“Slow down a little bit”: Curt Cignetti gets harsh verdict from Paul Finebaum over national championship winning odds

Why ESPN's Paul Finebaum likes Indiana football, but not to win national championship

Paul Finebaum weighed in on Indiana football again, and it wasn't all negative. Here's what he said about Curt Cignetti's Hoosiers in 2026.

“Slow down a little bit”: Curt Cignetti gets harsh verdict from Paul Finebaum over national championship winning odds

As Curt Cignetti is likely well aware, Fernando Mendoza's time to relax after winning the national championship is over.

Paul Finebaum Drops Bombshell Championship Prediction for Indiana

Paul Finebaum. (Image via X) ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum just poured cold water on the defending champions. The veteran analyst appeared on First Take and delivered a blunt message to Indiana. Finebaum hit the brakes on the Hoosiers’ chances to repeat as national champions this year. He acknowledged their recent success but drew a hard line. “Slow down a little bit. … You had your day, you’ll have some fun, but you’re not winning the National Cha…

Paul Finebaum makes case against Indiana winning back-to-back titles: 'Slow down a little'

Paul Finebaum doesn’t think Indiana has reached the point where its fans and graduates can carry themselves the way Ohio State or Alabama fans and graduates do. Finebaum stopped short of calling the Hoosiers a one-and-done and reiterated that Curt Cignetti is the “best coach in college football”, but the ESPN talking head sees a pullback year on Indiana’s horizon. Why? As he explained Tuesday on First Take, he thinks Indiana will be challenged i…