Paul Finebaum says there’s a clear-cut national championship favorite after Week 7
By David Wasson
Published:
EPSN pundit Paul Finebaum has been vocal in praise of the Miami Hurricanes in recent weeks, but Finebaum on Sunday morning’s SportsCenter said there is a clear favorite to win the College Football Playoff national championship heading into Week 8 play.
“Miami fans may not like it, but I think Ohio State is the best team in the country,” Finebaum said. “To me, it’s really a two-way race in terms of the elite teams – Ohio State and Miami. Oregon, Ole Miss, you can just mix those up a thousand different ways. Frankly, Alabama is going to move up and is close to the elite level.
“But Ohio State has been nearly flawless all year. They are the best team in the country and are the favorite to win it all.”
The defending national champion Buckeyes are 6-0 after dispatching No. 17 Illinois 34-16 in Champaign last weekend. The 16 points allowed the Illini were the most Ohio State’s defense has given up all season, and the Buckeyes lead the nation in scoring defense at just 6.8 points per game.
The betting markets seem to agree with Finebaum’s assessment. Ohio State is the favorite at +350 to win the national title as of publication, per BetMGM.
Ohio State does not face another currently ranked team for the remainder of its 2025 slate. The Buckeyes travel to play Wisconsin (3:30 pm, CBS) this Saturday.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
