Paul Finebaum Says Ohio State Must Face College Football’s Best Quarterback Since Tim Tebow During Crucial 2025 Showdown Season
When Paul Finebaum speaks, college football fans listen. The longtime SEC analyst has built a career on hot takes, sharp analysis, and deep connections within the sport’s most dominant conference. But when Finebaum recently turned his attention to the Ohio State Buckeyes, it wasn’t to rehash old arguments about the Big Ten’s shortcomings or defend the SEC’s superiority. This time, it was about a single player—a quarterback he believes could be the most impactful force the Buckeyes will face all season, and perhaps the best to take the field since a certain left-handed legend from Florida named Tim Tebow.
Finebaum’s comments, made during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up,” sent a ripple through the college football landscape. “Ohio State has all the pressure in the world this season,” Finebaum said. “But they also have to go up against the best college football quarterback I’ve seen since Tim Tebow. That’s not an exaggeration. That’s fact.”
He was referring, of course, to Georgia quarterback Dylan Raiola. The former five-star recruit and one-time Ohio State commit has quickly become the centerpiece of the Bulldogs’ national title aspirations. And when Ohio State and Georgia meet this fall—a highly anticipated clash with playoff implications—it will be Raiola’s dynamic, fearless style that could make the difference. Finebaum believes this isn’t just another tough road game for the Buckeyes. It’s a date with a generational quarterback talent.
So why is Finebaum so convinced that Raiola is in the Tebow tier of college football legends? The answer lies in the traits that make quarterbacks uncontainable at this level: composure, arm strength, mobility, leadership, and a certain unteachable charisma. Tebow had it. Johnny Manziel had it. Cam Newton had it. Caleb Williams had flashes of it. And now, Finebaum says, Dylan Raiola has it. The 6-foot-3 Georgia signal-caller may be young, but he plays with poise and power beyond his years. He commands the offense like a veteran and never seems rattled, even in the face of elite defenses.
For Ohio State, the prospect of having to stop such a player adds yet another layer of urgency to a season already carrying immense weight. Ryan Day is entering 2025 on a tightrope. Despite winning plenty of games, his three straight losses to Michigan and lack of postseason hardware have brought intense scrutiny. The Buckeyes are absolutely loaded on defense, with Caleb Downs, Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, and Denzel Burke all returning. But as Finebaum noted, even elite defenses can crumble when facing a quarterback who refuses to break.
Raiola, the son of longtime NFL lineman Dominic Raiola, has the pedigree, the mechanics, and the mental edge coaches dream of. He’s not a pure runner like Tebow was, but his mobility is a huge asset. He can escape pressure, extend plays, and deliver strikes downfield with precision. More importantly, he’s built to shine on the biggest stages—something that’s drawn comparisons not only to Tebow but to Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow as well. Georgia is already molding their offensive system to accentuate Raiola’s strengths. That makes them dangerous.
The Georgia-Ohio State matchup has become a budding non-conference rivalry. After their epic 2022 Peach Bowl battle—widely considered one of the best games in College Football Playoff history—this rematch carries immense emotional and strategic weight. For the Buckeyes, it’s a chance to measure themselves against the reigning powerhouse of college football and to finally deliver a statement win on the national stage. For Georgia, it’s a showcase for their new star, and a way to reassert dominance after narrowly missing the playoff last season.
But while fans and analysts are rightly focused on the broader implications, Finebaum insists this game boils down to one central challenge for Ohio State: stopping Dylan Raiola. And that’s where things get interesting.
Jim Knowles, Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, has crafted one of the most suffocating defenses in college football. In 2023, the Buckeyes were among the national leaders in points allowed, yards per play, and takeaways. That group returns nearly intact in 2025, and many believe it could be the best defensive unit Ohio State has had since the 2019 season when Chase Young terrorized opposing quarterbacks. But Finebaum questions whether even that kind of defense is enough to stop Raiola at full throttle.
“You can be in the right place, you can have the right blitz dialed up, and he still breaks the pocket and finds the big play,” Finebaum said. “That’s what the great ones do. You can’t coach it. You can’t game plan it. You can only survive it.”
If Raiola really is that special—and many believe he is—then the stakes for Ohio State become even higher. A win over Georgia would give the Buckeyes a monumental early-season boost and reestablish them as national frontrunners. A loss, especially one where the defense is shredded by a freshman quarterback, would only intensify the calls for change in Columbus.
What makes this situation particularly painful for Ohio State fans is the Raiola connection. He was once committed to the Buckeyes in the 2024 class, only to flip to Georgia in a recruitment that still stings among OSU faithful. Had he stayed, the Buckeyes may have had their quarterback of the future locked in already. Instead, they’re heading into the season with a three-way quarterback battle between Julian Sayin, Devin Brown, and Will Howard. Each has upside. None is a sure thing.
Meanwhile, Georgia has their guy. Raiola hasn’t just won the job—he’s seized control of the program. And now, he stands as the latest hurdle between Ohio State and the championship glory they’ve been chasing for over a decade.
The irony, of course, is that Ohio State has faced great quarterbacks before. They held Heisman-winner Marcus Mariota in check in the 2014 National Championship Game. They battled Trevor Lawrence in the 2019 and 2020 playoffs. They saw Bryce Young nearly knock them out in 2022. But Finebaum believes Raiola has the chance to be even more special because of the offense surrounding him and his early command of college football’s speed.
“He’s playing like a guy who’s already been in the league two years,” Finebaum said. “And he’s just getting started. That’s what should worry Ohio State.”
In response to Finebaum’s comments, many within the Buckeye program have downplayed the hype. Ryan Day has refused to speak publicly about the matchup this far out, choosing instead to focus on fall camp and developing his own quarterback room. Defensive leaders like Caleb Downs have been respectful in acknowledging Raiola’s potential, but are more focused on ensuring Ohio State is physically and mentally ready for the challenge.
Still, it’s impossible to ignore the storyline. If Finebaum is right—and Raiola is indeed the most impactful quarterback since Tim Tebow—then this is more than just a regular-season test. It’s a referendum. On Ryan Day’s leadership. On Knowles’ defense. On the entire trajectory of the Ohio State football program.
And if history has shown anything, it’s that quarterbacks like this don’t come around often. When they do, they change the game.
For Ohio State, the goal in 2025 is simple: win the Big Ten, beat Michigan, make the playoff, and bring home a national championship. But to do that, they’ll have to go through the most talented quarterback they’ve faced in years—maybe decades. Paul Finebaum may be known for stirring the pot, but this time, his words come with substance.
Ohio State doesn’t just have a schedule full of contenders. They’ve got a date with a possible legend in the making. And the whole country will be watching to see if the Buckeyes can finally stop a quarterback who, according to one of the sport’s most influential voices, might just be the best since Tim Tebow.
