Cover 3 College Football Podcast

Episode: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal LOCKS, Expectations For Kyle Whittingham at Michigan & More!

Date: December 29, 2025
Hosts: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell, Bud Elliott

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, the Cover 3 crew dives deep into two central themes:

1. Michigan's hire of Kyle Whittingham: The hosts break down what it means for Michigan, Whittingham’s unique fit, and the ripple effects for Utah and the Big Ten.
2. College Football Playoff Quarterfinal LOCKS: The team delivers comprehensive betting insights and debate for all four quarterfinal matchups—Ohio State vs. Miami, Oregon vs. Texas Tech, Indiana vs. Alabama, and Georgia vs. Ole Miss—featuring side picks, totals, and moneyline sprinkles.

The episode brims with insider analysis, sharp banter, and clear attributions, making it an essential listen for any college football fan or sports bettor.

1. Headlines: Kyle Whittingham Hired at Michigan

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Whittingham's Stature & Michigan’s "Luck":

  • Tom Fornelli (03:43): "I think Michigan lucked into a great hire."
  • Danny Kanell (03:47): "Can it be fair to say Michigan just fell backwards into landing a future College Football hall of Famer?"
  • The hosts argue Michigan’s hiring process was far from strategic but ultimately landed a coach with genuine Hall of Fame credentials.

• Whittingham’s Outlook & Fit:

  • Danny Kanell (04:54): "I think this is the type of job and change of scenery that could really reinvigorate him as sort of a back end swan song for his career."
  • The hosts discuss Whittingham’s prior retirement considerations, his family, and the prospect of Michigan bringing renewed fire to his coaching.

• Staff Retention/Departure & Impact on Utah:

  • Bud Elliott (05:00): "Kyle Whittingham just gets to pick two or three... from the old staff and the rest is just going to be the Kyle Whittingham all star squad. Not great for Utah, but we’ll see."
  • Utah fans may be ready for the next era, but the loss of star assistants could hit hard.

• Program Stability and Upgrade:

  • Danny Kanell (06:00): "It's a clear upgrade... even if only for a four or five year run. It's likely stability and also like potential, like real upside."
  • Michigan is seen as having upgraded over previous coach Sherrone Moore, especially given Whittingham's extensive experience.

• Personnel and Recruiting:

  • Whittingham’s plans include pursuing offensive coordinator Jason Beck and quarterback Bryce Underwood, with an emphasis on developing supporting skill talent.

• Whittingham’s Press Conference Style:

  • Chip Patterson (07:56): "Most coaches get hired and they come out... buzzword, buzzword. Kyle Whittingham got up there and was like, 'We’re going to be 11 personnel, we’re going to be spread and this, we’re going to run this play on first down.' He just came out there and told you exactly what the Michigan offense is going to look like."
  • The hosts joke about his "no-nonsense," veteran approach.

• Reputation & Scandal Avoidance:

  • Tom Fornelli (09:30): "Most importantly, right now he's got a pretty pristine reputation, you know, that's desperately what Michigan needs."
  • Awareness of Michigan's desire for a controversy-free, stable figure.

• Social Media Audit:

  • Chip & Tom (09:39): Lighthearted segment joking about Whittingham's ancient, family-oriented Instagram presence.

    "He only follows 11 females on Instagram and all of them he’s related to." – Tom (09:39)

• Challenge Ahead: Michigan’s 2026 Schedule:

  • Bud Elliott (10:33): "Their schedule next year is brutal: Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa, Penn State, at Oregon, at Ohio State... this could be a 7–5 team next year even with winning it."
  • High expectations may have to be tempered given the schedule crunch.

2. College Football Playoff Quarterfinal LOCKS

Main Bet Segments Begin – (13:06 onward)

Format

Each host shares their best bets (LOCKS) and offers supporting analysis for each College Football Playoff quarterfinal. Picks include point spreads, totals, and team-specific props, with occasional debates and consensus.

