The season is FINALLY here! Gonzaga-Baylor highlights opening night, but will we see upsets elsewhere? Plus: Biggest storylines, F4/champ picks and more

We took the pod to CBS Sports Network on Monday to celebrate opening day. What you hear on this ep is what aired on TV. We'll have a regular show Tuesday morning in the feed and on YouTube to react to Monday night. Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The season is a mere three days away! So Gary and Matt figured, why not have a preseason listener mailbag to wrap up our last show of the 2024 offseason? Enjoy, and be sure to catch the pod Monday at 2 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network, where we'll have our predictions and final preseason honors. 01:20 - What would be the funniest opening day result? 06:58 - Coaches abducted by aliens 12:00 - Which school would you not schedule? 14:50 - What coach is skimping on Halloween candy? 20:23 - Who will be the computer trickers? 23:33 - A good Big 12 question we haven't gotten before 25:34 - What's the guys' go-to at the airport? 30:00 - Who is the most jacked coach in CBB? 37:10 - Is NIL jealousy causing some issues in locker rooms? 42:00 - That crazy Sun Belt tournament format that was released this week 44:11 - Best title contender outside the preseason top 25? 46:04 - Should the show do an in-person podcast this season with a live audience? 48:33 - Has any player ever DM'ed the guys to complain about something they wrote/said? 52:32 - Which mascot is Parrish picking if he can wear the costume for a day? Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Read: Norlander - Best of the Rest Preview Every year there's some mid-major that until then that you never hear of that ends up busting your bracket. What if you got the inside info about 6 months early? Well, Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander are going over the mid-major teams YOU need to know about heading into the 2024-2025 season. 01:45 - Has Gonzaga's title window closed? 12:07 - Who are the best teams outside of the power conference you need to know 28:00 - These four non-Power 5 schools are intriguing as well 33:01 - Five more teams Norlander likes in 2024-2025 38:40 - Players to know 43:45 - Seven Notable coaching hires 53:12 -Over/Under 6.5 non-Big Five teams earn a at-large bid To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Big East has 11 teams but will not be short on drama this season. Let's set the table on UConn. Who is most likely to derail the Huskies? Is the league benefited by having 11 teams while the other high-majors are 16-18 deep? Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander break down the Big East. Also, the guys pay respect to Amir Abdur-Rahim, the 43-year-old coach of South Florida who shockingly passed on Thursday. (01:30) - Does Dan Hurley have a point about being ranked No. 1 at the start of the season? (12:45) - The Five Big East Storylines You Need To Know (31:33) - How many Big East teams make the NCAAs? (41:06) - Big East superlatives (45:59) - Amir Abdur-Rahim passes away at 43 Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Norlander talks with Providence's Kim English, Marquette's Shaka Smart & Xavier's Sean Miller Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Norlander talks to Creighton's Greg McDermott, Villanova's Kyle Neptune and UConn's Dan Hurley Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from Big East Media Day, Matt Norlander talks to Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, Butler Coach Thad Motta, and St. John's Coach Rick Pitino. Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

READ: Norlander's Top 101 Teams and his column from C'ville on Bennett's retirement Tony Bennett's retirement is still being felt around college basketball. Extended thoughts from Parrish, plus inside info from Norlander, kicks off the first half of the pod. Then: Norlander's annual megaranking went live late last week. Alabama, Houston, and Kansas lead the pack but who else is in the top 10? Which picks does GP think are nuts? Which power-conference teams are destined to be under/over-ranked? (00:45) - Norlander's Thoughts on the Tony Bennett Retirement (29:07) - Norlander's 100 And 1 Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gary Parrish goes solo to discuss Tony Bennett's sudden retirement, the ramifications on modern college coaches and who will eventually replace Bennett in Charlottesville. Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kansas. Baylor. Houston. Iowa State. All of these teams could win the National Title out of the Big 12. Throw in teams like Arizona and Kansas State and you have a cauldron of a conference that looks like an intoxicating mix of talent this season. Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander look into what makes the ingredients of the Big 12 so alluring this year. 00:45 - The Big 12 has at least 4 national title contenders this season. 09:26 - The Five Big 12 Storylines you need to know. 29:46 - How many Big 12 teams make the NCAA Tournament? 40:51 - Big 12 Superlatives Eye on College Basketball is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow our team: @EyeonCBBPodcast @GaryParrishCBS @MattNorlander @Kyle_Boone @DavidWCobb @NataTheScribe Visit the betting arena on CBSSports.com for all the latest in sportsbook reviews and sportsbook promos for betting on college basketball. You can listen to us on your smart speakers! Simply say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast," or "Hey, Google, play the latest episode of the Eye on College Basketball podcast." Email the show for any reason whatsoever: [email protected] Visit Eye on College Basketball's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFb_xyBgOekQPZYC7Ijilw For more college hoops coverage, visit https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices