Paul Finebaum is sick of the early outrage at a potential College Football Playoff format that would favor the SEC and the Big Ten.

With the Playoff officially nailing down the 12-team format for the next two seasons, the discussion quickly turned to what the Playoff will look like in 2026 and beyond. Last week, it was reported a 14-team model is being discussed with multiple automatic qualifiers for some conferences.

In that model, reports indicate the SEC and Big Ten would receive 3 automatic bids while the Big 12 and ACC would each receive 2. The Group of 5 would also receive 1 automatic bid with 3 at-large spots remaining.

There was indeed some pushback to that proposed model, but Finebaum believes it is all “fake outrage.” He described the proposal as simply the SEC and Big Ten trying to set up parameters in order to be paid for the revenue they generate for the CFP.

“The most interesting part of all of this is the fake outrage from the media. First of all, nothing has been determined yet, and many of the so-called top influence makers in our space are just going apoplectic and talking about the arrogance of it all,” said Finebaum during his Monday appearance with McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “But, I think what the Big Ten and SEC are trying to do is set some parameters and just to say ‘Listen, we have pretty much controlled this sport, we bring most of the eyeballs into the CFP every year and will continue to, and we want to be paid for it’.”

Finebaum also believes the proposal and new-found cooperation between the two super conferences is a reaction to “loudmouthed presidents,” one of which previously halted progress on the original 12-team Playoff.

“I feel very strongly that they’re probably tired of loudmouthed presidents like the guy at Washington State who got in the way several years ago and stopped the progress of the 12-team Playoff,” Finebaum explained. “…And he’s still mouthing off, and he’s part of a league with 2 schools. My reaction is shut up, go find yourself into a league before you try to dictate policy at the CFP.”

While future formats are still being discussed, fans can track all the latest national championship odds for the 12-team Playoff and prepare for the live North Carolina sports betting with SDS’s signature links!

Why Paul Finebaum is absolutely right

It’s important to realize one thing: The College Football Playoff works, at least in terms of generating interest and revenue, and that’s the main driving force behind expansion.

Yes, that’s right: The Playoff is expanding because it works. While it may appear the Playoff is expanding because of dissension and issues with the 4-team model, the opposite is actually true.

If that’s the case, why did the Playoff work? An argument can be made it worked (in large part) because of the performances of the SEC and the Big Ten.

Don’t believe me? Check out the numbers.

College football played exactly 10 seasons in the 4-team Playoff model. Combined, the SEC and Big Ten produced 21 appearances and 8 of the 10 titles. (The other 2 titles were won by Clemson.)

In reality, those numbers appear even more stark when you adjust the numbers for conference expansion.

Looking at the teams who will play in the SEC and Big Ten next season, those two leagues produced 29 of the 40 total spots in the 4-team era. By comparison, the ACC and Big 12 produced a total of 10 appearances (accounting for Notre Dame’s 2020 appearance and the pending realignment moves).

For anyone who struggles with math, that’s essentially a 3-to-1 rate of Big Ten and SEC teams reaching the Playoff compared to teams from the Big 12 and ACC. In that context, the proposal of 2 automatic bids for the Big 12 and the ACC is the Big Ten and SEC making a concession.

That’s a topic Greg McElroy himself brought up in the interview with Finebaum. Why would the Big Ten and SEC agree to multiple automatic bids to those conferences?

Per Finebaum, it’s a necessary move to avoid “litigation” and any sort of claims of collusion between the SEC and the Big Ten. And if the Big Ten and SEC do not like the final model of the Playoff for 2026 and beyond, do not count out the possibility of those two teams creating their own postseason altogether.

Regardless of any feelings related to the proposal, the SEC and the Big Ten are a large part of the success of the CFP and future interest in college football’s postseason. Now, they’re going to make sure they get their proper cut, and they have every right to push the envelope.