ESPN's Paul Finebaum appears to have warmed up to the idea of the Big Ten being a premier football conference.

Under the leadership of Brent Venables, the Sooners entered a new era this season as they transitioned from the Big 12 to the SEC. Venables was hired in 2022 after Lincoln Riley left for the USC Trojans, with the goal of preparing the Sooners for this move. However, for the second time in his three seasons, Oklahoma finished with a losing record.

ESPN personality Paul Finebaum gave his national title prediction by going against the SEC in a shocking twist.

The Big Ten and SEC have played five head-to-head games during Bowl Season. The Big Ten is 4-1 in those contests, the only loss being Iowa ‘s 27-24 Music City Bowl loss to Missouri. The conference also boasts two CFP Semifinal participants ( Ohio State, Penn State) to the SEC’s one ( Texas ).

SMU found themselves on the playoff bubble. In the end, they secured their spot as the last team to qualify and faced Penn State in an away game. The game was a disaster for the Mustangs, who fell behind by as much as 35 points and ultimately lost 38-10.

Paul Finebaum compared current conversations around Georgia to another SEC powerhouse with high expectations. On Monday's McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Finebaum addressed a perception that the SEC is no longer a dominant entity.