They are in for a big season.
Paul Finebaum Emphatically Declares SEC Program as 'One of the Best Teams in the Country' originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 college football offseason has been full of intriguing storylines. Some of the key narratives include coaches facing pressure, legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick transitioning to the college ranks at the University of North Carolina and the situation with Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee.
Other storylines include which teams could improve from the previous year and surprise fans. One such team is the LSU Tigers. Last season, LSU finished 9-4. The Tigers have not yet made the College Football Playoff under coach Brian Kelly, who took over in 2022.
In Kelly's first season, he led the Tigers to a 10-4 record and won the SEC West, although they ultimately lost to the Georgia Bulldogs. LSU had a successful 10-3 season in 2023.
Hopes were high in 2024 when the team started 6-1. However, a three-game losing streak derailed its playoff aspirations. On "The Paul Finebaum Show," an SEC Network analyst expressed confidence that this year will be different, predicting the Tigers will be one of the best teams in the sport.
"LSU is going to be one of the best teams in the country," Finebaum said.
Finebaum has been very high on LSU this offseason. He previously stated:
“Right now, I would have to think of LSU as a playoff team,” Finebaum said. “It’s crowded. In the SEC, you essentially have Texas, I believe you have Alabama, Georgia, LSU and who is next?”
The Tigers are looking forward to the season. They return 62% of their offensive production, which ranks them 38th in the nation. A key player returning this season is star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year.
LSU will also keep junior linebacker Whit Weeks and sophomore running back Caden Durham. Last season, Weeks led the team with 125 tackles and made 10 tackles for loss. Meanwhile, Durham, as a true freshman, rushed for 753 yards and scored six touchdowns.
The Tigers enjoy a favorable schedule: Athlon Sports ranks them as having the sixth-easiest schedule in the SEC. However, it starts tough. The Tigers will kick off their season with a road game at the Clemson Tigers on Aug. 30 at 7:30. p.m. ET.
Related: Paul Finebaum Reverses Course, Saying This SEC Coach is Practically Untouchable
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
