Josh Heupel is like many of us whose twenty-something years are significantly behind us in the rearview mirror. Once a svelte top-tier athlete, Heupel has gained some weight since his playing days. Again, just like many people that reach their forties. Nothing to really see there. That’s just the nature of life.

However, that apparently was worth using for a quick laugh (or attempted laugh) by Sports Illustrated college football writer Pat Forde in his bowl game picks piece at the start of bowl season.

Forde offered a prediction of Tennessee 35, Illinois 31, and his brief discussion of the game seemed fair and logical at first.

“Vibe check: Expectations were higher than this for both teams, but particularly Illinois. The Illini started the season in the top 15 and took four Big Ten losses by a minimum of 17 points each. The Volunteers largely overcame the loss of their quarterback in the spring with the addition of UCLA’s QB, but a defensive flop was an unforeseen development, leading to the firing of previously celebrated coordinator Tim Banks.”

Well, that is until he wrapped things up.

“What they have in common: Orange. And thick coaches.”

Pat Forde takes a dig at Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel’s weight during his Music City Bowl prediction

Hilarious, Pat. There’s low-hanging fruit, and then there’s just reaching down and grabbing the cheapest and most obvious joke and putting it in your basket to regurgitate online like some 19-year-old Georgia fraternity dude on social media.

Forde has drawn the ire of Tennessee fans in recent years, and this won’t do much to change that view for the better. The veteran writer once referred to Tennessee fans as “petulant” after the outrage following the end of the Ole Miss game in 2021.

I’d be willing to bet dollars to donuts that if Forde lifted up his shirt, we aren’t exactly seeing a ripped six pack himself.

Glass houses and stones, Mr. Forde.