Bussin’ With The Boys – December 1, 2025 Episode Summary

Main Theme:
This episode delivers a passionate, analytical deep-dive into the NFL's two-point conversion debate with Greg Olsen, an in-depth breakdown of college football playoff chaos, conference championship implications, coaching drama, and candid discussions about team building, leadership, and fan expectations. Guests include former NFL player Greg Olsen, Ohio State coach Ryan Day, and college football analyst Josh Pate, with hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan steering the conversation through arguments, stats, and personal stories.

Episode At A Glance

• NFL Analytics Deep Dive: Greg Olsen breaks down two-point conversion strategies and combats "momentum" logic using analytics.
• College Football Playoff Drama: Josh Pate reacts to rivalries, Lane Kiffin’s move, and the selection convolutions.
• Ryan Day Interview: Ohio State’s coach faces his critics, discusses the importance of humility, leadership, and the Indiana matchup.
• NFL, Conference Races, and Coaching News: Updates and sharp takes on NFL division races, coaching carousel, and how team culture is built or broken.
• Fan Therapy: The hosts process their own fan pain over Michigan, Nebraska, and the chaos of the NCAA football landscape.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Greg Olsen vs the Analytics Haters

[03:00 – 38:34]

The Twitter War and the Two-Point Conversion Dilemma

• Greg Olsen is introduced, and the conversation dives into a social media spat about two-point conversion analytics, highlighted by a recent Eagles game.
• “Greg was breaking down why you go for two when you're the Philadelphia Eagles down nine...and Greg was...ready to take the analytics war to everybody. The modern day football game that's being played.” – Taylor [03:13]
• JJ Watt’s skepticism about analytics is discussed: the player “momentum” narrative vs cold, hard numbers.

Momentum vs Math

• The boys debate whether missed two-point conversions truly “deflate” a team or if such concepts are emotional myths.
• Will Compton argues, “All the nonsense we've been thrown down our face for the last 20 years in football, which actually means jack shit.” [04:59]

Key Analytics Points from Greg Olsen

• The difference is not being down 9 vs 8, it's about maximizing your win scenarios by learning outcomes earlier.
• “Would you rather be down 9 with the hope of being down 7 or would you rather be down 2 with 25 seconds left?” – Will Compton paraphrasing Olsen [08:07]
• Statistical reality: 8-point games are only one-score games “43% of the time.” [18:02]
• Olsen repeatedly stresses that hope and momentum are not strategies, challenging old-school coaching psychology:
  • “Hope is not a strategy.” – Olsen [36:42]

Why Go for 2 Early?

• "The goal is to gobble up bite-sized pieces of win percentage...the entire NFL game is about incremental advantages." – Greg Olsen [13:04]
• The group concedes that fear of bad post-game press conferences often drives coaches to make suboptimal decisions.
  • “The number one preventer of teams making correct decisions is 100% fear of the post game press conference.” – Olsen [23:22]

Fun Analogies & Memorable Lines

• “It’s like when you play blackjack and you stay on 16 just hoping you don’t bust—it’s not smart, but it FEELS better.” – Olsen [12:03–12:41]
• "Defenses don't suddenly try harder or less hard down nine, eight, or seven. You're pros." – Olsen [36:09]
• Standout exchange about hope vs facts:
  • Taylor: "But the optimism when you're down eight..."
  • Olsen: "Hope is not a strategy." [36:44]

2. NFL Division Races & Coaching Carousel

[44:34 – 56:07]

Panthers' Upstart & Division Outlooks

• The Panthers’ surprising wins, including back-to-back 4th-down TDs, are examined as evidence of analytics working (“They won the game because they used fourth down…” – Olsen [44:55]).
• In the NFC East: Greg picks Philly as the “talent always wins” favorite but credits Dallas’ improvement, especially their defense “just holding serve” [48:13].

Cowboys’ Roster Construction & Potential Pitfalls

• Debate over George Pickens’ effort and contract-year play; skepticism that Dallas can keep all their stars.
• Will: “My biggest fear is they’re going to break him off and he’s going to shut it down…” [51:24]

Steelers, Bengals & North Division Drama

• Deteriorating stability in Pittsburgh—Taylor predicts it’s Mike Tomlin’s last run if the team falters.

3. College Football Chaos: Rivalries, Playoffs & Coaching Moves

[80:12 – 138:59]

Rivalry Week Heartbreaks & Emotional Check-ins

• Will and Taylor process Michigan and Nebraska losses; the locker-room group therapy for fans.

Josh Pate on Lane Kiffin Drama & CFP Selection

• Recaps Lane Kiffin’s messy exit from Ole Miss to LSU, dissecting the “calendar” problem in coaching moves.
  • “Lane could have handled this a whole lot better, but...fix the calendar so this doesn't have to happen.” – Pate [118:00]
• The hosts recognize both the short-term pain for players and the long-term benefits that Lane brought to Ole Miss.

