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Oklahoma football: SEC homie Paul Finebaum likes OU’s chances as top-ranked team

By Chip Rouse

Paul Finebaum, radio and ESPN television personality, gets ready to speak on television near activities outside the Superdome, before of the College Football Playoff National Championship game in New Orleans Monday, January 13, 2020.Pregame Fans Clemson Lsu Football Cfp National Championship New Orleans
Paul Finebaum, radio and ESPN television personality, gets ready to speak on television near activities outside the Superdome, before of the College Football Playoff National Championship game in New Orleans Monday, January 13, 2020.Pregame Fans Clemson Lsu Football Cfp National Championship New Orleans /
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ESPN college football analyst and commentator has never been a big fan of Oklahoma football or the Big 12, but he may be changing his tune a bit.

Sooners hit No. 1 in one early 2021 preseason ranking. light. Related Story

An outspoken supporter of all things SEC — and as a Tennessee alum why wouldn’t he be? — Finebaum for sure went outside of his comfort zone on Monday. As a guest on the popular WJOX-FM “Roundtable” program in Birmingham, Alabama, Finebaum let it be known that he thinks Oklahoma is the popular pick to be the top team in the country this coming season.

“I think you have to be (on this (OU) bandwagon),” he said. “There will be some…pick them No. 1 in the country, and I can see that.”

Interestingly, a couple of weeks ago, ESPN.com came out with its post-spring 2021 college football power rankings with Oklahoma in the No. 1 spot.

Finebaum said there are flaws with all several of the perennial big-name national title contenders.

“And Oklahoma,” he said, “you can’t find any.” And the schedule lines up pretty good, he added. “There big nonconference game (Nebraska) is at home, and nobody is going to get too concerned about Texas anymore.”

The Sooner offense — with Spencer Rattler in his second season as starter at quarterback and a leading contender to become the third Oklahoma quarterback in the last five seasons to win the Heisman Trophy and armed with an arsenal of playmaking weapons — is expected to be as explosive as ever.

The big difference in the Sooners in 2021 is an improved defense loaded with returning veterans that has risen from one of the worst in college football to a top-25 caliber in just two seasons under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.

Oklahoma is now a complete team, and that is what makes them so dangerous heading into the 2021 season.

The Sooners are a top-four favorite in practically every preseason projection that has come out so far. And that’s why many believe this to be the best Oklahoma team in Lincoln Riley’s four previous seasons as head coach.

Sooner Nation is hoping that this will be the year that OU not only makes it into the College Football Playoff, but makes it beyond the first game with a chance to play for its elusive eighth national championship.

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