The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: College Football Playoff Preview, Michigan’s Head Coaching Search, USC/Notre Dame Rivalry Paused
Date: December 24, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Josh Pate

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the shifting landscape of college football, focusing on the expanded College Football Playoff, the fallout from the paused USC/Notre Dame rivalry, and Michigan’s high-stakes search for a new head coach. Joined by college football analyst Josh Pate, Colin breaks down the implications of playoff expansion, evaluates contenders and matchups, and analyzes the strategic tensions between storied programs. The conversation is characteristically candid and insight-rich, giving listeners a nuanced view of current controversies and changes in college football.

College Football Playoff: Expansion Debate & March Madness Parallels

Discussion Points:

• Colin defends the 12-team playoff, comparing it to March Madness' large field:

  “Everybody always talks about the first weekend. ‘Oh, it’s magical.’ … Twenty of the 32 games last year in the first round were abject blowouts. The average margin of victory was 17 points.” (Colin Cowherd, 04:28)

• Both agree a larger playoff inevitably leads to some lopsided matchups, but that’s part of the excitement.
• Josh argues the regular season, not the playoff, is the “main event” for true fans:

  "The playoff’s always been a cherry on top of the main event, which to me is the regular season." (Josh Pate, 07:34)

• The role of Group of Five (G5) teams is debated, with Josh rooting for a minimum strength-of-schedule requirement:

  "If I’m going to make an anti G5 stance, it should only be about this. It should sound something like, I believe there’s a minimum baseline strength of schedule..." (Josh Pate, 06:27)

• Both recall memorable upsets—Boise State vs. Oklahoma, quirky offenses pulling off surprises—as justification for keeping the playoff field broad.

Memorable Quote:

"You will get these smaller schools that have a quirky offense or like a sixth round NFL quarterback and they go five wide and you’re like holy sh—… There’s space for the occasional fun blowout." (Colin Cowherd, 08:13)

USC vs. Notre Dame Rivalry Pause: Unequal Schedules and Realignment Tensions

(12:25–15:30)

Key Points:

• Colin laments Notre Dame’s “egregiously bad” schedule compared to USC’s new Big Ten gauntlet:

  "That’s like a little trigonometry, a pre-Calculus. There’s a physics in there. Notre Dame’s schedule next year is so egregiously bad. It’s two plus two is four, man." (Colin Cowherd, 12:33)

• USC wants the Notre Dame game moved to accommodate a heavier schedule—Notre Dame refuses.
• Colin is frustrated that Notre Dame gets playoff negotiation advantages as a partial-independent but won’t reciprocate scheduling flexibility.
• Josh values tradition and rivalries, but concedes Notre Dame should “come to the table” more often due to their lack of conference affiliation.

Memorable Moments:

"I care about rivalries more than I care about the playoff. And I’m dead serious when I say that." (Josh Pate, 13:36)

"Notre Dame needed to come to the table a little more because of the conference affiliation thing..." (Josh Pate, 14:00)

Playoff Quarterfinal Previews & Team Evaluations

Miami vs. Ohio State

(15:30–18:59)

• Colin predicts a close, low-scoring match:

  "I would take Ohio State by about a touchdown. Like 24–16ish." (Colin Cowherd, 16:51)

• Josh argues Miami’s physical play is dangerous—“nothing about them resembles an ACC team”—and expects a brutal, defensive battle.
• Both note the difficulty of projecting Miami’s offensive limitations given their violent defense.

Quotable:

"I do not call Miami an ACC team. Nothing about them resembles an ACC team..." (Josh Pate, 17:26)
"It’s got the biggest spread ... and I think I can make a solid argument it’s the most intriguing game…" (Josh Pate, 18:59)

Oregon vs. Texas Tech

(24:33–28:05)

• Colin notes Texas Tech is the "most ignored team of the final eight," raising the prospect of an upset.
• Josh explains Texas Tech's stats are entirely Big 12-centric; the Oregon matchup is a litmus test for the Big 12’s real strength.
• Oregon’s running game is viewed as a potential tipping point against Texas Tech’s stout, but untested, defense.

