The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 2 (August 26, 2025)

Hosts: Jason McIntyre & Rachel Nichols (in for Colin Cowherd)
Guest: Bruce Feldman (Fox Sports College Football Analyst)

Episode Overview

Hour 2 of The Herd dives into breaking pop culture sports news—Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement—followed by Jason McIntyre's “Super Bowl Tiers.” The episode features expert analysis from Bruce Feldman on massive college football matchups and roster stories, while Rachel Nichols and Jason banter through major NFL headlines (Kelce/Swift, Cowboys contracts, Lions woes, and 49ers confidence).
Tone: Opinionated, fast-paced, playful, and insightful.

Main Segments & Timestamps

1. Super Bowl Tiers: Debate & Reactions

[02:21 - 07:28]

• Jason McIntyre unveils his annual Super Bowl contender tier list, forecasting major NFL shakeups and lighting up fanbases.
• Rachel Nichols (wearing "Taylor Swift red") reacts with surprise, particularly to Jason's Chiefs prediction.

Jason’s Super Bowl Tiers:

Tier 1: “For Sure” Contenders

• Ravens, Bills, Eagles (defending champs), 49ers
  • “It's a schedule-based prediction... The 49ers should be in the for-sure Super Bowl contender list.” (Jason, [03:07])

Tier 2: “For Real” Contenders

• Packers, Falcons, Broncos, Rams, Bengals
  • “I have the Packers in the for real category… Denver Broncos in the four real category, that defense should be the best in the league.” (Jason, [04:10])

Tier 3: “For Now” Contenders

• Chiefs, Lions, Washington, Chargers
  • “For now, the Kansas City Chiefs are a Super bowl contender. Yes, I had them missing the playoffs… Travis Kelce—not going to use the washed word. Oops, I just did.” (Jason, [05:29])

Tier 4: “For Your Consideration”

• Cardinals, Texans, Jaguars (“my surprise team”), Vikings

  • “Yes, I’m buying JJ McCarthy and those are my super bowl contender tiers.” (Jason, [06:39])

• Memorable Quotes:

  • [03:12] Rachel: “Taylor Swift red, by the way.”
  • [05:29] Jason: “Travis Kelce—not going to use the washed word. Oops, I just did.”

2. Bruce Feldman Joins: College Football Preview & Insights

[07:32 - 24:15]

Key Discussions:

• Texas vs. Ohio State / Arch Manning’s Debut

  • “[Texas] was knocked out of the playoff last year by the Buckeyes… now you have the Arch Manning factor.” (Bruce, [07:34])
  • Matt Patricia as new Ohio State DC; Caleb Downs as best defensive player in the country ([08:32])

• Arch Manning’s Role & Texas O-Line Inexperience
  “[It’s] a lot of new guys and it's a tough road environment.” (Bruce, [08:32])

• Why Arch Didn't Play in Key Games Last Year

  • “I wouldn’t read too much in anything that happened last year with that Texas team.” (Bruce, [10:16])

• Miami vs. Notre Dame Preview

  • “[Notre Dame] defense is stacked… But again, new quarterback. That place can be pretty loud.” (Bruce, [11:42])

• Quarterback Evaluations & Coaches’ Optimism

  • [13:12] Bruce: “You definitely do [hear negative things from coaches], but those are the things you shy away from bringing up.”

• Clemson vs. LSU Playoff Stakes

  • “[Garrett] Nussmeier is more of a gunslinger… They had four offensive linemen who played in the Senior Bowl...” (Bruce, [15:22])
  • Clemson’s D-line “is filthy… Peter Woods... I think he'll be a top five pick.” (Bruce, [16:19])

• Playoff Predictions & Program Culture

  • Iowa State as Bruce’s surprise playoff pick: “Matt Campbell over the last couple years has been one of the most conservative coaches… And he was like, scrap that. I trust my guys to come through.” (Bruce, [19:21])

Memorable Moments:

• [15:11] Jason: "I'm a little nervous about the Clemson pick now because now I see that you're on the bandwagon."
• [17:19] Bruce makes the case for Iowa State's playoff run.
• [22:22] Discussion about Bryce Underwood, Michigan's new QB: "He's a true freshman quarterback and there is not a ton of elite talent around him on offense." (Bruce)

3. BREAKING: Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s Engagement (Pop Culture-Sports Bombshell)

[24:16 - 26:43; 31:25 - 34:56; 44:45 - 46:32]

• Jason and Rachel react live to the engagement announcement:

  • "Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged." (Jason, [24:16])
  • Rachel: “Shoot your shot. It's never too long a shot.” ([26:09])
  • Jason: "This is going to be the next royal wedding here..." ([31:25])

