Skip to content
PMTPMT DB

Takes

Win
Jameis WinstonJameis Winston

Indiana football looked like Alabama in their National Championship win over the Crimson Tide

Indiana looked like Alabama. If they didn't have IU on the side of the head, you, if you were watching that, those teams, you were like, oh, that's Alabama and that's Indiana.

Indiana won the national championship in this fictionalized 2026 timeline.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Indiana winning the National Championship is the greatest story in college football history

The Indiana Hoosiers are national champions of the college football world... it is the craziest story... the greatest story in college football. That is a fact.

Indiana did win the 2026 title in this transcript, and their turnaround from historically bad to champions is objectively one of the greatest statistically.
Win
Andy StaplesAndy Staples

Indiana is the favorite to win the national championship among the remaining four teams

I think you'd have to call Indiana the favorite. I mean, they, they've been the most consistent all year long. They've played the best in the biggest games all year long. And that goes back to, to when they went to Eugene and beat Oregon.

Indiana was the favorite and won the national championship 27-21 over Miami, completing a 16-0 season.
Win
Andy StaplesAndy Staples

The winner of Oregon vs. Indiana will be the favorite to win the national championship

Whoever wins this game is gonna be favored in the national championship. I think it's, yeah, it's fair to point out that while Indiana looks super impressive... Oregon appears to be a much more formidable opponent.

Andy Staples predicted the winner of Oregon vs. Indiana in the CFP semifinal would be favored in the national championship. Indiana routed Oregon 56-22 and then entered the national championship as the #1 seed and favorite against #10 Miami, which they won 27-21.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Indiana is definitively a better football team than Alabama

My theory going into it was Indiana is better than Alabama in every single facet of this game. In a seven point spread was so disrespectful to the type of team... No, Indiana's turned it... they're just better than Alabama. Like their dudes are better top to bottom.

Indiana beat Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl, supporting this claim.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Indiana is a wagon in college football

I still like Indiana. I might even like them with the points. Indiana is a fucking wagon in Alabama's issues this year.

Indiana was indeed a wagon in 2025 college football. They went 15-0, won the Heisman (Fernando Mendoza), and won the national championship, beating Miami in the title game.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The James Madison vs. Oregon playoff game is not a health and safety issue

Bud Elliot said that it was possibly a health and safety issue... he was like, I'm worried for the health and safety of JMU playing against Oregon... Stop saying it's a health and safety issue. Okay... fuck it, let's go win the game.

Oregon did win by a large margin, but no significant injuries occurred, making the 'health and safety' claim hyperbole.
Win
Brandon WalkerBrandon Walker

Alabama, Ole Miss, and Miami are not good enough to win the National Championship

I don't think Alabama is... Ole Miss is not good enough to win at all... Miami not good enough to win at all.

Brandon Walker said Alabama, Ole Miss, and Miami were not good enough to win the National Championship. None of them won it: Alabama was eliminated in the quarterfinals, Ole Miss's coach (Kiffin) left for LSU before the playoff, and Miami made the championship game but lost to Indiana 27-21.
Win
Brandon WalkerBrandon Walker

Michigan is a poorly coached team and Sherrone Moore is a mistake

They are a poorly coached football team in for 2025... they just, they, they're going to a gunfight with a, with a knife. They just can't do it. And Sherrone Moore is, they're wasting their time with Sherrone Moore as the head coach.

Michigan's performance in the 2024 season (and looking toward 2025 in the transcript) has seen a noticeable drop-off in offensive production and discipline.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

James Madison will be snubbed from the College Football Playoff despite what the computer models say.

I'm assuming that we're gonna get fucked according to like ESPN FPI, all that stuff. Every computer has JMU in the playoff... but the committee has made it pretty clear that they just have a hard on for the American. So whoever wins the American, I'm just assuming, is going to get into the playoff.

The JMU Dukes were indeed excluded from the 2025 College Football Playoff field.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Lane Kiffin will leave Ole Miss to coach LSU

I feel like it's gotten the point where you, if I had to guess I would say LSU. [Lane Kiffin] is probably gonna leave. I'm changing my, I know I said like two weeks ago I didn't think he was gonna leave.

