Paul Finebaum Believes Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns Are SEC Challengers

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels enter a critical 2025 season in Oxford with the program navigating the final phases of the offseason.

With the NCAA Transfer Portal window, Spring Camp, SEC Media Days and summer workouts now in the rearview mirror, the Rebels are entering the home stretch.

Kiffin and Co. will prepare for Fall Camp in August with the final piece of the offseason inching closer in the Magnolia State.

It's been a busy week in Atlanta (Ga.) with SEC Media Days rolling on as analysts and evaluators break down the Southeastern Conference as a whole.

Throughout the week, the buzz has been surrounding the Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers as frontrunners to win the conference.

SEC Network's Paul Finebaum believe the Longhorns are a contender, but the Crimson Tide will be a force.

“I think it’s Alabama,” Finebaum said on Get Up. “A lot of people, amazingly, have forgotten about Alabama. Without Nick Saban, they missed the Playoff. They’ve lost more games than they have since 2007. I believe they’re better at quarterback.

"That sounds crazy, with Ty Simpson against Jalen Milroe, who was amazing at times, but also terrible at times. I think they have elite wide receivers. They have probably the second-best wide receiver in the country in Ryan Williams. Their defense is going to be top-notch.

“They also go to Georgia. The problem there is Georgia lost Alabama (last season), so a little bit of a revenge game. But I think they manage their season very well.”

But Finebaum's colleague, Heather Dinich, is riding with the Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers as contenders to take down Texas.

“I would say it’s hard not to say Georgia, because of the history, but we know more about LSU, with Brian Kelly and Garrett Nussmeier,” Dinich responded. “They have me convinced that this team is capable of competing at the championship level.

“A lot of that has to do with the depth, the improvements that they have on defense, and simply Nussmeier taking the next step as a quarterback, cutting back on some of those interceptions that can be forced, with his ability to run the ball. I’m looking for improvement out of him. I would say LSU is going to get into the Playoff at the expense of Alabama.”

The Ole Miss Rebels enter the 2025 season as underdogs in the Southeastern Conference with first-year starter Austin Simmons set to be under center.