Josh Pate names the "number one" college football program on the path to become elite

College football has its top flight of programs and the select group includes Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, and Notre Dame. That tier could see some change within the next few seasons, and CBS Sports college football analyst Josh Pate has his prediction as to how things might shift on Thursday's episode of his "College Football Show".

A viewer asked Pate who he thought would emerge as an elite college football program three years from now. Pate defined elite by separating the sports' top 10 teams by considering their winning percentage and added another to this list.

"I think LSU, just easily, is my No. 1 choice for someone who's not there," Pate said (1:20). "Plus, they're almost there already. The last few years they've won — nine games this past year, 10 games the year before, 10 games the year before that. They are a very good recruiter, they're a really good portal team, they've made really good organizational moves.

"I still believe in Brian Kelly. People call me stupid, but whatever. ... Brian Kelly's gonna have a lot of that — I wouldn't say Ryan Day energy about him because Ryan Day has not been around nearly as long as Brian Kelly."

For Brian Kelly to reintroduce the Tigers as one of college football's top programs, he'll need to raise the sport's most coveted trophy.

"Yet, he's still not quote, unquote 'won the big one,' not won a national championship," Pate said. "But, yet, I've always believed he can. Still believe he can. Again, you can label me however you want to.

"Plus, it's LSU. Like, every coach that's capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time has won a national championship down there since the turn of the millenium. That's not pejorative in nature, it's just really true. Everyone's done it, which speaks to the fact that that purple and gold is a very strong brand."

What other college football program could emerge?

Pate had other choices, including Miami. The Hurricanes are seeking to build on their first season of 10 wins or more since 2017 but will do so without Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Cam Ward, who's moving on to the next level.

Former Georgia passer Carson Beck will probably slide into Ward's place as the team's starting signal-caller, having joined the team from the transfer portal last month.

"A lot of you are just yelling," Pate said. "It happens every time we bring Miami up on the show, which is, I guess, a good thing because it means no one's indifferent on Miami.

"A small group of people love them, a massive army of people hate them. ... I root for Miami to be great. I would love to see them at this head table."

Part of why Pate would like to see Miami climb to the highest ranks in college football is because of the emotion it would elicit.

"I think there is a swath, a vast swath, of our younger audience that just has no concept of what it's like when Miami is good," Pate said. "You wanna feel hatred? You wanna feel, like, a real vitriolic, guttural hatred of a program? Check out the pulse of the majority of America when Miami's elite."

The Hurricanes were once the country's most scrutinized program, combining success with swagger. Whether they can be that notable again is something that will remain to be seen.