The College Football Playoff bracket is set, and the race for the trophy is on. Jason Fitz of Yahoo and Fox Sports joined Wednesday’s edition of GoJo and Golic to break down the field of 12 and what lies ahead.
Before diving into College Football Playoff talk, Mike Golic Jr. brought up the transfer portal and its impact during bowl season. As bowl season kicks off, players like Duke quarterback Malik Murphy enter the portal, forcing coaches like Manny Diaz to figure out who will be under center ahead of their bowl game. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin shared his perspective. Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham, whose team has a first-round playoff bye, openly supported players entering the portal, encouraging earlier entries to give them the best shot at success. GoJo asked Fitz for his take on the transfer portal’s current state. He didn’t hold back, saying the system doesn’t make sense. Schools are juggling transfer portal conversations, trying to keep their players engaged, and preparing for playoff games — all at the same time. He pointed out that we’re asking coaching staffs to pull off the impossible, balancing recruitment pitches and playoff prep with only so many hours in the day.
For Fitz, the solution is clear: push all portal activity until after the national championship game. While he acknowledges this could create challenges for some players, he believes the timing is critical. He exclaimed either it happens much earlier or much later — this current setup doesn’t benefit anyone. He highlighted the chaos schools like Ohio State face, handling transfer visits while prepping for a playoff run. He added it’s a distraction no team needs. Fitz compared it to the NFL, where free agency happens after the season, arguing that college football should follow suit. He also noted that National Signing Day has been buried by the early December timeline, making it another process that feels rushed and out of place. For him, the system isn’t working for anyone involved.
Additionally, Mike Golic Sr. offered his stance on the transfer of the portal; he shared that while college players don’t have a union, the purpose of a union is to make decisions that benefit the majority. He argues that, despite its flaws, the current transfer portal system is designed to serve most players. Delaying the portal until after the playoffs might benefit those on playoff teams, but it would force players in non-playoff bowl games — what he suggests calling exhibition games— to wait unnecessarily. By opening the portal on Monday, the system helps the larger group of players who aren’t part of the 12 playoff teams. With 130 FBS teams, most players entering the portal aren’t from the playoff field, so the current setup prioritizes their needs over the minority involved in the playoffs.
GoJo agreed, stating it’s a great perspective to focus on what’s best for most of the sport. He highlights Lane Kiffin’s comments and mentions situations like Marshall, where much of the roster enters the portal after Charles Huff’s move to Southern Mississippi, raising questions about who will even play in their bowl game. He noted that bowl season has increasingly become like a second round of spring football for many teams, even though wins still matter for coaches’ reputations and the financial stakes tied to their names. For players, it’s another opportunity to put game film out there. However, GoJo points out that for many programs, these games feel more like the start of next season rather than the end of this one. Fitz admitted he hadn’t considered how the transfer portal’s timing serves most players and credited Senior for his perspective. While sports debates often get heated, Fitz appreciates the point, even saying it might have changed his mind. He also highlighted how the portal creates traffic for players leaving playoff teams and those hoping to join them. Ultimately, he agrees that opening the portal earlier benefits far more players overall.
Getting back to the College Football Playoffs, GoJo asked Fitz who his pick was to win the national championship. Fitz shared that his preseason pick for the national championship was Oregon, and he’s sticking with them. He finds it ironic how Oregon has been judged all year — despite consistently winning and finishing the regular season undefeated; critics have focused on whether their victories were “dynamic” enough. Even after winning the Big Ten Championship, he admitted he’s concerned about how Penn State dominated them on the ground, putting out film that other teams will likely study and try to replicate. Still, Fitz believes in Oregon’s ability to rise to the challenge. They’ve proven they can beat playoff-caliber teams in shootouts, yet they’ve been undervalued throughout the season. While he acknowledges Oregon has the toughest road ahead, he confidently picked them in his bracket to win it all — defeating Notre Dame for the national championship.
Staying in the new look Big Ten, while some believe Penn State has the easiest route to the national championship, despite their loss to Oregon in the Big Ten title game, GoJo pointed out that the Nittany Lions impressed Fitz and wanted to gauge if they were a team that was capable of making a playoff run. Fitz acknowledged that while Penn State loss to Oregon, their performance made a strong statement. He’d feel more confident in their playoff chances if they had a reliable outside weapon. Although Tyler Warren is a great player, Fitz wishes they had a go-to receiver to lean on. Against Ohio State, Penn State’s offense looked undersized and lacked the creativity expected from their new system. However, against Oregon, once they found a strategy that worked, they stuck with it — repeatedly exploiting a weakness in a way Fitz likened to playing Madden and finding ways to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses by running the same play repeatedly. Despite the loss, how they hung with Oregon and put up points shifted his perspective. He believes they have the potential to make a playoff run, especially with two easier early matchups. However, defeating SMU or a Group of Five teams won’t relieve the pressure on James Franklin. Until Penn State defeats a major program, the scrutiny of Franklin will remain high, and the stakes will only increase.
Penn State is not the only team heading into the playoff in the pressure cooker. GoJo mentioned Dominique Foxworth asked him on his podcast about Notre Dame’s chances, and he wanted to explore it further. As longtime program observers — GoJo noted that Fitz and others, like Richard Johnson, have Notre Dame going far, even winning it all. With Georgia’s Carson Beck dealing with injury, Notre Dame’s path looks more manageable. The big question he posed was: How much pressure is there on Marcus Freeman in year three, not just to make the championship but also to win games along the way? Senior pointed out that in year three, previous Notre Dame head coaches have either reached the title game or won it all, setting a high bar for Marcus Freeman. While Freeman has had losses he shouldn’t have — much like Brian Kelly and Charlie Weis — he’s also shown progress. After the disappointing NIU loss, Notre Dame dominated opponents, save for a close game against Louisville and a tighter-than-expected matchup with USC before two key pick-sixes turned it around.
Senior praised Notre Dame’s strong running attack, improved passing game, and stout defense. He noted that, with the playoffs expanding from four to twelve teams, making the playoffs was the minimum expectation for Freeman, especially with seven at-large spots. Not only did Notre Dame clear that bar, but they earned a home game for the first round. However, with Notre Dame’s independence from a conference, the pressure is constant. The expectation isn’t just to make the playoffs but to compete at the highest level every year, and Senior believes they’re well-positioned to do so this season.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: Drew Brees on NFL Christmas Day Call and Sitting Rookie QBs + Martellus Bennett with Stories and Advice on Building Life Outside of Football
Hour 2: Jason Fitz on Transfer Portal Chaos, National Champion Picks & NFL Teams No One Wants To Play + Josh Allen’s MVP
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
