ESPN: Vols in Third Tier of College Football

[WillisWG]

Don't remember anything like this. Did ESPN do this before?

ESPN Places Tennessee Football in Third Tier of College Football | Rocky Top Insider

ESPN put every FBS team into 20 tiers, and Tennessee football clocked in at the third tier alongside other SEC teams.

www.rockytopinsider.com

Tennessee football was placed into tier No. 3, dubbed ‘someone in the SEC has to lose games, too.’ The Vols join conference foes Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas A&M in this category.

ESPN noted how thin the margin is between this tier, reaching the playoffs and the bottom falling out, though.

“Now, others might parse the data differently, but the bottom line is inarguable,” Hale wrote in the article. “No one in the SEC has an easy ride to the playoff, which makes Tier 3 likely to include at least two playoff teams and at least two schools that fire their coaches, and the difference between those camps will be a few plays one way or the other.

“The SEC is designed to eat itself, which is one of the reasons it has pushed so hard for increased playoff access. There’s simply not a scenario in which every school that invests in winning, has a playoff-caliber roster and features fans who expect to make a playoff run will actually do so.”

 

[#1fulmerite]

This feels like ‘98 and how the media was towards us after Peyton.

 

[volroadwarrior]

This feels like ‘98 and how the media was towards us after Peyton.

Would be nice.

 

[Mid Tenn Vol]

We should be in tier two being we’ve beaten some of those teams over the last two seasons. We hammered LSU and we’ve beaten bama two of last 3 years. That’s ok though we’ll show them what’s up in a few weeks !

 

[marcusluvsvols]

This feels like ‘98 and how the media was towards us after Peyton.

Agree with the disrespect angle. Also acknowledge that this is the deepest and most talented team at UT in 20 years....BUT we are so young at WR, Safety, and not sure about QB. This is a 9-3 type season reloading and gaining experience for playoff runs in 2026, 27 and 28

 

[utvols74]

This feels like ‘98 and how the media was towards us after Peyton.

The media has/always will favor Big 10. They think nearly everyone below Mason/Dixon lives in a house trailer and all Caucasians descended from slave owners.

 

[EZE]

Don't remember anything like this. Did ESPN do this before?

ESPN Places Tennessee Football in Third Tier of College Football | Rocky Top Insider

ESPN put every FBS team into 20 tiers, and Tennessee football clocked in at the third tier alongside other SEC teams.

www.rockytopinsider.com

Tennessee football was placed into tier No. 3, dubbed ‘someone in the SEC has to lose games, too.’ The Vols join conference foes Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas A&M in this category.

ESPN noted how thin the margin is between this tier, reaching the playoffs and the bottom falling out, though.

“Now, others might parse the data differently, but the bottom line is inarguable,” Hale wrote in the article. “No one in the SEC has an easy ride to the playoff, which makes Tier 3 likely to include at least two playoff teams and at least two schools that fire their coaches, and the difference between those camps will be a few plays one way or the other.

“The SEC is designed to eat itself, which is one of the reasons it has pushed so hard for increased playoff access. There’s simply not a scenario in which every school that invests in winning, has a playoff-caliber roster and features fans who expect to make a playoff run will actually do so.”

I think this is fair. Make critical plays like last season and we go 10-2 and get in. Miss those plays and we could be 8-4 or maybe 7-5.

Fail to find a serviceable QB and it could be worse…and the Legions will be howling.

The writer nailed it with the last sentence. The conference is now more akin to the NFL, where a team can get beat most weeks it plays a conference foe.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

I wish we played LSU this year; we'd beat them like a dusty rug. Also USC-lite.

 

[WillisWG]

I wish we played LSU this year; we'd beat them like a dusty rug. Also USC-lite.

Yep that recent Dooley thread made me think of that too many men cock-up L. Another 22 type beat down of LSU and I would be good until someone else post about it.

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

Don't remember anything like this. Did ESPN do this before?

ESPN Places Tennessee Football in Third Tier of College Football | Rocky Top Insider

ESPN put every FBS team into 20 tiers, and Tennessee football clocked in at the third tier alongside other SEC teams.

www.rockytopinsider.com

Tennessee football was placed into tier No. 3, dubbed ‘someone in the SEC has to lose games, too.’ The Vols join conference foes Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas A&M in this category.

ESPN noted how thin the margin is between this tier, reaching the playoffs and the bottom falling out, though.

“Now, others might parse the data differently, but the bottom line is inarguable,” Hale wrote in the article. “No one in the SEC has an easy ride to the playoff, which makes Tier 3 likely to include at least two playoff teams and at least two schools that fire their coaches, and the difference between those camps will be a few plays one way or the other.

“The SEC is designed to eat itself, which is one of the reasons it has pushed so hard for increased playoff access. There’s simply not a scenario in which every school that invests in winning, has a playoff-caliber roster and features fans who expect to make a playoff run will actually do so.”

