First POD

The speaker, Bryce Cisak, is a freshman D-lineman for Kent State University's football team. He is starting a podcast solely dedicated to discussing the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and its football schedule. He mentions that the MAC is a popular conference and shares his thoughts on Kent State's upcoming games against UCF, Arkansas, and Central Connecticut State. He also talks about his former teammates playing for Miami of Ohio and Buffalo. He discusses the importance of winning the rivalry game against Akron and mentions other opponents like Bowling Green, Ball State, and Northern Illinois. He expresses his hopes for a successful season and potentially having his coach as a guest on the podcast. He concludes by expressing gratitude to any potential listeners and hopes for more episodes in the future. All right, guys, let's get right into it. This is Bryce Cisak. This is a pilot episode for the MAC football podcast. Now I don't know if we're just going to stay just the MAC, you know, we might do an entirety of college football, but I think I'd like to keep this one unique just to the MAC. But I'm currently D-lineman, freshman, for Kent State Golden Flashes, baby. But you know, why not? Why not do a podcast? I feel like everyone's doing podcasts. I haven't seen one about, you know, the MAC, so why not do one of my own? But we're going to get right into this schedule that, you know, Kent State has. The entirety of the MAC was released today. So there was a tweet that went out about 11 o'clock today that put everyone's schedules out there. And, you know, I think everyone is just, everyone loves the MAC-tion. It's everyone's favorite conference in football. If I had to take a vote with 10 people in a room from all over the country, everyone's vote MAC, what's your favorite Power Five conference? It's the MAC. Not the Big Ten or the SEC. It's the MAC. But let's get into the schedule that Kent State released today. So week one, UCF, down at UCF, I think it's a good game for us. It's a good game to get our toes in the water. You know, see where we're at before, you know, we get into our conference, you know. Everyone plays some heavy hitters. Buffalo plays Wisconsin. Miami of Ohio plays Miami University, the U, which is actually pretty funny. Ball State plays Kentucky. Central Michigan plays Michigan State. So some big games that week. So week two, going into Kent State's schedule, play in Arkansas, which is, get into SEC again. The Flashes played the Bulldogs Georgia last year, which I know was Georgia's, actually Georgia's closest game besides Ohio State was actually the Golden Flashes, which is pretty, pretty funny to me because they did play everybody. Everyone did play that game. But going into week three, first home game against Central Connecticut State. If I had to guess, this is probably going to be a W for the Golden Flashes, but you know, I don't want to say too much, you know, because you never know. I mean, truly, you never know. But going into week four at Fresno State out in California, how about that? Sounds pretty good for the boys. Another, you know, bigger team at a conference, gets to go out to California. I mean, who doesn't like that? I mean, it's a little hot. I mean, it's September 23rd, so it's probably still be a little warm. But then again, we are playing in Central Florida, first week of September, so I can only imagine what the temperature's going to be like there. And then to kick off conference play, we're home against Miami of Ohio. They had a pretty good team last year. I have a teammate that's on that team, Matt Salpek, pretty, pretty great kid, almost positive he was either first or second in tackles for the Mac. Not positive on that stat, but I know he was up there. I enjoyed watching him quite a bit, because he's a stud. But then we go to OU, that's an away game. Should be a good one for the boys. I think everyone will probably be, you know, excited about that. Bobcats were, they were pretty damn good last year. I mean, new coach, you know, pretty good feeling, you know, they had last year. And then after the Bobcats, we go to Eastern Michigan. You know, Michigan, not much to say, whether it's Western, Eastern, Michigan State, the team up north. I mean, they're all the same. They're all Michigan. But, you know, and then after that game, we're at home against Buffalo. Another former teammate on that team, you know, is Mr. Ohio last year, Lamar Sperling, ran for like, upper 4,000 rushing yards, like it was ridiculous, either one or two now rushing yards in the state of Ohio history. And then he has the most touchdowns in history too, 58 I believe that number was, if I want to, you know, remember correctly, I'm pretty sure that's what it was. But you know, always good, you know, you get to play against some of your high school buddies. Then a nice bye week after Buffalo, and then we play that team down the street, the Zips. Not too much to say there. I know, I think they're hoping for a change in tide. They've been on a downswing the past couple of years, but I think they're looking for something. I think Moorhead, you know, he's a good guy, but you know, at the end of the day, we got to bring home that wagon wheel. That wagon wheel does not belong in Akron. I went to high school in Akron. It does not belong there. It now belongs in Kent, Ohio, where it has been, and it is right now. That's where it is. It's in, right in Kent, Ohio. But after them, we're starting to round up our season here. Bowling Green, that's a home game, yeah, that is a home game against the Falcons. Pretty good, another couple of kids on my team at Bowling Green, Jake Burns, Mark Kim, McKinney, and I forgot to mention Akron. Luke Bauer, Grant Gaynor, Kayden Clark, other kids I've played against. You know, you could say that there's a pipeline from Hoban to the MAAC, some might say that, being that there are a couple teammates on Kent, too, Nolan Rumler and Charlie Durkin. Everyone I think, you know, just has that pull to the MAAC. So that's always a good thing. And then after Bowling Green, we've got Ball State, that's an away game, so going out there. And then last game of regular season would be Northern Illinois, and we're ending our season on a home game, which you can't complain about whatsoever. Then after that would be the MAAC Championship at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, which I think everyone in Kent would love to see this team go to a MAAC Championship. Because it's been a while. We had a team meeting this morning, and he told us, I just can't, I can't think of it, I can't remember. But yeah, a bowl game would be nice for us, a MAAC Championship would be nice, but, you know, you've got to work for those things, and I think that everyone is very willing to work for the things they have. Especially here, you know, being our new slogan is Kent Grit, by our great new head coach Kenny Burns. You know, maybe we can get him on this podcast. You know, if we get this thing off the ground, I mean, why not? Why can't we? Why can't I get my coach on here? I think that's a perfect idea. Why can't I get him on here? You know, asking some questions, maybe I can get Coach Farrell in here too, my position coach. I think that'd be pretty fun. But yeah, just rounding out the season with, you know, those couple games and those hopes and aspirations that I think we all think about, we all want for ourselves. But yeah, I mean, there's not much, not much else to say on the schedule for this year. You know, I think all 12 teams have a pretty balanced schedule, with some of the harder teams in the beginning of the season, which I think everybody does. But I think that, you know, we're going to be off to a good start. We're going to be hot, coming off those big games, and then going down to the MAAC, you know, trying to kick some ass. But yeah, well, I think that's it for the pilot episode. Well, hopefully we get another episode. I mean, we'll tell very soon. Might be like a once a week thing I might do. But yeah, I kind of just did this off the rip. You know, I've been thinking about it for a long time. I have another buddy. He doesn't play football, but he is big on the MAAC. He goes to OU, the party school. So maybe I can get him on. Maybe we can make this little two-man podcast that everyone would enjoy. But I think that's going to be it for today. Well, if you are listening, I appreciate that very much. Because I don't expect this to get a lot of listeners, but you never know. But I appreciate it, and I hope you have a very blessed day. Thank you.