The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 1: College Football Playoff Drama & Chris Paul Released by Clippers

Date: December 3, 2025

Overview

The first hour of this Dan Patrick Show focuses on the chaotic scenarios looming over the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process. Dan and the crew dissect questionable committee logic, controversial coaching moves, and ongoing program turmoil at Penn State. The episode concludes with breaking NBA news about Chris Paul’s abrupt release from the Clippers. Throughout, Dan and his team blend sharp sports analysis with offbeat humor and candid behind-the-scenes banter.

Main Discussion Points

1. College Football Playoff Chaos

• Committee Logic and Controversy

  • Debate on what criteria should drive CFP selections: team resume, title potential, or TV ratings.
    • Poll question introduced by Seton (04:53): “If you were on the college football committee, which rationale would be most important when ranking the teams? A team’s resume, current chance to win the title, or teams that will be best for ratings?”
  • Discussion of Notre Dame vs. BYU for a playoff spot, exploring whether deserving teams or high-profile programs should get the edge.
    • Dan: “If I’m going to look at BYU and Notre Dame straight up right now, BYU has the better resume. … But if you’re just looking the eye test, BYU has a better resume. … But I still think Notre Dame is a better team.” (05:33)
  • Critique of conference title games as “a money grab” that hurt some teams’ playoff chances. (06:47)

• Conference Championships and Playoff Scenarios

  • How teams like Texas and BYU might be affected by schedule quirks and lack of title games.
  • Candid remarks about the nonsensical scenarios with teams like Duke, Virginia, and Indiana in conference championships despite uneven seasons.
    • Dan: “You got Duke with five losses playing in the ACC title game.” (06:47)
  • Recurring theme: “It just seems to sort itself out.” Dan hopes for chaos to illuminate flaws. (11:57)

• Penn State’s Coaching Drama and Recruiting Collapse

  • Penn State fired longtime coach James Franklin, expecting to snap up a big-name replacement, only to be spurned repeatedly, leaving their recruiting class in shambles.
    • “This is Penn State we’re talking about… and you go back to the James Franklin firing—‘Got to get him out of here, we’ll have our choice’—and maybe they do find their coach. They’ve missed on a few coaches…” (21:34)
  • National Signing Day: Penn State has only four recruits (ranks with Montana State); last year had 28 at this point (23:06).

• Coaches’ Power and Carousel

  • Kalani Sitake stays at BYU thanks to booster intervention, flipping expected power dynamics (BYU keeping coach away from Penn State).
  • Lane Kiffin-to-LSU saga: Should Charlie Weis Jr. (new LSU DC) still coach at Ole Miss for playoffs? Should Lane coach at Ole Miss after accepting LSU job?
    • “You took the job. Enjoy the job. Good luck with the job. But the other stuff, stop making it seem like this is all on Ole Miss.” (20:00)

2. Fan and Listener Interaction

• Multiple callers weigh in on Penn State, Kiffin, and playoff injustice.
  • Chris in Syracuse: “You guys are talking Penn State. … But you wonder if Penn State’s going to be like the Knicks and whoever they do end up hiring, it’s not really an upgrade.” (19:50)
  • Cody in Texas argues Texas doesn’t deserve a spot in the playoff: “Leaving Texas out, that was a good move. Texas doesn’t belong in the playoff.” (31:00)
  • Dan in Ohio: Asks if college football even wants to fix flawed systems—incentive to make changes is weak since chaos drives coverage and ratings. (32:29)

3. Breaking NBA News: Chris Paul Released from Clippers

• Dan reacts in real time to the Clippers' late-night release of Chris Paul.
  • “Chris Paul’s career is probably over. He was released or sent home in the middle of the night... the Clippers were playing in Atlanta... said that, hey, we’re sending Chris home and we’re going to help him with his career moving forward.” (41:38)
• Paulie notes lack of details and CP3’s recent announcement to retire at season’s end; questions the optics of his abrupt exit.
• Lively debate about CP3’s legacy and potential future, jokes about flying economy and where he should “finish out.”
  • “You imagine you’re flying out of Atlanta this morning, all of a sudden, middle seat—coach—Chris Paul’s there?” (47:08)
  • Dan wins the “salary game”, guessing CP3's career earnings: “Chris Paul will have made $403.2 million.” (47:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan on the CFP’s prioritization of ratings versus merit (05:33):

  “Because it is entertainment. You want ratings, you want Notre Dame in there.”

• On Penn State’s recruiting collapse (23:06):

  “This is Penn State. They’re known for their recruiting. … Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Vandy would be able to flip a quarterback who was maybe going to Georgia. … They are, at best, 12th place [for Big Ten recruiting]. This is Penn State.”

• On the Lane Kiffin saga (20:00):

  “Don’t be apologetic. Take the job. You took the job. Enjoy the job. Good luck with the job. But the other stuff. Stop making it seem like this is all on Ole Miss.”

• Paulie on changing booster culture with NIL (27:26):

  “Now you could just send your money and say, ‘We want to buy players.’ You can just funnel your money right to Michigan or Nebraska and say, ‘I would like to buy that quarterback, please.’”

• Chris Paul’s dramatic conclusion (41:38):

  “Chris Paul’s career is probably over. He was released or sent home in the middle of the night... the Clippers were playing in Atlanta... said that, ‘hey, we’re sending Chris home and we’re going to help him with his career moving forward.’”

• Joking about Dan’s persistent cold (10:02):

  “It won’t leave me. It’s like, Todd, it’s always there.”

• Dan on the CFP chaos always resolving itself (11:57):

  “It has a way of sorting itself out. … But it just feels like whenever we talk about these scenarios, it just seems to work its way out. I’d like to have a little chaos. I’m okay with that.”

Key Timestamps

• 04:53 – Poll question: What should drive CFP rankings—resume, title odds, or ratings?
• 05:33 – Dan compares Notre Dame and BYU’s playoff cases.
• 06:47 – Dan rails against conference title games.
• 09:56–11:57 – Penn State's recruiting fallout, National Signing Day impacts, and coach loyalty.
• 19:50 – Caller Chris draws parallels between Penn State and the Knicks' coaching woes.
• 23:06 – Statistical breakdown: Penn State’s failed recruiting year.
• 27:26 – Discussion of NIL, boosters, and the “buy-a-player” era.
• 41:38 – Chris Paul released by the Clippers; Dan and crew react.

Additional Features

• Show Poll Questions:

  • CFP selection rationale
  • Notre Dame vs BYU: Who gets in? Who should get in?
  • Are you comfortable with the CFP ranking system?
  • Would you donate big to your alma mater’s athletic program?
  • How much college basketball are you watching?
  • Have you started your holiday shopping?

• Lighter Moments:

  • Amsterdam vs. Barcelona: where would you rather live? (24:39)
  • Christmas shopping horror stories and Dan’s infamous “blender” gift. (30:48)
  • Salary guessing game for Chris Paul’s career earnings (46:42–47:44)
  • Dan soldiering through illness, fielding advice from listeners and his wife (45:55)

Conclusion

In this lively hour, Dan Patrick and his crew dissect the absurdities and politics behind CFP selection, skewer the chaos at Penn State, and offer instant reaction to Chris Paul’s awkward NBA exit—all while riffing on holiday shopping and world travels. The blend of informed sports insight, playful ribbing, and real-time reactions makes this an enjoyable listen even for those just catching up.