Paul Finebaum Delivers Bold Take on Georgia Bulldogs’ 2025 College Football Playoff Prospects That Has Fans Talking Nationwide

The 2025 college football season is still weeks away, but the conversation around who might make the College Football Playoff is already in full swing. Among the voices leading that conversation, none carries more weight in SEC circles than ESPN’s Paul Finebaum. Known for his unapologetic takes and deep insight into the landscape of the Southeastern Conference, Finebaum recently offered his prediction on the Georgia Bulldogs’ chances of making it back to the College Football Playoff this season—and his thoughts are making waves.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up! and later on his own radio show, Finebaum didn’t mince words. “This is the most pivotal season for Kirby Smart since the 2021 title run,” Finebaum said. “If Georgia doesn’t make the Playoff this year, with the talent and the schedule they’ve got, people will start asking real questions.”

It’s a striking comment, considering Georgia has been one of the most dominant programs of the past five years. Under Smart, the Bulldogs have posted three undefeated regular seasons, captured back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, and sent dozens of players to the NFL. But after narrowly missing the Playoff in 2023 and a semifinal heartbreak against Texas in 2024, expectations are mounting.

Finebaum, however, is cautiously optimistic.

“I have Georgia making the College Football Playoff in 2025,” he said. “And not just sneaking in—they’re going to be one of the top two seeds. The question isn’t whether they’ll be good. It’s whether they’ll be great when it matters.”

Finebaum’s confidence stems from several key factors, starting with quarterback Gunner Stockton. After backing up Carson Beck in 2024, Stockton is expected to lead the Bulldogs’ offense with a level of mobility and explosiveness Georgia fans haven’t seen since Justin Fields. Stockton’s ability to extend plays with his legs could add a new dynamic to Mike Bobo’s offense.

“He’s not just a fill-in,” Finebaum said. “Gunner Stockton is a legitimate star in the making. And in this expanded 12-team Playoff era, you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to have a guy who can win you big games in December. He’s got that in him.”

Georgia’s schedule is another reason for optimism. The Bulldogs open with a neutral-site game against Clemson, which Finebaum described as “the litmus test.” Get past that, and Georgia’s road to the SEC Championship game suddenly looks less daunting.

The Bulldogs avoid Alabama during the regular season and play key games against Florida, Tennessee, and Texas at home. Their lone true road challenge? A late November trip to Oxford to face Ole Miss.

“Look at the schedule,” Finebaum said. “Clemson in Atlanta is tough, yes. But if Georgia wins that one, you could be looking at an 11-1 or 12-0 team again. And with the 12-team Playoff? That’s a lock.”

Still, Finebaum warned against complacency, especially when it comes to Georgia’s revamped defense. While the Bulldogs have become synonymous with elite defensive play under Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, this year’s unit faces major turnover.

Gone are veterans like Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kamari Lassiter, and Nazir Stackhouse. In their place, Georgia will rely on a new crop of young defenders, led by rising stars such as linebacker Raylen Wilson and safety Joenel Aguero.

“There’s talent, no doubt,” Finebaum acknowledged. “But talent doesn’t always mean chemistry. And you need chemistry on defense if you’re going to stop teams like Texas and Michigan in the Playoff. That’s my one hesitation. Can this defense gel in time for the big games?”

The rise of other national contenders only heightens the urgency for Georgia. Finebaum noted that teams like Oregon, Ohio State, and even LSU could challenge for top-four seeding this year, especially with strong quarterback play and easier conference slates.

“But nobody reloads like Georgia,” Finebaum insisted. “This program is built like Alabama used to be under Saban. They don’t rebuild. They reload. And now with the Playoff expanding, there’s a little more margin for error.”

Perhaps the most intriguing part of Finebaum’s prediction, though, lies in what he didn’t say.

When asked if Georgia would win it all in 2025, Finebaum hesitated.

“That’s where I pause,” he said. “Getting to the Playoff? I feel good about that. But winning it all? I’m not quite ready to make that call. Not with teams like Michigan returning nearly everyone on offense, and not with Oregon and Texas surging. Georgia is a top-four team—but this year’s field is deeper than ever.”

Still, Finebaum’s endorsement has sparked excitement in Athens. Georgia fans, who’ve grown accustomed to postseason expectations, now see this season as a critical chapter in the Smart era. A return to the Playoff would mark four appearances in five years and reaffirm Georgia’s dominance in the SEC—even in a post-Saban world.

Smart, for his part, has remained focused and unfazed. When asked about Playoff predictions during spring camp, he offered a classic coach’s answer: “Our focus is on getting better every day. Everything else will take care of itself.”

But make no mistake—the pressure is on. With a new quarterback, a reloaded defense, and a favorable schedule, Georgia has all the tools to return to college football’s biggest stage. Now, it’s about execution.

Finebaum closed his remarks with a statement that could double as both a prediction and a challenge: “If Kirby Smart wants to cement Georgia as the program of the decade, it starts this year. And I think he knows it.”

That sentiment has resonated not just with Georgia fans, but with college football analysts across the country. In many ways, 2025 feels like a defining season. The 12-team Playoff format has shifted the goalposts—making the Playoff more attainable but also more treacherous. One bad game doesn’t end a season, but one mistimed loss could mean the difference between a first-round bye and a road game in snowy Columbus.

Finebaum’s belief in Georgia making it back to the Playoff hinges not just on talent and schedule, but on culture. That word—culture—is what separates good teams from great ones, and it’s something Smart has emphasized since the day he arrived in Athens.

“Culture travels,” Smart has said repeatedly. “Talent might win you a game, but culture wins you a season.”

And that culture, built on discipline, development, and sheer competitive fire, is what gives analysts like Finebaum the confidence to bet on the Bulldogs again.

So what should fans expect?

According to Finebaum, a Playoff appearance is not just likely—it’s expected. The question now becomes how high Georgia can climb and whether they can finish what they’ve started in so many recent seasons.

The journey begins on August 31 in Atlanta against Clemson, and the nation will be watching.

For now, Georgia fans can take heart in Finebaum’s words. One of college football’s most respected voices believes their Bulldogs will be right back in the hunt—and perhaps even on the brink of another title run.

But if there’s one thing every Georgia fan knows, it’s this: preseason predictions mean nothing if you don’t show up in December.

And according to Paul Finebaum, the Bulldogs are built to do just that.