Forever Saturday

Serena and Matt share their takeaways from Michigan's dramatic-ish ReliaQuest/Wurkin Bowl win (including Jordan Marshall looking like The Next One at running back), offer some Michigan-specific New Year's resolutions (ranging from kick-return prohibitions to Madden kids), and decide on rooting interests in a borderline worst-case-scenario CFP final four.

Serena and Matt break down Michigan's latest exits and portal additions (including Mikey Keene and Justice Haynes), learn about some unknown bowl game sponsors, discuss the expectations and handful of things we're actually interested in finding out against Alabama, marvel at Bryce Underwood and the Pop-Tarts Bowl's marketing team, and share some thoughts on the first-round CFP results/discourse.

Serena and Matt discuss the hiring of Chip Lindsey as offensive coordinator, break down what he is/what he means for the offense, talk through Michigan's portal losses and potential adds based on early rumblings, revisit an absolutely loaded recruiting class (one that isn't just about Bryce Underwood), touch on Ohio State legally enshrining its softness, share some thoughts on the CFP and our favorite first-round matchups, and more.

Serena and Matt react to a Michigan win over Ohio State that was even funnier than we imagined given how it played out, break down the on-field how and why, discuss The Ryan Day Problem and the Ohio State fanbase's realization that there are no excuses left, share some thoughts on an emblematic "fake tough" display after the game (and an absurd media meltdown in the aftermath), and much more.

Serena and Matt react to the Bryce Underwood commitment, talk about what it means for Michigan in 2025 and beyond, revisit a 2023-esque beatdown of Northwestern, debate Wink Martindale's future, and then look ahead to an edition of The Game with limited paths to victory but some potentially very funny and very legendary outcomes.

Serena and Matt revisit a few listener questions, ponder Bryce Underwood and the QB options expected to become available in the portal, debate some potential offensive coordinator candidates as the hiring cycle begins, rant about the logic (or lack thereof) in the latest CFP rankings, preview a probably ugly Northwestern game, bid farewell to the Michigan seniors (and a few notable juniors), and more.

After an unplanned week off, Serena and Matt react to Michigan's frustrating loss to Indiana, share some can't-be-ignored concerns about Sherrone Moore's game/program management, break down two straight not-good-enough performances from the offense, revisit the Coordinator Hot Seat Index, give some props to the defense, do some future-casting at QB, and more.

Serena and Matt rant about the now-standard Michigan State postgame nonsense (and the Sparty fan base's related delusion), discuss Michigan's satisfying third straight win in the series, talk about the mostly "do some bullshit" offense, try to diagnose the frustrating issues on defense, bid farewell to Jack Tuttle, look ahead to a pretty terrifying Oregon game in which there's basically one path to victory, ponder the possibility of a quarterback recruit who shall not be named, and more.

Serena and Matt return from a brief hiatus to discuss two straight brutal performances from the Michigan offense, why the blame falls partially on the QBs but primarily on the coaches, whether there's any hope for this staff (including Sherrone Moore) or when we might pull the plug, the positive glimpses on defense, the misery of the Michigan State game in general, why this year's game will be especially telling given the coaching situations, and more.

Serena and Matt revisit a Michigan win that was two-thirds very good and one-third very bad, debate the progress (or lack thereof) from Alex Orji and the offense, give thanks for Kalel Mullings, unpack what happened to the defense late, do some hypocritical bitching about the officiating, marvel at the beauty of Georgia-Alabama, and preview a Washington team that's quite different from last year's and kinda hard to size up given the gap between the advanced stats (good) and the results (mid).

Serena and Matt revisit Michigan's dramatic win over USC, discuss Kalel Mullings' iconic run and national coming-out party, ponder what this offense can/can't be with Alex Orji at QB, give some props to Wink Martindale, shout out Josiah Stewart (and almost everybody else on defense), and look ahead to a Minnesota team that's very Big Ten West and therefore capable of turning Saturday's game into a rockfight.

Serena and Matt on Michigan's uninspiring but never-in-doubt win over Arkansas State, the switch to Alex Orji and why it's happening now, what it means for the offense going forward, questions about the coaching decisions through Week 3, and a game against USC that feels like a potential turning point (for better or for worse).

