Very few football experts in January of 1969 thought the Jets could be competitive against Baltimore.

On January 11^th, 1969, the thinking about the nearly officially named Super bowl was this. Baltimore was going to beat the New York Jets and the game would not be close. The National Football League would continue to show its superiority in the biggest game of them all, the Super Bowl. In 1967, Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers easily beat the American Football League’s Kansas City and in 1968, Lombardi’s Packers defeated the American Football League’s Oakland Raiders. Of course, what was omitted in that thinking was that Lombardi’s Packers beat almost everyone and won NFL Championships in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967.

The AFL’s New York Jets-NFL’s Baltimore Colts game was the turning point in the popularity of the Super Bowl. The National Football League and most of the football media thought the old league would just be better all the time and that dominance was going to carry on well into the 1970s. There was a thought that somehow the NFL needed to come up with a new formula so that just NFL teams would appear in the Super Bowl. That would make the game more competitive and appealing.

The New York Jets franchise led by the owner Sonny Werblin was the free spending rebels from the rebel league although Werblin was gone as one of the Jets organization’s owners in 1968. New York quarterback Joe Namath had a large contract, wore long hair and played in white shoes. The Colts quarterbacks, Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas both had crew cuts. Namath was known as Broadway Joe, a nickname given to him by former Colt and Jet offensive lineman Sherman Plunkett. Unitas was known as Johnny U and wore black high-top shoes.

Namath had a public perception of being a playboy who enjoyed New York life to its fullest and was a braggart. Unitas had little to say.

While the Jets coach Weeb Ewbank was studying films of the Colts and analyzing why the Chiefs and Raiders lost, Namath was talking and was ahead of his time as a trash talk pioneer. Except Namath only said two things and was probably only echoing what his coaching staff and teammates were thinking.

Namath said there were four quarterbacks in the AFL who were better than Morrall, the Colts starter and then said, “We are going to win this game. I guarantee it.”

Ewbank had to convince his Jets to keep quiet and play football and not say a thing about beating Baltimore. He was in one way seeking NFL respect but in another way laughing at the Super Bowl. Weeb knew his Jets could win and the AFL was a quality league.

“They weren’t giving the AFL anything,” he said years later. “I thought there were two great teams in Super Bowl I and II. They were fine ball clubs. I don’t think there has ever been much better material than they had at Kansas City. They had great athletes and the Raiders were a good football team.

“In both games, they let themselves get upset. In the first game, they had an interception in the third quarter and the Chiefs weren’t any good in the ballgame after that after Green Bay scored. Then the Raider game, they had a dropped punt and a recovery and then they weren’t in the game anymore.

“When we went into out game, we said no matter what happened, we weren’t going to let it upset us. Whether it be an official call, an interception, a fumble or what. Why we weren’t going to let that upset us. We were going to stick to the game plan.”

But one thing Ewbank didn’t count on was Namath sounding more like Muhammad Ali than the average football player.

Ewbank brought the Jets to Fort Lauderdale to work out prior to the game. The Jets stayed at the Galt Ocean Mile Hotel where Namath was given the same room that Vince Lombardi used the year before. The Jets trained at the New York Yankees Fort Lauderdale spring training complex and he was given Mickey Mantle’s locker. Twists of fate?

Maybe, but Namath broke the athlete’s code. He guaranteed a win. Ewbank was not amused.

“We had gone down there as 17 points underdogs which I liked,” he recalled. “I told the guys don’t pay any attention to what I say because I want to try to make it 21 if I can. Don’t you guys do anything to stir them up. Well, I could have shot Joe when he said that.”

But Namath and the Jets were confident and really believed they were better than the Colts.

“That’s true and I understood Coach Ewbank,” said Namath. “The next day I saw Coach Ewbank and he said my goodness these guys (the Colts) are overconfident and I have been working on that and here you are giving them fuel to get fired up for the game.

“I simply said, Coach if they need clippings to fire them up, then they are in trouble. That was that. He made me aware that he was very upset that I had said what I did and I felt badly about it after that. Fortunately we won.”

The Jets did go out and won 16-7. The AFL had arrived nearly 10 years after Hunt and Bud Adams decided to go ahead with their plan.

The Jets apparently didn’t think too highly of the Tiffany Trophy the organization received for winning the game. The team left it behind in Miami’s Orange Bowl in a backroom and returned to New York.

“The important thing was we won,” said Namath.

Namath, Ewbank and the rest of the Jets permanently etched the term Super Bowl into the American mindset. Namath, the quarterback, became a TV host, sex symbol, rebel, hero and salesman. The Jets victory that day might have been crushing for old line NFL owners and the sports media that fawned over the NFL, but NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle saw a silver lining.  In the NFL Publication, The Super Bowl, Celebrating a Quarter of a Century of America’s Greatest Game, Rozelle admitted the Jets’ upset that day mushroomed interest in football.

An excerpt from the book “America’s Passion: How a Coal Miner’s Game Became the NFL in the 20th Century”.

This game might be something similar to the Peach Bowl back in 2022. Remember when Georgia and Ohio State played in that instant classic that ended as the clock struck midnight? After what happened in Los Angeles, roughly 10 days later, left everyone realizing the National Championship had been played in Atlanta. I think that may be a road we are headed down once again, with a clash of titans in Atlanta (Yes, Indiana is a titan). So who wins and how do they do it?

