The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State, Indiana, Miami and More — How Many Teams Can Win the National Title?

Date: October 23, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises, Bill Landis
Guest: Ari Wasserman (On3)
Podcast: Blue Wire

EPISODE OVERVIEW

The Bill and Doug Show dives deep into the national title picture, asking a fundamental question: How many college football teams can truly win the national championship in 2025? With special guest Ari Wasserman, the hosts move beyond standard playoff or top-10 talk to a substantive, team-by-team breakdown, peppered with sharp insights, debate, and laughs. The conversation is Ohio State-centric but stretches wide across the college football landscape, highlighting key programs, trends, parity, and the shifting power balance between conferences.

SECTION 1: OPENING THE NATIONAL TITLE RACE (03:16)

Framing the Debate: Not Just Playoff Teams

• The hosts aim to separate teams with a real shot at winning a title from mere playoff hopefuls.
• Doug: “This is not a playoff conversation. This is a ‘who can actually go win three or four straight against the best teams’ conversation." (04:40)
• Each panelist offers an initial number:
  • Bill: 9 teams plus one with an asterisk
  • Ari: 10, with an asterisk
  • Doug: 6, with a tough standard

Why the List Has Grown

• Ari reflects on how five years ago, one would simply check the top five talent teams and the champion was almost guaranteed to come from there, but the new era (NIL, transfer portal, shifting conference power) has flattened the field and expanded the pool of possible champions (06:23).

Ari: “I used to just look at the talent list, pick from the top five, and I’d have been right 20 out of 21 years... Now? Maybe 22 teams could do it before the year. Now that we’ve seen the teams, 6 to 11 feels right.” (05:36)

SECTION 2: THE IMPACT OF THE 12-TEAM PLAYOFF (06:55)

• Hosts discuss the shift from a four-team to a 12-team playoff and how it fits the new landscape of greater parity.
• Ari: "I hated it at first… But now the sport has shifted… and those spots might be necessary. In 2019? Would have made the regular season pointless. Now, it has a purpose.” (07:05)

Bill: “It’s a happy accident … NIL and the portal just flattened things out, and now more teams matter. If this was Saban’s heyday, a 12-team playoff would have been pointless. Now, it finally makes sense.” (07:59)

SECTION 3: TEAM-BY-TEAM, WHO CAN WIN THE TITLE?

Ohio State — THE BENCHMARK (10:05)

All three agree: Ohio State is in “super team” mode—once again the standard-setter in college football.

• Doug: “Is this just another edition of one of the most talented teams in the country mowing over the competition?” (11:08)
• Ari: “...I’m surprised. I wrote columns last year saying the era was over, but this team feels like a super team again. Are you surprised they’re still in super team mode, deep in the NIL era?” (13:00)
• Bill and Doug detail why Ohio State has weathered recent changes better than any SEC blueblood:
  • Elite retention, little attrition via transfer
  • Ability to selectively fill needs through portal
  • Depth of homegrown and regional talent, but with just the right “magic touches” via out-of-region stars (e.g. Jeremiah Smith)
• Bill: “It’s like that ‘Mount Buckeye’ is always there. The individual peaks from the SEC aren’t jutting up as much anymore.” (22:45)
• Ari: “There’s half the teams on my list I don’t think could even be in the same game as Ohio State right now.” (19:20)

Notable Exchange:

Ari: “Are you anywhere close to asking the Death Star question about Ohio State?” (12:55)

Bill: “I think Ohio State’s just built a little different... I don’t think anyone’s going to dominate the sport like that again.” (14:04)

Doug: “They’ve been less affected by change than anyone. They’ve managed retention, the portal, NIL and have a big city and alumni base to help. I don’t know that they’re better than the last 10 years, but they’re not looking up at the glut of SEC talent anymore.” (17:07)

Indiana — THE ASCENDANT (35:26)

• All agree Indiana is now in the conversation—especially after whipping Oregon in Eugene.
• Bill: “You asked me after Indiana-Oregon, can they win a title? Yes. It sounds weird but…yes, of course.” (35:37)
• Ari and Doug parse whether Indiana’s level of success is sustainable: can Kurt Cignetti keep working portal magic, or does he need to build from high school recruiting? (39:54)
• Ari: “How many years of Indiana doing this before it stops being weird they’re on this list?” (36:29)
• All acknowledge Indiana’s leap in physicality and line play, not just skill players.

