3 College Football Playoff contenders Oregon’s loss helps the most
By John Buhler
839. SEC. Tennessee Volunteers. 2. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. (9-1)
Tennessee may have the best shot of any one-loss, non-champion of getting in
Prior to Week 11’s action, the Tennessee Volunteers were arguably the best one-loss team in the country with a realistic shot of making it into the College Football Playoff anyway. Yes, they got pushed around by Georgia, but that tends to happen to most teams the Dawgs play. However, the Vols will no longer be able to play for an SEC championship after Georgia’s latest win on Saturday.
Assuming Tennessee beats South Carolina and in-state rival Vanderbilt to finish the regular season at 11-1 (7-1), the Vols may have a strong shot at getting in. We are guaranteed at least two, one-loss Power Five champions with nobody being perfect in the ACC and Pac-12 anymore. If still undefeated TCU drops a game, it really changes things. For now, Tennessee must be patient…
If Tennessee wants to make the four-team field as a one-loss, at-large team, the Vols need for Georgia to win out, TCU to lose a game and preferably, Ohio State to beat Michigan. The SEC champion is getting in, as is the Big Ten champion. Right now, Tennessee is competing with the likes of TCU, USC, Clemson, North Carolina and The Game’s loser for one of the last two spots in.
The Oregon loss helps Tennessee out, as the UCLA loss has the Pac-12 hanging on by a thread.