Paul Finebaum blasts Urban Meyer: Nick Saban ‘beacon for integrity’

Do SEC fans care about the College Football Hall of Fame?

Maybe now they will at least pay attention to it after Paul Finebaum threw some haymakers at Urban Meyer, comparing him to Nick Saban while talking to a local Alabama station last week about the nominees for the National Football Foundation’s 2025 class. Of course both seem like guarantees to get inducted with ten national championships between them.

“One coach has won seven national championships and has been exemplary in everything that he’s done and stood for,” said the ESPN personality about the legendary former Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers coach. “He’s been someone who is a beacon for integrity.”

No surprise that he gushed with praise. Finebaum and Saban have always been close. Just last month, Saban, now part of the ESPN family too primarily as an analyst for “College Gameday,” interviewed Finebaum as part of a promotional tour. For those keeping score, Saban won six national championships for Alabama and got his first one with LSU.

Apparently there’s no love lost with Urban Meyer, who won two national championships for the Florida Gators and one for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

“The other one is basically the worst of everything imaginable,” noted Finebaum unapologetically. “He has lied. He has misled. He has quit several different times to spend time with his family.

“I realize Urban Meyer has won three national championships, but, beyond that, it’s embarrassing for him to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Nick Saban.”

Ouch.

Of course Meyer has always been a lightning rod of controversy, especially during his tumultuous and short-lived NFL tenure as the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach.

For our sake, let’s hope Finebaum and Meyer, again a college football analyst for FOX Sports, cross paths soon to trade more zingers.

Author(s)

Matt Graham covers the SEC for The Sporting News. He’s been covering college football, the NFL, NBA, the Olympics, and MLB for almost 20 years for NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports, and USA TODAY Sports, where he also co-founded For The Win.