Paul Finebaum Shares His Orange Bowl Pick for Notre Dame vs. Penn State

No word on how hard it was for Paul Finebaum to make a pick considering an SEC team isn't playing

Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; SEC network host Paul Finebaum looks on before the 2022 Peach Bowl between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ohio State Buckeyesat Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Notre Dame is one of four teams remaining in the College Football Playoff and takes on Penn State in the Orange Bowl with a national championship trip on the line.

Can the Irish end their 36-year national championship drought?

The talent is there but a truly elite opponent in Penn State stands in front of Notre Dame making a trip to the game on January 20.

Paul Finebaum Makes Notre Dame-Penn State Prediction

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ESPN voice Paul Finebaum is notorious for backing the SEC, but in this Orange Bowl matchup doesn't have a team from that conference to pick between, seeing as Notre Dame knocked out Georgia.

So who does Finebaum have winning the showdown and heading to Atlanta?

\"SEC Nation\" host Laura Rutledge jokes with Paul Finebaum about the rain hitting his bald head at Ayers Hall before the Alabama game Saturday, October 20, 2018, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee | Michael Patrick/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Today, I would take Notre Dame and Ohio State,” Paul Finebaum said. “Because they’ve been the most impressive. I just can’t get excited about Penn State beating SMU at home and Boise State.”

Finebaum then went further on why he thinks Notre Dame wins.

“I was guilty too of looking past. I knew they were a hot team,” Finebaum said. “But Arizona State and Boise State are not the same teams. To me, the idea that Penn State could make it to the semifinals of this thing really not having played anyone yet is the main reason why I like Notre Dame. I’m still not a believer in Indiana but they looked very good in that victory, and they looked even better against what I believe is a quality team in Georgia.”

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