Barstool Pick Em – Week 14: "RICO'S RECRUITING METHODS GET QUESTIONED"

Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Barstool Sports
Main Hosts: Big Cat (Dan), Pres (Dave Portnoy), Rico Bosco
Guest: Ebo

Episode Overview

This week's "Barstool Pick Em" dives into Week 14 of college football, centering around rivalry matchups, gambling heartbreaks, and the ongoing drama over bowl eligibility and playoff ranking debates. The hosts banter about standings in their Bob Diaco challenge, question Rico Bosco’s high school “recruiting” methods, and break down critical games and Heisman hopefuls. As always, bad beats, bizarre hypotheticals, and inside-joke-laden camaraderie are front and center.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Show Standings, Rules & the Bob Diaco Race

• Opening Standings Rundown (02:44)
  • Ebo: 9-4
  • Rico: 8-5
  • Big Cat: 7-6
  • Others: Jack 7-5, Hank 7-5, Zupy 7-6, Pres 4-9
  • Ebo is confronted for talking trash online while missing multiple episodes, prompting discussion over eligibility for the Bob Diaco challenge.
• Notable Quote:
  • Big Cat: "You can't talk shit if you haven't shown up on the show!" (03:35)
  • Dave: “I think that’s fair." (03:25)

2. JMU, The Group of 5, and Playoff Gatekeeping

• Ebo Advocates for JMU (04:01)
  • Ebo lays out JMU’s case for a playoff spot: best "strength of record" among Group of 5, decries credit given to Tulane and North Texas.
  • Complains about the term “Group of 5 spot”, clarifying it’s for 5 highest-rated conference champions regardless of conference.
• Notable Quote:
  • Ebo: "You beat two nerd schools. Congratulations." (04:28)
  • Dave, harshly rebutting: "This is a joke and they shouldn’t be in the playoffs... they're gonna lose by 100 in the first round." (05:22)

3. Feast Week and College Basketball Nostalgia

• Old vs. New College Hoops Tournaments (08:34–10:09)
  • The group bemoans the lackluster environment of current basketball tournaments compared to the Maui and Atlantis tournaments.
  • Nostalgic about past Thanksgiving gambling memories.
• Notable Quote:
  • Big Cat: “Feast week is important to us. We always lose... but we do it together. My favorite Thanksgiving memory is watching the UConn 4-overtime game on the playground with my kid.” (09:49)

4. Rico Bosco’s Recruiting: The High School Incident

• Key Segment: Rico Speaks at a High School (16:06–20:29)
  • Dave & Dan are bewildered that Rico was invited to talk to a journalism class; they offer $5k for a video of the Q&A chaos.
  • Rico describes fielding bizarre questions, including "How late were you to the funeral?"
• Notable Quotes:
  • Dave: "What type of absolute psychopath invites you to talk to high school kids?" (16:06)
  • Rico: "It's okay to not know what you want to do... just, you know, work hard. It was a convoluted path." (17:41)
  • Dave: “A dad at home... hearing his son say 'Rico Bosco spoke to our senior class today about success'—he has to be fired, you have to pull your kid from the school.” (19:00)

5. College Football Playoff Intrigue & Hypotheticals

• Debate on Playoff Likelihoods (22:25–26:13)
  • Discussion over potential scenarios for Big Ten, especially Michigan’s playoff path.
  • Considerations of “bubble” status, argument over whether losing the Big Ten Championship would knock Michigan out.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Dave: “My ideal scenario is we win, Oregon beats Washington, they go. Michigan's not getting in if they lose the title game.” (24:30–24:49)
  • Rico: “That's where this committee... it's interesting, compelling, dramatic—why it's the best.” (25:44)

6. Insider Banter & Running Gags

• Televisions Debate: (27:19)
  • Rico defends his "five TVs," clarifying two are small gifts and not full-fledged viewing stations.
• Basement Safe Space: (27:53)
  • Dave: "That is your world down there."
• Recruiting Spreadsheet: (15:04)
  • Big Cat jokes Rico should provide a spreadsheet of all the college basketball coaches he knows.

