Paul Finebaum Names Historic College Football Program That's the 'Forgotten Child' of the Sport

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum discussed the current state of Notre Dame during a recent episode of "The Paul Finebaum Show," offering a critical perspective on the program’s standing in college football.

Finebaum has long been known for his outspoken views, particularly when evaluating programs outside the SEC. His latest comments focused on Notre Dame’s position in a changing college football landscape.

Notre Dame is coming off a two-year stretch that most programs would gladly take. In 2024, the Fighting Irish went 14-2 and reached the national championship game before falling to Ohio State. They followed that up with a 10-2 record in 2025, though their season ended in frustration after narrowly missing the College Football Playoff.

That snub remains a key point of contention. Notre Dame entered conference championship weekend in a position to make the field, but was ultimately passed in the rankings by Miami, despite neither team playing that weekend. The shift came after BYU was defeated by Texas Tech in a conference title game, which impacted the final rankings.

Head coach Marcus Freeman during Notre Dame football's Pro Day at Irish Athletic Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rather than accept a bowl bid, Notre Dame chose to end its season there. That's where Finebaum's criticism comes from. He feels the Fighting Irish pouted when they didn't get their way, and that's why he says Notre Dame is starting to be left behind in the sport.

"They're petulant," Finebaum said. "They are small. They want everything to go their way. They're pretty much forgotten about. That's one thing people haven't mentioned, with the rise of the Big 10 now being so dominant, Notre Dame is a forgotten child in that part of the country... college football is slowly leaving Notre Dame behind."

Finebaum’s comments come at a time when the Big Ten has experienced significant success, producing recent national champions such as Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana. However, Notre Dame has maintained a strong presence in several key areas. The program remains one of the most valuable brands in college football, consistently ranking near the top in overall valuation.

The Fighting Irish have also continued to recruit at a high level. They secured a top-five recruiting class in 2026 and hold a similarly ranked class for 2027. Under head coach Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame has posted consecutive double-digit win seasons and a national championship appearance, highlighting continued on-field success.

The program’s trajectory moving forward will likely be determined by its ability to convert strong regular seasons into postseason success, particularly in the expanded College Football Playoff format.