Paul Finebaum names major college football coach that is ‘respected by everyone’

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

College football is full of complainers. From the athletic directors to the coaches, the media, and even with some of the fans. However, amid a sea of hostility over the recently released 2025 College Football Playoff field, college football insider Paul Finebaum pointed out one head coach who has handled a tough situation with a little bit of dignity.

On Wednesday morning of this week, in between conference championship games and the start of bowl season, Finebaum joined the ESPN show First Take to discuss CFP selection fallout. Basically, the big argument nationally is Notre Dame and whether the Irish deserved to remain behind Alabama and be passed up by Miami in the final rankings, which led to them being left out of the playoff field. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua has made his displeasure over the result very public.

Bevacqua even went on the Dan Patrick Show to lob shots at the ACC over their pro-Miami campaign, and he's pounded the gavel since Sunday afternoon demanding that Notre Dame desvered to be in. Paul Finebaum says it's time for the AD to move over to help ND save face.

"Notre Dame could have taken their medicine and they could have let Marcus Freeman be their front man," Finebaum commented. "Because he is respected by everyone." On the other hand, he believes the AD, Bevacqua, is losing that same respect fast.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman shakes hands with fans | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum rips into Notre Dame, AD Pete Bevacqua

"Pete Bevacqua, who was respected — this is a guy that played golf a couple of months ago with Greg Sankey and President Trump, trying to figure out the problems of college football," Finebaum pointed out. "He was on that level. He was a go-to person for the President of the United States. And now, he is a laughing stock, and that’s bad for Notre Dame."

Bevacqua is certainly a notable figure in the college sports landscape, but perhaps his profile is taking a public hit over this tantrum he's pitching in the media over the 2025 CFP field. Meanwhile, head football coach Marcus Freeman hasn't sounded 1% the whiner as his administration.

“Notre Dame is so self-centered, so egotistical, so arrogant and quite frankly, so disgusting about this one issue that you’re getting very strange reaction," Finebaum added, speaking on the growing tension between actual decision-makers across college athletics. "People criticizing other ADs and commissioners, which we don’t normally see. It’s a good ol’ girls and boys club. This is a bad moment."

This spat between Pete Bevacqua and the ACC or other leagues could be nothing in the grand scheme of things, or it could be the rumble before another eruption of madness in the college sports world. We're all ready for anything at this point.