Paul Finebaum takes a dig at Tennessee Vols in aftermath of win over Alabama

The Tennessee Vols picked up a huge win on Saturday, topping the Alabama Crimson Tide 24-17 in Knoxville.  It was a win that put the Vols back on track for their first-ever college football playoff appearance.

However, for at least one person, the bigger focus on the college football landscape wasn't the win, but the loss.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum was asked by Matt Barrie whether the bigger storyline was the Vols' win and growth as a program, or the Crimson Tide's loss and falling into "a bad way", and Finebaum acknowledged the latter of the two - with a not-so-subtle swipe at Tennessee in the process ( 9:18 mark of the video ).

" I think it was Alabama because, listen, Alabama trumps Tennessee in a game of meaningful poker . Tennessee did not start the season inside the playoff bubble.  Alabama did. Tennessee has looked good and bad, and everything else. For Tennessee, the game was absolutely critical. That goes without saying. I'll leave it to the playoff gurus, but Alabama has a better chance to get back with a loss than Tennessee.  Tennessee has Georgia left, and really, that's about it."

Saying that Alabama trumps Tennessee in a game of meaningful poker is a bizarre thing to say given the state of the programs in 2024.  Sure, Alabama was ranked higher (#5) coming into the season, but a drop off was always a possibility for the Crimson Tide.  Their seemingly immortal leader was gone, and the success over time was never going to be the same. You simply don't replicate that type of domination.

Meanwhile, the Vols entered the year ranked 15th, but in Josh Heupel's fourth year.  The system has been in place, there is plenty of talent on the roster, and Nico Iamaleava had appeared coming into the season as though he could be the quarterback of the future for Tennessee.  It's been a bumpy ride the last few weeks, but Nico showed in the second half against Alabama why the future is bright for him with experience.

It would be foolish to say Alabama didn't Trump Tennessee on the college football landscape for the 15 years prior.  Now, not so much.  Parity is alive and well, and Alabama is very much on the same level as the rest of the programs in the SEC.

So, while Finebaum might want to downplay the Vols' win by focusing more on the fact that Alabama lost, the reality is that the latter is likely going to happen a whole lot more moving forward.

Related: Tennessee Vols player confirms how Neyland Stadium crowd helped at a crucial point in win over Alabama