Josh Pate’s College Football Show Episode: Early Top 25 + Worst CFB Take & Dabo Haters Return
Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Josh Pate (iHeartPodcasts)

Overview

Josh Pate opens the episode with a lively, insider-driven college football discussion from his Nashville studio, diving right into offseason intrigue. The episode’s central themes include his way-too-early Top 25 for 2026, reaction to the “worst college football take” of the year regarding playoff expansion, and a reflective defense of Dabo Swinney amidst portal tampering controversies. Pate also examines SEC scheduling under the new nine-game model and offers commentary on the shifting balance of power in conferences—most notably the Big 12 and the mood around Florida State.

Early Top 25 for 2026 (04:10–27:13)

Purpose and Philosophy

• Pate clarifies these are rankings, not power ratings, based on today’s (February) status, with the expectation of significant movement by the time the season starts.
• Emphasizes context of roster shifts, coaching changes, and ongoing transfer portal action.

Ranks 25–11 (04:56–17:18)

• 25. Washington: "I've got no clue what the dynamic up there is." (05:30)
  • Notes confusion after Demon Washington’s failed transfer attempt.
• 24. Louisville: “Always a safe bet there. Jeff Brohm has those guys floating that range every year.”
• 23. Vanderbilt: Newness abounds, QB Jerry Curtis could start as a true freshman.
• 22. Iowa: "Solid bowl game, which matters none in this, but solid bowl game nonetheless." (06:45)
• 21. Missouri
• 20. SMU: "I'm buying just a little bit more SMU stock, it seems, in February than the public is."
• 19. Utah
• 18. Houston: "I'm kind of feeling Houston right now. I got like eight months to change my mind, but I'm feeling Houston right now."
• 17. Michigan
• 16. Ole Miss: QB Trinidad Chambliss key to upside; if he’s there, team could be ranked even higher.
• 15. Penn State: "I’m banking on the ship sort of being righted or at the very least steadied... I like the coaching staff." (09:00)
• 14. BYU: Noted for top-10 national win percentage.
• 13. Alabama: "They really, really, really are putting a premium focus on getting offensive line right." (11:14)
  • Feels rushing attack must improve—"It can't get worse."
• 12. Texas Tech: "Top five portal team, got Brendan Soaresby in the portal."
• 11. USC: "We do take the word faith and the name Lincoln Riley and we are not scared to put them in the same sentence." (13:20)
  • Notes defensive improvement, Gary Patterson now DC.

Ranks 10–1 (17:18–27:13)

• 10. LSU: "Ceiling is way higher than 10 for this year’s team." (17:35)
• 9. Oklahoma: "A playoff program to me... any given year, they're going to spit out a playoff caliber team."
• 8. Texas A&M: Marcel Reed's development will define upside.
• 7. Georgia: "A really high floor team... even if they aren't their vintage selves." (20:45)
• 6. Miami: Darian Mensah at quarterback, strong OL and DL, and solid coaching continuity.
• 5. Oregon: "Felt like that group was kind of a year away from the best version of itself."
• 4. Ohio State: "Extremely high floor program... any given year, Ohio State could be higher than four." (23:14)
• 3. Indiana: "Large portions of this program, this outfit, I’m just blindly willing to trust." (23:55)
• 2. Texas: "Arch Manning finished the year strong... brought in better RB options and top receivers."
• 1. Notre Dame: "They have everything I would want in a number one team in early February... they are machine-like in staffing right now." (25:20)

SEC Schedule Reaction (27:14–38:51)

New Nine-Game Conference Format

• "There is really no tier 1 in the SEC by normal standards... No great and no terrible. Everyone's just compacted into the middle."
  • Predicts “a whole bunch of nine and three teams.” (28:33)
• 11 SEC programs in FanDuel’s top 20 playoff odds.

Notable Team Schedules

• Texas A&M: "Needs the kind of fast start Oklahoma had last year." (30:04)
• LSU: "Could be 2-2 or 4-0 entering October; a team that may feel like they play two seasons."
• Texas: Brutal schedule—tough SEC slate plus Ohio State in non-conference (32:26).
• Oklahoma: “Adding Michigan trip to an already tough road schedule.”
• Alabama: Opens with downtrending Florida State; early schedule not as daunting for a team breaking in a new QB.
• Committee Perspective: "I just want to know how the committee’s going to view your random 9 and 3 SEC teams." (36:14)

College Football’s “Worst Take” of 2026: The 24-Team Playoff Debate (38:51–49:59)

Listener Question (Curtis from Charlotte, NC)

• "Why do people like you fight against college football doing what works for other sports? Imagine having something like March Madness in college football." (39:29)

