Paul Finebaum calls potential ACC/Big Ten/Pac-12 alliance embarrassing

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum pulls no punches when giving his thoughts on the potential alliance between the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12. The college football analyst called it ‘embarrassing’ for the conferences to have to form an alliance.

“What all these other leagues are saying is that the SEC has left us behind,” said Finebaum, via ESPN College Football on YouTube. “To me, it’s embarrassing.

“It’s embarrassing for proud conferences like the Pac-12, welp – let me scratch that. Like the Big Ten and the ACC to join with the Pac-12 and pretty well admit that we’re having to combine forces to compete with the SEC.”

Evidently, Finebaum isn’t a fan of the alliance and its potential impact on the college football world. His scathing rant is evidence of that.

More on the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 Alliance

Much to Paul Finebaum’s dismay, the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 appear to be nearing an agreement on alignment, according to The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. After reports emerged last week about a potential scheduling alliance between the three conferences, this report of alignment appears to involve more than just that.

In light of recent news around Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, questions about the future of college football have been rapidly spreading. Auerbach tweeted a report saying that clarity on that future might be coming in the coming days.

“News: The Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC are expected to make a formal announcement about their alignment soon perhaps as early as next week,” Auerbach tweeted.

News: The Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC are expected to make a formal announcement about their alignment soon, perhaps as early as next week, multiple sources told @TheAthletic.

This isn't just about scheduling. More: https://t.co/OyBicG7uiv

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 20, 2021

Auerbach noted that there are still a lot of details to sort out. So it is unclear how specific the announcement will be when it comes. Regardless, it’s enough to rile up Paul Finebaum.

Continuing, Auerbach wrote that the three conferences are aligned in their views for athletics. In turn, it makes them a great fit for a potential alignment.

“Schools within the three conferences believe they are like-minded. That they want to continue to prioritize broad-based sports offerings and that the academic profile of their institutions matters. As does graduating athletes,” Auerbach wrote. “For example, the Big Ten schools sponsor an average of 24.8 sports per campus, with the ACC (23.8) and Pac-12 (22.9) not far behind. SEC schools offer an average of 19.9 sports.”

Ryan Day asked about the ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 Alliance

While Paul Finebaum may be ESPN’s standard-bearer for college football, Ryan Day is the standard-bearer for the Big Ten. Naturally, the Ohio State head coach was asked about it.

“In week three of camp, you don’t really see much more than right in-front of you,” Day said in a press conference. “See the car right in front of you, that’s all you can focus on.

“Gene [Smith] and I have daily conversations about what’s going on, and there’s a lot of change going on in college football. So, we talk about it on a daily basis, and I know that there’s a lot of conversation going on.

“But my focus right now has just been on getting this team better.”

In his two years as the Ohio State head coach, Day has won the Big Ten each year. As he states, his focus is on going for a three-peat, not the alliance between the three conferences.

While Day’s response may not mirror Paul Finebaum’s fiery rant, the impact will be felt far greater by him. Time will tell the impact on the ever-changing landscape on college football.