On Thursday Night, the Ole Miss Rebels were the final SEC team eliminated from the College Football Playoff with their loss to Miami. The loss continued an unfortunate stretch for the SEC, which has seen them go from the unquestioned kings of the sport to battling for the title of the best conference in college football.
As the ACC and the Big Ten play for the National Championship, it marks 3 straight years without a National Championship for the league, for the first time since 1999-2002. This stretch also ensures that the SEC hasn't appeared in the National Championship Game for 3 straight seasons.
Paul Finebaum has to live up to his word and leave the Country
If there's anyone who's likely the most upset about the SEC's rough stretch, it's ESPN's Paul Finebaum. The college football analyst may believe in the SEC more than Commissioner Greg Sankey as he's constantly defended the strength and dominance of the league.
With Ole Miss losing to seal the SEC's fate, everyone is pulling receipts on those who declared this would be a return to the top for the conference. Paul Finebaum was the strongest in his belief that the SEC would win it all, saying he would leave the Country if it wasn't the SEC hoisting the National Championship Trophy.
“If it’s not I’m leaving the country. I am so sick and tired of being harassed by Big Ten fans on our show. … They act like they invented football.” @finebaum has had enough of Big Ten fans, and predicts that an SEC team will win the National Championship 😂 @daniklup pic.twitter.com/LNXFwU7IL3
— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) August 9, 2025
Paul Finebaum has to be smart enough to know that takes live forever, and declaring that the SEC would win it all would come back to bite him. You can't go out and bang on the table for the league and then miss the Championship game entirely, especially when you pick Texas, which missed the College Football Playoff as a whole to win it all.
It's going to be a long offseason for Paul Finebaum and for the SEC as a 3rd straight National Championship for the Big Ten would end any debate over who's the best conference right now.