College football ought to send a collective thank you to Tennessee, according to Paul Finebaum.

The SEC Network analyst Monday called the Tennessee-Nico Iamaleava saga one of the “most important recent stories in college football history.”

“Had Tennessee acquiesced and bent a knee, I think it would have been an even bigger story,” Finebaum said during his weekly appearance on “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on WJOX-FM 94.5 in Birmingham. “I think you would have seen players at every campus saying, ‘He got away with it. Why can’t I?’ It would’ve been a real issue. Tennessee did the rest of college football a tremendous favor by saying no and taking the short-term pain.”

Iamaleava helped Tennessee go 10-3 last season and earn a berth in the newly expanded College Football Playoff. According to reports, he was looking for a big hike in his NIL compensation after getting his first start at the 2024 Orange Bowl.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Saturday no player is bigger than the team.

“I think from an early view of it all, Tennessee fared incredibly well,” Finebaum said. “They’re being credited and praised across the country for getting rid of him. Now, I’m still not sure they had a choice. He didn’t show up for practice and didn’t show up on Saturday, so they were done.

“In relation to this moment in time, I think it is a critical moment. … I think we’re talking about one of the most important recent stories in college football history.”

On the other hand, Finebaum points out, Iamaleava got what he wanted, too.

“In relation to Nico, I think it was inevitable, based on all the information that is floating out there that he was looking to leave and clearly did not feel he was getting an appropriate deal,” Finebaum said. “I think it turned out well for Nico as he’s got a chance to go somewhere else, wherever that is.

“Tennessee may have won the short-term battle, they still have the most obvious question facing them and that is who is going to be the quarterback and how effective is that person going to be?”

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.