Ringer Tailgate — CFP Rankings Reactions & Hugh Freeze’s Golf Exit

Podcast: Ringer Tailgate
Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Van Lathan, Joel Anderson, Tate Frazier
Main Theme:
Deep-dive reactions to the just-released College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, debates around power conference narratives, and laughter over Hugh Freeze’s golf-induced ouster at Auburn. The trio analyze committee logic, power rankings, conference propaganda, and coaching culture, mixing sharp analysis, deep college football references, and fun chaos.

1. CFP Rankings: Immediate Reactions & Debates

Timestamps: [02:16]–[32:43]

Key Discussion Points

• Van’s Conspiracy Theory:

  • Jokes the CFP list reflects Joel’s personal biases — “Joel made this list.” [02:16]
  • Says CFP is favoring Joel’s teams: Notre Dame, Texas, Miami — and notes Miami is ranked behind a team they beat.

• Notre Dame vs. Miami Controversy:

  • Notre Dame is ranked above Miami, despite Miami beating them — major bone of contention.
  • Van: “I see two losses and really no victories.” [04:54]
  • Tate: “If I was a Miami fan right now, I’d be livid.” [02:21]
  • Joel: “The committee’s rationale: Alabama, week one, doesn’t count, obviously.” [04:17]

• How Should Teams Be Ranked? Wins vs. Losses:

  • Van: “Is it who you’ve beaten or who you’ve lost to?” [05:55]
  • Tate: “Committee says it’s supposed to be who you beat, not who you lost to.” [06:33]
  • Consensus: It will all “sort itself out” on the field by the end of the season.

• The Secure Branding of the SEC:

  • Tate: The SEC “turns every three-point victory over a team with a losing record into some sort of grand epic.” [07:42]
  • Van: Notes SEC’s culture and gravitas (“rings culture”) impacts perceptions, referencing Kirby Smart’s credibility after championships. [10:34]
  • “Only one thing changes that—that is national championships.”
  • Conference reputation determines how close wins/losses are interpreted.

Notable Quote

“The SEC got more, girl. The SEC got more dick. Than the ACC, bruh... I think the Big Ten actually probably has the biggest cock wagon. But ... the dick riding is different because the dick is different.” – Van Lathan [22:30]

2. Committee Critiques & Transparency

Timestamps: [33:40]–[43:20]

• Composition of the Committee:
  • Hosts poke fun at the randomness of committee members: “Is it worth it to be on this committee? … the hall monitors of college football.” – Van Lathan [34:48]
  • Questions about compensation—jokes about “payola” and whether the benefit is just getting expenses paid, first-class travel, etc.

3. Hugh Freeze’s Firing at Auburn — Golf Over Football?

Timestamps: [43:20]–[56:42]

Key Insights

• Golf Tee-Time as the Giveaway:

  • Freeze’s Sunday golf tee time “mysteriously removed”—led to rumors, then confirmation he’d been fired. [43:20]

• Why Hugh Freeze Failed at Auburn & His Coaching Reputation:

  • Not so much shocked at the firing as at his hiring. Van: “The blind side can only take you so far.” [44:49]
  • Joel: “He’s attuned to criticism, weird guy... Auburn was tired of weird guy energy.” [47:22]
  • Freeze’s previous successes attributed to early NIL prowess at Ole Miss, rather than “true” football resurrection.
  • Speculation: Is this Freeze’s last chance at a big-program head job? “Maybe he ends up back at Liberty.” [51:17]

• Golfing as a Problematic Coach Addiction:

  • Van’s advice: “Stay off the golf!” [51:58]
  • “Brian Kelly golfed his way out of LSU. Hugh Freeze golfed his way [into trouble]… Please golf responsibly.” [53:49]

• Coaching Culture & Off-Field Balance:

  • Jokes comparing “hoes to holes”: “Golf is the replacement for the hoes.” – Joel Anderson [56:42]

Notable Moment

“All this we hear about Hugh Freeze right now is how he had this insane golfing habit. A standing tee time on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Auburn is going down the street... This motherf***er is working on his handicap.” – Van Lathan [53:47]

4. The CFP Committee: Corruption or Careful Selection?

Timestamps: [33:40]–[43:20]

• Joking about possible bribery (“payola”) to influence CFP rankings.
• How much would it cost to move a team into the Top 12? “250k, 250k won’t change your life!” [41:14]
• Van: “Just shows you how Joel’s been living—Moneybags Joel!” [41:50]

5. Dabo Swinney Calls Out Officials — Blame Game or Legit Grievance?

Timestamps: [62:57]–[69:24]

