Paul Finebaum had plenty to say about Oklahoma’s loss to Michigan, and his criticism stretched far beyond the Sooners.
Speaking on Saturday’s edition of SEC Nation, the ESPN voice turned his frustration toward the Big Ten, calling the league “horrible” this season while saying Oklahoma’s defeat made the result even harder to stomach. Finebaum said, “I am so boiling here for something that happened last Saturday in Ann Arbor,” before adding, “Oklahoma, you let everyone down, and I’ll tell you why.
The Big Ten absolutely sucks at football this year. They are horrible.”
Finebaum also said he regretted spending part of the offseason praising the Big Ten. In his view, if Oklahoma had handled business against Michigan, the reaction would have been much different.
“I spent the whole offseason embarrassing myself, saying, ‘The Big Ten’s the best conference,’ and they go out there and lay an egg,” Finebaum said. “If Oklahoma had done what they should have done, we would be dancing on the Big Ten’s grave.
You screwed up, Oklahoma! I’m mad!”
The comments came after Michigan’s narrow Week 1 win over Western Michigan had led many to assume the Wolverines were not very strong. Finebaum’s latest rant suggested he now sees Michigan’s win over Oklahoma as a better reflection of who the Wolverines are, even if his bigger takeaway was a shot at the conference itself.
For now, the SEC vs. Big Ten debate pauses again, with the conference fight for supremacy expected to fade from view until the College Football Playoff.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces A Big Depth Test Against New Mexico
The Sooners are heading into their meeting with New Mexico with some early-season depth already being put to the test. Starting left tackle Michael Fasusi and wide receiver Trell Harris are both unavailable, which pushes Ryan Fodje and freshman Noah Best into bigger roles up front and leaves Elijah Thomas with a chance to absorb more of the passing-game load.
On defense, linebacker Kip Lewis is also sidelined, so James Nesta is in line to start in his place. The good news for Oklahoma is that the backfield remains intact, with Jonathan Hatton Jr. and Tory Blaylock both healthy and available, giving the offense at least one experienced area to lean on while the Sooners sort through a few key absences. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Just Turned Oklahoma's Offense Into A Bigger Problem
A win over New Mexico did little to quiet the noise around Oklahomas offense, and Brent Venables didnt try to soften it afterward. The Sooners coach was blunt in his criticism of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle after a sluggish showing, saying the unit has to improve significantly as the season moves forward. For a program that expected more balance and a cleaner product on that side of the ball, the message landed as a public warning as much as a postgame assessment.
The frustration wasnt confined to Venables comments. During the game, fans were already chanting for Arbuckle to be fired, a sharp sign of how quickly patience is wearing thin. Venables declined to express confidence in Arbuckles current performance, leaving an already uneasy situation even more exposed as Oklahoma tries to steady an offense that has become its own problem. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Has One Problem Brent Venables Cant Ignore
Oklahoma has spent enough time under Brent Venables proving it can lean on defense, but the broader picture still leaves little room for comfort. The Sooners have been sturdy on that side of the ball while the offense has lagged behind, and after the loss to Michigan, the imbalance is hard to ignore as the team heads into games against New Mexico and Georgia.
Venables has made it clear he wants complementary football, the kind where the offense can stay on the field, sustain drives and give the defense a little breathing room. That remains the next step for Oklahoma, because without a more reliable attack, the Sooners can keep hanging around, but they will keep asking too much of a defense that has already done its part. [Read more 🡒]