Paul Finebaum has been talking about college football — mostly the Southeastern Conference — for decades.
He doesn’t like how the new 12-team College Football Playoff is shaping up. His biggest issue is with undefeated Indiana, followed closely by Penn State (whose only loss is to Ohio State).
“I think that Indiana and Penn State are overvalued,” he said on an ESPN college football podcast with Matt Barrie. “Those two irritate me the most.”
What’s his issue with the Hoosiers?
“You give them a schedule like Georgia, and are they going to survive that?” he said. “And the answer is no.”
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Georgia (8-2) handed Texas its only loss and owns wins over Tennessee and Clemson. The Bulldogs have lost to Alabama and Ole Miss. All those teams are in the CFP hunt.
On Tony Kornheiser’s podcast Monday, Finebaum said of Indiana’s nonconference schedule: “Those three teams combined could not beat some good Texas high school football teams.”
Western Illinois, Florida International and Charlotte have a combined nine wins, and WIU plays in the Football Championship Subdivision.
IU has largely avoided the best Big Ten teams in conference play, but that changes Saturday when IU visits Ohio State, which Finebaum believes is the nation’s best team.
“We’ll get a good read (of the Hoosiers),” he said.
Finebaum sees a scenario in which the loser of the SEC championship game will get its third loss, making a CFP at-large bid unlikely against IU or Penn State, whom he considers inferior.
“One or two teams are going to get really screwed (loser of SEC title game),” he said. “There are three or four possibilities of legitimate schools getting left home for a one-loss Indiana or a one-loss Penn State.”
Indiana football vs. Ohio State start time
Noon ET Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Columbus, Ohio.
What channel is Indiana-Ohio State on?
TV: Fox
Indiana football betting odds
via BetMGM
Favorite: Ohio State by 12.5 points
Over/under: 52.5 total points
Moneyline: Indiana +375, Ohio State -500
College Football Playoff rankings release date
The weekly College Football Playoff updates will be released Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
What time is CFP rankings?
7 p.m. ET Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
How to watch College Football Playoff rankings show
ESPN.
How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?
For the first time, 12 teams will make the CFP field.
How does College Football Playoff format work?
The eight teams seeded Nos. 5-12 will play in a first round with the better seed hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.). Games are on Dec. 20 and 21.
The top four conference champions to earn spots in quarterfinals hosted by bowls. This will be done in consideration of historic bowl relationships, then in consideration of rankings. No. 1 play the 8/9 winner, No. 4 vs. the 5/12 winner, No. 2 vs. the 7/10 winner; No. 3 vs. the 6/11 winner. Games are on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The quarterfinal games are the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
Semifinals will be played on Jan. 9 (Orange Bowl) and Jan. 10 (Cotton Bowl). The national championship game is Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: College Football Playoff: Indiana football irritates Paul Finebaum
