Bussin' With The Boys: Josh Pate Picks College Football Playoff National Championship w/ Will Compton & Taylor Lewan

Date: January 14, 2026

Overview

In the season finale of the Locker Room College Football Edition, Will Compton, Taylor Lewan, and special guest Josh Pate break down the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship between Indiana and Miami. They recap their future bets, provide an in-depth preview of the title game, and share candid behind-the-scenes stories from their whirlwind travels during the playoffs. The episode is as much about friendship and locker room camaraderie as it is about football, featuring good-natured ball-busting, philosophical reflections on the season, and a passionate, stats-driven debate about who will come out on top in the national championship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Final Show Reflections & Inside Jokes

[03:34–07:07]

• The trio looks back on the season, joking about how new listeners are missing out on not just the picks but the camaraderie, "trench warfare," and energy the show provides.
• Discussing running inside jokes like "the Nebraska thing," the "coaching carousel," and the "Fall Don't Lie" tour.
• Josh Pate expresses sympathy for those finding the show late:

  Josh Pate [05:10]: "Statistically, there's someone who just happened upon this video. They're like, wait, I like this show...Think about what they missed. They missed the Nebraska thing…"

2. The Arizona-to-Atlanta Drama: Behind the Scenes of CFB Playoff Travel

[07:07–27:31]

• The group unpack a travel miscommunication for the playoff semifinals, with friendly accusations over Josh's "last-minute" disclosure he could've zoomed his ESPN hit from anywhere, not just Atlanta.
• Will felt they could have stayed longer in Arizona if information was relayed sooner.
• Both sides explain their reasoning and eventually reach mutual understanding on air:

  Josh Pate [26:17]: "I can imagine I may rage out a little bit internally. I wouldn't show it...So I guess maybe morally I found some middle ground." Taylor Lewan [21:21]: "He…if he'd go back, he'd communicate [differently]: that's all I needed to hear."

• The exchange is full of playful football analogies, mediation attempts, and ends with a handshake and future adventure tease.

3. Future Bets and How They Fared

[38:40–41:40]

• All three bombed their preseason futures picks for conference winners, Heisman, and national champ:
  • Taylor: 1-5, Will: 0-6, Josh: 0-6.
  • Only Taylor—via Oregon—had a team alive deep into the playoff picture.
  • Conversation pivots to Indiana's improbable run and conspiracy theories about their rise, including "Mark Cuban/Catapult" tinfoil-hat speculation.

  Josh Pate [41:40]: “If you do to the college football world what Indiana has done, it’s going to rub some people the wrong way… It’s all speculation to this point. So until otherwise notified, I’m gonna laugh in people’s face about it until I’m shown evidence.”

4. Conference Power Shift & SEC/Big Ten Debate

[47:08–53:02]

• Paul Finebaum's comment declaring the Big Ten as the “superior conference” sparks debate.
• Josh theorizes recent SEC struggles stem from their historical talent/recruiting edge suddenly being negated by NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and changing college football landscape.

  Josh Pate [47:48]: “They [the SEC] got a little lazy in the way they hire staffing...The sport didn’t change gradually. It changed pretty quickly. Over the last five years, it’s changed pretty radically.”

• Wrestling analogies abound—drawing parallels between college football conference races and the WWF/WCW ratings wars.

5. National Championship Preview: Indiana vs. Miami

[57:05–94:12] (with key analysis between 62:13–73:42)

• Indiana is an 8.5 point favorite over Miami; the crew breaks down strengths, weaknesses, and x-factors, drawing on in-depth stats and game film.
• Pate’s Analysis:
  • Believes Miami can win outright, values their ability to counter Indiana’s strengths at the line of scrimmage.
  • Picks Miami (+8.5) but notes Indiana’s consistency and mistake-free football.

  Josh Pate [62:13]: “My pick is Miami +8.5...Do I think they can win? Yes. But Indiana’s really good at knocking you off the tracks and derailing you.”