Game Picks & Gambling Talk

Featured Rivalry Week Matchups (32:10–48:37)

Each host offers picks, insights, and reasoning for marquee games:

- Georgia vs. Georgia Tech (32:18)

• Rico: Georgia blows them out
• Dave & Big Cat: Lean Georgia Tech to cover as a rivalry dog

- Texas A&M at Texas (33:33)

• Big Cat: Texas +2.5, rivalry home dog logic
• Dave: Likes A&M; says they’re underrated

- Vandy at Tennessee (35:50)

• Mixed: Dave & Rico lean Vandy and over; Big Cat—Tennessee safe pick

- Iron Bowl (Alabama at Auburn) (36:50)

• Big Cat & Dave: Auburn +6, home rivalry game
• Rico: Likes the Over

- Michigan vs. Ohio State (38:07–43:43)

• Dave: Picks Michigan, discusses the emotional stakes and Ryan Day’s pressure
• Big Cat: “Gun to my head, Ohio State wins, but… I’m taking Michigan to cover.”
• Rico: “It’ll be a dogfight. Michigan right in it late.”
• Notable Quotes:
  • Dave: "If we win the game, we get to the playoffs. Playoffs start this weekend for us." (49:44)
  • "Ryan Day, if this game is close... he's capable of anything." (40:24)
  • Big Cat: "This is what the rivalry is. It comes down to this game... Ryan Day’s got a Michigan problem." (43:03)

Other Major Topics

• Heisman Watch:
  Big Cat is big on Jeremiah Love (25-1 ticket); debate over whether Mendoza can lose the Heisman with Big Ten title game performance. (22:25–23:49)
• Portfolio/Futures:
  • Big Cat: Texas Tech 60-1, Jeremiah Love 25-1
  • Rico: Oregon 25-1, just grabbed Georgia at 10-1 (51:13–51:37)

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | | --------- | ------- | ----- | | 05:22 | Dave | "This is a joke and they shouldn’t be in the playoffs... they're going to lose by 100 in the first round." | | 09:49 | Big Cat | "Feast week is important to us. We always lose... but we do it together." | | 16:06 | Dave | "What type of absolute psychopath invites you to talk to high school kids?" | | 19:00 | Dave | "A dad at home... hearing his son say 'Rico Bosco spoke to our senior class today about success'—he has to be fired, you have to pull your kid from the school." | | 24:30 | Dave | "My ideal scenario is we win, Oregon beats Washington, they go. I don't... Michigan's not getting in if they lose the title game." | | 25:44 | Rico | "That's where this committee... it's interesting, compelling, dramatic—why it's the best." | | 43:08 | Big Cat | "Ryan Day’s got a Michigan problem." | | 49:44 | Dave | "The playoffs are on the line... If we win the game, we get to playoffs—the playoffs start this weekend for us." |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Show Standings, Ebo Returns: 02:44–06:34
• JMU Playoff Debate: 04:01–06:24
• Feast Week Memories: 08:30–10:09
• Rico’s High School Speaking Segment: 16:06–20:29
• College Football Playoff Scenarios: 22:25–26:13
• Rico's Five TV Defense/Basement Banter: 27:19–28:18
• Game Breakdowns (Rivalry Week): 32:10–48:37
• Heisman Talk & Futures: 22:25–23:49; 50:08–51:37
• Cards & Mortal Locks: 45:31–49:22

Final Cards & Mortal Locks

Each host rounds up their picks and Mortal Lock:

• Big Cat: North Texas -19.5 (48:52); Texas Tech and Jeremiah Love futures
• Dave: Michigan +10, “We beat them every single year. We're getting 10 points at home.” (49:26)
• Rico: Georgia -13.5, Oregon and Georgia outright futures (49:15, 51:30)
• Others: Michigan +10 (Hank); Miami/Pitt Over 50.5 (Zoo)

Tone & Style

The episode is typical Barstool: fast-paced, irreverent, a blend of statistical insights and pointed trash talk. The conversations move briskly, fueled by the rivalry week stakes and the hosts' personal investments—not only financial, but emotional.

Bottom Line

The show balances playful chaos (Rico’s high school faux pas, TV superiority debates) and sharp insight (playoff scenarios, gambling strategy). It’s best for fans who appreciate an indoor-bar banter vibe but still want sharp CFB and CBB takes for their Saturdays. If you want to know whom to root for, where to fade, or just want to feel like you’re in the middle of your loudest, most degenerate sports-loving friend group: this is your pod.

For more episodes and to join the conversation, check out barstool.link/barstoolpickem.