Key Discussion Points

• Debating Dabo Sweeney’s public criticism of officiating; suggests referees may be influenced by gambling.
• Van: “This is one of the worst, most bullshit things I’ve seen. Dabo is going to Mission Impossible level conspiracy theories to avoid talking about a disastrous season.” [63:40]
• Tate: Calls for better models of sportsmanship and humility from public figures—“People need to be able to just take an L, man.” [66:10]
• Joel: “Rule number 76: No excuses, play like a champion.” [68:07]

Notable Quote

“Dabo’s crashing out. That’s a crash out. I mean, that’s a crash out.” – Van Lathan [68:16]

6. Best Games of Week 11: Storylines & Predictions

Timestamps: [71:06]–[84:07]

• LSU vs Alabama:
  Van: “This game … is a test of culture. It’s a test of resilience… the only thing that we can connect to is what happens on the field on Saturday. I want to see how they respond.” [71:57]
  • Both Tate and Joel agree: Expect a motivated LSU performance in Tuscaloosa.
• BYU @ Texas Tech:
  Texas Tech’s defense is the key; BYU’s freshman QB faces his toughest test yet. Lubbock will be wild. [74:44]
• Other Big Games:
  • Indiana vs Penn State: Will Penn State finally show its pride and play up to its talent? [77:17]
  • Texas A&M @ Mizzou: Mizzou has a chance to prove it’s not just “well-coached” but truly intimidating at home. [78:58]
  • Tulane vs Memphis: Loser likely eliminated from AAC title and playoff contention. [80:03]
• Underlying Themes:
  • November in college football: Injuries, chaos, unexpected firings, upsets—it’s “always crazy.” [32:01, 82:29]

7. Lighter Moments, Pop Culture, and Tangents

Timestamps: [84:07]–[97:13]

• J. Michael Sturdivant & The Broadcast Sister Shoutout:

  • ESPN highlights Florida WR’s sister (Cowboys cheerleader + Instagram handle) on national TV. Panel debates if this is out-of-bounds or harmless. [85:04]
  • Van: “There’s no place on earth where having a fly sister is more of a liability than in the locker room.” [87:14]
  • Lot of playful banter over family legacy, Instagram, and culture.

• Sutton’s Drugstore:

  • Extensive comedic riff over a classic Chapel Hill diner.
  • Jokes about racial history, milkshakes, and the need for a documentary. [94:46]

• Random Digressions:

  • “Top 5 drugs you do” mock ranking.
  • Light roast of Joel’s “warehouse party” past.

8. Parting Shots

Timestamps: [96:54]–[101:22]

• Van watching which coaches might save their jobs in this “age of carnage,” focusing on coaching pressure and college football’s changing culture. [97:13]
• Tate highlights Harvard’s 7–0 run and their “NFL-caliber” quarterback, Jaden Craig, as the Ivy League sends teams to the FCS playoffs for the first time. [99:24]
• Joel reminisces about North Carolina legends, saying goodbye with gratitude and excitement for more CFP debate and live Saturday Ringer Tailgate.

Select Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Joel made this list.” — Van Lathan [02:16]
• “The SEC got more dick than the ACC, bruh.” — Van Lathan [22:30]
• “If you want your teams to be ranked higher, band together like the SEC does.” — Tate [09:31]
• “Crashing out. That’s a crash out.” — Van Lathan on Dabo Sweeney [68:16]
• “Stay off the golf!” — Van Lathan [51:58]
• “Only way to change the propaganda is to start winning titles.” — Van Lathan [13:12]
• “November is crazy… teams get hurt, teams fire coaches, teams get rivalry games.” — Tate [32:01]

Structured Timeline (Major Segments)

• [00:08] Intro, CFP rankings drop & host banter
• [02:16] Immediate CFP reactions, Notre Dame–Miami debate, power-conference bias
• [07:42]–[22:30] SEC perception, conference narratives, "conference propaganda"
• [33:40] Committee composition, payola jokes, transparency
• [43:20] Hugh Freeze’s Auburn firing — golf, coaching reputations, what next?
• [62:57] Dabo Sweeney’s officiating blow-up, sportsmanship
• [71:06] Week 11 preview — LSU-Alabama, Texas Tech-BYU, more matchup breakdowns
• [84:07] Pop culture riffs, Instagram, family legacies, and diner debates
• [96:54] Parting shots, Harvard’s undefeated run, college sports nostalgia

Bottom Line

This episode is everything Ringer Tailgate promises—insightful, irreverent, and smart, with a ton of CFB substance and personality-driven flavor. From critiquing the quirks and politics of the CFP committee and rankings process, to skewering SEC “propaganda,” to roasting Hugh Freeze’s midseason golf priorities, it’s a loaded episode. In between, the hosts highlight big Week 11 games, defend (or clown) their teams, and let their personalities run wild—never far from both laughter and an incisive point about the sport.

For the uninitiated, you’ll finish the summary knowing where the playoff debate stands, what’s at stake for coaches/programs, which games to watch, and why college football remains the nation’s most chaotic, fascinating sport.