Paul Finebaum: Jimbo Fisher ‘embarrassed’ Texas A&M, explains difference between him, Gus Malzahn

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 24: Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher leads his team onto he field during the Southwest Classic college football game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Arkansas Razorbacks on September 24, 2022 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Paul Finebaum isn’t exactly high on Jimbo Fisher these days.

Fisher’s Texas A&M team has now lost two games to unranked opponents and limps into Saturday’s matchup with No. 1 Alabama with a 3-2 record.

It has been less than stellar for Fisher in his first five years in College Station.

“Somebody texted me during that (Texas A&M and Mississippi State) game and with one of those riddles: ‘What is the difference between Jimbo Fisher and (former Auburn head coach) Gus Malzahn?’ The answer is Jameis Winston,” Finebaum told ESPN’s Matt Barrie. “Take Jameis Winston out of this guy’s arsenal, and he may not be a head coach right now. That’s how important Winston was. The good news for A&M, if there is any good news, is the schedule gets easy and manageable. But so what? Saturday night will be the third loss of the season. You can manufacture 8-4 or 9-3. I don’t know where they are going to end up. But that’s not what Texas A&M is paying for.

RELATED: Finebaum calls A&M a cupcake

“We’re knocking on the door of Oct. 8. From the end of May until a few weeks ago, that was a date even non-college football fans knew. That was the battle between Saban and Jimbo. Essentially now, this is a cupcake game for Alabama. This is not to be taken seriously. I know about upsets, but don’t tell me. It’s not happening this year. The amount of money people are paying for this game, they are taking an ‘L’ on those tickets.”

Finebaum believes Fisher is clinging to the 2020 season and needs to start building up more current currency.

“He lives off of 2020 when they came in No. 4 in the final AP Top 25 poll, argued they should have been in the playoffs, but still lost to Alabama in Tuscaloosa by 28 points,” Finebaum said. “That’s it. He has nothing else to show for. ...

“I know he beat Alabama last year and then completely threw it away. Completely. Let that one get away. And then don’t forget that A&M canceled a bowl game nine days out last year because of the quarterback chaos. They were going to lose the bowl game. They were going to lose. That was going to mean five losses. They completely weaseled their way out. Nobody cancels nine days out. LSU played with about 25-30 scholarship players and did not even have a coach. But they did what most credible schools do.”

He added that the money men in College Station aren’t happy.

“The buyout (for Jimbo) is about $90 million. I spoke at a dinner a week ago in Dallas with the top Texas A&M people before the Arkansas game. ... These guys don’t fool around. You know Texas. They don’t fool around. A $90 million buyout? That does not faze these guys. They are embarrassed right now. They lost to Mississippi State for a second year in a row, and there is no telling what the score is going to be Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

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