Unraveling Tennessee's Playoff Chances in SEC Football

Pathways to the CFP for Tennessee

Several avenues exist for Tennessee to make it to the College Football Playoff. One of the most probable paths is USC upsetting Notre Dame at the Coliseum in the regular-season finale. USC had a rough season with repeated road losses but is 4-1 at home. Notre Dame will have played just two true road games by that point. Additionally, USC made a quarterback change to Jayden Maiava, who led them to a win against Nebraska. Although Notre Dame is favored, it's not a guaranteed win for them.

Notre Dame's performance and its impact on the CFP committee have been a topic of discussion. USC beating Notre Dame seems a more realistic possibility compared to other scenarios like Ole Miss losing at Florida, Penn State dropping a game to a mediocre opponent, or even Indiana getting blown out by Ohio State.

Debating Texas and Alabama in SEC Football

The question of whether Texas should be a CFP qualifier if it suffers a second loss is a hot topic. It raises discussions about the criteria and fairness in the playoff selection process. Alabama's stance on playing in the SEC championship game is also a matter of debate. Will they be motivated to compete, or might they have other considerations?

Each team's performance and decisions in the SEC have significant implications for the playoff picture. The SEC football landscape is filled with uncertainties and strategic decisions that will shape the playoff race.

Week 13 Picks and More

In Week 13, there are several key matchups. Ole Miss is favored by -10 against Florida, and both Toppmeyer and Adams predict Ole Miss to win. Kentucky faces Texas with a -20.5 spread, and both have Texas winning. Alabama is a -13.5 favorite against Oklahoma, and both are picking Alabama. Texas A&M is a -2.5 favorite against Auburn, with different predictions from Toppmeyer and Adams. Vanderbilt takes on LSU with a -7.5 spread, and both expect LSU to win.

The "Lock of the Week" sees Toppmeyer picking UNLV (-7) against San Jose State and Adams choosing Akron (-10) against Kent State.

Looking at the records, Toppmeyer is 34-34 with 0-5 in a specific context, while Adams is 34-34 with 1-4. These records add another layer of analysis to the SEC football season.

To stay updated on SEC Football Unfiltered, you can listen on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or Google. Blake Toppmeyer is the national college football columnist for the USA TODAY Network, and John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.