Key Vols team leader makes big statement on what Tennessee needs to do to make the College Football Playoff
The Tennessee Vols are currently the first team out of the 12-team College Football Playoff based on the new rankings that were revealed on Tuesday night. Tennessee is ranked No. 11, but because of automatic qualifiers, they wouldn't be one of the 12 teams playing for the national championship if the playoff started today. In […]
The Tennessee Vols are currently the first team out of the 12-team College Football Playoff based on the new rankings that were revealed on Tuesday night.
Tennessee is ranked No. 11, but because of automatic qualifiers, they wouldn't be one of the 12 teams playing for the national championship if the playoff started today. In that sense, the Vols no longer control their own destiny after losing to Georgia this past weekend.
The good news for Tennessee is that there are two games left in the season.
Vols wide receiver Bru McCoy thinks Tennessee needs to make a statement in those final two games — against UTEP and Vanderbilt — in order to impress the playoff committee before the final rankings are revealed.
Specifically, McCoy thinks Tennessee needs to win those two games "convincingly".
"Yeah, I mean, it's kind of stating the obvious — got to win out," said McCoy on Tuesday. "Got to win convincingly. Got to show some things on tape that maybe we haven't shown previously so that whoever knows that we can do certain things at a high level. You know, but really it's just going as hard as you can for these last two weeks…The way my mind is, is like, I'm not even thinking about next week. I'm thinking about my next film session in an hour."
Tennessee should be able to handle business against UTEP this weekend before traveling to Nashville for a matchup with Vanderbilt in the regular season finale.
In most years, that game against Vanderbilt wouldn't be a big win for the Vols. But this isn't most years. For starters, that won't be an easy game — Vanderbilt is playing good football this season. And even though Tennessee is more talented, the Vols can easily lose to the Commodores if they don't bring their "A-game".
If Tennessee is able to get a huge win against Vanderbilt in Nashville, it should help strengthen the Vols' College Football Playoff resumé. After all, Alabama lost to Vanderbilt in Nashville earlier this season. And Texas, a team that's currently in the top five of the playoff rankings, barely escaped Nashville with a win in late October, beating Vandy 27-24 in a tight matchup.
A huge blowout win by the Vols against the Commodores could (and should) have the playoff committee reconsidering if Alabama should be ranked above Tennessee (remember, the Vols beat the Crimson Tide earlier this season and both teams currently have the same record).
Tennessee Vols players confirm suspicion about the officiating in UT’s loss to Georgia Bulldogs
It was a rough night for the officials
