Tennessee’s path through the College Football Playoff picture gets a little clearer, or a lot messier, depending on how this week shakes out.
The biggest one sits right at the top: Tennessee and Alabama meet for the 109th time on Saturday, and the stakes go well beyond bragging rights. With the Vols already carrying one loss, there is not much room left for error. Tennessee is still being viewed as a team on the playoff bubble, so this matchup could have a major say in where the Vols stand when the committee starts sorting things out.
There are plenty of other results Tennessee fans should be tracking, too. Missouri and Ole Miss both come in with one loss, with Missouri sitting at 5-1 and Ole Miss at 4-1.
Both teams need quality wins to strengthen their cases, and this game gives each of them a real chance to catch the committee’s eye. The loser, though, is going to be left on the outside looking in.
UCLA is another team worth watching after opening 5-0, even if the start has not exactly been dominant. The reason they matter here is simple: a loss would knock them back and seriously hurt their chances of making the final 12.
Wisconsin also enters the week with just one loss, their defeat coming against Notre Dame. They just picked up a big ranked win over Penn State, and the feeling is that they ought to be ranked themselves. If they can land another upset, they would make a strong case to stay in the mix.
Houston keeps popping up in this conversation because the Cougars keep finding themselves in high-stakes games. This week brings another power conference matchup between two ranked teams, with both sides carrying one loss. Those are the kinds of games Tennessee fans need to keep an eye on.
Oklahoma State is another interesting piece of the puzzle after finding its groove behind Drew Mestemaker. The Cowboys dropped their opener to Tulsa, but since then they have been rolling and piling up points.
Houston’s lone loss came to Texas Tech, and it was by just two points. Outside of that, nothing has been close, which is why these next two ranked games give them a real chance to make a statement.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Sees One Real Threat In Alabama's Trip To Neyland
The buildup to Alabamas trip to Neyland Stadium has centered on more than the usual rivalry noise, and former Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban added another layer on College GameDay by pointing to what Tennessee does best. With No. 6 Alabama set to face No. 16 Tennessee in Week 7, the spotlight is on a Volunteers defense that has shown it can make life difficult and on an offense that wants to control the game by staying on the ground and shortening the number of possessions.
For Tennessee, that formula matters because it can do more than just keep the chains moving. It can also keep Alabamas offense on the sideline long enough for the Volunteers defensive front to influence the rhythm of the game, which is where Saban sees the real challenge for the Tide. If Tennessees defense continues to hold up the way it has this season, Neyland could turn into a very uncomfortable place for a team that expects to dictate the pace. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Heads Into Alabama With One Big QB Question
Sophomore George MacIntyre is in line to make another start for Tennessee when the Vols head into their rivalry game against Alabama, giving Josh Heupels offense a familiar face as it tries to keep its rhythm in one of the SECs most demanding environments. Heupel had plenty to like from MacIntyre in his first career start at Arkansas, where the young quarterback showed the kind of decisiveness and playmaking that can steady an offense even in a pressure-packed spot.
The bigger question now is what Tennessee gets behind him, and whether freshman Faizon Brandon will be available after being removed from the latest injury report. His status still leaves a layer of uncertainty around the quarterback room heading into a game where every snap matters, and Tennessee would obviously rather have more depth than fewer answers when it meets Alabama. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Brutal Tennessee Test It Cannot Afford To Fail
Alabamas trip to Knoxville sits near the center of a Week 7 slate loaded with playoff-pressure games, and it brings plenty more than the usual SEC pageantry. The Crimson Tide are dealing with injury concerns and walking into a road setting that can change quickly, while Tennessee has the kind of home-field edge that tends to sharpen every mistake and amplify every momentum swing.
For the Volunteers, it is the sort of matchup that can shape the rest of the season in one afternoon. Alabama is the favorite on paper, but the road test is steep enough to put real stress on a team trying to keep its footing in the College Football Playoff race, and Tennessee has every reason to believe this is the kind of game that can expose a favorite if it is not ready from the opening series. [Read more 🡒]