College football analysts have fascinating superpowers. And one of them is the uncanny ability to ignite more rage in fan bases than a missed pass interference flag on fourth-and-goal. But none play this game better than Paul Finebaum. He is the Shakespeare of SEC discourse and the undisputed king of melodramatic college football theater. Finebaum’s recent appearance on the Netflix Sports Club podcast was a mix of humor, bravado, and just a dash of friendly shade aimed at anyone wearing Big Ten colors.

Host Dani Klupenger barely finished rolling out the red carpet before he was already defending SEC glory. “Who’s going to win the national championship, and is it going to be an SEC team?” Klupenger asked. Finebaum, with a gritty smirk on his face, replied, “It is. And by the way, if it’s not, I’m leaving the country because I am so sick and tired of being harassed by Big Ten fans on our show.” he declared.

And as for his 2025 championship pick? He’s riding with Texas. Yes, the team with a fan base crazy enough to match his SEC swagger. But wait a minute, the question remains: who invented football? College football’s origin story is one for the history books. Though if you ask certain SEC diehards (or their crowned prince, Paul Finebaum), you might get a remix with some… creative liberties. But here’s the real tale, straight from the birthplace itself: Rutgers University. Yes, Rutgers, proud member of the Big Ten conference, not those SEC castles Finebaum keeps polishing. It happened on November 6, 1869, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Rutgers and Princeton (then known College of New Jersey) squared off in the very first college football game. Forget Southern bravado, this gridiron genesis happened up in Jersey. It’s where the toughest thing about the field was not the humidity, but dodging a loose Revolutionary War cannon during halftime. In case Finebaum’s listeners missed it, Rutgers emerged victorious 6-4. They secured their spot in college football lore and, eventually, the Big Ten roll call. This makes Paul Finebaum’s Netflix Sports Club Podcast snark all the more deliciously ironic.

When Finebaum starts smoldering about Big Ten folks “acting like they invented football,” well, let’s hear it for the truth bomb. Yes, they did! But Finebaum’s hostility towards the conference doesn’t end there. He then doubled down, noting that the Big Ten’s trophy case is so barren it’s a rental shelf. Sure, he admitted Michigan stole a natty a couple of years back, but in typical Finebaum style, he sprinkled in a jab, the Big Ten’s “one and a half titles in 70 years.” Finebaum’s not counting Michigan’s 1997 title (by AP) or Ohio State’s wins in 2002 and 2014.

No, in his world, those must have occurred during a Leap Year blackout or were awarded by a confused committee. He also said Alabama’s won 15 in his ‘lifetime’ (Let’s give or take a few generations). He even claims that his callers call the Big Tenners, Little Tenners. And he won’t even have to listen to all this after January 20, when the season ends. Finebaum is there to stoke the fire, keep SEC callers agitated, and remind everyone that, in his eyes, the Big Ten is just the opening act. Sure, the SEC’s trophy room has its platinum plates, and the Alabama memorabilia might require its zip code. But, when it comes to gridiron pedigree, Rutgers is literally the OG.

Big Ten Fans hand Paul Finebaum a time machine

Big Ten fans have every reason to clap back at Paul Finebaum’s SEC-centric commentary. As they have plenty of historical receipts and championship hardware to wave in his direction. “The Big Ten did start 37 years before the SEC, so there’s that,” a fan writes. The Big Ten’s origin story starts with Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. That gridiron dust was settling decades before the SEC even got a sniff of football air. The SEC? Not founded until 1933. For 37 years, Big Ten schools have already hashing out rivalries and building traditions. Another fan writes, “The league has more college football titles.” The Big Ten’s historical dominance, especially through Michigan and Ohio State, adds up.

Both these juggernauts claim a hefty pile of national championships. Some official, some a little more mythical, but it’s a trophy case fit for a museum. While the SEC has certainly sprinted ahead in the modern era (thanks, Alabama), Big Ten teams have contributed plenty of glimmering trophies from football’s earliest days. Two of the fans portray the same emotion: “We kinda did” and “1869 world champions ya dingus.” The very fact that the first college football game was played between future Big Ten schools gives fans ironclad bragging rights. Back in 1869, Rutgers’ captain, William Leggett, threw down the gauntlet, Princeton accepted, and America’s favorite Saturday ritual was born.

“Finebaum’s bias of the SEC seriously diminishes his credibility on any opinion he has on college football,” a fan summed it up. Finebaum is notorious for touting SEC superiority while downplaying other conferences’ achievements. And even when they’re objectively competitive. His analysis often filters through an SEC lens, attracting both devoted fans and exasperated Big Ten loyalists.