Ringer Tailgate – Episode Summary

Episode: Texas Title Doubts and the New SEC Hierarchy. Plus, Bold Predictions, Sleeper Teams, and More.
Date: August 21, 2025
Hosts: Tate Frazier, Van Lathan, Joel Anderson

Episode Overview

The first episode of Ringer Tailgate kicks off with college football’s return. Hosts Tate Frazier, Van Lathan, and Joel Anderson set the tone for the new season by blending sharp analysis, deeply rooted fan banter, and a dose of offbeat chaos. The episode explores the swirling doubts around Texas as preseason No. 1, the rapidly shifting SEC and Big Ten power structures, bold predictions, sleeper teams, zags, trap games, and the culture that makes the college football experience singular. The tone ranges from high-intensity debate to hilarious digressions, always with a deep love for the sport.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Vibes & College Football Nostalgia

[03:15 - 07:05]

• The hosts introduce themselves through the lens of their earliest, most memorable college football players:
  • Van: “Honey Badger, Tyron Mathieu is the epitome of what college football fandom is...build a legend. This sport is about legends.” (C, 03:15)
  • Joel: “Chuck Weatherspoon…that’s a dude that is only famous in college. He is forever great.” (D, 04:22)
  • Tate: “For me, it’s Ronald Curry...a pure college football guy.” (B, 06:02)
• Each relates a last great game attended, highlighting how personal and emotional CFB fandom is.
  • Joel’s story of Bama-Georgia 2018 National Championship: “We all yelled in the press box when that shit happened.” (D, 08:13)

2. Texas Hype & Preseason No. 1 Curse

[13:51 - 20:55]

• The stats: 19 of last 21 preseason No. 1s failed to win it all.
• Van: “I believe in Texas as a team. I don’t believe that Texas is some unbeatable behemoth…all the preseason stuff means nothing until the teams hit the field.” (C, 13:51)
• Joel: Skeptical, citing Texas' history of failing to meet expectations—“They’ve won eight conference titles in my entire lifetime...what kind of fool would I be if I thought Texas was going to live up to expectations?” (D, 16:22)
• Both discuss if Steve Sarkisian has finally solved the Texas ‘culture problem’.
  • Van: “If he’s acclimated to the culture…Texas is in for a long run of dominance.” (C, 19:10)

3. Bold & Big Predictions for the Season

[21:34 - 35:55]

a. Van: (Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry)

• Prediction: “Ohio State loses again to Michigan…there’s an intensity surrounding that game that the Buckeyes are having trouble meeting the moment.” (C, 21:40)
• Damon: “Ryan Day, for some reason, when the pressure was off, coached his life out during that playoff run…but in that game against Michigan, he does something that boxers sometimes do…play into that person’s hands and lose.” (C, 22:58)

b. Joel: (Oregon as Dark Horse)

• “Oregon is going to be what everyone thinks Penn State is going to be. I don’t see Penn State getting over the hump…Oregon is stacked…Dante Moore with a good OL…they’re my pick as a true playoff contender.” (D, 27:05)
• Acknowledges potential injuries and lack of WR depth, but believes in OC Will Stein and the Ducks’ portal haul.

c. Tate: (Illinois Sleeper)

• “Illinois is going to be the Indiana of this season…preseason #12, 10 wins last year…Bielema, 18 starters back. Propaganda will push them to the forefront.” (B, 31:46)

d. Big Ten-SEC Dynamics

• The depth of new Big Ten is crucial: “For the Big Ten to snatch the reins from the SEC, Penn State having a shot is important, and other schools need to make the leap.” (C, 34:33)

4. Zag of the Preseason (Counter-Narratives)

[37:31 - 52:47]

a. Joel’s Zag: (Tennessee & NIL)

• “Josh Heupel going into the season with the worst QB out of principle or NIL resistance is dumb—sometimes you just gotta pay to win.” (D, 38:13)
• Van Pushback: “You cannot set that precedent in your team. If you let him bogart after a year where he was just okay…that’s going to cost you depth and locker room buy-in.” (C, 42:56)

b. Van’s Zag:

• “I think Carson Beck is going to be dominant this season. I could see him end up in New York [for the Heisman].” (C, 45:22)

c. Tate’s Layup:

• “Despite all the hype around Penn State or Clemson, the SEC will win the CFP this year. It’s a must for the propaganda.” (B, 47:21)
• Panel discusses Alabama’s post-Saban anxiety, Texas, Georgia, LSU, Florida, and South Carolina as more likely.

