Ken Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Paul Finebaum Expresses Optimism About SEC Powerhouse Poised for a Turnaround

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated May 17, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Several college football programs hope to bounce back in 2025 after a disappointing 2024 season, while others aim to regain prominence following several poor seasons.

One of these teams is the Auburn Tigers, who have not had a winning season since 2020, when they finished with a record of 6-5. Despite its recent struggles, Auburn is one of the most storied programs in college football history. The team has won eight conference championships and two national championships, the most recent of which was in 2010. The Tigers also reached the national championship game in 2013, but they lost to a Florida State team led by Jameis Winston in the final moments.

In the previous season, Auburn ended with a record of 5-7, largely due to struggles on offense. Although they had the 29th-ranked offense in the nation, they were 105th in turnovers lost, committing 22 turnovers overall. A significant issue was the quarterback play, as the two players who shared snaps combined for 12 interceptions.

Both quarterbacks have departed, and it is anticipated that Oklahoma Sooners transfer Jackson Arnold, who threw for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions in 10 games last season, will assume the starting role.

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum expressed optimism about the Tigers after his conversation with head coach Hugh Freeze earlier this week.

"I came away from talking to Hugh Freeze pretty upbeat," Finebaum said. "He's got a lot of players that he didn't have. He was honest about that yesterday. I like their quarterback situation."

Finebaum stated that the key for the Tigers in 2025 will be their ability to win the close games they consistently lost in 2024. Auburn finished the season with a record of 1-3 in games decided by single digits. One of the most heartbreaking losses mentioned by Finebaum was against the Sooners (6-7) at home.

The Tigers were leading 21-10 with just over eight minutes left in the game. After a touchdown by Oklahoma, Auburn appeared to be driving the ball to secure the victory. However, quarterback Payton Thorne threw an interception to Sooners linebacker Kip Lewis, who returned it 63 yards for a touchdown. Oklahoma would tack on a field goal later on, and as a result, the Tigers lost the game 27-21.

Finebaum believes that if Auburn can turn around its performance in those close games, it could be a rising team in 2025.

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

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