Josh Pate's College Football Show Real National Title Contenders + Lincoln Riley Doubt & Hardest Schedules
Feb 11, 2026
Discussion about which teams truly belong in the national title conversation this season. A new Survivor Bubble game for predicting contenders is introduced. Analysis of Lincoln Riley’s prospects at USC and whether he can rebuild into a champion. Breakdown of the toughest schedules in college football and how they could reshape the race.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Sudden Offseason Shocks Happen
- Josh Pate recounts last year's sudden Nico Iamaleava transfer as an example of offseason chaos.
- He uses it to warn listeners that unexpected, game-changing events often arrive from nowhere.
Survivor Bubble Game For Fans
- Josh Pate introduces a 'College Football Survivor Bubble' where participants build the smallest possible national-title bubble.
- The goal is to balance risk: include enough teams to cover the champion but keep your bubble small to win the pot.
How To Build Your Bubble
- Pate categorizes teams into no-brainers, debate qualifiers, significant internal debate, and outside-looking-in for inclusion in the bubble.
- He counts about 20 teams preliminarily and urges cautious, calculated risk when excluding teams.