The Herd with Colin Cowherd: INSTANT REACTION — Ohio State DOMINATES Michigan, Scrap Conference Championships? Lane Kiffin’s Future, Should Texas Get In?

Date: November 29, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd

Main Theme & Purpose

Colin Cowherd delivers his immediate reaction to Ohio State’s dominant win over Michigan, discusses the state and future of conference championship games, muses on Lane Kiffin’s coaching trajectory, and weighs Texas’s legitimacy as a College Football Playoff contender. The episode captures Cowherd’s analysis in the wake of high-stakes results, with broader discussion on the evolving landscape of major college football.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ohio State vs. Michigan: Total Domination and What Sets OSU Apart

• First Half Tensions & Game Management ([05:55]–[07:25])

  • Cowherd notes Ohio State came out “a little tight” as heavy favorites, especially punting on a key fourth-and-two in the second half.
  • “I thought that was a moment to go for it. Whether it was analytically right or not.” — Colin Cowherd ([05:57])

• Julian Sayin’s Performance

  • Cowherd is effusive in his praise of Ohio State’s 20-year-old QB:
    “Julian Sayin has the best footwork and release and accuracy I have ever seen from any 20-year-old college quarterback ever.” ([06:42])
  • Mentions texting a QB coach who says Sayin has always been “smart” and “can just let it rip.”
  • Draws a nuanced Tom Brady comparison: “He’s not Tom Brady and never will be. And his footwork and release and accuracy remind me of Tom Brady and it just jumps through the television.” ([07:18])

• Comprehensive Talent Edge

  • OSU praised for upgrades everywhere—receivers, quarterback, linebackers, secondary.
  • “Ohio State doesn’t give you any openings...The openings Ohio State allows you are tiny little football-sized boxes.” ([10:05])
  • Michigan’s upgrades at WR noted, but OSU’s defense is “a really special group” with future NFL stars.

• Physical Domination & Poise

  • OSU’s ground game wore down Michigan in the 4th quarter—“they were just picking up junk, yardage, they were moving fairly effortlessly down the field.” ([09:15])
  • “Since that loss to Michigan last year, [OSU] has just been a different program. They have galvanized everything.” ([12:55])

• Weather No Obstacle

  • Conditions (snow, wind, road game) had “no effect” on OSU’s slick offense and composure:
    “The only thing that’s kept points off the board for Ohio State today … has been the weather. No effect.” ([14:44])

Notable Quote

“Julian Sayin, 19 of 26, three touchdowns, 233 yards. Also impressive early pick, unfazed. One of the sources I talked to today text said...unfazed. Really likes the big stage. Keeps things simple, doesn’t get distracted."
— Colin Cowherd ([15:44])

2. Questioning the Purpose of Conference Championship Games

• Cowherd wonders aloud about the “viability” of conference championship games in the expanding playoff era:
  “What’s the point? … Do you want to have another 70 plays for guys to get hurt? I don’t.” ([13:19])
• Overlapping high-stakes games (rivalry, playoff) make additional games feel redundant and risk player health.

3. Lane Kiffin’s Future: Should He Stay or Go?

• Lane Kiffin’s potential moves are examined. Cowherd suggests:
  • In the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era, money and the ability to win at Ole Miss make staying put wise.
  • If not at Ole Miss, Kiffin should go pro—“I wouldn’t bounce around the SEC.” ([17:19])
  • “When you hire Lane Kiffin, you’re not going to be shocked that after success and lots of offense … he’s probably going to leave on his terms. If you’re shocked by that, it’s a you problem. His brand has been clearly defined.” ([18:27])
• Notes that college football coaching is transactional, not about loyalty, echoing Chris Rock:

  “Men are as loyal as their options.” ([17:27])

4. Should Texas Get Into the College Football Playoff?

• Cowherd argues in favor of Texas’s inclusion, citing:
  • Quality wins (Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt)
  • Respect for tough scheduling: “If you schedule massive out-of-conference games … and you lose close, I won’t ding you for it.” ([19:19])
  • “I respect the hell out of teams that do that. So I would be more than comfortable if Texas got voted into the playoff.” ([20:11])
• Acknowledges that a bad loss (to Florida) might keep them out, but he's sympathetic to the challenges of SEC and Big Ten schedules.

Notable Quote

“It’s like if you’re in a bar and you’re single and you walk up to the prettiest girl and ask her out—you’re classy, you’re gracious, you’re respectful and you ask her out and she says no, I don’t think less of you. I think more of you. You took a swing.”
— Colin Cowherd ([19:40])

5. The State of the Sport: Poaching & Parity

• Notes the “wild west” feel of modern college football, with free agency, NIL, coach poaching.
  • Calls for rule changes to prevent mid-season coach poaching, likening it to NFL standards:
    “You couldn’t poach Andy Reid or Mike Vrabel from New England in the middle of the season.” ([21:00])
• Wants the NCAA to “step up and recalibrate.”

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Julian Sayin has the best footwork and release and accuracy I have ever seen from any 20-year-old college quarterback ever.” ([06:42])
• “Ohio State doesn’t give you any openings...The openings Ohio State allows you are tiny little football-sized boxes.” ([10:05])
• “Men are as loyal as their options.” ([17:27])
• “If you’re shocked by [Kiffin leaving], it’s a you problem. His brand has been clearly defined.” ([18:27])
• “If you schedule massive out-of-conference games … and you lose close, I won’t ding you for it.” ([19:19])
• “The better team won, the better team covered. And the Buckeyes now go to the Big Ten championship.” ([21:11])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• OSU-Michigan Recap & Julian Sayin Praise: [05:55]–[12:55]
• Conference Championships Debate: [13:19]–[14:30]
• Lane Kiffin’s Future: [15:44]–[18:27]
• Texas Playoff Argument: [19:19]–[20:35]
• NCAA Parity & Coach Poaching: [20:35]–[21:11]
• Final Wrap-up & Score: [21:11]

Tone and Style

Colin is brash, confident, conversational, and uses vivid analogies (“tiny little football-sized boxes”, “took a swing”). His analysis is data-driven yet rooted in strong opinion and sports culture.

Conclusion

This episode delivers instant, insightful reaction to one of college football’s biggest games, while raising questions about the sport’s evolving structure and culture. Whether you care about the X’s and O’s, personalities like Lane Kiffin, or the fairness of playoff inclusion, Cowherd’s takes are lively, pointed, and unapologetically his own.