Paul Finebaum Reveals Historic SEC Program That Will Miss College Football Playoff

We are just a few weeks away from the start of the college football season. It's always exciting to see which surprise teams will rise up the rankings in their conferences. Last year, the Missouri Tigers made a significant rise in the SEC.

This year, the Auburn Tigers could potentially make some noise. The Tigers have not been competitive in the SEC race since 2017. They have had three straight losing seasons, and the year before this streak began, they had a 6-5 record.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum stated that he is becoming more optimistic about Auburn. He feels an 8-4 season is doable, but does not believe it will be sufficient for a College Football Playoff spot.

"I'm getting a little higher on Auburn than I was," Finebaum said. "I think 8-4 is doable. That will not be enough to get into the playoffs, though."

Finebaum believes Auburn will begin the season 5-0 before traveling to face the Georgia Bulldogs. Auburn's first five games will be played at home and will conclude with a match against the SEC newcomers, the Oklahoma Sooners.

Finebaum mentioned that after the Oklahoma game, things get tricky because Auburn plays three straight conference road games against Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky before ending the season at home against Texas A&M, and then on the road against Alabama.

So, if the Tigers can navigate that challenging part of their schedule, Finebaum believes they could achieve an 8-4 record. However, he does not foresee a College Football Playoff berth in their future.

Related: Notable College Football Program Primed To Be The Surprise Team In The SEC