Paul Finebaum. © Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Reveals Biggest Concern For College Football Playoff Contender

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Several teams that didn't qualify for the College Football Playoff in 2024 are hoping that the 2025 season will bring a change.

One such team is the Ole Miss Rebels, who narrowly missed out on making the playoffs, which would have marked the first appearance in program history. The Rebels finished the season with a record of 10-3, achieving their third season with ten or more wins in the last four years.

Despite their success, the Rebels ended up ranked No. 14 in the final CFP rankings, placing them among the first teams left out of the tournament. Recently, Paul Finebaum from ESPN was asked on his show, "The Paul Finebaum Show," about his biggest concerns for Ole Miss this season. His response might surprise some people.

"I think that has to be a big concern," Finebaum said. "Pete Golding got a lot of publicity for one of the best defenses in the country and ultimately it really wasn't his fault that Ole Miss lost. The only game I maybe blame the defense on was the LSU game... The defense is something you have to be concerned about."

As Finebaum pointed out, Ole Miss is facing significant losses in player production this season. The Rebels are ranked No. 113 in terms of returning production, with only 42 percent of their output from last year coming back.

While many focus on the offense, one of the most notable departures is quarterback Jaxson Dart. He had an impressive season last year, throwing for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, while completing 69.3 percent of his passes. His outstanding performance led to him being selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

However, the defense also experienced significant losses. The defense is returning only 45% of its production, which ranks 104th in the country. This follows a strong performance last season, where they were ranked No. 14 in total defense, No. 2 in rush defense, and No. 2 in scoring defense.

A key contributor was defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who finished the season with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks before being drafted in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals. Additionally, Ole Miss will be missing five of its top six players in sacks from last season.

The Rebels will kick off their season against Georgia State on Aug. 30 at 7:45 p.m. ET.

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

More must-reads: