Paul Finebaum Doesn't See Path To Victory For Tennessee vs. Alabama

SEC Network's Paul Finebaum said the Tennessee Volunteers "do not have any offense this year" on Monday and expects Alabama to beat them.

The Tennessee Volunteers got a program-changing win over Alabama last year, one that altered the trajectory of the program. Head coach Josh Heupel garnered a lot of momentum after that win, and the program has taken off. However, SEC Network's Paul Finebaum doesn't think the Vols will capture that magic again in 2023.

Finebaum went on his talk show on Monday morning and laid out the case for why he thinks Tennessee's chances to be Alabama are "very slight." The Texas A&M game was a big eye-opener for him, and Finebaum explained that he doesn't feel confident in the Vols' offense this year.

"Tennessee just does not have any offense this year. They barely got through Texas A&M; they needed a punt return, so they really only had 13 points offensively. This is not the same Josh Heupel team we saw last year in Knoxville when Hendon Hooker was lighting it up, explosive as anybody in the country. They have to win on defense, which causes them a lot of problems against Alabama, which has a pretty good offense."

Though the offense did go through rough patches on Saturday and has a lot to clean up, Tennessee's defense and run game powered them. If they can manage to create another ugly football game, this Alabama team isn't equipped to play from behind.

SEC Network's Paul Finebaum and Roman Harper during the Auburn vs. Texas A&M game. (Photo by Maria Lysaker of USA Today Sports)

How To Watch: Tennessee @ Alabama

• Gameday: Saturday, October 21st, 2023.
• Game time: 3:30 pm ET
• TV: CBS
• Stadium: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
• Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!

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