Paul Finebaum Explains Why One SEC Team Can't Compete At The Top

In the SEC and in college football as a whole, everyone is looking up at the Georgia Bulldogs. Although the Bulldogs didn't win the SEC or the national championship last season, they won both titles in the two previous seasons.

The Tennessee Volunteers appear to be a team that has the potential to become one of the top programs in the conference. They have achieved a 20-6 record in the last two seasons. However, according to ESPN's Paul Finebaum , in order for Tennessee to reach the level of Georgia, the Volunteers will need to have a couple more very good recruiting classes.

"I think they need another one, maybe two recruiting classes, so they're literally on the same level," Finebaum said. "Right now, they're not. Nobody else is either."

Tennessee has been performing strongly in recruiting. The Volunteers secured the No. 11 class in 2023, including Nico Iamaleava, who some believe is the top quarterback. In 2024, they followed that up with the No. 13 class, highlighted by five-star EDGE rusher Jordan Ross.

Tennessee currently boasts the 7th-ranked recruiting class for 2025 and has secured a commitment from quarterback Faizon Brandon, the number one overall player in the 2026 class. Things are looking bright in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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