When Taylor Met Travis: PLL Quarterfinals, College Football Kickoff, and NFL South Preview | The Far End of the Bench Ep. 245

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Love is in the air, football is back, and we’re not ashamed to admit it — yes, we click-baited you with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Deal with it. But hey, they just got engaged, and if Taylor’s in the news, you know we’re finding a way to tie it into sports. Besides, when Jessica Simpson was in the booth for Tony Romo, they showed her every five minutes. She walked so Taylor could run.

This week’s episode of The Far End of the Bench was loaded: fantasy football drafts, PLL quarterfinals, Week Zero in college football, and a dive into the AFC and NFC South. Oh, and of course, our Top 5 athlete couples — because if Travis and Taylor are stealing headlines, we might as well power rank the most chaotic love stories in sports history.

Fantasy Football Draft Talk

Draft season is here, and every fantasy league has that one guy who goes rogue. Ours? A middle schooler who took Travis Hunter way too early. We broke down our picks and strategies and explained why some of us (cough Niko) are destined for heartbreak after Week 1.

PLL Quarterfinals: Chase Ierlan Stands Tall

Playoff lacrosse didn’t disappoint. The Redwoods got a monster performance from goalie Chase Ierlan, who racked up 18 saves at a 60% clip and stood on his head in the second half. Down 10–5, he made that ridiculous behind-the-back save that flipped the momentum, led to a two-point goal, and completely turned the game.

I picked him as my Player of the Week for a reason. That was a “get the boys another weekend together” kind of win.

College Football Week 1: Farmageddon in Dublin and Marquee Matchups

College football is officially back, and we’re diving headfirst into Week 1.

• Texas vs. Ohio State: Arch Manning and the Longhorns roll into the Horseshoe against the defending champs. We both agreed that Texas is a legit national title contender, but this feels like a “too much, too early” game. I took Ohio State at home.

• LSU vs. Clemson (Battle of the Death Valleys): Two top-10 teams, two fanbases with playoff expectations, and two coaches on very different trajectories. Niko’s drinking the Cade Klubnik Kool-Aid, but I’m not sure Brian Kelly will survive another hot-seat season if LSU sputters.

• Miami vs. Notre Dame (Catholics vs. Convicts): Still one of my favorite rivalries in college football. I leaned Notre Dame, but made it clear — this is a must-win game for Mario Cristobal. Miami fans (myself included once upon a time) won’t tolerate another wasted season.

And yes, we had a whole side tangent about CU’s live mascot, Ralphie VI, retiring after three years. Three years! If Ralphie VII doesn’t come charging out of the gates, maybe it really was a bad omen for Coach Prime’s Buffs.

NFL South Preview: Picking the Best of the Bad

Let’s be honest: the AFC and NFC South aren’t exactly the cream of the crop. Still, someone’s got to win.

• AFC South: Texans on top, no question. CJ Stroud and that young core are miles ahead of the rest. I slotted the Jaguars second, though I don’t trust Trevor Lawrence. Titans third, Colts dead last (and if Daniel Jones starts 0–5, Anthony Richardson will get tossed in so that they can tank for Arch Manning — whether Arch wants Indy or not).

• NFC South: Tampa Bay is the clear favorite. Baker Mayfield’s weapons and defense are tough, and I’m a Baker Believer. After that, I liked the Panthers for second — Bryce Young showed flashes late last year, and they could take a leap with a better supporting cast. Falcons third (sorry, Michael Penix), and the Saints? Worst team in football. Book it.

Top 5 Athlete Couples: Love and Chaos

If Taylor and Travis are the new power couple, then it’s only right that we rank the all-timers. Between Romo and Jessica Simpson, A-Rod and JLo (with a life-sized minotaur painting in the house, by the way), Brady and Gisele, Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick, and Tiger and Elin, my list leaned heavily into the messy breakups that made sports radio gold.

Niko went with the more traditional route — Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe, David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Upton and Justin Verlander, Kim K and her never-ending roster, and Kelce and Swift at number one.

The bottom line is that both shots of athlete girlfriends fuel the sports world long before Taylor Swift showed up at Arrowhead.

Players of the Week

• My pick: Chase Ierlan, for keeping the Redwoods alive with that absurd playoff performance.

• Niko’s pick: Cal Raleigh, aka “The Big Dumper,” setting the single-season home run record for a catcher.

Benchwarmers of the Week

CU’s Ralphie VI (three years and out, really?), Shiloh Sanders throwing punches as an undrafted free agent, and — my personal favorite — the Bengals coaching staff, who still think “hope” is a strategy. I said it then and’ll say it now: hope is not a strategy.

Closing Thoughts

This was one of our most jam-packed episodes yet — fantasy football, PLL playoffs, college football kickoffs, NFL previews, rants, lists, and of course, Taylor and Travis.

Football is here, and so are we. Could you make sure to subscribe, follow, and spread the word? Episode 245 of The Far End of the Bench is live now.