Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse He Doesn't Feel Great About

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The 2025 college football season is just under two months away, and the Ohio State Buckeyes are aiming to defend their championship title while other powerhouse programs seek to dethrone them.

One of these challengers is the Georgia Bulldogs. Last season, the Bulldogs finished with an 11-3 record and secured a spot in the College Football Playoff. They began the decade on a high note by winning back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, but they have not returned to the pinnacle of college football since then.

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst shared his thoughts on Georgia's prospects for this season. He expressed that he feels optimistic, but not overly confident, about their chances.

"I feel good about Georgia, not great," Finebaum said. "When I say not great, that means I'm not as high on Georgia, nor is anyone else, for that matter, as they've been for about six years now. When they've literally had so many amazing players. "

Finebaum has previously acknowledged that Stockton possesses several good qualities; however, he doubts Stockton's ability to lead Georgia to a national championship.

As the 2025 season approaches, Stockton enters with limited playing experience, having participated in only five games last season. During those appearances, he threw for a total of 440 yards and one touchdown, primarily contributing in the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff loss after Beck sustained a season-ending injury.

While Georgia won the SEC title, its performance in the playoff quarterfinal against Notre Dame was disappointing. The Bulldogs lost 23-10 and struggled offensively for most of the game. In that matchup, Stockton completed 20-of-32 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown.

A crucial moment came just before halftime when Stockton fumbled the ball with seconds left on the clock at the half. After being sacked for a loss of 12 yards, he lost the ball, which Notre Dame recovered. At the half, Georgia was trailing 13-3. The Fighting Irish scored just one play later and then returned the second-half kickoff for another touchdown, extending their lead to 20-3.

Stockton is set to lead Georgia in its first game of the year at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30 against Marshall.

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

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