Paul Finebaum makes prediction on future SEC schedule, reignites debate

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum predicted the SEC will eventually go to a nine-game conference schedule in the future despite tabling it for now.

The conference is set to do away with divisions in 2024 but have yet to expand to nine games within conference play. The non-division type of conference is in preparation for Texas and Oklahoma to come into the league next year.

But Finebaum reignited the debate surrounding the amount of conference games in SEC play.

“I think next year, the SEC will move the can down the road and go to nine,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter. “They were prepared to and it was all kind of resistant. Surprisingly, from the most influential person in the league and that’s Nick Saban. Nick Saban has been campaigning for nine games for 13 years. 

“What happened when he found out Alabama was supposed to see as its permanent opponents in Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee? He suddenly didn’t like it. What’s so interesting in LSU and Tennessee? Those are the two teams that cost him getting into the playoff last year.”

It’s easy to see why some coaches don’t want to change things right now. The old saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Finebaum’s claim about the SEC schedule is that coaches don’t want that additional loss. In the case of Saban, he’d rather run the table against his current schedule and not risk another loss to dampen their playoff hopes.

Some leaders within the SEC believe a ninth game could be worth an additional $5 million per year.

Given ESPN’s current situation, it doesn’t seem that’s something the network can provide that right now. ESPN is currently in the midst of another round of layoffs expected to span through the summer and is also involved with bidding for the expanded College Football Playoff, WWE/UFC and NBA.

Money isn’t the only potential issue at hand for the SEC in regard to adding a ninth game. There’s also the reality that it would mean one additional loss for eight teams each season.

The College Football Playoff is set to expand to 12 teams in 2024, opening the door for teams with multiple losses to make the field, which has never happened under the four-team format. One of the main questions conference leaders are asking is whether a three-loss SEC team could potentially make that field.

Chandler Vessels contributed to this report