5. Contender, Pretender, or Sleeper? (Top 25 Speed Round)

[61:13 - 77:04]

• The crew quickly runs through the bottom of the AP poll, labeling teams as contenders, pretenders, or sleepers, with explanations:
  • Boise State: “Best G5, maybe a playoff contender.” (D, 61:13)
  • Tennessee, Texas Tech, Indiana, Iowa State, Ole Miss, SMU – spirited breakdown of their legitimate upside and weak points.
  • Biggest Pretenders in Top 15?
    • Van: “Oregon. Too many questions, especially at WR.” (C, 75:04)
    • Joel: “South Carolina. Schedule’s brutal—they’re not going to do what people think.” (D, 76:11)

6. Trap Game Tracker

[77:53 - 83:02]

• Van: “LSU-Arkansas at home. Every year, a penciled-in trap game.” (C, 78:19)
• Joel: “Texas has to go to Florida the week before Oklahoma—classic lookahead spot.” (D, 79:36)
• Tate: “Clemson at Georgia Tech...noon at Bobby Dodd, Haynes King can cause real trouble.” (B, 80:53)

7. Favorite Players: CFB Top 5 Draft

[83:29 - 91:52]

• Each host picks their all-time favorite college football players, weaving in stories:
  • Van: “Badger, Burrow, Herb Tyler, Tommy Frazier, Bradley Van Pelt…Van Pelt was a dickhead with it.” (C, 84:33)
  • Joel: “Steve McNair—revolutionized college QB to me. Vince Young even though I hate Texas. Leland McElroy, Terrell Buckley, Napoleon Kaufman.” (D, 85:31)
  • Tate: “Julius Peppers, Pat White, Cam Newton, Calvin Johnson, Ed Reed, and special shout to Malcolm Kelly for the Oklahoma freestyle.” (B, 89:12)

8. Coach Prime vs. Belichick: College Football’s Propaganda Wars

[53:47 - 60:44]

• Hilarious riffing on attention/branding battles between Deion Sanders at Colorado and Bill Belichick at North Carolina, skewing toward the entertainment side of coaching storylines:
  • Van, on Belichick: “He is so pussy whipped right now…she might be the coach of the team. This is an eight-part Apple series.” (C, 55:07)
  • Joel, on Belichick’s new love: “There’s no way a 73-year-old man thought he’d ever see a naked 20-something in his house again.” (D, 56:57)

9. Big Van on Campus Segment / Campus Culture

[98:31 - 102:09]

• Van observes the annual return of viral sorority girl rush videos—“When them sorority girls start dancing, that means it’s time for college football.” (C, 99:24)
• Culture war point, but mostly just a marker that “the season’s about to start.”

10. What College Football Means To Us

[103:41 - end]

• Joel: “What I love about college football is seeing how it can change lives, bring generational change for some brothers, give opportunities, and build something lasting beyond the field.” (D, 104:19)
• Van: “I love the truce of Saturday, the cultural truth. Nothing else like the communal experience of a college game day in the South—food, fellowship, a celebration centering around local pride.” (C, 105:23)
• Tate: Shares a favorite quote from Michael Weinreb’s A Season of Saturdays—“There’s a strange beauty about returning every Saturday to where we came of age...to feel like true believers, even if it no longer means what we thought it did.”
• All agree: The meaning, nostalgia, and community of CFB is irreplaceable.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Van Lathan:

  • “This sport is about legends. And that’s the guy that I remember.” (C, 03:15)
  • “We don’t have a reputation for…fucking our own sister...we might fuck your sister, but not our sister.” (C, 50:35)
  • “When them sorority girls start dancing, that means it’s time for college football.” (C, 99:24)
  • “I love the truce of Saturday...communal celebration that’s never let me down.” (C, 105:23)

• Joel Anderson:

  • “I think Will Howard got a concussion in the second quarter of that game.” (D, 23:41)
  • “You had all year…ECU’s probably talking shit about you…how’s North Carolina State going to respond?” (D, 94:15)
  • “I’ve seen a generational change—football can do that, man. College football can do that.” (D, 104:20)
  • “Vince Young is so undeniable, so powerful...I had to root for him bro.” (D, 86:00)

• Tate Frazier:

  • “I think SMU or Louisville would be the team I think is number two [in the ACC].” (B, 73:01)
  • “Julius Peppers…my favorite player ever. He also had a pick six…just incredible.” (B, 89:12)
  • Reads Weinreb quote: "There's a strange beauty about returning every Saturday to the places where we came of age..." (B, 107:31)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Player Nostalgia & Introductions: 03:15–07:05
• Preseason AP #1 Trends / Texas Discourse: 13:51–20:55
• Bold Predictions: 21:34–35:55
• Preseason Zags: 37:31–52:47
• Contender, Pretender, Sleeper: 61:13–77:04
• Trap Game Tracker: 77:53–83:02
• Top 5 Favorite Players: 83:29–91:52
• Coach Prime vs. Belichick: 53:47–60:44
• Big Van on Campus: 98:31–102:09
• What CFB Means To Us: 103:41–end

Final Thoughts

Ringer Tailgate launches as a vibrant, conversational blend of on-field analysis, historical context, personal storytelling, and cultural commentary. The chemistry among Van, Joel, and Tate radiates authenticity—whether they're deconstructing NIL disputes, torching preseason takes, or simply waxing poetic about the innocence of tailgate Saturdays. If you care about college football, or just want to understand why people love it so fiercely, this episode is a must.