Josh Pate's College Football Show

Episode: Biggest CFP Lessons Learned + Notre Dame Drama & Big Ten vs SEC
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Josh Pate (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Josh Pate delivers a thorough post-mortem on the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection and conference championship fallout. He shares the biggest lessons learned from the latest CFP cycle, addresses the uproar surrounding Notre Dame’s playoff snub and bowl opt-out, and tackles the ever-contentious Big Ten vs. SEC debate. The episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insights, sharp takes, and Josh’s trademark blend of tough love and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lessons Learned from the 2025 CFP Process

(Begins at 04:43)

A. Not All Conference Championships Are Equal

• Inequity in Conference Title Game Weight: Losing the Big Ten or SEC title doesn’t hurt your playoff chances like losing a Big 12 or ACC title does.
  • "Not all conference championship games are equal because not all conferences are equal." (05:15)
• Favoritism or Rational Observation?
  • The committee treats Big Ten and SEC differently from other leagues, largely based on the reality of where “the good teams and the good talent are.”
  • "If you call rational observation of the sport favoritism, yes... I don't even tell you I agree with it. I'm telling you it makes sense. And that's the way it is." (07:07)

B. The Playoff Rankings Show Is Counterproductive

• Weekly Rankings Show Critique: Adds more confusion than clarity. Suggestion: If it continues, increase transparency in the committee's discussions and explanations.
  • “The weekly rankings show for the playoff committee is trash... If we're going to keep the rankings and the rankings reveal show on Tuesday night, I want to observe the deliberation. I want far more than just Hunter Yurichek giving me prepared talking points.” (09:28)

C. Most Arguments Lack Consistent Principles

• Fandom Over Principle:
  • Most outrage is rooted in self-interest, not objective standards.
  • “98% of people yelling right now are yelling because of something happening or not happening to the team they love, which is fine. That’s called cheering. That is not what it was being presented as.” (10:39)

D. Fix Simple Things First: Conference Tiebreakers

• Broken ACC Tiebreaker:
  • The ACC’s tiebreaker debacle (leading to 7–5 Duke in a title game) was unnecessary.
  • Proposal: After head-to-head, use the College Football Playoff ranking for tiebreakers to ensure the best team goes to the conference championship.
  • “Just wake up one morning and do the right thing with their tiebreaker system... If we changed nothing other than that, this mess would have been alleviated.” (13:00)

E. The Field Is Wide Open (Ohio State Is Vulnerable)

• More Parity This Year:
  • “Ohio State bled” (lost conference title) – now more teams have a legit shot.
  • “Just because Ohio State bled a little bit, it changed my entire worldview on the playoff.” (14:38)

2. Notre Dame Drama: Playoff Snub & Reaction

(Begins at 20:25)

A. Was Notre Dame Truly Robbed?

• Josh’s Take: They weren’t owed a playoff spot; any of Bama, Miami, or ND making it would be justifiable.
  • “I don’t think Notre Dame got robbed... They weren’t owed a playoff spot. They didn’t outright convincingly earn a playoff spot.” (22:08)
• Key Selection Rationale: Miami’s head-to-head win over Notre Dame tipped the scales.
  • “When it came down to Notre Dame or Miami, I thought Miami should be in because I think anytime you have comparative resumes...head to head should rule the day.” (22:55)

B. Notre Dame’s AD (Pete Bavacqua) — The Criticisms & The Legitimate Grievance

• Calls Out ACC: Notre Dame upset the ACC lobbied for Miami over ND.
  • Josh: Of course the ACC would back its own member, rather than the non-member (ND).
    • “Miami is a member...because of reasons like, oh, you know, Miami was the only ACC member institution with a shot to make the playoff. You’re not a member institution, dude.” (24:00)
• Real Grievance — Committee Messaging: Notre Dame/ND fans were misled; at issue is process, not result.
  • “...the process was horrifically bungled... We were led to believe we were in the playoff... and then all of a sudden it mattered [head-to-head], and Selection Sunday comes and Miami jumps Notre Dame. How do we even explain this to our players? How do they explain it to us? Oh, they didn’t. Well, they tried and failed miserably.” (28:01)

C. The Eyeball Test Argument

• Josh’s Stance: “I think you’re better than Miami. I’d pick you to beat Miami. I don’t care because I’ve been wrong before... I don’t even value my eyeball test.”
  • “You really think I value the eyeball test of people who are probably hitting the sack by 8:30 tonight on that committee? Absolutely not.” (32:24)

D. Notre Dame Opting Out of a Bowl Game

• Personal Dislike but Understanding:
  • Josh hates the opt-out on principle — “it’s a football game, man” — but understands the sentiment.
  • “It wasn’t the biggest crisis of the week... I understand it. On the level of one to ten, it was like a four and a half for me.” (33:22)

3. Big Ten vs. SEC Superiority Debate

(Begins at 43:20)

A. Measuring Conference Strength: Depth vs. Top-End

• The SEC has more depth; Big Ten is more top-heavy currently.
  • “If you define success and best and superiority by which league wins the national title, then it’s a great time to be the Big Ten. ...I tend to judge the overall conference by the competitive depth of the conference. So like, I still think the SEC has the edge there.” (44:00)
• Recruiting Class Analysis:
  • Big Ten’s top teams signed higher-ranked classes, but after the top few, the SEC’s overall pool is deeper.
  • “The top of the Big Ten. The tallest trees in the Big Ten right now look to be taller than the tallest trees in the SEC. I think the SEC forest is way thicker than the Big Ten’s.” (45:45)

