Josh Pate’s College Football Show

Episode: Toughest Places To Play + ACC’s Fall-Off & Workout Advice
Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Josh Pate (with producer Jesse and director Bradley)

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a wide-ranging discussion driven by listener questions, covering:

• The ten toughest venues in college football (ranked 10–1)
• Analysis of the ACC’s ongoing struggles and fall-off relative to other conferences
• Predictions around playoff team turnover
• Retrospective on Texas A&M’s infamous 2022 recruiting class
• Dark horse teams for 2026 conference title runs
• A deep dive on Alabama’s quarterback battle
• Beginner advice for gym-goers
• A tribute to the late Lou Holtz

Josh draws on insider knowledge, personal stadium experiences, and a signature blend of good humor with analytical rigor.

Key Segments & Takeaways

1. Toughest Places to Play in College Football

[03:44 – 32:00]

The Top 10 (Countdown from 10 to 1)

10. Georgia, Sanford Stadium (Athens, GA)

• Dramatic improvement in fan intensity & in-stadium presentation since 2015.
• “The place is like totally transformed itself...from an attitudinal perspective.” (04:57–05:40)

9. Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium

• Historically more of an event/celebration than a frenzied environment, but recent close games have increased intensity.
• Noted the challenge of an older average crowd: “Those folks don’t tend to be at the top of their lungs on third down. It’s a small price to pay.” (07:04–07:26)

8. Texas A&M, Kyle Field

• “It’s like you’re on Mars watching a football game...the most disorienting venue in college football to me.” (09:15–09:21)
• The traditions (often labeled “cult-like”) are praised as “setting yourself apart.”
• The synchronized sway and volume create “deafening” conditions.

7. Auburn, Jordan-Hare Stadium

• “If you’ve ever been there for that environment...it makes you feel like you’re playing uphill the most.” (11:33–11:48)
• Peak intensity is reliant on Auburn being good and hosting a marquee opponent.

6. Washington, Husky Stadium

• Visually stunning with ocean views, but also “deafening” and “underrated nationally.”
• “You’re not able to hear anything, and yet you can also see the ocean. I don’t really know anywhere else I can say that.” (13:39–13:50)

5. Florida, The Swamp (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium)

• Borderline unmatched at its best, but “hasn’t had enough reason to consistently be that.”
• Weather often a compounding factor: “You’re liable to have to deal with the opposite end of the meteorological spectrum.” (15:44–16:05)

4. Oregon, Autzen Stadium

• Volume and energy both highlighted: “They don’t stand still and yell at Oregon. So a lot of movement, a lot of energy, a lot of juice in the crowd.” (17:01–17:11)
• Visiting dignitaries from big programs have been awed by the game day environment.

3. Penn State, Beaver Stadium

• The Whiteout: “The most amazing spectacle we have to offer in college football.”
• “It was like 110,000 people...who just perfectly accept they have a role to play.” (19:02–19:13)
• Compares the night to “a high-level football game and a rock concert and WrestleMania in terms of spectacle.”

2. LSU, Tiger Stadium

• Especially for night games: “If you just gave me night games at LSU, LSU would be number one on this list.”
• “Louisiana on a Saturday night...there’s no place like Tiger Stadium.” (20:32–20:39)

1. Tennessee, Neyland Stadium

• “The toughest place to play in college football at its best. I’ve never witnessed anything like it.”
• The Georgia and Alabama games cited as peak: “Roman Colosseum. Kill, kill, kill. Bloodthirst type afternoon.” (22:04–22:14)

2. The ACC’s Struggles and Fall-Off

[32:00–38:10]

• Miami is now seen as the lone viable ACC playoff threat, feeling “almost independent of the ACC.”
• “The ACC has been secret garbage, with few exceptions, for several years now. It should never be this bad collectively.” (33:19–33:28)
• North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and NC State called out as perennial underachievers.
• On Clemson: “Clemson is dead. It’s dead. It’s not coming back.” (quoting Tom Fornelli at [36:43])
  • Josh: “I don’t think he’s wrong. I really don’t think he’s wrong. I can’t poke holes in that.” (37:11–37:21)
• The conference is described as an “afterthought,” especially compared to Big 12, which “got robbed of their top two programs” but still has a clearer path forward.

3. Playoff Teams Over/Under: Will Last Year’s Teams Repeat?

[38:17–42:00]

• Listener question: Over/under 6.5 repeat playoff teams this year?
• Josh’s logic:
  • Notre Dame, Texas, LSU likely to make the playoff (after missing it last year).
  • Doesn’t expect both G5 teams (Tulane, JMU) from last year to repeat.
  • “I would say very slightly under 6.5 teams repeat as playoff participants. That’s where I’m going.” (41:02–41:11)
  • Jesse takes the over; Josh holds at under.