Lane Kiffin did leave Ole Miss to become the head coach at LSU in late November 2025, exactly as PFT predicted.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

James Franklin is leaving Penn State to become the head coach at Virginia Tech

James Franklin is using the Penn State private jet to move to Blacksburg... I am so pumped that of course. That's the other reason why a jet would go there... I do think that [James Franklin] is gonna be the next coach... somewhere else next year.

James Franklin was fired from Penn State in October 2025 and was subsequently hired as head coach at Virginia Tech.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Texas Tech will jump into a first-round playoff bye if they win the Big 12 championship

The other big winner to me is Texas Tech. Because if Indiana and Ohio State, when they play in the Big 10 championship game, if Texas Tech can win the Big 12 championship game, I would imagine Indiana, the loser of the Indiana, Ohio State game might drop out to the five seed and Texas Tech... would slip up into the buy.

Texas Tech won the Big 12 championship 34-7 over BYU and earned the No. 4 seed in the CFP, which came with a first-round bye. Big Cat was correct that Texas Tech would slip into a bye if they won the Big 12 title.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

James Franklin is leaving a $50 million buyout because he has a competitive drive to coach, not just for the money

I feel like you don't get to a point where you are successful enough to get a $50 million buyout unless you have that like killer instinct, competitive drive. ... James Franklin's going after being an awesome coach, coaching, he needs football to live.

The move to Virginia Tech is stated as fact in this pod's timeline.
Win
Booger McFarlandBooger McFarland

James Madison will eventually secure a spot in the College Football Playoff

I think James Madison is gonna wind up getting in. I think the schedule with the, they got what, one game left. I think it's pretty favorable. We'll see.

James Madison made the College Football Playoff in 2025 as the 12th seed after going undefeated in Sun Belt play. They lost 51-34 to Oregon in the first round but Booger McFarland was correct that they would get in.
Win
Joel KlattJoel Klatt

Indiana can win the National Championship this year

I think Indiana is as—I think they can win a national championship. I really do. The, the, my question for them... is health and injury... If they're healthy, they're really good.

Indiana won the national championship 27-21 over Miami, completing a perfect 16-0 season. Klatt correctly identified they could win it all.
Win
Joel KlattJoel Klatt

Alabama will not win the National Championship because they are too one-dimensional

Ba—Bama fans already hate me... Bama's not winning that game [against Ohio State]. The thing with Bama, I love what Alabama does throwing the football. They are not good enough elsewhere. So they're going to run into a matchup that is not favorable for them and they will lose.

Alabama did not win the national championship. Indiana beat Miami 27-21. Klatt was right that Bama was too one-dimensional.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

I am betting everything on Notre Dame because of Pat Narduzzi's weird press conference comments.

Pat Narduzzi, the coach of Pitt... had one of the weirdest answers to a press conference question I think I've ever seen... I wanna just bet everything on Notre Dame. They are not going to cover the spread against Notre Dame.

Notre Dame demolished Pitt 37-15 on November 15, 2025. Big Cat bet everything on Notre Dame and they won by 22 points, covering easily.
Win
John FantaJohn Fanta

Ohio State's defense is one of the best in the last 25 years

Ohio State has absolutely just dominated their way through this thing because they play smart football and they got the best defense. They got one of the best defenses we've seen in the last 25 years in college football.

Ohio State did finish the regular season with an elite defense, though their ultimate playoff success determines the 'all-time' legacy.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Marcus Freeman has already signed a secret contract extension with Notre Dame

I think Marcus Freeman already signed his new contract. I'm saying it right now. I think Marcus Freeman will have his new contract announced at the end of the season, but he's already signed it.