Oregon — THE SCARRED BUT DANGEROUS (49:49)

• All three put Oregon on their list, even after the Indiana loss.
• Doug: “Oregon looks mad again. I don’t think the Indiana game exposed flaws—I think Indiana just took care of business. Now Oregon might beat people by 50 the rest of the way.” (50:53)
• Ari: “Every level on both sides of the ball has a playmaker. I was surprised Indiana beat them not because of Indiana, but because Oregon’s that solid.” (51:56)

Alabama — THE SURVIVOR (53:16)

• Bill, Ari have Bama; Doug not convinced.
• Doug: “I do not see any world where Bama can win three straight games against the best teams in the country.” (57:32)
• Ari: “If you examine every team as closely, you’ll see flaws. Their ‘cannot’ feels one step too far to me. Not my pick, but not off the list yet.” (58:42)
• Bill: “They're not a juggernaut, but I don't know if anyone is this year.” (58:56)

Notable Data Points:

• Bama’s success rate: 31st offense, 73rd defense—not championship level? (56:34)
• Bill: EPA margins and four straight top-15 wins keep them in the conversation.

Miami — THE PHYSICAL IMPOSTER? (64:00)

• Ari and Bill defend Miami despite a surprising Louisville loss.
• “Their front seven is special. Best O-line in the country….I was shocked they got pushed around Friday.” (64:04)
• Ari: “If they don’t have to put it all on Carson Beck, they can do it.” (66:25)
• Doug: “Similar to James Franklin at Penn State—Mario Cristobal still needs to prove it in big moments.” (67:02)

Notre Dame — BATTLE-TESTED (70:44)

• Doug’s preseason title pick; all three include them.
• Ari: “They don’t control their destiny; especially with the expanded field…they need help. But don’t count good losses out. If they run the table, their losses (Miami, A&M) could look as good as anyone’s.” (71:42)
• Bill: “It matters they’ve been through the playoff. That institutional knowledge counts.” (77:41)

Texas A&M — THE SOUL-SEARCHER (78:09)

• All three: In. Mike Elko keeps his teams calm and resilient in close games, schedule sets up for a trip to Atlanta (79:05).
• Ari: “In the past, they always lost those games. Winning at Notre Dame almost felt like a hex was lifted from the program.” (80:19)

Georgia — THE LUCKY HOLDOVER? (81:36)

• Bill and Ari include Georgia, Doug argues against.
• Doug: “They should have three losses. Miracle win vs. Tennessee, officiating gift at Auburn, and Ole Miss collapse. If Gunner Stockton makes plays, it’s because he’s always in crunch time. At some point, they won’t make the play.” (84:36)
• Ari: “Aura and talent keep them in the conversation, barely. But they’re not my first, second, third, or fourth pick.” (83:49)

Texas Tech — THE FRANKENSTEIN (92:23)

• Bill and Ari include them, not Doug.
• Bill: “I think the defense is legit. You go to Utah and dominate them up front, that means something.”
• Ari: “They have the kind of top-line talent the rest of the Big 12 just doesn’t have." (94:52)
• Notable: PFF pressures—Texas Tech has three of the top four "pressure guys" in Power Four.

Honorable Mentions / Asterisks:

• USC (Bill’s asterisk): “Might have the best offense in the country…with extra time to prepare in the playoff, you might not want to see them.”
• Ole Miss: Ari (initially) puts them on, but after pushback on their defensive metrics, pulls them off: “Yeah, I think I was falling into the SEC trap.” (97:14)
• Texas: Consensus: offensive line too poor, not considered a real threat.

SECTION 4: THEMES, QUOTES, & TRENDS

• The End of SEC Supreme Power?

  • The hosts repeatedly challenge the idea that the SEC is still as dominant and discuss the “flattening” of the sport’s talent pool.
  • Ari: “Now you watch Ohio State play and it doesn’t even look like they’re breaking a sweat. Every other team has to strain for wins.” (27:47)
  • Parity is up, super teams are harder to recognize.

• The Transfer Portal & NIL Era

  • Retention and targeted retrieval from the portal are more valuable than ever.
  • Ohio State’s consistency in an era where others are being “thinned out” by player movement is a major talking point.

