Skip to main content
Join Now
Team Avatar
Miami

Paul Finebaum defends Miami as best team in college football after Week 6

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs10/05/25grant_grubbs_
paul-finebaum-is-the-reason-sec-nation-isnt-coming-to-kentucky-vs-ole-miss
Paul Finebaum - © Ken Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Paul Finebaum doesn’t need a new AP Top 25 Poll to decide who the best team in the country is. During an appearance on The Matt Barrie Show on Sunday, the ESPN analyst explained why he believes Miami is the No. 1 team in college football.

“You have to say that right now because they have been tested,” Finebaum said. “Going to Florida State speaks for itself. And I know Florida State lost to Virginia, but that’s understandable. But, Miami really looked good, and they’ve been tested enough times that I think it’s fair to say they’re the best team in the country.

“There’s a couple other choices, but they’ve had more opportunity. And, I think Carson Beck has moved on from Georgia very effectively and seamlessly. But, right now, being the best team in the country doesn’t make a whole lot of difference.”

Miami arguably has the best résumé in the country this season. The Hurricanes jumpstarted their season with a win over Notre Dame. After a tune-up game against Bethune Cookman, Miami jumped back into its grueling schedule with a showdown against USF.

Since then, Miami has continued to dominate other teams around the state, defeating Florida and, most recently, Florida State. In the Hurricanes’ 28-22 win over FSU on Saturday, Miami quarterback Carson Beck completed 20-of-his-27 pass attempts for 241 yards and four touchdowns, without throwing an interception.

While Miami’s defense allowed 404 yards, it also forced Florida State to commit three pivotal turnovers. In turn, the Hurricanes improved one spots in the AP Top 25 to land at No. 2 in the nation this week. Miami head coach Mario Cristobal isn’t allowing his team to grow satisfied, either.

“I don’t think you deny that you have something special going on, but you spend your time on assessing and analyzing the things you can get better at,” Cristobal said. “Whatever shows on film that you are not good at, is going to get exposed. When we were heading out the hotel, it seemed like everybody was about to get upset. It is playoff football now.

“Everybody knows your warts and holes and ticks. If you refuse to believe every team has good players and coaches and if you refuse to believe that your holes need to get fixed, you are not going to last long in this profession. We want to establish that DNA, but we have a long ways to go.”