Playoff Projections: ESPN, Athlon have Tennessee advancing to College Football Playoff semifinals
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura is not only a believer in Tennessee as a College Football Playoff team, but as a team that can advance multiple rounds in the 12-team bracket.
In ESPN’s updated playoff projections this week, Bonagura had Tennessee as the No. 6 seed, beating No. 11 Clemson in the first round at Neyland Stadium, then upsetting No. 3 Miami in the Peach Bowl before falling to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl semifinal.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach had Tennessee as the No. 7 seed, also hosting Clemson as the No. 10 seed in the first round, and advancing to the semifinals against No. 2 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
Athlon also had the Vols as a semifinal team, with Tennessee as the No. 6 seed, beating No. 11 Michigan at home, then No. 3 Miami in the Peach Bowl before losing to Ohio State in the Orange Bowl semifinal.
No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) is coming off a bye week and is back on the road at Arkansas (3-2, 1-1) Saturday night (7:30 Eastern Time, ABC).
‘(Defense is) not a card head coach Josh Heupel has always been able to play’
ESPN this week had the Vols ranked No. 3 among college football’s remaining undefeated teams, behind No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Alabama.
“They yet to face a top-50 offense — they will in due time — but thus far the Volunteers’ defense has been almost Bob Neyland-esque,” ESPN’s Bill Connelly wrote. “Granted, they haven’t opened the season with 10 straight shutouts as Neyland’s Vols did in 1939, but they’re first in points allowed per drive (0.39), yards allowed per play (3.1), success rate allowed (28.9%) and percentage of three-and-outs forced (53.7%).
“Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has been very good, but when the Vols faced resistance from an active Oklahoma defense in Week 4, they just rode their own defense to a comfortable win. That’s not a card head coach Josh Heupel has always been able to play.”
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USA Today has Tennessee as the No. 10 seed, going to No. 7 Georgia for a regular-season rematch of the November 16 game at Sanford Stadium in Athens.
Up Next: No. 4 Tennessee at Arkansas, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
The Action Network also had the Vols advancing in the playoff, with No. 7 Tennessee beating No. 10 Clemson in the first round and facing No. 2 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl in the quarterfinals. The Action Network had the Vols as a 5-point favorite against Clemson and a 6.5-point underdog against Ohio State.
College Football News has Tennessee as a No. 9 seed, going to No. 8 Michigan in the first round and advancing to face No. 1 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
On3’s Andy Staples had Tennessee as a No. 6 seed in his bracket this week, hosting No. 11 Kansas State with the winner advancing to face No. 3 Clemson.
“The Volunteers were off Saturday after winning at Oklahoma,” Staples wrote. “Next up is a trip to Arkansas. The Razorbacks have lost heartbreakers to Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, and they remain dangerous.”
