Paul Finebaum. © Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Names Three 'Clear' Frontrunners in SEC

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Utsav Khanna | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 9:21 PM ET

Paul Finebaum made an early prediction for how the SEC will play out at the top in 2025. The veteran college football insider believes Texas, Georgia and Alabama are the clear frontrunners for the upcoming season.

He sees them in a separate tier from other teams in the conference. Steve Sarkisian's Texas fell short last year despite putting up a great fight all season long. Led by Arch Manning this year, the Longhorns are expected to fill the gaps they showed in 2024.

On the other hand, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs had a rough start to the spring season but their core remains strong as they bring back key defensive leadership and build their offense with quarterback Gunner Stockton as their starter.

During the Paul Finebaum Show, a caller asked Finebaum who will take the third spot in the SEC, vacated by Tennessee. The SEC network analyst said, "I'm basing this on what I see the majority of people say. And that's just looking at magazines and anecdotal votes. Right now, clearly, Texas is going to be the pick to win the SEC, followed by Georgia and Alabama. And then, the next tier is probably LSU, South Carolina. And I think after that, it's pretty much open for conversation."

Outside of Texas and Georgia, none of the other teams have a proven track record to fall back on. For Alabama and Kalen DeBoer, it is a make or break season. With the addition of Ryan Grubb as the OC, Crimson Tide fans will not give much leeway to Coach DeBoer in 2025.

LSU, South Carolina are both dark horses and could find themselves in the playoff picture if they get a couple of breaks. Although, Finebaum believes that their positions on this list are not cemented. Ole Miss, Florida and even Missouri have a strong chance to get the 4th or 5th spot in the SEC when all is said and done.

Like every year, SEC teams are gearing up for a gruelling season. And it might come down to schedule, injuries and which teams peak at the right time.

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

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