The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Hour 2)

Episode Date: November 19, 2025
Theme: NFL Playoff Predictions & College Football Playoff Controversies
Guests: Joel Klatt (Fox Sports/College Football Analyst)

Episode Overview

This energetic hour dives deep into the NFL playoff picture, with Colin giving his detailed hypothetical bracket predictions for both conferences. Later, Joel Klatt joins to dissect controversial College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, debate the merits of head-to-head matchups, discuss blueblood programs like Texas, the current state of the USC Trojans, and Lane Kiffin’s coaching future. Interspersed are fast-paced headlines covering the NFL, NBA, team-building strategies, and player evaluations.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Hypothetical NFL Playoff Predictions

Colin’s full bracket breakdown and reasoning for each pick
(03:38 – 10:19, 50:27 – 54:37)

AFC Predictions

• Denver Broncos as #1 seed, earning a first-round bye.
  • “Denver gets a bye as a number one seed. I think that will be the case.” (03:50)
• Wild Card Results:
  • Buffalo over Pittsburgh: “Major quarterback advantage, major offense advantage...Pittsburgh can't run the ball.” (04:15)
  • Colts over Chargers: “Good old lines endure...Take the Colts.” (04:31)
  • Patriots over Jaguars: “You trust Jacksonville in cold weather? Really?” (04:50)
• Divisional Round
  • Denver over Buffalo: “Bills can't stop the run...death by a thousand cuts.” (05:18)
  • Patriots over Colts: “I don't trust Daniel Jones in this spot.” (05:38)
• AFC Championship
  • Denver over New England: “More playmakers on both sides of the ball...offensive coach against defensive coach... has favored the offensive coach.” (06:00)
• Wildcards: Baltimore and Kansas City currently out, could disrupt predictions.

NFC Predictions

• Eagles with No. 1 seed and bye
• Wild Card Results:
  • Seattle over Tampa: “Better overall roster...Seattle applies a lot of pressure...Baker facing pressure, 46 passer rating.” (06:34)
  • Chicago over Green Bay: “In bad weather...Chicago runs the ball a lot and runs it well.” (07:00)
  • Rams over 49ers: “McVay’s had Shanahan’s number...Rams have a better overall roster, much better defense.” (07:13)
• Divisional Round
  • Eagles over Seattle: “Philly in the playoffs creates turnovers. Seattle leads the NFL in giveaways.” (07:35)
  • Rams over Bears: “More well-rounded team, veteran QB, coach. Take the Rams to win convincingly.” (07:44)
• NFC Championship
  • Rams over Eagles: “Rams defense, everybody's good...Stafford over Hurts, Sirianni in a big spot.” (08:00)
• Super Bowl Prediction
  • “Rams over Denver...two great defenses...In close games, that stuff matters. Stafford, McVay win their second Super Bowl together.” (08:26)

Debated Points and Pushback

• Panel challenges Denver as #1 seed; Patriots schedule may make them more likely for the #1 spot. (54:37)
• “Denver's going to be one and done, dude.” (55:10, Fox Sports Analyst)
• “I think Buffalo's got holes...” (55:13, Colin Cowherd)

2. College Football Playoff Rankings Debate

With Joel Klatt, from 10:34 – 24:57

Head-to-Head Comparisons & Committee Logic

• Colin: “Head to head matters less than it used to...those two ugly losses for Miami, I would put Notre Dame narrowly ahead of Miami. Would you?” (10:55)
• Joel Klatt: “I think it matters if you're comparing them directly...the playoff committee has...created a buffer between Miami and Notre Dame so that they're not compared. Eye test has won out...” (11:11)
  • Memorable quote: “If it comes down to those two, you have to honor the on-field result. But until they're compared directly, at this point the committee is not really taking that into consideration.” (12:10)

Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia – Evaluating Playoff Cases

• Colin: “Georgia beats Texas again with physicality...I think Georgia is just an awful matchup for Texas...Oklahoma is actually built like an SEC team.” (12:29)
• Joel Klatt: “They [Oklahoma] proved that at Bama...I think Texas, they're out...Not after the way they lost to Georgia. Some close wins are awful...if you look at their resume, if you watch them on tape, neither of those things can put Texas into that college football playoff.” (13:01–13:50)
  • Memorable quote: “Any conversation that suggests otherwise is nefarious in my estimation.” (13:38)
  • Breakdown of why Georgia is the best SEC team right now: “You gotta play against great players who believe in their coach and their coach believes in them.” (14:35)

Texas A&M Blowout, 9-3 Team Possibility

• Colin: “What if Texas hammers Texas A&M?” (14:58)
• Joel Klatt: “I don't care...If you're going to set a precedent for a 9-3 team, let's make them good...Texas hasn't played well for 60 minutes, not one time this entire season.” (15:00–15:23)

Bubble Teams in the CFP

• Joel Klatt runs through scenarios with BYU, Utah, Alabama, and others: “You could have an 11-2 BYU...What do you do with the 10-3 Alabama that goes to the SEC championship game and loses?” (16:06)

3. USC, Oregon, and Matchups

(16:27–18:36)

• Colin doubts USC’s ability to block Oregon’s front; sees a double-digit loss (16:27)
• Joel Klatt: “I'm not as concerned if they can block them, whether they can tackle them...Oregon's a different animal.” (16:38)
  • Praises Oregon’s rushing attack, points out their multiple backs and best pass defense in the nation (17:17)
  • “The matchup does not favor USC. If they win this, they will be firmly in the playoff in my estimation.” (17:52)
• The Illinois loss dooms USC’s margin for error

