Paul Finebaum was critical of one SEC coach after Week 11.
The ESPN personality came down on Ole Miss Rebels and head coach Lane Kiffin on Sunday. The Rebels lost 30-24 in Oxford against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, a game that came down to the final possession. However, the Rebels were unsuccessful in their attempt to score a touchdown.
Alabama hangs on to beat Ole Miss, and Nick Saban celebrates. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/WvLyTUbA2V
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 13, 2022
Kiffin’s decision-making in particular came under fire. Finebaum spoke on Sunday’s episode of ESPN’s College Football Final about it.
“This was the one game Alabama should have lost,” Finebaum said. “Of all these. And, I don’t need to proclaim my love for Lane Kiffin. Obviously, he’s entertaining. He’s an amazing coach. But he drives you crazy watching him coach a game. He makes calls that I know he believes in the numbers. And he gets some of them right. But it seems like in those big games, he comes up short.”
Finebaum added, “And that’s how I felt yesterday. Again, not a rooting interest other than to be able to talk about it later. And I felt like, ‘Lane, what are you doing here?’ And I know he’s got all this. He’s got a chart. He plays the odds every time. Sometimes, you have to go with instinct. Especially when you’re playing a team that has infinitely more talent than you do.”
Finebaum and Kiffin have had their fun moments before. This will not be one for the highlight reel.
