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

Paul Finebaum Names College Football Team Set for a Resurgence

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The 2025 college football season presents a significant opportunity for several programs to build on their performances from 2024. It's also a crucial year for teams that have been close to making the playoffs to finally break through and earn a spot in the field.

The LSU Tigers are among these teams. Under head coach Brian Kelly, who took over before the 2022 season, the Tigers have consistently won nine or more games each year. They recorded a 10-4 record in Kelly's first year and reached the SEC Championship Game, went 10-3 in his second year and finished with a 9-4 record in the third year.

There is optimism surrounding LSU for this season. On "The Paul Finebaum Show," an analyst from the SEC Network expressed hope that the Tigers will achieve at least 10 wins this year.

"I'm high on the Tigers," Finebaum said.

If the Tigers aim to reach the College Football Playoff, it will likely depend on the performance of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. Finebaum said he believes that despite his struggles last year, this season could be a turning point.

"I think Garrett is capable, but he got lost a couple of times last year," Finebaum said. "It was frustrating. He's expected to have a monster year, but I think he has better talent around him this year."

Nussmeier had an impressive first year as the starting quarterback, throwing for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. However, the optimism for LSU extends beyond just his return. The team brings back 62% of its total production, which ranks 38th in the nation.

Despite this positive outlook, ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is not completely confident in the Tigers, ranking them as the No. 12 team in college football heading into the season. Nevertheless, they have some of the best odds to win the national championship, according to ESPN BET.

LSU is set to make a statement with a major game to start the season, facing the Clemson Tigers on Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET. This game holds particular significance, as LSU has not won its opening game since 2019, when it claimed the national championship. That was before Kelly took over as head coach.

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

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