The Drive with Josh Graham - College Football Playoff Picks

Attention please. This is The Drive with Josh Tram Podcast. Tune into The Drive 3 until 6pm weekdays on the Sports Hub. I love it.

It's brilliant. And we'll get to some baseball in just a little bit. But, college football starts for real this weekend. We had week zero games a few days ago. But, with college football season nearing, I have my college football playoff prediction cemented. I've been thinking about this a very long time. I've been crossing things out and penciled and trying to write them in pen.

And then once it was written in pen, I wrote on another sheet of paper because I disagreed with what I had before. But, I officially have a conclusion here for the college football playoff. And, I think this is the season it finally happens for the Michigan Wolverines. Ten and three last year were the Wolverines. The year before that they disappointed with eight wins.

They had ten the previous two. Jim Harbaugh is a winner except that he hasn't gotten over the Ohio State hurdle. Still hasn't beaten the Buckeyes at this point.

But, this is going to be the year it happens. The Michigan Wolverines are going to make the college football playoff. And, it's mostly because Ohio State is going to take a step back.

Listen, I like Ryan Day. He did a nice job when Urban Meyer was suspended those two games at the start of last year. He did what was necessary to get them wins. And, he understands how Urban Meyer ran things.

But, let's not mix it up. He's not Urban Meyer. He can't have the level of knowledge that Meyer had that took him winning national championships to accrue. So, while he might be a good coach, he's not Jim Harbaugh yet. He's not Urban Meyer yet. So, Ohio State is naturally going to take a step back. Justin Fields, he's being touted as a Heisman candidate.

I don't see it. There's a reason why Jake Fromm beat him out at Georgia. There's a reason why he transferred out to go to Ohio State. It's not because he's a bad quarterback. He deserves to be starting at Ohio State. But, there's also a reason why he's transferring out at another place that's considered to be a contender.

And, it's because he wasn't as good as the incumbent that was already in place in Fromm. So, while people are going to mix this up and think that I'm saying that Justin Fields isn't any good, what I'm simply saying is that Justin Fields isn't a Heisman candidate to this point. The reason Michigan is going to get over the hump this year, in addition to Ohio State taking a few notches back, just dialing it back a little bit with Urban Meyer being gone and them losing Heisman quality quarterback play. The schedule really favors the Wolverines. The Ohio State game is at home in Ann Arbor. Michigan State is going to Ann Arbor.

Iowa, going to Michigan. Those are the three most difficult games on the schedule. They're out of conference. Middle Tennessee, Army West Point, which, don't overlook Army West Point, that's going to be something to keep an eye on in week two. But, aside from that, those are your out of conference games that you're playing? Those are the teams you're playing out of conference.

Okay? Notre Dame you obviously play every single year. That won't be a walk in the park by any means. But, once again, that game's going to be played, say it with me, in Ann Arbor. Michigan's easiest games are at home.

Their most difficult road game is at Wisconsin, but that game's even coming off a bye week. So it all sets up very well for Jim Harbaugh. They have quarterback play coming back and Shay Patterson, who I thought didn't get enough credit for last year.

They won ten games. He got banged up at points, transferring from Ole Miss. He's going to be even better in year two under Jim Harbaugh's offense. Jim Harbaugh's a tremendous coach. He just hasn't beat Ohio State yet. And, unfortunately, that's how you're graded when you're in that job and when you're at Ohio State.

How do you do against the rival? It's what happens here in the state of North Carolina with Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski. And, fortunately, those coaches have beaten each other quite a bit that no one really puts pressure on the coaches when they don't win a handful of times in a row. You've got two Hall of Fame coaches there. Jim Harbaugh's going to get it done this year. Who's he going to be joined by? I'm going to go out on a limb here, Des. It might even warrant the hip hop air horn in terms of this being a red hot take.

I think Clemson and Alabama are both going to be there. Whoa. Whoa. Really? You think so?

You think they got it? Clemson. Alabama. Now, that isn't to say Alabama isn't going to lose a game this year. I think Alabama's more susceptible to lose than Clemson is. Obviously, the SEC is a little bit more talented than the ACC is. You've got difficult games on the schedule if you're Alabama.

I don't think they're impervious, but don't buy the spin. Alabama's ticked off that they didn't win the national title. They're even more ticked off that they got beat 44 to 16. Apparently, from all accounts in Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban is constantly reminding his team about that, and there's an extra edge to a team that rarely needs that edge. Clemson.

You hear Dabo constantly saying, we've got 75 or 80 players who are underclassmen. Yeah, you also have 11 players who are preseason all-ACC, so don't buy the spin of that. Clemson, they're going to find a way to get there, as is Alabama. I'm in on Michigan, but the ultimate dark horse I think comes out of the Pac-12, where you haven't had a team go to the college football playoffs since Washington in 2016. I don't think it's going to be the Huskies this year.

They lose three of the most talented players in their franchise's history, or excuse me, their program's history. From last year, Jake Browning at quarterback, Miles Gaskins running back, and Dame Pettis at wide receiver. Also, only two returning starters for the Huskies on defense. I'm all in on the Utah Utes, who are number 13 in the preseason poll. They don't have a difficult out-of-conference schedule. Got to open at BYU. They play Northern Illinois and Idaho State.

Not difficult out-of-conference at all. Utah will get through that. They're a team that has great balance, offense and defense.

The schedule sets up for them very nicely. Washington is their most difficult road game, but as I mentioned before, I think Washington's going to take a step back. Washington State, though, home game for Utah. UCLA, which is expected to be better this year under Chip Kelly.

Home game for the Utes. And you don't have Oregon in the regular season. You might run into them in the Pac-12 title game. I'm leaning on a team that has seven offensive starters back, seven defensive starters back, a team that's been knocking on the door the last few years, winning at least nine games in four of the last five years. I really do think the Pac-12's going to have a better season this year, and Utah's going to be the best team in that conference. So give me the Utes as the surprise team to make the college football playoff, joining Michigan, Alabama, and Clemson. Your thoughts are welcome on Twitter, at Sports Hub Triad. Evan Leppler going to join us in just a bit. ACC play-by-play man. But I'm looking at Twitter right now.