Serena and Matt react to an "it's all bad" loss to Texas, debate whether we should be concerned about the defense and/or the running game, break down the problems with QB play and the general offensive structure, share some thoughts on how we got here and what we hope to see going forward, then briefly talk Arkansas State and broader season implications.

No longer description today— we didn't bring all of the equipment and we're winging it— produced and uploaded entirely from iOS17.  Matt hums the theme music—it's very professional. 

Serena and Matt on what we've learned about the Michigan depth chart heading into Week 1, what we don't yet know about the offense, what to expect against Fresno State, and the general in-going vibes as we recalibrate around a team that's going to be imperfect but still gives us plenty of reasons for the best of things: hope.

Serena and Matt go position-by-position through a Michigan defense that's still loaded with elite players throughout, break down the one unit that's going to take a meaningful step back from what it was in 2023, and wonder whether there are transition costs with Wink Martindale or if this remains the best defense in the country.

Serena and Matt go position-by-position to break down Michigan's 2024 offense, which has *some* turnover (albeit less than a lot of people are claiming) and a couple of critical questions around quarterback play and accompanying philosophy that will determine whether the offense as a whole remains championship-caliber-ish.

~5:00: Purdue~12:30: Indiana~17:15: Michigan State~27:45: Illinois~33:10: Northwestern~38:00: Rutgers~47:45: Minnesota~52:25: Maryland~59:00: UCLA~1:05:00: Washington~1:11:30: Nebraska~1:19:20: Wisconsin~1:23:45: Iowa~1:32:10: USC~1:39:15: Penn State~1:47:00: Michigan~1:48:45: Oregon~1:54:10: Ohio State

~1:40: Early Vegas lines for Michigan's notable games (and which seem right/wrong)~11:45: Michigan's recent recruiting uptick, the state of the class, and whether the continued angst is justified~18:15: Private equity in college sports: What private equity really is, why it's becoming relevant to college sports (specifically Florida State and the Big 12), why there's concern about PE involvement, and where the Man in Finance sees things heading based on what we know so far about the ongoing discussions

~1:00: Transfer additions at defensive back~19:00: Addressing the lack of portal activity at receiver~28:00: Scheduling announcements~40:00: Post-spring SP+ rankings and Vegas win totals~45:00: Desired outcome at quarterback~54:00: More details (kind of) on Harbaugh's Exit~1:03:00: NCAA settlement, what it means, and what's ahead~1:21:00: NCAA Football 25 trailer (lol Ohio State)

Serena and Matt are back from hiatus to talk post-natty offseason vibes, draft emotions, Michigan spring game takeaways, the problem (?) at quarterback, the Big Ten commercial that must be salvaged, and more.

Serena and Matt react to Jim Harbaugh's departure, mourn the end of an era (maybe the best in modern Michigan football history?), reflect on why this was the only possible perfect ending, and share some thoughts on the next chapter, presumably to be written by Sherrone Moore.

Serena and Matt linger in the confetti and glory, bid farewell to some of the greatest of Michigan Men, and revisit the plays/moments that turned Team 144 into national champions.

Serena and Matt revel in Michigan's national championship game win (!!!) over Washington, look back at the media nonsense and how Michigan put all the storylines to bed, talk about the players who stayed and became legends, and share some emotional thoughts about a title that was a long, long time coming.

Serena and Matt talk Michigan-Washington for the national title (!): why this is the matchup Michigan probably wanted, what still terrifies us about Washington, takeaways from the Sugar Bowl, and one last moment of appreciation before Team 144 takes the field for the last time -- with *everything* there for the taking.

Serena and Matt talk Rose Bowl glory, the beauty in ecstasy in Pasadena, the moments that make legacies, and much more, plus initial thoughts on the matchup with Washington for the national title (!!!)

