The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3

Date: August 25, 2025
Main Theme:
The final hour dives deep into college football’s new season, NIL impacts (notably at Michigan), playoff expansion, and key matchups like Ohio State vs Texas. Dan and the Danettes also debate grief rituals, the quirks of parental dating policies, mic’ing up athletes, and the rise of QBs (including Shedeur Sanders’ NFL treatment). CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel joins for an insider’s take on the upcoming college football season, and the crew tackles hot poll questions and notable sports news.

Episode Breakdown

1. Opening Banter & Weekend Review (06:10–13:33)

• College Football Takes Over:
  Dan sets the stage for the college football-dominant weekend, joking that the NFL “can’t do anything about it” even if big news happens.

  • “This next weekend is all about college football... College football will own the weekend, but only this weekend coming up. And then it turns over, whether it wants to or not, to the NFL.” (06:57, Dan)

• On-Location Bits:
  Dan and the Danettes riff on upcoming show trips—Ohio State–Texas, Notre Dame–USC, and Formula 1 in Vegas—and poke fun at what it means to “dress sleek” for F1 events.

  • “If you watch that F1 movie, people are just very sleek. Sleek, that’d be the word. But don’t you have to be thin to be sleek?” (09:04, Dan)

• Humor—Dress Codes & Outfits:
  Self-deprecating banter about who can “pull off” sleek clothes versus sticking with jerseys and Zubaz pants.

2. Poll Questions & Discussions on Grieving (13:34–19:46)

• Poll Results:

  • “Do you keep the numbers of people who have passed away on your phone?” — 75% say yes.
  • “Is texting the number of someone who has died to say hello a healthy thing to do?” — 80% say no.

• Dan and Todd Debate Texting the Deceased:

  • “I think for me, that’s what prayer is for.” (14:25, Dan)
  • Todd is skeptical of technology as a grieving tool and shares opinions about closure, with the crew teasing him for his arbitrariness.
  • “I’m just sick of people texting people that are dead. Or writing a five-page thing on Facebook...and it turns out it was their guinea pig.” (15:42, Todd)

• Humor—Pet Tributes online:
  Danettes joke about posting elaborate memorials...for bagels or tuna sandwiches lost forever.

3. Notable Sports Stat Updates (19:47–21:00)

• Tommy Fleetwood:
  30 top-5 finishes without a win—most in the PGA in a century.

  • “Prior to Sunday, he had 30 top five finishes without a victory...most on the PGA Tour in the last 100 years.” (20:07, Stat of the Day)

• Cal Raleigh—home run record for catchers.

• Shohei Ohtani:
  Hit a bomb, playfully responded to hecklers.

4. College Football & NIL: The Bryce Underwood Story (21:01–24:00)

• Interview Segment: Bryce Underwood (Michigan QB, freshman):
  Dan plays a short clip where Underwood expresses excitement and commitment, confident he’s a different breed:

  • “Honestly, just a shock to where, you know, they seen a lot of freshers but I feel like nobody seen freshmen like me.” (22:14, Bryce Underwood)

• Discussion—Underwood’s NIL windfall:

  • “Four years, 12 million...money well spent there because he was going to LSU.” (22:56, Dan)
  • What makes such an NIL deal worth it? Suggestions: beating Ohio State, winning a national championship.

5. Listener Calls: Parents, Dating, and Grief (24:01–34:25)

• Best/Worst of the Weekend:

  • Dodgers’ resurgence, struggles as a parent with a daughter’s boyfriend “who is actually too nice.”
    • “I don’t know how to not like the guy. I need some help here.” (24:53, Mo)
  • Dan’s “dad talk” about setting dating rules:
    • “My daughters were so mad at me...but years later, they laugh because they said you actually helped us.” (25:41, Dan)

• Listener Kareem in Colorado:
  Shares the emotional side of keeping his late mother’s number, softens debate around grief and technology.

  • “For me, it’s just an opportunity for me to kind of remember her. Todd is out of pocket today, man...but today you’re out of pocket.” (28:44, Kareem)

• Light-hearted Debates:
  The crew expands on Todd’s critiques of pet tributes, leading to a humorous distinction between cats and goldfish.

• Mic’d Up Athletes:
  Phone call critique of MLB interviewing players mid-game—Dan says it’s fun for the All-Star Game but “intrusive” in real games.

  • “Be like, let me talk to Steph Curry as he goes to the free throw line...I think you gotta be careful with these things.” (33:17, Dan)

6. Rick Neuheisel Interview: College Football Deep Dive (34:26–55:00)

Key Points:

• Ohio State–Texas Week 1:
  Both teams start with inexperienced QBs; expect conservative game plans and a low-scoring “cat and mouse” battle.

  • “You’ve got two quarterbacks with relatively little experience...I think this is a low-scoring game.” (36:07, Rick Neuheisel)

• Big Ten Favorites:
  Rick picks Penn State as this year’s breakout, due to depth, easiest early schedule, and proven recruiting.

