Tennessee football won a lottery after winning against UTEP last weekend. They just moved three steps up in both the coaches poll and the AP top 25. After all, a 56-0 win is not a joke, right? So they are now standing at no. 7 in the AP poll and no. 8 in the coaches poll. On top of that, their playoff chances might also solidify, as they were at No. 11 in the last report. All that, and still, they’re one game away from the playoffs. The reason? An SEC team, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama fan? If you still can’t digest its 24-3 loss to an unranked Oklahoma, don’t worry; you’re not alone. It’s the same emotion every Bama fan is feeling right now. Their offense was so bad that they didn’t even come close to the end zone for once. Fans were slowly moving on from Tide’s two painful losses of the season against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, but now they can’t tolerate this embarrassment. Angry Bama fans are now lashing out at Jalen Milroe, who 2 pick-sixes! And they are just urging Kalen DeBoer to fire their offensive coordinator, Nick Sheridan.
Meanwhile, a question is haunting Alabama fans right now! Do they still hold a chance in the playoffs? Let’s hear it from the experts. Scott Van Pelt, who currently hosts ESPN’s shows, answered this question in a short yet savage way. “It seems like Tennessee’s got a chance!” He shared his views in just one sentence.
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What does that mean? You must be aware that Tennessee needed to win both of their last games in the season to get a spot in the playoffs. This news was all over the place. For now, the Vols are coming out of a solid 56-0 win over UTEP, which made them move a step closer to their playoff dreams. But as per SVP, if Tennessee loses their last game against Vanderbilt, they’ll surely be out of the playoff picture.
Apart from that, Alabama has joined Ole Miss’s 8-3 record crew after losing to Oklahoma, which was standing at 1-5 in SEC games entering Saturday’s game. Although Ole Miss and Alabama are on the same page right now, the committee might consider a few factors, such as the strength of their schedule and the teams they have faced. With that, let’s learn from the other analysts who support the same narrative.
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How many chances does Alabama hold to be in the playoffs?
Talking about the analysts, do you know what ESPN’s Allstate playoff predictor says? Despite digging its own grave in their last game, the Alabama Crimson Tide gets a pretty 37% chance of making it to the playoffs, by the latest predictions. If they keep the momentum alive and win the upcoming game over Auburn, Kalen DeBoer’s boys will jump to a 41% chance of reaching the playoffs.
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Moreover, ESPN analyst Heather Dinich and CBS’s Jerry Palm recently projected Alabama as the 12th-ranked team in the College Football Playoff. So if they are at No. 12, only a win over Auburn can salvage their playoff dreams. Besides Tennessee, if Ole Miss and Texas A&M lose their last week games, it can give Alabama another chance for the playoffs.
All eyes will be on the next week, as it’s going to be nail-biting. Georgia Bulldogs are going to meet Georgia Tech, a team that has crushed Miami. Then there is Tennessee, who’s going to face Vanderbilt next week. Vandy is still unpredictable; they have won against a team like Alabama so winning against the Vols would not be a big deal for them. Currently, we’re just a week away from knowing the playoff picture more clearly.
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Can Tennessee's Vols maintain their momentum, or will Alabama's Crimson Tide reclaim their playoff spot?
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Can Tennessee's Vols maintain their momentum, or will Alabama's Crimson Tide reclaim their playoff spot?
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