College Football Playoff: Paul Finebaum makes prediction on expansion, end result for SEC, Big Ten

Paul Finebaum shared his take this morning about the latest news regarding the SEC, Big Ten, and the College Football Playoff.

Finebaum discussed last night’s reporting on the SEC and Big Ten looking to expand the CFP in 2026 on ‘McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning’ on Monday. He expects there to be more to come soon once the upcoming meetings take place with a lot for some to gain for those conferences with two to four more berths there in the playoff, regardless of what he or anyone else thinks about if fourteen or sixteen is too many for the field.

“Yeah, I mean, I think all this is going to come to a head here soon in New Orleans when the athletic directors of the SEC and the Big Ten meet,” Finebaum said. “This is all a precursor to that.”

“By the way, I personally don’t think we really need two or four more schools in the tournament. I mean, we’ve already had this conversation that there probably weren’t twelve good teams to go into this year,” shared Finebaum. “But, on the other hand, it’s a television event as well. More programs who are talking about it is considered good for the sport. There are more games.”

For Finebaum, much of this comes back to the discussions about the automatic bids into the playoff. More spots would then even it back out in favor of the SEC and Big Ten and account for what they feel are more difficult schedules in trying to make the CFP.

“You know, I think the biggest issue is the automatic qualifiers. Is that really the way you should be running an event?” Finebaum wondered. “Obviously, the Big Ten and the SEC feel very strongly about that and I think, more than anything, it’s to protect the integrity of what those schools have to go through as opposed to a Group of Five or a lesser conference in terms of the day-to-day, week-to-week conversation about the schedules.”

“I think what it really means is, you know, we’re going to have to have this argument every, every December that ‘we play a tougher schedule than you do,'” Finebaum said. “We’re just going to guarantee it. And then, if you’re the number five school in the SEC? Then we’re sorry. There’s only so far we can go but at least somebody is going to be protected for having played a much more difficult schedule.”

Much will be made of the SEC and the Big Ten being able to make this kind of move essentially by themselves. As for the rest of the sport, though, they may have little choice if they want a chance at claiming a national title that’s legitimate through this new format from those two other leagues.

“Well, I think it’s when they get what they want. And, listen, like any negotiation, whether you’re talking about something far more serious about land among, you know, major countries or, or space here in the College Football Playoff? The SEC and (the Big Ten) have the power,” Finebaum said. “I mean, you don’t want to be in the ACC or the Big 12 or whatever this new contraption is out west and be the champion of those four of five while the SEC and the Big Ten are crowning champions. You know that’s not going to work and you know the big networks are ready to be with you. So they’re going to play along. I think that’s really, that’s the dirty little secret here is the SEC and the Big Ten can probably get away with whatever they want.

“I think they’re going to go along with this proposal and see how it goes. But because I don’t think the other leagues have any choice,” said Finebaum. “They’d rather be part of that than trying to claim (a national championship)…You’ve got to go along for the time being.”

There’s a lot left to debate and decide about the eventual future of the College Football Playoff. Still, it looks more and more like the SEC and Big Ten are planning it themselves with little else for anyone to do about it to an extent.

“If you control the sport then you might as well get what you want. I mean, I understand that and I do think the SEC and the Big Ten have the power,” said Finebaum. “They literally could take this thing away from everyone else and I don’t think it would matter that much. So I think that’s what their threat is by making sure they protect their teams.”