ESPN’s Paul Finebaum had some choice words for Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule after his bold Playoff selection suggestion

Rhule faces a tough challenge in 2024 with Nebraska being joined in the Big 10 by Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule recently suggested four Big 10 teams should automatically reach the College Football PlayoffsCredit: Getty

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum (right) tore into Rhule’s comments on Get UpCredit: ESPN
This comes after all four opted to leave the Pac-12.

The 2024 season will also see the debut of the new 12-team format for the Playoffs.

The top five conference champions will all be awarded berths, along with the next seven highest-ranked teams.

However, former Carolina Panthers head coach Rhule has suggested the Big 10 should be an exception to this rule.

“I think four teams from this league should get in every year because this is the best league,” he told reporters.

“This is the NFL of college football in my mind. It stretches from coast to coast, different time zones, different weather.”

Rhule’s suggestion went down like a lead balloon with Finebaum on Get Up, where he addressed the second-year Nebraska coach’s comments with host Mike Greenberg.

“Matt, stay in your lane,” Finebaum warned.

“Job one, win enough games to get to some stupid bowl games. Don’t worry about the big boys, because you’re not one of them.

“We saw what you did in the NFL, you were a complete disaster in Carolina.

“You somehow got this job in Nebraska, and you’re talking like you belong at the table with Ohio State and Georgia. You don’t!

“Just try to win maybe six games. Quit choking big games on the final play, and leave the punditry to the professionals. Thank you.”

Finebaum’s brutal response prompted a variety of comments on X.

“Ouch,” one fan simply wrote.

“I’m pretty sure Rhule wasn’t implying that Nebraska is one of the ‘big boys.’ Let the games play out on the field, and go from there,” said a second.

College football’s 2024 shake-up

Oklahoma and Texas switching from the Big 12 to the SEC is one of the biggest changes to college football in recent times.

And that has set off a chain reaction which has left the Pac-12 conference decimated.

The Pac-12 has lost 10 of its 12 members and is down to just Oregon State and Washington State.

Four of those teams are headed for the Big 12 – Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.

Another four are going to the Big 10 – Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.

And the other two teams, California and Stanford, will join the ACC conference.

No teams have left the SEC, Big Ten or ACC.

“@finebaum missed the point,” claimed another.

“Rhule believes Big10 will get four teams in because of [the] quality of league. [By the way], the league had four current teams finish in Top 10 in ’23, so it’s not a reach.

“As a coach in the league, Rhule is well within his lane.”

While a fourth agreed with Finebaum, commenting, “Matt Rhule should try to get bowl eligible first.”

Nebraska finished 2023 sixth in the Big 10 West with a 5-7 record.

Previously, Rhule has led Baylor to the Texas and Sugar Bowls, while also guiding Temple to Boca Raton and Military Bowls.

He is 1-3 in Bowl games and has an overall career record of 52-50 in college.

The Cornhuskers will kick off their 2024 campaign against UTEP on August 31.