• Southern Bias and National Narratives

  • The hosts rail against the southern CFB bias in polls, strength of schedule, and public perception.
  • Ari: "The loser in the north just fades, but in the south, you’re still a good team. The winner is 'proven' and the loser is still respected." (49:00)

SECTION 5: NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• Doug to Ari (about his old “Death Star” Georgia take):

  “There is a notion that there is a ton of parity in college football this year… Are we overthinking it? If [blank] goes into Death Star mode, is it just another edition of one of the most talented teams mowing over the competition?” (11:08)
  (Ari was referencing Georgia in 2023; now the question applies to OSU in 2025.)

• Ari on Miami:

  “Their front seven… special. One of the best O-lines in the country. But then Louisville pushed them around and that shocked me.” (64:04)

• Ari on the importance of investing in life's daily pleasures:

  “If you do something every day and it’s the thing you enjoy most, don’t cheap out on it—buy the best. Never cut corners on the things you love the most.” (124:06)

• On the 'SEC insists upon itself' trope:

  “You know, four ranked wins in a row; I know the SEC insists upon itself, but winning those is the closest thing to showing you can win four in a row anyone has done this year.” – Ari, on why Alabama stays on his list (57:32)

SECTION 6: FINAL TALLY — WHO CAN WIN IT ALL? (100:26)

Unanimous Picks:

• Ohio State
• Indiana
• Oregon
• Miami
• Notre Dame
• Texas A&M

Bill & Ari Also Include:

• Alabama
• Georgia
• Texas Tech

On the Bubble / With Asterisks:

• USC (Bill's asterisk pick)
• Ole Miss (Ari initially, then removes)
• Vanderbilt, Missouri, Tennessee (mentioned as longshots by odds only, not by the panel)

Teams Not Making Anyone's List:

• Texas (due to offensive line)
• Ole Miss (due to defense)

Betting Odds Recap (100:26):

• Favorites: Ohio State (+260)
• Alabama (+650)
• Indiana (+800)
• Oregon (+950)
• Texas A&M & Notre Dame (11-1)
• Georgia (12-1)
• Miami (17-1)
• Others trail

SECTION 7: SEGMENT HIGHLIGHTS

On Indiana and Sustained Success (39:54)

• Can a portal-based program keep winning, or will it hit a wall without a Top 20 high school recruiting base?

  “How many Portal Kings have come to the playoff?... At a certain point you need to revert back to signing top 20 classes to remain consistent, and I don’t know the answer yet.” – Ari

On Southern Bias & Perception (29:56)

• Ohio State's lack of "sexy wins" is treated differently than Georgia's easy schedule was, despite similar “defending champ” status.

Committees & “Good Loss” Politics (73:06)

• Would a 10–2 Notre Dame win a comparison with a 9–3 Alabama who beat Georgia?
• “No one gives a crap if Notre Dame beats Pittsburgh—unless Pitt is 9–2. SEC teams don’t get doubted like that.” — Ari (74:50)

SECTION 8: WHAT YOU WATCHING, EATING, THINKING (102:06)

Highlights:

• Watches: “Task” (HBO), “Black Rabbit” (Netflix/Jason Bateman), Tim Robinson’s Chair Company (HBO)
• Eats: Fried rice (Ari: “Best non-American carb!”), breakfast burritos (Bill’s top five), root beer on tap (Doug: “If you don’t order it, you’re a psychopath.”)
• Thinks:
  • Always buy quality for crucial daily habits (Ari)
  • Paris jewel heist: “Are we allowed to think a jewel heist is cool as long as no one gets hurt?” (Bill)
  • Cover band economics – who gets paid what and is it fair? (Doug)

CONCLUSION

The 2025 college football season features a wider field of legitimate national title hopefuls than ever before, thanks to transfer portal dynamics, NIL, and the expanded playoff. While Ohio State sits atop the heap, perennial powers like Alabama and Georgia are now much closer to the pack, while programs like Indiana, Oregon, Notre Dame, Miami, and Texas A&M are firmly in the championship conversation. Throughout, the panel pushes back on southern bias and celebrates the new, more egalitarian era of college football—where, for the first time, plenty of teams can dream about winning it all.

QUICK REFERENCE: TEAMS DISCUSSED

| Team | Unanimous? | Panelists Include | |---------------|------------|-------------------| | Ohio State | Yes | All three | | Indiana | Yes | All three | | Oregon | Yes | All three | | Notre Dame | Yes | All three | | Miami | Yes | All three | | Texas A&M | Yes | All three | | Georgia | No | Bill, Ari | | Alabama | No | Bill, Ari | | Texas Tech | No | Bill, Ari | | USC | Asterisk | Bill | | Ole Miss | No | (Initially Ari) |

End of Summary