SEC
Finebaum: Push for CFP Expansion “Inherently Wrong”
Finebaum with negative reaction toward potential changes to College Football Playoff
Every once in a while, SEC Network analyst and longtime radio host in the footprint of SEC Country will bring upon college athletic fans very good points.
Paul Finebaum often backs the SEC more often than not. However, the latest power move to expand the College Football Playoff field to 14 teams and do away with automatic bids is something he doesn’t agree with.
“They are completely wrong about guaranteeing bids. Even SEC fans are calling in saying they don’t like it,” said Finebaum. “There is something inherently wrong about stacking the deck before the season. … I think it’s a bad move right now.”
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey introduces Alabama coach Kirsty Curry during SEC Media Day at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
One ESPN employee and longtime Pardon the Interruption co-host Michael Wilbon is a bit disturbed by how this has come about, calling it loathsome and will potentially ruin the sport.
“It leads toward the ruination of what I appreciate about college football,” Wilbon said on PTI Friday. “Having followed it all my life — having covered it half my life — I hate what this is doing. And, yes, I’m a trustee of a university in one of those conferences that is at the big-kid table. OK? It’s a golden-child table to be in the Big Ten or the SEC. And I’m grateful for that. But now I’m sure I’m gonna make people who deal with me in the Big Ten cringe.”
PTI host and Northwestern trustee Michael Wilbon on the SEC and Big 10 pushing for 8 auto bids in the CFP:
“It leads toward the ruination of what I appreciate about college football. … I don’t like exclusion when it comes to sport. I want inclusion.” pic.twitter.com/OwxLsFNWpN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 19, 2025
The shift in how the College Football Playoff will be seeded and expanded was reported by ESPN’s Heather Dinnich Friday afternoon. This move will potentially change college football and amateur athletics forever as this could be the first domino to fall that leads to a mega-division breakoff from the NCAA.
