Cover 3 College Football Podcast

Championship Week Instant Reaction: Indiana-Ohio State | Georgia-Alabama | Texas Tech-BYU

Date: December 7, 2025

Hosts: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Bud Elliott

Episode Overview

This episode delivers immediate, high-energy reactions and deep analysis of college football’s conference championship weekend. Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, and Bud Elliott break down the stunning outcomes from the Big Ten, SEC, and Big 12 title games, and set the stage for Selection Sunday and College Football Playoff debates. Expect passionate commentary, live banter, memorable quips, and a celebratory, occasionally incredulous tone fitting for one of the wildest championship weekends in recent memory.

1. Indiana Stuns Ohio State: Big Ten Championship Shock (04:22–27:14)

Key Points & Insights

• Historic Upset: Indiana beats Ohio State 13–10, clinching their first Big Ten title since joining the conference.
• Coach Kurt Signetti’s Impact: The hosts praise Signetti’s culture change and his aggressive approach to energizing the program and community.
  • Chip Patterson: “He was very intentional about trying to wake up a community … trying to say, hey … we need to take ourselves seriously in football.” (09:03)
• Defensive Masterclass: Indiana’s upgrades on both lines dominated the game, harassing OSU’s quarterback and limiting playmakers.
  • Tom: “He got sacked seven times in the regular season. He got sacked five times tonight.” (10:18)
  • Bud: “Indiana’s defensive backs deserve a ton of credit too … It was just an outstanding performance by that defense.” (11:30)
• Critical Red Zone Defense: Indiana’s execution in high-leverage situations was the difference.
  • Tom: “Indiana out-executed Ohio State in the critical situations … they played tells and keys really well.” (12:04)
• Credit & Blame Game: Panel agrees most credit goes to Indiana’s defense. Questionable Ohio State play calls, but defense deserved to win.
• Notable Stat:
  • Only one Ohio State touchdown on four red zone trips. (13:02)
• Indiana’s Future: Discussion about Indiana possibly breaking the “blue chip ratio” myth (teams needing certain recruiting credentials to win titles).
• Quarterback Heroics: Specifically praise Fernando Mendoza’s poise and clutch throws.
  • Chip: "They've got Fernando flipping Mendoza as their quarterback." (23:33)

Notable Quotes

• Bud (re: Indiana): “Football in 49 states, it’s a sport. But in the state of Indiana, it’s religion.” (10:11)
• Tom: “They proved they’re really good all year. We shouldn’t lose sight of how wild it is—Indiana is the Big Ten champion.” (13:13)
• Bud: “They held Ohio State. They held the freaking Buckeyes to 10 points.” (11:58)

2. Georgia Dismantles Alabama: SEC Championship Recap (31:33–43:11)

Key Points & Insights

• End of Alabama's SEC Title Streak: Georgia beats Alabama 28–7 for their first back-to-back SEC title since the early ‘80s.
• Kirby Smart’s Defensive Clinic: Georgia’s defense dominated, shutting down Ty Simpson, stalling Alabama’s run game, and mixing coverages.
  • Chip: “This was a dominant performance from Georgia’s defense.” (33:14)
  • Bud: “They were sitting on it … It was a Kirby Smart field position-ass special.” (36:15)
• Offensive Gameplan: Gunner Stockton managed the game efficiently, used as a runner and short-game passer; no major explosive plays but high completion percentage (77%).
  • Tom: “They dominated that game with zero downfield passing attack.” (37:03)
• Injury Watch: Discussion of Georgia injuries, specifically Colby Young’s status for the playoff.
• Alabama Struggles: Ty Simpson appears regressed and rattled; inability to run allowed Georgia to dictate every aspect. (38:12–38:56)

Notable Quotes

• Bud: “Ty Simpson seeing ghosts.” (38:12)
• Chip: “It was part of the game plan early … Gunner got MVP honors and I don’t think that was just a ‘look up and he had three touchdowns’ thing.” (41:34)

3. College Football Playoff Debate & Selection Scenarios (44:53–63:26)

Key Points & Insights

• Selection Committee Intrigue: Heated debate over which teams should get the final playoff berths; panel discusses main contenders:
  • Alabama (3 losses after a non-competitive SEC loss)
  • Notre Dame
  • Miami
  • BYU (disregarded for being blown out by top teams)
• Committee Politics & Potential Fallout:
  • Debating if the SEC runner-up can be left out without triggering league backlash.
  • Politics for ACC, perception of fairness (especially after last year’s FSU snub).
  • Noted potential for future playoff expansion to resolve current messiness.
• Duke or JMU?: Fits the “auto-bid” G5 team debate—should a 5-loss Duke (ACC champ) be in over 12–1 James Madison? Discussion hinges on power conference wins vs. record quality.

