ESPN is already trying to spin a narrative about Tennessee and the College Football Playoff
ESPN is already trying to spin a narrative about the Tennessee Vols and the College Football Playoff. If Tennessee wins out — and they should with games against Missouri, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt left — they'll be 11-1 and their only loss will be to Georgia, the No. 1 team in the nation. Most would […]
ESPN is already trying to spin a narrative about the Tennessee Vols and the College Football Playoff.
If Tennessee wins out — and they should with games against Missouri, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt left — they'll be 11-1 and their only loss will be to Georgia, the No. 1 team in the nation.
Most would assume that an 11-1 SEC team that lost to the top team in the country would be in the playoff, right?
Well, not ESPN apparently.
ESPN's Heather Dinich doesn't think the Vols are in the playoff conversation anymore after their 27-14 loss to Georgia.
Week 10 was quite revealing in the SEC, as Georgia thoroughly outplayed the selection committee's No. 1 team to take the lead in the SEC East, and LSU now is the front-runner in the SEC West. If LSU were to run the table and win the SEC, it would have defeated Alabama and Georgia along the way, compensating for its 24-23 season-opening loss to Florida State and its 40-13 defeat to Tennessee.
That's the most realistic scenario in which the SEC can still get two teams in the playoff — LSU hands Georgia its lone loss in the SEC championship game, and the selection committee takes both the Tigers and the runner-up Bulldogs. The possibility of the committee taking three SEC teams no longer seems realistic, as Tennessee was beaten soundly in a game that was less competitive than the final score indicated.
I can't even wrap my head around how foolish this sounds.
Dinich doesn't think a one-loss SEC team (Tennessee) getting into the playoff is realistic?
But a two-loss SEC team (LSU) getting in is realistic?
I can't make it make sense.
Especially when Dinich also thinks a one-loss Clemson still has a chance with a weaker schedule. Or a one-loss Oregon if they win the Pac-12.
It's clear that ESPN is just trying to get ahead of any controversy surrounding a one-loss Tennessee team.
Because ESPN acting like it's not even possible isn't just foolish, it's insulting to college football fans.
By the way, it's not just Dinich spinning this narrative.
Kirk Herbstreit is right there with her.
We've known for a while that ESPN has an anti-Tennessee bias. They're certainly not doing anything to disprove that notion.
Featured image via USA TODAY Sports