4. Lane Kiffin's Coaching Future

(18:36–22:31)

• Colin: “Ole Miss has given Lane Kiffin an ultimatum...if you have an SEC job and you’re winning, stay.”
• Joel Klatt: “If he wanted to stay at Ole Miss, I think he would have already done it...Lane loves this. He loves to be the center of attention on social media, in the college football world.” (19:59)
  • Memorable moment: Lane Kiffin photobombing an engagement proposal (20:18)
• Joel’s prediction: “I think he’s going to Florida, and I think he’s going to be the next coach of the Gators...one of the biggest messes in college football history.” (20:45)
• Conversation on leverage: “If he wanted to be there Colin, he would have already signed.” (22:02)

5. Ohio State Defense & The New Era of CFB Team Building

(22:36–24:57)

• Colin: NIL and transfer portal allow teams—like Bama and Ohio State—to quickly address weaknesses (22:36)
• Joel: “This is one of the best defenses I’ve ever seen. They’re running the New England Patriots defense...their players are so intelligent...Caleb Downs is one of the most intelligent players that I've ever been around covering this sport. Sonny Styles is the same way.” (23:23)
  • Points out Arvell Reese as a top draft prospect
  • “It’s the marriage between Matt Patricia...the players, their intellect, their physicality, their ability to run, their length, all of it. This is the best defense that I've seen.” (24:29)

6. NFL Player Evaluation: Mendoza (Indiana)

(24:57–27:15)

• Colin relays an NFL coach’s praise: “Mendoza at Indiana...is one of the easier quarterbacks to evaluate...Indiana uses some NFL stuff.” (25:27)
• Joel: “Mendoza is going to be easily a top three pick, maybe the top pick in the entire NFL draft...his interview process...is going to be his best trait...It’s like I'm sitting across the table from Kirk Cousins. And I mean that in a complimentary way.” (26:07)
  • Advises Ty Simpson and Dante Moore to return to school for more experience

7. Fun Interlude: Klatt’s Minor League Baseball Experience

(27:15–28:19)

• Joel Klatt played third and first base: “What I lacked in power, I made up for in a lack of speed.” (27:26)
• Lighthearted ribbing about his warning track power, batting cage videos, and age.

Additional Headlines & Takeaways

NFL: Detroit Lions Offensive Woes & Coordinator Turnover

(35:09–37:44)

• Colin and panel discuss Dan Campbell taking over play-calling duties.
• Cautionary tale about not hiring from within after losing great coordinators: “Be very careful about hiring within the building...Interim coaches rarely work...They're not as good offensively.” (36:26)
• Defensive truisms: “Jared Goff, cold weather, outdoors, against a push up the middle...he's not good.” (37:11)

Dallas Cowboys Roster Construction Strategy

(38:06–40:32)

• Discussion on paying skill positions (Pickens, CeeDee Lamb), while going cheap on the O-line.
• Colin: “First two picks are going to be defense...I could pay George Pickens in that T. Higgins range.” (39:29)
• Panel: “He's [owner Jerry Jones] trying to do things differently...it's different. Will it work? Time will tell. They're not going to be better than the Eagles next year.” (40:12)

NBA: Lakers, LeBron, and JJ Redick's Coaching Impact

(41:12–44:13)

• Deandre Ayton thriving with LeBron: “That’s my second alley from you. The first one was when I was in eighth grade at your camp.” (41:35)
• Colin: “I think J.J. Redick has created a very smart spacing...a lot of different guys who can create space...Lakers are a bottom [defensive] team.”
• Panel questions Lakers’ defense in postseason: “Be careful about loving offensive-minded teams. Now, if you are an offensive leaning franchise, this is your time to eat. Because nobody plays defense.” (43:38)

Notable Quotes

• Colin Cowherd (On the AFC Playoff Picture):
  • “Most of the teams that are in the playoffs I think are going to stick. I think we're pretty close.” (03:42)
• Joel Klatt (On CFP Committee):
  • “If it comes down to those two [Miami and Notre Dame], you have to honor the on-field result. But until they're compared directly, at this point the committee is not really taking that into consideration.” (12:10)
• Joel Klatt (On Texas):
  • “Texas hasn't even played well for 60 minutes, not one time this entire season...that would, I mean, I would call into question that they're all of a sudden going to drill Texas A&M.” (15:23)
• Colin Cowherd (Hiring Coordinators):
  • “Be very careful about hiring within the building. This was my fear. They're not as good offensively.” (36:26)
• Panel (On Dallas):
  • “He's trying to do things differently...cheap on the offensive line. Cheap and inexperienced. And we're going to pay receivers, defensive tackles, and hope we hit on draft picks. It's different. Will it work? Time will tell. They're not going to be better than the Eagles next year.” (40:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• NFL Playoff Predictions: 03:38–10:19, 50:27–54:37
• CFP Rankings w/ Joel Klatt: 10:34–24:57
• Lions Play-Calling Discussion: 35:09–37:44
• Cowboys Roster Building: 38:06–40:32
• Lakers, NBA Spacing: 41:12–44:13

Tone & Style

Colin and guests bring their trademark mix of sharp analysis, strong opinions, and irreverent humor (“What I lacked in power, I made up for in a lack of speed.” — Joel Klatt, 27:26). The atmosphere is debate-heavy but playful, blending football nerdiness with media-savvy banter and storytelling.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode delivers an in-depth exploration of the fast-approaching NFL postseason and the battle lines being drawn for college football’s final four. If you want bold predictions, heated college football arguments, or insights into how NFL teams build their rosters for the future, this hour is packed with insight, pushback, and plenty of laughs.