Greg McElroy Names Unranked SEC Program Who Will Finish The Season In The Top 25

Former Alabama star and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy put old rivalries to the side when he explained why Auburn Tigers could be a top-25 college football team by the end of the 2024 season.

"One team that currently is unranked but will finish the season ranked, I'm going with the Auburn Tigers," said McElroy on his show, Always College Football . "I have them in my top 25 coming into the season."

McElroy's comments come on the heels of the release of the preseason AP top 25 poll on Monday, where Auburn received just two votes, not enough to land in the top 25. But McElroy believes the Tigers can upset expectations with veteran QB Payton Thorne leading the way.

"I've heard pretty good things about what's gone down on the planes the last few weeks with where (Thorne) is at, where the receiver core is, the depth of that group, the weapons that they have, how they'll run the football, the offensive line is coming together," McElroy went on.

While a challenging schedule means running a gauntlet, Auburn's tough slate provides several chances at massive victories.

"Then, you look at the schedule, Auburn has a lot of big opportunities to make some noise," McElroy pointed out, circling that Oklahoma home game in particular.

"I would have Oklahoma in the top 16-17 just like the AP does," said McElroy.  "Oklahoma comes to Auburn. Right after they play Tennessee at home in a very emotional Welcome To The SEC game, then you go on the road to Auburn. That's a massive opportunity for Auburn. You don't think they can get that win? They might be favored right now if the game was played tomorrow."

“Let's say Auburn takes that OU game, plus another win against a ranked squad, then they'll have a pretty strong resume,” McElroy points out.

"So if you look at just the amount of opportunities that Auburn has to solidify a big-time program-defining win, they're all throughout their schedule," he noted.

His prediction for the year...

"I think Auburn, at the end of the year, they'll be 8-4," added McElroy. "But they'll have a great win, maybe two, and that will elevate their perception. So I think Auburn will finish the season in the top 25."

The Crimson Tide alum is very high on Hugh Freeze and Auburn in year two.

Related: Preseason College Football AP Top 25 Revealed Ahead Of 2024 Season

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