The Dan Patrick Show

Hour 2: College Football Playoff Format
Date: January 1, 2026
Hosts: Dan Beyer & Jonas Knox (in for Dan Patrick)
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the current College Football Playoff (CFP) format, its pitfalls, and debates about expanding or reshaping it. The hosts also riff on college football culture—fields, jerseys, and broadcast personalities—before segueing into the NFL playoff picture and some memorable broadcast moments. Throughout, there's a blend of irreverent sports banter, nostalgia for classic games, and candid hot takes on what's wrong (and right) with the structure of American football postseason play.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Field and Uniform Design Obsessions (02:49–06:52)

• Dan Beyer and Jonas Knox kick off with a lighthearted critique and nostalgia trip, dissecting end zone color schemes for bowl games and playoff matchups.
• Jonas: Praises Oregon's old-school green and yellow but laments their recent uniform "experiments."

  "Just because you can come up with all these different combinations doesn't mean they're all good ideas. I like that duck logo. The old school duck." (05:19)

• The conversation veers into playful ribbing about aging, fashion (hats/caps), and TV broadcasters' quirks.

Notable Quote:

"Oregon makes green and yellow look good, so why not wear it on this New Year's Day?"
— Dan Beyer (06:39)

2. Bowl Game Weather & TV Broadcasting Banter (06:52–09:44)

• Discussion of the Rose Bowl's bad weather setup, broadcasting with pets, steak-eating in booths, and veteran broadcaster Al Michaels' longevity.
• Jonas defends Al Michaels from criticism about diminished excitement, noting his enduring professionalism.

Notable Quote:

"Al Michaels hasn't really lost his fastball... Like, I don't notice a lot of slipping when it comes down Michaels that you see from other broadcasters. I still love Al Michaels."
— Jonas Knox (08:48)

3. Ohio State’s Loss, Fan Reactions, and Coaching Moves (09:46–11:13)

• Dan laments Ohio State’s playoff loss to Miami, jokes about the national relief, and discusses coaching staff changes (Cortez Hankton expected to join Ohio State).
• Brief Twitter banter about fan bases and reactions.

Notable Quote:

"We all hate Ohio State because of their fan base. The most obnoxious crybaby fan base immediately after the loss, throwing up videos complaining about the refs when they literally got their bleep handed to them all night."
— Dan Beyer, quoting listener Chris' tweet (10:17)

4. College Football Playoff Format & Debate (11:13–14:04)

• The expanded CFP format comes under scrutiny as the hosts note that teams with quarterfinal byes are winless (0–5).
• Debate ensues about whether the current system gives true advantages, or if it inadvertently disadvantages top seeds.
• Jonas suggests waiting for a larger sample size before overhauling the format, referencing baseball’s similar debates around byes and rest.

Notable Quotes:

"If Ole Miss wins, if Oregon wins, if Alabama wins... then as a format, as a committee, you really have to look at expanding the field so you don't have byes..."
— Dan Beyer (11:58)

"We're like a little over a year in. The sample size is too small to be like, yep, that's what it is. Teams on a bye, they struggle. It's a disadvantage... I think we need to wait a couple of years before we get a true understanding."
— Jonas Knox (13:09)

5. The Trouble with Playoff Fairness and Matchups (14:04–18:30)

• They reminisce about NCAA tournament criticisms (“the brackets are fun, but is it fair?”) and discuss the importance of brand-name teams for compelling TV.
• Dan: The system aims for exciting, name-brand matchups, even if it requires tweaking seeding or playoff venues.
• Jonas: "Without… big brand teams… this is a TV show. Ultimately, it's a TV product."
• Discussion of potential CFP expansion and diminishing the incentive (or fairness) of first-round byes.
• The impact of TV and rating considerations on committee decisions.

Notable Quotes:

"If you want to set up your best possible matchups, the way would be to have quarterfinals at home... It's not that Ohio State needs protection or Georgia needs protection. It's that the top four seeds may need protection. And that's what's better for college football…" — Dan Beyer (14:26)

"They're trying to set this up to give the most compelling matchup... you're going to get a name brand team at the end because the name brand teams are the best teams in college football." — Jonas Knox (17:10)

6. Playoff Format Flaws & Enjoying the Chaos (18:30–20:05)

• Jonas tells fans to enjoy the expanded CFP, even with its flaws, as increased big games are good for the sport; every major sport’s playoff format has “a flaw.”
• Dan and Jonas briefly touch on possible expansion to 16 teams and cite the swift change away from first-round byes for teams like Boise State.

