When Josh Pate announced that Donald Trump would appear on his College Football Show, he promised viewers a politics-free conversation focused strictly on the sport. However, what followed was a brisk, 10-minute exchange that often drifted far from the field.
Here are the seven questions Pate posed and how the answers unfolded in the conversation.
1. The state of college football
Pate opened with a broad question about the sport’s structure and enforceable rules. Trump began by saying, “It’s too bad. I hate to see it,” before pivoting to NFL kickoff rule changes — never directly addressing college football governance.
2. How he chooses which games to attend
Trump responded by name-checking teams he “likes,” including Georgia, and praised quarterback Gunner Stockton. He then told the audience Pate had asked how he judges players — which he had not — leaving the original question unanswered.
3. His recent golf outing with Nick Saban and Urban Meyer
When asked what was discussed, Trump said their conversations are “always” about politics, contradicting Meyer’s prior claim that they discussed football.
4. What he looks for when hiring someone
After briefly mentioning Miami and Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, Pate pivoted to hiring philosophy. Trump launched into a familiar monologue about instincts and staffing decisions.
5. Lessons from his first term applied to his second
The response centered on instincts. Trump then detoured into praise for Herschel Walker, calling him “maybe the greatest player ever.”
6. The moment he realized he was president
This led to reflections about the Lincoln Bedroom rather than football.
7. Separating personal issues from business
The final exchange remained general, touching only lightly on sports.
More: Donald Trump trends after failed Army-Navy coin toss
The deep dive was cut short
As Pate later explained, a planned 30-to 40-minute long interview was cut short due to a scheduling conflict. What remained was largely softballs and tangents with minimal politics, but arguably just as little substantive college football discussion.
More college football news:
- Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes
- Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
- Top 2026 NFL Draft prospect suffers broken rib in CFP quarterfinal loss
- Dabo Swinney fires Clemson coaches immediately after loss to Penn State
- Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after Cotton Bowl

1 hour ago
3
English (US)