The 2024 College Football Playoff featured six teams making their first appearances in the postseason tournament, but several other programs are aiming for a return to championship contention in 2025.
Among those teams, the LSU Tigers, who last made the Playoff in 2019, are considered by many experts, including ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, as one of the most likely teams to end their playoff drought.
The 2024 season also saw some familiar faces returning to the playoff picture.
The Oregon Ducks, with the longest playoff drought among returning teams, qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2014, the inaugural year of the playoff.
The Clemson Tigers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, both absent from the playoff since 2020, broke their nearly five-year hiatus to re-enter the conversation.
Looking ahead to 2025, several teams that have previously made the playoff are eager to return to the spotlight.
The Oklahoma Sooners, who last appeared in 2019, the Cincinnati Bearcats, who made it in 2021, the Florida State Seminoles, who haven’t made it since 2014, and LSU are all hoping to rejoin the postseason ranks.
On his SEC Network show, Finebaum singled out LSU as a team capable of overcoming their recent playoff struggles and contending for a national title in 2025.
“Right now, I would have to think of LSU as a playoff team,” Finebaum said. “It’s crowded. In the SEC, you essentially have Texas, I believe you have Alabama, Georgia, LSU and who is next?”
After finishing last season with a respectable 9-4 record, LSU enters the 2025 season with high expectations.
The Tigers return 62% of their production, ranking No. 38 in the nation for returning talent. A key figure in their comeback bid is star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2023.
Nussmeier is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and could very well end up being the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
LSU also brings back junior linebacker Whit Weeks, who led the team with 125 tackles and added 10 tackles for loss, as well as sophomore running back Caden Durham.
Durham, a breakout star last season, rushed for 753 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman.
In addition to their returning talent, LSU has the benefit of facing a favorable schedule.
Finebaum emphasized the importance of LSU’s road game against Ole Miss on September 27 as a crucial test.
He also pointed out that LSU cannot afford to drop another game to the Florida Gators, especially after last season’s disappointing loss.
The Tigers will kick off their season with a highly anticipated matchup against the Clemson Tigers on August 30, a game that will serve as an early indicator of their playoff potential.
With a talented roster, a favorable schedule, and high hopes, LSU is eager to make their return to the College Football Playoff and contend for the national title.
What are your thoughts on Finebaum’s prediction? … Does Brian Kelly’s team have what it takes to hoist the trophy this coming season???
