What Would It Take For Tennessee To Make The CFP?

With September just three months away, let’s dive into the Tennessee Volunteers' schedule. Can they win the SEC East or even make the CFP Playoff?

Georgia is the favorite to win the SEC East. There is no doubt about that. Despite the poor showing in Athens, Tennessee showed that they had taken big strides in closing the gap. Let’s look at the possible ways for Tennessee to win the SEC East and how they can make the playoffs, whether they win the East or not. 

The easiest way to win the SEC East and set up for success in the eyes of the playoff committee is to beat Georgia. It will be in Knoxville this year, placed in the second-to-last week of the season, making for a dramatic finish. What if Tennessee doesn’t beat Georgia, though? Is there any chance of winning the East? Unfortunately for Tennessee, Georgia’s SEC schedule is pretty weak. Assuming Tennessee wins the rest of their SEC games (which is not automatic with teams like Alabama and South Carolina on the schedule), Georgia would need to lose two games in conference for Tennessee to win the division. Looking at Georgia’s schedule, this is highly unlikely. The toughest opponents outside Tennessee are Ole Miss and South Carolina, both at Sanford Stadium. 

Without winning the East, Tennessee could still make the playoff. We have seen Alabama, Ohio State (this year), and others make the playoff without playing in a conference title game. If Tennessee were to win in Tuscaloosa and run the table otherwise, their resume would stack up against anybody. A lot will depend on the success of Tennessee’s opponents and looking at how good those wins look. How Alabama, LSU, and others in the SEC West will surely matter, too. In the end, though, being a one-loss team not participating in December in Atlanta may be a realistic path for Tennessee to make its first college football playoff. 

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