SPORTS TALK GEORGIA

SPORTS TALK FLORIDA

Notes on Oregon

I’m curious to see what form of Dan Lanning we get Friday night. For all of his success he hasn’t been fantastic in big games. He struggled to close out the season in his first year losing 2 of his last 3 when the CFP was in sight. In 2023 he couldn’t beat Washington and last year after beating Ohio State and winning the BIG 10 he got ran out of Pasadena by Ohio State. I’m not saying that he can’t win these games or hasn’t won games like these in the past but his track record hasn’t been fantastic in these moments.

Oregon is thin at running back, with reports coming out that they have moved two defenders to offense to help with the lack of depth at that position. They have 4 running backs out of this game, and Noah Whittington was a late add to the injury report as questionable. Aside from Whittington, the backs available for the Ducks on Friday are Dierre Hill Jr. and Jay Harris (who is transferring). Oregon dealt with injuries all year at receiver, and just when that room starts to get healthy, their running backs start to drop like flies.

All that said, there are still two things I believe/know to be true. The first is that it is hard to beat a good team twice. I know this is cliché and coach speak, but it is absolutely true. The second is, despite all of the injuries Oregon has in its backfield, this is still the best offense that Indiana has seen in a while. The health of that receiver room is big, and they still have probably the best tight end in the country in Kenyon Sadiq. Oh yeah, and their defense is pretty good too.

Notes on Indiana

Everyone has seemingly been waiting for Indiana to be proven fraudulent. To be honest, I am not quite sure why. Alabama was a popular upset pick in the Rose Bowl, and Indiana is now the only team in the 12-team format to not lose after having a bye (teams with a bye in the 12-team CFP format are 1-7). No one picked them against Ohio State (myself included). Oregon was expected to blow them out in Eugene earlier this year. None of that happened, though, and Curt Cignetti and his staff just keep chugging along.

On the Injury front, Indiana has no surprises, unlike Oregon, which had in their backfield. Their kickoff specialist is listed as doubtful, but I think they’ll probably be able to survive that. So Indiana has won the injury report at least. Compared to their last matchup with Oregon, they have had a couple of in-season injuries, specifically along the D-line. So that will be something to watch for tonight. Does that D-line do as good a job against the Oregon O-line as they did in Eugene?

Prediction + Betting Lines

I think this game comes down to the coaching staff more than anything else. These rosters from a talent standpoint are extremely close (although it may not look like it on paper). I would say Oregon definitely drew the short end of the stick when it comes to injuries. I do hope that will not play a factor in the game tonight. The last thing I want to see is an Oregon DB taking a handoff in a CFP Semi-Final game because we cannot get the college football calendar right. (Oregon has multiple running backs in the portal, along with their injuries)

When you look at the two coaching staffs, Indiana’s has been the best in the country all year, and when you pair that with the fact that Tosh Lupoi and Will Stein have been working double duty this week, I definitely give the edge to Indiana on the sidelines and on the field.

Prediction: Give me the Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers

Betting: Indiana -3, Over/Under is 50.5

Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi has described his involvement at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco as the realisation of a lifelong dream, as the Super Eagles continue their quest for continental glory.

The Hull City centre-back has been one of Nigeria’s most reliable performers in the tournament so far, featuring in three of the Super Eagles’ four matches.

Alongside Fulham defender Calvin Bassey, Ajayi has built a formidable partnership that has played a key role in Nigeria’s progress to the knockout stages.

Their understanding at the heart of defence was on full display in Nigeria’s emphatic 4–0 victory over Mozambique, which produced the Super Eagles’ first clean sheet of the competition.

Speaking exclusively to Sports Talk ahead of Nigeria’s quarter-final clash against Algeria, Ajayi admitted that representing the Super Eagles on Africa’s biggest stage still feels surreal.

Born in England, Ajayi grew up with dreams of becoming a professional footballer—but he never imagined reaching this level with Nigeria.

“Honestly, it’s a dream come true,” Ajayi told Sports Talk Florida. “As a young kid growing up, I never even imagined getting one cap for the Super Eagles. Now I just want to get as many as I can.”

The 31-year-old defender has become a vital figure in the squad, and AFCON 2025 marks another important chapter in his international journey.

Ajayi was also part of Nigeria’s squad at AFCON 2023, where the Super Eagles finished runners-up after losing to Cote d’Ivoire in the final.

That disappointment, however, has only strengthened his desire to go one step further this time.

Building a Rock-Solid Defence with Calvin Bassey

One of Nigeria’s biggest strengths at AFCON 2025 has been its defensive organisation, and much of that stability comes from the growing chemistry between Ajayi and Calvin Bassey.

The two centre-backs complement each other well, with Ajayi bringing positional discipline and aerial dominance, while Bassey offers aggression and ball-playing ability.

Together, they have become one of the tournament’s most effective defensive pairings.

“We are improving game by game,” Ajayi continued. “We’ve played a lot of games together, and we have a good understanding of how each other works.

“We’re always pushing each other to be better.”

Their partnership reached a new level in the dominant win over Mozambique, where Nigeria kept a clean sheet while scoring four goals.

It was indeed a performance that underlined Nigeria’s credentials as genuine AFCON title contenders.

“Today was an improvement, and we’re looking to improve again for the next game,” Ajayi added.

When asked to name the toughest opponent Nigeria have faced so far, Ajayi refused to single out one team, stressing that every match has required full focus and commitment.

“Every game gets harder and harder,” the Hull City star said. “The stakes get higher and higher. The concentration needs to be higher and higher.”

Nigeria’s next challenge comes in the form of Algeria and with a place in the semi-finals on the line, Ajayi’s defensive prowess will be crucial in deciding Nigeria’s progress as they aim for a fourth AFCON trophy.