Basillo Point about wanting Bama to lose to LSU…

[jaydhugs]

Tony Basillo made an interesting point about wanting Bama to lose to LSU.
If you have cynical view regarding the preferential treatment Bama gets and the benefits of doubt they have received in the past, you want Bama to lose.

A 10-2 Bama with a win AT LSU, AT NIGHT likely has a more impressive resume than a (hypothetical) 10-2 Tennessee, even with the head to head. We have already seen how one playoff committee uses head-to-head match-ups to pick teams; see 2022. The Bama brand still has a national media draw—more so than Tennessee, even though we are moving into the forefront—they would get in over us.

Worth a watc.

Tony B Previews MSST

 

[Vol4ever]

Never pull for bammer and hell at 3 loses they are out.

 

[VolInDayton]

The committee obviously doesn't value big wins as much as they did in the past, look at Texas and Penn St ranking. Bama losing is probably best for us at this point. I didn't think that before the rankings were released, now I think we always want the lower ranked team to win.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Last year proved that if you beat Bama they'll drag you into the playoffs with them. Yes the committee will be biased toward them. A bias that has been earned by the way. But we saw last year they honored Texas victory over Alabama and kicked FSU out eventhough they were undefeated. If Alabama doesn't beat Georgia in the SEC title game Texas wouldn't have made it over undefeated FSU.

So yes both things can be right. Alabama will definitely get the benefit of the doubt over us despite our head to head win but the committee knows how bad it looks to not honor head to head. So if Bama gets in with 2 losses we'll most likely ride their coattails into the playoffs like Texas did last year. Thus there's no logical reason to root against Alabama as a Tennessee fan no matter how much some of you simple minded fans will try to say there is.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

The committee obviously doesn't value big wins as much as they did in the past, look at Texas and Penn St ranking. Bama losing is probably best for us at this point. I didn't think that before the rankings were released, now I think we always want the lower ranked team to win.

No. The committee just isn't impressed by us squeaking by average teams like Florida, Kentucky, and Oklahoma. If we were body bagging everyone it would be a different story. We would be ranked ahead of both Texas and Penn State. Our subpar offensive play is what they're punishing.

 

[Orange931]

Last year proved that if you beat Bama they'll drag you into the playoffs with them. Yes the committee will be biased toward them. A bias that has been earned by the way. But we saw last year they honored Texas victory over Alabama and kicked FSU out eventhough they were undefeated. If Alabama doesn't beat Georgia in the SEC title game Texas wouldn't have made it over undefeated FSU.

So yes both things can be right. Alabama will definitely get the benefit of the doubt over us despite our head to head win but the committee knows how bad it looks to not honor head to head. So if Bama gets in with 2 losses we'll most likely ride their coattails into the playoffs like Texas did last year. Thus there's no logical reason to root against Alabama as a Tennessee fan no matter how much some of you simple minded fans will try to say there is.

Nobody has “earned” bias. Results are all that matter if we’re doing things correctly.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

Tony Basillo made an interesting point about wanting Bama to lose to LSU.
If you have cynical view regarding the preferential treatment Bama gets and the benefits of doubt they have received in the past, you want Bama to lose.

A 10-2 Bama with a win AT LSU, AT NIGHT likely has a more impressive resume than a (hypothetical) 10-2 Tennessee, even with the head to head. We have already seen how one playoff committee uses head-to-head match-ups to pick teams; see 2022. The Bama brand still has a national media draw—more so than Tennessee, even though we are moving into the forefront—they would get in over us.

Worth a watc.

Tony B Previews MSST

If bama wins, and we lose to UGA, unless we get some help and teams drop some games I’d almost guarantee the committee will pick bama bc of that logo on the helmet.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Nobody has “earned” bias. Results are all that matter if we’re doing things correctly.

How does Vegas come up with lines before the season? How does the AP come up with preseason rankings? We use past events to predict future outcomes all the time. So when things are close you naturally give the benefit of the doubt to the team whose been there before and done it. Alabama has earned the right to get the benefit of the doubt when things are close based on their track record for the last 15 years.

 

[jaydhugs]

…there's no logical reason to root against Alabama as a Tennessee fan no matter how much some of you simple minded fans will try to say there is.

… No logical reason to root against Alabama as a Tennessee Fan…

Got it.

- Simple Minded Fan

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

If bama wins, and we lose to UGA, unless we get some help and teams drop some games I’d almost guarantee the committee will pick bama bc of that logo on the helmet.

They'll do what they did last year. Put Bama in and drag us along with them since we beat them. The only reason 1-loss Texas made the playoffs over undefeated FSU was because of their head to head win. The committee has proven they will honor head to head results. So yes Alabama will get the benefit of the doubt but so will we since we beat them.

