ESPN's Paul Finebaum does not believe that Indiana would finish as a top tier SEC team in 2025, even with the success of the program this season.
Finebaum who has been the face of SEC Football for ESPN over the past decade with his appearances on First Take, Get Up, SEC Nation, SEC Network and ESPN Radio has been somewhat of a homer to say the least but this time he just completly struck the nerve of all Big Ten and Indiana Hoosiers football fans.
Paul Finebaum: “I’d like to see Indiana go through the gauntlet that Alabama has gone through in the last five weeks. They would not be undefeated.”
Paul Finebaum: “I’d like to see Indiana go through the gauntlet that Alabama has gone through in the last five weeks. They would not be undefeated.” pic.twitter.com/5NUnZxYcbR
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) October 30, 2025
Yes, Paul Finebaum actually said that about Indiana this season which is wild. Last season I could understand but man put Indiana on a neutral field with Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt and I think they have a shot to beat all five honestly.
Finebaum also went above and beyond to discredit Indiana AD and contract extension for Curt Cignetti.
Curt Cignett got major payday last week signing an eight-year contract extension with the Hoosiers worth $92 million. Cignetti will make approximately $11.6 million per year for a contract that will keep him in Bloomington through the 2033 season.
Cignetti is in his second season with the Hoosiers, leading the program to a College Football Playoff appearance in December. Indiana is ranked No. 2 in teh country after beating a then No. 3 Oregon 63-10 and a win over a then-No. 9 Illinois team on Sept. 20. They also just dropped UCLA 56-6 and beat Iowa who is one of the better teams right outside of the top 25.
All that including his 18-2 overall record and ESPN's Paul Finebaum still took issue with the terms of the new deal, arguing that Cignetti hasn't proven worthy of being paid like a top coach in the country.
"This is a terrible move by Indiana," Finebaum said on his show Thursday. "I know that the college football cognoscenti will disagree with me, but there is no way in the world that Curt Cignetti should be the third-highest-paid coach in the country. He is not in Kirby Smart's league. He is not in Ryan Day's League. He has a big win on the road against Oregon...
"Listen, I realize he may end up winning the national championship, and those who cover college football are very high on him, but this is not how you make sound decisions. This is how you take your university to the ledge and at some point end up paying for it."
Finebaum also said that Indiana vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Scott Dolson, could be let go in five years with his money given to Darian Devries (MBB) and Cignetti.
"You just mortgaged your university to an astronomical contract based on what? He didn't beat anybody last year... I'll make a prediction that the athletic director probably gets run out of there about five years," Finebaum said.
A look at updated odds to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy has Fernando Mendoza as the current favorite it also has Indiana as favorite in every single matchup minus the potential Big Ten Championship game. Those predictions would still keep IU at 12-1 and put as a top 12 team regardless in the CFP in Decemeber. Finebaum..... we shall see only time will tell but he's been wrong A LOT.