Why Paul Finebaum is all in on Tennessee football – but we aren’t quite there

Paul Finebaum’s optimism grows for Tennessee football.

The SEC Network’s opinion king emerged from SEC media days feeling more bullish about the Vols’ playoff chances and their place within the conference pecking order.

“In talking to Josh Heupel and a couple of the Tennessee people, I probably am a little more optimistic about the Volunteers,” Finebaum said during an appearance on the “McElroy and Cubelic” radio show. “I’ve always felt they were in that next group after the (top tier). But I think they’re maybe closer to that first group than the second tier.”

Is that sunny outlook warranted?

On this edition of “The Volunteer State,” Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel’s Adam Sparks re-evaluate Tennessee’s playoff prospects and assess whether their estimation of Tennessee has improved, regressed or stayed about the same throughout the offseason.

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Their verdict: A 9-3 record is more likely than a playoff berth, but an accommodating schedule nonetheless helps make Tennessee a playoff contender.

Here’s a snippet of the debate:

TOPPMEYER: I’m cooling on the idea of Tennessee being a playoff qualifier and doubling down on my prediction that the Vols will finish 9-3. If betting lines were set today, UT would be a road underdog against Oklahoma and Georgia and a home underdog against Alabama. I can’t shake from my mind that beatdown in Columbia, Missouri, last season and also Tennessee’s loss at The Swamp. Are the Vols really going to storm into Norman and beat Oklahoma in the Sooners’ first SEC game? I’m becoming more skeptical of that. OU’s stadium will be buzzing.

SPARKS: When I look at Tennessee’s roster, I see 9-3. When I look at the schedule, I can be talked into 10-2. This schedule works to UT’s advantage. It…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-paul-finebaum-tennessee-football-100344108.html

Author : Knox News | The Knoxville News-Sentinel

Publish date : 2024-07-27 10:03:44

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