PTI Podcast Summary

Episode: CFP Preview + NFL HC Carousel
Date: January 8, 2026
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon
Special Guest: Booger McFarland

Episode Overview

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon square off on the biggest sports stories of the day, diving into the College Football Playoff semifinals—especially Miami vs. Ole Miss—plus major NFL coaching changes and a blockbuster NBA trade. ESPN's Booger McFarland joins for in-depth CFP analysis. The show also features quick hitters on NFL, NBA, and college football news.

Main Topics & Key Points

1. College Football Playoff Semifinal: Miami vs. Ole Miss (01:15 – 04:59, 12:35 – 18:29)

• Background:
  Miami is a three-point favorite, despite being seeded lower and having lost twice to Ole Miss this season. Ole Miss has reached the semis despite upheaval—a head coach departing for LSU just before the playoff run.

• Storylines:

  • Wilbon:

    • Miami’s victory would be "authentic and culturally notable" given their storied history—“It’s the U, it’s Miami. It’s a big deal. It may sort of move college football in some direction or another, culturally, even if only a couple of inches.” (01:54)
    • Ole Miss, however: “For me, the biggest story is Ole Miss playing without a coach who, day by day, looks like a scoundrel… That is an irresistible story.” (02:18)

  • Tony:

    • Leans even more toward Ole Miss, citing the “Hotty Toddy” storyline and the drama of a team potentially winning it all without their former coach, Lane Kiffin, now at LSU:
      “If Ole Miss wins this game, they’re going to go into the national championship playing for an emergency coach who was not their coach a month and a half ago…” (03:40)
    • Plus, Kiffin’s legacy is at risk: “Lane Kiffin is going to be sitting in Baton Rouge… and a little bit of him is going to be upset and afraid that if they do win it, that people at LSU are going to say… why are we paying this guy?” (04:18)
    • “Don't think Ole Miss don't belong, because they do.” (04:54)

2. NFL Head Coach Carousel: Dolphins Fire Mike McDaniel (04:59 – 07:31)

• Tony’s Take:

  • The firing signals Miami owner’s pursuit of John Harbaugh: “Everybody knows the owner of the Miami Dolphins really likes Mike McDonald’s guy… but does he like him more than John Harbaugh? I really. I don’t think so.” (05:28)
  • Tua Tagovailoa’s future played a role: “Tua didn’t want to play for Mike. McDaniel said it’d be better if he went somewhere else.” (06:17)

• Wilbon’s View:

  • John Harbaugh is realistic: “You can’t get Jim Harbaugh… So you get his brother as the next best thing and a damn terrific coach.” (06:27)
  • McDaniel’s value is high as a coordinator and possible head coach elsewhere: “Mike McDaniel in Detroit scares the hell out of me… And there are other places he could go…” (07:03)
  • Tony raises the possibility of McDaniel in Washington, working with Dan Quinn. (07:31)

3. NBA Blockbuster: Trae Young Traded to the Wizards (07:31 – 10:52)

• The Trade:

  • Atlanta sends Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

• Wilbon:

  • Atlanta’s “economic flexibility” allows them to theoretically pursue Anthony Davis or make more moves (08:05).
  • For the Wizards? “The amount of hysteria being expended over what Trae Young’s going to do for the Wizards… He has no future with the Wizards. It’s to set up the next move for Trae Young.” (08:56)

• Tony:

  • Atlanta “gets rid of somebody who was very expensive, who did not fit in.” (09:20)
  • The Wizards have “the second worst defense… and the second lowest attendance in the league… maybe they have one [a star in Trae Young] now.” (10:14)

• Memorable exchange:

  • Wilbon: “Would you pay to go see Trae Young?” (10:33)
  • Tony: “I would pay to see him. But they don't… I don't know if they're going to play him at all.” (10:36)

4. CFP Analysis with Booger McFarland (12:35 – 18:29)

Miami vs. Ole Miss: The Key Matchups

• Booger on battle in the trenches:

  • “Miami is really dominated because of their defensive line… led by Ruben Bane Jr… and Akeem Mazador… it's ultimately going to be which side of the ball can dictate tempo.” (13:03)
  • “Kawan Lacey is going to be a key to this game… if they can run the ball, they can block the defensive line. If they can't run the football, then they got no shot at blocking that defensive line.” (13:50)

• On Ole Miss’s Playmakers:

  • Chambers and Lacey “are that good. They can carry a football team to the championship. Hell, they've carried them this far… Chambers… was in Division 2 Ferris State… now he's on the biggest stage of his life.” (14:36, 15:21)

• Who does Booger pick?

