Paul Finebaum takes shot at Tyler Buchner and Tommy Rees, calls Notre Dame a CFP contender

The stock of the Alabama Crimson Tide took another drop following the team’s disappointing 17-3 win over USF after entering the game as 34-point favorites.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the other hand are rolling, starting off the season with a hot 4-0 record as they head into their biggest test of the season.

Both Alabama and Notre Dame face ranked opponents this weekend, with the Crimson Tide hosting No. 15 Ole Miss and the Fighting Irish taking on No. 6 Ohio State. And on ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’, college football analyst Paul Finebaum was asked if this is the season that Notre Dame can secure the win over the Buckeyes.

“They could,” Finebaum said. “I wouldn’t have thought so a couple of weeks ago but I’m starting to think now, and don’t forget [Sam] Hartman was at Wake Forest, he made the move up there.”

The two programs are rich in history but have only faced off seven times, with Ohio State winning the last five meetings and Notre Dame not defeating the Buckeyes since 1936.

But this could be the year for the Fighting Irish, as Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman has led them to an impressive start behind his elite play. Hartman had a prolific career with the Demon Deacons leaving the program as the school’s all-time leader in career completions, attempts, total touchdowns, and total yards, also ranking first in ACC history with 107 touchdowns and the second in passing yards with 12,687.

He picked up right where he left off in South Bend, throwing for 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns on an impressive 71.1% completion percentage with no interceptions.

There’s no doubt Hartman has been special, inserting himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation early in the season. But Finebaum also believes Notre Dame’s chances versus Ohio State have to do with who they lost offseason, taking a jab at two former members of the program that now sport the crimson and white.

“And it seems like Notre Dame has gotten better since Tyler Buchner went to Alabama and Tommy Rees — the offensive coordinator — went to Alabama. Notre Dame’s a much better program without the offensive coordinator that had been there under Brian Kelly,” Finebaum said. “And I think this is a Notre Dame team that is very capable of winning this game and maybe going to the playoffs.”

Notre Dame has definitely ‘won’ the breakup so far this year, as Rees’ offense at Alabama ranks second to last in yards per game in the SEC and Buchner was pulled out of Alabama’s last game after completing 35.7% of his passes for a disappointing 34 yards.

There’s plenty of season left for the former Notre Dame coordinator and signal caller to figure things out this year, but there’s also no question that Hartman and the Fighting Irish have the potential to be one of the top teams in the country this season, especially if they pull off a win at home this Same versus Ohio State.