Tori Smith is still going in on Doug Gottlieb, our good friend that Roy Williams, I think, spelled out about as well as you can, why you probably shouldn't be listening to what Doug Gottlieb says. Shorts on backwards, shorts on backwards. Either that or the stolen credit card. I saw more stolen credit card stuff on Twitter than I saw shorts on backwards. What was that about, the stolen credit cards?

I was going to ask you about that. When he was in college, he stole some credit cards as a means to try and make money. There isn't much to it, but Doug Gottlieb, he took the play after saying Andrew Luck retiring was the most millennial thing ever. People got mad at him, and he responded on some radio show. It might even be on the Fox Sports Radio Network, so I don't know if I should be doing this, but shorts on backwards. Doug Gottlieb, he took the approach, I was being sarcastic.

Anybody that knows me knows I was being sarcastic. Shorts on backwards, shorts on backwards. Tori Smith wasn't buying it. The Panthers wide receiver tweeted out, Your tweet, Doug, was stupid because it insinuates that he was weak for choosing his health. Your quote, too hard, end quote comment, solidified that.

It's okay to protect your mind and body. No beef, but at me next time, bro. Shorts on backwards, shorts on backwards. The heat was there. Seems like everyone's kind of mad at Doug Gottlieb this week. I feel like that's the only thing that's worth talking about from the Andrew Luck story today. Everybody got to it yesterday. We were all eating from the same buffet, and there's no longer food available. Everything that's been said, I think everything there is to say has been said already about the Andrew Luck subject.

But there will still be people, whether it's Roy Williams or Tori Smith, dunking on Doug Gottlieb. Shorts on backwards, shorts on backwards. The drive is brought to you in part by our friends at Twin Peaks Restaurant. Pay them a visit.

Haynes Mall Boulevard in Winston-Salem. We're here at BB&T Ballpark, but not too far away is the Twin Peaks. And if you're looking to watch games, that's your local sports lodge, man.

We've been telling you all along. So if it's college football Saturday this weekend to open the year week one or NFL games on Sunday, September the 8th, I'll tell you where to go. And it's Twin Peaks. TVs all over the place. Sometimes they have so many TVs that you have to have the same game on multiple TVs.

That's not a problem. Cold beer, delicious food. Twin Peaks eats drinks, scenic views. I watched the VMAs last night in addition to the Dave Chappelle special, and John Travolta made a repeat appearance as a presenter. I don't think Travolta has presented anything since the Oscars. He had that embarrassing mess up, which we find to be very funny. Some of the most hilarious sound that we can play for you.

In fact, let's play that right now while we're talking about it. This is John Travolta introducing a performance by Idina Menzel. A gorgeously empowering song.

Let it go from the Oscar winning animated movie Frozen. Please welcome the wickedly talented one and only Del Fazzini. Again, that's him introducing Idina Menzel. Idina Menzel is what he's introducing there. I like how he went into this like Caster Troy type voice for that wickedly talented part there. He just kind of went up a notch. But it also makes it sound like he knows who he's talking about. Yeah, the wickedly talented whatever. He's the only person on the planet that can say wickedly that way. He's looking good now as a bald man.

He finally went home. It's not a bad look for Travolta, but he's on a VMA stage where I don't know how many young people know who John Travolta is the same way. Des, how many people did you watch at the VMAs last night you know? Well, I only watched the Seven Minutes of Missy Elliott because I didn't know anybody else.

Taylor Swift was there. That's the point. So they bring out John Travolta because Desmond Johnson knows who he is. And meanwhile, all the people who know who John Travolta is doesn't know what the hell Alizzo is.

None of them do. So John Travolta comes on stage. He's with Queen Latifah and they're introducing an award and he makes a joke saying you should read the winner because I'm no good at this. And she announces that Taylor Swift wins. So John Travolta, he made fun of himself. He got out of the woods.

All is great, right? Then Taylor Swift brought the entire group of LGBTQ actors and members of the community who were in the music video on stage with her. And John Travolta nearly handed the award to a drag queen.

What? I think he thought Taylor Swift was a drag queen. So John Travolta, he is wickedly talented. But he has no idea who any of these people are. He has no idea about any of the pop culture or any of the people. You would think if you're presenting an award, you might at least Google search.

What does the person's face look like? He thought he could wing it. Got it. That didn't work the first time.

No, it didn't. So John Travolta, clearly no idea who anybody in pop culture is. Up next, we got Evan Lepler here, the great ACC broadcaster, Raycom Sports doing some broadcasts this year for Fox Sports as well. He's here on site here at BB&T Ballpark. We're getting set for first pitch for a Winston-Salem Dash baseball game.

So all is great. But also, opening weekend is coming up and I'll tell you why this might be the best opening weekend in recent ACC history. That's next on the drive. Evan Lepler now joining us, our good friend Raycom Sports, the voice of many other sports. How many sports are we at right now, Evan? Sports that you're the voice of.

Sports that I am the primary broadcaster for, none of which I imagine I ever would be calling regularly, probably include Ultimate Frisbee, Cornhole, and I called my second axe throwing event this past weekend. I love axe throwing. It's one of the most fun things to watch. If you have never watched axe throwing, I have thrown axes before.

I did it for the first time this past weekend and I need a lot of work. It's an amazing thing. Have you ever thrown axes before, Des? No, although strangely enough I was invited to go do so like two weeks ago and I bailed out.

The event is essentially going there and they serve alcohol while you're throwing axes. So the general manager of, I think it's called Tap That Axe, the new Winston-Salem right by the Ram Cat downtown, a gentleman named Sam Carter was in the finals of the U.S. Open of axe throwing that I broadcast on ESPN2 this past weekend. He really should have won it. He stumbled a little bit down the stretch but he had never really competed before.

