Paul Finebaum gives LSU a 'much better chance' against Alabama without Brian Kelly

The LSU Tigers made the bold move to fire head coach Brian Kelly, coming out of the Texas A&M loss and going into the bye week. Since then, there’s been plenty of off-field drama, including athletic director Scott Woodward getting fired. However, one thing that hasn’t happened is that LSU hasn’t played a football game since then.

That’s going to change on Saturday when LSU travels to Tuscaloosa for a showdown with Alabama. Still a talented team with a roster that was expected to compete for the College Football Playoff, the Tigers are going to be upset-minded and potentially dangerous. In fact, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum explained on The Matt Barrie Show that while he doesn’t expect an upset, LSU has a better chance now that Kelly is gone.

“I don’t think so,” Paul Finebaum said. “But I will tell you, I give LSU a much better chance — there goes my future relationship with Brian Kelly. I give LSU a much better chance without Brian Kelly.”

In essence, Finebaum has seen teams reenergized by their interim coaches in the past. That, mixed with a still talented roster, could make for a battle in Tuscaloosa that may not have happened under Kelly, with the team seemingly not responding to its former head coach.

“We don’t need to dissect that or do the autopsy. Everybody else has done it. But they have a chance to be a better team. Look at Florida on Saturday against Georgia. There’s something about this interim energy. There’s all kinds of words for it. We see it. Just how sustainable is it? I think it will be sustainable for maybe two quarters, maybe three,” Finebaum said. “But, ultimately, beating Alabama at home, I do not see it. Not at all.”

In his first season at LSU, beating Alabama was a marquee win for Brian Kelly. However, that remained his major marquee win during his time there, and the Tigers have seen diminishing returns the past few seasons. He’d finish 34-14 there. That includes a 9-4 season a year ago and the 5-3 start to this season.

Frank Wilson will now take over as the interim head coach at LSU. He’s had head coaching stints at UTSA and McNeese State, going 26-40 for his career. He’s been on Brian Kelly’s LSU staff since 2022 as the assistant head coach and running backs coach. He’ll hope to have the Tigers ready to pull off the upset on Saturday.