Paul Finebaum Names SEC Program That's a 'Legitimate College Football Playoff Team'

Paul Finebaum believes this SEC program is poised to make its first run at a College Football Playoff in school history.

Analyst and radio show host Paul Finebaum during the SEC Nation pregame show set before the UK-Alabama football game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 in Lexington, Ky. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

September left many questions unanswered about the 2027 College Football Playoff picture.

Several preseason favorites like Indiana, Miami and Notre Dame have yet to meet a College Football Playoff-caliber opponent. While there is no disregard of the potential these teams possess for a deep run, their bodies of work consist of dominant victories against obviously weaker competition.

If anything, September revealed which preseason darlings were headed for collapses. Teams like Texas A&M, Ole Miss, USC and Oregon all suffered at least one devastating loss in their hopeful pushes for a College Football Playoff berth.

Florida emerged as one of the biggest surprises in the early College Football Playoff picture. The Gators are 4-0 heading into October and fresh off a 52-28 beatdown of a ranked Ole Miss team in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Finebaum: "He will bring a championship back to Gainesville"

College football media personality Paul Finebaum is among those buying into the Florida hype. He discussed the Gators' start on ESPN's "First Take" on Tuesday, specifically highlighting the quick turnarounds Jon Sumrall is responsible for throughout his short head coaching career.

"They are a legitimate College Football Playoff team, that should not be lost in the translation," Finebaum said. "The coach, Jon Sumrall, is somebody to keep your eye on. He took Tulane to the playoffs, he did a phenomenal job in a short period of time at Troy and I think he will bring a championship at some point in the near future back to Gainesville."

Offense is a key component in Florida's early push

Sep 26, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13) gestures after scoring a touchdown against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Florida's most memorable teams in program history are the ones with high-powered offenses. Steve Spurrier's teams ran up scores at will in the 1990s, and the Gators' most recent national championship team boasted a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback in Tim Tebow, albeit a year after he won the award.

In the years after Tebow's Florida career ended, the Gators shuffled through a carousel of forgettable head coaches and quarterbacks. Dan Mullen's 2019 and 2020 teams featured high-powered offenses, but the offense sharply declined in the transition from Kyle Trask to Emory Jones at quarterback.

Against SEC competition, Florida averages just under 500 yards a contest through two games. Running back Jadan Baugh has amassed 600 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, making him college football's second-leading rusher behind Duke's Nate Sheppard.

Defensively, Florida did enough to get by in its first two SEC matchups. The 44-39 win at Auburn was deceptively close because of garbage points scored by the Tigers, and Ole Miss always poses some level of offensive danger with Trinidad Chambliss at quarterback.

What are Florida's biggest obstacles in making a College Football Playoff run?

Sep 26, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Chris Cole (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery against Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (not pictured) during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Georgia and Texas were two of the most popular picks to reach the College Football Playoff before the season, and Florida meets both of those teams in venues away from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Bulldogs were dominant in September, though their toughest test was against an Oklahoma team that is struggling mightily on offense. The Longhorns look the part on defense, but the portal project that is the offense hasn't fully gelled a month into the season.

The Gators' other two SEC away games are at Missouri this weekend and Kentucky on Nov. 14. The Tigers won their three non-conference games but fell at Mississippi State to end September, and the Wildcats pulled off an impressive road victory against Texas A&M that helped them reach a 3-1 start in their first season under Will Stein.