For years, Paul Finebaum, ESPN’s prominent college football analyst, staunchly championed the SEC as the preeminent conference in college football. Finebaum’s unwavering support for the conference was evident on his various platforms, including ESPN’s “Get Up.”
As the Big Ten captured back-to-back championships, Finebaum found himself eating his words.
Paul Finebaum Acknowledges Big Ten’s Rise to Power
On an episode of Get Up, Mike Greenberg posed the question: “Does the Big Ten own college football?”
Finebaum’s response was uncharacteristically straightforward:
“The Big Ten, at the moment, owns college football. There is no way you can say it doesn’t. When you go back-to-back, that’s generational.”
He pointed to Ohio State’s impressive victories, including their defeats of two SEC teams, as proof of the Big Ten’s current dominance.
The ESPN analyst went on to reference an 1828 quote from a New York senator:
“To the victor belongs the spoils.”
Finebaum, who had long defended the SEC’s supremacy, admitted that the Big Ten’s success was an uncomfortable reality for SEC fans who had grown accustomed to the conference’s dominance.
“It’s an uncomfortable feeling for the SEC which has owned the sport,” Finbaum stated. “But it’s a reality this morning.”
The Big Ten’s back-to-back national championship victories have forced Finebaum to reassess his position. The shift in his perspective has become a talking point, especially among fans who have long criticized his SEC bias. The turning point came after Ohio State’s decisive championship win, which added to Michigan’s triumph the previous year.
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The back-to-back titles by teams in the Big Ten put to rest the long-held notion that the SEC was the undisputed leader in college football. With these victories, the Big Ten has firmly positioned itself as the top conference in the sport.
The shift also highlights the growing strength of the Big Ten, which Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule has been vocal about since taking over in 2023. He had previously declared the Big Ten the NFL of college football.
Rhule has long argued that the Big Ten deserved a larger share of the College Football Playoff bracket. Finebaum had initially mocked Rhule’s assessment, telling him to stay in his lane and focus on the task at hand rather than weigh in on the broader conference debate.
Meanwhile, on X, Rhule shared clips comparing Finebaum’s earlier dismissals of the Big Ten’s strength with the analyst’s recent acknowledgment of the Big Ten’s dominance.
The Nebraska head coach’s playful jab at Finebaum highlighted the shift in college football’s power dynamics, much to the amusement of Big Ten fans who had long felt sidelined by the SEC’s constant praise.
While Finebaum’s reassessment was notable, it wasn’t just his views that were shifting. The entire college football landscape is in the midst of a transformation.
The SEC, which has been the most successful conference for years, is now facing serious competition from the Big Ten, particularly after Ohio State and Michigan’s recent national title wins.
Finebaum on Ohio State and Michigan Leading the Way
The back-to-back championships by Ohio State and Michigan are monumental achievements that signal a new era in college football.
Ohio State’s victory over Notre Dame in the most recent national championship capped off a stellar playoff performance and added to Michigan’s title the previous year, further cementing the Big Ten’s dominance. It is the first time since the 1940s that the Big Ten has claimed consecutive titles.
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For years, the SEC was seen as the gold standard in college football. Teams like Alabama, LSU, and Georgia were perennial powerhouses, and their dominance in the sport was unquestioned.
The SEC’s impressive record of championships and top-tier talent gave the conference a reputation that seemed untouchable. But with the rise of Ohio State and Michigan, the Big Ten is now challenging that status quo.
For Finebaum, admitting that the Big Ten now holds the crown in college football was a significant moment. Known for his bold and often controversial statements, Finebaum’s turnaround was a humbling admission.
“It’s an uncomfortable feeling for the SEC, which has owned the sport,” he said.
But this discomfort is a reflection of the changing reality of college football. With the Big Ten now firmly entrenched as the top conference in the sport, fans can look forward to a more exciting and unpredictable future.
As the 2025 season approaches, college football fans are eagerly anticipating what comes next. Will the SEC reclaim its spot at the top, or will the Big Ten continue to assert its dominance?
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