No matter how yall try to spin it, there's zero logic to Alabama winning out being bad for us. It will only help our playoff case.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

They'll do what they did last year. Put Bama in and drag us along with them since we beat them. The only reason 1-loss Texas made the playoffs over undefeated FSU was because of their head to head win. The committee has proven they will honor head to head results. So yes Alabama will get the benefit of the doubt but so will we since we beat them.

No matter how yall try to spin it, there's zero logic to Alabama winning out being bad for us. It will only help our playoff case.

I guess we’ll find out. You’re awfully confident in the committee..Sometimes the decisions they make have “zero logic”

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

I guess we’ll find out. You’re awfully confident in the committee..Sometimes the decisions they make have “zero logic”

What's the alternative? Root for Alabama to lose just so we're also guaranteed to miss the playoffs. At 10-2, our only path into the playoffs would be with a win over 10-2 Alabama. To me this whole root against Alabama is stupid and juvenile. It's the classic cut your nose to spite your face move. Makes no logical or rational sense if your top priority is what's best for Tennessee.

The way some of yall are talking its almost like you'd rather see Alabama miss the playoffs than Tennessee makes the playoffs.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Tony Basillo made an interesting point about wanting Bama to lose to LSU.
If you have cynical view regarding the preferential treatment Bama gets and the benefits of doubt they have received in the past, you want Bama to lose.

A 10-2 Bama with a win AT LSU, AT NIGHT likely has a more impressive resume than a (hypothetical) 10-2 Tennessee, even with the head to head. We have already seen how one playoff committee uses head-to-head match-ups to pick teams; see 2022. The Bama brand still has a national media draw—more so than Tennessee, even though we are moving into the forefront—they would get in over us.

Worth a watc.

Tony B Previews MSST

I don’t know how it’s even a question. LSU still has to play Vandy and Florida in the swamp. They could lose either of those. Bama doesn’t have a team with a pulse after LSU. Best for LSU to beat Bama, then hope LSU loses to Vandy or Florida.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

I don’t know how it’s even a question. LSU still has to play Vandy and Florida in the swamp. They could lose either of those. Bama doesn’t have a team with a pulse after LSU. Best for LSU to beat Bama, then hope LSU loses to Vandy or Florida.

How is devalueing our only quality win a good idea?

 

[NighthawkVol]

What's the alternative? Root for Alabama to lose just so we're also guaranteed to miss the playoffs. At 10-2, our only path into the playoffs would be with a win over 10-2 Alabama. To me this whole root against Alabama is stupid and juvenile. It's the classic cut your nose to spite your face move. Makes no logical or rational sense if your top priority is what's best for Tennessee.

The way some of yall are talking its almost like you'd rather see Alabama miss the playoffs than Tennessee makes the playoffs.

No, I want Alabama and LSU both to miss the playoffs to open up a spot for Tennessee. It’s not that complicated.

 

[NighthawkVol]

How is devalueing our only quality win a good idea?

Because Alabama is competition for a playoff spot. And if it comes down to 10-2 Alabama vs. 10-2 Tennessee, they’ll take Alabama.

If Tennessee is one of only 3 SEC teams with 2 losses or less, we’re in. No matter how valuable our win over Bama looks.

 

[VolInDayton]

No. The committee just isn't impressed by us squeaking by average teams like Florida, Kentucky, and Oklahoma. If we were body bagging everyone it would be a different story. We would be ranked ahead of both Texas and Penn State. Our subpar offensive play is what they're punishing.

Penn St best Bowling Green by 3, a pathetic USC team by 3 with a remarkable comeback, and was losing in the second half to Wisconsin.

If it was based off of how you looked against bad opponents Indiana should be top 5.

 

[jaydhugs]

They'll do what they did last year. Put Bama in and drag us along with them since we beat them. The only reason 1-loss Texas made the playoffs over undefeated FSU was because of their head to head win. The committee has proven they will honor head to head results. So yes Alabama will get the benefit of the doubt but so will we since we beat them.

No matter how yall try to spin it, there's zero logic to Alabama winning out being bad for us. It will only help our playoff case.

You keep trying to apply logic to a situation where the deciding factor is not governed by metrics and measurables—or logic. The whole thing, the college football apparatus, is about money. Bama might be a better bet for TV ratings. It might even be ILLOGICAL for the CFP—a money making, entertainment enterprise—to NOT choose a (hypothetical) 10-2 Bama over a (hypothetical) 10-2 Tennessee, if, say, there were one spot remaining.

I was simply pointing out of Basillo’s point, in summary form, but I’m sure you have already watched the video and dissected his argument, logically.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Penn St best Bowling Green by 3, a pathetic USC team by 3 with a remarkable comeback, and was losing in the second half to Wisconsin.

If it was based off of how you looked against bad opponents Indiana should be top 5.

Exactly. What some don’t get is that our biggest competition for CFP spots is other SEC teams. The B1G sucks. The Big 12 and ACC are worse. There will only be 3-4 SEC teams in, depending on whether or not there are surprise champions in other conferences (for example, if SMU beat Miami in the ACCCG, the ACC then gets 2 instead of 1 and Miami takes an at-large).

