Paul Finebaum Believes Big 12 School is Biggest Game of the Year for Auburn

On today’s episode of McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, ESPN icon Paul Finebaum had a rare moment of unease when he labeled Auburn’s opener against Baylor “the biggest game of the year” for the Tigers.

And remember, this is coming from a man who has spent his entire career hyping SEC superiority.

“It’s the first one,” Finebaum said. “It’s the Friday night game against Baylor. I don’t think a lot of people take Baylor seriously. You’ve been there. You understand what that stadium can be like. A big SEC school and all that. But if Auburn loses that game—well, most people think they should win it—then suddenly you’re behind the curtain where every swing game becomes magnified.”

Let’s unpack that. The face of the SEC hype machine itself is admitting that facing a Big 12 team on a Friday night poses a genuine threat. He basically let the cat out of the bag, saying Auburn would be in trouble if they stumbled in Waco. Not against Georgia or Alabama, but Baylor.

Finebaum even added that ending the season with Alabama might matter more. Still, he made it crystal clear: “I think, for that reason, it is the most important game on the schedule.” A powerhouse-slanted SEC narrative is now scrambling for cover against Big 12 momentum.

For decades, the SEC has sold fans on dominance. Championship ladders are trotted out, cross-conference superiority is preached, and SEC stadiums are sanctified. Yet here we have the SEC’s accountant of chaos, and he’s sweating Baylor. Finebaum isn’t just hedging; he’s admitting from the jump that Auburn would be in quicksand if they stumble.

Even SEC loyalists have to cringe. That’s not pride talking. It’s nerves. And by acknowledging that a Big 12 opponent could flip Auburn’s season upside down, Finebaum is offering a backhanded compliment: Baylor matters.

Ultimately, it’s not just Auburn that should take Baylor seriously. Anyone still paying for that SEC supremacy hype should take note. If Finebaum is losing sleep tonight, the rest of us might want to clear our calendars for Friday night in Waco.