They could come from nowhere.
David Pollack Reveals SEC Team That Could Surprise Everyone originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Each year, a college football program unexpectedly emerges and surprises the nation with a strong season.
Last season, the Indiana Hoosiers, Arizona State Sun Devils and SMU Mustangs were not highly regarded heading into the season; however, all three ended the year in the College Football Playoff.
None of those three teams won a game in the playoffs, yet they still made it and surprised the nation. The question now is: which team could surprise everyone this season? Even if they don’t make the playoffs, can they bounce back after some disappointing seasons?
On "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack," the college football analyst expressed his belief that the Auburn Tigers, who are on a four-season losing streak, could surprise people this season.
"I like this Auburn team," Pollack said. "I do. I think the offensive line is really good. I think it's deep. I think it's experienced. Talk about the best one-two punch at wide receiver in the country. I will take Auburn. Because I love having a variation of guys who can do different things... I think Auburn is going at least 8-4. I think they can kind of take off and do better and be one of those surprise teams, too, because they've got so much talent across both sides of the football."
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), which measures team strength and predicts future performance for the remainder of the season, is somewhat aligning with Pollack's views on the Tigers this year.
The FPI predicts that Auburn will win seven games in 2025, with a 21.8% chance of making it to the College Football Playoff. One advantage for Auburn is its schedule, which Athlon Sports' Kyle Wood ranks as the fourth-easiest in the SEC. Wood agrees with Paul Finebaum that the season-opening game against Baylor could set the tone for Auburn’s entire season.
Auburn's most challenging games will take place at Jordan-Hare Stadium, where they will host the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide and Missouri Tigers. Additionally, Auburn will kick off SEC play with back-to-back away games against Oklahoma and the Texas A&M Aggies. These matchups are critical, especially given Auburn's 1-3 record in away games last season.
Auburn will kick off the season against Baylor on Friday, Aug. 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names SEC Coach Who Could be on 'Short Leash' After Offseason Criticism
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
