Ringer Tailgate – December 18, 2025: “Playoff Predictions, Heisman Reactions, and Rejected From the National Championship Game”
Episode Overview
This week’s episode of Ringer Tailgate swings back into the chaos of college football as the Playoff begins. Hosts Van Lathan, Joel Anderson, and Tate Frazier break down their playoff brackets, throw out predictions, and riff on the changing landscape of college football. The crew delivers sharp-witted banter on Heisman voting, the emotional rollercoaster of being snubbed by the championship credential gods, program dramas at Ole Miss and Alabama, and whether 44-year-old Philip Rivers could win a college title. There’s soul-searching on why college football hates Cinderellas, impassioned debates about eternal student-athletes, and a final round of off-the-rails hypotheticals, making this your essential college football hangout.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Playoff Predictions & Bracketology
[Timestamps: 03:39–19:00]
- Van’s Pick: Georgia to win the national championship. He calls the bracket “so many pick-‘em games,” but believes Georgia has the clearest path given consistency and defense.
- "I'm predicting a Georgia national championship." —Van [03:49]
- Joel’s Picks: Joel goes with Ohio State over Oregon, but throws in a first-round upset: Tulane over Ole Miss. His bracket is partly a chaos agent:
- "Long story short, I picked Tulane to win that game. Cause I want to shake some shit up. But I also think it's a possibility." —Joel [08:54]
- Tulane Name Bit: Prolonged, hilarious riff on Joel’s lifelong mispronunciation (“T-lane” instead of “Two-lane”) [05:34–06:10, 17:34–17:56]
- Tate’s Pick: Also rides with Georgia, expecting a classic “master-vs-protégé” final against Oregon (Dan Lanning vs. Kirby Smart).
- "I think this is a Georgia year. That defense is rounding into form. I'll do the SEC chant as well..." —Tate [15:45]
2. Program Drama: Ole Miss, LSU, and Rivalries
[Timestamps: 09:55–16:11]
- Deep dive on the instability at Ole Miss: coaching uncertainties, player transfers, Lane Kiffin’s departure and rumored interference, questions around star QB Trinidad Chambliss.
- The relationship between LSU and Ole Miss described as “seething white-hot hatred.” Van riffs:
- "This relationship...is among the most toxic things that exist right now in college football. It’s literally now like a relationship with your first cousin which they would know all about at Ole Miss." —Van [14:00]
- Both sides are wary that losing to Tulane could send Ole Miss spiraling to “pre-Lane Kiffin” irrelevance.
3. Credential Controversy: Rejected From the National Championship
[Timestamps: 22:09–33:32]
- The Ringer Tailgate crew applied for media credentials for the National Championship in Miami—only Joel got approved.
- Lively debate: Should Joel go without the crew, or do they “stick together”?
- "So if Joel is the only one that's credentialed, we'll make a bit out of it. But this says a lot…” —Van [24:04]
- Joel’s unbothered: “You all just show up. We could do something outside the stadium. Or do a show, go to Joe’s Stone Crab. Then I go to the game. Sucks. Does not.” [25:48]
- The rest of the team plot revenge by doing their own “real Miami trip” without Joel (or, as Joel jokes, they’ll just let him go with his other podcast buddy, Brian Curtis).
4. Heisman Reactions & Character Talk
[Timestamps: 34:32–43:47]
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) wins the Heisman. Group agrees: right choice in a year with no historic outlier stats.
- "Consistent winning signal-caller of the best team in the regular season deserved the Heisman." —Van [35:02]
- Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) is the “villain”: Loud-mouthed, aggrieved, and snubbed. Joel sees his attitude as essential for overachievers.
- Spirited debate: Is swagger and “delusion” necessary for a Vanderbilt-level breakout star, or should Pavia be more humble?
- "People think there's some kind of personal issue we have with Diego Pavia. It's not that. I want Diego to want more for himself." —Van [38:38]
5. Cinderella Discourse: Why Does College Football Hate Upsets?
[Timestamps: 43:47–54:14]
- Prompted by Joel Klatt’s viral rant against NCAA basketball’s underdog stories.
- Joel: Most playoff blowouts aren't from ‘Cinderellas,’ but blue bloods thumping each other. College football’s nature: “dominance, not diversity.”
- "The reality is, even the trepidation and hesitancy with Indiana, over two years Indiana had to prove that they weren't a Cinderella, that they were a team week in and week out." —Van [48:34]
- Tate: Don’t hate on upsets/Cinderellas! That’s how you get Boise State 2007.
- They agree: College hoops’ Cinderellas become programs. CFB structure just makes it rarer.
6. Round 1 Game Previews & Storylines
[Timestamps: 56:48–70:24]
- Most anticipated games:
- Miami vs. Texas A&M: High-skill, immense stakes, chance to prove legitimacy.