  • “I would favor Ole Miss. I think Ole Miss figures out a way… It almost seems like the universe is saying, hey, Lane Kiffin, you went to LSU… now I'm going to bless Ole Miss and take these kids and give them an opportunity…” (15:58)

Oregon vs. Indiana Preview

• On improvements & QB performances:

  • “Dante Moore didn’t play well in the first matchup… since then… he’s gotten a lot better… Indiana—Fernando Mendoza—he’s a magician… a fast processor… accurate.” (16:37)

• Booger’s Pick:

  • “I'm going with Kurt Signetti and the Indiana Hoosiers. I think we're going to get Indiana and Ole Miss playing for the championship in Miami. And no one, and I mean no one, had that championship game four months ago.” (17:33)

5. Quick Hits and Notable Moments (21:27 – 25:48)

• Happy Birthday, Zach Charbonnet: Running back for Seattle Seahawks, crucial in playoff push (21:27)
• SF 49ers playoff milestone: Beating Bears in frigid conditions on way to Super Bowl (22:25)
• RIP Glenn Hall: Legendary NHL goalie (23:36, 24:21)
• Rapid Fire Topics:
  • Bucs fire OC Josh Grizzard (24:43)
  • Damond Williams’ agent drops him—a sign Williams will transfer (25:01)
  • Thunder’s buzzer-beater, Giannis “will never ask” for a trade, Nuggets beat Celtics (25:08 – 25:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Exchanges

• On the Miami/Ole Miss Storyline:
  • Wilbon: “When you tell people you're not good enough, for me, that fuels sports. That's what sports is all about from the time you're six. And so I think that that is an irresistible story.” (02:42)
  • Tony, on Lane Kiffin: “He's going to wonder if they do, does his name go on the trophy? And a little bit of him is going to be upset and afraid that if they do win it, that people at LSU are going to say to each other, why are we paying this guy?” (04:18)
• Booger McFarland on the CFP Semifinal:
  • “Kawan Lacey is going to be a key to this game… They need to be able to have some semblance of a running game just to create balance. So this defensive line can't tee off.” (13:40)
  • “Trinidad Chambliss is a hot quarterback… He’s special now. And it’s amazing how some kid this special could slip through the cracks and be at Ferris State.” (14:36, 15:21)
• On Trae Young:
  • Wilbon: “He has no future with the Wizards. It's to set up the next move for Trae Young.” (08:56)
  • Tony: “The Wizards have whatever they're building. They have no stars right now. Absolutely no stars. So maybe they have one in Trae Young.” (10:14)
• On McDaniel’s Firing and Coaching Dominoes:
  • Tony: “The TUA situation is a significant economic problem. Tua didn’t want to play for Mike… Maybe the owner of the Dolphins said if I bring a new guy in here… it doesn’t cost me all that dead cap money.” (06:17)
  • Wilbon: “Mike McDaniel in Detroit scares the hell out of me… And there are other places he could go, Tony.” (07:03)
• On the Wizards Defensive Woes:
  • Tony: “The Wizards give up 124 points a game. The second worst. Second worst defense in the whole league. So he's going to fit right in.” (10:11)
• On the CFP Final Four:
  • Booger: "I think we're going to get Indiana and Ole Miss playing for the championship in Miami. And no one, and I mean no one, had that championship game four months ago, man." (17:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:15] – College Football Playoff Miami-Ole Miss preview
• [04:59] – Dolphins fire Mike McDaniel
• [07:31] – Trae Young traded to Wizards
• [12:35] – Booger McFarland joins for CFP analysis
• [15:58] – Booger’s pick: Ole Miss
• [17:33] – Booger’s pick: Indiana over Oregon
• [21:27] – Birthday & playoff segment: Zach Charbonnet
• [23:36] – Glenn Hall retrospective
• [24:43] – Big Finish: NFL, NBA, college football hot takes

Tone & Style

Conversational, fast-paced, opinionated, and laced with banter—classic PTI, with Tony’s wry humor and Wilbon’s directness. The guest segment features Booger’s insightful, plainspoken football analysis with strategic and player-focused detail.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode serves up everything a sports fan would want: high drama in the college football playoff, seismic NFL coaching decisions, and major NBA roster shakeups. Booger McFarland’s coaching and player breakdowns are a highlight, making this episode a must-catch for anyone tracking the twists of the CFP or the NFL’s annual game of musical chairs. The Trae Young trade analysis is sharp and honest, and the quick hits at the end feature everything from legacy NFL to the latest college football transfer whispers.

Whether you care about the inside football tactics, the human drama, or the big-picture business of sports, PTI’s hosts and their guest bring the heat.