Jan 6, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; ESPN broadcaster Paul Finebaum during media day at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Labels LSU Tigers as 'Best Team in College Football' After Week 2

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 9:00 AM ET

No. 3 LSU has come out the gates hot to start the 2025 season with the program 2-0 for the first time in over five years.

After back-to-back wins across the first two weeks of the regular season, Brian Kelly's program has America's attention as an early National Championship contender.

LSU defeated No. 4 Clemson to open the season in Week 1 with national analysts quickly labeling the Bayou Bengals as the No. 1 team in college football.

“LSU should be the No. 1 team in the country,” ESPN's Heather Dinich said after Week 1. “They went on the road. Ohio State won at home, albeit against a good team, but they (LSU) beat a good team soundly.

"They made them one-dimensional, and they exposed them. They limited them to 31 rushing yards.”

Now, with Week 2 in the rearview mirror, the LSU Tigers are receiving more support as the "best team in the country" after Saturday's win over Louisiana Tech.

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum hopped on SportsCenter Sunday morning to dive into his reasoning for why he's buying stock in the Bayou Bengals.

“As I was saying, I’m all in on LSU right now,” Paul Finebaum said. “They are the best team in the country because they have the most significant win. There have been some good wins in the SEC, like Mississippi State last night, but I’m not ready to move them up. I am ready to put LSU [at the top], for now.”

LSU is the top squad for Finebaum from both a national and Southeastern Conference standpoint, but the SEC Network host believes another program can come for the top spot soon.

“Look out for Georgia,” Finebaum said. “They play Tennessee this weekend. Florida, I think, we can move to the back of the line. Oklahoma is moving up. Alabama is not going anywhere. So, count me in.”

Booger McFarland's Take: LSU is the Real Death Valley

“A couple of things. I think that’s very astute of you, saying that’s the biggest win outside of Alabama, because it is. It kind of puts the narrative to bed that BK can’t win a big game, he can’t win the opener. That’s number one. Number two, can we end the debate about who’s the real Death Valley?” McFarland said.

“I mean, at some point, if we’re gonna show up at your house and kick your door down when you take the bus around the stadium and run down the hill and touch the rock and all that stuff. Then we just shut you out in the second half. At some point, you’ve got to realize that there’s only one Death Valley and, oh, by the way, you get to come see it next year. That’s number two.”

This article first appeared on LSU Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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