So Tennessee needs to make sure it’s one of the 3 top SEC choices. Alabama is competition for that. So if we end up 10-2, we need Bama to lose to LSU, then LSU to lose to Vandy or Florida. We need Ole Miss to lose to Georgia and aTm to lose to Texas.

That leaves Georgia and Texas at 11-1 and playing for the SEC championship. Tennessee is 10-2. Every other SEC team has 3 or more losses. So we’re in. (Actually, Missouri might only have 2, but they’re not a concern because their schedule sucks).

Folks need to understand that we’re competing for a spot with these other SEC teams. Barring a surprise ACC or Big 12 champion, they’re not putting another team from those conferences over Tennessee, whether our best win, Alabama has 2 losses or 3.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

What's the alternative? Root for Alabama to lose just so we're also guaranteed to miss the playoffs. At 10-2, our only path into the playoffs would be with a win over 10-2 Alabama. To me this whole root against Alabama is stupid and juvenile. It's the classic cut your nose to spite your face move. Makes no logical or rational sense if your top priority is what's best for Tennessee.

The way some of yall are talking its almost like you'd rather see Alabama miss the playoffs than Tennessee makes the playoffs.

In all honesty nobody knows how these last 4 weeks are going to shape the playoffs. Ole miss vs UGA, and bama vs lsu this weekend. Then we play Georgia the week after. Then Texas and A&M play the last week. We will have a better idea of what’s going to happen in a couple weeks, and I can see the argument for both sides of bama winning out and them losing.

 

[LAVol1]

Tony Basillo made an interesting point about wanting Bama to lose to LSU.
If you have cynical view regarding the preferential treatment Bama gets and the benefits of doubt they have received in the past, you want Bama to lose.

A 10-2 Bama with a win AT LSU, AT NIGHT likely has a more impressive resume than a (hypothetical) 10-2 Tennessee, even with the head to head. We have already seen how one playoff committee uses head-to-head match-ups to pick teams; see 2022. The Bama brand still has a national media draw—more so than Tennessee, even though we are moving into the forefront—they would get in over us.

Worth a watc.

Tony B Previews MSST

I don't know. LSU losses to USC and TA&M with wins over Ole Miss, Bama and @USCe looks better than a 2-loss Vols team with the only one really good win. I would rather take my chances with the head-to-head win over Bama being the deciding factor.

 

[WillisWG]

a 3-3 tie with a 3+ TO 2 point Tiger L works for me, just don't care what TB thinks

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

No, I want Alabama and LSU both to miss the playoffs to open up a spot for Tennessee. It’s not that complicated.

It's less likely than simply rooting for the team that doesn't help our resume to lose. Alabama losing also hurts our case against other teams that are behind us. Imagine if SMU wins out and loses a close game to Miami. Why should the committee take us at 10-2 with no quality wins over 11-2 SMU?

Alabama losing damages us as much as it helps because it allows other teams behind us to pass us if our resume gets weaker. Right now the only reason we're even 7th is because of that win over Alabama. If they're suddenly a 3-loss team then our resume is greatly damaged.

 

[NighthawkVol]

I don't know. LSU losses to USC and TA&M with wins over Ole Miss, Bama and @USCe looks better than a 2-loss Vols team with the only one really good win. I would rather take my chances with the head-to-head win over Bama being the deciding factor.

We’ll lose in that scenario. 2022 is absolute proof of that. Not only did we have the head to head that season, but we also destroyed their other loss (LSU) by 30+. They still ranked Bama ahead of Tennessee in the CFP rankings. And Alabama didn’t even play the 2 teams we lost to.

We need LSU and Bama both to lose. Or just win out.

 

[SonOfGodVolforlife]

Exactly. What some don’t get is that our biggest competition for CFP spots is other SEC teams. The B1G sucks. The Big 12 and ACC are worse. There will only be 3-4 SEC teams in, depending on whether or not there are surprise champions in other conferences (for example, if SMU beat Miami in the ACCCG, the ACC then gets 2 instead of 1 and Miami takes an at-large).

So Tennessee needs to make sure it’s one of the 3 top SEC choices. Alabama is competition for that. So if we end up 10-2, we need Bama to lose to LSU, then LSU to lose to Vandy or Florida. We need Ole Miss to lose to Georgia and aTm to lose to Texas.

That leaves Georgia and Texas at 11-1 and playing for the SEC championship. Tennessee is 10-2. Every other SEC team has 3 or more losses. So we’re in. (Actually, Missouri might only have 2, but they’re not a concern because their schedule sucks).

Folks need to understand that we’re competing for a spot with these other SEC teams. Barring a surprise ACC or Big 12 champion, they’re not putting another team from those conferences over Tennessee, whether our best win, Alabama has 2 losses or 3.

I agree .. it’d be nice if we just beat Georgia and leave no doubt.