He thinks they could be good, but he wants to see it first.
Paul Finebaum Names SEC Powerhouse That is All Hype This Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The college football season is typically filled with excitement, with plenty of hype surrounding specific teams, players and coaches during the offseason.
This year is no exception. Some of the teams generating the most buzz include the Texas Longhorns, led by Arch Manning; the Ohio State Buckeyes, fresh off a national championship victory; and the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are looking to rebound after a disappointing first season under coach Kalen DeBoer, among others.
On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst noted that there is another team currently receiving a significant amount of hype, but at this point, that's all it is—just hype.
"I think Georgia has the capability of being a very good team," Finebaum said. "I try not to base opinions on hype. I think right now, we are getting a lot of hype. We are getting all of the things that really don't matter."
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is a metric designed to evaluate team strength and predict future performance for the remainder of the season. The FPI indicates how many points a team is above or below average.
Heading into the 2025 season, the FPI is optimistic about the Bulldogs, ranking them as the No. 2 team in the nation, just behind the Texas Longhorns. The index predicts that Georgia will finish the season with a record of 10-2 and assigns them a 78.6% chance of making the College Football Playoff. Additionally, they have a 17.9% chance of winning the national championship, which is the second-best odds after Texas.
Finebaum’s lack of confidence in Georgia may be due to his concerns about quarterback Gunner Stockton. He has expressed doubts about whether Stockton is capable of leading Georgia to a national championship.
Stockton has had limited playing time in his career, amassing 588 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He is stepping in to replace Carson Beck, who had an impressive record with 7,426 yards, 52 touchdowns and 18 interceptions over two seasons as the starter. Beck announced he would be transferring to the Miami Hurricanes after last season.
Stockton and the Bulldogs will begin their quest for a national championship and aim to prove doubters like Finebaum wrong when they kick off the season at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30 against the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse He's 'Worried' About
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
