Paul Finebaum, the voice of Southern college football and one of the most influential media figures in the sport, has never been one to shy away from bold takes—and his latest commentary is shaking up the college football world once again. During a recent segment, Finebaum made it clear that he believes the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big Ten have outgrown the rest of college football and should stop pretending otherwise.
“It’s time for the SEC and the Big Ten to stop playing nice with everyone else,” Finebaum said bluntly. “They don’t need the rest of the country to run college football. They’re already doing it.”
His remarks come at a time when college athletics is undergoing a massive shift in power. Realignment has already reshaped the landscape, with powerhouse programs chasing revenue and media rights across conference lines. The SEC added Oklahoma and Texas, while the Big Ten brought in USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, creating two mega-conferences with unmatched brands, fanbases, and TV deals.
For Finebaum, this is not a moment to slow down—it’s the moment to pull away.
“These two leagues are driving everything,” he added. “They have the biggest TV contracts, the most passionate fanbases, the most NFL-ready talent, and the national championships to prove it. So why are they still pretending they need to play by the same rules as
