Rece Davis declares LSU behind Tennessee based on latest CFP rankings

After revealing the latest edition of the College Football Playoff rankings, Rece Davis declared that LSU is behind Tennessee no matter what happens in the SEC Championship. With Tennessee coming in at No. 5 and LSU at No. 6, Davis points to their current standings and the head-to-head loss by the Tigers as proof that Tennessee belongs in the CFP before LSU.

Rece Davis weighs in on Tennessee over LSU

“I feel like — at least from watching them and measuring the resumes and everything — that LSU can get in, but not before Tennessee. I mean, head-to-head’s not everything, but unless you’re unequivocally better it is one of the things. And they didn’t just slip past them, they beat them senseless on their home field,” said Davis.

After giving his definitive take on the subject, David Pollack asked Davis to clarify that he didn’t think an SEC-champion LSU squad with a win over the undefeated Bulldogs could change his mind.

“I’m saying they’re behind Tennessee. That’s what I’m saying … two-loss and the blowout game, that would carry for me.”

The playoff picture continues to be a point of heated discussion among fans around the sport and it appears that the CFP selection committee is drawing closer to having to make a tough decision. If the top-7 teams in the latest rankings win out until the conference championship games, then LSU could control their own destiny by upsetting Georgia.

With Ohio State and Michigan on a collision course for the Big Ten title, the playoff picture will almost certainly include Georgia and at least one SEC team between the Volunteers and the Tigers. If TCU can continue their own undefeated season, the committee could be forced with a tough choice if the Tigers win the SEC.

Meanwhile, Davis and fans who feel Tennessee belongs in over a two-loss team continue to weigh their previous meeting this season heavily in the CFP discussion. Even if LSU beats a Georgia team that beat Tennessee handily, Tennessee did the same to LSU — setting up a triangle between the three teams. According to Davis, that triangle has to factor in LSU’s season-opening loss to Florida State as well.