COLLEGE CRYSTAL BALL: In Defense of Public Enemy #1

Published continually since 1994

My friends, THE GURU is defending the indefensible, supporting the unsupportable, backing the unbackable. Indeed, I’m singing the praises of a mechanism causing pain and consternation to many a red-blooded American man, woman and child.

Yes, I’m speaking of the NCAA transfer portal and, sure, there are reasons aplenty to be up in arms over this database, which now numbers more than 10,000 Division I, II and III American footballers¹. To wit:

• It creates chaos for coaches and players, fostering a transient environment where real commitment to a team or its members is rapidly going out of style.

• It injects agents - and others - into the mix that may not have the players’ best interests at heart.

• It can lead to players, coaches and alumni abandoning common sense at the altar of money and winning.

Incarnate Word is set to become school #7 for QB TJ Finley (Photo: On3)

But, all that said, I see several silver linings:

• It gives players the freedom to find a place where they truly feel wanted. That’s no small thing. If you’re loved, you’re more confident. If you’re confident, you play better and, if you play better, you get more out of your college experience.

• It allows coaches to do more of what they love to do: teach and touch lives. Any coach worth his salt got into the game because he loves to educate young people and, with the constant churning of the portal, there are more and more athletes coming to each program, whether it be Division I, II or III. And more players = more opportunities to teach.

• Perhaps most importantly, it teaches student-athletes important life lessons about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (and money). Most people learn through experience and what better experience for a kid than to truly see how the world works? To learn that decisions have consequences. To see that the grass is not always greener and, in fact, may be artificial turf.

No, I’m not saying I love it. But I don’t hate it either. I’m clearly in wait-and-see mode, like when I’m marking time for that first Krispy Kreme to come off the conveyer belt.

LE GURU can be a patient man

Much more to come on this seminal topic as we move along but now, let’s dive into tonight’s College Football Playoff championship game with Indiana (15-0, 5-0 away) facing Miami (13-2, 7-1 home) on the Hurricanes’ home field. A fascinating matchup.

The Hoosiers are the darlings of the 2025-26 football world with a Heisman Trophy quarterback (Fernando Mendoza) and, with sincere apologies to Bobby Knight and Tony Dungy, the most popular Indiana coach (Curt Cignetti) since Gene Hackman.

Mendoza and Cignetti get most of the headlines, but the team’s success starts up front with one of the most dominant offensive lines in football. In fact, the Hoosiers’ o-line paved the way for the second-best Power 4 rushing attack in terms of yards a game².

Indiana center Pat Coogan, the 2026 Rose Bowl MVP

On the flip side, Miami boasts the #5 rushing defense in Power 4 and the #8 overall defense with an FBS-leading 47 sacks³. That means something’s got to give and it may not be Mario Cristobal’s squad.

I think tonight comes down to the big uglies (h/t Keith Jackson) up front and I like IU to beat Miami narrowly. That said, I would not be shocked if the host Hurricanes won the crown with their defensive front overwhelming the Hoosiers a la the Eagles vs KC. After all, Miami is a terrific team that, like THE FAIR CLAUDINE, is clearly peaking at the right time.

Is that drink a Hurricane?

Kickoff is at 7:30 pm on ESPN with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Molly McGrath and Holly Rowe on the mike. Enjoy the action and I’ll return next week for NFL title game picks⁴.

God bless!

1. That one was for you, CORKY, you soccer-loving son of a biscuit.

2. Utah was #1 this season.

3. Thanks, ESPN.

4. A final note: after a 4-0 showing in the Divisional Round, LE GURU’s NFL postseason record is 9-1 (.900) and the season mark is 160-109 (.595).