Pardon My Take – CFB Week 1 with Booger McFarland After He Eats 6 Donuts, Is Arch Bad? Brian Kelly's Big Win + Mt. Rushmore Controversy

Date: September 2, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat, PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Guest: Booger McFarland

Episode Overview

This college football-centric episode of "Pardon My Take" recaps a wild Week 1, including massive upsets, quarterback hot takes, and fanbase meltdowns. Highlights include Booger McFarland joining the show (post six-donut challenge), a deep dive on Arch Manning's shaky debut, Bama and Clemson fanbase meltdowns, and a volcanic Mt. Rushmore segment that spills into a full-blown controversy. The chemistry is classic PMT—rowdy, irreverent, and packed with fresh college and NFL insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. UNC vs. TCU: The Bill Belichick Era Begins in Chapel Hill

• (04:23-07:57)
  • The guys recap UNC's lopsided loss to TCU under new head coach Bill Belichick.
  • Funny banter about Michael Jordan showing up in the celeb boxes...but UNC’s play leaves a lot to be desired.
  • "Not the best start for Bill Belichick at UNC."
  • Everyone's already tired of Belichick's coach-speak and weird pregame behaviors ("released a depth chart listing just positions and no names").
  • Quote [05:57]: "It was good to have him back in football on the sideline. It was just like an old time." – Big Cat

2. Arch Manning’s Nightmare Debut: Hot Takes, Redemption, and Memes

• (08:37-18:40)
  • Texas loses to Ohio State, but the real story is Arch Manning looking overwhelmed in his first true start.
  • "It didn't go well...for three and a half quarters, he looked so lost." – PFT [09:23]
  • Analysis: Arch was bailing from throws, looked timid, and “hasn't played enough football to get the Manning superpower.”
  • Roundtable debate: Most are BUYING Arch stock long-term, some are SELLING for this year.
  • Quote [12:12]: "When people are online saying, '9/11 if Arch Manning was the pilot,' we've reached the point where he's getting roasted, probably properly." – Big Cat
  • PFT: “I just think that he hasn’t played enough football to get the Manning superpower…” [15:52]
  • Max: "He started off that [final] drive and it looked like the entire Internet was gonna have to eat all their..." [17:57]

3. Alabama is “Cooked”: The Downfall of a Dynasty?

• (19:09-31:05)
  • Florida State physically dominates Bama—a shock to fans and the CFB ecosystem.
  • Gus Malzahn's game plan praised; Kaylin DeBoer’s Alabama “just a regular program now.” – Big Cat [20:17]
  • Message board madness: Bama fans spiral, missing the glory days, with epic cope posts.
  • "The world is so different than the last time Alabama sucked." – Big Cat [25:08]
  • Finebaum Caller: "It's only a matter of when we run your ass off...if you were on life support, I’d pull the plug and charge my phone." [24:56]
  • Cultural shift: Alabama fans confronting mediocrity, blaming NIL/portal rather than reality.

4. Elsewhere: Big Games, Weird Traditions, and Coping Mechanisms

• (31:30-41:23)
  • Clemson-LSU: Celebrating campus games (not NFL venues), and calling out Clemson’s bizarre bus/“Hill” entrance tradition.
  • Praise for LSU's defense and Nussmeier at QB; Clemson fans already in denial about the transfer portal (“only REAL college team left!”).
  • Quote [36:33]: “Clemson is the best college team in America…because other than the military academies, Clemson is the only college football team.” – Reading fan post

5. Week 1 Lightning Round (Around the Country)

• (41:57-48:58)
  • Vandy players’ brothers make headlines for getting arrested on Broadway.
  • Dylan Raiola “cosplays” Patrick Mahomes on tunnel entrance.
  • Big games run down: JMU, Wisconsin, Penn State (bad beat).
  • Georgia Tech at Colorado: Deion coaching clock management questions.
  • Miami-Notre Dame thriller: Carson Beck, Cristobal’s situational drama, ND's next steps.
  • Quote [41:54]: "You gotta stand out to get arrested on Broadway." – PFT

6. Notable Moments & Antics

• Ryan Day’s (Alleged) Nipple Ring:
  • "If there's any coach you're like, he might be a nipple ring guy, it's Ryan Day." – PFT [13:12]
  • Photoshop or reality? Hosts run with the joke regardless.
• Mt. Rushmore Controversy:
  • Lengthy, chaotic segment on poll-rigging, collusion suspicions, and what constitutes a fair challenge.
  • Max: "If we continue with this Rushmore as is, this ends Mount Rushmore season forever. That ends the entire integrity of this show." [127:37]
  • Massive fight, playful threats, and (eventually) an agreement on a path forward for the dueling teams.

