The latest pecking order in college football is out, and the University of Tennessee Volunteers are edging into the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings at spot number 25. Announced on Tuesday, this ranking places the Vols as the solitary three-loss team in the current CFP lineup. Suffering defeats only at the hands of top 12 teams—including a pair of top five heavyweights, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, and No. 12 Oklahoma—the Volunteers are showing they can hang tough even in tough company, according to information released by UTSports.com.
Despite the losses, Tennessee's offense has been firing on all cylinders. They rank third nationally with an average of 43.6 points per game and fourth in total offense, amassing 504.1 yards per game. Having graced the CFP rankings for 19 straight instances dating back to November of last year, the Volunteers have a streak to maintain. With consecutive appearances in either the AP, Coaches, or CFP polls for 59 weeks, they aren't newcomers to the pressure that rankings can bring.
This season's initial CFP rankings are teeming with SEC representation, as reported by UTSports.com. Nine teams from the conference have muscled their way in, positioning the SEC as a dominating force once again. Alongside Tennessee, we see No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 Texas, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 16 Vanderbilt, and No. 22 Missouri taking their spots in the top 25.
The Volunteers, having an open date this coming weekend, will return to their home turf on Nov. 15, as they prepare to host New Mexico State for a homecoming showdown. It's set to kick off at 4:15 p.m. ET, broadcasting on the SEC Network, in what will surely be a pivotal game for the Volunteers. A victory could help elevate their CFP ranking and validate their offensive prowess that has been on display all season, according to UTSports.com.
A complete glimpse at the rest of the College Football Playoff Rankings reveals Ohio State leading the pack, followed by Indiana, and Texas A&M rounding out the top three. Close on their heels are Alabama and Georgia, with Ole Miss, BYU, Texas Tech, Oregon, and Notre Dame filling out the top ten. The full rankings can be found through UTSports.com.
