Heather Dinich predicts CFP committee will take Tennessee over Pac-12 champion

With its loss to LSU last week, Alabama now has two losses before the second College Football Playoff rankings come out Tuesday night. However, the SEC still has two teams — Georgia and Tennessee — will likely be in the top six, meaning there’s still hope for a two-bid SEC in this year’s CFP.

In fact, ESPN’s Heather Dinich thinks there’s a scenario in which Tennessee can leap-frog the Pac-12 champion for that fourth spot.

Dinich appeared on ESPN’s “This Just In” and talked about some potential playoff scenarios the rest of the season. Assuming Georgia wins the SEC title — and the Bulldogs are certainly in the driver’s seat after defeating Tennessee last week — she thinks Kirby Smart’s group will beat LSU in the league title game.

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That would leave a one-loss Tennessee in the field with that lone loss coming to Georgia. That resume could make things interesting for the CFP committee.

“I think the most realistic scenario is Georgia and Tennessee,” Dinich said of how the SEC can get two teams in the CFP. “I say that because I don’t think Georgia is going to lose to LSU in the SEC Championship game if that happens. If Georgia wins the SEC and Tennessee is sitting out there at 11-1 with — let me remind everyone — a 40-13 win at LSU and a win against Alabama. Right now, they’re No. 2 in strength of record.

“I’ll tell you what that debate is going to come down to in that selection committee room: A one-loss Pac-12 champ against Tennessee that didn’t win its division or the SEC Championship. But I think the SEC champ is in and then you’re looking at the Vols as possibly the second team.”

Last week, Oregon came in at No. 8 and USC came in directly behind the Ducks at No. 9. But with so many top teams losing last week — including No. 4 Clemson — both teams could move up in Tuesday night’s rankings. One of those teams looks poised to win the Pac-12 title, but given Tennessee’s resume, could find itself on the outside looking in at the end of the year.

The next CFP rankings are set to come out Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.