"There's way too much complaining over something that if we just were to brush past, it's pretty awesome. Like it's a College Football Playoff and it's pretty awesome."
— Jonas Knox (18:30)

7. Fan Travel Concerns & Bowl Site Logistics (20:05–21:21)

• Dan wonders about the fan experience with far-flung bowl games, especially for less-traveled teams like Miami.
• Jonas jokes about Miami fan “extracurriculars” and cost/complexity of travel.

8. NFL Playoff Picture: NFC Postseason Scenarios & Tanking Debate (28:37–41:05)

• The hosts break down the NFC playoff permutations: seeding manipulation, rest vs. momentum, and matchup preferences (e.g., Eagles, Bears, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks).
• Arguments for/against gunning for the #2 seed ("just play to win"), and how divisional familiarity can cancel home field advantages.
• Candid talk about the NFC South’s weakness, likening the fifth seed’s opening round to getting a playoff bye.

Notable Quotes:

"I don't think home field matters as much to Seattle or San Francisco. If you have the Rams or San Francisco coming to your building and the way the bracket would break out, I wouldn't want to face both of those teams." — Dan Beyer (33:33)

"There are two bye weeks in the NFC playoffs. It's the one and the five seed." — Jonas Knox (34:26)

9. NFC South: Who Do You Even Root For? (37:58–40:21)

• Playful debate over the least objectionable NFC South champion: Tampa (Baker Mayfield) or Carolina (rookie Bryce Young).
• Both hosts choose Carolina due to affable personalities and underdog appeal.

"I would go Carolina as well just because... Dave Canales and Bryce Young are the two nicest people in the NFL."
— Jonas Knox (39:02)

10. Classic Botched Farewells: Live TV Meltdowns (45:22–51:36)

• They dissect Gary Danielson’s abrupt, anticlimactic retirement signoff after 36 years on CBS, which got awkwardly cut for time.
• Juxtaposed with Pat Bowlen’s classic "This one’s for John" Super Bowl XXXII speech, and Kevin Durant’s teary NBA MVP “You the real MVP” moment—both of which would have been ruined by a strict TV hard-out.
• Comparison to Oscar winners rushed off stage with swelling theme music.

Notable Quotes:

"Gary Danielson, after 36 years of broadcasting is like, I don't care. Stop sign. We're going right through it."
— Dan Beyer (47:16)

"It's like, you know, when they try and, you know, wrap somebody up at the Oscars... Hold on a second. Biggest moment of my career, and I got some jackass telling me, hey, buddy, we gotta get to the next speech."
— Jonas Knox (51:36)

Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• (05:19, Jonas Knox): "Just because you can come up with all these different combinations doesn't mean they're all good ideas. I like that duck logo. Just the duck. The old school duck."
• (08:48, Jonas Knox): "Al Michaels hasn't really lost his fastball... I still love Al Michaels."
• (10:17, Dan Beyer): Quoting a fan: "We all hate Ohio State because of their fan base. The most obnoxious crybaby fan base immediately after the loss..."
• (11:58, Dan Beyer): "If Ole Miss wins... then as a format, as a committee, you really have to look at expanding the field so you don't have byes..."
• (18:30, Jonas Knox): "There's way too much complaining over something that if we just were to brush past, it's pretty awesome. Like it's a College Football Playoff and it's pretty awesome."
• (33:33, Dan Beyer): "I don't think home field matters as much to Seattle or San Francisco..."
• (39:02, Jonas Knox): "I would go Carolina as well just because... Dave Canales and Bryce Young are the two nicest people in the NFL."
• (47:16, Dan Beyer): "Gary Danielson, after 36 years of broadcasting is like, I don't care. Stop sign. We're going right through it."
• (51:36, Jonas Knox): "It's like, you know, when they try and, you know, wrap somebody up at the Oscars... Hold on a second. Biggest moment of my career, and I got some jackass telling me, hey, buddy, we have to get to the next speech."

Conclusion

This hour showcased why The Dan Patrick Show’s brand of sports talk remains popular: candid, entertaining discussion that bounces between deep analysis of playoff structures and lighthearted, relatable takes on sports culture and media. The hosts make a compelling case for enjoying the spectacle—flaws and all—while still demanding improvements, particularly in how we structure our favorite sporting tournaments and recognize the titans who narrate them.

For listeners seeking:

• Insight into CFP expansion/fairness debates
• Behind-the-scenes sports TV culture
• Playoff seeding drama in the NFL
• Nostalgic, irreverent, and sharp-witted sports radio banter

This episode delivers all that—skip the ads, cue up the show at the segment timestamps above, and enjoy the ride.