The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3

Episode Title: Paul Finebaum Calls Out the Clown Show CFP Committee
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show centers around the ongoing controversy in college football, specifically the fallout from the latest College Football Playoff (CFP) committee decisions, Notre Dame’s perceived snub, and the subsequent public reactions. Guest Paul Finebaum (ESPN, SEC Network) joins Dan for an in-depth and cutting conversation about Notre Dame's response, the integrity of the CFP process, and the larger landscape of college sports. Lively banter and trademark snarkiness from both host and guest keep things entertaining, while listeners and Danettes weigh in with opinion and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Notre Dame, ACC, and College Football Playoff Fiasco

• Finebaum's Critique of Notre Dame (25:42–29:16)

  • Finebaum slams Notre Dame for acting like "crybabies" after missing out on the playoff, rebuking their athletic director for grandstanding:

    “The crying from Notre Dame is quite frankly embarrassing. They cried, they didn’t get their way. And then they said, you know, we’re going home, we’re taking our ball like a five year old on the playground by not going to a bowl game.” — Paul Finebaum (25:24)

  • He insists Notre Dame’s resume “is good, not great,” and their status as ACC quasi-members undercuts their complaints about inclusion.
  • Finebaum’s harshest assessment is reserved for the CFP committee:

    “Is this committee good? No, no. I mean, it was a clown show. We all know that. And they changed the rules as they went along.” — Paul Finebaum (26:22)

  • He admits, “I still felt Miami deserved to be in. Did Alabama. Should Alabama have made it? I think so.”

• Dan Challenges Finebaum – Hypothetical SEC Snub (27:11–28:15)

  • Dan asks how the SEC would react if Alabama had been snubbed in similar fashion.
  • Finebaum admits it would be chaos if the situation were reversed:

    “Had it been Alabama, I would have been on the footsteps of the Capitol, calling for a federal investigation.” — Paul Finebaum (28:26) “Sankey would have been crashing the back gate at the White House.” — Paul Finebaum (28:34)

• Dan on Notre Dame’s Missteps

  • Dan believes Notre Dame was “too reactionary” and should have paused before announcing players won’t attend a bowl game—suggests more strategic communication, questioning why the committee’s late changes went unchallenged:

    “Explain to me how we’re ahead of this team for five weeks. And then all of a sudden…they leapfrog us. Explain that to me.”

2. The Lane Kiffin & Ole Miss Drama

• Staff Retention and Distrust (29:16–30:57)

  • Finebaum unpacks Ole Miss’s fraught relationship with Lane Kiffin, noting the administration’s reluctance to trust him and referencing Kiffin’s past as a distracted employee:

    “He was not paying attention…Kiffin’s over there in the corner on the phone trying to get his coaching staff together…Saban got so fed up, he fired him.” — Paul Finebaum (30:13)

  • Paul likens Kiffin to an inattentive partner:

    “Lane Kiffin is like… that girlfriend in high school. You walk into the party and she’s looking right over your shoulder at the quarterback.” — Paul Finebaum (31:00)

• Kiffin’s Perpetual Job Hunt (31:00–32:46)

  • Kiffin “never can be happy anywhere,” with Finebaum listing the jobs he’s nearly taken and suggesting LSU is Kiffin's ideal destination.
  • Saban’s affection for LSU is cited as a lens through which Kiffin views premier jobs.

3. College Football’s Offseason and Realignment

• Potential Changes and Notre Dame’s Future (32:59–34:42)
  • Finebaum foresees offseason meetings and likely “a couple of tweaks that don’t make any sense” to the CFP. The transfer portal calendar is shifting to January to de-clutter the bowl season.
  • On Notre Dame possibly joining the Big Ten:

    “The SEC and the Big Ten would probably be more than happy to fill in that role. But I think the Big Ten is where they belong even on a limited schedule.” — Paul Finebaum (33:58)

4. Big Picture: Media Narratives, Clicks, and Forgotten Stories

• Coverage Bias & 'Playing the Hits' (14:16–16:02)
  • Dan and the Danettes reflect on how college football—and sports media at large—favors stories that get more clicks, using high-profile athletes (Shador Sanders, Cam Ward, Tim Tebow) as examples of narrative-driven coverage.
  • Dan:

    “Who gets clicks? It’s not, is that the right story to cover? It’s who gets clicks and clicks wins. That’s how things are programmed.” (14:16)

  • Humorous reference to media obsession:

    "There was a show that celebrated Tim Tebow's birthday like it was a national holiday...doing three segments on Tim Tebow's birthday and his future in the sport. It was mid-August." — Paulie (15:45)

5. Listener Calls: CFP, College Football Culture & Hypotheticals

• CFP Transparency and Vegas Rankings (36:43–37:22)

  • Several callers join to share takes, including the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that Vegas odds makers would do a better job with playoff rankings.

• D3 vs. Power 5 – The Dream Scenario (37:46–40:14)

  • A listener asks: Would you rather be a D3 star and champion, or a benchwarmer at Ohio State with a national title? The Danettes have a spirited and fun debate on pride, playing time, and the realities of athletic scholarships.

• NDSU Caller—and Quarterback Draft Scenarios (48:22–49:20)

  • North Dakota State alum calls in, proud of the Bison legacy, and the crew discusses potential landing spots in the NFL draft for young quarterbacks, referencing the Rams' possible future moves.

6. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Paul Finebaum’s Sarcasm and Bluntness:

  • “Found in fury signifying nothing. Here we are. But that’s okay. It’s been the story of the week…” (28:38)
  • “The two of us could walk in off the street and win a national championship down there. It’s not that hard.” — on LSU (32:38)
  • “Dan, can I get back to you on that?” — asked if he has anything nice to say (36:18)

• Dan’s Signature Dry Humor:

  • “Why don’t we let Vegas just handle the rankings and get rid of the committee, because Vegas tells you who’s the better team anyway.” — Summing up callers' suggestions (36:56)
  • “That did not go well, as it shouldn’t have. My impersonation—pretty good.” — On doing his Lou Holtz impression to Lou Holtz himself (40:42)

• Show’s Tone and Vibe:

  • The hour is full of snarky banter, pop culture references, and college football inside jokes—the tone is informed, irreverent, and light on formality.

Notable Timestamps

• Notre Dame CFP Snub & Finebaum’s Rant: 25:24–29:16
• Lane Kiffin / Ole Miss Segment: 29:16–32:46
• Offseason & Realignment, ND-Big Ten? 32:59–34:42
• Media Hit Machine Segment ("Who gets clicks?") 14:16–16:02
• D3 vs Ohio State Debate: 37:46–40:14
• Listener Vegas-Run CFP Suggestion: 36:43–37:22

Conclusion

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show features a sharp, entertaining exchange on college football’s biggest controversies, highlighting the problems with the CFP selection process, the unique culture surrounding Notre Dame, and the drama of high-stakes coaching. Paul Finebaum’s frankness and Dan’s puckish interviewing make for an engaging listen even if you missed the live show. Through the banter, strong opinions, and humor, the heart of college football’s off-field drama is laid bare—and made relatable for fans and casual listeners alike.