"If there’s validity to that… you make them play from behind, they won every game where they had their starter by 22 or more. You flipped their entire season on its ear." (Josh Pate, 27:06)

Alabama vs. Indiana

(28:05–32:23)

• Colin outlines Alabama’s "two teams in one" unpredictability—capable of both winning it all and falling flat:

  "Urban Meyer said this ... there’s two Alabamas. He goes, the good one can win the Natty. The bad one is, you saw the first 10 minutes against Oklahoma, I thought it was over." (Colin Cowherd, 28:05)

• Indiana’s defense, coaching, and balance make them slight favorites, which feels strange against the Bama brand.
• Josh thinks Alabama’s redemptive, underdog narrative could energize them but remains impressed by Indiana’s suffocating defense.

Quote:

"I don’t know why. I cannot shake this feeling that Alabama’s going to go out there and give them everything they can handle." (Josh Pate, 32:06)

Georgia vs. Ole Miss

(32:23–37:18)

• Colin compares current Georgia to its recent dynastic teams, arguing this squad is more vulnerable.
• Josh lauds Georgia for maximizing its talent but questions whether QB Gunnar Stockton can win a shootout if necessary.
• Discussion of Trinidad Chambliss’ breakout role at Ole Miss and why unpredictable players can carry a team deep into the postseason.

"If you look at what they were required to do against Georgia Tech and Alabama ... it wasn’t much offensively. This Ole Miss team is playing with Trinidad Chambliss, who ... required Georgia to hang 40 to win the game." (Josh Pate, 34:07)

Michigan Head Coaching Search: Stakes & Changing Marketplace

(38:48–44:18)

Major Themes:

• Colin argues the "miss window" for major programs like Michigan is far slimmer than in the past—making a poor hire is more disastrous as competition stiffens and NIL/transfer impacts mount:

  "If you miss now, ... Texas and Texas A&M are in and Oklahoma. This—The Texas schools, big money. ... You’re not going to go find Jim Harbaugh." (Colin Cowherd, 39:23)

• Josh believes the pool of capable candidates is far wider than the usual suspects, though most schools don’t look past the same recycled names:

  "You will never convince me the circle of capable candidates is not way bigger than that ... If you don’t have a couple or three names that ... would really raise some eyebrows, I don’t think you’re doing your due diligence." (Josh Pate, 41:36)

• Both discuss how the Big Ten is deepening, making it even harder for legacy programs to bounce back quickly from hiring mistakes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On College Football Playoff Expansion:

  “I’m okay with two teams of the 12. Probably not ideal because I do think the regular season gets diminished a little bit with a 12-team playoff.” (Colin Cowherd, 04:28)

• On Notre Dame’s Scheduling:

  “Notre Dame schedule next year is so egregiously bad. It’s two plus two is four, man. It’s A, B, C, D. Shop class and gym class.” (Colin Cowherd, 12:38)

• On Upsets and Quirky Teams:

  “If you’re going to play a small school, don’t throw wishbone up stuff in there. Like…We have to use a wide receiver, and then he has to pretend he’s a quarterback for two days of practice. It’s nonsense.” (Colin Cowherd, 10:23)

• On Michigan’s High-Pressure Hiring:

  “If Michigan butchers this, it could be one of these things—you’re not going to go find Jim Harbaugh … If you miss and you’re in trouble because I think Matt Campbell at Penn State’s going to fix it real quick. I think the NIL helps him. You know, the Big Ten money spectacular.” (Colin Cowherd, 44:18)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• (04:28–08:13) – College Football Playoff expansion and March Madness comparison
• (12:25–15:30) – USC/Notre Dame scheduling conflict and playoff implications
• (15:30–18:59) – Miami vs. Ohio State preview
• (24:33–28:05) – Oregon vs. Texas Tech preview
• (28:05–32:23) – Alabama vs. Indiana preview
• (32:23–37:18) – Georgia vs. Ole Miss preview, player spotlights
• (38:48–44:18) – Michigan's head coach search and the new landscape for major programs

Tone & Style

The episode is conversational and lively, balancing Colin’s incisive, slightly sardonic takes with Josh’s detailed, data-driven perspective. Both express deep knowledge of and affection for college football traditions, while also dissecting how recent structural changes are upending old certainties.

For Newcomers

This summary covers the principal storylines and analysis of the episode, from playoff mechanics to institutional pressures within college football. It provides context for the current climate in the sport and will help listeners follow key debates heading into the playoff and offseason.