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Bowl projections and playoff predictions for Tennessee Football after Week 2

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey09/10/25GrantRamey
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Tennessee Football will enter the showdown with Georgia on Saturday with what is currently the eighth-best chance to make a return to the College Football Playoff this season.

The Vols, according to ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, have a 54% chance to make the 12-team bracket. Ahead of Tennessee is Ohio State (83%), Oregon (81%), Texas (65%), Georgia (63%), Ole Miss (61%), Southern Cal (60%) and Penn State (55%).

ESPN’s Heather Dinich on Saturday night bumped Tennessee up to the No. 7 seed in her updated College Football Playoff projections, with the Vols hosting No. 10 Notre Dame and the winner advancing to face No. 2 Miami. 

“The Vols have scored at least 45 points in back-to-back games,” Dinich wrote of Tennessee. “They have not missed a step without quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The season-opening win against Syracuse was respectable, but the Orange needed overtime to beat UConn in Week 2, so the jury is still out on the true value of that nonconference win.

“It’s still better, though, than what some other contenders are lining up and knocking down. That wasn’t the case on Saturday, when the Vols hammered FCS opponent East Tennessee State.”

In ESPN’s other playoff predictions, Bill Connelly also has the Vols as the No. 8 seed and Adam Rittenberg has Tennessee as the No. 11 seed. 

Bowl Projections for Tennessee Football

On3’s Brett McMurphy has Tennessee in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa Bay against Nebraska. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach also has the Vols in the ReliaQuest Bowl, but against Indiana. 

ESPN’s other bowl projections from Kyle Bonagura has Tennessee-Illinois in the Citrus Bowl. 

CBS Sports has Tennessee in the Texas Bowl against BYU, USA Today has the Vols in the Gator Bowl against Georgia Tech and Sports Illustrated has a Virginia-Tennessee matchup in the Gasparilla Bowl.

Where the Vols are ranked this week

Tennessee jumped up seven spots in this week’s Associated Press Top 25, going from No. 22 to No. 15. The Vols moved up two spots in the Coaches Poll, from No. 17 to No. 15.

Tennessee is ranked No. 9 in ESPN’s Football Power Index, which has a projected win-loss record of 9.5-2.8 for the Vols. The FPI gives Tennessee a 52.4% chance to make the College Football Playoff. 

The Vols are up to No. 6 in ESPN’s SP+ ranking, ranked No. 3 on defense, No. 18 on offense and No. 16 on special teams.

Tennessee moved up three spots in ESPN’s power rankings this week, climbing from No. 18 to No. 15.

“You’re not going to find much to nitpick about Tennessee’s 72-17 blowout of East Tennessee State,” ESPN’s Max Olson wrote. “Transfer QB Joey Aguilar continued his impressive start with 288 passing yards, two TDs, no sacks and no turnovers. The Vols’ offense racked up 717 yards, fourth-most in the Josh Heupel era, and has a 100% red zone conversion rate this season. One key question as the showdown with Georgia looms is the health of Tennessee’s defensive line. 

“Starting defensive tackle Jaxson Moi missed the ETSU game … getting Moi back in the lineup this week would be a big deal as the Vols get ready to face the Bulldogs’ rushing attack.”

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