Paul Finebaum has never been one to shy away from bold takes, especially when it comes to the fate of the SEC.
With his knack for stirring the pot, the ESPN analyst had fans across a little stunned during a recent appearance. Why? Perhaps for the first time ever, he painted a grim picture for the SEC’s dominance in college football.
“Imagine if Penn State beats Notre Dame and Ohio State knocks out Texas,” Finebaum speculated. “We’re talking about an all-Big Ten national championship. That would completely shift the narrative in college football—a narrative that’s been all about the SEC for years.”
It’s not just the hypothetical that has SEC fans sweating—it’s the current reality. The conference, which has been synonymous with supremacy for over a decade, finds itself on shaky ground. Georgia, the defending champs, stumbled in a stunning loss to Notre Dame, and Tennessee got trampled by Ohio State. Texas, the lone SEC team remaining in the College Football Playoff, had to claw their way past Arizona State in double overtime to survive.
Let's not forget that Texas was in the Big 12 last season.
Marcus Spears, a former LSU standout and current analyst, chimed in with his own theory for the SEC’s struggles. On First Take, Spears didn’t mince words, blaming the NCAA transfer portal and NIL deals for what he sees as a talent drain.
“This is how I explain the SEC to people: your second- and third-string guys could’ve been first-round draft picks. That doesn’t exist anymore,” Spears said. “Those guys are transferring out, starting at other schools, and making an immediate impact.”
He pointed to elite programs like Ohio State, which capitalized by adding former SEC stars such as Caleb Downs from Alabama and Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss. According to Spears, this redistribution of talent has leveled the playing field, making it harder for SEC powerhouses to maintain their depth.
For fans who have grown accustomed to seeing SEC teams in the final showdown, the thought of an all-Big Ten title game is unsettling. Finebaum didn’t hold back when summing up how the South would react.
“I’m not sure what we’re going to do down here in SEC country,” he joked, “but we may need to hang our heads.”
With Texas set to face Ohio State in the semifinals, the pressure is on. If the Longhorns fall, the SEC could find itself on the outside looking in—a harsh reality for a conference that has long been college football’s crown jewel.
The stakes have never been higher, and Finebaum’s nightmare scenario may soon become a reality.