Paul Finebaum Makes Record Prediction for LSU Ahead of 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Since Brian Kelly became the head coach of the LSU Tigers, the team has been close to breaking through and returning to the College Football Playoff for the first time since winning the national title in 2019.

In Kelly's first year, LSU finished 10-4, winning the SEC West and competing in the SEC Championship Game, although the Tigers lost to the Georgia Bulldogs. In his second year, the Tigers went 10-3 but did not win the SEC West. Star quarterback Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy, however. Last season, LSU ended 9-4.

Now, the Tigers are aiming for a stronger season, and ESPN's Paul Finebaum shared his record prediction on "The Paul Finebaum Show."

"I think 10-2 is a good mark," Finebaum said.

Finebaum is optimistic about LSU this season. Although he did not provide specific details about his record prediction, this enthusiasm likely stems from the players the team has returning.

The Tigers bring back 62% of their total production, ranking them 38th in the nation. Among those returning is star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who had an impressive first year as a starter, throwing for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns with 12 interceptions last season.

Despite Finebaum's optimism, ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) does not fully share his confidence, ranking LSU as the No. 12 team in college football heading into the season. However, the Tigers have some of the best odds to win the national championship, according to ESPN BET.

LSU will need to manage its schedule effectively. According to Kyle Wood of Athlon Sports, the Tigers have the sixth-easiest schedule in the SEC. Wood notes that while LSU begins with a challenging non-conference game against the Clemson Tigers, the remainder of its non-conference schedule consists of teams that are not part of Power 5 conferences.

In SEC play, LSU will host the Florida Gators, South Carolina Gamecocks and Texas A&M Aggies, while facing road games against the Ole Miss Rebels, Alabama Crimson Tide and Oklahoma Sooners.

Finebaum also emphasized the importance of LSU making a strong statement in its season opener against Clemson on Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET. He cautioned that if LSU were to lose this game, it could lead to complications quickly.

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

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