ESPN’s Paul Finebaum had some words for Nebraska coach Matt Rhule after his bold playoff selection suggestion.
Rhule faces a tough challenge in 2024, with Nebraska being joined in the Big 10 by Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA.
3
This came after all four chose to leave the Pac-12.
The 2024 season will also see the debut of the new 12-team format for the Playoffs.
The top five conference champions will receive spots, along with the next seven highest-seeded teams.
However, former Carolina Panthers coach Rhule suggested that the Big 10 should be an exception to this rule.
“I think four teams from this league should enter every year because this is the best league,” he told reporters.
“This is the NFL of college football in my mind. It stretches from coast to coast, different time zones, different climates.”
Rhule’s suggestion went down like a lead balloon with Finebaum on Get Up, where he addressed the second-year Nebraska coach’s comments with host Mike Greenberg.
“Matt, stay in your lane,” Finebaum warned.
Most read in American football
“Job one: win enough games to get to some stupid bowl games. Don’t worry about the big boys, because you’re not one of them.
“We saw what you did in the NFL, you were a complete disaster at Carolina.
“Somehow you got this job in Nebraska and you’re talking like you belong at the table with Ohio State and Georgia.
“Just try to win maybe six games. Stop suffocating big games on the final play and leave the comments to the professionals. Thanks.”
Finebaum’s brutal response generated a variety of comments about X.
“Ouch,” simply wrote one fan.
“I’m pretty sure Rhule wasn’t implying that Nebraska is one of the ‘big boys.’ Let the games happen on the field and go from there,” said a second.
College Football Changing in 2024
The move of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 to the SEC is one of the biggest changes in college football in recent memory.
And that set off a chain reaction that left the Pac-12 conference decimated.
The Pac-12 has lost 10 of its 12 members and is down to just Oregon and Washington states.
Four of those teams are headed to the Big 12 – Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.
Four others go to the Big 10 – Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.
And the other two teams, California and Stanford, will participate in the ACC conference.
No team has left the SEC, Big Ten or ACC.
“@finebaum doesn’t understand,” said another.
“Rhule believes the Big10 will have four teams because of [the] league quality. [By the way]the league had four current teams finishing in the Top 10 in 2023, so it’s not a reach.
“As a league coach, Rhule is well within his means.”
While a fourth agreed with Finebaum, commenting, “Matt Rhule should try to qualify for the bowl first.”
Nebraska finished 2023 ranked sixth in the Big 10 West with a 5-7 record.
Previously, Rhule led Baylor to Texas and Sugar Bowls while also guiding Temple to Boca Raton and Military Bowls.
He is 1-3 in bowl games and has an overall college career record of 52-50.
The Cornhuskers will begin their 2024 campaign against UTEP on August 31.
3
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
