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Tennessee added to more College Football Playoff projections after bye week, upsets

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey10/08/25GrantRamey
STARKVILLE, MS - September 27, 2025 - Running back DeSean Bishop #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers after the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
STARKVILLE, MS - September 27, 2025 - Running back DeSean Bishop #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers after the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Nothing changed for Tennessee Football over the weekend, with the Vols resting during a bye week before returning home to host Arkansas on Saturday. But Penn State’s stunner at UCLA and the Texas loss at Florida has Tennessee showing up in more College Football Playoff projections. 

ESPN, CBS Sports, Athlon and Sports Illustrated all now have Tennessee as a playoff team, seeded either No. 10 or No. 11.

ESPN’s Heather Dinich, who did not have the Vols in her playoff projection last week, has Tennessee as a No. 11 seed, going to No. 6 Alabama in the first round of the 12-team bracket.

Sports Illustrated has the same seeding and the same matchup.

“Chances are the final bracket will not play out like this exactly,” SI wrote of the Vols, “but it would be a fun bonus SEC matchup. These two teams square off on Oct. 18, and the loser could find it challenging to make the postseason.” 

Up Next: No. 12 Tennessee vs. Arkansas, Saturday, 4:15 ET, SEC Network

Athlon has Tennessee as the No. 10 seed at No. 7 Texas A&M. CBS Sports has the Vols as the No. 11 seed going to No. 6 Texas A&M.

“Tennessee doesn’t have a win over a ranked opponent yet,” CBS Sports wrote, “but those opportunities are coming against Alabama, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. Like most in the top half of the SEC, the Vols control their own playoff destiny still in Week 7.”

Tennessee is still showing up in bowl projections, too. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has the Vols in the Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan while ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has the Vols in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against North Carolina State. 

USA Today has Tennessee in the Gator Bowl against Virginia. 

‘The Vols could use some true statement wins in the second half of the season’

Dinich wrote this week that the season-opening 45-26 win over Syracuse and the overtime win at Mississippi State are keeping the Vols in the playoff conversation. 

Statement games are on the horizon at Alabama in two weeks, then Oklahoma, at Florida and Vanderbilt in November. 

“The Vols had a bye week,” Dinich wrote this week, “but the overtime road win at Mississippi State and the season-opening win against Syracuse are keeping them in contention right now. The 45-26 win against the Orange is better than some other contenders’ nonconference wins — and the committee will know it came against a healthy starting quarterback, Steve Angeli. 

“With Angeli out and injured, though, Syracuse has fallen to 3-3. The overtime loss to Georgia is hardly a ‘bad loss,’ but the Vols could use some true statement wins in the second half of the season to move into a safer spot.”