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ESPN's Paul Finebaum gave his ultimate prediction on the Rose Bowl in the College Football playoffs between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Michigan Wolverines. In what would be considered an upset, Finebaum said on the “McElory and Cubelic In The Morning” show that he has the Alabama football team advancing to the title game according to Athlon Sports.
“I definitely like Alabama in the game against Michigan,” Finebaum told the show.
In terms of the reason for Finebaum's prediction, he cites the past success that Alabama football head coach Nick Saban and the team have had. While he has confidence in the Crimson Tide, he's still hesitant on the Michigan football team.
“It’s only because what I’ve seen that they’re capable of,” Finebaum said. “I’m still somewhat curious about Michigan – I know what they’ve done, the Ohio State game. But, beyond maybe that and the Penn State game, I just don’t have a good feeling about them.”
Paul Finebaum believes Alabama deserves spot in CFP
This isn't the first time that Finebaum has talked highly of the Alabama football team as he defended the committee's decision on Dec. 5 to put the team in the College Football Playoff instead of the undefeated Florida State Seminoles. He believes the four best teams should be in the event which in his opinion, Alabama is a part of that and the Seminoles are not.
“In my mind, we should have the four best teams in America playing in the most important event,” Finebaum said earlier this month. “And Florida State is not one of them.”
There's no doubt it was a controversial decision to leave out Florida State after a great season which prompted chatter and debate on social media and the college football landscape if Alabama gets “preferential treatment.” Finebaum believes that claim is “absolutely absurd” and that they deserved the spot after beating the No. 1 team at the time in the University of Georgia at the SEC Championship game.
“People want to use accusations like Alabama got in because Nick Saban and Alabama got preferential treatment,” Finebaum said. “I even heard that on CNN last night. That is absurd. That is absolutely absurd. Alabama beat the No. 1 team in the country in the biggest game of the year: The SEC Championship Game. OK, they have a loss. We’re all aware of that. They lost to Texas on Sept. 9. Where did Texas land? The No. 3 team in America.”
Finebaum says FSU fan reactions are “unprecedented”
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One of the past events that Finebaum mentioned that the committee didn't want to see again was when TCU made the College Football Playoffs last season and got trampled by Georgia, 65-7. He believes with FSU missing starting quarterback Jordan Travis, they would have suffered the same fate.
“In the back of the committee’s mind, they didn’t want that to happen again,” Finebaum said.
Because of the comments about Florida State, Finebaum said on the “McElory and Cubelic In The Morning” show that the reactions from the fans have been “unprecedented.” However, he did show some empathy and understood why fans of the football team would be upset according to on3sports.com
“Really unprecedented,” Finebaum said. “I understand, all the things that have been said, I understand the frustration. But the complete and total reinterpretation of what college football, and the College Football Playoff, is about, to me, has been truly astonishing.”
Paul Finebaum has seen “unadulterated fake outrage”
Not only does Finebaum talk about general fans he sees on social media platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter), but even people in the sports media space. He calls it “complete and unadulterated fake outrage.”
“I never get too upset, or maybe upset at all, about what I read on Twitter, because I realize those are people who can’t get into your show, or any other show, just expressing themselves. But more from just, people in the industry, people who do understand how the CFP is developed and designed. To me, it is just complete and unadulterated fake outrage,” Finebaum said. “It’s part of where we are in society, where people without any facts, without any information, just gravitate to an issue, embrace it, squeeze it and just regurgitate whatever the talking points are. I’m glad we’re not eight days past it. But it’s still out there, and I think it’s one of those narratives that just simply gets created, and never leaves. It doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not.”
Whatever the case may be, the College Football Playoffs start on Jan. 1 where Alabama will take on Michigan at the Rose Bowl and Texas takes on Washington in the Sugar Bowl. If the Crimson Tide find a way to move on, they'll be on the quest for their 18th national title and eighth under Saban.
