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With a very sluggish start for the Tennessee Volunteers, at around 1:30 PM ET it felt like this was going to be a lackluster weekend for the Tennessee Volunteers. Instead, Tennessee won 59-0 and somehow got 4/5 results that it needed. Had Penn State lost to Minnesota, it would have been perfect. But the Vols now control their destiny. Let's review.
1. It's simple, win and you're in- Tennessee was the first team out after the CFP rankings this week. With Ole Miss and Alabama taking upset losses and now going to 8-3, Tennessee will be put in and controls their own destiny. We know Vanderbilt is a much improved football team so the Vols cannot take the Commodores lightly and need to come out faster than they did today. If the Vols take care of Vanderbilt on Saturday, they will be in the College Football Playoff for the first time. You could not ask for a better situation after Indiana got stomped by Ohio State, Ole Miss and Alabama losing, then Texas A&M taking an upset loss. If Texas A&M loses to Texas, the Vols path with a victory over Vanderbilt would be assured.
2. Can the Vols get to Atlanta??? The Vols cannot get to Atlanta. If Texas loses, the tiebreaker for a four way tie is conference opponents winning percentage. Georgia beats Tennessee out, then Texas A&M would be the other team in. Texas wins, they would get in at 7-1 and Georgia would have the tiebreaker over Tennessee. That might not be the worst thing in the world
3. Can Texas A&M still be a fly in the ointment?- Yes. As a Vols fan, you want to cheer for Texas to beat Texas A&M. Just because you don't want to take the chance of Texas A&M winning the SEC title and getting an automatic bid. Now if they beat Texas and Texas A&M lost to Georgia, Tennessee would be fine. TAMU is not getting at 9-4. Tennessee would still look good to get in if A&M won the SEC, but just to be sure it would be best for Texas to win against Texas A&M and face Georgia in a rematch.
4. Can the Vols get a home playoff game?- I personally can't see it barring a major upset. Right now, I would project 5-8 seeds as follows; Big 10 title game loser, SEC title game loser, Penn State and Notre Dame in some order. Texas would get the nod at 11-2 and Ohio State would get the nod at 11-2 (or Oregon at 12-1). Notre Dame would get it at 11-1 and then Penn State at 11-1. And even then Indiana might be ahead of the Vols. I couldn't see the Vols getting a home game over Georgia even with Georgia at 10-3 because they have the head to head. Right now the only way to get the first ever December game in Neyland would be Notre Dame losing to USC next week or Penn State losing to Maryland. Had Penn State lost to Minnesota the Vols would have had a perfect weekend. Alas, the Vols will most likely go on the road if they handle business.
5. Alright, who do you think Tennessee will play?- Right now I think Tennessee will get the 9 seed or the 10 seed. At that point, it would probably be Notre Dame or Penn State. Let's say Georgia and Ohio State win their conferences. Oregon at 12-1 and Texas at 11-2 would get the 5/6 seeds IMO. Penn State would get the 7 seed and then Notre Dame the 8 seed. I think Tennessee in that scenario Tennessee would get the 10 seed and Indiana the 9 seed (in state battle, avoids a conference matchup in the first round). I think Warde Manuel is going to feel the heat from the Big Ten to try and avoid a Penn State/Indiana matchup to try and get four Big Ten teams in the quarterfinals. And with the committee having Indiana so much higher than Tennessee, I think they were setting it up to keep Indiana above Tennessee. But after what happened this weekend, anything can happen. You cannot guarantee anything with college football in 2024.
Z's projected bracket based off vibes & predictions
1 Ohio State 12-1
2 Georgia 11-2
3 SMU 12-1
4 Boise State 12-1
5 Oregon 12-1 vs. 12 Miami 11-2
6 Texas 11-2 vs 11 Arizona State 11-2
7 Penn State 11-1 vs 10 Tennessee 10-2
8 Notre Dame 11-1 vs 9 Indiana 11-1
1. It's simple, win and you're in- Tennessee was the first team out after the CFP rankings this week. With Ole Miss and Alabama taking upset losses and now going to 8-3, Tennessee will be put in and controls their own destiny. We know Vanderbilt is a much improved football team so the Vols cannot take the Commodores lightly and need to come out faster than they did today. If the Vols take care of Vanderbilt on Saturday, they will be in the College Football Playoff for the first time. You could not ask for a better situation after Indiana got stomped by Ohio State, Ole Miss and Alabama losing, then Texas A&M taking an upset loss. If Texas A&M loses to Texas, the Vols path with a victory over Vanderbilt would be assured.
2. Can the Vols get to Atlanta??? The Vols cannot get to Atlanta. If Texas loses, the tiebreaker for a four way tie is conference opponents winning percentage. Georgia beats Tennessee out, then Texas A&M would be the other team in. Texas wins, they would get in at 7-1 and Georgia would have the tiebreaker over Tennessee. That might not be the worst thing in the world
3. Can Texas A&M still be a fly in the ointment?- Yes. As a Vols fan, you want to cheer for Texas to beat Texas A&M. Just because you don't want to take the chance of Texas A&M winning the SEC title and getting an automatic bid. Now if they beat Texas and Texas A&M lost to Georgia, Tennessee would be fine. TAMU is not getting at 9-4. Tennessee would still look good to get in if A&M won the SEC, but just to be sure it would be best for Texas to win against Texas A&M and face Georgia in a rematch.
4. Can the Vols get a home playoff game?- I personally can't see it barring a major upset. Right now, I would project 5-8 seeds as follows; Big 10 title game loser, SEC title game loser, Penn State and Notre Dame in some order. Texas would get the nod at 11-2 and Ohio State would get the nod at 11-2 (or Oregon at 12-1). Notre Dame would get it at 11-1 and then Penn State at 11-1. And even then Indiana might be ahead of the Vols. I couldn't see the Vols getting a home game over Georgia even with Georgia at 10-3 because they have the head to head. Right now the only way to get the first ever December game in Neyland would be Notre Dame losing to USC next week or Penn State losing to Maryland. Had Penn State lost to Minnesota the Vols would have had a perfect weekend. Alas, the Vols will most likely go on the road if they handle business.
5. Alright, who do you think Tennessee will play?- Right now I think Tennessee will get the 9 seed or the 10 seed. At that point, it would probably be Notre Dame or Penn State. Let's say Georgia and Ohio State win their conferences. Oregon at 12-1 and Texas at 11-2 would get the 5/6 seeds IMO. Penn State would get the 7 seed and then Notre Dame the 8 seed. I think Tennessee in that scenario Tennessee would get the 10 seed and Indiana the 9 seed (in state battle, avoids a conference matchup in the first round). I think Warde Manuel is going to feel the heat from the Big Ten to try and avoid a Penn State/Indiana matchup to try and get four Big Ten teams in the quarterfinals. And with the committee having Indiana so much higher than Tennessee, I think they were setting it up to keep Indiana above Tennessee. But after what happened this weekend, anything can happen. You cannot guarantee anything with college football in 2024.
Z's projected bracket based off vibes & predictions
1 Ohio State 12-1
2 Georgia 11-2
3 SMU 12-1
4 Boise State 12-1
5 Oregon 12-1 vs. 12 Miami 11-2
6 Texas 11-2 vs 11 Arizona State 11-2
7 Penn State 11-1 vs 10 Tennessee 10-2
8 Notre Dame 11-1 vs 9 Indiana 11-1
College ball is weird now..