It was an unbelievable performance and you could go meet him and learn from him and maybe learn some of his brilliance. We've got a game getting set to start. BBNT ballpark. It is the Winston-Salem dash and the Salem Red Sox. Evans very conflicted as somebody who went to Wake Forest, lives in Winston-Salem but is a Red Sox fan. And didn't you broadcast Salem at one point? To be honest, I'm not all that unbiased. I'm the Red Sox minority here because I was the voice of the Salem Red Sox for six seasons. I grew up outside of Boston. I can't not come to BBNT ballpark and wear a headset by the way.

I thought today was going to be the first time I come here and not put a headset on but apparently that's a requirement. Let's look at this weekend a little bit. It's opening weekend in the ACC and I think this is one of the best opening weekends in recent memory when you consider the fact that you have almost everything. You have regional games that fans care about. You have conference games that look like in the grand picture of things are going to be significant. Also, you have playoff teams from a year ago who are going up against ACC teams and one of which obviously is in the ACC. Clemson going up against Georgia Tech, Alabama, Duke, Louisville, and Notre Dame. Then in the regional games, North Carolina, South Carolina.

We will be at that game Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. East Carolina, NC State. It's the first time NC State is going to be able to serve alcohol legally so I think it's the perfect game to welcome the pirate nation there. When you look at conference games that are very significant, you've got Boston College, Virginia Tech, two teams that I consider to be very good. Virginia and Pitt. Virginia the preseason picked to win the Coastal. That game decided the Coastal last year. So this is what you're getting right out of the chute and on top of that, you and I were just at Dave Clawson's press conference earlier today.

Maybe the best game of the bunch when you just look at sheer quality of teams. Wake Forest looking to go to four straight bowl games, win its fourth consecutive bowl game. Utah State won 11 games last year. That's coming up Friday night.

It's a fantastic weekend. I'm not sure if you mentioned Florida State hosting Boise State as well. The conference games, to play a game so important, so early in your season, I mean, I'm sure you were watching Miami, Florida on Saturday like I was.

Great appetizer. It was so sloppy and yet it was still so much fun to watch and it was a game that could have gone either way and had several lead changes down the stretch. I'm fascinated to see how Wake Forest fares on Friday night because, as you said, this is a real test for them and I think it's a critical game for them. Look, as Wake Forest begins the 2019 season, they have the pieces to potentially have one of the better years they've had in school history. Now, I'm not predicting that they're going to win the ACC.

I think they have that anywhere from four to nine wins written on them. And this is a game where if you want to have a good season by Wake Forest standards, you take care of business at home. And it's a great win for the Atlantic Coast Conference to beat an 11-win team from the Mountain West. Dave Claussen mentioned earlier today, Wake and Utah State have played a couple times in the last five years. Wake got shellacked once out in Utah. Wake handed Utah State a pretty good whoop-in a couple years ago. This will be the best version of the Deacons and the Aggies that have gone head-to-head.

Here's what's interesting to me. You have a new director of athletics in John Curry who has made an effort to be as present, to be as visible as possible. And also, his number one agenda item, it seems like, has been Wake Forest football promoting the games, getting people to be at the games, season ticket sales. And I was told by athletic spokesman Steve Schott earlier today, they're very close to selling out this game. They didn't sell out last year and you had Clemson and Notre Dame coming in and you were going on to win your third consecutive winning season.

That's a priority now. I wonder how much different the mood around Wake Forest football is and this momentum that's been created if Wake comes out of the chute and loses to Utah State. Obviously, it's important for the program and the added momentum to win. If they beat North Carolina a couple weeks later after they lose to Utah State, it could come back.

But I'm with you, Josh. I think there's been a singular kind of lead mentality for the John Curry era, which obviously is in its infancy. And that's we're going to get people in the stands, we're going to amp up our football environment. Look, it doesn't take a genius to realize that the basketball program, both men's and women's, are in a really rough spot. The football program is as good as it has ever been. They're trying to make football the marquee sport at Wake Forest.

It's never been that before, but it is now out of necessity. And they've got the personnel to be great again this year. Now, they have very little margin for error. Their depth, while maybe is better than past years, is still not necessarily at the top level of the ACC. And I look at their schedule, they got two games that they absolutely should win, Elon and Rice. They got one game that they absolutely should lose at Clemson. Every other game is something of a toss-up for them. So that's why I think kind of four to nine wins is the range for this Demon-Deacon football team. But as far as this weekend goes, look, I'm really excited for Pittsburgh, Virginia. I think the winner of that game has a great chance to win the Coastal Division. And I'm curious what Mack Brown's Tar Heels are going to look like. You know, South Carolina is going to be a tough opponent for them. That's going to be a really tough game to win, but they're going to come out and compete.

And I said this to someone earlier today. North Carolina a year ago was better than their record was. They were more competitive, especially late in the year. They lost a lot of close games. Yeah.

So, you know, they changed the mentality, they changed the system, they bring in a new energy. I wouldn't be shocked at all if North Carolina went to South Carolina and won. Now, I'm not predicting them to win, but I would not be shocked as you groan as somebody gets hit by a pitch here at D&D.

Yeah, I was actually groaning at what you said. South Carolina, I just think they're better at every single position. And they got a better quarterback at Jake Bentley. And this is a really tough spot for Sam Howe.

And Mack Brown made this point to less yesterday on the air. Sam Howe is the first ever true freshman to start the season opener for North Carolina. And while he might be the most exciting prospect coming into North Carolina in the recruiting site era, certainly, that's still a large bill to live up to. We were talking about alcohol flowing at Carter-Finley Stadium coming up this weekend. Lauren Brownlow, who was with us last week from WRALSportsFan.com, she, according to her sources, has the alcohol prices for games at NC State. This is for East Carolina and the Wolfpack if you're going to attend this game Saturday. Dez, would you like to take a guess what Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Bud Lite, and Truly is going for?

