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Where ESPN projects Tennessee in the College Football Playoff after Week 4

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey09/22/25GrantRamey
Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee running back Star Thomas (9) leaps over UAB safety Sirad Bryant (1) during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and UAB at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., September 20, 2025.
Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee running back Star Thomas (9) leaps over UAB safety Sirad Bryant (1) during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and UAB at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., September 20, 2025.

Tennessee didn’t move in the Associated Press Top 25 or Coaches Poll on Sunday, staying again at No. 15 in both polls. The Vols didn’t move in ESPN’s College Football Playoff top-12 projection after the 56-24 win over UAB, either.

ESPN’s Heather Dinich still has Tennessee as a No. 10 seed, this time playing at No. 7 Oklahoma in the new-look bracket. The Vols host the Sooners on November 1 at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee (3-1) this week goes to Mississippi State (4-0) for its first true road game of the season on Saturday (4:15 p.m. Eastern Time, SEC Network) at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. 

The Vols bounced back from the 44-41 overtime loss to Georgia at Neyland Stadium last week with the lopsided win against an overmatched UAB team, which trailed Tennessee 42-7 at halftime.

Tennessee beat Syracuse 45-26 in the season opener on August 30 in Atlanta then blitzed East Tennessee State 72-17.

‘(The) win against Syracuse looks even better after the Orange won at Clemson’

“The selection committee considers how teams win — and how they lose — and the Vols have managed to do both as well as can be expected,” Dinich wrote. “The committee isn’t going to penalize Tennessee for its 44-41 overtime loss to Georgia, though it will keep the Vols behind the Dawgs as long as their records are comparable. 

“And the season-opening win against Syracuse looks even better after the Orange won at Clemson on Saturday.”

Miami is the new No. 1 in ESPN’s projection, jumping past Ohio State. The Buckeyes are No. 2, ahead of No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Florida State.

Next is an SEC logjam, with LSU at No. 5, Texas A&M at No. 6 and Oklahoma at No. 7. Oregon is No. 8, Penn State is No. 9 and Indiana is No. 11, with Texas Tech coming in at No. 12.

Dinich’s projected bracket has Memphis as the No. 12 seed, getting in as the projected American Conference champion. The Tigers, who beat Arkansas 32-31 on Saturday, would play at No. 5 LSU.

Texas Tech bumped up to the No. 11 seed as the projected Big 12 champ, going to No. 6 Texas A&M. No. 9 Penn State would go to No. 8 Oregon.

Projected CFP First Round: No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Oklahoma

The Memphis/LSU winner would play No. 4 Florida State, the Texas Tech/Texas A&M winner match up with No. 3 Georgia, the Tennessee/Oklahoma winner would face No. 2 Ohio State and the Penn State/Oregon winner would face No. 1 Miami.

Dinich and ESPN noted that Tennessee is still lacking a signature win, but added that Syracuse could be a top-25 team in the College Football Playoff rankings later this season. 

There are opportunities for signature wins later in the schedule, including at Alabama on October 18 and at home against Oklahoma on November 1.

“Tennessee earned a spot in the playoff last year … as an at-large team,” Dinich wrote, “and can do that again, but it can’t go 0-2 against Alabama and Oklahoma.”