With SEC Media Day unfolding on Tuesday, ESPN's Paul Finebaum said "one of the most disrespectful things you could say" about Michigan Football, according to Mike Valenti:
"I hate your guts, but I can give respect where it’s needed. He goes, ‘There’s a couple of teams that have a chance, possibly, of beating Georgia. Outside the SEC, I like Ohio State.’ You know who he didn’t say? Michigan. Let me ask you a question: What does Ohio State have to do that Michigan doesn’t? Replace a quarterback and a top-three pick in the draft with a guy who has never played."
The Buckeyes, who went 11-2 last season and nearly knocked off Georgia in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, are replacing quarterback C.J. Stroud with unproven junior Kyle McCord. Michigan, meanwhile, is returning a potential Heisman candidate in J.J. McCarthy, who threw three touchdowns and ran for another against Ohio State last season in Michigan's second straight win over the Buckeyes.
For that reason, Valenti says that "you are not allowed to bring up Ohio State" as a threat to Georgia, "if you’re not bringing up Michigan."
"Because last I checked, Michigan has blown them off the field the last two years, once at your place, once at theirs. It is disrespect. Leave it to a Spartan to use the disrespect card, but I’m being serious about this. Across college football, Georgia’s replacing a quarterback, Alabama’s replacing a quarterback, Ohio State’s replacing a quarterback. There are two teams I care about that aren’t: USC and Michigan.
"How are you having a good-faith conversation about who could stop Georgia’s three-peat without bringing up Michigan? Finebaum, to me, that’s out of order."
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