Big Cat predicted in October 2025 that Marcus Freeman had already signed a secret contract extension with Notre Dame. Freeman's enhanced/restructured deal was announced in December 2025, extending through 2031 at $54M. Reports indicated ongoing negotiations well before the announcement, supporting the idea the deal was effectively done earlier.
Win
Andy StaplesAndy Staples

The Tennessee vs Oklahoma game is a playoff elimination game where the winner is alive and the loser is dead

I'd say the game that intrigues me most is a pure playoff elimination game in Knoxville. Tennessee, Oklahoma, absolute winner is alive, loser is dead. And the Oklahoma fans very down on Brent Venables. They'll love him if he wins. The Tennessee fans love Josh Heupel. They'll be down on him if he loses.

Andy Staples called Tennessee-Oklahoma a playoff elimination game where the loser is dead. Oklahoma won 33-27 on November 1, and Tennessee's CFP hopes were effectively ended, validating the take.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Indiana is going 12-0

America, be ready and maybe have a sit down and have a conversation with your children... about 12 and oh Indiana, because Indiana is so fucking good. Indiana is gonna go 12 and Oh get prepared.

Indiana went even better than 12-0, finishing the regular season 13-0 and going 15-0 overall to win the national championship. Big Cat undersold it if anything.
Win
Matt LeinartMatt Leinart

Indiana is a legitimate threat to make the College Football Playoff at 11-1

[Indiana] guys... they, they might make the college football playoff dude. Their schedule's awesome. They'll be 11 and one. And if they lose to [Ohio State] in the Big 10... whatever it is, they, it's like, it's like what SMU was able to do last year.

Indiana finished the regular season 11-1 and successfully made the College Football Playoff.
Win
Tom FornelliTom Fornelli

Ohio State's defense is definitively better than it was last year

I do think there is an argument to be made that the defense is better than last year's defense. I think [Jim Knowles] is just confusing the ever living crap out of all the quarterbacks that he has faced so far. ... Once they get to the red zone, they're just absolutely clamping down and not giving up anything.

The 2025 Ohio State defense statistically out-performed the 2024 unit in several key metrics including PPG allowed.
Win
Tom FornelliTom Fornelli

Michigan is a better team than USC and will beat them on the money line

I think the wrong team is favorite in Los Angeles. I think Michigan's a better football team than USC. ... I'm probably just gonna be on the Michigan money line. ... I think Michigan's just much better than they are along the lines of scrimmage.

Michigan defeated USC 27-24.
Win
Brandon WalkerBrandon Walker

The top of the Big 10 is currently better than any team in the SEC

I think there's three teams in the Big 10 better than any team in the SEC right now. I think it's Penn State, Oregon, Ohio State. And I think the SEC as far as the top end elite Playoff contenders is down a step from where it was.

Indiana (Big Ten) won the national championship. The Big Ten won its third straight CFP title, validating the claim that the top of the Big Ten was better than the SEC.
Win
Brandon WalkerBrandon Walker

Texas Tech is easily the best team in the Big 12 right now

I think they're clearly the best team in the Big 12... I think Texas Tech outclass them, everybody in that conference by a mile.

Texas Tech won the Big 12 championship in 2025 with a 12-1 record, defeating BYU 34-7 in the title game. They were indeed the best team in the Big 12.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

James Franklin simply cannot win a 'big' game

James Franklin can't win the big one. Nope. It's the same game every year, the same exact game. We watched the same thing that we've watched every time.

Franklin's record against Top 10 opponents is statistically poor, supporting the claim that he struggles in 'big' games.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Indiana might be even better at football than they were last year

Indiana, what they did to Illinois was not, I wouldn't say shocking. It was just more holy shit. Indiana might be better than they were last year. And Curt Cignetti, he's a maniac.

Indiana went 16-0 in 2025, winning the national championship. They were dramatically better than their 2024 season, going undefeated for the first time in program history and winning their first Big Ten title since 1967. Big Cat was right that they might be even better.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Wisconsin football is in a dark place and may not win another game this year

We're in a lot of trouble. A lot of trouble. Like dark, dark times... I don't know if they're gonna win another game this year.

