Paul Finebaum claims Georgia will be ‘fighting’ to make the College Football Playoff
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Georgia won the SEC Championship last season, beating Texas in Atlanta to earn an automatic berth into the College Football Playoff. There was no mystery about the Bulldogs’ fate, no conversation to be had about worth or schedule strength or this injury or that weakness.
Perhaps things will be different in 2025.
Paul Finebaum certainly seems to think so.
During an appearance Friday on ESPN’s First Take, the SEC Network host claimed that Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs will be “fighting” just to earn a spot in the Playoff. Asked which was the more likely scenario for Georgia in 2025 — returning to national championship contention or fighting for an at-large spot in the CFP — Finebaum suggested the Bulldogs’ recent talent drain will lead to some struggles.
“I believe they’ll be fighting to be in the playoffs,” Finebaum said. “We all respect Kirby Smart. I think he’s the best coach in college football, but that doesn’t mean anything if you lose players like they have lost over the last couple of years. Three years ago, that draft in Vegas, everyone remembers it was one Georgia player after another. I’ve never seen anything quite like that. But they haven’t quite been able to fill those needs.
“I know the point was made earlier about Stetson Bennett winning 2 national championships, but he had one of the all-time defenses and I don’t think Georgia has that.”
For what it’s worth, Bill Connelly’s SP+ model projects Georgia to be the fourth-best team in the country this season, and it forecasts the Bulldogs having the fourth-best defense in America. The model gives Georgia a 61% chance of going 10-2 against a schedule that SP+ ranks as the 13th-hardest in the sport. ESPN’s FPI is even more favorable, ranking Georgia a preseason No. 2 and giving the Bulldogs a 78.6% chance to make the CFP.
But Finebaum has a specific reason for being down on Georgia. Finebaum has repeatedly cast doubt this offseason on Gunner Stockton’s ability to lead the team at quarterback. Earlier in the spring, Finebaum said Stockton was underwhelming in the CFP quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame. On Friday, Finebaum said Stockton is “serviceable and that is about it.”
Stockton will be taking over for Carson Beck, who transferred to Miami.
“Kirby Smart needs to bounce back. But I’m not sure it’s going to be easy,” Finebaum said Friday. “Because Gunner Stockton is not an elite quarterback. He’s servicable and that is about it.”
Beyond that, Finebaum thinks the Dawgs have multiple potential losses on the schedule.
“That Alabama game is problematic in September, and so are a number of other games that Georgia is going to have to deal with, including a visit from Arch Manning late in the season.”
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