4. Texas A&M’s 2022 Signing Class: An All-Time Bust

[42:06–49:24]

• “Can we officially call the Texas A&M number one class in 2022 a bust? Yes. Yes. I think we’ve mostly arrived at that conclusion. Yeah, it’s a bust. Historic bust.” (42:10–42:19)
• Only 4 of 30 players finished their careers at A&M. List of major transfers reviewed.
• NIL “feeding frenzy” changed the strategy: “It was essentially Texas A&M’s recruiting strategy in 2022: put a bunch of five stars in the shopping cart. Now, did they properly evaluate these players? No. Did they properly evaluate character? Who cares? They’re five stars.” (45:45–45:57)
• Jimbo Fisher and the aftermath: “Jimbo is obviously not the head coach at Texas A&M anymore. This experience is what necessitated the Mike Elko hire, because Elko was there and then moved on...and Mike Elko is a supreme example of someone who is a plus in the areas they lacked during this era.” (48:26–48:38)
• “It is the pound for pound, probably the biggest busted recruiting class that we’ve ever seen in the history of recruiting rankings.” (48:46–48:52)

5. Dark Horse Conference Title Contenders

[52:06–57:39]

• ACC: Virginia Tech
  • “I think Virginia Tech would be my preseason dark horse...Brent Pry went from being the head coach to the defensive coordinator in the same program. I don’t think many people realize that happened yet.”
• SEC: Missouri
  • QB Austin Simmons seen as key. “If Austin Simmons becomes a superstar at quarterback...and they just catch lightning in a bottle winning close games, yeah, I could see Missouri being that team.”
• Big Ten: Washington
  • “They did a good job of closing wounds in the transfer portal...They’re not a long ways off and Jed Fish is a proven guy. He can win.” (56:07–56:13)
  • Manageable schedule, especially late in the year.
• Big 12: Oklahoma State
  • “Oklahoma State...is my dark horse contender in the Big 12. Eric Morris...brought like a huge chunk of his team with him [from North Texas].”
  • 54 new faces, 17 from North Texas: “Understand, this is the Big 12 we’re talking about now. It is still wildly volatile any given year.”
• Bonus mention: Watch for Miami (ACC) to finally break through under Mario Cristobal and Ohio State (Big Ten) to return to prominence.

6. Alabama Quarterback Battle Preview

[57:45–1:06:17]

• True open battle between Austin Mack and Keelan Russell.
• “This is a legitimate quarterback battle. Now just because Austin Mack was the backup at Alabama last year in no shape, form, or fashion means that he would be the starter this year.”
• On Keelan Russell: “My feel on this is Keelan Russell will be too good to keep off the field. That’s my feel on it. So I think he’s going to win the job.” (1:02:40–1:02:48)
• “But Austin Mack’s not going to be easy to beat out....I can assure you Austin Mack’s not sticking around because he enjoys being QB2.” (1:04:16–1:04:43)

7. Starter Gym Advice for Beginners (Listener Mailbag)

[1:06:24–1:11:16]

• “First piece of advice, most important one by a mile. Just go, just start.”
• Don’t worry about form, judgment, soreness, or people watching.
• “Anyone who’s judging you in the gym is a loser. So don’t worry about them.” (1:07:37–1:07:40)
• Learn about technique, nutrition, and splits (Josh does a 6-day on, 1 off split, with legs twice/week).
• On partners: “If you’re going to have a workout partner...either get the right partner or have no partner.”
• “No excuse for you to be in the gym over two hours. If you’re really hitting it hard, there’s no excuse for you to be in there over two hours.” (1:09:32–1:09:38)
• The key: Intensity and standard. Go hard or you won’t change.

8. Tribute to Lou Holtz

[1:11:17–end]

• Lou Holtz’s passing at 89: “One of those rare individuals that was a legend or an icon to multiple generations for different reasons.”
• “He resurrected Notre Dame football...wins a national title in his third year.” (1:12:11–1:12:16)
• Josh reflects more on Holtz as a media personality on ESPN’s College Football Final: “The absolute fever dream that was college football final every Saturday night on ESPN...It was an entertainment product that just happened to cover college football.”
• Holtz’s chemistry with Mark May and Rhys Davis described as “magic” and “appointment viewing.”
• “It was like nothing that exists right now all those years later. So that’s what he meant to my generation. He meant so many different things to different generations.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On LSU at Night:
  “If you just gave me night games at LSU, LSU would be number one on this list...There’s no place like Tiger Stadium.” (20:32–20:39)

• On Neyland Stadium:
  “Deafening noise. The most hostile environment, especially for the 2022 Alabama game. Just like Roman Colosseum. Kill, kill, kill. Bloodthirst type afternoon.” (22:04–22:14)

• On the ACC’s Best Years:
  “The fact that the ACC has been secret garbage, with few exceptions, for several years now is so inexplicable.” (33:19–33:28)

• On Texas A&M’s NIL Class:
  “We just got a bunch of five stars. They’ll win. We got a bunch of parts that'll create the machine. We got a house, we’re just going to go buy the most expensive furniture...and throw it in there. And then a designer is going to walk in and say, what happened?” (46:14–46:28)

• On Lou Holtz’s TV Persona:
  “It was an entertainment product that just happened to cover college football...Lou Holtz cutting what can only be described as like a pro wrestling promo on Mark May.” (1:13:04–1:13:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Top 10 Toughest Stadiums: 03:44–32:00
• ACC Analysis & Clemson Discussion: 32:00–38:10
• Playoff Returnees Over/Under: 38:17–42:00
• Texas A&M’s Bust Class: 42:06–49:24
• Dark Horse Title Contenders: 52:06–57:39
• Alabama QB Battle: 57:45–1:06:17
• Beginner Gym Advice: 1:06:24–1:11:16
• Lou Holtz Tribute: 1:11:17–end

Final Thoughts

Josh delivers candid, occasionally biting analysis laced with humor (“That’s just setting yourself apart from the rest of the world to me. So I appreciate that. I love that. It’s not homogenized.” [Kyle Field]), and never shies from honest assessments—whether on conference power, program failures, or coaching legends.

This episode is packed with first-hand stadium tales, college football culture, and strong opinions underscored by real insider intel, making it a must-listen (or read) for diehard fans.