With both teams already owning a loss entering Saturday’s showdown in Knoxville, it’s clear that the Week 8 game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers is a massive one for both teams, especially when it comes to eventually making the College Football Playoff or not.
That thought has been echoed throughout the week by numerous analysts across college football as well, the latest of which was Paul Finebaum on Friday morning, who commented on the game as part of ESPN’s “Get Up.”
“I think the loser of this game is in really big trouble. Let’s say Tennessee loses. They don’t have an impressive win any longer because they beat Oklahoma, and that didn’t amount to anything. NC State, they have nothing on their resume. They’ll be in trouble. They also have a game at Georgia in November which I cannot imagine them winning. Alabama is in a little better shape with a loss. They go to LSU where Brian Kelly has not lost a home game. The loser of this game is in trouble. I think that’s putting it succinctly.”
In addition to that, host Mike Greenberg also asked Finebaum on how fans will react if Alabama were to lose to Tennessee on Saturday, with the ESPN host adding:
“Terribly. I was in Alabama for two days this week, and Bama fans are already beside themselves. They’re not calling him Kalen DeBoer, they’re stopping me at the airport and saying what’s with this guy. There’s a serious bail out on the new guy who just weeks ago was on top of the world.”
Alabama and Tennessee will meet Saturday, October 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be available on ABC from Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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