Former Auburn and LSU quarterback TJ Finley has made several stops throughout his collegiate career.
Finley began his career in Baton Rouge before transferring to The Plains prior to the 2021 season. After two seasons at Auburn, Finley played the 2023 season at Texas State and would enter the portal for one final season of college football, winding up at Western Kentucky.
In what was a contested quarterback battle, Finley won the job and was named the Hilltoppers’ starting quarterback.
The one catch? Western Kentucky heads to Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in Week One. The matchup will mark the third time Finley has played Alabama, and he will now attempt to do the impossible and get his first win against the Tide.
In 2020, Finley’s LSU team was steamrolled by perhaps the best team to ever step on a college football field in what was a 55-17 drubbing in favor of the Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium. Finley threw for less than 150 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers.
In 2021, Finley started the Iron Bowl due to a broken ankle suffered by Bo Nix weeks before the game. Auburn was moments away from taking down Alabama and giving Finley his first win as the Auburn starter before a last minute Bryce Young miracle drive sent the game to overtime, where the Tide eventually were victorious.
Now, Finley gets one last shot under the bright lights of Bryant-Denny Stadium as a 31.5 point underdog. While it’s virtually a guarantee that Finley will fall to 0-3 against Alabama, what kind of a performance he puts up will be under a close microscope.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
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