Tennessee football has two more big games over the next two weeks, and they will decide if the Volunteers are SEC or College Football Playoff contenders.
Tennessee football fans have only needed one metric to prove they are back. That metric was getting to the point to where they have eight sure wins on a year, then they circle four games that determine their season.
A split among those four games guarantees a solid year. Anything more puts them in position to make it a great year.
Usually, those circled games are Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and one other big name team, depending on the schedule and the season.
Related Story: College Football Playoff Scenarios for Vols
This year, it’s Texas A&M.
Here’s the good news: the Vols have already assured themselves a solid season by that metric. Assuming they win out in the games they should win, they will almost certainly finish the regular season 10-2. And they will have a winning record against their rivals with wins already over Florida and Georgia.
So that is all in the rearview. Now, for the first time since 2006, the Vols are playing meaningful October games with the national championship in mind. And the two circled games left are the next two weeks.
Given how much the program has struggled, let’s take a step back and first appreciate that Tennessee is in this situation.
Take another step and appreciate the fact that, among the four circled games, the Vols got the two most important to keep them in the SEC Championship picture no matter what.
Okay, now that we’ve done that, let’s look forward. Every team’s dream is to be in the College Football Playoff hunt. Tennessee is firmly there, and these two games left will determine if they stay.
Tennessee football fans everywhere know the deal. If they split, they control their own destiny down the stretch. If they win both, they’re in firm control of the nation.
However, if they lose both, they are still likely to have a solid year. And they will still likely win the SEC East. But they’ll need a bit of help for that and a ton of help to get back into the national picture.
The fact that the College Football Playoff picture is now on the Vols’ radar, however, shows how far the program has come. They aren’t just determining if they’re SEC East contenders.
Must Read: Official Week 5 SEC Power Rankings
They are seriously thinking strictly about the playoff over the next two weeks.
And just one win puts them where they need to be.