All subjective, at this point of year all the chatter is just chatter. Things will be settled on the field. It’s like the Finebaum show, I wish I had a dollar for every caller asking how is Auburn going to be this year. Folks and media hyping there favorites until they can’t. Thank goodness kickoff is close at hand, I have heard all the opinions I care to hear. That is what is so great about the season, it always throws monkey wrenches in folks narrative. The good thing everybody is excited and undefeated for a few more weeks anyway. GBO

 

[RiseToTheTop]

This feels like ‘98 and how the media was towards us after Peyton.

they are def talking ab us like we shouldn't even field a team. This roster is alot more talented than they realize. They just dont know any of them yet.


nobody has anything good to say. Cant wait!

 

[YankeeVol]

I wish we played LSU this year; we'd beat them like a dusty rug. Also USC-lite.

Yea, I don't know about that one.

I do wish we got USCjr though.

 

[Tman44]

Let’s just start consistently beating the hell out of everyone and not worry about the noise. Go VOLS!

 

[Boca Vol]

UT was ranked around #10 in the preseason of 1998. Not quite the disrespect you remember.

 

[OmahaOmaha]

Yea, I don't know about that one.

I do wish we got USCjr though.

Preseason Optimism by the whippersnappers. @ bama, @fla, vs Uga & Okie will be challenges enough, without adding lsu & Scar.

 

[OmahaOmaha]

UT was ranked around #10 in the preseason of 1998. Not quite the disrespect you remember.

I believe UT was #13 Preseason 1998. I see they were # 10 in one poll.

 

[Boca Vol]

I believe UT was #13 Preseason 1998.

That sounds about right but Wikipedia says #10. 13 is around 10.

 

[OmahaOmaha]

That sounds about right but Wikipedia says #10. 13 is around 10.

Wikipedia? Whose at?

 

[TheDirector]

Don't remember anything like this. Did ESPN do this before?

ESPN Places Tennessee Football in Third Tier of College Football | Rocky Top Insider

ESPN put every FBS team into 20 tiers, and Tennessee football clocked in at the third tier alongside other SEC teams.

www.rockytopinsider.com

Tennessee football was placed into tier No. 3, dubbed ‘someone in the SEC has to lose games, too.’ The Vols join conference foes Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas A&M in this category.

ESPN noted how thin the margin is between this tier, reaching the playoffs and the bottom falling out, though.

“Now, others might parse the data differently, but the bottom line is inarguable,” Hale wrote in the article. “No one in the SEC has an easy ride to the playoff, which makes Tier 3 likely to include at least two playoff teams and at least two schools that fire their coaches, and the difference between those camps will be a few plays one way or the other.

“The SEC is designed to eat itself, which is one of the reasons it has pushed so hard for increased playoff access. There’s simply not a scenario in which every school that invests in winning, has a playoff-caliber roster and features fans who expect to make a playoff run will actually do so.”

After reading the article it seems like a fair assessment to me. Hopefully we outperform the expectations but it's easy to see why some may think it's gonna be tough to replace a returning starter at QB with someone that's never ran the offense. I think Aguilar is gonna be fine and maybe even perform better than Nico but I'm a homer like everyone else on this board. I think Bama should be in tier 3 as a team with a tough schedule like all the other SEC teams and they are starting a new QB.

 

[WillisWG]

After reading the article it seems like a fair assessment to me. Hopefully we outperform the expectations but it's easy to see why some may think it's gonna be tough to replace a returning starter at QB with someone that's never ran the offense. I think Aguilar is gonna be fine and maybe even perform better than Nico but I'm a homer like everyone else on this board. I think Bama should be in tier 3 as a team with a tough schedule like all the other SEC teams and they are starting a new QB.

Yep it's fair but don't remember ESPN doing this before

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Kind of hilarious that we are in the third out of twenty tiers, and people are still complaining about the media hating us, Big 10 bias, etc.

 

[Sarms58]

Twenty tiers? Just do 136 and have team in each tier…

 

[RiseToTheTop]

3rd tier coming off a playoff that only 12 teams make, another 11 win yr and a top 6 finish...then a 9 win, top 20 finish with joe milton at QB lol. 30 wins in 3 yrs



3rd tier lmao

 

[DonDiego]

Is my muscle relaxer kicking in, or did he place Oklahoma and Florida in both tiers 3 and 4? Anyway, it seems reasonable to me as long as we're considered near the top of tier 3.

 

[KittenVol]

they are def talking ab us like we shouldn't even field a team. This roster is alot more talented than they realize. They just dont know any of them yet.


nobody has anything good to say. Cant wait!

Maybe you can rise to the top of the page and look where it says tier 3 likely includes at least two playoff teams.