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Paul Finebaum Explains Why Doubts Are Growing About College Football Powerhouse

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The 2025 college football season is scheduled to begin Saturday, with 10 teams kicking off the season, while the rest of the country will start next week.

The excitement for the upcoming season has national pundits discussing some of the top teams. One of the main topics is the No. 9-ranked LSU Tigers, who are generating significant attention. This is largely due to their returning roster and their crucial first game of the season against the No. 4-ran ked Clemson Tigers, which will be played on the road.

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst discussed reasons for the reservations about LSU as they approach the 2025 season.

"I think there's a little bit of caution with LSU," Finebaum said. "I agree, I think they're a top 10 team. It's just, this first game is so difficult and so treacherous that I think a lot of folks are just waiting to see how it goes."

Paul Finebaum Thinks LSU Is a Legit National Championship Contender

Finebaum has been very high on the Tigers this offseason. He previously said that he believes they can win the national championship for the first time since 2019.

“It’s really about the quarterback,” Finebaum previously said . “Th ey have recruited extremely well, but it’s mostly about Garrett Nussmeier.”

Nussmeier had an impressive first year as the starting quarterback at LSU. He passed for 4,052 yards, recorded 29 touchdowns, and threw 12 interceptions. Additionally, the Tigers will return 62% of their overall production, ranking them 38th in the nation . That includes running back Caden Durham, who rushed for 753 yards and scored six touchdowns as a true freshman.

LSU has retained junior linebacker Whit Weeks, who led the team last year with 125 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss. The Tigers will also welcome back linebacker Harold Perkins, who missed most of last season due to injury. In his first two seasons, Perkins recorded 147 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 13 sacks.

Brian Kelly Reveals He's Taking 'Receipts'

According to Finebaum, there are some questions surrounding LSU as fans are eager to see how the team performs against Clemson in the season opener. LSU hasn't won a season opener since 2019. Head coach Brian Kelly mentioned that the team is keeping track of any negative feedback they receive.

“We’re taking receipts, and we’ll see you at the national championship,” Kelly said.

Kelly acknowledged that he didn't come to LSU to settle for an 8-4 record. He is aware of the pressure on the team as the season approaches and hopes to prove critics wrong, striving to return the Tigers to their former glory.

LSU will kick off the season against Clemson on Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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