Oh, I am built for this game. So how big are these drinks? I don't know how big the drinks are, but just picture it. You're getting a draft beer at a football game. They're not going to give you something that you can throw on the field and hurt somebody with. Well, I hope not.

Not saying Pirate fans or Wolfpack fans. It's not going to be Thirsty Thursday, but it's also not Yankee Stadium. That's right. I'm going to go with about $8. It's $8! Yeah! The price is right!

The price is right, Dez! I think that's how much they have at Bank of America Stadium, too. Trophies, Cloud Surfer, $9, and the Old Tuffy. The Old Tuffy, NC State, New Belgium Beer, $9. $9 for a beer. I don't know if that's what they cost here at BB&T Ballpark. I'd be willing to guess not. Probably minor league baseball.

A smidge cheaper. It's hard to believe that Carter-Finley Stadium has not had this in the past. You know, it's state law. State law, they finally allowed for college sporting events to allow for alcohol to be sold, and naturally, NC State was the first one to say yes. Then they were followed by, I think, East Carolina at Dowdy-Ficklin Stadium, followed by Keenan Stadium in the Tar Heels, Appalachian State jumping board. So, this isn't new to us because of Wake Forest and even Duke games. They've been private institutions that have sold beer for a long time. New at NC State, and it should set up quite an atmosphere.

At least they won't have much time to get hydrated, we'll say, with it being a noon kickoff time. Evan Leppler hanging out with us. He's on Twitter, at EvanLeppler. Coming up, here's something I'm interested in. Original ideas.

I think NC State and North Carolina have taught us there aren't many of them anymore. This is the drive. Now back to the drive with Josh Graham. Because we plan very poorly, we're here at BB&T ballpark, and there's already two outs on the Winston-Salem dash in the bottom of the third inning. The Red Sox are leading the dash 4-0. Joe Weil, who actually broadcast this team's games, is sitting right next to me, and by God, Steel-Walker just crushed a baseball, but not far enough as it's right into the glove of the right fielder, Victor Acosta. We're off to a great start, and by a great start, the inning has just ended. So, we'll do the top half of the inning for the Red Sox, how does that sound, as the dash, much like Josh Graham at East Carolina University back in the day, can't score 30 straight innings. Oh, 31 now.

31 straight innings. I'm sorry, 30, it is 30. It is 30. I got you wrong. Check my math on that. One, two, three, 30.

Yes. The dash, 30 straight innings that they haven't scored. So, we'll do some play-by-play at the top of the fourth inning. In the interim, though, let's celebrate what Joe Weil has done for us. This week, we're playing some of your best calls that you've had in the second half. Here is the most recent batch of Joe Weil calls of the second half of the season.

Of course, the Heat won that NBA Finals in 2013. Next to a man that starred in a great movie, he got game. Some famous lines from that movie, including one, I hate my name. What kind of name is Jesus anyway?

A biblical name. So, it goes from a bases-loaded one-out situation to a bases-loaded two-out situation. We're living in a different world than it was 30 seconds ago. Now, Carlos Perez, the dash catcher, coming out to talk to the right-hander. But McClure has not allowed a hit since the first. He's punching like a heavyweight boxer. Looking like the part on the mound.

All that's missing is him just saying in a slurred accent, Yo, Adrian. He's got to make sure that that glove is in the right spot. This is not for any of Play-Doh's flame-throwing fastballs.

You'll shoot your eye out, kid. The two-up. Good fastball in the outside corner.

Helped it at 95 miles per hour. And Perez, after catching that baseball, nodding in approval at mean, almost as if to say, We goin' Sizzler. We goin' Sizzler. That's my favorite one of the bunch.

That one right there. Good work, Joe, as always. We'll get to your second and third batches from the second half tomorrow. And on Thursday, it is the top of the fourth inning, and we've got Jagger Rusconi who's at the plate. I got that right. You got that right?

Thank you. And he is the number-eight batter in the lineup. In the second inning, he's singled. And looking at his batting average on the year, that's 193. And meanwhile, Jorgen, what's Jorgen's last name again?

Cabanero. He's on the mound. And my guy, Jorgen, right now has a.330 ERA on the season. Got a three-ball, one-strike count. You're a little late on the pitch.

If you get on the pitch, it's going to sound dynamite. Righty on lefty matchup here. The dash with the white jerseys, white pants, and the purple numbers, black trim. Pop fly left field for Rusconi. In left, catch made by Muno.

And J.J. makes the play for the first out. Doing the next Vince Coley, man. Thank you. I know. I had some broadcasting chops back in the day. You were a play-by-play guy on the West Coast, right?

Yeah, I was in Colorado doing some of it, East Carolina. Send in some movie lines right now for this inning. At Sports Hub Triad, we'll give away some Wake Forest football tickets in about ten minutes. Country music going to the plate. That doesn't get anybody jazzed up. Especially when you're down 4-0. But Grant Williams is not down 4-0. His team's up 4-0. My favorite thing about Cabanero, his nickname is La Bestia, which is the beast. And it's because he eats a ton and he weighs 155 pounds.

I eat a ton, I don't weigh that. Ground ball shortstop. Throw in time to Von for the second out. The dash trailing 4-0 in this barn burner of a 3-3-6 day here at BB&T ballpark. Where do you think your diet differs from his? I could be wrong, but I think it might just be the copious amounts of barbecue, soda, and beer that I enjoy on a daily basis. But just water today.

Just water today because it's so hot and sunny outside. Righty on lefty matchup for Garrett Binge, the leadoff hitter. First pitch swinging, base hit to right field, line drive. Darn it. The dash. Can we talk about the dash name?

We talked about the fact that ice cream and cake is contentious at times. The name the dash, it should be the hyphens, right? Technically, but like how lame would that be to say? It would.