Playoff Scenarios & Selection Madness

• Josh Pate breaks down convoluted paths for G5 teams, the danger of multiple G5s in the playoffs, and the prospect of the ACC or Miami being left out.
  • “No one's arguing Vandy—they’re arguing a fifth SEC team. That’s all the public hears…” – Pate [102:00]
• What would happen if favorites like Alabama, Georgia, or BYU lose? Pate predicts chaos and mounting pressure on the committee.
  • “There's no way around it—it's going to be a mess, man.” – Pate [109:23]

Proposed Fixes for Playoff Sanity

• Require conference champion entrants to be ranked top-15: “If they're not in the top 15 at least, then we're just going to override it.” – Pate [112:13]

4. Ryan Day – Facing the Critics, Embracing Leadership

[143:07 – 162:32]

Will’s On-Air Apology, Day’s Philosophy

• Will apologizes to Coach Day for harsh public critique, expressing respect after Ohio State’s season-defining win.
  • “I have said a lot of nasty things… but you have shown a, you've proven me wrong… That is... the last nice thing I'll say.” – Will [144:01]
• Coach Day: “There's a lot of great life lessons, you know, over the last year… This is life, right?” [144:12]

On Conference Championships, Culture & Momentum

• Day defends the importance of the Big Ten championship (“Winning a Big Ten championship does matter… It's one of the things on our list.” [146:13]), but acknowledges the shifting landscape with playoffs overtaking conference titles.

Building a Defensive Powerhouse

• “Having Matt [Patricia] on the other side… allows me the opportunity to be there too… And our guys just love it, man. They eat it up.” – Day on Patricia’s NFL influence [150:23]
• On elevating Brian Hartline to Offensive Coordinator: “So much of it is... the organization of the staff, motivation, the organization of practice, the messaging.” [151:21]

Culture, Humility, and Rivalry Lessons

• Day’s locker-room humility after the big win is praised by fans and even former critics.
• “You can listen to narratives … but when you know deep down in your heart what's real, what isn't, you gotta fight like hell to make sure that ... the people that care about you, you're right.” [158:49]
• Fan (Mitch): “This past game... you say 'we're winning this with humility.' I'm like, that's my head coach.” [160:44]

5. Fan Therapy, Michigan/Nebraska Lament, and the State of College Football

[162:41– 194:08]

Processing Loss & Hope for the Future

• Michigan’s struggles against Ohio State are compared to the wider landscape. Will: “If you're Michigan, the standard is your rival… Now is the time to funnel all those resources in…” [165:48]
• Taylor: “7 and 5 is not okay...We end the year...it wasn’t good enough. There’s usually hope and optimism… but there hasn't been any over the last couple weeks.” [171:09]

Transfer Portal, NIL, and Roster-Building Realities

• Long discussion on Nebraska's struggles, the transfer portal rumors around Dylan Raiola, and how internal program rumors often shape the fan experience and local media narratives.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Hope is not a strategy.” – Greg Olsen [36:44]
• “The number one preventer of teams making correct decisions… is 100% fear of the post-game press conference.” – Greg Olsen [23:22]
• “Emotion and momentum are not quantifiable. Football is about finding little percentage edges.” – Paraphrased Olsen [13:04]
• “If they're in today, then they're in, period.” – Josh Pate on SEC playoff teams [95:19]
• “You just got Moneyballed.” – Will to Taylor after Olsen’s analytic explanation [25:32]
• “You aren’t in the business of fair. You’re in the business of winning.” – Josh Pate on CFP selections [109:58]
• “I just want you guys to wrap your heads around...8 point games are one-score games 43% of the time...” – Olsen [18:02]
• “Congrats to Ryan Day...and if you’re a Michigan fan, that’s a great opportunity to look yourself in the mirror…” – Will [89:14]
• “You gotta figure out how to get it fixed fast. That’s what motivates me.” – Ryan Day [161:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:00–38:34] Greg Olsen Defends Analytics & Two-Point Try Debate
• [44:34–56:07] NFL Division Races, Cowboys/Panthers, Steelers/Bengals
• [80:12–138:59] College Football Playoff Chaos, Lane Kiffin, Conference Championship Implications (with Josh Pate)
• [143:07–162:32] Ryan Day Interview: Rivalry, Leadership, & Team Building
• [162:41–194:08] College Football Fan Therapy, Nebraska/Michigan, Transfer Drama

Language and Tone

The episode is raucous, irreverent, and passionate—often featuring former player banter (“piss coming out of your…”) and relentless, good-natured needling. Guests are challenged but heard out, and data is always weighed against “locker-room vibes” and experience. Despite fiery disagreements, respect and willingness to evolve viewpoints ("I’m a slow burn on the analytics") is a consistent throughline.

For New Listeners: Why This Episode Stands Out

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in how high-level football decisions are debated behind the scenes, the emotional rollercoaster of fans and insiders after rivalry week, and why analytics are steadily taking over the sport—despite the pushback from traditionalists. Greg Olsen’s insight on analytics is especially memorable, and Coach Ryan Day’s humility and reflection after a massive win serve as a clinic on leadership.

Summary Table of Contents:

• NFL Two-Point Analytics Showdown (Greg Olsen vs. the World): [03:00–38:34]
• NFL Division Races & Coaching Updates: [44:34–56:07]
• College Football Playoff, Lane Kiffin Exit, & Selection Mayhem (Josh Pate): [80:12–138:59]
• Ryan Day's Redemption After Rivalry Win: [143:07–162:32]
• College Fan Therapy & State-of-Program Talks: [162:41–194:08]

If you crave inside-the-locker-room perspective, stats-driven decision-making, and the emotional reality of transitioning programs—from the NFL to college—this episode is as entertaining as it is insightful.