Absurd comment from Kirk Herbstreit shows that national media won't be doing the Tennessee Vols any favors

The Tennessee Vols received a strong message from the College Football Playoff committee on Tuesday night — UT needs some help to get into the playoff. Tennessee fell to No. 5 in the CFP playoff rankings thanks to their 27-13 loss to Georgia this past weekend. TCU, who was ranked behind a one-loss Alabama team […]

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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The Tennessee Vols received a strong message from the College Football Playoff committee on Tuesday night — UT needs some help to get into the playoff.

Tennessee fell to No. 5 in the CFP playoff rankings thanks to their 27-13 loss to Georgia this past weekend.

TCU, who was ranked behind a one-loss Alabama team last week, was moved ahead of Tennessee this week (even though the Vols' resumé this week is better than Bama's resumé last week).

With Ohio State and Michigan also in the top four, for now, it would seem that Tennessee is in good shape, right?

Ohio State and Michigan play each other the last week of the regular season so one of them will have a loss and then Tennessee should move up.

Oct 1, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) passes off the ball to Ohio State Buckeyes running back Miyan Williams (3) during the second quarter of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Scheller-The Columbus Dispatch Ncaa Football Rutgers Scarlet Knights At Ohio State Buckeyes
Oct 1, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) passes off the ball to Ohio State Buckeyes running back Miyan Williams (3) during the second quarter of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Scheller-The Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Rutgers Scarlet Knights At Ohio State Buckeyes

The only problem with that scenario is that Oregon is right behind Tennessee.

And the national media is trying extremely hard to prop up Oregon's resumé.

The biggest talking point is that the Ducks' 46-point loss to Georgia is similar to the Vols' 14-point loss to the Bulldogs.

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit is one of the analysts pushing this narrative. And he's pushing it hard.

On Tuesday night, during the rankings reveal, Herbstreit said one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard an analyst say. The College GameDay host said he doesn't view losing by 46 points or 10 points as any different.

Vols fans should get ready for more of this when it comes to the College Football Playoff discussion.

Tennessee was the darling of the media's eye for exactly one week. Once they lost to Georgia, it was like the Vols became afflicted with a disease and the national media now wants as far away from UT as possible.

Based on what we're hearing from guys like Herbstreit and then the rankings from the committee, I think it's safe to say that Tennessee needs TCU to lose and they need the Pac-12 champion to have two losses. Otherwise, I think the Vols are going to be on the outside looking in.

And they won't be getting any PR help from ESPN. That much is clear after Herbstreit's ridiculous comment on Tuesday night.

Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

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