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Paul Finebaum rips CFP committee, criticizes Alabama's ranking in fiery rant: 'Makes no sense'
Analyst and radio show host Paul Finebaum. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum rips CFP committee, criticizes Alabama's ranking in fiery rant: 'Makes no sense'

By Andrew Kulha  |  Last updated Nov 4, 2026 9:48 PM ET
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Paul Finebaum, also known as "the voice of the SEC," is not happy about the way the College Football Playoff committee went about its business for the reveal of its initial rankings.

Finebaum has never been one to pull punches when it comes to his opinions, especially as it relates to college football matters in the southern part of the United States, but he was borderline insulting when discussing the CFP committee's first rankings.

“It is about as discombobulated a ranking as I have ever seen,” said Finebaum on ESPN's "Get Up." “I would use words like the committee was drunk, but that would be inappropriate for such an august group of people. But it really doesn’t make any sense.”

The initial rankings start with Miami at No. 1, Georgia at No. 2, Utah at No. 3 and Indiana at No. 4.

And then the 6-2 Alabama Crimson Tide check in at No. 5, and that ranking, in particular, drew the ire of Finebaum.

His issue with the ranking makes sense, too. Kentucky, Texas, UCLA, BYU, Ole Miss and Notre Dame make up the rest of the top 12, which would be teams in the CFP if it were to start today. Ohio State is No. 12 but would be the first team out.

The Tennessee Volunteers check in at No. 13 on the outside looking in. The strange thing, though, is that Josh Heupel's team demolished Alabama, 26-10, just a few short weeks ago.

“Alabama has no business being where they are,” Finebaum continued “That is truly absurd to have Alabama that far ahead of Tennessee, a team that just disemboweled them a couple weeks ago in Neyland Stadium.”

To be fair to the Tide, they're probably deserving of at least being in the CFP Top 12 conversation. Earlier this season, they went on the road and beat No. 16 Mississippi State, 56-23. The very next week, they suffered their very first loss, to No. 2 Georgia, but it was a 20-17 loss that came down to the final minutes.

Alabama also just beat Texas A&M, 31-20, but that win isn't as impressive as it would have seemed earlier this season. The Aggies started the 2026 campaign ranked No. 8. They're now 4-4 at near the bottom of the SEC rankings.

Was Alabama's win at Mississippi State a "good win"?

The Mississippi State win shouldn't mean as much to Alabama in these rankings as it did, though. Finebaum rightly pointed out that the Bulldogs' star quarterback, Kamario Taylor, was limited with an injury during that game and he actually sat out the entire fourth quarter.

“And for the committee to value Alabama’s win about five or six weeks ago at Mississippi State when the quarterback, Kamario Taylor, was in the game and then became injured, makes no sense,” Finebaum said. “But then again, I’m used to the committee not making a lot of sense. I’m hoping that this was some late Halloween trick on America. Maybe they’re trying to get everybody’s mind off the election.”

For what it's worth, Kalen DeBoer's team can pick up a statement win in Week 10 by going on the road and beating No. 14 LSU.

If the Tide can't do that, though, they may quickly find themselves out of the CFP race.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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