It would be lame. The hyphens win it! The hyphens win it! Oh, we're going crazy for the hyphens. I'm a big fan of grammar. So I'd root for the hyphens regardless if I lived in Winston State. What would be your favorite grammar name? Wow. I think the exclamation points I'd root for.

First pitch to Acosta, outside ball one. Would you root for the periods? No. No. I hate periods.

The periods are the worst. I would not root for them. It's just not a good...

I'm more of an exclamation point kind of guy. That's the way I'd put it. 1-0. Please step back in the batter's box. There's a runner at second base. And two away in the top of the fourth inning. 4-0 Red Sox over the dash. Pitch. Ground ball third base. Chopper picked up.

Thrown sharply by Roman in time for out number three. How did I do? You did fantastic.

You did... Are you just saying that? Des wins our break. Well, those were a couple of very quick innings. So I think we did just fine there. Are we keeping you two well? Oh yeah. We got another half inning. Okay. So, we're here at the Winston-Salem ballpark.

If you have lines to send in that we can work in right here on the fly. Like Harrison sending in here. Nobody knows what it means. It's provocative. That's a really good one. Gets people going.

This is something that we can do here. In the bottom of the fourth inning. As the dash try to score for the first time.

And 31 frames. Meanwhile. The way we're going to give away these Wake Forest football tickets. It's just basic trivia questions.

It's that simple. But actually it's not even trivia. We don't give you the questions ahead of time because we don't trust you. To search the answers and then just call in what fun is that.

So rather we just get people on and we ask if they know an old face. Which new place he's at. Say for the NFL. Like do you know where Cole Beasley's at? Not the Cowboys? He's a Buffalo Bill now.

Oh my God. Like Frank Gore. You know where Frank Gore is? He's still playing football by the way. Wow.

It's not a jet. Which is probably good for him. Oh my goodness.

He's a Buffalo Bill. So that's essentially the game. The last time we did this we scared off listeners. Who otherwise wanted to go to. What concert were we giving away tickets to a few weeks ago Dez? I think it was Ted Nugent. We were trying to give away Ted Nugent tickets and we scared people off. Because the questions were too hard. Me asking where Frank Gore is.

That's a really tough. How many people do you think that play fantasy football. Like an average football watcher.

How many people do you think know that? At what percentage? I'd say with where fantasy football is at. I think it's different among people who listen to sports radio versus general sports fans. If you're listening to sports radio you either like the host. Thanks to you. Or you're just a big sports fan. Which means you're more apt to know Frank Gore is a Buffalo Bill.

So that's how we're going to give away those tickets in about 10 minutes. Should I do more play by play? Dez what do you think? Did the dash come up? The dash hit the plate.

Oh yeah let's hear some dash play by play. It's Johan Cruz at the plate. Johan Cruz he is a real good looking ball player. 231 hitter.

Exactly what you're looking for. Right handed batter. Going up against the lefty who doesn't look very tall. And his name is Logan Browning. Son of Tom Browning actually.

Who's Tom Browning? Through a perfect game in 1988 with the Cincinnati Reds. Thank you.

That's why you're here. 2-0 pitch is fouled back 2-1. So a lefty on righty. Long delivery for Browning.

And it's outside. Off speed pitch misses the plate. You know if I actually was a pitcher in the minor leagues. I think I'd try to pitch like Browning because he does this thing when he steps back.

Where he actually goes back and forth to be a little bit deceptive. Watch him. I thought you were going to say because you're also not tall.

Fouled back 3-2. That's also true. Yeah. I'm not.

This is radio we can't watch. That's true. I'm just saying to you because you're with me. Oh thank you. Appreciate that. I want to see you try to get a movie line in. Try to work these movie lines up. I see them on my screen right now. That's what I want. I'm just thinking at the top of my head.

Yeah that's what I want. 3-2 pitch. Popped up.

In front of first base. Fans are yelling obscenities. You got a guy with glasses trying to ball and he can't get there. I actually know that guy too. His name is Tony. He's from Strategic Connections.

Yeah. He once yelled in my booth too. He tried to grab a baseball.

He couldn't get there but a small child did. Oh by the way the ball is foul. 3-2.

To that guy I say have fun storming the castle. Dez how do you do? Uh. This is the money pitch here.

That's what it is. 3-2. On Johan Cruz. And this one's lined to right field. Sharply hit. But in position to grab it is Acosta. For the first out.

It's one of those things man. Like when Cruz comes to the plate. He just has this swagger when he steps into the box.

There's Hispanic music playing. And nobody knows what it means. But it's provocative. It gets the people going. But he's unable to get it going right there. So you sold that well.

What are you talking about? Andrew Vaughn now at the plate. Right handed batter facing the lefty. And it's a first pitch swinging ground out to shortstop. And the throw completed by Williams for out number two.

Dez I think we got to give Josh a little bit of love on that one. Yeah. That's about as seamless as it gets folks. Can I tell you something that bothers me?

Let's hear it. Broadcasters who say folks. That's all folks. Yeah that is kind of. It's old timey and exactly.

It's old timey. I would like to do old time baseball. While we have the moment and I have a baseball game in front of me.

You should do that. Craig Ditolo steps to the plate. Left handed batter. Pitch on the way. And it's inside for a ball.

I feel like the same person that says folks is the same person that calls everybody bud. Or chief. Craig Ditolo. Craig Ditolo is a real player see. 246 hitter. And it's a lefty on lefty matchup.

So I like his chances. A real kick. And oh a swing that's hit right to lefty.

Oh my goodness. Right to the glove. Another slowest inning. Hits 31 straight scoreless innings see.

Tough luck. For the dash. Joe I'm going to let you go and do your job. How's that sound? That sounds great. Thanks for having me.

That is Joe Weil the voice of the dash. Let's give away some Wake Forest football tickets. Four of them. One two three four. For Friday night eight o'clock kickoff time. Utah State Wake Forest call in now.

