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Tennessee football 2021-22 bowl game rooting guide: Vols’ path to top 25

By Caleb Calhoun

Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football
Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football /
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BIRMINGHAM, AL – JANUARY 03: Detailed view of a yard marker during the Birmingham Bowl between the Florida Gators and the East Carolina Pirates at Legion Field on January 3, 2015 in Birmingham, Alabama. Florida won the game 28-20. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, AL – JANUARY 03: Detailed view of a yard marker during the Birmingham Bowl between the Florida Gators and the East Carolina Pirates at Legion Field on January 3, 2015 in Birmingham, Alabama. Florida won the game 28-20. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl (Tuesday, Dec. 28)

Auburn Tigers over Houston Cougars

Once again, there is a factor working against Tennessee football. Anybody who followed the early signing period realizes the Vols are going to be locked in lots of recruiting battles with the Auburn Tigers in the near future. As a result, anything that works against Auburn should be something that works in UT’s favor.

However, as mentioned earlier, bowl games don’t impact recruiting as much. Because of that, we have to give precedence to the potential for the Vols to finish in the top 25 based on the bowl game, and that potential is there with this matchup.

At 11-2, the Houston Cougars are No. 20 in the CFP and No. 21 in the AP and Coaches Polls. Auburn, meanwhile, is 6-6. As a result, if the Tigers and Vols both win, the Vols will have a better record by one game, and both will be SEC schools. That should give them the advantage.

On the other hand, if Houston loses, they will have three losses, and it gives the Vols a chance to leapfrog them. A Houston win means UT will stay behind them, but this is finally a top 25 team Vol fans can root to be knocked off while the team that does it won’t leapfrog them.

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