Paul Finebaum calls Lane Kiffin '51-year-old man behaving like a 16-year-old'

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In the midst of the SEC's ongoing legal battles with LSU over the eligibility of former professional athletes returning to college athletics, Paul Finebaum called commissioner Greg Sankey a "hero" for preserving "the integrity" of the conference.

As for LSU coach Lane Kiffin? The ESPN college football analyst was far less complimentary, whom he recently described his professional relationship with the ex-Mississippi coach as one with "an ex-girlfriend."

"We can all wrap our arms around Lane Kiffin and say he's lovable and he's a great coach. But in the end, he's a child. He's a 51-year-old man behaving like a 16-year-old."

REQUIRED READING: Lane Kiffin says 'uncertainties' spurred him to leave ex-NFL players off LSU roster

Finebaum's selected words to describe Kiffin follow in line with his tone on this week's episode of the "College Football Unfiltered" podcast with USA TODAY Sports' Blake Toppmeyer.

“Kiffin is the enfant terrible of college football," Finebaum said on the "College Football Unfiltered" podcast.

Despite getting being granted a preliminary injunction by a Louisiana judge on Thursday, Sept. 3 to roster both Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, LSU ultimately opted against that late Friday, Sept. 4 to not add both of the former Mississippi players who were waived by NFL teams — for now.

"There are no adults in the room," Finebaum added on "SEC Nation" on Saturday. "I thought all college campuses have an athletic director. The one at LSU has been nowhere to be found. The president, Wade Rousse, has been nowhere to be found.

"… But what happened down there has left a stain on this league. And I know it's not going to happen and it probably shouldn't happen, but if the presidents of the SEC took a vote today, they very well might vote to kick LSU out of the league. And I can tell you fans out there would not be the least bit upset by it."

LSU not adding Wright and Harris to its roster leaves two open spots on the Tigers' 105-man roster, leaving a path for both to be added at a later date. That later date could come after more information and clarity comes out on the SEC's lawsuit against LSU and Kiffin in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The SEC's lawsuit also names LSU President Wade Rouse and athletics director Verge Ausberry.

Appearing on "College GameDay" on Saturday, Kiffin told the "GameDay" crew that his decision to leave Wright and Harris off the roster "wasn't easy," but one that he made for the "big picture" of LSU and the football program with the "uncertainties of what potentially could have come by adding them to the roster."

The Tigers are set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff against No. 23 Clemson at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Saturday.

Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Finebaum calls Lane Kiffin '51-year-old man behaving like a 16-year-old'

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