The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Hour 2 – Previewing the National Championship Game, with Joel Klatt
Date: January 15, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd sits down with Fox Sports’ college football analyst Joel Klatt to preview the National Championship game between Indiana and Miami. Together, they break down both teams’ strengths and weaknesses, examine broader shifts in college football’s power structure, and weigh in on player development, coaching, and the recent rise of the Big Ten while questioning the SEC’s recent trajectory. The hour includes deep dives into game tactics, quarterback comparisons, and future NFL prospects, with Klatt providing analytical insight and Cowherd mixing in sharp, narrative-driven observations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sam Darnold’s Redemption and Quarterback Perceptions

[00:45–05:14]

• Colin Cowherd reflects on Sam Darnold’s career arc: Darnold’s early NFL struggles with the Jets were highly public due to playing in New York under the spotlight, shaping an unfair first impression that lingered.

• Darnold has quietly become statistically elite over the last two seasons: “28 and 6 the last two years, which is the best record in football.” (Colin Cowherd, 01:30)

• Comparison to other quarterbacks and celebrities who overcame negative or positive initial impressions.

• Darnold is now in his prime, statistically outperforming Mahomes in several categories (“last two years he’s been better than Patrick Mahomes… more games, more passing yards, completion percentage is higher, more touchdowns.” – Cowherd, 03:20).

• Acknowledgment of Darnold’s weaknesses: When pressured, he’s “a little frenetic,” but has shown short-term memory, bouncing back from bad plays.

• Cowherd draws comparison between Darnold’s age and perception: He is younger than Lamar Jackson but viewed as a seasoned veteran.

• Memorable quote:

  “First impressions are powerful... Nobody remembers the wizard years. The first impressions with Aaron Rodgers … Nobody thinks about the fact that in his last 33 games he’s 15 and 18.”
  (Colin Cowherd, 01:30)*

• Tom Brady joins (flashback clip): The margin for error in big games is razor-thin, emphasizing that fundamentals and accuracy define quarterbacks in those moments.

  “In these big moments, you have the least margin of error… you need to refine your techniques so when you get in these big moments, you’re as accurate as you can possibly be.” (Tom Brady, 05:33)

2. Breaking Down Indiana vs. Miami (National Championship Preview)

[08:21–11:46]

• Colin hands off to Joel Klatt for schematic analysis:

  • Indiana’s secret sauce: highly effective run game, consistently setting up manageable third downs.
  • In their two playoff games, Indiana ran 90 times to only 36 passes.

    “They’ve run the ball 90 times to only 36 passes in their two playoff games... that’s a staggering percentage.”
    (Joel Klatt, 09:14)

  • Indiana’s strengths: they’re sound across the board—tackle well, few missed tackles, penalties or turnovers, and win the field position game.
  • To beat Indiana: control the run game and force the offense into 3rd and long.
  • Miami’s Mark Fletcher is a standout back (136 yards/game in playoffs), giving Miami hope to control tempo and keep Indiana off balance.
  • Both teams rely on short passing games; Beck (Miami QB) is just 1 for 11 on throws over 20 yards in the playoffs.
  • This will be a “battle of the trenches” – low-scoring, mistake-averse teams.

• Memorable moment:

  “If you’re going to measure a team’s soundness, how well they’re coached, you would measure things like missed tackles, penalties, turnovers, field position... they’re one of the best in the country in every one of those categories.”
  (Joel Klatt, 09:53)

3. Big Ten Supremacy & SEC Decline

[12:36–16:31]

• Colin’s assertion: The Big Ten may now be creating a true gap with the SEC—potentially three straight Big Ten national titles.
• SEC’s recent postseason struggles (2-8 in bowl games, 0-4 vs. Big Ten in playoffs last two years).
• Star quarterbacks are now primarily in the Big Ten.
• Klatt’s counterpoint: The ongoing “conference supremacy” debate fractures college football, arguing the SEC’s dominance was perhaps more about Nick Saban’s Alabama than the conference as a whole.
• Talent is now more evenly distributed, and with NIL and transfer portal changes, other programs are catching up.
• Notable quote:

