Paul Finebaum calls Tennessee “a legitimate contender” after dominant Week 2 win

Paul Finebaum can be counted among those who believe in the Tennessee Volunteers.

The veteran college football analyst, and Tennessee alum, was impressed with the Vols’ performance against NC State.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the Vols dominated the Wolfpack, walking away with a 51-10 victory. The Vols’ defense was perhaps the biggest story, with the unit collecting 13 tackles for loss and allowing just 143 total yards.

After that performance, Finebaum had a glowing review of the Vols.

"I think Tennessee came out of that game a legitimate contender for a playoff berth," Finebaum said. "I was really pleased to see it."

That’s high praise from Finebaum, who has never been one to mince words.

The Vols welcome in Kent State in Week 3 before preparing to take on Oklahoma in Week 4. A win over Oklahoma in Norman could further cement the Vols’ status as a true playoff contender in the first year of the 12-team Playoff.