Paul Finebaum Stirring Pot with Auburn Tigers QB Payton Thorne

ESPN college football expert Paul Finebaum suggests fingers will point at Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne if the Tigers don't hit the ground running.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne / Austin Perryman, Auburn University Athletics

Appointing team captains for the Auburn Tigers was always going to find starting quarterback Payton Thorne getting the nod from his own teammates.

Another vote of confidence for the Tigers veteran signal caller, who now becomes a team captain for the 4th season in a row, following on from two captaincy stints when he was at Michigan State.

For all the good vibes the announcement delivered, there's a definite school of thought that Thorne is a lot more highly regarded within his own program than he is by the national media.

Underlining that point this week, was the manner in which ESPN's professional-pot-stirrer Paul Finebaum suggested that if any struggles materialize for Auburn, the fingers of blame will inevitably point toward Thorne.

"I think if Auburn looks terrible there might be a bigger reaction because probably more question marks about Payton Thorne," Finebaum declared on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning earlier this week .

While some fans might push back against Finebaum's pithy opinion, it's an unmistakable fact that there's a lot of pressure on Thorne to deliver in his last year of eligibility. 

Head coach Hugh Freeze has been at pains to reiterate time-and-time again that his faith in Thorne is all-encompassing, and that is something he's doubled down on heading toward game day No.1.

"I wouldn't be going with him if I wasn't confident in him," Freeze insisted. "I've always believed in him and believe in him even more today than I did in January because of what I have witnessed, and what I hear in meeting rooms and film rooms. I think he's excited to prove that to a lot of people also."

To be perfectly honest, it's not like the Tigers signal caller is running short of young explosive pass catchers this season - the cupboard is stacked full of fiery ingredients.

Furthermore, an improved O-Line and the return of all-six running backs from last year has to put Thorne in a very good place to succeed, but the "Freeze-Four" could be the real joker in the pack.

Finebaum also suggested that Auburn simply have to stack early season wins if they plan on making an impact, after all, they will spend the whole month of October on their travels.

"I just think, in Auburn's case, they want to feel good about themselves as they handle the weakest part of their schedule," Finebaum mused.

With so many new faces on the Auburn roster, including freshmen who have never played a down of college football, easing into the teeth of an SEC schedule isn't a bad idea.

Just like any good story, the truth is, Auburn and their quarterback need a good beginning, middle and end with which to enthrall the audience.