Josh Pate’s College Football Show – Episode Summary
President Trump Joins Show + Top 10 Head Coach Rankings
Date: February 23, 2026
Host: Josh Pate (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

This special episode features an exclusive interview with President Donald Trump focusing on his love for college football and leadership philosophies, followed by Josh Pate’s highly anticipated update to the Top 10 College Football Head Coach Rankings. Pate also addresses listener concerns about political content and reflects on what it meant to have the president on his show. The latter part of the episode dives deep into coaching discussions, key SEC questions for 2026, “Speaker Series” wish-list interviews, marquee weeks on the coming schedule, and the Florida Gators’ program mood.

[00:00–13:21]

Josh Pate Welcomes President Trump

• Context & Setup
  • Josh Pate opens by sharing his excitement and surprise that President Trump reached out to appear, noting the show remains focused on college football, not politics.
  • “A kind of weird situation here … does it make sense for the show? Well, you know, if we could fit it in certain parameters, yes, it does.” – Josh Pate (02:14)
• On Football's State/Rules
  • Trump bemoans changes to kickoff rules:
    “It takes the glamour, the glory, it takes everything out of the game … it’s very bad for the NFL and I hope college football doesn’t do that.” – Donald Trump (03:34)
• On Attending Games & Favorite Programs
  • Trump discusses choosing games based on personal relationships and program stories, highlighting Georgia and quarterback Gunner Stockton: “I like this Georgia team. I like your quarterback, by the way. I like Gunner. He’s going to be a great quarterback, I’ll tell you.” – Donald Trump (04:28)
• Golfing with College Football Figures
  • Trump reveals that conversations with coaches and commissioners tend to focus more on politics than football. “They talk to me about politics. Really? More so than football … they’re all obviously very highly competitive people.” – Donald Trump (05:26)
• Lessons on Leadership and Hiring
  • Trump discusses the importance of experience and gut instinct in identifying quality staff and leaders, comparing hiring in sports and government. “Experience really helps you see people under fire … I think there’s also an instinct.” – Donald Trump (06:44)
• Handling Criticism and Personal Relationships
  • Trump admits he’s not great at separating personal feelings from business:
    “I’m loyal to the people that I like … I have a lot of people that I’m not a fan of necessarily, but I think they’re right on a lot of issues. I go with those issues all the time. I want to just do what’s right for the country.” (12:32)

Memorable Moment

• Trump’s nostalgic story of standing outside the Lincoln Bedroom after his first presidential win, feeling awe at history’s presence.
  (10:22–12:08)

[13:22–29:40]

Pate Reflects: The Trump Interview & Show Philosophy

• Behind-the-Scenes of Booking Trump
  • Pate explains the neutral, nonpartisan nature of the interview and addresses critics who feared a political segment: “Would be my first point to make … you’ve just got to think I’m a total idiot if I’m going to allow that to happen. So, I was very comfortable where we were going to go.” (13:46)
  • The interview was supposed to be longer, but was compressed due to schedule changes.
• Show’s Policy on Politics
  • Pate affirms: “We’re never gonna make the show political or take it down a political route.” (14:44)
  • The opportunity would’ve been a “yes” for any president due to its significance for the show and for the college football community.
• Dealing with Pushback
  • Most negative online feedback was from fake accounts, while actual fans overwhelmingly supported the appearance.
• Personal Reflection
  • Pate describes his pride in hosting the president as a kid from rural Georgia who built his own platform:
    “If you ever start to have any success … you start to realize you’re the one blazing the trail.” (20:46)
  • He notes the impact of having the president recognize college football and the show as evidence of newfound relevance for the sport and the media ecosystem.

Memorable Quote

• “No clean bumpers on the lead car. We’re fine with that. I accept that responsibility.” – Josh Pate (21:44)

[30:25–54:26]

Updated Top 10 Head Coach Power Rankings

Pate’s Ranking Methodology

• Weights a 3-year rolling blend: on-field results, talent acquisition, culture, organizational strength, and a touch of predictive forecasting.