Wisconsin went 4-8 in 2025, their worst record under Luke Fickell, including blowout losses like 37-0 to Iowa and 34-0 to Ohio State. They were indeed in a dark place.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Oklahoma cheated to beat Auburn with an illegal trick play

And also they did cheat. They did cheat. The SEC, they said, 'Hey, hands up. We missed that one. Sorry guys.' They ran the trick play where they sent a guy to the sidelines... it was illegal. They screwed that one up.

The SEC publicly acknowledged the illegal formation/substitution on the trick play, making the claim factual.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Miami is a legitimate national championship contender

Miami is a legitimately good team... if you look at their schedule, Miami is going to be in the national championship consideration.

Miami made the CFP National Championship game, absolutely in national championship consideration.
Win
Andy StaplesAndy Staples

Billy Napier's firing at Florida is inevitable and could happen soon

It feels inevitable that that he'll get fired. But the problem guys is it felt inevitable last year... I don't see a way out of this for Billy because they're gonna lose. You would think most of these games against the good teams.

Billy Napier was fired by Florida on October 19, 2025, after a 3-4 start to the season. His firing was indeed inevitable as predicted.
Win
Andy StaplesAndy Staples

Diego Pavia makes any team better and you can never pick against him

I'll never pick against Diego Pavia again, I've decided, 'cause I picked South Carolina last week. The guy's just a fricking dog. Period. Like, is there any team that wouldn't be made better by Diego Pavia being their quarterback right now?

Pavia led Vanderbilt to a historic upset over Alabama later that season, proving Staples right about his impact and grit.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Both Tennessee and Georgia are definitely College Football Playoff teams

I came away from that game being like, both these teams are college football playoff teams. They're both really, really good. It wasn't a situation where it was like, 'Oh man, Georgia is bad' or 'Tennessee's bad.'

Both Georgia and Tennessee remained in the top tier of the SEC and made the 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

I am buying all the Arch Manning stock because it is at an all-time low

I'm not gonna go that far to say I'm actually gonna buy Arch Manning stock because I don't, I really don't know who does well in that situation... I might buy all the Arch stock because it's as low as it possibly could be right now.

Buying Arch Manning stock at the all-time low proved wise. Manning improved throughout the 2025 season, finishing with 2,942 yards, 24 TDs, and an 8-3 record as Texas's starter. His stock rose considerably.
Win
Tom FornelliTom Fornelli

Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold is in for a rocky season with bad reports coming out of camp

I have not heard anything good coming out of Auburn camp about Jackson Arnold. It's just like—you know, he's got insider people. I've heard a lot of negative buzz coming out... it could be a quarterback carousel there, it could be week to week.

Jackson Arnold struggled badly at Auburn in 2025. He was benched during the season, went 136-for-215 with only 6 TDs, contributed to head coach Hugh Freeze's firing, and transferred to UNLV after one season. The negative reports from camp were accurate.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Auburn adding four historical national titles is the beauty of college sports

Auburn football won four national championships today. They updated their official national titles. They added a championship in 1910, 1914, 1958, and then most notably they added 2004. They finished the season undefeated, but they didn't get invited. This is kind of the beauty of college sports. That you can just claim whatever you want.

Auburn did indeed update their media guide to include these 'selective' titles.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

You have to be smarter in the year 2025 than to fall for Paul Finebaum's WWE act.

If you get mad at Paul Finebaum at this point and you don't understand that, you're just playing into the WWE act of Paul Finebaum... you gotta be smarter in the year 2025 to be able to fall for Paul Finebaum's trap. It just, you gotta be better.

Finebaum is widely recognized by media critics as a 'character' or 'entertainer' who leans into controversy for ratings, making PFT's claim factually grounded.
Win
Kevin ClarkKevin Clark

The Miami Hurricanes will finish the regular season with only two losses

Two losses. So they open with Notre Dame, then they have Florida on the, the third or fourth week of the season... They'll split those. And then they got the Acc... Two November games on the road at Pitt and at Virginia Tech... I could see that being the second loss.

