The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 2 – MLB Playoffs, Dante Moore’s Rise, James Franklin’s Missed Moment, Ohio State’s Dominance, CFB Parity & NFL Storylines
Original Air Date: October 1, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Colin dives into the contrasting styles and fates of MLB playoff contenders, then welcomes Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt for a deep, nuanced discussion on college football. They zero in on Oregon's Dante Moore as a top quarterback, debate James Franklin's coaching at Penn State, and survey the new parity of college football driven by the transfer portal and NIL. The hour closes with rapid-fire takes on NFL and MLB cities, league parity, and evolving strategies, all delivered with Colin’s trademark mix of humor and candor.

MLB Playoff Analysis: Contrasting Approaches and Margins

Padres vs Cubs: Style Clash

• The Padres are forced into “small ball” due to a lack of power hitters beyond Machado and Tatis. They lead in sacrifice hits and rely on bullpen strength (02:08).
• Colin: “They have to win a certain way... They don’t have very wide margins. They have to hit with runners in scoring position...” (03:01)
• Despite seven chances with runners in scoring position, the Padres got only one hit in a Game 1 loss to the Cubs.

Yankees’ Problems: All or Nothing

• The Yankees are the stylistic opposite: reliant on power, not sacrifice or situational hitting.
• “The Yankees loss is different, but somewhat similar. They have a way to win, too. It’s the opposite of the Padres. They don’t sacrifice. It’s all power.” (04:52)
• Yankees’ excessive strikeouts underscore a flawed, outdated approach—comparable to the lowly Rockies in terms of offensive volatility.

Notable Quote

“Having more money doesn’t mean you don’t have problems... Yankee fans have had enough.” – Colin Cowherd (05:28)

League Power Rankings

• Colin names the Brewers as baseball’s most complete team, with the Cubs and Mariners also well-rounded.
• Contrasts big markets’ struggles (Yankees, Dodgers) with small-market overachievers.

College Football Deep Dive with Joel Klatt (begins at 07:06)

Dante Moore: A Star in the Making

• Colin: “Dante Moore throws the ball like a pro quarterback... I watched him and I said yesterday, if I had a number one pick, I think I’d pick Dante Moore.” (08:00)
• Joel Klatt: Praises Moore’s composure, preparation, and innate “feel” for the moment, recalling Will Stein’s (Oregon OC) comparison to Teddy Bridgewater.
• Moore’s double OT play, evading a top edge rusher, highlighted as a “dart” of a throw.
• Quote:

  “It’s this calm nature that he has, and I think that’s born through preparation and ability. He’s got great confidence in himself, everything around him.” – Joel Klatt (09:30)

James Franklin and Penn State’s Crossroads

• Colin: “That felt like a game you have to win...” (re: Penn State home loss to Oregon) (10:03)
• Klatt: Notes this matchup was a true test, with Penn State at full strength against an Oregon roster in rebuild, yet Oregon prevailed.
• Critiques Penn State’s offensive philosophy as ill-suited to Drew Aller’s strengths. Suggests significant scheme change or even a quarterback switch.
• Quote:

  “They need to change the structure of the offense at Penn State to better suit their quarterback.” – Joel Klatt (12:38)

• Franklin’s game management also criticized, especially end-of-half missteps that gifted Oregon a key possession.

Ohio State: The Defensive Juggernaut

• Colin and Joel agree: Ohio State’s defense is now the defining unit, with speed and depth—potentially better than last year’s already elite squad.
• Name-checks: Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese (“game wrecker”), Caleb Downs, Kaden Curry.
• Quote:

  “We haven’t even seen the best from Julian Sain and Jeremiah Smith... The team that looks like they’re running the easiest is actually running the fastest right now.” – Joel Klatt (15:30)

USC, Game Strategy & Clock Management

• Colin defends scoring quickly, but Joel pushes back, saying USC abandoned smart, clock-draining strategy late against Illinois, setting up their own defeat.
• Joel:

  “Just stay in the integrity of the philosophy that you had from the beginning of the drive.” (17:30)

Broader College Football Trends

Transfer Portal and NIL: Parity Has Arrived

• Power has spread, eroding SEC/Bama/Georgia/Clemson dominance.
• Colin: “Alabama and Georgia don’t have the dominance depth... That guy now goes to Louisville or Texas Tech or he gets purchased.” (21:45)
• Now “10, 12, 13 teams could possibly win the national championship.” (22:20)
• Joel: “The elite teams in college football no longer rest in the SEC. The top of the sport now rests in the Big Ten.” (22:57)

Conference & Culture Notes

• Colin and guests muse on how Los Angeles is, at its core, a Dodgers town—despite assumptions about Lakers’ dominance. (24:53)
• Latest playoff attendance numbers and the quirks of LA and NY sporting cultures.

NFL Storylines & Quick Hits

Dallas, Green Bay & Trade Implications

• Green Bay’s trade maneuvers put them in an enviable draft position.
• Dallas, holding early picks but not needing a QB, could dominate draft trades.
• Colin: “Dallas could literally get six picks with one of their first-round picks.” (34:23)

Player Contract and Commitment Culture

• Debates over George Pickens’ risk/reward potential and contract mindset.
• “Some players are leases. Some relationships are dating.” – Colin (37:04)

Eagles’ Tush Push, Betting Lines, and “Gamesmanship”

• Discussion of Sean Payton’s comments and the tactical evolution of the “tush push” QB sneak. (37:32)

Seahawks, Mariners & Scheduling Quirks

• Seattle’s strong “Winnersville” sports moment; NFL/MLB games overlapping may cause scheduling chaos. (39:16)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Dante Moore:

  “His ability to make plays is fantastic. But it’s more than that… He prepares as well or better than anybody.” – Joel Klatt (09:00–10:00)

• On CFB Parity:

  “The transfer portal in NIL has made this sport very even.” – Colin Cowherd (21:47)

Notable Fun/Off-Beat Moments

• “Did you see the Colts pretzel?... Looks like something that should not be sold.” – Drew Franklin, comic relief recurring bit (27:53, 42:28)
• Pete Carroll as “a young 73” and quips about staying youthful and “not fighting him” (28:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Padres vs Cubs, Yankees Analysis: 02:08–07:00
• Joel Klatt: Dante Moore, PSU/Oregon, Ohio State: 07:06–16:00
• USC clock management debate: 16:00–18:31
• Transfer portal/NIL parity discussion: 21:28–23:23
• LA Dodgers vs Yankees cultural banter: 24:15–25:24
• Cowboys’ trade/draft implications: 33:08–37:04
• Philly “tush push,” odds analysis: 37:16–38:41
• Seahawks/Mariners overlapping schedule: 39:16–40:22
• Fun with “Colts pretzel” and Pete Carroll: throughout quick-hit interludes

Signature Colin Tone & Takeaways

• Mix of irreverence, sharp opinion, and nuanced sports observation.
• Willing to critique both coaching decisions and front-office philosophy across multiple sports.
• Points out how rules changes and cultural shifts (NIL, transfer portal, MLB’s new rules) are transforming the games' dynamics and opening up new, unpredictable paths for teams large and small.
• Closes with optimism for baseball’s new era, thanks to faster, more dramatic games with compelling parity between small and big market teams.

For anyone who missed it: This hour was a tour de force—moving expertly from MLB playoff intricacies and team-building strategies, through granular CFB analysis and player psychology, and onto NFL big-picture scheming and draft logic—all with plenty of laughs, pointed debates, and a sense of the sports world in fast flux.