The Rankings:

1. Ryan Day, Ohio State

   • “Never finished outside the CFP top seven in his entire run … organization just humming.” (50:45)

2. Kirby Smart, Georgia

   • "They’ve rebuilt at 40,000ft and never had to land." (48:10)

3. Kurt Signetti, Indiana

   • “He had to go through multiple guys in this top 10 in the same run to win the national championship, and he did it.” (46:20)

4. Dan Lanning, Oregon

   • Lauded for high-level recruiting, energy, and organizational feel. (44:00)

5. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame

   • “Recruiting and on-field production have leveled up from Brian Kelly.” (41:30)

6. Lane Kiffin, LSU

   • Noted for program innovation and elevating previously middling programs. (39:10)

7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

   • Acknowledged for overcoming skepticism and staff backfilling. (36:47)

8. Steve Sarkisian, Texas

   • “Finally harnessing Texas … The best portal program in America right now.” (35:40)

9. Mario Cristobal, Miami

   • Praised for trending up and revitalizing program organization/culture. (33:04)

10. Mike Elko, Texas A&M

    • “Totally believe in the developmental piece … They’re really trending up.” (30:43)

[54:26–61:30]

Audience Q&A & College Football Deep Dives

Biggest SEC Questions for 2026

• Will new head coaches (Lane Kiffin at LSU, Alex Golesh at Auburn, etc.) find quick success?
• Can any returning quarterbacks elevate their play significantly?
• Is there an SEC “tier system” or only parity?
• Which wild card programs might take a leap? (Missouri, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State, etc.)

Pate’s Analogy:

• Returning QBs don’t always improve: “We call that the Garrett Nussmeier protocol.” (58:00)

[61:30–69:10]

Speaker Series Wish List: All-Time Dream Interviews

• Keith Jackson – “He treated the English language like Picasso treated a set of paints.” (54:55)
• Bobby Bowden – Pate wants to capture the era when Bowden built Florida State from nothing.
• Steve Spurrier (1990s) – For his attitude, candor, and the culture of the era.
• Knute Rockne (1920s Notre Dame) – Out of curiosity about what Rockne would ask a visitor from a century in the future.
• Dabo Swinney (Modern Day Clemson) – Still the show’s “white whale.”

[69:10–72:14]

Looking Ahead: Key 2026 Season Weeks & Florida Gators Mood

Highlight Weeks to Watch

• Week 4: SEC and Big Ten loaded (e.g., Oklahoma at Georgia, A&M at LSU, Oregon at USC)
• Week 7: Cross-conference showdowns and playoff-defining weeks (e.g., Notre Dame at BYU, Ohio State at Indiana)
• Week 10: Rivalries and critical conference tilts across the sport
• Rivalry Week (Week 13): Michigan at Ohio State, Iron Bowl, Oklahoma-Missouri, Egg Bowl

Florida Gators’ Mood Tracker

• “They just have to look in the mirror and think, we’re hotter than this. We should not look like this. We just need a makeover.” (70:03)
• Pate supports the John Sumrall hire and expects Florida will eventually return to prominence.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Josh Pate on Show Philosophy:
  “If you ever question why we do something like that … you gotta understand where someone like me comes from. I come from rural Georgia, and I don’t come from the traditional journalism background.” (18:00)

• On dealing with online criticism:
  “If you have access to some of the tools we have, you know who is and isn’t real on the Internet, I’d say over 95% at time of airing today of the pushback that we’ve gotten online has been from fake accounts.” (23:55)

• President Trump, on gut instinct:
  “You never know. You just go with your gut. And some people can do that, some people don’t do it.” (08:59)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [00:00–13:21] President Trump Interview
• [13:22–29:40] Pate on Booking Trump/Show Direction
• [30:25–54:26] Top 10 Head Coach Rankings Breakdown
• [54:26–61:30] SEC & College Football Questions
• [61:30–69:10] Speaker Series Dream Interviews
• [69:10–70:03] Key 2026 Schedule Weeks
• [70:03–72:14] Florida Gators Mood Tracker
• [Throughout] Notable stories and Pate’s signature college football insights

Final Thoughts
This episode stands as a milestone for the show—balancing access to high-profile guests with a steadfast focus on the ethos of college football. Pate’s clear-eyed, relatable approach preserves the core of his audience’s trust while delivering comprehensive, insightful, and occasionally cheeky analysis of the shifting landscape ahead of the 2026 season.