The Dan Patrick Show
Episode: Hour 3 – Too Early for Christmas, Rick Neuheisel
Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick (with the Danettes) | Guest: Rick Neuheisel, CBS Sports College Football Analyst

Episode Overview

This lively hour dives into fast-moving college football coaching rumors, the underpinnings of the playoff selection process, NFL division surprises, and when it’s socially acceptable to embrace the Christmas season. Dan and the Danettes blend insider perspective with humor, welcoming guest Rick Neuheisel for an insightful discussion on college football chaos, Lane Kiffin's future, and the endless chessboard of coaching positions. The show rounds out with playful banter about Thanksgiving foods, Christmas lights, and a medley of caller-driven sports debates.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Celebrity Sightings at the Las Vegas F1 Race (02:00–06:00)

• Dan recounts star-studded moments at the F1 race: Ben Affleck, Jay Z, Beyonce, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Jeremy Renner, Gordon Ramsay, Travis Scott, Magic Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, and Ciara (notably, without Russell Wilson).
• The Danettes joke about which celebrities would make for good F1 companions, landing on Jeremy Renner:
  "Jeremy Renner seems like a fairly normal guy. I could hang with Jeremy." – (05:12)

2. NFL Coaching Carousel & Surprising Teams (06:10–12:00)

• Notable coaching changes: Raiders fire Chip Kelly (OC), Giants fire Shane Bowen (DC).
• Discussion about teams blowing fourth-quarter leads—attributed to both coaching and quarterback play.
• Poll questions:
  • Most surprising division leader: Bears dominate the votes.
  • Most suspect above-.500 team: Panthers and Jaguars rise to the top.
• Praise for the Panthers' resilience:
  "If they could somehow get eight, nine wins, man, that would be impressive." – Dan, (11:45)

3. Rick Neuheisel Interview: Coaching Rumors & College Football Playoff (13:00–38:15)

Lane Kiffin's Imminent Decision (13:30)

• Kiffin rumored between Florida, LSU, or staying at Ole Miss:
  • Neuheisel now considers LSU the favorite, citing their “desperation” and recruiting potential: "LSU is in a state of desperation...the only Power 4 school from [Louisiana], the amount of talent that exists in that state..." – Neuheisel, (14:10)
• Discusses the restless mentality of top coaches, likening their cycles to politicians:
  "We should be like politicians. We should have a four-year term...at the end of eight years...it's relief instead of jubilation and you should be able to go somewhere else and build it again." – Neuheisel via Steve Mariucci (16:41)
• Agent Jimmy Sexton’s role:
  "He is playing this thing like a master violinist...it's a concerto...creating another suitor for Lane...all these different people are trying to hang on to their guy." – Neuheisel (17:30)

Penn State’s Firing of James Franklin (19:15)

• Neuheisel questions the wisdom, asking who they could possibly hire who will be better: "To please the fan base...what name are you going to get...that's going to do that?" – Neuheisel (19:35)

Selection Committee Conundrums (21:00)

• Notre Dame–Miami ranking debate: Miami beat Notre Dame but likely to be ranked lower.
• The committee’s “pool” approach may sidestep head-to-head logic: "Miami may never actually get considered along with Notre Dame, which would be absolutely ridiculous." – Neuheisel (22:50)

Ohio State-Michigan Preview; Playoff Readiness (25:05)

• Ohio State’s lack of close calls noted as a potential vulnerability. "I do believe Ohio State's vulnerable in some areas. They just haven't been exposed." – Neuheisel (27:10)
• Michigan expected to give them their toughest test yet.

Deion Sanders & Colorado Patience (29:10)

• Colorado likely to give Deion time, given their investment: "As long as he can convince them he's all in...they've got to at least play it out a few more years." – Neuheisel (29:25)
• Recruiting concerns: Can Deion’s health and recruiting style hold up?

Handing College Football's "Chaos" to the Agents (18:40/22:00)

• Offseason "chaos" serves agents most of all, not schools or players. "They're in the transaction business. They want to sell houses." – Neuheisel

• Memorable Quote:
  "It's a wonderful time of year, if you like this sort of thing. And it's driving everybody else crazy." – Neuheisel. (18:50)

4. Lane Kiffin’s Lingering Drama (38:30–41:20)

• Dan muses on the distractions of Kiffin’s situation for Ole Miss and potential playoff complications: "It has all the makings of being a disaster for Ole Miss." – Dan (40:30)
• Jokes about the “Kiffin Rule” limiting coach-agent contact in the future.
• Wordplay: "Lane’s gonna have egg bowl on his face if he doesn’t win this game." – Todd (41:00)

5. Too Early for Christmas? (44:00–50:00)

• Dan and the Danettes debate the appropriate time for Christmas music and decorations. Consensus: after Thanksgiving.
• Amusement over Mariah Carey’s social media wit about her seasonal royalty checks:
  "Change the one to a five and then you got it. Mic drop." – Dan (45:10)
• Paulie laments the overshadowing of Thanksgiving by the early onset of Christmas.

