Paul Finebaum goes in depth on how Saturday's games drastically impacted the College Football Playoff race

Week 12 of college football did not disappoint, filled with close calls, upset victories, and a potential shift in the College Football Playoff picture. Paul Finebaum spoke with ESPN’s Matt Barrie following an exciting slate of games from the weekend, and started with who he thinks the biggest winner of the weekend was.

“I think the biggest winner Saturday was the loser of Michigan Ohio State because that game has so much magnitude and again let’s throw the assuming it’s a good game into the equation, but if it is, that’s a really great loss. That will trump TCU losing in a Big 12 Conference Championship game or Southern Cal,” Finebaum said.

Finebaum also spoke on where Clemson stands this weekend in his opinion regarding the CFP race, as they sit on the outside looking in following their upset loss to Notre Dame.

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“Being in Carolina yesterday I had people ask me do you think Clemson can still get back in and the answer I have is no, I don’t care where they’re ranked, they don’t deserve to get back in Matt,” Finebaum said. “And they’re playing a North Carolina team that did them no favors by losing to Georgia Tech, so when it’s all said and done Clemson’s best win will ultimately be their loss to Notre Dame which doesn’t say anything about the program considering how one sided that game is.”

Finebaum is out on the Tigers, but still has some question marks regarding the potential dominoes that could fall in the next two weeks between the final weekend of the season and the conference championship games, where there’s plenty of potential for things to change still.

“So I really don’t know, I’m sure I’ll be excoriated in the upstate but I’m not impressed by Clemson, let them get ready for their bowl game against Alabama or someone else. I am more inclined to go with the loser of that game, of the game that I was earlier. Assuming there’s massive carnage, that’s the question I have, what if TCU and USC lose, then what happens?” Finebaum asked.

Per usual, Finebaum also touched on the implications for some of the remaining SEC teams in the College Football Playoff race as well.

“For every Alabama fan that wants to say well what about that two-point conversation, well all that would’ve done is gotten you a game with Georgia, so let’s not get carried away here,” Finebaum said. “Tennessee‘s gonna be the one that’s kicking themselves Matt because had it survived Columbia, South Carolina and then beaten Vanderbilt this weekend they were in a really good spot to go without having to play Georgia, and then maybe they could get some help and avoid Georgia in the first round.”

To conclude, Finebaum spoke about two teams that he believes are in a good position moving forward, despite one being doomed in his eyes if they do end up making the playoffs.

“But right now it’s all about Southern Cal I think, and again that league continues to hurt itself by losing games, but I think even a win over, are they playing Oregon now is that what it looks like? I think they’re in great shape,” Finebaum said. “TCU whether you like them or not, I get all the metrics that TCU doesn’t look like they belong and that’s fine, their fans can scream and holler. But TCU is just going to be just chum for Georgia in the first round in the semifinals, I mean that’s a game that I think will really be a tough watch.”