Paul Finebaum. © Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Names College Football Team That Will End Their Playoff Drought

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The 2025 college football season offers a new chance for schools to break their playoff droughts. Last season, teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Clemson Tigers successfully ended their playoff dry spells, while several others made their inaugural appearances.

One team looking to end a five-season drought is the LSU Tigers. The Tigers are heading into Year 4 under coach Brian Kelly. According to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), LSU is ranked as the No. 12 team in the country. The FPI projects that the Tigers will finish the season with an 8-4 record and gives them a 30.3% chance of making the playoffs.

A significant factor in this optimism is the return of star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who had an impressive performance last season, throwing for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first year as the starting quarterback.

During "The Paul Finebaum Show," SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum shared his thoughts on whether LSU will end its playoff drought this season.

"I think they will get to the playoffs," Finebaum said.

The conversation began when the caller suggested putting Kelly on the hot seat if he fails to make the playoffs. However, Finebaum disagreed with that idea.

If LSU were to dismiss Kelly, it would be a challenging decision, not only because he is regarded as a top coach but also due to the hefty buyout he would require. Currently, Kelly's buyout is $51.7 million, which will decrease annually to $42.5 million in 2026, $33.1 million in 2027, $23.4 million in 2028 and finally to $13.5 million in 2029.

In Kelly's first season, the Tigers finished with a record of 10-4, won the SEC West division, and advanced to the SEC Championship Game. In his second year, they achieved a 10-3 record but did not win the SEC West. Last season, LSU had a 9-4 record and again failed to win the conference. Additionally, the Tigers have not made the College Football Playoff during Kelly's tenure.

Finebaum believes that LSU's five-year streak of not making the playoffs will come to an end this year, as he has ranked the team among his top four, alongside Texas, Georgia and Alabama.

The Tigers are set to kick off the season with a crucial road game against the Clemson Tigers on Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET, which could generate significant momentum for the team.

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

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