Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Program Flying Under the Radar

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 6:18 PM ET

Every offseason in college football, several teams generate significant hype regarding their expected performance in the coming season.

This offseason is no exception. This led to a caller asking ESPN's Paul Finebaum about a team that isn’t receiving enough attention but is nonetheless a legitimate contender on his show, "The Paul Finebaum Show."

Finebaum began by mentioning the teams he believes are getting sufficient recognition, including the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns, Clemson Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and LSU Tigers. After listing these teams, Finebaum pointed out one team he thinks is being overlooked, attributing this to the presence of another national championship contender in the same conference.

"I'm going against every one of my principles, but Penn State, to me, is getting overlooked in favor of Ohio State," Finebaum said. "I think there's some bias there. I'm as guilty as the next person of not giving James Franklin credit, but this is the best team that he's had."

Finebaum mentioned that Penn State has a relatively favorable schedule in 2025, calling it one of the most embarrassing schedules he's ever seen.

However, Kyle Wood from Athlon Sports disagrees and ranks the Nittany Lions' schedule as the seventh-easiest in the Big Ten, placing it roughly in the middle of the pack. Penn State will face teams like the Oregon Ducks, the Indiana Hoosiers, and the Ohio State Buckeyes, each of whom participated in the College Football Playoff last season.

According to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), the Nittany Lions are projected as the fifth-best team in college football for the upcoming season. This ranking largely stems from the talent they are bringing back, as Penn State ranks No. 33 in returning production with 63%.

Key returning players include quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Both Singleton and Allen rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, combining for 20 touchdowns. Allar passed for 3,327 yards, with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Given these factors, Finebaum concludes that the Nittany Lions should be considered among the top two or three contenders for the national championship. Penn State will begin its quest for the title on Aug. 30 against Nevada at 3:30 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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