Dan Orlovsky makes shocking pick for College Football Playoff champion

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky gave his shocking pick for who would emerge as the national champion from the College Football Playoff. Orlovsky told fellow analyst Paul Finebaum on ESPN’s First Take that he picked the Michigan Wolverines to win the College Football Playoff this year.

Dan Orlovsky’s champion pick

Before stating his reasons, Orlovsky made it clear from the beginning of the segment that he was on board with Michigan and head coach Jim Harbaugh’s playoff chances.

“I’m taking Michigan to win the whole thing.”

“I’m doing it because of this — I called two Michigan games this year,” continued Orlovsky. “I called Michigan in the first game of the season. They played Western Michigan and I just remember walking out after that game and going — ‘That was a different Michigan feel than it had the past years before.’ You know Jim Harbaugh infused so much young talent into that program. They have an unmistaken identity and then their season kept getting better and better.

“I called their game against Penn State when I thought they played fantastic. I think at the line of scrimmage they can match up against Georgia very well. Hassan Haskins — it’s like tackling Aaron Donald. He is 6’2″, 230 pounds — Blake Corum is their change of back, he’s awesome. I think Cade McNamara is significantly better than people give him credit for.

“So I think that Michigan — because I trust on both sides of the ball who they are on a consistent basis, week in and week out — I think Michigan wins the whole thing.”

Finebaum, however, wasn’t quite as eager to crown the Wolverines as the new national champions yet.

“I really give a lot of credit to the Michigan program,” praised Finebaum before giving his rebuttal. “But I just don’t think they’re quite ready for what they’re going to get into with this Georgia defense. And moving them ahead of that, I don’t think they can handle Alabama either.”