Paul Finebaum Names SEC Team That Can Escape Its Struggles

Paul Finebaum Names SEC Team That Can Escape Its Struggles originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The 2024 college football season was a comeback year for several coaches, allowing some to secure their positions with improved performances. 

One notable example is Sam Pittman, the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Last season, the Razorbacks finished with a record of 7-6, a significant improvement from their previous 4-8 record that had put Pittman on the hot seat. 

However, BetMGM still believes Pittman is at risk heading into the 2025 season. BetMGM's Chase Kiddy mentioned that the Razorbacks achieved their peak performance with nine wins in 2021, culminating in a victory in the Outback Bowl. Since then, the team has hovered around the .500 mark, experiencing both impressive wins and disappointing losses.

Kiddy pointed out that Pittman's buyout stands at $9.55 million, but the details regarding his contract and buyout are quite complex. His buyout is contingent upon whether the Razorbacks are above or below .500 since the beginning of the 2021 season, and currently, they are one game below that threshold. This situation means Pittman would be owed only 50% of his remaining contract, whereas he would receive 75% if Arkansas were above .500.

Pittman is under contract through 2027, and an automatic raise of $250,000 took effect after the Razorbacks' win against Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl, bringing his annual salary to $5.5 million. Additionally, there are two potential retention bonuses of $1.3 million each. As a result, the remaining value of his contract totals $19.1 million, and half of that amount corresponds to the $9.55 million buyout.

During an episode of "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst expressed optimism about Arkansas's chances for continued improvement in the upcoming season.

"I think Arkansas has a chance to get out of the morass it is currently in," Finebaum said. 

Finebaum has expressed that he believes Arkansas has a chance to win seven games this year. However, he is not optimistic about the Razorbacks breaking through to achieve eight or nine wins, though he remains hopeful.

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is a metric that assesses team strength and predicts performance for the remainder of the season. According to the FPI, Arkansas is projected to finish with six wins, ranking No. 12 in the SEC, ahead of only Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.

One significant challenge for the Razorbacks is their tough schedule. Athlon Sports' Kyle Wood noted that Arkansas has one of the toughest schedules in the SEC, ranking as the fifth most challenging in the conference. 

Wood emphasized the challenging road games against the Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers, LSU Tigers and Texas Longhorns. Moreover, the Razorbacks will host strong opponents, including the Texas A&M Aggies, Auburn Tigers and Missouri Tigers. 

In addition, Arkansas faces a challenging non-conference matchup against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, complicating their path to achieving seven wins, as they did last season.

The Razorbacks will kick off their season against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at 4:15 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.

Related: Paul Finebaum Says One SEC Team Faces Uphill Climb in 2025

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.