Kirk Herbstreit Names College Football Team 'Everybody's Forgetting About'

"It just means more" has been a true motto of the SEC for the past few years. The SEC has been the most stacked conference in college football, with some of the biggest giants in Alabama and Georgia dominating the CFB world.

While both of those programs are heading into the 2024-25 college football season with talented rosters that have the ability to punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit thinks people are sleeping on the Auburn Tigers in the SEC.

During the "College GameDay" segment in Dublin, Ireland, for the show's preview of the Florida State Seminoles versus Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Herbstreit shared high praise for the Tigers.

He thinks Auburn isn't getting enough credit, but Herbstreit believes in the ability of their veteran quarterback, Payton Thorne, and the advancement of the program under second-year head coach Hugh Freeze.

“I think Auburn is a team everybody is forgetting about," Herbstreit said. "Hugh Freeze calling plays. Payton Thorne, almost as if people just dismiss him. He’s got receivers to throw to now. Auburn could be a thorn to sign in that conference.”

The Tigers finished the 2023-24 college football season with a 6-7 record in their first season under head coach Hugh Freeze.

Herbstreit is high on Freeze and it seems he thinks quarterback Payton Thorne is an underrated player. The experienced signal-caller is heading into his second season with the Tigers after transferring from Michigan State two years ago.

Thorne finished last season with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 1,755 yards.

The Tigers will begin their season in Week 1 against Alabama A&M at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Related: Nick Saban Drops Major Prediction For The College Football Playoff

Related: Pat McAfee Names One College Football Team To 'Look Out' For