AI Summary
5 min read"Small Sample Size, Please": Belichick's Baby Step, USC's Empty Seats, and the Fake 49er Who Fooled Everyone
North Carolina beat TCU 15-10 in Dublin, Ireland, on a rainy field, and Ben Maller's immediate verdict was "SSSP — small sample size, please." The Tar Heels' defense dominated after the first quarter, holding TCU scoreless over their final eight possessions and limiting them to 281 total yards. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 232 yards, and Ohio State transfer tight end Jelani Thurman looked like a future pro. Bobby Petrino, kept away from motorcycles and hot coeds, called a competent offense with some razzle-dazzle. And Bill Belichick himself was calling the plays because his son Steve is on medical leave.
One Win Does Not a Blueprint Validate
Maller was emphatic that this win does not validate Belichick's NFL-style blueprint for college football. TCU was "sloppy Joes" — some of that was forced by North Carolina, but not all of it. The win buys Belichick a week of breathing room, a temporary "haul pass from the football gods." But the schedule gets real fast: East Tennessee State is a cupcake, then come Clemson and Notre Dame. "Let's check back here week four," Maller said. "Is North Carolina going to be three and one? Are they two and two? Are they one and three?" The struggle bus, he predicted, is coming around the mountain.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:40) **North Carolina Beats TCU: Does It Validate Belichick?** - Ben introduces the lead story: North Carolina upsetting TCU 15-10 in Dublin, and whether it proves Bill Belichick's NFL-style blueprint works in college football.
- 2 (12:37) **USC's Empty Coliseum: Weather Alibi or Fan Apathy?** - Ben pivots to USC's week-zero win over San Jose State, where the announced attendance of 51,144 was dwarfed by the visible number of empty seats on TV.
- 3 (19:47) **The Fake 49er: DeJuan Love's Con and the Netflix Doc** - Ben transitions to the viral story of DeJuan Love, who posed as a 49ers wide receiver for years to defraud women of $1.3 million, and is now facing federal wire fraud charges.
- 4 (33:48) **Tom Brady's Offer & Austin Ekeler's Plea** - Ben teases a segment on free-agent running back Austin Ekeler publicly stating it would be a "dream" for the Raiders to sign him, calling him a "washed-up running back" to match their "washed-up quarterback" Kirk Cousins.
- 5 (35:31) **Caller: Big Balls Bob Recaps Vegas** - Ben takes a call from a fan who attended the live event in Vegas, discussing the drive back to LA and the possibility of a future event at a baseball stadium.
- 6 (38:49) **Caller: Transgender Dave's Wholesome History Lesson** - A regular caller, Transgender Dave, delivers a "completely wholesome" story about contacting former Bengals center Bob Johnson to speak at his high school assembly in 1968.
- 7 (42:26) **Instant Trivia: Most Sacks vs. 49ers** - Ben poses the trivia question: Aaron Donald's 12.5 sacks against the 49ers is tied with whom for the most by any player since 1982? The answer is Kevin Greene.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
In Hour 2 of the show, Ben Maller goes over College Football week zero with Bill Belichick and North Carolina winning big in Ireland against TCU over the weekend. Plus, Ben chats with some of the callers, we have some Insta-Trivia, Maller to the Third Degree, and more!!
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