The seven questions Josh Pate asked Donald Trump on his College Football Show originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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.
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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. He 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 South Carolina, and praised quarterback Gunner Stockton, who was in the room. He then told the audience Pate had asked how he judges players, which he had not, leaving the original question unanswered.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
