Josh Pate Slams Penn State’s ‘Disaster’ Coaching Search—Why It Could Derail the 2025 Season

College football analyst Josh Pate has become the talk of the sport’s news cycle this week after a string of headline-making takes on conference-championship weekend and the looming College Football Playoff field. Pate, host of 247Sports’ “Late Kick Live,” first ignited debate by arguing that Alabama should claim a semifinal berth even if the Crimson Tide fall short in the SEC Championship Game, citing the program’s late-season surge and strength of schedule. That stance drew immediate pushback from fans of unbeaten contenders, but Pate doubled down, noting that the playoff committee “rewards the best four teams, not the most convenient four.” His commentary came as Alabama prepares to face Georgia in Atlanta, a matchup he labeled “a de facto quarterfinal that still might not eliminate the loser.” Pate’s candor did not stop with Alabama. On his Tuesday livestream he delivered a blunt assessment of Penn State’s coaching search, calling the process “lost” and warning that athletic director Pat Kraft risks squandering the Nittany Lions’ current recruiting momentum if stability is not restored quickly. He described rumored target Kalani Sitake as “solid but not transformational,” urging Penn State to think bigger. The analyst also rolled out his conference-title picks, siding with Oregon over Washington in the Pac-12 and Michigan over Iowa in the Big Ten, while calling the ACC showdown between Florida State and Louisville “the committee’s biggest headache” should an injury-depleted Seminole squad edge out the Cardinals. Clips of his predictions racked up hundreds of thousands of views across YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok within 24 hours, propelling “Josh Pate” into the day’s top search queries. Pate’s rapid rise from regional radio host to national voice underscores the growing influence of independent digital content in shaping college-football discourse. His three-times-weekly streams, combined with real-time social clips, give him the agility to respond to breaking news faster than many traditional outlets. As playoff debates intensify, expect Pate’s audience—and the scrutiny around his bold picks—to swell. For fans seeking unfiltered analysis of Selection Sunday scenarios, coaching carousel chaos and transfer-portal buzz, Pate’s platforms have become destination viewing. Whether the committee agrees with his Alabama argument or Penn State heeds his warning, one thing is clear: Josh Pate isn’t just covering college football—this week, he’s driving the conversation.