ESPN’s Paul Finebaum is bullish on the Tennessee football program as he declared that the Vols have the look of a “definite” playoff team after their win over No. 15 Oklahoma in Norman last Saturday night.
While Tennessee still has two more championship-caliber tests to face this season with Alabama at home and Georgia on the road, Finebaum also believes that the Oklahoma win was enough to potentially start to move Tennessee into the National Championship conversation.
“They no longer look like a fringe playoff team, they look like a definite playoff team,” Finebaum said on this week’s episode of The Matt Barrie Show after the Week 4 games. “And maybe a fringe championship team.”
Tennessee has had trouble in hostile environments at times in the past but handled Oklahoma’s environment with ease on Saturday. The Vols deflated the Sooners’ crowd early with relentless defensive pressure and continued to suck the wind out of the stadium by running the ball and keeping the clock moving on offense. Tennessee’s newfound depth also played a huge role in the win on Saturday with key positions being able to stay fresh with the lead.
“I think that was the one thing, Tennessee has just been a disaster on the road in the past and now they got on the road and they proved they can win,” Finebaum said, leading into his point about Tennessee being a strong candidate for the playoffs this winter.
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Finebaum also has a particular October matchup circled on his calendar as the Vols go through their first of two open dates this weekend.
“Not only does Alabama have to deal with Georgia this weekend, but they have to deal with Tennessee in about three weeks in Knoxville,” Finebaum said on the podcast. “I always thought that was the most critical game for Tennessee but I’m not sure – I think that might be the most critical game for Alabama if they can’t get by Georgia.”
Paul Finebaum isn’t the only high-profile media member to elevate the Vols’ playoff chances after the Oklahoma win last weekend.
During Wednesday’s episode of The Herd on Fox Sports, Colin Cowherd declared Tennessee as his pick for the National Champions saying that the Vols are the best team he has seen this year. Cowherd’s pick for this year’s champion was immediately met with resistance from college football analyst Joel Klatt, but Cowherd still did get his points across.
“Those two teams aren’t the best teams in the SEC,” Cowherd said about Georgia and Alabama. “I’m going to call it right now. Tennessee is going to win the National Championship. I came on this show before the Oklahoma game and I said that Oklahoma, they’re not going to score. Tennessee’s got the best defense in college football. Excellent coach. Explosive offensively. I think Tennessee is the best team I’ve seen.”
Check out the full segment from ESPN’s Paul Finebaum and Matt Berrie on The Matt Berrie Show below:
