Podcast Summary: Bussin' With The Boys

Episode: Josh Pate Picks College Football Playoff First Round Games w/ Will Compton And Taylor Lewan
Date: December 17, 2025

Overview

This episode brings together hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan with college football analyst Josh Pate to break down the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff. The trio dives into heated debates around playoff selections, coaching rumors (especially at Michigan), and provides in-depth previews and picks for the opening matchups. With their signature banter, they also tackle the controversy around Alabama’s inclusion, the flaws in the current playoff system, and what to expect from each playoff game.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of Michigan Football & The Coaching Search

• Speculation Around the Next Michigan Head Coach
  (08:03–16:20)
  • The coaching search is “messy,” with 3-4 different decision-making camps: president, athletic director, board of regents.
  • Both Taylor and Josh like Kenny Dillingham ("If I could just choose whoever, it's going to be [him] even over [Kalen DeBoer]”—Taylor, 12:20), citing his energy and integrity, but Taylor notes institutional chaos may make the job unattractive.
  • Taylor proposes making Biff Poggi interim coach for 2026 while Michigan fixes leadership at the university, referencing past interim successes like Lloyd Carr (“The kids have all said if Biff Poggi’s the guy, we will stay.” —Taylor, 12:32).
  • Josh cautions that in the transfer portal era, verbal commitments from players to stay don’t hold much water (“Once there’s a difference between a hypothetical and Michigan having a press conference… that would be the pitch that would work on some kids.”—Josh, 16:57–17:36).
  • Will warns against picking an interim just to placate players: “That’s a recipe for disaster… unless the decision-makers truly believe that Biff Poggi is a head coach, head coach caliber.”—Will, 18:53

2. Engagement 'Farming' & Inside Jokes

• Josh and the Infamous Water GIF
  (06:05–07:52)
  • Josh’s use of cryptic GIFs on Twitter sparks fan theories about “engagement farming” and “clickbaiting.”
  • He quips: “It’s been a good crop yield this year.”—Josh, 07:15, and jokes about 'Clickbait Pate' t-shirts.

3. The Broken Playoff Selection Process (Alabama Controversy)

• Argument Over Alabama's Place in the CFP & 'Deep State CFB'
  (31:33–48:48)
  • Will’s main frustration is with the playoff selection process, not Alabama per se, though he admits personal bias: “My fight is against the system because it’s broken and it’s nothing but corruption.”—Will, 31:33
  • The debate gets heated: Will argues the “system protected Alabama to stay in the College Football Playoff” (43:14), criticizing inconsistent standards and “puppeteering” for at-large rankings.
  • Taylor fires back: “Alabama earned the right to play in the SEC championship… Alabama did nothing wrong here. BYU was never in it. Miami, Notre Dame... the reality is, you're talking about best. I'm talking about most deserving.”—Taylor, 46:18
  • Will ultimately recognizes he misdirected his anger: “I see where I was wrong and I see where my anger has been zeroed in on Alabama”—Will, 47:04

4. Playoff First Round Game Previews & Picks

• Alabama (#9) vs. Oklahoma (#8)

  • Location: Norman, OK; Bama favored by 1.5; O/U 40.5
  • Will leans Oklahoma due to home field and questions about Bama QB Ty Simpson’s health (“Something is up with Ty Simpson.”—Will, 32:10), says he's sticking to “system protest.”
  • Josh prefers the “under” on total points, seeing a possible ugly defensive battle and remainder of Bama’s injuries as key (35:03–36:23).
  • Taylor also likes Oklahoma, noting John Mateer’s return to health and home advantage (36:40, 37:58).
  • Notable dynamic: A running joke on Will’s “personal beef” with the Tide and the “Crimson corruption” nickname.

• Miami (#10) at Texas A&M (#7)

  • A&M favored by 3.5; O/U 49.5
  • Will: Favors home teams in first round, leans A&M but admits Miami has weapons.
  • Taylor: Picks Miami ("Miami plus 3.5, ACC bias... this is the last time I’m going to believe in them."—Taylor, 56:51–56:55); both hosts debate SEC vs. ACC perception.
  • Josh: No strong feel but takes A&M to cover, points out Miami’s past success vs. mobile QBs, but questions whether Reed can avoid turnovers (“Three multi-INT games in his final five. So he kind of tailed off a little bit”—Josh, 55:11).

