Podcast Summary: The Ryen Russillo Show

Episode: Big Cat Pitches Ryen Barstool Stunt Ideas, a CFB Playoff Team Draft & the Most Impressive NFL Team Résumés
Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Ryen Russillo
Guests: Big Cat (Barstool Sports), Kyle Ceruti, Max

Episode Overview

In this lively Barstool debut, Ryen Russillo welcomes his now-official coworker Big Cat for a wide-ranging episode. They riff on adjusting to Barstool, the quirks of sports media critics, Barstool-style stunts and events, deep-dive into College Football Playoff chaos, draft the likeliest national champions, and break down which current NFL teams actually have the best résumés. Signature sidebars, playful debates, and the group chat's unfiltered humor fill a jam-packed show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Transition to Barstool, Audience Reaction, and Brand Fit

• Russillo reflects on joining Barstool, noting that while "the show's the exact same show" ([03:45]), some vocal people insist things have changed:
  • "I think there's a lot of simple people that think they need to be heard all the fucking time." – Ryen Russillo [04:10]
• Big Cat offers a dose of sports media therapy: ignore the vocal minority, embrace your main audience ([05:20]):
  • "You have hundreds of thousands of people that listen to every single show and there's, I don't know, hundred, two hundred people complaining online... If you can just let go of that, it's most freeing thing in the world." – Big Cat [05:24]

Barstool Stunt & Event Ideas

• Big Cat proposes Russillo participate in the annual Barstool combine ("bench press, little run" – [06:17]). Russillo is skeptical due to age but Dave Portnoy told him he didn’t have to do video arguments or be “in the everyday mix." ([06:38], [07:29])
• Running joke: If Russillo skips the combine, Kyle could fill in as the “physical presence” ([08:41]).
• Extended riff about dumb office competitions escalating into deadly serious battles, bench press standards, and athletic “manhood” ([09:18]):
  • "If you can't do one rep of 135, you can't say anything to anyone." – Russillo [11:10]
  • “If you can’t run a six minute mile, you’re a pussy." – Big Cat [11:21]
• More office stunts pitched, like a soccer tournament ([09:58]).

2. College Football Playoff Rankings & Chaos Scenarios

Miami’s Place in the Rankings

• Big Cat and Russillo critique the playoff committee’s odd handling of Miami: their ranking seems like a correction for earlier errors ([15:08]).
• Neither guest feels big outrage: “The doomsday scenarios are what happens if USC beats Oregon this weekend..." – Big Cat [15:53]

Potential Playoff Chaos

• What if multiple Big Ten teams end up with two losses or fewer? Is Oregon in/out? Could the Big Ten get three teams in? Russillo and Big Cat hash out permutations ([16:26–17:31]).

Resume Talk, Eye Tests, and the Rankings Game

• Russillo questions pure “ranked wins” logic, noting that the difference between teams ranked 16–35 is often negligible ([17:31]).
  • “If you really want to pick [Oregon] apart and then look at their offense against the better teams…” – Russillo [17:31]
• Big Cat applauds Oregon for “out-Iowa’ing Iowa” in a tough win, noting the limits of box score/stat rankings ([19:18]).
• Georgia’s in an ideal spot, potentially able to skip the SEC title game and still earn a bye ([20:37]).
• Both are annoyed with endless “ACC scenarios” and especially the neverending Duke playoff hypotheticals ([22:52], [23:01]).
  • "Every one of these ACC scenarios has Duke somehow becoming a really good team in the last three games of the season. I’m done with Duke." – Big Cat [23:01]

Group of Five & JMU Angle

• Big Cat roots for James Madison (shoutout PFT), but notes it’s a weak year for Group of Five contenders ([24:13]):
  • "This year is going to be tough for a group of five team to stay within three scores..." – Big Cat [24:45]

Best SEC/Big Ten Hopes

• Neither host “falls in love” with this year’s SEC teams, except maybe for Georgia. Oklahoma gets some praise, A&M’s “game-speed” noted, but quarterback questions linger. Ohio State gets ultimate respect:
  • "It’s okay to just say Ohio State’s better than everyone and probably gonna win the national title..." – Big Cat [26:27]

3. College Football Playoff National Title Draft (41:04–46:21)

• Format: Each drafts 8 teams most likely to win the college football national championship.
• Draft Highlights (timestamps approximate):
  • Big Cat 1st pick: Ohio State [41:04]
  • Russillo 1st pick: Georgia [41:06]
  • Other early picks: Indiana, Texas Tech, Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Texas, USC, BYU, Miami
• Notable banter: The draft reveals conference biases (three Big Ten teams vs. three SEC teams). They joke about the meaning of “foregone conclusions” as a band name ([43:07]).

