Paul Finebaum didn’t wait long to unload after a wild SEC Saturday, and he didn’t stop at one quarterback.
The ESPN analyst used his appearance on “The Matt Barrie Show” on Sunday to hammer late-game mistakes across the league, with Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss both landing in his crosshairs. Finebaum was reacting to the chaos that surrounded No. 11 Tennessee’s 27-24 loss at South Carolina, a game in which George MacIntyre’s mistakes in the closing minutes turned a Tennessee lead into a Gamecocks win.
“I’ve never seen more teams screw up in the last two minutes in my life,” Finebaum said. “Tennessee gave that game away.
“I’m not a psychiatrist, but the human emotion, there’s so much pressure. We’ve seen Arch Manning and Trinidad Chambliss both make idiotic mistakes, and they’re two of the very best. You get down to the level of a George MacIntyre of Tennessee, who is good and was on the verge of a really big win, and he manages to give it away.”
Tennessee was up 24-17 and faced fourth-and-1 at the South Carolina 38 with less than four minutes left. MacIntyre kept the ball rather than handing it to tight end DaSaahn Brame, and the play came up empty. Afterward, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel called it “just missteps by George on that one.”
South Carolina tied it with 1:17 to play, then Dylan Stewart’s strip-sack of MacIntyre with 33 seconds left set up Malik Orsan’s 48-yard walk-off field goal.
Finebaum’s Manning critique came on the heels of another uneven outing in Texas’ 34-27 win over Ole Miss. Manning’s turnovers helped spark the Rebels’ comeback from a 24-3 halftime hole, but the Longhorns still held on.
The Texas quarterback opened with a first-quarter interception and later lost a fumble in the third quarter, which Kam Franklin recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Ole Miss picked him off again with the game tied 24-24 early in the fourth quarter.
Manning did bounce back enough to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run, but his numbers told the story of a rough day. His minus-0.57 expected points added per dropback was in the second percentile of single-game performances this season.
Finebaum had already gone after Manning once before, calling him “downright stupid” after Texas’ 27-24 loss to Oklahoma on Oct. 10. Before Saturday’s game, he also said Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, not Manning, would take the biggest hit if the Longhorns lost again.
Chambliss was supposed to be the steady one for Ole Miss, especially after ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit labeled him the best quarterback in the country before kickoff. Instead, he turned in a career-high three interceptions after never throwing more than one in a game for the Rebels.
Texas’ Justin Cryer picked him off on the snap after Manning’s first interception, and Chambliss added another turnover on fourth-and-goal from the Texas 2 with 1:41 left in the first half.
Still, he helped keep Ole Miss alive. Chambliss threw two second-half touchdown passes to Horatio Fields to pull the Rebels even, then guided them into Texas territory after an onside kick. His final chance ended with Jelani McDonald intercepting a Hail Mary on the last play.
The result snapped Texas’ two-game losing streak and moved the Longhorns to 5-2. Ole Miss dropped to 5-2 as well.
In Other News...
Tennessees Transfer Turnover Is Already Creating Some Tough Comparisons
The offseason transfer churn around college football always invites second-guessing, and Tennessee is already seeing plenty of it as former Volunteers settle in at new programs. A look across the country shows a mixed picture for the players who left Knoxville, with some finding immediate roles and producing at a level that keeps their old team in the conversation, while others are still trying to carve out consistent opportunities.
For Tennessee, the comparisons are unavoidable because the Vols are watching ex-players make their mark in different settings, from notable impacts to quieter starts that leave their long-term value still unfolding. It is the kind of transfer snapshot that can look one way in September and another by the end of the season, which is why the next stretch will matter just as much as the first impressions. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Heupel's Knoxville Visit Put Tennessee Fans On Manning Watch
Josh Heupel made a stop in Knoxville on Friday night, and the sight of Tennessees head coach meeting with Baylor School freshman quarterback Marshall Manning was enough to get Volunteers fans talking. Baylors 21-7 win over Knox Catholic already had plenty of local interest, but Mannings presence added another layer, especially with the son of Peyton Manning still early in his high school career and working behind the scenes as a backup quarterback.
The visit also doubled as a recruiting trip for Tennessee, with running backs coach DeRail Sims on hand to watch five-star commit David Gabriel Georges. Georges turned in a strong performance in the game, giving the Vols another reason to keep close tabs on the matchup. For Tennessee fans, the night offered a little bit of everything: a glimpse at a familiar name, a look at a prized commit, and another reminder that the staff is staying active on the high school trail. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Next Depth Chart Already Comes With One Huge Uncertainty
An early look at Tennessees roster for next season already shows how much can change before the first snap, even before the transfer portal gets involved. The projection is built around likely NFL draft departures and a position-by-position guess at who could step into bigger roles, giving a rough sketch of what the Volunteers might look like on both sides of the ball.
Still, the biggest question hangs over the quarterback spot, where the depth chart is far from settled and could reshape the whole offense. Because this is only a preliminary exercise, it leaves plenty of room for the portal to alter the picture as well, which means Tennessees most important answers may not arrive until much later. [Read more 🡒]