Paul Finebaum is considering leaving ESPN to run for the U.S. Senate from Alabama. Given the level of silliness we've seen from Congress lately, Finebaum should fit right in with his penchant for spewing nonsense.
USF is the latest target by the Lout from the South. The idea that the Bulls could be the Group of 5 representative in the College Football Playoffs seems to have upset his delicate sensibilities. He went off on Chris "Mad Dog" Russo for daring to suggest that the latest College Football Playoff rankings are top-heavy with SEC teams.
"The Group of Five with South Florida ... that division really has no business playing. That's like letting the Triple-A best team into the Major League playoffs."@finebaum believes the best college football teams should make the CFP 😅 pic.twitter.com/T0cPfijD4Y
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 12, 2025
“What about putting the best in? I don’t see Major League, I don’t see the NFL going ‘Ah, the Chiefs. They’ve been there too many times. Let’s put the Patriots in. Doggie, this is supposed to be about excellence, not about being fair,” Finebaum said. “This is not the little leagues where we give a second, third, fourth, and fifth place trophy. This should be the best.”
Let's take a closer look at that.
The latest College Football Playoff rankings list six SEC teams in the top 11 and seven in the top 14.
By his logic, the second, third, fourth, and fifth-place SEC teams shouldn't get a trophy because they didn't win their conference. And by the way, the regular season IS basically a playoff. Georgia (ranked 5th) had its shot but lost to Alabama. Do the Bulldogs get a do-over because they play in the (let us bow our heads) the S-E-C, where it just means more?
Ole Miss (ranked 7th) lost to Georgia. Sorry guys, you're out.
Texas (ranked 10th) lost to Florida, for goodness sake.
Florida lost to .... who was it? I'm trying to think.
Oh yeah. Florida lost to THE University of South Florida -- in The Swamp, no less.
I'd be surprised if Finebaum has ever watched more than a few USF highlight reels this year. Byrum Brown would start at quarterback for most, if not all, SEC teams. The Bulls are averaging 42 points a game. They are electric, entertaining, and -- by the way -- that doesn't mean they'll be in the playoffs. They have three regular-season games left, and if they navigate that they'll stilll have to win the American Conference championship game.
You can bet the two teams that make it to the SEC titlle game will make the playoffs regardless of the outcome, which takes a lot of the juice out of that game. Only little leagues give trophies to second-place teams, right Paul?
Look around, Paul. There's a lot of good football being played outside of the SEC. You know about Florida and USF. Memphis beat Arkansas. Tulane beat Duke and Northwestern. Army beat Kansas State.
If the Bulls get in, it will be because they earned it.
If that bothers you, Paul, maybe you can try get a law passed that says the CFP must include 11 SEC teams and maybe one from the Big Ten. Kentucky vs. Mississippi State should be compelling.