Whoever you may hold as a diety, thank that being for the College Football Playoff. If you’re not a religious person, thank fate.
After Tennessee’s 19-14 loss to Arkansas on Saturday, the Vols still have a chance to make the College Football Playoff, now that it’s a 12-team tournament for the first time in college football history. If it were just a four-team playoff as it had been previously, the Vols’ goose would have almost certainly been cooked by the Razorbacks after they toppled Tennessee 19-14 on Saturday.
It wasn’t just the loss that was bad. It was the fact that the Vols were about a double-digit underdog on the road and looked like an FBS team more than a CFP team as Tennessee couldn’t get out of their own way in Fayetteville. Moreover, Arkansas is also 4-2 and could be headed for more losses with LSU, Ole Miss, Texas and Missouri on the schedule.
There’s reason to root for Arkansas to finish the season with seven, eight or, even, nine wins so that the loss last week won’t look as bad for the Vols come playoff time. Even if the Hawgs stumble, however, all is not lost.
Tennessee still controls its own destiny. With an 11-1 record, the Vols could storm into the College Football Playoff. That would, of course, means wins over Florida this week and Alabama and Georgia later this season. With a 10-2 record, the Vols might need some help from some other teams around the nation.
Per a projection by the The Athletic, No. 8 Tennessee would currently be one of the first teams out of the College Football Playoff, behind four other SEC teams: No. 1 Texas, No. 5 Georgia, No. 7 Alabama and No. 9 Ole Miss. Yes, there is still plenty of football left to play, but the season seems to be taking shape.
If you’re looking for teams to root against, the above four teams would certainly be worth a voodoo doll. However, there are some teams outside the SEC that Tennessee fans should also find quite vexing.
Here are four teams that, if they stumble, could clear a path for the Vols to make the College Football Playoff as long as Tennessee handles their business:
No. 18 Indiana
I know. It sounds bizarre for the Hoosiers to possibly make a postseason tournament that doesn’t involve a spherical ball instead of an oblong one. However, Indiana is 6-0 and, according to The Athletic, has the same chance to make the College Football Playoff as the Vols, which is 40-percent.
Indiana has the 26th most difficult schedule remaining in the nation and has to play No. 2 Ohio State on the road. Therefore, the Hoosiers could lose to the Buckeyes and still make the College Football Playoff as an at large team from the Big Ten and, almost certainly will, if Indiana can finish the season at 11-1. The Hoosiers host Nebraska on Saturday.
No 15 Texas A&M
The Aggies have climbed back into the College Football Playoff race after dropping their season-opening game against Notre Dame at home. However, that doesn’t look like such a bad loss. The Fighting Irish are now 4-1 and rank No. 11 in the nation. Plus, with its incredibly easy schedule, which ranks No. 66 in the nation, Notre Dame, will almost certainly look like a respectable loss at the end of the season.
Texas A&M, who has the 57th toughest remaining schedule in the nation, still has to play No. 13 LSU and top-ranked Texas before the end of the season. That matchup against the Longhorns could decide whether or not the Aggies make the CFP no matter what happens against the Tigers. A&M plays at Mississippi State on Saturday.
No. 18 Kansas State
The Wildcats are currently 4-1 with a 38-9 loss to No. 14 BYU, which is nothing to be ashamed of – other than the score. Kansas State has the 50th most difficult schedule in the NCAA. It’s worth noting that the Vols have the 47th most difficult schedule in the nation – just in case the two teams find themselves head-to-head in the minds of the College Football Playoff committee for a final playoff spot.
The Wildcats will play Colorado on Saturday, which can always be challenging given the Buffalos playmakers, and Iowa State in the season finale, which leads us to…
No. 11 Iowa State
The Cyclones are 5-0 and very much in the conversation for the College Football Playoff. Let’s see just how long that will last, probably for quite a while. Iowa State has the 36th toughest schedule remaining in the nation, but seems likely to avoid stormy days ahead in the coming weeks. Iowa State, however, still has to play two ranked teams in the final two weeks of the season: No. 16 Utah and, of course, No. 18 Kansas State.
Iowa State has one win over a ranked opponent when they beat No. 21 Iowa last month. However, the Hawkeyes are now 3-2. Iowa, like Arkansas in Tennessee’s case, could help determine just how difficult the Cyclones schedule is, depending on how the Hawkeyes finishes the season. Iowa State plays at West Virginia on Saturday.
Conclusion
Tennessee doesn’t need help technically, but with No. 5 Georgia and No. 7 Alabama still on the docket, the Vols wouldn’t turn down any assistance from the aforementioned teams that also have eyes on the College Football Playoff.
