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Michael Wilbon Knows Who's To Blame For 'Ruining' College Football

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 7:15 PM ET

Michael Wilbon is sick of oversensationalized college football coverage.

Week 1 of the 2025 season contained numerous marquee matchups and big storylines. Arch Manning stumbled in a loss that led Texas to cede the nation's No. 1 ranking to Ohio State. Bill Belichick lost in his North Carolina debut, and Kalen DeBoer is already on the hot seat after Alabama fell to Florida State.

On Tuesday's Pardon The Inerruption, Wilbon blamed coverage that's blown the early returns way out of proportion.

"I don't want mass media, major media, networks -- including people that we like to call our friends -- to just ruin the watching of college football, the consumption of football for me by exaggerating the hell out of everything," Wilbon said, via Awful Announcing.

Overhyped stars and games?

Wilbon criticized the coverage of Arch Manning, who entered the season as a potential Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. Observers have gone from preparing his Hall of Fame bust to labeling him a bust after struggling in a 14-7 loss against the Buckeyes.

The longtime sports columnist wants a more tempered conversation about Manning after all the preseason buzz. Wilbon also thinks the hype went too far for Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who collected six catches for 43 yards on Saturday.

"Arch Manning is not Peyton or Eli or Archie just yet. Just let him simmer a little bit," Wilbon pleaded. "Jeremiah Smith: He is not Jerry Rice just yet. I heard somebody who I probably like a lot, probably somebody I covered, say, 'He's the best college football player I've ever seen.' You know what my recommendation would be then? Watch more college football."

Wilbon didn't specify anyone, but FOX color commentator and former Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt made that claim about Smith this summer.

Texas and Ohio State was one of the most anticipated season-opening games in college football history, but the low-scoring affair didn't provide an epic viewing experience. The same can apply to LSU's 17-10 win over Clemson.

Wilbon felt pundits set expectations too high for college football's Week 1 slate.

"Can we just stop? 'The greatest weekend of...' I mean, all of it was just slobbered over," Wilbon said. "... Can we just let the season grow a little bit?"

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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