Paul Finebaum names top competitor to Texas in 2025 SEC title race
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Paul Finebaum has witnessed plenty of SEC title races across his long and prestigious career in the media. The one shaping up ahead of the 2025 season could be especially noteworthy following another offseason of widespread change for the sport.
As we get set for the season, Texas is the favorite to win the conference under head coach Steve Sarkisian in the latest 2025 SEC Championship odds. The Longhorns are +260 and leading the pack at DraftKings, and all expectations are for a massive season from star quarterback Arch Manning and an impressive defense. Be sure to grab the latest odds and offers through the top sports betting apps.
During Wednesday’s broadcast of ESPN’s “Get Up,” Finebaum was asked about the SEC title race. If Texas is the favorite, Finebaum was quizzed about who the top competitor might be for the Longhorns. While some might gravitate to Kirby Smart and Georgia, Finebaum’s pick resides with Kalen DeBoer and his program in Tuscaloosa.
“I heard what Heather said about Georgia, but I think it’s Alabama. A lot of people, amazingly, have forgotten about Alabama without Nick Saban,” said Finebaum. “They missed the Playoff, they lost more games than they have since 2007, but I think they’re better at QB, and that sounds crazy with Ty Simpson against Jalen Milroe, who was amazing at times but also terrible at times.”
Alabama and Georgia will actually face off head-to-head this fall in Athens in a revenge game for the Bulldogs, but Finebaum isn’t daunted by that matchup in comparison to the full schedules for both teams:
“I think they have elite wide receivers, I think they probably have the 2nd-best WR in the country in Ryan Williams. Their defense is going to be top-notch, and they also go to Georgia. The problem there is Georgia lost to Alabama, a little bit of a revenge game, but I think (the Tide) manage this season very well,” Finebaum explained.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