Three three six seven seven seven one six hundred. If you want to win those tickets. We're at BB&T ballpark and this is The Drive. We are broadcasting live from BB&T ballpark. Home of the Winston-Salem dash.

And the dash are getting dashed. The Salem Red Sox are leading five to nothing. Here in the top of the eighth inning. Now being joined by David Glenn our early afternoon host.

The reason we're here by the way. It is three three six day at the dash ballpark. Here in the Triad of course with the area code three three six.

Looking around the entire ballpark. You have representatives from teams all around the area and local businesses as well. So we're happy to be a part of it. And certainly with our partnership with Winston-Salem dash baseball. And our love of this park.

Happy to spend some time here this year. But it is college football season already. Miami already playing in the ACC.

Falling against Florida over the weekend. This weekend though DG. The lineup you have regional games that fans care about. You're going to be as part of our early afternoon show. The big tailgate tour is going to be at ECU NC State. We're going to be at North Carolina South Carolina at Bank of America Stadium. Regional games that really matter. Conference games though. You have Boston College Virginia Tech. Virginia Pittsburgh which decided the Coastal a year ago. Clemson the defending champs facing Georgia Tech in a conference game right from the jump.

Tomorrow night or make it Thursday night in Death Valley. And then you got playoff teams competing. Alabama, Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame. And let's not overlook the fact that Wake Forest is playing Utah State a team that won 11 games last year.

Which of these matchups excites you the most from what we have on our menu ACC opening weekend? Well it's good to be with you again Josh. I'll tell you this. Having started covering things in the late 1980's. There were a lot of years where ACC football was irrelevant for two reasons. A, they didn't have enough good teams on the national scene. And B, they did not often go out of their way to schedule these sorts of matchups in the right television windows, etc. So here we are. Fast forward to 2019. The ACC has won three of the last six national titles in football. Not just Dabo, but remember Jimbo in the Seminoles got one before he left for Texas A&M.

And you mentioned those spotlights. I'm looking forward to even beyond some of those you mentioned. And I think it's fun that Louisville and Notre Dame are on Labor Day night. I think it's fun that Alabama Duke get the ABC time slot mid-Saturday afternoon. And closer to home, Gamecocks Tar Heels could be competitive.

Pirates Wolfpack certainly will be more competitive than it was a year ago. We have coaches worth following, including Mac is back in Chapel Hill. We have new quarterbacks worth following. First timers like Sam Howell with the Tar Heels as a true freshman. Matt McKay has waited his turn behind Ryan Finley at NC State.

We even have Josh in your part of our state. We have FCS teams, Elon and North Carolina A&C in the preseason top 25 polls. So I think Utah State is going to be a fun opponent for Wake Forest.

That might sound strange to people. But they are pushing their best in the Mountain West offensive player at quarterback Jordan Love for the Heisman Trophy. And I think Willie Taggart's second season at Florida State with him under the microscope. Opening with Boise State of the Mountain West. Maybe that league's best team.

That's worth watching. So between the nationally televised matchups and the other juicy matchups that matter for coaching reasons, or you know, make-a-bowl style reasons, I think we have as much to offer on an ACC football week one. You know, maybe in the 67 year history of the conference. Keeping it with Wake Forest though. I was at Dave Claussen's press conference earlier today. And he said this is the most difficult season opening opponent he's faced in his time in Winston-Salem. 11 wins for Utah State would justify that.

But John Curry, we've all seen it. He's been very aggressive in his first few months as the director of athletics. Trying to push football. Trying to get this first game sold out.

I was told earlier today that they really like the place they're at. They're very close to selling out this game. It should be noted last year, Notre Dame and Clemson both came to town. And neither game sold out, despite the fact the Deacs made it to their third consecutive bowl game. And they won their third consecutive bowl game. How important for the momentum that's being built for the Deacs in trying to change this national, and heck, even regional perception about them winning the first game against Utah State?

I think it matters. I mean, this is a program that hasn't had a lot of success historically. I mean, I cheer from the rooftops when I see a story like a Dave Claussen three straight bowl trips, three straight bowl wins for the first time in the history of the program. This is a tough place to win consistently in football when we're talking about Wake Forest.

And you only get so many chances at a special season. Well, Wake has the right coach in Dave Claussen. Wake has two quarterbacks it likes in Jamie Newman and Sam Hartman. Wake has, you know, reliable, a reliable running back returning in a guy like Cade Carney. It has, you know, NFL prospects on defense, at least, you know, in somebody like E. Sam Bassey at cornerback.

And other reliable players, Kicker, Punter, both corners, both starting offensive tackles. I mean, this is one of the better Wake teams potentially that I have seen since Jim Grove won an ACC title 13 years ago. And that doesn't mean I'm picking the Deacons to, you know, beat the Clemson Tigers. But if you're going to have a truly special season, you need to win a game like the Utah State matchup Friday night in non-conference portion of your schedule. You know, Wake is better than teams like Duke and Carolina right now.

It just is. I think because of quarterback, Wake might be better than NC State as the Deacs showed last year. But you've got to connect all these dots if you're going to make a run at, you know, 9 or 10 wins, which would give you one of the best seasons in school history.

You can't let one go, even against 11 and 2 Utah State, even against that quarterback, if you're going to have a dream season. And that's why, you know, I would circle it as one of the most important games we'll watch this coming weekend. David Glenn, our early afternoon host, spending time with us here on the Sports Hub. We're watching Dash baseball as this is happening, as we're talking to you.

The ice cream and cake song just played and people were dancing all across the stadium. My favorite player on this Dash team who has a great head of hair, a great mustache. He's from Louisiana. His walk-up song is Baton Rouge Calling. His name is Jamison. Jamison Fisher. I don't know what more you can ask for from a Southern baseball player than what I just described to you. He just flew out the left. The Dash haven't scored a run in like 33 or 34 consecutive innings.

