Paul Finebaum contends the Alabama-Tennessee game is more important than ever when the two teams meet on Saturday.

“The Third Saturday in October” comes with added significance when it comes to the College Football Playoffs.

“This is such an important game,” Finebaum said Sunday on “SportsCenter,” per On3. “It always is. Everybody knows about the third Saturday in October, but there is everything on the line.”

Dylan Sampson scored his third touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run in overtime to give No. 8 Tennessee a 23-17 victory over Florida on Saturday night. The Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) went to overtime for only the second time. The first was in 1998 when they won the national title.

“Let’s say Tennessee loses this game,” Finebaum said. “That would be two losses. They have Georgia later in the year in Athens. OK, let’s move Tennessee off the board,” Finebaum said.

No. 7 Alabama held off South Carolina 27-25 after allowing the Gamecocks a chance at handing the Crimson Tide its second straight SEC loss by botching an onside-kick recovery.

LaNorris Sellers hit Nyck Harbor for a 31-yard touchdown with 43 seconds left, but the Gamecocks failed to convert on their 2-point attempt. They recovered the ensuing onside kick, but Sellers’ desperation heave toward the end zone with 13 seconds remaining was intercepted at the goal line by Domani Jackson.

The Crimson Tide narrowly avoided another upset Saturday after losing to Vanderbilt last week.

“What about Alabama?” Finebaum said. “Alabama has looked so poor the last two weeks I can’t even believe we’re talking about them as a playoff team, but we are. A loss by Alabama, that’s two losses, and they still have to go to LSU, they have Missouri at home, and then they go to Oklahoma. That LSU game will be their undoing if they can’t beat Tennessee.”

Tennessee and Alabama kicks at Neyland Stadium at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.