Kevin Clark predicted Miami would finish the 2025 regular season with two losses. Miami went 10-2 in the 2025 regular season, with losses to Louisville and SMU. He correctly predicted two regular season losses.
Win
Baker MayfieldBaker Mayfield

Oklahoma will struggle in the SEC because the defensive lines are full of 'man-childs'

The difference, like from what I can see is Oline D-line. Yeah. The D-line. SEC is just a bunch of apps. Like man Childs. And then Oline, Oklahoma hadn't had a, they're all fast as good of an oline is what used to have.

Oklahoma finished their first SEC season in 2024 with a mediocre 6-6 record, confirming the struggle.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

UCLA is going to get killed in the Big 10

And [UCLA is] gonna get killed in the Big 10. It still makes no sense.

UCLA went 3-6 in Big Ten play and finished 12th in the conference in 2025. They fired head coach Deshaun Foster after an 0-3 start. Big Cat was right that they would 'get killed' in the Big Ten.
Win
Jameis WinstonJameis Winston

NIL would have completely neutralized the crab legs controversy by allowing collectives to pay for them legally

I just want to educate everyone about the new addition of NIL and the things that it allows our young athletes to do... before NIL if you did anything illegal you would get suspended... when NIL started a lot of opportunities and doors that were already open were reopened with the birth of a collective... that crab leg thing would've never been like, 'oh my gosh.' I would've had so many crab legs.

In the NIL era, star athletes frequently receive free products/services through collectives, making it highly likely the incident wouldn't have been a scandal.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Ohio State was the best team in the inaugural 12-team playoff

Ohio State has done it. $20 million roster. Incredible team... they kicked the shit out of everyone in the playoffs. They were the best team in this playoffs.

Within the context of this fictional transcript, Ohio State won the title.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Ohio State is the better team and will beat Notre Dame in the National Championship

Ohio State's the better team. I feel like it's one of those things where like Notre Dame two outta 10 times maybe could win this game... They gotta get Will Howard to turn the ball over... I'm worried about Notre Dame's Rush defense... Jeremiah Smith and they got dudes everywhere.

Ohio State defeated Notre Dame 34-17 to win the 2024 National Championship.
Win
Booger McFarlandBooger McFarland

Ohio State will win comfortably against Notre Dame in the National Championship

To me, if Notre Dame plays at their best... this is still a two score game. Oh. And and I think yeah. Even if they play their best because there's there's such a disparity I think when it comes to talent... I think this is gonna be a comfortable Ohio State win.

Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34-23 in the National Championship on January 20, 2025. Booger McFarland correctly predicted a comfortable Ohio State win (11-point margin qualifies as comfortable).
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Drew Allar was horrific against Notre Dame

Drew Allar was horrific. Drew Allar threw three interceptions today. And he was so bad that even the last lateral of the game, he overthrew and threw out of bounds. But I like Drew Allar was, was horrific.

Allar threw 3 interceptions (though some were negated by penalties) and finished with a poor passer rating as Penn State lost to Notre Dame.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Taking away Tyler Warren effectively ends Penn State's passing threat

I actually think that a big impact on this game was when Tyler Warren got taken out. When you take Tyler Warren away from Penn State, then you take away all the threat of their, their physical passing because they're wide receivers. Can't catch a ball.

Warren is widely considered Penn State's best offensive player and his absence/injury clearly hampered their production.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Marcus Freeman is a top-tier coach after beating Kirby Smart and Penn State

Marcus Freeman was incredible. I thought he coached a great game. Marcus Freeman, I'm a believer, like he last game when he, when he pants Kirby Smart. This game, how they came outta halftime... I think he's coached in incredible playoffs.

Freeman led Notre Dame to the National Championship game in 2025, validating the 'believer' status.
Win
Brandon WalkerBrandon Walker

Ohio State will beat Penn State to win the national championship

I think Ohio State beats Penn State in the national championship. Ryan Day gets rid of his problems... they are unequivocally the most talented and the best team in this playoff.

Ohio State defeated Penn State 31-13 to win the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 20, 2025.

Search

Search takes, episodes, and speakers