A. Cotton Bowl: Ohio State (-9.5) vs. Miami

[14:51 – 23:39]

• Tom Fornelli (Miami +9.5):

  "If you look at how Ohio State’s season has gone, they’ve played two teams with very good defensive fronts: Texas and Indiana. Two teams that gave them a hell of a lot of trouble. I do think Miami defensively will be able to give Ohio State some problems... I still think it's the right side to be on." (15:00)

• Bud Elliott (First Half: Ohio State -4; Leans Under, Miami team total under):

  "I think Ohio State’s defense is likely going to have a good bit of success here. They make you earn it a little bit more." (16:23)

• Danny Kanell (Game UNDER 41.5):

  "There's a lot of NFL talent on both these defensive sides... I do think defenses will dominate." (17:56)

• Chip Patterson (First Half UNDER 21.5):

  "I could see early in this game, Ohio State going back into that big-game attitude of 'we're just gonna run this football'... going up against a very, very good Miami defensive front could lead to a stalemate style first half." (20:33)

• Discussion:

  • Debate over Ohio State's offensive tempo and approach.
  • Miami’s ability to pressure OSU QB Julian Sayin and force mistakes.

B. Orange Bowl: Oregon (-2.5) vs. Texas Tech

[24:40 – 31:33]

• Danny Kanell & Bud Elliott (Oregon -2.5):

  Danny: “I picked Oregon to win the national championship. I think they're the better team.” (25:36) Bud: “I just trust Dante Moore… He might be the best quarterback in this tournament.” (25:48)

• Tom Fornelli (Texas Tech team total UNDER 26.5):

  "I think Texas Tech will do a much better job defensively against Oregon than they're used to seeing… Texas Tech can win this game by not scoring a lot of points." (27:49)

• Discussion:

  • Oregon’s offensive firepower vs. Texas Tech’s elite defensive front.
  • Texas Tech’s struggles with third-and-long situations.

C. Rose Bowl: Indiana (-6.5) vs. Alabama

[32:03 – 39:07]

• Danny Kanell (Indiana -6.5):

  "I'm not convinced Alabama has solved their issues... I still think Indiana's the better football team across the board." (32:32)

• Bud Elliott (OVER 47.5 and Indiana 4th quarter -0.5):

  "The loss of one of your best pass rushers is going to be beneficial to Ty Simpson and to Alabama’s ability to push the ball down the field through the air... I see a really good game played out." (34:24)

• Tom Fornelli (OVER 47.5):

  "Indiana, offensively, will be able to move the ball. They push the ball vertically in the passing game. We saw Oklahoma do that in the first round..." (37:04)

• Bud Elliott (first half OVER 23.5):

  "I like DeBoer to open games..." (36:16)

• Caveats/Discussion:

  • Impact of Indiana losing star pass rusher Stephen Daley.
  • Alabama’s big play potential and Indiana’s susceptibility to providing offensive explosives.

D. Sugar Bowl: Georgia (-6.5) vs. Ole Miss

[40:52 – 48:14]

• Bud Elliott (UNDER 56.5):

  "Georgia's defense has played really well down the stretch... I'm a little skeptical of what Georgia's offense has looked like over the past six quarters." (40:53)

• Tom Fornelli & Danny Kanell (Georgia -6.5):

  Tom: “If I was doing a lock of the week this week, this would be it. Georgia minus six and a half…” (42:00) Danny: “Let the children sing. I think Georgia’s the better football team. I think we already saw this matchup once…” (43:22)

• Chip Patterson (First half UNDER 27.5, Georgia 3rd quarter -0.5):

  "I think that as long as you follow the posted speed limits, you can get to a great place by going a little slower through the first half. And then... you cash them both." (44:37)

• Special Guest Pick ("The Dentist" - Georgia team total OVER 30.5):

  “The matchup that was deadly in the first meeting was Georgia’s tight ends against Ole Miss’s safeties. I don’t know what Ole Miss can do to try to offset this mismatch. Give me Georgia team total over 30 and a half.” (47:14)

• Consensus:

  • This matchup considered the most likely blowout of the round.
  • Georgia’s defensive improvement, Ole Miss’s potential struggles without Lane Kiffin.