6. Callers & Thanksgiving Banter (50:30–01:17:00)

• Callers from around the country share their best/worst from the weekend, football thoughts, and even mouth guard trivia.
• Extended, humorous debate on the true centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner—turkey vs. ham—and the real holiday pressures:
  • Dan: “Turkey pressure is real pressure...If it fails, Thanksgiving fails.” (52:30)
  • Marvin: “Ham’s more important than turkey. Without question.” (53:00)

7. More Listener Calls & Stats (01:17:00–01:26:00)

• Celebratory stories (e.g. Bernie Kosar’s liver transplant), memorable touchdowns, longevity stats from Matthew Stafford
• Cowboys fans’ eternal optimism and self-awareness:
  "Now, all of us Cowboy fans, we're pretty much got this false sense of we're going to win the next 10 Super Bowls..." – Josh, caller (01:22:00)

8. NFL Hall of Fame & Justin Tucker (01:27:00–01:30:20)

• Saints may work out Justin Tucker after suspension; debate over separating off-field issues for Hall voting.
  • Paul: “If he’s not going in at the kicker position, who is?” (01:27:50)
• Acknowledgement of Hall voters’ inconsistencies—Owens, Taylor, and others.

9. Thanksgiving Food Seeding – Callers & Danettes Debate (01:31:00–01:36:30)

• Callers suggest Thanksgiving "seeds" for food categories by region
• Nostalgia over White Castle and Skyline Chili as family holiday rites

10. College Football Side Notes & Historical Nuggets (01:37:00–end)

• The history of the Egg Bowl trophy and its roots (01:40:00)
• Recap of poll results: Bears as surprise leaders, Panthers least trusted winning team (01:41:00)
• Shoutouts to Arch Manning’s historical performance (01:43:40)
• Playful sign-off with what each Danette "learned" today

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Neuheisel on Lane Kiffin:
  "I will be shocked if it's Ole Miss. I think LSU's in a state of desperation..." (14:10)
• On the cyclical nature of coaching:
  "At the end of eight years, all you've done is built up expectations...relief instead of jubilation." (16:41)
• On agents fueling NCAA chaos:
  "Jimmy Sexton is playing this thing like a master violinist...it's a concerto." (17:30)
• On Thanksgiving priorities (debate):
  Dan: “Turkey pressure is real pressure...If it fails, Thanksgiving fails.” (52:30)
  Marvin: “Ham's more important than turkey. Without question.” (53:00)
• On Christmas season creep:
  Paulie: “It really is a slap in the face to Thanksgiving.” (45:25)
• Mariah Carey bank account meme:
  "Change the one to a five and then you got it. Wow. Mic drop. Damn." (45:10)
• On the Egg Bowl trophy:
  "They were scrambling to get..." – Todd, delivering a pun (01:42:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Celebrity F1 Afterglow – 02:00
• NFL Coaching & Division Polls – 07:00–12:00
• Rick Neuheisel Interview (start) – 13:00
  • Lane Kiffin discussion – 13:30–16:30
  • Coaching mentality – 16:41
  • Jimmy Sexton’s agent influence – 17:30
  • Penn State firing James Franklin – 19:35
  • Committee/Notre Dame-Miami – 21:00
  • Ohio State-Michigan Preview – 25:05
  • Deion Sanders & Colorado – 29:10
• Lane Kiffin’s playoff dilemma – 38:30
• Kiffin Rule banter, "egg bowl on his face" pun – 41:00
• Too soon for Christmas? Mariah Carey joke – 44:00–45:10
• Thanksgiving food, holiday preparation – 50:30–53:00
• Caller Stat of the Day & NFL trends – 01:20:00
• Justin Tucker, Hall of Fame debate – 01:27:00
• Thanksgiving “seeding” call – 01:31:00
• Egg Bowl trophy history – 01:39:45
• Arch Manning's record – 01:43:40

Tone & Style

The show maintains its typical mix of insider authority and playful, accessible banter. Dan leads substantive conversations with levity, and the group’s chemistry invites listener interaction, personal stories, and puns. Even the deeper sports analysis—such as Neuheisel’s review of NCAA politics—is presented with clarity and personality, keeping fans informed while feeling “in on the joke.”

This summary captures the full tempo, humor, and expert insights from The Dan Patrick Show’s third hour on November 24, 2025, offering both sports diehards and casual listeners a rich, engaging snapshot of the episode.