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Paul Finebaum went straight after the College Football Playoff committee and really the entire system in the aftermath of Sunday’s Playoff selections.
During his weekly Monday morning appearance on the McElroy & Cubelic In The Morning show, the ESPN college football analyst predictably had a lot to say about, well, everything involved with how the field is selected.
First, Finebaum was asked how quickly the seeding process can be adjusted or fixed.
“How about immediately?” Finebaum said. “Because I think everyone understands that. This was an express lane tournament this year. They threw it together, they had to make everybody happy … and that’s what we got. I’ll take it over 4 or 2 (teams), but I think there is an absolute, 100% certainty that when this group all meets formally on the morning of Jan. 20 in Atlanta, they’ll hash this out.
“The difference between today and a couple of years ago is that the two people who carry all of the weight are (SEC commissioner) Greg Sankey and (Big Ten commissioner) Tony Petitti, and I’d be shocked if these two aren’t already in communication trying to figure it out. Even though the Big Ten fared fairly well, they are now drafting partners, and it won’t happen again — guaranteed.”
And what immediate changes would Finebaum suggest?
“I think they have to tweak it for next year. … Especially if you look at what Penn State’s route to the semifinals is, it’s ridiculous,” said Finebaum. “Someone was going to get that path, I don’t know how you get that path after losing your (conference championship) game, but that’s OK.
“They can do whatever they want. This is not law. It was just a formula. If Sankey and Petitti go in there and say ‘We’re changing it’ … what are these other conferences going to do? I know a lot of threats are being made today (over scheduling). That’s not going to happen, but the rest of the conferences are going to do whatever the SEC and the Big Ten want.”
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
