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″]

Please follow our Community Guidelines
  • BYU Cougars Scoreboard

  • BYU Cougars Team Leaders

  • BYU Cougars Standings

BYU Cougars

BYU Soccer, Allie Fryer, Wisconsin Preview...

Sean Walker

BYU, Utah Valley women’s soccer cancel 2026 crosstown rivalry match

BYU and Utah Valley confirmed Wednesday that the near-annual crosstown rivalry series has been canceled in 2026. No reason was given for the cancelation. 

2 days ago

BYU basketball, Jakub Urbaniak, Kevin Young...

Mitch Harper

BYU basketball reportedly lands big man from Poland

BYU's long search for a center appears to be at the end of the road.

4 days ago

BYU basketball, Nonconference schedule, 2026-27 season, Rob Wright III...

Mitch Harper

BYU basketball releases 2026-27 nonconference schedule

The out-of-conference schedule for year three in the Kevin Young era.

5 days ago

Bear Bachmeier, Tiger Bachmeier, Concert, BYU football...

Mitch Harper

BYU football’s Bear and Tiger Bachmeier take the stage for first-ever concert

The Bachmeier brothers performed a free concert in Utah County.

11 days ago

BYU football, Entrata patch...

Mitch Harper

BYU announces football jersey patch partnership with Utah-based company

BYU will have a uniform patch beginning in the 2026 season.

12 days ago

Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets California Summer League...

Brian Preece

Former BYU guard shines in Las Vegas Summer League

Former BYU guard Egor Dëmin is hoping to make a splash as he returns to the court for his second NBA season with the Brooklyn Nets.

14 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