Notable Quotes

• Bud: “If that is your goal, then yeah, Alabama gets left out. Because then everybody backs up and unites in ‘Let’s expand this damn thing!’” (51:05)
• Tom: “Do you think we’ll get some kind of rule that you have to be at least top 20 … to be the auto conference champion?” (56:25)
• Bud: “This is like the most ‘hey, politics matter’ ranking that I can remember in a while.” (56:47)

4. Texas Tech Demolishes BYU: Big 12 Championship Recap (69:00–72:55)

Key Points & Insights

• Texas Tech’s Old-School Dominance: Defense suffocates BYU for a 34–7 rout; offense still a question mark, but the D is championship-level.
  • Bud: “They remind me of a BCS-era SEC team where they’re just gonna beat the hell out of you with their defense.”
• BYU’s Offense Collapses: Young QB overwhelmed; they never threaten in second half.
• Tech’s Defensive Stars: DL dominates, LBs/DBs highly praised, even without a superstar game from Bailey.
• Sentiments: Hosts celebrate Texas Tech’s rare conference title, equal to Indiana’s sense of history-making.

Notable Quotes

• Chip: “If we’re gonna start off the show with ‘congrats, raise a glass for Indiana,’ let’s make sure we also do it for Texas Tech.” (71:29)
• Tom: “I’m a little sad we’re not going to get them in a home playoff game.” (72:48)

5. Additional Championship Recaps & Notables (77:23–84:54)

Power Conference & G5 Recap

• ACC Title: Duke vs. Virginia:
  • Duke claims first ACC football title since 1989, prevailing in OT with defensive resilience.
  • Chip: “Duke has won it (the ACC title) in 89 and now 2025.” (79:28)
  • Tom: “Duke has seven power conference wins. JMU has zero.” (79:23)
• Tulane's Playoff Year: Tulane crushes North Texas, celebrates their playoff berth—praised for culture, defense, and fan passion.
  • Tom: “Tulane was ready to go. They held North Texas to their worst scoring output of the season.” (80:46)
• Kennesaw State Wins C-USA: Two-win team last year, now champs after wild finish vs. Jacksonville State.
  • Chip: “Kennesaw State Owls, two wins a year ago, now Conference USA champions. Quite a turnaround.” (84:54)

6. Favorite Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Indiana’s Win:
  Bud: “Football in 49 states, it’s a sport. But in the state of Indiana, it’s religion.” (10:11)

• On Georgia’s Coaching:
  Chip: “He was about to tell you what we’re about to do: I just gained 25 yards by punting twice and shutting your ass down.” (36:18)

• On the Playoff Selection Drama:
  Bud: “It’s not good business to kick out the loser of the SEC championship game. Not unless your goal is to get the format changed next year.” (51:03)

• Comic Relief:
  Tom (on JMU fans’ rules confusion): “One Indiana fan responded to me and says, ‘Okay, well thank you, Tom. We’re new to football. We don’t know these things.’” (22:05)

7. Timestamps for Major Segments

• Indiana-Ohio State Reaction: 04:22–27:14
• Georgia-Alabama SEC Breakdown: 31:33–43:11
• CFP Selection/Rankings Debate: 44:53–63:26
• Big 12 (Texas Tech-BYU): 69:00–72:55
• ACC/Duke, G5, Other Champs: 77:23–84:54

8. The Panel's Energy

• The trio’s chemistry shines with a blend of detailed tactical breakdowns, live reactions to game events, speculation over playoff politics, and self-effacing humor.
• The episode captures their love for the chaos and drama of college football, with genuine surprise, celebration, and a bit of exasperation over playoff debates and committee quirks.

9. Final Thoughts

• This season’s championship weekend defied expectations, upended traditional power hierarchies (Indiana! Texas Tech!), and set up one of the most controversial and debated College Football Playoff fields ever.
• The hosts close with some good-natured ribbing, nostalgia for high school playoff formats (just line ‘em up and play!), and a promise to return with instant reaction to bracket revelations on Selection Sunday.

This summary captures the electrifying surprises, major critique points, and memorable sound bites from one of the most compelling college football podcasts of the year.