes the mantle from Ryan Williams as this year's "He's 17 years old" player.
Miami special teams have wasted a timeout before the first punt return and now botched a field goal snap.
Miami wasting a timeout before a punt return on the first drive is not ideal game management.
Makes it a four-FG game
A lot of CFB26 players who use one play over and over for South Carolina recognized that Nyck Harbor touchdown.
Feels like we've had a lot of missed calls from announcers this weekend, not recognizing catches, drops, fumbles when it's obvious on TV.
Update on Virginia Tech mistakes: - INT thrown in the end zone - Missed open swing pass on 3rd down - Allowed a 2nd-and-33 to become an SC FG drive - Open 3Q with a 3rd down drop - Personal foul after a sack ends a drive - Illegal formation leads to re-punt and SC PR TD
BEAMERBALL
Virginia Tech is 1-12 in one-score games under Brent Pry. South Carolina leads 10-8 entering the fourth quarter.
Virginia Tech's defense has looked awesome, blowing up the South Carolina offensive line.
Add to the list, committing a personal foul after a sack, creating a loss of 22 on a single play after getting across midfield.
Virginia Tech mistakes: - Bad INT thrown in the end zone - Missed wide-open swing pass on 3rd down - Allowed a 2nd-and-33 to become a 1st down, leads to SC FG - Open the 3Q with a 3rd down drop
Virginia Tech's clock management on that drive was very rough. Got the ball with 3:42 left, at midfield with around 1:51 left. Kicked a 56-yard FG on 4th down as the clock ran out and went into halftime holding two timeouts.
College kickers have gotten too good
Looked like Dylan Stewart's shoulder issue happened when he bumped into QB Drones. Wasn't a hard hit or anything.
If you hold the ball and take two steps, I don't care what happens after. That should be a catch. Don't like either LSU or South Carolina call, but I guess it's consistent.
And then Virginia Tech gives up a 2nd-and-33 run.
Virginia Tech's been the better team so far, slightly, but Hokies keep making killer mistakes. The INT in the end zone, missing the open swing pass there.
Was The Grink there