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SEC Football

Would the College Football Playoff champion be legitimate without Big Ten and Pac-12? Paul Finebaum weighs in

Michael Wayne Bratton

By Michael Wayne Bratton

Published:

Considering two of the Power 5 conferences have pulled the plug on the coming fall college football season, how legitimate would the winner of the College Football Playoff really be?

Well, considering the SEC and the ACC currently own the College Football Playoff, the case could easily be made that the winner will be recognized as such around the nation without much hesitation.

That’s the way Paul Finebaum sees it, too, as the SEC Network host was asked that question during his most recent appearance on ESPN morning show “Get Up” on Thursday.

“Yes,” Finebaum answered when asked if the CFP champion would be legitimate with just the SEC, ACC and Big 12 potentially playing football this fall. “And even though I’ve labored on this, in the year 2020, there is no normal – there’s no, ‘Well it’s different than it used to be.’ If you play for a championship and you win, you’re going to claim the championship and the Big Ten and the Pac-12 can say it’s not fair but they haven’t really competed very well in the championship anyway.

“It’s been about Dabo Swinney’s team for the last five years and either Alabama or LSU –  Georgia made a run, as well. So I think if we’re that fortunate, and I mean it, if we’re that fortunate to have a College Football Playoff champion, I think everyone should just be happy and say, you’re the guy, you’re the champion. Congratulations.”

During Finebaum’s response on the program, the “Get Up” show researcher noted that all other conferences outside of the SEC and the ACC are 0-9 in College Football Playoff games the previous five seasons.

Something tells us the Big Ten and Pac-12 won’t be missed.

Michael Wayne Bratton

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com

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