ESPN’s College GameDay opened its 2026 road season with a championship forecast that left preseason No. 1 Ohio State completely out in the cold.
On Saturday, ahead of LSU-Clemson, the panel was asked to make a College Football Playoff title pick. The result was a four-way split, with each regular voice landing on a different path to the trophy.
Desmond Howard picked Texas over Notre Dame. Nick Saban went with Miami over Texas.
Pat McAfee chose Indiana over Ole Miss. Kirk Herbstreit had Notre Dame over Indiana.
Not a single panelist selected Ohio State.
Saban was the only regular on the desk to put Miami in the final, and the only one to have the Hurricanes winning it all. He put it plainly: "The number of good teams that we talked about today, there's no magic in terms of who you pick and it's just your best guess, but I'm saying Miami versus Texas and Miami wins."
That’s the kind of pick that can turn into rat poison fast. Miami getting that kind of public praise is flattering, sure, but it also raises the pressure meter in a hurry if the Canes drift even a little.
Mario Cristobal knows the drill. He played for Saban and coached under him, so he’s already been around this sort of expectation. And this isn’t even the first time Saban has gone to bat for Miami; last year, he was already saying the Hurricanes belonged in the CFP.
The panel was more aligned when it came to the ACC. Howard, Saban, Herbstreit and Wilson all picked Miami to win the conference, while McAfee went with North Carolina.
The Ohio State omission was impossible to ignore. The Buckeyes entered the weekend as the AP No. 1 team, yet none of Howard, Saban, McAfee or Herbstreit had them in the championship game. Saban still backed Ohio State to win the Big Ten, but Howard and Wilson chose Oregon, and McAfee and Herbstreit went with Indiana.
In Other News...
Kenny Minchey Just Changed How Notre Dame Fans See That QB Battle
Kenny Mincheys first start at Kentucky was the kind of debut that gets remembered, especially for Notre Dame fans who watched him leave with unfinished business. Against Youngstown State, the former Irish quarterback threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover, flashing the arm talent that made him a highly rated recruit in the first place. It also put him in rare company by matching a statistical benchmark not seen at Kentucky since Tim Couch nearly 30 years ago.
For Notre Dame, the performance inevitably reopens the conversation about what might have been, and what the quarterback picture looked like while Minchey was still in South Bend. He had limited playing time with the Irish before transferring, but now he has a start that gives his new program a clear jolt and gives his old one another reminder that quarterback evaluations rarely feel settled in the moment. Even one game can change the way a fan base remembers a battle, and this one certainly did. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Fans Have A Strong New CFP Argument Against Critics
Notre Dames path to the College Football Playoff is getting judged through the same old lens, but the broader scheduling picture around the sport suggests the criticism is not as simple as it sounds. The Irish are once again being framed by some as a team that cannot afford a loss because of its schedule, yet the comparison with Miami shows how selective that argument can be when other contenders also go through stretches with relatively few highly ranked opponents on the slate.
A closer look at Power 4 schedules only reinforces the point: plenty of conference teams line up against few preseason AP Top 25 opponents, and that is often the reality of playing inside a league schedule. For Notre Dame fans, it creates a stronger response to the familiar skepticism, because the issue is not whether the Irish are alone in avoiding elite matchups so much as whether their schedule is being held to a standard other contenders are not forced to meet. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Finally Has A Plan For Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa's Return
Notre Dame is finally moving toward getting Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa back on the field, with the linebacker expected to see limited snaps in the upcoming game against Rice. He has been out since last season because of an ACL tear, and Marcus Freeman said his practice volume has risen enough that he is trending toward being ready to play.
For a defense that has been waiting on his return, the key now is not just getting him back, but managing how quickly he is asked to do too much. The Irish plan is clearly cautious, with the staff aiming to bring him along gradually and let his role grow as he settles back in after a long absence. [Read more 🡒]