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Whittingham’s Instagram:
  Tom Fornelli (09:39): "He only follows 11 females on Instagram and all of them he’s related to."

• Michigan's Need for Stability:
  Tom Fornelli (09:30): "Most importantly, right now he's got a pretty pristine reputation, you know, that's desperately what Michigan needs."

• On Oregon’s QB:
  Bud Elliott (25:48): "...He might be the best quarterback in this tournament… I'm gonna ride with the better quarterback here."

• On Georgia-Ole Miss Rematch:
  Tom Fornelli (42:00): "If I was doing a lock of the week this week, this would be it. Georgia minus six and a half. Georgia had the ball for eight full possessions in the first meeting. Georgia scored on all eight possessions. Ole Miss did not stop them a single time."

4. Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------|--------------| | Michigan Hires Kyle Whittingham | 03:43–12:31 | | Ohio State vs. Miami (Cotton Bowl) Locks | 14:51–23:39 | | Oregon vs. Texas Tech (Orange Bowl) Locks| 24:40–31:33 | | Indiana vs. Alabama (Rose Bowl) Locks | 32:03–39:07 | | Georgia vs. Ole Miss (Sugar Bowl) Locks | 40:52–48:14 | | Dentist's Pick on Sugar Bowl | 47:14–48:13 | | Bowl Season Rundown & Misc. | 55:07–61:48 |

5. Moneyline Sprinkles & Bowl Rundown

Moneyline Sprinkles
[51:27–52:51]

• Bud Elliott: Alabama +220 ("The variance without having Daley is potentially there…")
• Danny Kanell: Miami to beat Ohio State ("I think Miami matches up really well…")
• Tom Fornelli: Alabama +220, Miami +300, Texas Tech +115 ("Screw the Big Ten, I hate them.")
• Consensus: Multiple hosts doubling up on Alabama and Miami as upset plays.

Bowls & Miscellaneous Segment Highlights
[55:07–61:48]

• Insightful, humorous takes on lesser bowls (App State motivation, Illinois in Nashville).
• Look-aheads to the New Year’s Eve/Day bowl slate, with focus on Michigan-Texas, Arizona State-Duke, Iowa-Vandy.
• Jokes about transfer portals and opt-outs (“I can’t wait to see who plays for Nebraska. Like, that entire team left.” – Tom, 60:51).

6. Summary Table: Main LOCKS

| Game | Tom | Danny | Chip | Bud | |----------------------------|----------------|---------------|---------------|----------------| | Ohio State vs. Miami | Miami +9.5 | Under 41.5 | 1H Under 21.5 | OSU 1H -4 | | Oregon vs. Texas Tech | TTU u26.5 | Oregon -2.5 | Oregon -2.5 | Oregon -2.5 | | Indiana vs. Alabama | Over 47.5 | Indiana -6.5 | Over 47.5, IN 4Q -0.5| 1H Over 23.5 | | Georgia vs. Ole Miss | Georgia -6.5 | Georgia -6.5 | 1H Under 27.5, UGA 3Q -0.5| Under 56.5 |

7. Roster for Upcoming Content

• Upcoming deep-dive breakdowns on quarterfinal matchups (“big game breakdown” episodes).
• Double instant-reaction episodes following the quarterfinal games.

8. Tone, Style & Audience

The hosts maintain their signature blend of sharp analysis and light-hearted, self-aware banter, making the show engaging for both serious bettors and die-hard college football fans. Frequent jokes, callbacks, and inside references (like “let the children sing”) showcase camaraderie and long-running listener rapport.

Notable Final Thought:
Chip Patterson (47:11): “This is a Georgia team that once ate chicken from the field-level suites as they were running it up on TCU. They want to get Ole Miss going to their training bags, texting their agents.”

This summary captures the episode’s humor, energy, and in-depth football analysis—ideal for anyone seeking sharp perspectives on the College Football Playoff or the shifting landscape at Michigan.