The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Natty Chances 2025 vs. 2024; Best College Football Playoff Matchups

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk
Guests: Doug Lesmerises, Bill Landis (hosts), Shahan Jayaraja (CBS Sports)
Date: December 8, 2025
Main theme: Assessing Ohio State’s repeat national title chances, in-depth College Football Playoff analysis, and candid reflections on the playoff structure.

Overview

In this “Around the Shoe” episode, Bill, Doug, and national college football writer Shahan Jayaraja dig into Ohio State's national title prospects in 2025 versus last year’s championship run, break down the Playoff field and dynamics, debate the best prospective CFP matchups, and scrutinize committee decisions and the playoff system itself. Blending insider perspectives with sharp national analysis and their usual light-hearted banter, the trio unpacks what makes the Buckeyes—and the state of college football—so fascinating this postseason.

Comparing Ohio State's 2025 Natty Chances to 2024

[02:02–13:37]

Shahan Jayaraja’s Perspective

• 2024 vs. 2025 Confidence:
  • In 2024, felt Ohio State was “just better than everybody” and “could not get out of its own way” (02:55).
  • Despite last year’s loss to Michigan, saw that team as "a culmination roster, a very old roster, a defense that had been together for such a long time”.
  • The 2025 squad has "more holes" and is “a little more gettable,” especially in the trenches and offensive line.
  • “I still feel like this is one of, at worst, maybe the top two or three teams heading into the College Football Playoff.” (04:13)
• Roster Comparison:
  • “They have some of the highest upside of any team... obviously the receivers are untouchable.” (03:40)
  • Praises emergence of Arvel Reese and play of Sonny Styles, but says 2024’s defensive line and running backs were stronger.
  • Matt Patricia’s hire as DC has been “tremendous,” defying his initial skepticism.

Bill Landis’ Take

• Shift in Outlook:
  • “I feel a thousand times, a million times better about Ohio State’s ability to win it this year than I did last year, because I just thought they were kind of done last year.” (08:43)
  • Loss this year doesn’t carry the same emotional weight.
  • Remains confident: “I like, top to bottom, I do think they still have the best roster.” (09:06)
• Roster Depth:
  • Points to 2024’s underappreciated depth: “There ended up being like a lot of third and fourth round, fifth round kind of picks on Ohio State roster last year… I’m a little unsure of that level [in 2025].” (14:10)

Doug Lesmerises’ Reflections

• Last Year’s Context:
  • “…A year ago in picking Ohio State to win its first round game, but then lose to Oregon, Oregon was undefeated… Oregon had beaten Ohio State. Maybe I thought…even the best of Ohio State—are we sure?” (09:47)
  • This year: “I don’t know that I think that there’s a team, that even if Ohio State’s at its best, that I would say, I don’t know if Ohio State can beat them.” (10:53)
• Experience Edge Gone:
  • No clear “deeply experienced” team like OSU/Michigan in 2024. “Who’s like the really experienced team going into the playoff that has all these veterans who can handle a six-week run? Maybe there’s not a team who has that depth of experience.” (16:18)

Notable Quotes:

• Shahan: “One of the greatest inefficiencies in college football right now is having real legitimate experience.” [13:29]
• Bill: “If Ohio State does [maximize its talent], I really don’t think there’s anybody that can beat them.” [14:44]
• Doug: “This team is legitimately very different than last year… same uniforms… a lot of everything else that is quite different.” [15:11]

How Many Teams Can Actually Win the College Football Playoff?

[17:52–24:38]

• Bill’s Data-Driven Tiers (Based on Rankings & Advanced Stats):
  • Tier 1: Indiana, Ohio State
  • Tier 2: Texas Tech, Oregon
  • Tier 3: Georgia A&M, Miami
  • His realistic contenders: Indiana, Ohio State, Texas Tech, Oregon, Georgia; Miami as a marginal sixth due to raw talent—but not trust in Mario Cristobal: "I don’t trust Mario Cristobal as far as I can throw him." (18:53)
• Doug's View:
  • Adds Texas A&M, arguing they're underrated and “kind of clearly looked like the best team in the SEC for much of the regular season.” (19:31)
  • Advocates including both Miami and Texas A&M, making it seven possible teams.
• Shahan’s Counterpoint:
  • Names five likely winners (Indiana, Ohio State, Texas Tech, Oregon, Georgia). Doesn’t include Miami/Texas A&M due to path difficulty and inconsistency: “Their path involves Ohio State… that’s their first big game in the Cotton Bowl.” (23:00)
  • Down on Oklahoma and Ole Miss’s real contender credentials.
• Collective View: Most likely, the “true” national title winner comes from a pool of five or six teams—much broader than traditional 4-team playoff, but not full parity.