They're down 5 to nothing at the moment. But before we get to baseball traditions that we love, I'm going to steal a question that Evan Leppler presented, who was hanging out with us at the stadium a short while ago. He's been on Raycon for many years, broadcast the ACC Now for Fox Sports, among other things. If you had to guess which fan base is going to be more excited about the state of their program after one year of watching their first-year coach, Mac Brown and his North Carolina Tar Heels, or Scott Satterfield and the Louisville Cardinals, where are you headed with that? Ooh, I thought you were going to throw Mike Houston of ECU into that mix. They're already psyched. They're expecting bowl games.

Yeah, right. They're going to notice a different attitude and a different level of execution at ECU, I can promise you that. I don't think the on-field product is going to be great in Chapel Hill this year. But if you broaden the perspective a little bit to include recruiting, if you go that route, then the answer is UNC. I think if you're looking for an on-field product, I wouldn't be surprised if the Cardinals make more strides than the Tar Heels do. I think Sam Howell is a really talented true freshman quarterback, the first ever to start a season opener, the best the Tar Heels can tell in the history of their program at the quarterback position. I don't question his talent as much as I question the offensive line in front of them and how good are the Tar Heel linebackers, and will they have a reliable place kicker. I mean, they have some talented pieces, but if the Tar Heels get to a bowl game, they will be overachieving. Now, that applies to Louisville as well. Both of these guys are picked to finish near the bottom of the league.

But I think Scott Satterfield has inherited just a little bit more in terms of experience, and that at least gives them a chance to make a bigger dent in year one. Go out and see D.G. He's going to be at ECUNC State. So if you're supporting the Pirates or the Wolf Pack at Carter-Finley Stadium as part of the Big Tailgate Tour, go out and see David Glenn.

He's on Twitter, at DavidGlennShow, and you can listen, of course, to him right before we come on the air, noon to three, right here on the Sports Hub. So since we're at a baseball stadium, how many parks in the state do you think you've ventured out to in your many years living here in the state of North Carolina? Oh boy, I'm in double digits for sure. Are we just talking minor league, not college? Yeah, minor league. Just minor league. All right, are we counting the summer league with only the college guys? Have you spent much time at the summer league parks?

Not a lot, but if you count that, it gets me into double digits. Oh, for sure. Because I've seen the Winston-Salem Dash. I've seen the Greensboro Grasshoppers. I might be at the Burlington Royals playoff game this Friday night.

I can't say more than that because we're still working out some details. But I'm going to try to get there for their postseason game this Friday. I've been to the Charlotte Knights games in that beautiful uptown ballpark several times. I've seen an Asheville Tourists game. I've seen, they weren't always the Kinston Indians, but I've seen a Kinston Indians game. I've seen a Carolina Mudcats game. I've been to many Durham Bulls games.

So I feel like I'm trending toward double digits now. I still haven't been to an Asheville Tourists game, but I really want to go only because Crash Davis finished his career there after his time with the Durham Bulls. And also Ryan McGee, who was with you yesterday, one of our favorites to catch up with. He once told us a story that when working with the Asheville Tourists, there's this forest beyond center field that when you go, that there's a home within the forest. And when home run balls are hit out there, there's this guy who grabs the balls and then sells them back to the team named the Mountain Man. They didn't know anything other than the Mountain Man. One time they see him out there, big beard, long hair, and there's literally a snake hanging from his forearm, biting him.

And he doesn't seem to care because he's the Mountain Man. So I really want to go to an Asheville Tourists game for that reason. But if I bring in the factors of convenience that you might get at lesser minor league levels versus, say, AAA parks, and also features that are unique to the park, those two elements, which park would you go to first if you could only visit one? In the whole state, you mean? Yeah. I'm going to go Durham Bulls. I love Crash Davis, so I'm all for it. Yeah, they have a cool mascot.

They've got the Snorting Bull. It is a state-of-the-art stadium. It's actually surrounded by a really cool part of downtown Durham if you want to do something after the game or before the game. And yes, I love Crash Davis.

I love the legend of Nuke LaLouche so the Bull Durham aspect doesn't hurt. Do you have any ballpark traditions? I'm someone who always has to get a hot dog, oftentimes a beer, but either sunflower seeds or gum. Usually I'm a gum guy versus sunflower seeds.

What about David Glenn? Well, I'm definitely a beer guy. You know that. I am going to walk the entire concourse at any minor league baseball stadium just to see what is on tap because whereas I am extremely low maintenance in most aspects of life, and my wife describes me that way, I'm kind of a beer snob.

You pick that up, Josh. I don't just go for like the root. If you see lots of advertisements on TV for a specific brand of beer, I probably never drink that beer. So I'm a craft brewery guy. I'm a heaven-wising wheat beer type guy. I like the occasional IPA. So I'm going to do some beer exploration as part of my baseball tradition, and then I'll join you in the hot dog because I don't eat a lot of hot dogs, but if you can get a good one at the ballpark, and I might mix in some mustard and relish if I'm in the right mood, maybe some chili or onions. To me, that is an authentic trip to the ballpark that you could have had like back in the 1940s, which sounded like a time frame that might have applied to your mountain man in Asheville with the snake hanging from his arm. That sounds like a Paul Bunyan-style 1940 story, doesn't it?

Yes, it does. Go see DG at NC State and ECU over the weekend. I got a prediction for ECU and NC State on the note that you just covered. A lot of beer. There will be a lot of beer consumed, not just in the parking lot.

That's the statement you'll make on your show this month. It's spot on. It's a cold, hard, cold beer lock that there will be a lot of beer consumed at East Carolina and NC State.

Both fans like the sauce, and DG, he's a little bit more particular, but also a fan of the sauce. DG, thanks for doing this, man. Thank you, Josh.

What company in your listening area wants to sponsor that cold beer lock you just described? I think that's an opening for you. I'm right there with you. Thanks, DG. Thanks, both of you.

