Tennessee football: Vols gaining confidence to play spoiler in CFP hunt

Jeremy Pruitt and the Tennessee football team is gaining confidence after a 59-3 beatdown on Saturday against ETSU. Will it be enough to play spoiler in the College Football Playoff hunt?

We are a couple of games away from the Tennessee football team playing an opponent that has a legitimate chance at the College Football Playoffs.

This Saturday the Vols host the UTEP Miners, a team that has lost 14 games in a row. This season the Miners have lost by a total of 48 points in two games. I think it is safe to say the Miners aren’t a playoff team.

The week after the Florida Gators come to Knoxville. After the showing the Gators had the other night against Kentucky, we all know they don’t have a chance at the playoffs.

And, then comes the gauntlet, playing three top ten teams in a row for the Volunteers. Which brings us to the All for Tennessee power rankings for the College Football Playoffs after Week 2:

1. Alabama (2-0)

Stop me if you have heard this before, but Alabama looks unstoppable. For the first time in Nick Saban’s career in Alabama, the Tide has opened the season with two 50-plus point games. That is extremely scary for the rest of the SEC.

2. Georgia (2-0)

The Bulldogs played a cupcake in week one. Only a 10.5 point spread heading down to Columbia, SC. Georgia took care of business against the Gamecocks 41-17. They shouldn’t slip up the rest of the way unless Auburn can beat them. Georgia might be in the playoffs for the second straight year.

3. Oklahoma (2-0)

The Sooners are 2-0, and it doesn’t appear they have missed a beat without Baker Mayfield. This past week they beat Chip Kelly’s UCLA team 49-21.

4. Auburn (2-0)

At the current moment, I have Auburn as the fourth best team in the nation. So, yes, three SEC teams in the College Football Playoffs. However, we will know more about the Tigers after their meeting with LSU on Saturday.

5. Clemson (2-0)

Yes, a win is a win. However, Clemson should have lost their last game against Texas A&M. It doesn’t matter though. All they have to do is win out, and they get in. Relatively simple to do since they don’t play a ranked opponent all season in the extremely tough ACC Conference.

6. Ohio State (2-0)

Ohio State is basically the Clemson of the Big 10. They do play TCU this weekend so it will be interesting to see how they fare. Yes, the Buckeyes play Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan but those three teams look awful thus far.

7. Notre Dame (2-0)

I’m big on how tough the SEC Conference is. But, have you seen Notre Dame’s schedule? The Fighting Irish play Michigan, Stanford, Virginia Tech, and USC. I think an undefeated Notre Dame team gets in over Ohio State and Clemson.

8. Stanford (2-0)

Making an appearance is the Stanford Cardinal. They dominated USC this past weekend in a 17-3 beatdown. Stanford still has a tough schedule ahead, but for now, they make our list at number eight.

The Vols play three teams in our top four of the power rankings. The chances of Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn all getting into the playoffs are slim to none but what if this scenario happened.

Auburn beats Georgia on Nov. 11

Alabama beats Auburn on Nov. 24

Georgia beats Alabama in the SEC Championship Game

All three teams finish with just one loss. How in the world do you keep anyone out? I guess the loser here would be Auburn, but man that would be a tough decision. Of course, that is if the Vols don’t pull off an upset.