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An institution for sports talk and information. This is the sports reporters.

Here's Mike Lupica, Mitch Album, and Bob Ryan. I'm Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe and ESPN.

I'm Mike Glupica, MLB.com, and the New York Daily News.

And I'm Mitch Album with the Detroit Free Press. Welcome to the sports reporters podcast.

College football dominates our conversation to start because finally, after a season where we

weren't sure who was going to play, how many teams were going to play, how many games are going to be played, and none of that turned out to be unwarranted concern.

We nonetheless have a championship weekend, which is fascinating.

We have Clemson, who is heavily favored over Notre Dame,

simply because Trevor Lawrence is playing.

We have Ohio State as a 20 plus

point favorite over Northwestern, despite the fact that they played five games. And we have the

team that many consider to be the best in the nation, Alabama, favored over a two loss, Florida

team. Lots of interesting ramifications here for the top four to make the playoffs.

Maybe we should begin with that Notre Dame Clemson game because it seems most interesting

to me is one player, Trevor Lawrence, who did not play the first time around when

Notre Dame upset Clemson, worth 10-point difference in this game, guys.

It's Mitch, when I found out yesterday, and I'm, you guys know me, I mean, we've been doing this a long time, I'm, I'm not a big point spread follower.

A friend of mine yesterday said, do you know what the spread is in Clemson, Notre Dame? And I said, no, he's like two or three points.

He goes, it's 10 and a half for

Clemson. And it's, it's completely, Mitch, you're right. It's the Trevor Lawrence factor. And,

and, you know, those two teams, obviously Clemson play with a backup quarterback who's extremely talented,

...