  “Was it really an entire conference that dominated college football, or was it the greatest singular coach... in Nick Saban?”
  (Joel Klatt, 15:12)

4. Quarterback Prospect Talk: Ty Simpson & NFL Fit

[17:29–19:23]

• Conversation shifts to future NFL talent.
• Ty Simpson: great arm, accurate, but smaller and not elusive—raising injury concerns.
• Importance of fit: “With quarterbacks, unless you’re a generational talent, it’s all about where you land—coach, city, GM, owner.” (Joel Klatt, 18:01)

5. Final Predictions: Indiana vs. Miami

[19:23–21:46]

• Colin predicts Indiana 27, Miami 17: Indiana is “a cleaner team... fewer drops, fewer penalties.” Miami’s athleticism is a threat, but they’re more mistake-prone.
• Klatt agrees with the logic, projecting 35-24 Indiana, expecting Miami’s Beck to make a pivotal mistake.
• Both see a low-scoring slugfest determined by mistakes, not big plays.
• Quotes:

  “They do not make mistakes, and I can’t say the same about Miami...” (Joel Klatt, 20:09)
  “It’s hard to wrap your brain around it. Indiana, the losingest program in history to start the year...” (Colin Cowherd, 21:46)

6. Short Takes and Related NFL Playoff Analysis

[25:31–34:12]

• Bears vs. Rams: Chicago needs to run the ball to have any chance against LA’s high-powered offense.
• 49ers vs. Seattle: Discussion of coaching strengths (Shanahan, adjustments), Darnold’s upside, Brock Purdy's struggles when pressured.
• Patriots vs. Texans: Vrabel and the Patriots up against a ferocious Houston defense; emphasis on quick, athletic defenders and how recovery speed limits big plays.
• Tom Brady: Emphasizes that big game performance is about refinement, situational intelligence, and consistency.
• Brief mention of the emotional departure of Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh—praised for being a “player’s coach,” with a high floor but lower ceiling due to preference for older, less innovative staffs.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |---------------|-------------|-----------| | 01:30 | Colin Cowherd | “First impressions are powerful... Nobody remembers the wizard years. The first impressions with Aaron Rodgers … Nobody thinks about the fact that in his last 33 games he’s 15 and 18.” | | 03:20 | Colin Cowherd | “Last two years, [Darnold] is better than Patrick Mahomes.” | | 05:33 | Tom Brady | “In these big moments, you have the least margin for error… you need to refine your techniques so when you get in these big moments, you’re as accurate as you can possibly be.” | | 09:14 | Joel Klatt | “They’ve run the ball 90 times to only 36 passes in their two playoff games... that’s a staggering percentage.” | | 09:53 | Joel Klatt | “If you’re going to measure a team’s soundness, … they’re one of the best in every category.” | | 15:12 | Joel Klatt | “Was it really an entire conference that dominated college football, or was it the greatest singular coach… in Nick Saban?” | | 18:01 | Joel Klatt | “With quarterbacks, unless you’re a generational talent, it’s all about where you land—coach, city, GM, owner.” | | 20:09 | Joel Klatt | “They do not make mistakes, and I can’t say the same about Miami…” | | 21:46 | Colin Cowherd | “It’s hard to wrap your brain around it. Indiana, the losingest program in history to start the year...” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sam Darnold discussion: [00:45–05:14]
• Brady on quarterbacks in big moments: [05:14, 38:44]
• Indiana-Miami preview intro: [08:21]
• Indiana’s run game analysis: [09:14]
• Big Ten vs. SEC, Saban’s legacy: [12:36–16:31]
• Ty Simpson as a prospect: [17:29–19:23]
• Final Indiana-Miami predictions: [19:23–21:46]
• NFL playoff team coaching/analysis: [25:31–34:12]

Conclusion

This hour blends strategic college football breakdowns with reflections on quarterback development, conference dynamics, and NFL playoff intrigue. Colin and Joel deliver an entertaining, data-rich narrative that highlights not just who is favored, but why—focusing on execution, discipline, and coaching as the keys to championship success. Their preview sets the stage for a compelling National Championship and frames the season’s narrative within the sport’s evolving power structure.