• Taylor’s Analysis:
  • Picks Indiana (–8.5), trusts their process and turnover-averse play; impressed by their mature roster (44 players aged 24–25).

  Taylor Lewan [65:36]: “I love the note about the offensive line...the gap integrity that the defense has is absolutely incredible...they just don’t make mistakes.”

• Will Compton’s Analysis:
  • Torn but sides with Miami +8.5, citing the matchups in the trenches and the chance of Miami playing their peak game.

  Will Compton [80:08]: “The beef that they have up front on both sides of the ball matches up really well with Indiana...if Miami plays their best football...this game is going to be incredible.”

• All agree the margin for error is tiny—team that makes fewer mistakes likely claims the trophy.

6. Football Philosophy, Legacy, and the Magic of This Season

[93:34–94:12]

• The conversation turns emotional; Indiana’s story is considered one of the “coolest” in college football history, emblematic of increased playoff parity.
• Whether Indiana wins in dominant fashion or the game turns into a classic down-to-the-wire finish, everyone agrees this has been one of the greatest college football seasons ever.

  Taylor Lewan [93:14]: “This might have been the best year of college football ever. And that’s what’s exciting.” Josh Pate [93:36]: “I think it was the best year either way, really.”

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the Show’s Unique Vibe:

  "What they missed is love." – Josh Pate [06:23]

• On Playoff Travel Mishap:

  "In case we might want to stay in Arizona, we still need to go to Atlanta. Because I have no clue what ESPN’s thinking right there. The bag’s passed. You’ve communicated, like, there’s no feeling you have in your body when you’re trying to whisper it under your breath, like, I’m just zooming in tomorrow."
  – Taylor Lewan [20:56]

• On Indiana’s Doubters and Conspiracies:

  “If you do to the college football world what Indiana has done, it’s going to rub some people the wrong way because you’re out of your place.”
  – Josh Pate [41:40]

• SEC-Big Ten Shift:

  "Does NIL really just do something that permanently alters the landscape? I would imagine that's not true, but you never know. My crystal ball doesn't see that far in the future."
  – Josh Pate [50:15]

• On Championship Picks:

  "My pick is Miami +8.5...Do I think they're going to win? Yes, I pick them to win. But my pick on the show is Miami eight and a half."
  – Josh Pate [62:13]

  "I’m taking Indiana, dude."
  – Taylor Lewan [59:53]

  "I personally think my gut tells me Indiana is going to win this game but 8 and a half is too many points. I’m going with Miami plus 8 and a half."
  – Will Compton [78:38]

• On The Magic of the Season:

  "This might have been the best year of college football ever...seeing that logo hoist a trophy after a dominant win is like, this might have been the best year of college football ever."
  – Taylor Lewan [93:14] "I think it was the best year either way, really."
  – Josh Pate [93:36]

Important Timestamps

• Opening reflections, season wrap-up: [03:34–07:07]
• Arizona-to-Atlanta playoff travel drama: [07:07–27:31]
• Future picks review and Indiana conspiracy talk: [38:40–41:40]
• SEC/Big Ten, wrestling analogy: [47:08–53:02]
• National Championship preview: [57:05–94:12]
  • Josh picks Miami +8.5, analysis: [62:13–65:36]
  • Taylor picks Indiana –8.5, analysis: [65:36–66:43]
  • Will picks Miami +8.5, analysis: [78:38–80:08]
• Crowning the season as the best ever: [93:34–93:36]

Closing Thoughts & Teasers

• The hosts (playfully) debate Josh Pate’s "verbal commitment" to coming back next year, referencing the college football recruiting cycle—a meta joke about the uncertainties in both sports and content creation.
• Each offers gratitude to the crew and audience, echoing themes of brotherhood, growth, and the unpredictable joy of college football.

For fans who missed it:
This episode artfully blends sharp football analysis with the signature humor and authenticity that define Bussin’ with the Boys. Beyond predictions and hot takes, they offer an immersive portrait of what it means to chase the action with your friends, to bust chops, to navigate chaos—and to fall in love (and heartbreak) with college football, season after season.