• Cultural Take:

  • Both host’s families—especially with teenage daughters—are excited (“I went to the [Taylor Swift] concert. It was fire.” Jason, [25:24]; “Come on. This is like target demo central.” Rachel, [25:19])
  • Rachel recalls the origin story: Kelce’s proactive approach sparked their romance (“He went on his own podcast and put out the call... and it worked.” [25:33])

• Swift-Kelce Relationship Details:

  • Lived together ("I don't think it's been a weekend... They spend a lot of time together." Rachel, [33:05])
  • Taylor’s NFL learning curve and true fandom (“She started running through the house screaming, ‘We drafted Xavier Worthy!’ ...she’s clearly into it.” [34:12])
  • Jason jokes: “Travis Kelce used to look like a guy who sold vape cartridges behind 7 11 and now he's marrying the most famous person in the world.” ([34:56])

4. NFL Headlines: Contracts & Team Previews

[35:00 - 40:36]

• Cowboys’ Contract Drama (Micah Parsons & Jerry Jones):

  • Dak Prescott’s confidence in Parsons’ readiness for Week 1 ([35:54])
  • Both hosts see Cowboys’ contract brinksmanship as a potentially damaging sideshow (“This is... not just good for the Cowboys. Bottom line, it's not good for the team.” Rachel, [36:43])

• 49ers’ Approach:

  • John Lynch’s faith echoes Rams/Bills’ strategies during roster reshuffles.
  • “I think the 49ers are going to be really good this year.” (Jason, [38:09])

• Preseason Woes for the Lions:

  • Dan Campbell’s admission: “That’s an issue… all four of these games have not been good.” (Jason, [39:07])
  • Questions fly about Jared Goff and OC transitions: “How much of it the past couple years was him? How much it was the coordinator?” (Rachel, [40:28])

5. More Engagement Fallout & NFL Topics

[44:45 - 48:51]

• More on Kelce-Swift:

  • “This is huge. This is large even for die hard sports fans.” (Jason, [45:07])
  • Rachel discusses family background & speculation around Swift’s possible Super Bowl performance—but notes it’s unlikely she’ll perform while Kelce is still active. ([45:50])

• Micah Parsons Holdout Redux:

  • Jason and guest Matt Mosley agree: Cowboys always cave at the last moment (“Every one of these holdouts end in the Cowboys capitulating, right? …Every CD, they all end in the deals getting done.” Covino and Rich/Mosley, [47:47])
  • Jason’s take: “I just can't get concerned with this Micah Parsons thing… Is there a way we can build this in so next year... these deals always get done?” ([48:04])

Notable Quotes (with Attribution & Timestamps)

• Rachel Nichols, on Swift/Kelce:

  • “Shoot your shot. It's never too long a shot.” ([26:09])

• Jason McIntyre, on his own fandom:

  • “I went to the [Taylor Swift] concert. It was fire. It was amazing. The best concert I've ever seen.” ([25:24])

• Bruce Feldman, on college football coaching talk:

  • “You definitely do [hear negative things from coaches], but those are the things you shy away from bringing up.” ([13:12])

• Jason McIntyre, on Lions preseason:

  • “I think that’s an issue, right? Because all of a sudden the lights are on… that's a little bit, you know, that could be a little bit concerning.” ([39:03])

• Rachel Nichols, on NFL contract drama:

  • “This isn't just not good for the Cowboys. Bottom line, it's not good for the team.” ([36:43])

• Jason McIntyre, Cowboys and Cautionary Tales:

  • “As long as Jerry Jones is running the show, this is just how it’s gonna be. It’s gonna be a knockdown, drag out battle till the very last minute. Then it’s going to get done.” ([48:04])

Episode Takeaways

• Super Bowl race is wide open: Jason’s bold tiers stir the pot, with the Chiefs demoted and surprise teams like the Packers and Jaguars on the rise.
• College football is poised for a blockbuster kickoff: Bruce Feldman frames Texas-Ohio State and other clashes as all-time matchups, spotlighting QB stories and coaching transitions.
• Micah Parsons’ holdout and Cowboys contract soap operas continue, but history says the deal gets done.
• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement crosses into sports talk territory as a pop culture moment with “royal wedding” energy and resonant life lessons (“shoot your shot!”).
• NFL preseason and coaching changes have teams like the Lions and 49ers at crossroads.

For listeners wanting sharp sports analysis, playful banter, and cultural crossover, this episode delivers—a blend of NFL projections, college insight, and pure Swiftie joy.

End of Summary