Pate's Response

• "This is a horrible take. It is a terrible way to view college football." (40:14)
• Asserts college football is unique; apples-to-oranges comparison to basketball/NFL.
• Key argument: March Madness is a great product, but awful for college basketball’s regular season—makes it irrelevant.
  • "What makes me watch the regular season? That’s what’s best for a sport." (42:34)
• Expanded CFB playoffs would decrease regular season urgency and drama.
• On bumper sticker logic: "Ice cream for dinner every night sounds good. Now, upon further inspection, you will be the face of type 2 diabetes within the month." (48:00)
• Memorable quote: "I think if you just hear someone say that last part especially—‘man, a 2014 playoff in college football. Imagine having something like March Madness’—it’s the kind of bumper sticker logic that, if it’s not held up to tighter scrutiny, sort of makes you go, ‘man, that kind of sounds okay.’ It does. It does." (47:35)

Dabo Swinney, Portal Tampering, and Public Perception (49:59–60:44)

Listener Critique/Question (Jacob from Kenner, LA)

• “Why are you defending the moaning and whining of Dabo Swinney? Maybe don’t be ignorant about the way the transfer portal works when you’re making millions of dollars. I would trade my job with him in a heartbeat.” (50:17)

Pate’s Defense

• Details the Luke Forelli transfer situation:
  • Player transferred, enrolled at Clemson, but was lured away by Ole Miss after portal closed.
  • “65 miles per hour sign and they cruise past it, doing a solid 120, knowing that the NCAA's cop car has four flat tires. Sirens don’t work anyway, who cares?” (51:53)
• Reviews his previous comments—had simply said he believed Dabo’s account, not that all portal movement is tampering.
• Critiques the salary-based argument: “The guy’s salary is irrelevant whether he’s a volunteer or a billionaire... A good point’s a good point." (55:23)
• On Dabo’s career path: "You thought that trading jobs with Dabo meant you started making $10 million a year? No, that's not how that works..." (57:20)
• On double standards: "There’s a strange amount of overlap between the circles of people who hate how CFB is right now and those who say Dabo needs to quit whining." (59:15)

Conference Landscape: Big 12's "America's Conference" Identity in Question (60:44–63:00)

• Listener (David from Shonto, AZ): "Is it time to declare the end of the Big 12's reign as America's Conference? It feels like Texas Tech is 1A and everyone else is far and away 1B."
• Pate reflects: Big 12 was unique for balance/chaos, less portal churn, authentic college football feel.
• Texas Tech’s dominance may be changing the league: “Is Texas Tech surging like this good for the Big 12 overall?… If the Big 12’s bread and butter was being an ‘any given Saturday’ league, is this good or bad?” (62:10)
• Wonders if Oklahoma State or others can/will spend to catch up to Texas Tech.
• “Maybe the Big 12 collectively raises its game. But you’ve got to raise funds to raise your game.” (63:00)

Florida State Fan Mood Tracker (64:14–70:44)

Sentiment: “Delaying the Inevitable”

• "The mood at Florida State does not feel like the mood at Ohio State or Michigan or Georgia—best way I could describe… they feel like they're kind of just delaying the inevitable." (64:29)
• Mike Norvell retained only because of buyout size, not performance.
• Legacy of underperformance: outside the top 10 in recruiting for four years, portal reliance not paying off, back-to-back losing seasons, no roster upgrades.
• "That 2023 season might as well have been a decade ago. There's no carryover, there is no leftover equity." (69:40)
• Uncertainty: What record is needed to “buy” Norvell more time in Tallahassee? “I want to try and find a silver lining. I'm looking, I'm looking, guys. I can't really find one right now.” (67:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Preseason Rankings

“There’s a lot of anger... about Dabo Swinney. I just feel like the arrow went past Dabo’s ear straight into my chest… I’m going to sound like I’m carrying water for Dabo tonight, which we all know I’m all about around here.” (02:20)

On College Football’s Irreplaceable Drama

"There's no other sport in America that offers that feeling... That's a good feeling. You want more of that in college football, not less." (44:43)

On the Transfer Portal Mess

“Ole Miss decides they want Luke Forelli, and... cruise past it, doing a solid 120, knowing that the NCAA cop car there has four flat tires. Their sirens don't work anyway, who cares?” (51:50)

On Salary-Based Criticism

"A good point's a good point.... You thought that trading jobs with Dabo meant you started making $10 million a year? No, that's not how that works." (55:24, 57:20)

On the Big 12’s Identity

“If the Big 12's bread and butter was we are such a random conference... is what Texas Tech is doing good or bad for the conference? I don't know.” (62:47)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Way-Too-Early Top 25 Breakdown: 04:10–27:13
• SEC Schedule and Playoff Odds Analysis: 27:13–38:51
• Worst Take: 24-Team Playoff Rant: 38:51–49:59
• Dabo Swinney & Portal Tampering Controversy: 49:59–60:44
• Big 12 Identity Crisis: 60:44–63:00
• Florida State Fan Mood Tracker: 64:14–70:44

Tone & Delivery

Pate’s signature style combines humor, directness, and folksy football wisdom—often self-effacing and unafraid to tease his own audience. He’s transparent about not knowing the future, invites (and expects) disagreement, and keeps a strong “for the fans” attitude throughout.

This episode is ideal for college football fans wanting a snappy, insider look at offseason debates, with plenty of provocative takes and context-rich commentary on the evolving landscape.