Paul Finebaum warns of impending ‘existential threat’ to future of college football

Paul Finebaum knows there are a lot of ongoing changes to the world of college football, and not everyone is onboard with those changes. At the very least, it is a chaotic world that is far from done with its changes.

So, what does that mean for the future of the sport? During his Monday morning appearance for “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning,” Greg McElroy asked Finebaum if it is time to be concerned with college football, given recent reports of potential automatic College Football Playoff bids based on conferences and the ever-rising cost of players in the transfer portal.

Finebaum was quick to answer in the affirmative:

“100%,” said Finebaum about whether or not fans should be concerned about the ongoing changes in college football.

In his follow-up explanation, Finebaum referenced a recent interview with Kirby Smart, where the 2-time title-winning coach at Georgia admitted programs are just fine paying players. The lack of clarity in the sport is what is otherwise frustrating, and Finebaum believes there is a trickle-down effect that can play itself out.

“I think college football is at a tipping point, and I think what is going on now is an existential threat to the future of the game,” claimed Finebaum. “In a couple weeks, one thing we will all be saying is ‘Just get me to that first Saturday (of the season). Get me to that last weekend in August, and all this will go away.’

“But all this will not go away. It’s still there, and a year ago, I really believed that the games on Saturday would cure the ills. And they were fantastic. We all participate in them. Slowly but surely, there is a disconnect… ultimately, it will trickle down. The fact that Kirby Smart had to say the other day that it’s not right for a freshman to be paid more than an upperclassman. There it is. It’s just a bizarre system, and we don’t care that the players are making money, but ultimately, the loyalty to the school is where the factor is.”

So, is college football headed for ruin, or can the sport find its way out of this mess? Time will tell, but Finebaum is at least concerned for the future.

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.