7. Booger McFarland: “America’s Best” (and Six Donuts)

Booger Joins – 59:38

• Pays off a bet: eats six donuts live, describes sugar jitters and anticipatory regret.
  • "Between four and six, I started sweating profusely..." – Booger [72:32]
• Bachelor party location analysis ("Miami and Vegas or you're fooling yourself").
• CFB Analysis:
  • LSU’s win at Clemson: “It puts the narrative to bed that BK can’t win a big game…” [75:41]
  • Death Valley debate: “If we're going to show up in your house and kick your door down ... at some point, you gotta realize that there's only one Death Valley."
  • On Bama’s effort: “They didn't play with effort... the thing that made Alabama really good, the attention to detail, the effort—they didn't have." [77:37]
  • Arch Manning: Surprised at his lack of composure "considering all that pedigree”; would still double-down on Arch long-term (see [88:39-90:33]).

8. NFL Early Look & Rapid-Fire Highlights

• Booger’s surprise Super Bowl pick: “Buffalo-Green Bay, with Green Bay winning.” [108:38]
• High on the Rams and the Colts if “Daniel Jones [can be] Andy Dalton.” [100:29, 101:07]
• Quick Commanders/Bears outlook: “Now we got him working his favor. As for the defense, that's probably more of a concern…” – Big Cat [110:22]
• PFT on Commanders: “Jaden Daniels is so good. That's my analysis. He's awesome.” [111:36]

Notable Quotes & Funny Moments (with Timestamps)

• Arch Manning Roasting Peak:
  "When people are online saying, '9/11 if Arch Manning was the pilot,' we've reached the point where he's getting roasted, probably properly." – Big Cat [12:12]

• Ryan Day Nipple Ring Episode:
  "If there's any coach in the country that you're like, he might be a nipple ring guy, it is Ryan Day." – PFT [13:12]

• Alabama in Crisis:
  "The world is so different than the last time Alabama sucked...Alabama has been the dominant force in college football since Twitter." – Big Cat [25:08]

• Finebaum Caller on Coach DeBoer:
  "It's only a matter of when we run your ass off. Now, I'm not saying I hate your ass, but if you were on life support, I'd pull the plug and charge my phone." [24:56]

• Clemson is the Only “Real” Team?
  (Reading cope): "Clemson is the best college team in America because other than the military academies, Clemson is the only college football team." – [36:33]

• Booger on Bama Effort Level:
  "They weren't ready to roll." [79:13]
  "You often hear this about a coach, man, 'I'll run through a wall for him.' [Alabama] won't even run to the ball for him, let alone run through a wall." [83:42]

• On Arch Manning’s Future:
  "He looked like a kid that had been swimming in four feet for a long time, and for the first time, mom and dad threw him in the 12ft and they didn't get in with him." – Booger [89:54]

• Booger's Donut Experience:
  "Between four and six, I started sweating profusely...is that normal when you eat a lot of sugar?" [72:32]

• Mount Rushmore Meltdown:
  "If we continue with this Rushmore as is, this ends Mount Rushmore season forever. That ends the entire integrity of this show." – Max [127:37]

• PFT on Fan Behavior:
  "You gotta stand out to get arrested on Broadway." [41:54]

Important Timestamps for Reference

• UNC-TCU/Belichick Opener: 04:23-07:57
• Arch Manning Debut Discussion: 08:37-18:40
• Alabama Downfall & Fan Cope: 19:09-31:05
• Clemson-LSU & Death Valley Debate: 31:30-36:31
• Fan Coping, Portal Talk: 36:31-37:26
• Miami-Notre Dame/Lightspeed Recaps: 39:47-41:54
• Booger McFarland – Donuts & CFB analysis: 59:38-97:07
• NFL Early Outlook: 99:18-108:38
• Mt. Rushmore Controversy: 118:26–143:02 (segment spans show’s wild closing 25+ minutes)

Tone & Style

The episode is a rollercoaster of irreverent jokes, deep sports analysis, wild fan impressions, and running gags. The hosts are self-deprecating, quick to roast each other and the game, but they also show genuine joy at college football’s return.

Typical PMT Tone: Loud, sarcastic, and unpredictable, but always rooted in genuine, often sharp sports observations.

Summary for New Listeners

• Why listen?
  This episode is textbook “Pardon My Take” chaos: biting humor, big-picture college football narratives, instant meme factories (Arch Manning, Alabama fans), plus unique bonus material (Booger’s donut shame, forbidden Mt. Rushmore patriotism). If you want a high-energy sports pod where no sacred cow goes unroasted, this is your week one treat.
• Who should listen?
  Anyone who loves college football, is following the QB storylines, or wants to be in on the fan-driven inside jokes that define Pardon My Take’s community.