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'Don’t Matter Anymore': Paul Finebaum’s Blunt Verdict on College Football Tradition

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 10:51 AM ET

The first major pulse check of the college football season arrived with the release of the 2025 preseason Coaches Poll. But not everyone is buying into the buzz.

Veteran college football analyst Paul Finebaum joined "McElroy and Cubelic In The Morning" on Tuesday and did not hold back when asked how much weight he gives the annual rankings. His response was unapologetic, dismissive and pointed directly at the system itself.

Finebaum's comments struck at the heart of what many in college football have long whispered.

“These polls don't matter anymore,” Finebaum told co-host Cole Cubelic. He acknowledged they once carried serious influence but argued their relevance has faded in the College Football Playoff era.

Finebaum Says Preseason Polls Are Outdated

He pointed to the creation of the selection committee, which begins evaluating teams in late October, as the real turning point. In Finebaum’s eyes, these early rankings no longer shape the postseason landscape like they once did.

He cited the infamous 2004 Auburn Tigers as a cautionary tale, a team that began the season ranked too low and never cracked the BCS title game despite finishing undefeated.

“The reason why they used to matter is they set the template,” Finebaum said. “Once you get in at a certain position, you can't get out.” He then criticized poll voters directly, suggesting many lack the knowledge or bandwidth to evaluate teams across the country.

“They don't really watch the games like analysts ... most of them have no earthly idea what they're doing, and that would include myself.”

Big 12 Ditches Its Own Preseason Poll, Will Others Follow?

In a move that echoes Finebaum's point, the Big 12 Conference opted not to release a preseason media poll this summer. The conference cited the impact of the transfer portal and NIL activity as reasons for the change, noting that today's rosters are far too fluid to make credible predictions in July.

With over 3,000 FBS players transferring this offseason and a chaotic summer of NIL movement, other leagues may soon follow suit.

The SEC, Big Ten and ACC have yet to indicate changes to their media poll processes, but the trend toward unpredictability has already been acknowledged by coaches and insiders nationwide.

If the preseason Coaches Poll continues to lose relevance and major conferences start dropping their traditional media rankings, the College Football Playoff committee could become the sole standard of judgment, at least in any sort of official capacity.

In a sport built on pageantry and tradition, that shift signals a cultural evolution few could have predicted even just a few years ago.