Week 12 Rooting Guide for Tennessee Fans
The most important game of Tennessee’s season is the most important game in college football this weekend.
The playoffs are approaching. Positions are being jockeyed for. The committee has proven that they are kind of dumb and very inconsistent. Let’s rank the games that Tennessee fans should be paying attention to.
This week is a little light, which is fitting because of how simple this week really is. It’s all about Georgia.
1. Tennessee OVER Georgia (home)
We could probably end this article here and save me the time of writing it and you the time of scrolling it.
The Vols can all but clinch a playoff spot with a win on Saturday night. They would have the inside track to a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship and a chance to earn the 1 or 2 national seed and first round bye.
If they lose?
Well, I don’t know. The committee doesn’t seem to love Tennessee or Georgia. With Georgia coming in ranked 12th and on the outside of the bracket in the last edition of their rankings and the Vols getting leapfrogged by Indiana and BYU, a loss probably just results in Tennessee and Georgia switching places in the rankings next week. Georgia would jump back in; Tennessee would fall out.
And then Tennessee would be at the mercy of results in other games. I prefer the path of winning.
Georgia is currently favored by 9.5 points.
2. Arkansas (home) OVER Texas
People do not view the Arkansas loss very kindly.
A win over Texas would go a long way to changing the country’s perception of the Razorbacks. They would gain bowl eligibility and be in line to get a seventh win next week against Louisiana Tech. They finish the season with a very beatable Missouri team. An 8-4 Arkansas team changes everything.
Everyone’s second favorite team the rest of the season should be Arkansas.
As for Texas? A loss for Texas probably doesn’t knock them out of the top 12 because of the agreement that every member of the media and playoff committee apparently made during their secret meeting where they all agreed that Texas was a top 5 team regardless of not really having evidence to support that.
At the very least, this would make the season finale against the Aggies an elimination game.
Texas is currently favored over 12.5.
3. Kansas over BYU (home)
I’m sick of BYU. It’s not really their fault, but I’m over it and them! That last second field goal to beat Utah after a questionable penalty saved them was the last straw!
Enough. Go away.
Or at least set yourself up to have to win your conference championship game to get in. That would be the likely reality for BYU if they were to lose at home to a 3-6 Kansas team at home. The Jayhawks have five losses this season by six points or fewer. They’re coming off of a win against Iowa State.
BYU is currently favored by ONLY 2.5.
4. Florida (home) OVER LSU
Nothing really groundbreaking here. Tennessee needs Florida to look good down the stretch. There’s a strong case that can be made (and I may have to do it next week) that Florida, not Arkansas, should be all Vol fans second favorite team down the stretch.
Beating LSU makes Florida look better, which helps Tennessee’s strength of schedule and victory, but the real key may be next week against Ole Miss, a team Tennessee may be competing with for one of the final playoff spots. The more confidence that the Gators and their fans have coming out of this game against the Tigers, the better.
We also don’t want LSU to look like some quality win or loss for other SEC teams.
LSU is currently favored by 4.
5. South Carolina (home) OVER Missouri
This one doesn’t really feel that important, but a 10-2 Missouri is just really annoying. Eli Drinkwitz talking about being alive in the playoff race is really annoying. The arguments that would arise about how beating South Carolina on the road is a big quality win?
You guessed it! Annoying!
Let’s just let them go away and hopefully spiral a little bit down the stretch and not be super motivated for the season finale against Arkansas.