Draft Stakes:

• If Big Cat wins, Russillo competes in the Barstool combine. If he loses, Big Cat must watch every Charlotte Hornets game for a month & deliver game notes ([39:08]).

4. NFL “Résumés” Debate: Who Would Make a College-Style Playoff? (46:21–54:08)

• The hosts apply college playoff logic (best wins, fewest bad losses) to the NFL.
• Big Cat’s Top Four:
  1. Broncos: "They have a road win against the Eagles...do not have any bad losses." ([48:18])
  2. Rams: "Losses are to Niners and Eagles." ([49:11])
  3. Eagles
  4. Colts (by process of elimination)
• Russillo’s Top Four:
  1. Eagles
  2. Rams
  3. Indy
  4. Seattle (“#1 in DVOA” – [51:22])
• Debate Focus: Are “big wins” more important than point differential or other analytics?
  • Big Cat: "Winning at the Eagles is the most impressive win maybe on the season." ([49:07])
  • Russillo: "Number one in DVOA" is his case for Seattle, suggesting advanced stats matter.
• Sidebar: Bears and Patriots have weak schedules, making them “out” despite records.

5. NFL: The “Eagles” Discourse and Jalen Hurts’ Polarizing Persona (54:08–59:14)

• Russillo admits fatigue with watching the Eagles despite their excellence, finding some of the team’s media narratives grating:
  • "I get real sick of watching this team. And that’s probably a little bit of the tush push.” ([54:33])
  • On Hurts: “Jalen Hurts might be unfriendly Russell Wilson.” ([55:52])
• Big Cat: “We do a game on PMT on Fridays: Fortune cookie or Jalen Hurts quote.” ([56:07])
• Max (Eagles fan) pushes back, defending Hurts and the team's GM decisions: "You can't say anything about the defense. Defense is incredible...Work to make your team get better..." ([58:33–59:02])

Memorable Quotes & Lively Exchanges

• On Bench Press Standards:
  "If you can't do one rep of 135, you can't say anything to anyone." – Russillo [11:10]

• On Media Critics:
  "There's a lot of simple people that think they need to be heard all the fucking time." – Russillo [04:10]

• On College Football Playoff Debates:
  "Every one of these ACC scenarios has Duke somehow becoming a really good team..." – Big Cat [23:01]

• On the Subjectivity of Rankings:
  "No one's ever allowed to just say, hey, you know what, I think this team's just better than that team." – Russillo [21:41]

• On NFL Résumé Arguments:
  "Winning at the Eagles is the most impressive win maybe on the season." – Big Cat [49:07]

• On Jalen Hurts:
  "Jalen Hurts has some early onset Russell Wilson." – Big Cat [55:37]

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Adjusting to Barstool, media critics: [03:00–06:00]
• Barstool Combine & Stunt Proposals: [06:17–12:17]
• College Football Playoff rankings/controversies: [15:01–28:00]
• Coaching carousel (LSU, Lane Kiffin, Gruden, Fickell): [31:06–37:47]
• Title Draft and Stakes: [38:24–46:21]
• NFL Résumés College-Style Playoff Argument: [46:21–54:08]
• Jalen Hurts/Eagles Persona Discussion: [54:08–59:14]
• Life Advice Segment: [60:42–70:00]
  • Dream job vs. financial reality with a family (entry-level AD job vs. lucrative in-house counsel position).

Tone & Style

The conversation is loose, comedic, and filled with playful barbs and digressions, but there’s also serious analysis on sports formats, fairness in competition, and the business behind athletic success. Both hosts and guests keep conversations real, avoid fake-rage or hot takes, and expose the ways that sports media sausage is made—offering both entertainment and substance.

Conclusion

This episode serves as both a victory lap and a comfort blanket for listeners: old bits, new Barstool synergy, classic sports arguments, and the right amount of sports-nerd seriousness. Whether you care about bench pressing, college football chaos, NFL rankings, or how group chats spark office events, you’ll find something to spark a laugh or a debate.

For Reference:

• Barstool Combine & stunts: [06:17–12:17]
• CFB Playoff arguments: [15:01–28:00]
• NFL Résumé debate: [46:21–54:08]
• Jalen Hurts/Eagles persona: [54:08–59:14]
• Life Advice: [60:42–70:00]

Note:
Advertisements, sponsor reads, and outros have been omitted in this summary.