Paul Finebaum isn’t giving up on the SEC in 2024 just because Tennessee lost to a better Ohio State team in the first round.
During his weekly Monday morning appearance on the McElroy & Cubelic In The Morning show, the ESPN college football analyst spoke about how the SEC’s overall performance in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff is still very much undetermined. Yes, the Volunteers were outclassed by the Buckeyes in frigid cold weather in Columbus, and Finebaum wasn’t hiding from that.
But, his point was there are still 2 very good SEC teams who will be playing in the quarterfinals in a little over a week in conference champion Georgia and Texas, which rolled over a feisty Clemson team in the first round.
“That’s going to be the Monday narrative (Tennessee’s big loss to Ohio State). We’ve already seen it and we’ll see it again, and we’ll hear it today,” said Finebaum. “I’m sure anybody that can dial a phone from Ohio will be calling our program, and they’re welcome to. They can boast and brag — and they should, by the way. Ohio State was magnificent, and Tennessee was unwatchable. But, ultimately, Tennessee is not the SEC standard.”
That standard, Finebaum said, will be shaped by the 2 SEC teams who remain in the Playoff.
“That (standard) belongs to Texas and Georgia, and really how they fare is going to help form this narrative,” said Finebaum. “Certainly, Texas has a better chance of getting to the 3rd round than Georgia, without Carson Beck, but I think they both will. But everyone’s waiting out there. Everyone wants to pounce on the SEC, which is good. But overall, I don’t think the SEC has to apologize or be embarrassed by anything.”
Texas will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day afternoon, and then that night Georgia takes on Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, with the winners advancing to the CFP semifinals.
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