Paul Finebaum identifies why loser of USC-LSU showdown in Week 1 'better watch out'

We are less than 30 days away from the first weekend of the upcoming season in college football. Then, a week later, two top-tier programs, LSU and USC, will play a standalone game that will have a major impact for both.

Paul Finebaum looked at that nightcap to Labor Day Weekend between the Tigers and Trojans during an appearance on ‘First Take’ on Friday. With where the coach of each team currently sits, he’s highlighting that opener as one with plenty of pressure.

“It starts on Sunday night of the first weekend. (We) are going to have fun watching this game because the loser better watch out,” said Finebaum. “We’re talking about LSU and Southern Cal in Vegas.”

For Finebaum, that started with the one that he has had his share of critiques of before in Lincoln Riley. That’s why he didn’t have to further explain why he needs to start the season with a marquee win.

“Now, I think we’ve hashed out the Lincoln Riley situation ad nauseam but imagine losing that game? I guess he’ll try the ‘Well, I’m not a magician’ line again,” Finebaum said.

Again, though, this will also apply for Brian Kelly. To be fair, his two-year tenure in Baton Rouge has certainly been better than Riley’s pair in Los Angeles. However, their teams had the same flaws, specifically last season, and in turn have not fully met expectations.

“What about the other side of that? I know everybody thinks I wave the flag of the SEC. I just happen to work at the SEC Network. But, Brian Kelly? He better win that game,” said Finebaum. “Brian Kelly has done a really nice job. But he left Notre Dame a couple of years ago to win a national championship. Last year, the losses started piling up with a terrible defense – it sounds familiar for Lincoln Riley – even with a generational quarterback in Jayden Daniels.”

This specific matchup would have been an absolute firework show had it taken place last fall. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels leading a pair of top-three offenses against two defenses that gave up over 28 points per game apiece would’ve almost certainly led to a classic wager for the over.

With that said, neither team can afford this kind of early loss in primetime. USC already closed last year losing five of their final seven and will have to deal with a much different schedule in the Big Ten. As for LSU, they have lost four straight openers, including the last two under Kelly to Florida State that have derailed their seasons in a sense from the first kickoff.

Only one team between LSU and USC can start their respective seasons at 1-0. We now have just over a month until we know which one it’ll be, and, frankly, which one it won’t, from Sin City on ABC.

“That is the game to keep your eye on in Week One,” Finebaum stated.