Serena and Matt briefly revel in Michigan's third straight Big Ten title, talk CFP selection committee nonsense, share some thoughts on why this isn't Usual Bama, break down the interesting Rose Bowl matchups on both sides of the ball, look ahead to a very hazy Michigan offseason in terms of player needs/movement, wonder what the hell Ohio State is doing, and offer a reminder to not let the subjective parts of the sport diminish your enjoyment of this Michigan team, no matter what happens next.

Serena and Matt revel in "Michigan 30, Ohio State 24," discuss what it means for Michigan and The Narrative, break down exactly why Ohio State remains a soft/TikTok-ass program, revisit the key moments from a game that had a lot of them, and try to put in context what this Michigan team has already accomplished, even before a potential third straight Big Ten title and trip to the College Football Playoff.

Serena and Matt discuss a mostly irrelevant Maryland game, the apparent finality of Michigan's/Harbaugh's settlement with the Big Ten, and the "scary tiers" of CFP contenders, then turn to Ohio State and what we know, what we don't know, and why this version of The Game feels even bigger than the previous Football Armageddons.

Serena and Matt talk Michigan's emotional win over Penn State, a grind-it-out effort from Blake Corum and the running game, an as-expected performance on defense, some quintessential James Franklin decision-making, what it all means for The Game (and Maryland, kind of), and what's next in the Michigan/Harbaugh v. Big Ten legal proceedings.

Serena and Matt break down Michigan's response to the Big Ten and what it means, from the big-gun law firm to the overall message to the specifics of the argument, then talk actual football (!), including Michigan's advantages and disadvantages against Penn State and what's at stake in Happy Valley.

Serena and Matt discuss the ongoing Big Ten "investigation," potential punishment for Jim Harbaugh, why there's a very strong legal argument against anything that gets handed down, and the news of a sign-stealing collaboration among Michigan's *opponents,* then revisit a beatdown of Purdue that felt pretty much like every other Michigan game this year, give or take a little wonkiness on offense.

Serena and Matt on the latest Connor Stalions allegations/screenshots, whether Michigan's approach with the NCAA makes sense, whether Harbaugh has real exposure, what the reported contract extension means, the initial CFP rankings, how we're feeling about Penn State/Ohio State heading into November, and what we'll be watching for against Purdue.

Serena and Matt talk all things Michigan-Michigan State, including the pregame yikes, the in-game beatdown, J.J. ascending to never-before-seen levels, a couple very obvious giant-middle-finger drives, an utterly dominant defensive performance against a lifeless Sparty offense, and more, then revisit a Penn State-Ohio State rockfight that only has us feeling *even* better about Michigan's path ahead.

Serena (an actual lawyer, with "not legal advice" caveats noted) and Matt break down the ongoing investigation into Michigan and staffer Connor Stalions to try to decipher what the NCAA rules actually allow, why this is such a gray-area situation, what exposure Michigan actually has, and where this is probably headed.

Serena and Matt talk Michigan-Michigan State, what makes this year's version of Sparty particularly unthreatening, logic vs. emotion, and the "Harbaugh remembers" mantra, then briefly revisit the Indiana game (which was basically the Rutgers/Nebraska/Minnesota game, just with the eventful stuff in a slightly different order) and debate whether it's Penn State's or Ohio State's weaknesses that turn out to be fatal this week.

Serena and Matt talk Michigan's comprehensive dismantling of Minnesota, J.J. being in complete control, P.J. Fleck's scintillating postgame comments, whether this really is the best team in the country, some absolutely stupid endings across the sport (including Red River and OH MY GOD MIAMI), and what to expect from an Indiana team that's probably one of the worst Michigan will see all year.

Serena and Matt reflect on Michigan's never-a-game blowout of Nebraska (including a few intriguing developments on offense and some wonkiness in coverage on an otherwise-dominant day for the defense), share some important thoughts on corn, revisit where Michigan stands in the advanced-metric rankings, talk general Big Ten grossness, and preview a Minnesota game that's probably going to look pretty familiar.

Serena and Matt revisit Michigan's familiar-feeling win over Rutgers, try to reconcile the continued grumbles (about a lot of things) with Michigan's first-ever #1 ranking in SP+, debate whether a few of those grumbles are legitimate, talk Ohio State-Notre Dame and what Ryan Day was *really* ranting about, and then preview Nebraska, which if you squint looks a lot like the Rutgers team Michigan just dominated.

