‘Alabama has no business being where they are’: Paul Finebaum says CFP ranking ‘doesn’t make any sense’

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum has spent much of his career defending and praising the Alabama Crimson Tide and the SEC, but even he had a problem with how high the Crimson Tide were ranked in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season.

The ESPN analyst called the rankings “about as discombobulated a ranking as I have ever seen” and even joked that it seemed like the committee was drinking.

‘Alabama has no business being where they are’

Finebaum reacted to the rankings during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday morning.

“It is about as discombobulated a ranking as I have ever seen,” Finebaum said. “I would use words like the committee was drunk, but that would be inappropriate for such an august group of people. But it really doesn’t make any sense.”

His biggest issue was with Alabama, which the committee ranked No. 5. Tennessee, which beat Alabama 26-10 on Oct. 17, came in at No. 11. Both teams are 6-2.

“Alabama has no business being where they are,” Finebaum said. “That is truly absurd to have Alabama that far ahead of Tennessee, a team that just disemboweled them a couple weeks ago in Neyland Stadium.”

Finebaum also took issue with the committee crediting Alabama for its 56-23 win at Mississippi State in early October. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor was injured in that game.

“And for the committee to value Alabama’s win about five or six weeks ago at Mississippi State when the quarterback, Kamario Taylor, was in the game and then became injured, makes no sense,” Finebaum said. “But then again, I’m used to the committee not making a lot of sense. I’m hoping that this was some late Halloween trick on America. Maybe they’re trying to get everybody’s mind off the election.”

The committee defends Alabama

CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek defended the Mississippi State win after the rankings were released.

“Mississippi State from a computer aspect will fall some, but the human element and the discussion that we have in the room, we recall the team that Mississippi State was back in September and early October before their quarterback was injured,” Yurachek said, per On3. “They were 4-0.”

At No. 5, Alabama would host No. 12 seed Boise State in the first round if the season ended today, with the winner advancing to face No. 1 Miami.

Alabama’s two losses came to Georgia and Tennessee. The Crimson Tide still have road games at No. 14 LSU and Vanderbilt, followed by Chattanooga and the Iron Bowl against Auburn.

If Alabama stumbles at LSU on Saturday, the committee may not have to worry about defending this ranking for much longer.

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