BYU COUGARS

Paul Finebaum Believes BYU Could Help Either Big 12 Or Pac-12

Jul 22, 2021, 6:21 PM | Updated: 6:22 pm

Paul Finebaum of SEC Network...

TV/radio personality Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network speaks on air before the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

PROVO, Utah – The Paul Finebaum Show is an institution in the southeastern part of the United States. Every day Finebaum’s show is loaded up with callers giving their takes or asking questions to the ESPN host. It’s not often the topic of BYU comes up on a show primarily focused on the SEC.

But when conference realignment is being discussed, anything is possible. BYU came up on Thursday’s edition of The Paul Finebaum Show. A caller by the name of William from Louisiana called into the show to discuss conference realignment. William stated that he believes the potential move of Texas/Oklahoma to the SEC is the beginning of “superconferences.”

Finebaum then responded to William with his thought on “superconferences.”

Paul Finebaum on the Big 12 Conference without Texas & Oklahoma

“The Big 12 to survive needs to steal someone from someplace and, you know, do they go back to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, or does it go the other way? I really think the Big 12 has nothing to stand at the moment. They don’t have a base,” Finebaum said. “They have Oklahoma State, which is really not a marquee school to launch a rebranded conference. They could go to Houston; they could go to SMU.”

Finebaum continued by sharing who he believes is one of the top free agents in the realignment market.

BYU is valuable in the eyes of Finebaum

“There’s one other school out there who I think is very valuable that could help either the Big 12 or the Pac-12, and that is BYU,” Finebaum added. “I said Notre Dame is the biggest name out there; BYU is pretty close to being the second biggest.”

There is a lot of appeal to BYU. First, you think about on-field performance. BYU is one of the winningest programs over the last 50 years of college football. National success from a championship in 1984 to a Heisman Trophy winner in 1990. BYU has a national following with its ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is a lot to like about BYU, and their goal is to land in a Power 5 conference. Will one come calling is the big question?

Count Paul Finebaum as someone who believes that call should happen for BYU to be in the power leagues.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

[ss-signup design_id=”2205276″]

  • BYU Cougars Scoreboard

  • BYU Cougars Team Leaders

  • BYU Cougars Standings

BYU Cougars

Big 12 football power rankings, Week 2, Bear Bachmeier, BYU football...

Mitch Harper, Steve Bartle, Josh Furlong, Sean Walker

Big 12 football power rankings: BYU climbs entering Week 2

The latest power rankings in the Big 12 Conference.

14 hours ago

BYU defenders stuff Utah Tech Trailblazers running back Ace Chatman (0) at the line during a game a...

Sean Walker

How to watch, stream and listen: BYU’s Big 12 opener vs. Arizona

Here's how to watch, stream and listen to No. 14 BYU football's 2026 season opener against Utah Tech.

15 hours ago

BYU football depth chart, Arizona week, Game two...

Mitch Harper

BYU football releases depth chart for Arizona game

BYU gets set to kick off Big 12 play.

19 hours ago

BYU football, uniform combination, Arizona Wildcats...

Mitch Harper

BYU unveils uniform combo for Big 12 opener against Arizona

The uniform combination for week two.

1 day ago

BYU winger Sophie Sivulich puts up a shot during the No. 14 Cougars' 1-1 draw against Oklahoma, Sat...

Sean Walker

No. 14 BYU women’s soccer rallies to secure 1-1 draw with Oklahoma

Sivulich collected a pass from Lucy Kesler at the corner of the penalty box, drove toward goal, and secured a deflection before burying the equalizer inside the far post to help 14th-ranked BYU women's soccer survive with a 1-1 draw against the SEC's Sooners.

2 days ago

BYU football, Injury Report, Raider Damuni...

Mitch Harper

Key BYU football players injured during win over Utah Tech

The latest on injuries after BYU football's win over Utah Tech.

2 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Photos provided by family of featured athletes...

Salt Lake County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 13 – Stacia Peoples & Gavin Lowe

The Hercules Salt Lake County High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Salt Lake County.

...

Northern Utah High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 13 – Rachel McBride & Lincoln Smith

The John Watson Northern Utah High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Northern Utah.

Photos provided by featured athletes...

Utah County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 13 – Janiece Sikander & Brody Thompson

The Mr. Mac Utah County High School Player of the Week is awarded each week to the top prep boy's and girl's basketball players in Utah County.

Photos provided by featured athletes...

Salt Lake County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 12 – Evy Roberts & Krew Eckman

The Hercules Salt Lake County High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Salt Lake County.

Photos provided by family of featured athletes...

Northern Utah High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 12 – Fabiana Lopez, Madden Johnsen & Bracken Saunders

The John Watson Northern Utah High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Northern Utah.

Photos provided by featured athletes...

Utah County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 12 – Leah Bailey & Lucas Castagnetto

The Mr. Mac Utah County High School Player of the Week is awarded each week to the top prep boy's and girl's basketball players in Utah County.

Paul Finebaum Believes BYU Could Help Either Big 12 Or Pac-12