Had the Vols not choked on the road against South Carolina before the bye week, there'd be a totally different conversation going on right now. Instead, Tennessee enters Week 10 at 6-2, and a monster showdown is on the way against No. 8 Kentucky. With that, too, the first College Football Playoff rankings are on the way come Tuesday, Nov. 3.
If Tennessee were 7-1 on the year, the Vols would no doubt be among the Top 12 schools, all set to have a CFP spot in the initial rankings. Instead, that's not going to end up being the case, though a win over Kentucky this weekend would save the season. So, who's in for now, and where will Tennessee be slotted?
Predicting the first College Football Playoff rankings for the 2026 season
- Miami
- Georgia
- Utah
- BYU
- Notre Dame
- UCLA
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Texas
- Alabama
- Wake Forest
- Boise State
Tennessee can keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive by beating Kentucky in Week 10
At first glance at these rankings, you might be wondering where Ohio State is. That's fair. However, we decided to give Alabama the spot at No. 10 over the Buckeyes after what was on display in Week 9 in the loss to USC. With Julian Sayin potentially being out for the season, this is a completely different offense, and Jeremiah Smith is already suffering with Luke Fahey running the offense.
That's got to be something the committee is going to have to consider. As for SEC teams, look for Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, and Alabama to make the cut for this initial reveal. So, how about Tennessee? Let's say the Vols end up landing at No. 16 in these rankings, which might feel like a bit of a bummer.
Again, had Tennessee taken care of business against the Gamecocks, it'd probably be No. 8/9. Enough of dwelling on the past - let's look forward. Next up on the schedule is a night game against Kentucky, now No. 8 in the AP Top 25. There's zero room for error here for the Vols. With a win, which would be the second over a Top 10 team this season (Alabama), UT will keep its CFP hopes alive.
With a loss, it's lights out. After playing in the Music City Bowl last winter, the Tennessee faithful don't want to see this team play in an underwhelming bowl again. That's why head man Josh Heupel and his players are going to take things week by week moving forward to hopefully close out the season 4-0 to achieve their Playoff aspirations.
Following the dance with Kentucky, Texas A&M, LSU, and Vanderbilt will be left on the schedule. All focus is on the Wildcats and Will Stein, with the Vols entering that contest as the favorites to do some celebration once the final whistle goes off.
So, yes, once these first CFP rankings drop, there will be some disappointment for the fanbase. It's on Tennessee to use it as motivation to not only take down Kentucky, but also play close to perfect football to keep on winning after that. The Vols know what must get done to play in the CFP, and only time will tell if they execute what needs to get done or not.
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