Just discussed which 2 loss teams have the best shot at the playoff. They went with both Wisco and TN (Mcelroy picked TN, Herbie went Wisco, Galloway agreed with both). To sum, if Wisco were to win the B10 title avenging the Mich or Ohio St losses (like TN, they need help by way of Nebraska losing another game on top of the Wisco game), they would get in given conference strength. Spoke to their best defender being out, young QB getting better. As for TN, it would be momentum coming off 5-0 run to end year, much better rested into Bama rematch, with a chance to avenge that loss and a litany of players back who did not play much/at all Saturday (Sutton, Kirkland, Foreman, Mcdowell, Vickers, the 4 OL in Weisman & Hall & Jashon & Kendrick). I also would not rule out Warrior getting more meaningfully involved as Safety in the coming weeks (esp TN Tech) to see if his speed/aggressiveness could help in the rematch. Bottom line, there is still plenty to play for in the weeks to come even as AK6 rests/rehabs and Kahlil is done.
The ideal setup for TN is an 11-1 Bama vs a 10-2 TN for the conference title (with A&M going 10-2 on the year). TN beats Bama, is conference champ, no other 1 loss SEC teams, pretty clear cut that TN is in the playoff and don't need to "root" for 3-4 other things to happen.
The easiest path to that outcome is Bama whooping A&M at home, A&M losing to either LSU or Ole Miss (both in college station), LSU upsetting Bama (@ LSU, coach O signature win that would likely get him hired, Fournette goes off), with LSU slipping up one more time in the SEC so as to ensure Bama wins the West and gives TN to disprove the 10/15 outcome (instead of playing LSU and leaving a 11-1 Bama out there who could say we whooped TN in Oct). That LSU slip up might as well come this week vs Ole Miss.
Should Bama go 12-0 instead of 11-1 (thus leaving them ranked 1st instead of 3rd or 4th if they were 11-1, into a match-up with a TN team ranked around 9th), TN would need to not only beat Bama but hope the committee chose the Vols over Bama based on conference title. One could argue Bama's resume out of the West is clearly more attractive. In that scenario, TN needs a few different things to happen: no undefeated big 12 teams (likely), louisville slips up once more (houston, nc state, etc.), and washington loses the pac-12 title game. That would leave the Big 10 champ (Ohio St or Mich), the ACC champ (Clemson), Bama, and TN as the 4 playoff teams (with the Ohio St/Mich loser the most upset about that outcome, if that loser only has 1 loss...will be rooting for a blow-out there). There would be no better signature win across the nation this year than upsetting a 12-0 #1 ranked Bama team that looked unbeatable on a neutral site as huge underdogs.
It's been a rough two weeks for Vol fans on many fronts...but this week could mark the lows when we we look back in 6-7 weeks...now, I don't think this TN team as it stands right now can beat Bama in a rematch (in 7 weeks healthier could be a different story I hope). The game would still need to be played...go vols
The ideal setup for TN is an 11-1 Bama vs a 10-2 TN for the conference title (with A&M going 10-2 on the year). TN beats Bama, is conference champ, no other 1 loss SEC teams, pretty clear cut that TN is in the playoff and don't need to "root" for 3-4 other things to happen.
The easiest path to that outcome is Bama whooping A&M at home, A&M losing to either LSU or Ole Miss (both in college station), LSU upsetting Bama (@ LSU, coach O signature win that would likely get him hired, Fournette goes off), with LSU slipping up one more time in the SEC so as to ensure Bama wins the West and gives TN to disprove the 10/15 outcome (instead of playing LSU and leaving a 11-1 Bama out there who could say we whooped TN in Oct). That LSU slip up might as well come this week vs Ole Miss.
Should Bama go 12-0 instead of 11-1 (thus leaving them ranked 1st instead of 3rd or 4th if they were 11-1, into a match-up with a TN team ranked around 9th), TN would need to not only beat Bama but hope the committee chose the Vols over Bama based on conference title. One could argue Bama's resume out of the West is clearly more attractive. In that scenario, TN needs a few different things to happen: no undefeated big 12 teams (likely), louisville slips up once more (houston, nc state, etc.), and washington loses the pac-12 title game. That would leave the Big 10 champ (Ohio St or Mich), the ACC champ (Clemson), Bama, and TN as the 4 playoff teams (with the Ohio St/Mich loser the most upset about that outcome, if that loser only has 1 loss...will be rooting for a blow-out there). There would be no better signature win across the nation this year than upsetting a 12-0 #1 ranked Bama team that looked unbeatable on a neutral site as huge underdogs.
It's been a rough two weeks for Vol fans on many fronts...but this week could mark the lows when we we look back in 6-7 weeks...now, I don't think this TN team as it stands right now can beat Bama in a rematch (in 7 weeks healthier could be a different story I hope). The game would still need to be played...go vols
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