- "If Miami wins, the U will be back." —Joel [65:14]
- Van adds, “the entire Notre Dame fan base is gonna go apeshit if Miami loses this game.” [57:21]
- Tulane vs. Ole Miss: Joel’s upset pick, emphasizing chaos swirling at Ole Miss. He stresses the emotional volatility—win and fans see the “new regime,” lose and it’s “why did we let Lane leave?” [68:26]
- Alabama vs. Oklahoma: Coaching rumors swirl; Van insists if Alabama loses, DeBoer jumps to Michigan.
- "That's a big game in Alabama history because if they lose that game, Kalen DeBoer is going to Michigan, straight like that." —Van [57:21]
- Miami vs. Texas A&M: High-skill, immense stakes, chance to prove legitimacy.
- Key storyline guesses:
- “Deboer Watch” at Alabama [66:53]
- "New Ole Miss" identity [68:26]
- “Is this the end or the start of something?” —Van [69:35]
7. Big Van on Campus: On the Eternal Student-Athlete
[Timestamps: 72:39–83:49]
- Van appeals to LSU/SEC transfer QB TJ Finley, who’s seeking a 7th year of eligibility.
- "This has to stop...you're delaying the inevitable, which is starting your life... You have to move on. You have to get out of college." —Van [73:46]
- Joel: Pushes back, arguing the journey itself is worth it—being a “college journeyman” has value and adds “character and whimsy.” [80:55]
- “Live your life, man! ...If you can, try to make yourself a pro college quarterback.” —Joel [80:55]
- Ends with a serious but funny exploration of college as refuge versus the need for growth.
8. Hypothetical: Could 44-Year-Old Philip Rivers Win the CFP?
[Timestamps: 84:23–94:44]
- Billy Gill poses: How would grizzled veteran Philip Rivers fare if he quarterbacked a college team today?
- Van: “He’s a Heisman candidate.”
- Tate/Joel: Would take him over any current QB except maybe Carson Beck for an immediate win. Joel notes Rivers’ lack of mobility could hinder him in certain offenses.
- The crew riffs about Rivers’ trash talk, bulked-up physique (“285, maybe three bills”), and what kind of offense suits him best.
9. Personal Moment: Tate’s Proposal
[Timestamps: 95:10–96:25]
- The episode closes on a personal note: Tate shares that he got engaged in Santa Barbara. The guys celebrate his big news.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the Georgia pick:
"When you look at the bracket, it’s weird to call. There are so many pick’em games... But I think Georgia, Georgia has a path to the national championship."
—Van Lathan [03:53] -
On the state of Ole Miss:
"This is...one of the most toxic things that exist right now in college football. ... It’s like a relationship with your first cousin, which they would know all about at Ole Miss."
—Van Lathan [14:00] -
On Cinderella teams and college football:
"Upsets are different than Cinderellas. We love the fact that it’s unpredictable...But at the end of the day, we want to see Giants vs. Giants, Titans vs. Titans."
—Van Lathan [48:34] -
On credentials rejection:
"So if Joe is the only one that's credentialed, we'll make a bit out of it. But this says a lot."
—Van [24:04] -
Heisman hot takes:
"Everybody out there in tailgate land thinks there's some kind of personal issue that I have or that we have with Diego Pavia. It's not that. It's just that I want Diego Pavia to want more for himself..."
—Van [38:38] -
On being a ‘college journeyman’:
"You should not be a journeyman in college. College is a part of your journey."
—Van [75:24]
"Because you say college journeyman, I got excited. Damn, that's pretty cool, man!"
—Joel [80:55] -
On Philip Rivers in the CFP:
"I think he's a Heisman Trophy quarterback. ... I think he's probably a Heisman Trophy candidate."
—Van [85:45]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:39 Playoff predictions and bracket breakdown
- 09:55 Ole Miss program drama & rivalry with LSU
- 15:45 Tate & Van double down on Georgia
- 22:09 Credential drama and Miami trip plans
- 34:32 Fernando Mendoza wins Heisman; Diego Pavia reactions
- 43:47 “College football hates Cinderella”: Debate and context
- 56:48 Round 1 game previews (Miami/A&M, Oklahoma/Alabama, Tulane/Ole Miss)
- 66:53 "Deboer Watch" with Alabama’s playoff fate
- 72:39 Big Van on Campus: TJ Finley’s quest for endless eligibility
- 84:23 Billy Gill’s Philip Rivers hypothetical
- 95:10 Tate’s engagement announcement
Final Thoughts
“Ringer Tailgate” remains a master class in mixing deep college football analysis with big laughs, personal stakes, and unfiltered energy. Whether you’re prepping for CFP Round 1 or debating the very soul of the sport, this episode delivers sharp predictions, plenty of wild banter, and a few moments worthy of the highlight reel—Cinderellas, credential snubs, debate over football’s greatest villains, and a hypothetical where Philip Rivers reigns supreme, all included.
Next up: The crew will be live Saturday night reacting to CFP results and whatever chaos unfolds.
Hosts: Van Lathan, Joel Anderson, Tate Frazier
Additional voices: Billy Gill
Ringer Tailgate: “smarter than your average fan forum, way more fun than a coach’s press conference.”