• Tulane vs. Ole Miss

  • Ole Miss -17.5; O/U 56.5
  • Josh: Respect for Tulane’s athletes but thinks Ole Miss will win big: “This is one of the only spots… where you have these big spreads, but you also know the favorite has 100% of their attention on the opposition.”—Josh, 63:44
  • Will: Stays anti-G5, predicts a rout (“This is like a predator, just throw out the bait”—Will, 64:04)
  • Taylor: Vows to donate $50K and dress as the mascot if James Madison or Tulane pull the upsets (“If James Madison wins this game, somehow I will donate money to their nil fund.”—Taylor, 65:27)

• James Madison (#12) at Oregon (#5)

  • Oregon -28.5
  • All agree: It will be “ugly,” not competitive (“I think this is going to be bad. Like, paint the walls with their blood…”—Josh, 68:27)
  • Will: Gladiator reference—unarmed prisoners in the Coliseum.

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s been a good crop yield this year.” —Josh Pate on engagement farming (07:15)
• “If I was just say, hey, I have to pay the coach… my coach is going to be Kenny Dilling[ham]. Even over Kaylin.” —Taylor Lewan (12:20)
• “Coach it like a rental car.” —Josh Pate on the Biff Poggi interim scenario (22:00)
• “Crimson corruption. They just happen to be part of it.”—Josh Pate, mocking accusations against Alabama (31:33)
• “Don’t fall for [potential]...Potential is like hope. It’s a really, really dangerous thing.”—Josh Pate, on Nebraska QBs (27:17)
• Debate gets meta: “Alabama did nothing wrong here... Miami, Notre Dame, the reality is you’re talking about best. I’m talking about most deserving.”—Taylor Lewan (46:18)
• Taylor’s on-air wager to become a mascot and shave his head if JMU or Tulane win (65:35)
• “Like in Gladiator, where they just throw unarmed prisoners out in the Coliseum, where the outcome’s already decided before the gates even open.”—Will Compton, on James Madison vs. Oregon (68:46)

6. Coaching Carousel & Extra Notes

• Josh drops that Marcus Freeman may be a candidate for the New York Giants job, implying a potential Notre Dame opening (25:16–26:14).
• Portal and transfer speculation, especially about Nebraska QBs (26:33–27:16).
• The group remains skeptical of any G5 team’s ability to compete, insisting current selection rules overrate them.

Timeline & Timestamps

| Time | Topic / Quote | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 08:03–16:20 | Michigan coaching search, Kenny Dillingham, instability, foundation issues | | 16:20–20:30 | Player retention, transfer portal risk, why not to use player vote to pick coach | | 31:33 | "My fight is against the system..." – Will Compton | | 36:40 | “John Mateer... was the front runner when he got hurt” – Taylor Lewan | | 40:14 | Bama “scorched earth” potential, injury discussion | | 46:18–47:04 | Playoff system debate crescendo—Will admits he misdirected blame at Alabama | | 55:00 | Miami’s defense vs. mobile QBs – Taylor and Josh’s “stat-off” | | 63:44 | “You get the full weight... whatever it is, whether it’s Oregon or Ole Miss” – on Power 4/G5 mismatch | | 65:27 | Taylor’s bet: “If James Madison wins this game, somehow I will donate money to their NIL fund.” | | 68:27 | “I think this is going to be bad. Like, paint the walls with their blood…” – Josh Pate on Oregon–JMU |

Conclusion

This was a classic Bussin’ With The Boys episode: full of strong, sometimes over-the-top opinions, insider banter (and wagers), and no shortage of friendly beef. The conversation jumped from coaching rumor mill to tactical previews, from exposing the “deep state” of college football to invoking Gladiator and Jurassic Park, but through it all, the passion for the game shone through. Even if you missed the episode, this summary captures the picks, arguments, and laughs that make the show a fan favorite.