ESPN Shares Their Thoughts on Tennessee Football's College Football Playoff Odds

The Tennessee Volunteers have handled business though the first two games on the schedule. They have dominated both Georgia Tech and Furman in route starting the season 2-0 once again. They have shown themselves to be a team that cannot be taken lightly, and they are earning respect across the nation.

The Volunteers have moved up the rankings since the start of the season and now sit at 15th in the latest AP poll. They earn a little more respect in the coaches poll where they come in at 14th, switching places with Penn State.

The Vols Are Well Positioned to Make the College Football Playoff

Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back DeSean Bishop (18) celebrates after a touchdown run against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The polls are fun to keep track of but ultimately the only thing that matters is what the College Football Playoff Committee thinks. Those rankings will not come out for several more weeks, but there are other ways to see how well the Vols stand in the race to make the playoffs.

The new ESPN Allstate Playoff Predictor is out after the Week 2 games and it gives good news to Tennessee fans. Though the Vols are not slotted in the field they currently have the 14th best percentage to make the final field. Tennessee currently boasts a 27% chance to be selected.

This of course aligns with the coaches poll, which is an indication that the Vols are being judged fairly. The good news for Tennessee is that they have plenty of time to bump up their percentage and they have numerous quality games on their schedule to prove they deserve a chance to be crowned National Champions.

How Tennessee’s Odds Stack Up Against the Rest of the SEC

Wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope celebrates with Tennessee wide receiver Braylon Staley (14) during a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Vols might boast the 14th best odds in the entire nation, but they are currently 6th in the SEC. The five teams ahead of them are: Texas A&M (50%), LSU (50%), Alabama (55%), Georgia (68%), and Texas (87%).

Though there are 5 teams ahead of them, the Vols still control their own destiny because they face off against 3 of these teams over the course of the season. Tennessee will need to play their best football to ultimately earn their spot in the field, and they are currently trending in the right direction.

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