On Twitter at David Glincho. Let's find a sponsor for Josh Graham's cold, stone cold, cold beer lock. Sounds like a winner. Which fan is going to get drunkest this weekend? Every week, we'll make that prediction. East Carolina fans are a lock this weekend. Yeah, I want to know if NC State might have them. NC State might give them a run for their money, man. No, ECU fans are already tailgating for that game. I believe that. I've been to Greenville.

I believe that. NC State, every year is 58 free. We're going to win. The Pirates are going to win the football game. Saturday. Yeah. It's always Saturday.

In Greenville, it's always Saturday. It's right. Home is where you make it. Should I do this read in that voice? I'm sure the client wouldn't really appreciate that.

Probably not. The Drive is brought to you in part by your friends at Pie Guy's Pizza & More. Grand Slam Pizza, they have these Moravian sugarcane pies that might be sent from heaven themselves. Like, I've mentioned this a few times, and then friends of mine tried it, and they said, Man, why didn't you say it was that great? I did. There's some people that think just because I read this thing, it doesn't mean it's true.

I'm not reading a sheet of paper, actually, right now. I'm just telling you what's up. It's the Moravian sugarcane pie, and it's also the Grand Slam Pizza.

That is because I'm biased. And it has, you know, buffalo sauce and bacon and also chicken. It's very good.

You should try it. Pie Guy's Pizza & More. Lewisville-Clements Road. Right off of Lewisville-Clements Road in the Kinnaman Village Commons. Pay them a visit in Clemens.

Find them online. PieGuys.com. Des, what have you got in ticket to the house today? Well, for all the chicken sandwich lovers out there, I've got some really bad news for you. Real bad.

We're going to have some bad news. Yeah. Next.

This is The Sports Hub at AM600 AM920. Now back to The Drive with Josh Graham. Okay. We just want one measly run dash. That's what we want. The Salem Red Sox lead five to nothing. I'm bummed out because the Dash are losing. But we're in the bottom of the ninth now, which means I don't know if the vendors are open, which means I don't know if I'll be able to grab any foothills or grab a hot dog. And that's kind of a bummer if I'm going to a baseball game. And I can get neither of those things on this 336 Day.

But if you missed any of today's show, the Best of podcast is available on SoundCloud, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Google Play. It's a sad day in River City as the Dash haven't scored a run in 36 consecutive innings. Make it 35. I'm not going to say it's 36 yet because it's the bottom of the ninth and there's still hope. But meanwhile, this batter who's at the plate has been on his third bat in this at bat. Sent one into the dugout.

Didn't seem to like the second twig, so he goes and grabs another one. Exciting stuff happening. We'll see what ends first, this show or the baseball game. Let's take it to the house. Pass to 15. Pass to 10. Pass to five. For the drive. We'll take it to the house. One, two, three. To the house. Ground ball third base and there's one away.

Dez take it away. So Popeyes made an announcement today that they are going to run out of chicken sandwiches in stores across the country this week, even though they thought they had enough to keep selling them through September. They shared the gut wrenching news Tuesday afternoon. Pretty crazy. They just started selling these sandwiches earlier in the month. They ignited a chicken war with Chick-fil-A.

And it's been pretty nuts. Why did you have to do that? Why did you have to like I already mentioned I'm hungry. The Dash are losing.

I don't have any beer because FCC. And, and, and now you're just talking about Popeyes Chick. Well, they're going to be gone. Oh, I know. I get that.

But I'm hungry and you're not healthy. Well, you know, sometimes that's how it plays out, B. That's life. Yeah.

Making me sad. I'm sure you're like four steps away from a hot dog probably I would imagine, right? Oh, I am. You're in a ballpark.

I am. But it's apparently the vendor's close. Oh, no. Or the bottom of the ninth.

Oh, no. It's one out. Better find Joe Weil. He knows where the, uh, he knows where the goods are. Joe Weil knows where the secret hot dogs are?

He knows, man. They're secret hot dogs? I don't know. I don't think the top, the Diamond Club doesn't stop until the end, right? Maybe you can sneak up there. The Diamond Club. Or not the Diamond Club, the, uh, what's it called? The Flow Club. Flow Club, yeah.

It's Diamond Club at a different location. Got it. Yeah. Have you ever had a chicken sandwich from Popeyes before? No, I didn't know that that was a thing. I haven't had, I tried Popeyes for the first time like three months ago.

Really? Actually, it was the day Tiger Woods, I'll never forget it. It's the day Tiger Woods won the Masters. I went and got Popeyes and was eating Popeyes for the first time as Tiger won the Masters. How'd that make you feel, Josh? Tiger or Popeyes?

No, Popeyes. Pretty good. Good. Good. Gosh, it's a race. We got, what, 50 seconds left in this show? Yep.

50 seconds? Oh, the game's almost there. We got two outs. It's the bottom of the ninth.

The D'Dolo's at the plate. Will it be a first pitch swinging? Will this game end before our show does? Oh my gosh.

Wow. It is five to nothing Salem Red Sox over the Winston-Salem Nash as he's digging in. We're going to have time for one pitch. Is D'Dolo going to let us finish this game while we're on the air?

Let's find out together, friends. Pitch. And he takes it inside. But it's caught a strike. I got a gut feeling the Dash aren't going to win this one.

Partly because they can't score. Don't give up hope. Lake Forest AD, John Curry will be a guest with us tomorrow. Quick D'Dolo just hit a shot to the right.

It's deep. It's back. It's gone.

He hit home run. I'm not kidding. We'll talk to you tomorrow. The annual Big Tailgate Tour driven by Continental Tire is on the road again. Our Big Tailgate Tour kicks off this Saturday with ECU and NC State. Find our game day tents, prizes, and continental tire toss from 9 to 1130 a.m. at Backyard Bistro before the noon kickoff. Pick up free koozies, t-shirts, and more from Sport Clips and Continental Tire. Remember to drive with care on your Continental Tires and experience the ultimate MVP haircut at Sport Clips. Tailgate with us. Big Tailgate Tour.