"Cause for a lot of concern": Paul Finebaum shares his sincere opinion after the SEC misses out on the national championship game once again

Paul Finebaum was disheartened on Friday night when it was confirmed that the SEC would once again be absent from the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Texas, the last SEC team in the playoffs, suffered a disappointing defeat to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday. The Longhorns were defeated 28-14 by the Buckeyes in a high-stakes encounter at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington to end their ambitious playoff campaign.

This marks the second consecutive season that the powerhouse conference, often viewed as the gold standard of college football, failed to secure a spot in the championship. Paul Finebaum, a staunch advocate of SEC dominance, expressed his disappointment at the rare occurrence on “The Matt Barrie Show.”

“That is significant,” Finebaum was quoted as saying by thespun.com. “Everyone always thinks that those of us that live in SEC country try to hide things like that. Even today, we’re still arguing for Alabama to get it. But that’s a dramatic moment. It’s a seminal moment in time that I didn’t expect, especially with a 12-team Playoff.”

“It’s really amazing when you think about [it]. [The last time the SEC didn’t make the national title game] was before [Nick] Saban. Urban Meyer had just arrived at Florida. Les Miles was about to start roaming the sidelines. To think that we’re in that moment is cause for a lot of concern," he added.

Paul Finebaum believes Texas had the chance to win it against Ohio State

Paul Finebaum acknowledged Ohio State's defensive prowess in their ability to disrupt Texas' offensive rhythm on Friday night. He praised the Buckeyes for executing a game plan that effectively frustrated the Longhorns.

However, he also noted that Texas ultimately let the game slip away. According to Finebaum, critical moments and missed opportunities defined the Longhorns' downfall, leaving them just short of advancing to the championship game.

“I was always Ohio State, but as I walked out of the stadium a couple of hours ago, I kept thinking about what Texas let go,” Finebaum said in the same interaction.

"If you were going to beat Ohio State, Friday night was it. They couldn't do it. And the last touchdown [from Jack Sawyer] and the Quinn Ewers interception was just poetic license to Quinn Ewers' career," he added.

Many analysts hold the same opinion as Paul Finebaum regarding the Longhorns’ chances in the game. The Buckeyes weren't as effective as they were against Tennessee and Oregon, where they scored over 40 points in each game. Nonetheless, they went away with the win.