PAUL FINEBAUM calls out STEPHEN A. SMITH over controversial take on Oxford, LANE KIFFIN

Thursday, November 20, 2025-Veteran SEC voice Paul Finebaum publicly criticized Stephen A. Smith after the ESPN analyst suggested that Black players are less willing to play in Oxford, Mississippi — implying a recruiting disadvantage for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. On First Take, Smith stated, “the brothers ain’t trying to come to Oxford … for the most part,” and contrasted Oxford unfavorably with college towns like Gainesville and Baton Rouge.

Finebaum responded on his own show, calling Smith’s comments “clearly racial” and “terribly unfair.” He pushed back on Smith’s portrayal of Oxford as stuck in the racial past, saying he’s been to the town “a million times” and that the South has significantly changed.

The exchange comes amid mounting speculation around Kiffin’s future, with LSU and Florida reportedly vying for his services even as Ole Miss celebrates one of its best seasons in decades.