Paul Finebaum isn’t locking in a College Football Playoff champion just yet, but he’s making his direction pretty clear: he’s leaning Big Ten again.
That came out on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” where Finebaum said he hasn’t made a final call, then added, "I don't think it's really in dispute," Finebaum said. "I haven't made a final decision yet.
Not that anybody's really waiting for that. I'm leaning toward picking a Big Ten team to win it again."
The timing matters because the national title picture is about to open up in about a month, and the Big Ten has owned the last three seasons. Michigan won the national championship in 2023, Ohio State took it in 2024 and Indiana followed in 2025.
ESPN’s Football Power Index is backing up that idea. It has Ohio State with the best shot at the title at 17%, followed by Texas at 12.8% and Notre Dame at 10.6%. Oregon is the next Big Ten team on the list at 9.2%, which puts the Ducks fifth nationally.
Finebaum had already floated a few names during SEC media days, saying he likes Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame. Based on that, the Buckeyes and Ducks look like the two teams most likely to get his eventual vote.
Ohio State has the kind of roster that makes that easy to understand. The Buckeyes are again loaded, with Julian Sayin at quarterback, Bo Jackson at running back and Jeremiah Smith at wide receiver. Finebaum’s not alone in thinking Smith could be the best player in college football.
Oregon has its own case. The Ducks are bringing back quarterback Dante Moore, wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart, and running back Jordon Davison. They also return plenty on defense as they chase the first national championship in program history.
So while the season hasn’t even reached the playoff race yet, the early picture is already familiar: the Big Ten sits at the center of it. Whether it’s Ohio State’s firepower or Oregon’s balance, the conference has multiple teams with a real path to the trophy.
If the league keeps the title in its hands again this winter, it would only deepen the grip it’s had on college football lately.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Lands More Momentum As New Injury Scare Changes Mood
Notre Dame picked up another recruiting boost when Darien Prescott committed to the 2028 class, a move that fits the programs recent run of momentum on and off the field. Prescott pointed to the early belief Notre Dame showed in him and his connection with Marcus Freeman, a familiar theme for a staff that has leaned hard into relationships as much as results while building its future roster.
The timing only sharpened the contrast around the programs day, with Notre Dame also unveiling a major annual jersey patch deal with SoFi that underscores how the brand keeps expanding beyond the recruiting trail. Even as the broader college football landscape churned at Big Ten Media Days with talk of playoff expansion and possible structural changes, the Irish were left dealing with a more immediate concern after Mitchell Evans had to be taken off the field on a cart, a reminder that the biggest swings around a team can come from the smallest details. [Read more 🡒]
New NCAA Rule Changes Everything For Notre Dame's Loaded 2026 Class
Notre Dames 2026 recruiting class is already drawing attention for its talent, and the NCAAs new 5 for 5 eligibility rule only adds to the intrigue. By giving college football players five total seasons to play and effectively removing the old redshirt limitations, the change opens the door for freshmen to step on the field sooner without forcing coaches to treat every early appearance like a long-term roster decision.
Marcus Freeman said the rule helps both sides because players can contribute right away while still keeping their eligibility intact, which matters for a program expecting several newcomers to be ready early. It also changes how Notre Dame can manage young players across a season, a shift that should matter for a loaded class that now looks even more capable of helping immediately, rather than waiting around to be protected for later. [Read more 🡒]
Ian Book Faces A Career Crossroads Notre Dame Fans Will Feel
Ian Book has spent the past stretch keeping himself ready, even as life around football has started to look a lot different. The former Notre Dame quarterback is still training daily, but he is also coaching youth football, running a recent skills camp and building a professional life in South Bend as director of investor relations at Golden Legacy Partners.
Books path now sits at an interesting intersection of possibility and reality. He has not closed the door on the NFL, yet he is also openly weighing what comes next as fatherhood and other opportunities take on a bigger role. For Irish fans who watched him become a familiar part of the programs recent history, the question is less about what he meant in college than where his next chapter ultimately leads. [Read more 🡒]