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ESPN announcer Paul Finebaum. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

'There's no defense': Paul Finebaum calls out 'terrible' SEC after another disappointing season

By Colby Colwell | Last updated Jan 6, 2026 4:55 PM ET

The SEC has always been a topic of discussion in college football, especially the last few seasons as its dominance in the sport has deteriorated.

Since Georgia claimed its second consecutive title in 2022 and fourth straight for the conference, the Big Ten has claimed the last two national titles with Michigan (2023) and Ohio State (2024), putting the SEC in an unusual position.

While No. 6 Ole Miss (13-1) is still in contention for the national title after its thrilling 39-34 win over No. 3 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the SEC has struggled in its bowl/CFP games, leading to ESPN's Paul Finebaum voicing his opinion during Tuesday's edition of "First Take."

Paul Finebaum blasts SEC amid postseason struggles

"There's no way to defend the SEC. It's been terrible," Finebaum said. "... It's a rough year for the SEC. Ole Miss is it regardless of the Lane Kiffin story ... If Ole Miss loses Thursday night and I'm sitting around having to defend this league saying, 'Oh, no big deal that it's three straight years without an SEC team in the national championship game,' there's no defense. It's been rough."

"There's no way to defend the SEC. It's been terrible." @finebaum on if the SEC's days of dominance are over in college football pic.twitter.com/xy0rFiphS6
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 6, 2026

Finebaum made mention of Alabama's stretch during the middle of the season when the Crimson Tide defeated a ranked opponent in four consecutive weeks. However, as impressive as that seemed at the time, Missouri and Tennessee lost their respective bowl games and finished the season unranked, while Vanderbilt fell to Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl and Georgia suffered its second consecutive CFP quarterfinal loss.

If that was not bad enough, the Crimson Tide got outplayed in all fazes and hit a new low under head coach Kalen DeBoer in a blowout loss to No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl.

The conference has a cumulative bowl record of 4-9 this season, and its lone win outside of the CFP came when Arch Manning capped his roller-coaster season for the Texas Longhorns with a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over Michigan.

Alabama defeated Oklahoma in the CFP first round, while Ole Miss took down Tulane before squeaking past Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Those are the only four wins the SEC has in the postseason, the latest sign of its dominance in the sport taking a backseat.

Sure, Ole Miss still remains as it prepares to face No. 10 Miami in Thursday's CFP semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Led by the clutch play from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, it would not be a surprise at all to see Ole Miss in the national title game.

Whether it wins the whole thing remains to be seen, but regardless of the end result, the SEC has certainly lost its grip atop the college football mountaintop. From the transfer portal to the NIL landscape, the sport is experiencing parity at rates that would have been unheard of just a few years ago.

That has made each season less predictable and led to a new-look final four this season. Time will tell if the SEC can get everything corrected and return to the top, but even if Ole Miss comes away with the national title, the dominance the conference once displayed is no more.

Colby Colwell

Colby Colwell is a freelance contributor with a bachelor’s in Computer & Information Technology and a minor in Psychology from Western Kentucky University. With a deep passion for sports, especially NASCAR, he offers his substantial knowledge along with his adept writing skills. When he’s not writing, Colby enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with his family

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