• SEC Pick:
  LSU, based on emerging QB Garrett Nussmeier:

  • “I think Nussmeier’s the real deal...I think he and Klubnik are going to put on a show, but I think Nussmeier comes out on top.” (38:45, Rick)

• Playoff Expansion:
  On rumors of 24–28 team playoff:

  • “As I like to say, the answer is money. Now what was the question? I think we’re going to 16.” (40:46, Rick)

• Will Larger Playoffs Hurt the Regular Season?
  Rick doesn’t think so, referencing data showing most teams’ playoff hopes die early, keeping the season meaningful.

• Automatic Qualifiers Coming:
  Predicts “play-in” games like the NBA. Money is the key driver behind these changes.

• SEC 9-Game Conference Schedule:
  Move fueled by TV revenue, not tradition, Rick says it’s ultimately the right play.

• NCAA/Michigan Penalties—Harbaugh Discussion:

  • “Much ado about nothing...The guy who is most guilty is still coaching in the NFL.” (44:29, Rick)
  • He wanted harsher personal penalties for Harbaugh—“the punishment should have followed the criminal.”

• Notre Dame’s Unique Position:
  They can now all but guarantee a playoff spot staying independent if they go 10-2, making conference membership unnecessary.

  • “Not only did [Jack Swarbrick] fight for their independence, he also got them in a chance where they can be part of the field on an annual basis...” (46:40, Rick)

• On College QBs Jumping to the NFL:
  Rick and Dan agree many arrive with “bad habits”: holding the ball, slow reads, relying on Mahomes-like improvisation without fundamentals, notably referencing Caleb Williams and Shedeur Sanders.

• Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland:

  • “The Browns are treating Shedeur Sanders the way 5th round draft picks are treated. You’re lucky to get reps.” (56:34, Dan)

• Dylan Gabriel Praised:
  Cited as a model for quick reads and proper anticipation.

• Andrew Luck—GM Trajectory:

  • Rick hints Luck may eventually want to coach, not just run the show as GM.

• Dan’s Follow-up on Luck:
  College sources speculate Luck could eventually move to head coach at Stanford.

7. News & Hot Takes: NFL Updates and Fandom (55:01–59:53)

• Terry McLaurin Signs with Commanders:

  • “Three-year extension worth $96 million.” (No timestamp quoted but falls in this segment)

• Jokes, Puns & Final Thoughts:
  Todd’s wordplay around “wash our hands of this [McLaurin] story” draws groans but proves the episode’s lighthearted tone.

8. Last Call: College Football Schedule Preview & Poll Recap (59:54–End)

• Next Weekend’s Football Schedule:
  Paulie runs down key games—Ohio State/Texas, Bama/FSU, LSU/Clemson, and more. Sunday and Monday night games mark the long weekend.

• Historical Nuggets:
  Dan notes the anniversary of Andrew Luck’s NFL retirement; celebrates Dwight Gooden’s historic run as a young pitcher.

• Final Results of Polls:
  “Do you keep numbers of people who have passed away in your phone?”

  • 74% say Yes.
    “Is texting the number healthy?”
  • 80% say No.

• Wrap-Up Banter:
  “To each their own...not hurting anybody unless the person who now has that old number gets your message!”

  • Laughter and self-effacing humor end the show.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On expanding the College Football Playoff:
  “As I like to say, the answer is money. Now what was the question?” (40:46, Rick Neuheisel)

• On texting the deceased:
  “Just texting is so odd to me. Can we just stop?” (29:10, Todd Fritz)

• Dan on Shedeur Sanders’ NFL opportunity:
  “It’s just mindboggling...he’s a fifth-round draft pick. Tell me another fifth-round draft pick that’s getting the attention or opportunity that he’s getting.” (57:10, Dan)

• Listener to Todd:
  “Todd, I like you, but today you’re out of pocket, man.” (28:44, Kareem)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Weekend preview, F1/Fashion banter: 06:10–12:00
• Polling on Grief: 13:34–19:46
• NIL/Bryce Underwood discussion: 21:01–24:00
• Rick Neuheisel Interview: 34:26–55:00
• Browns/Shedeur Sanders—Draft pick treatment: 56:34–58:18

Tone & Style

• Conversational, humorous, personal
• Sports analysis with irreverence and self-awareness
• Honest, sometimes blunt listener calls add depth and authenticity

Summary Takeaways

This hour offers a lively, comprehensive look at the kickoff of college football’s new era: NIL money shaping roster moves, playoff expansion debates, and the quirks of tradition, fan expectations, and media access. It balances serious analysis—especially via Rick Neuheisel—with humor and sincerity about loss, family, and the oddities that make sports (and life) a shared experience. For listeners, you’ll get a mix of behind-the-scenes football chatter, culture talk, and the wry, authentic vibe that defines The Dan Patrick Show.