Best College Football Playoff Matchups & Storylines

[25:13–33:02]

Ultimate Storyline: “The Kurt Signetti Bowl”

• Dream Scenario: James Madison vs. Indiana
  • Both teams fueled by transfers/coaching moves from JMU to Indiana.
  • “JMU built two playoff teams… It is amazing.” (26:09)
  • “The storylines heading into the Kurt Signetti bowl would be a lot of fun.” — Shahan (26:50)
• More Realistic Potential Classic: Oregon vs. Texas Tech
  • “Just give me Oregon’s O line against Texas Tech D line, and let everybody else get a water break. That’s really all I care about.” — Bill (28:52)
  • “That can be the line of scrimmage battle of the year.” — Doug (29:03)
  • New money vs. new money, “whoosh versus swoosh,” “shoe money versus oil money” (29:29–29:56)
  • Both programs playing to not just arrive but to stay among the elite; embraces the “we’re here because we spent to compete” reality.

Other Dream Matchups:

• If the bracket broke right, Texas Tech vs. Texas and Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M in Lubbock—would be “incredible” and “prove yourself” moments for Tech. (27:05)
• Ohio State rematches with Indiana, or battles against Texas Tech/Georgia, would all have high intrigue.

Notre Dame Missing the Playoff—What Does It Mean?

[33:02–39:02]

• Single-Word Reactions:

  • Shahan: “Understandable… my real qualm… why did the playoff committee lie to us for six weeks.” (33:29)
  • Bill: “Deceitful, proper, probably.” (35:40)
  • Doug: “Ghosted. This idea that… I received a message from you… then right at the point when I thought it was go time, I never heard from you again.” (36:52)

• Committee Critique:

  • “There’s no magic rule that teams are only comparable when they’re one spot apart… that’s a ridiculous assertion.” — Shahan (34:05)
  • Consensus: Right outcome, but committee’s public logic/process was laughable and maddening.

• Broader Reflection:

  • Doug: “If the things we think we’re supposed to value… all got followed, they just got lied to.” (38:27)
  • Shahan: “Gaslit is kind of… the very new age thing to say.” (37:21)

Is the Playoff System Working? How Good Is It—Really?

[39:35–48:47]

• Bill: “I think I’m at like 65% wonderful… and the 35 [percent] mess is just like mostly… talking yourself in circles on a weekly basis about the rankings nonsensically.” (40:01)

  • Praises home-site first rounds, structure, and access.
  • Main critique: No true transparency from committee, “just get confusion.”

• Doug: “75, 25. Wonderful to ridiculous.” (41:37)

  • Insists it’s messy, “but what else would be better?”
  • Computers/rankings alone would have been more unfair—human element ultimately gets more right than not.

• Shahan: “80 [percent] wonderful and 20 mess” on the actual competition—games and opportunities are excellent. (42:57)

  • "A lot of the biggest issues… are actually just giant issues with the sport."
  • Big brand anxiety about being left out drives most noise, not flaws inherent to the playoff format.

• Societal Parallels:

  • Shahan: “Just play sports better… The problem isn’t that Notre Dame had such an incredible case. It’s that Notre Dame’s not used to being the one getting left out… Texas isn’t supposed to get screwed… and I think the existential thing… is that everybody is so afraid… of getting left behind… that they’re kind of trying to break everything to benefit themselves.” (42:56, 44:55)

  • “If you feel disrespected, ask yourself in your own personal life, did you cover Dallas Wilson? If you didn’t, then maybe you don’t need to be having this conversation.” — Shahan (48:35)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “If Ohio State maximizes its talent, I really don’t think there’s anybody that can beat them.” — Bill, [14:44]
• “One of the greatest inefficiencies in college football right now is having real legitimate experience.” — Shahan, [13:29]
• “Their path involves Ohio State… I don’t love that that’s their first big game in the Cotton Bowl.” — Shahan, [23:00]
• “JMU built two playoff teams… It is amazing.” — Doug, [26:09]
• “Just, just play sports better.” — Shahan, [48:07]
• “Ghosted. The story of the 2025 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.” — Doug, [38:05]
• “We are so much better than we were then that we just have to remember what we’re complaining about.” — Doug, [42:25]
• On the current moment: “People being like, we should just change the rules because I shouldn’t have been disrespected… Just play sports better.” — Shahan, [48:16]

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:02] – Start of OSU 2024 vs. 2025 title chances
• [13:37] – On inefficiencies and roster depth
• [17:52] – Who actually can win the title?
• [25:13] – Best matchup discussion (“Kurt Signetti Bowl”)
• [33:02] – Notre Dame’s Playoff snub: feelings, fairness, process
• [39:35] – Grading the Playoff system and broader perspective

Overall Tone and Style

Candid, humorous, deeply informed, and opinionated—Bill, Doug, and Shahan combine rigorous analysis with the kind of fan-friendly, relatable banter that makes for essential college football listenership.

For more, follow Shahan Jayaraja on CBS Sports and catch Bill and Doug on their Substack: billanddougosu.substack.com