Paul Finebaum sets the table for the College Football Playoff race after Week 7

Week 7 is in the books for the 2022-2023 college football season and the College Football Playoff race is starting to heat up as we approach the midway point of the year. Tennessee’s historic 52-49 upset of the Alabama Crimson Tide no doubt shook up things a bit in the playoff race. Clemson continued to stay undefeated in their quest for a playoff berth. The Michigan Wolverines steamrolled the Penn State Nittany Lions with their impressive tandem of tailbacks. And Georgia, well, they looked like Georgia football has for most of the last year and a half of college football–unbeatable. They blanked the Vanderbilt Commodores in a 55-0 drubbing. There’s still got plenty of football left to be played, but it’s always fun to talk about who will be in the mix for the College Football Playoff. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum decided to give his thoughts on the current picture for this year’s College Football Playoff after a wild Week 7 wrapped up. Check out what he had to say in a Sunday podcast with Matt Barrie.

Paul Finebaum shares his thoughts on the College Football Playoff race following the Week 7 slate of games

“Well, Alabama is looking in from the outside. I think that’s obvious. And I think we are looking at a couple of titanic showdowns down the road. We had one yesterday. The SC loss to Utah, I felt was pretty easy to predict. It barely happened, but it was pretty easy to predict. The Tennessee–Georgia game, the Ohio State–Michigan game is becoming the defining game of the season in some respects, and it may not mean that much, depending on what else is going on. Clemson, I think, has been very sneaky, quiet, but also in a phenomenal position. Somebody said, ‘Well, do you realize they have Syracuse this week? Actually, I didn’t until somebody reminded me. [Laughs] Nor do I care. Because I didn’t go to Syracuse like most of the people that you and I talk to every day,” Finebaum said.

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“So, I think it’s been a fascinating season. I think it’s still gonna take a little time to shake this thing out. You would be foolish to rule Alabama out and I’m gonna see Lane Kiffin this weekend. It’s still….I’m having a hard time wrapping my arms around what exactly has Ole Miss done this year. I mean, I love Lane, you love Lane. But their biggest win is over Kentucky with a banged up Will Levis. And by the way, a game they should not have won. So, they have a chance, but I think they have a dangerous stretch here. And, I did not see this Michigan train coming down the tracks, but good for Jim Harbaugh. I bet he’s glad he didn’t take the Vikings job,” Finebaum said.

Then, Matt Barrie asked Finebaum if it was conceivable that we could possibly have a four team SEC round robin in this year’s College Football Playoff. “I’ll try not to go all SEC on you here but if Tennessee can get to that game undefeated and loses to Alabama—I’d be pretty inclined not to leave them out. There are a lot of teams the rest of the way for the both of us and everyone else to play with. And all those things are possible. But I think if Tennessee wins at Georgia, Matt, Georgia can just move on from the conversation,” Finebaum said.

It has been a fascinating season this year and last weekend’s slate was absolutely loaded with a number of amazing finishes. It’ll always be tough to top the product that big time college football puts on the field in America. The talent of the players, the fans, the traditions at each school–the list is rather endless as to why college football is one of the greatest sports ever created in American history.

It’ll be exciting to see which teams make the final cut for this year’s version of the College Football Playoff. For now, let’s enjoy the ride for the rest of the 2022-2023 college football season.