B. Playoff Implications & AQ Model

• SEC got 5 teams in; Big Ten 3. If the automatic qualifier (AQ) model prevailed, Big Ten would have gotten more.
  • “The SEC is sort of banking on the fact that, hey, we’re deeper than you. Now. We may not have the best top end teams, but we could litter the top 12 in a manner that your conference can’t.” (47:10)

4. Most Disappointing Teams of 2025

(Begins at 45:52)

• Clemson: Preseason #4, finished 7–5, disastrous losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse.
  • “That had to be my most disappointing team.” (48:28)
• Florida: AP #15, but finished 4–8. DJ Lagway underperformed.
  • “The worst part is DJ Lagway just never even remotely came close to what I thought he was.” (49:40)
• Penn State: Started #2, finished 6–6, major collapse.
  • “All the signs were there to the point where everyone said, I don’t know how Penn State doesn’t make the playoff... Finished just a few games short of worst case.” (53:31)

5. Listener Mailbag & Behind-the-Scenes Insight

(Begins at 54:25)

A. Mike Campbell (Penn State) Hiring & Trip Stories

• “Coaching search took 54 days... ended up getting the best candidate for the job. Spoke to them a great deal about the recruiting class evaporating, about what they’ll do.” (57:17)
• Fun details on logistics from a day at Penn State, including working with their new coach and travel schedule.

B. G5 (Group of Five) Debate — Should They Be in the Playoff?

(61:44)

• Josh’s Stance: Only let G5 in through at-large, not automatic qualification.

  • “I don’t believe the G5 should automatically be in the playoff.” (62:22)

• Argument Against Using Blowouts as a Rationale:

  • It's not whether James Madison would get blown out — it's about whether their schedule is tough enough to earn a spot.
  • “I don’t care about what you’re capable of. I care about what you earned. And to even warrant consideration for a playoff spot requires a minimum struggle requirement that a G5 schedule does not give you the ability to clear.” (64:10)

• Illustration: JMU played no top 30 teams, only one top 50 team (lost), best win over #52 Old Dominion.

  • “Oklahoma faced eight teams tougher than JMU’s toughest opponent… They’re not playing the same sport.” (65:21)

6. Bold Predictions: The Carnage

(Begins at 71:01)

Josh revisits outrageous listener predictions made before the season and relishes in their spectacular collapse.

• Jackson Arnold (Auburn) Will Lead SEC in TD Passes:
  “Jackson Arnold finished 16th in the SEC in touchdown passes…” (71:52)

• Colorado & Deion Sanders Win 9+ Games:

  • Colorado finished 3–9.
  • “This one crashed and burned into the mountainside.” (74:10)

• FSU Makes ACC Title Game and Playoff Final Four:

  • FSU started 3–0, then went 0–4 down the stretch and missed the playoff.
  • “The season that began with an upset win over Alabama ends with the athletic director having to make a statement that we’re not firing Mike Norvell.” (75:01)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the CFP Selection Show:
  “The weekly rankings show for the playoff committee is trash... I don’t need that. I need really detailed in the weeds explanations.” (09:50)
• On Committee Consistency:
  “Very few people have guiding principles and value systems that are just bedrocked... It’s fandom that is a beautiful thing. That’s not a bad thing. That’s a great thing.” (11:29)
• On Notre Dame Bubble:
  “Inside the Notre Dame bubble, everyone in there thinks everyone outside the Notre Dame bubble either agrees with them or they’re corrupted.” (26:55)
• On Bowl Opt-Outs:
  “It’s a football game, man. So on the surface, I feel that way about that.” (33:25)
• On Evaluating G5 Teams:
  “There’s no way that James Madison could earn a playoff spot in my mind because there is no minimum baseline pushback that this schedule could give them.” (64:55)
• On Conference Debates:
  “The tallest trees in the Big Ten right now look to be taller than the tallest trees in the SEC. I think the SEC forest is way thicker than the Big Ten’s.” (45:45)

Important Timestamps

• 04:43 — CFP Lessons Learned
• 20:25 — Notre Dame’s Playoff Snub, AD Comments & Bowl Opt-Out
• 43:20 — Big Ten vs. SEC Debate
• 45:52 — Most Disappointing Teams
• 54:25 — Behind-the-Scenes (Penn State Trip)
• 61:44 — G5 Playoff Debate
• 71:01 — Bold Prediction Results & Recap

Tone & Style

The episode is delivered in Josh’s conversational, jocular, and slightly self-deprecating style, balancing passionate takes with humor and humility. He tackles tough topics directly (“Let’s tell the truth about conference championships,” “Notre Dame’s tantrum”) but takes pains to separate fact from fandom. Listener engagement is ever-present, from mailbag questions to behind-the-scenes details.

This summary highlights the episode’s main insights, arguments, and memorable commentary, offering both a comprehensive recap and a flavor of Josh Pate’s signature approach to college football discussion.