Serena and Matt reflect on Michigan's weirdly eventful but ultimately dominant win over Bowling Green, break down J.J.'s three interceptions and our recalibrated expectations for the offense, briefly offer some appreciation for possibly the the best defense in the country, talk Big Ten takeaways (woof, Michigan State) and whether there's *any* great team in college football right now, and look ahead to Rutgers, which is still broadly Rutgers but will provide a real test for Michigan on at least one side of the ball.

Serena and Matt reflect on the Mel Tucker report, what to make of it, and what it means for Michigan State going forward, then revisit Michigan's obliteration of UNLV (including a dominant D-line performance and J.J. continuing to cook), then look ahead to Bowling Green and whether there's anything to be learned given the 40-point line.

Serena and Matt revisit Michigan's "perfectly fine" season-opening win and discuss the run game's relatively unproductive day, J.J.'s related surgical dissection of an ECU team that picked its poison, the defense's all-around dominant performance (with an "incomplete" grade for the pass rush), and some weird special-teams happenings, then talk Big Ten takeaways from Week 1 and what we're expecting against UNLV.

Serena and Matt briefly preview the opener against East Carolina, then talk feelingsball about a team that should be Michigan's best since [???] and debate the glory/agony of expectations.

Serena and Matt preview the Michigan offense position by position and bring it all together with the unavoidable overarching question: With possibly the best offensive line in the country (again), definitely the best running back tandem in the country (again), and a returning quarterback who's not only the best in the Big Ten but has functionally no ceiling, is this the year the offense goes from "very good" to "truly elite?" And perhaps just as importantly, is "truly elite" actually necessary for Michigan to win the whole damn thing?

Serena and Matt react to the self-imposed three-game suspension for Jim Harbaugh, debate whether/why it makes sense, share some intriguing fall camp updates from both Michigan and Ohio State, and then dive into a special teams preview that tries to unpack exactly what to make of the most uncertain unit on the team, from a new punter and kicker to a host of guys vying for return duties.

Serena and Matt briefly touch on the report that NCAA v. Harbaugh is being pushed to 2024, then preview the Michigan defense position-by-position (raving about Kris Jenkins, debating what exactly is fair to expect from Junior Colson, etc.) and bring it all together with three overarching questions, including whether the #2 corner spot is *actually* a problem and whether Year 2 under Minter can be even better than Year 1 (which might mean the best defense in the country).

Serena and Matt react to the Pac-12's sudden but debatably inevitable death, reflect on what we're all losing and why it matters, and share some thoughts on what it means going forward for Michigan, the Big Ten, the playoff, and college football writ large.

Serena and Matt continue the "Big Ten teams as 2023 things" theme with a Big Ten East preview episode that references Silicon Valley Bank, the Pitbull tour, Oppenheimer and more, culminating in the inevitable discussion as to whether this is in fact "Michigan's division" and some reflection on what the last two editions of The Game mean going forward.

Serena and Matt discuss Harbaugh v. NCAA (which appears to be coming to an appropriately stupid resolution that will make your brain hurt if you try to reconcile it with the rest of the current college football landscape), the Michigan-relevant portions of NBC's newly released night game schedule, the debate over the placement of the Michigan-Ohio State game, and other random thoughts from Big Ten media days.

Serena and Matt forecast the bleak-but-fascinating Big Ten West in its final year of existence, going in ascending order and giving each team its "2023 thing" comparison (ranging from Aaron Rodgers to Threads to Chat-GPT) before making an undoubtedly regrettable/possibly nihilistic pick for division champ.

Serena and Matt make their triumphant return from the wedding/honeymoon, briefly catch up on offseason items of note, talk Michigan's apparent lack of weaknesses following the portal pickup we'd all been waiting for, and play an extended game of "Michigan Fact or Cap" to debate just how good J.J. can be, whether a 50/50 run/pass split is even vaguely plausible, whether this will be Harbaugh's best team yet at Michigan, and more.