Tennessee Out of College Football Playoff Due to Committee’s Double Standards: A Sad Decision
In the world of college football, where rankings are pivotal to determining the teams that will compete for the national championship, controversy is never far behind. This season, Tennessee’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff (CFP) has sparked a wave of frustration among fans and analysts alike. Despite a stellar 10-2 record and an offense that terrorized opposing defenses, the Volunteers find themselves on the outside looking in. The reason? A series of apparent double standards from the CFP selection committee.
Tennessee, led by head coach Josh Heupel, was one of the most explosive teams in the country this season. With Heupel’s high-powered offense, the Volunteers stormed through the regular season, earning marquee wins and attracting national attention. But their chances of securing a playoff spot took a massive hit when they lost to Georgia and then later to Missouri. Despite these two losses, the Volunteers still boasted a top-tier offense and an overall impressive record, which many believed was enough to merit a spot in the final four.
However, when the CFP committee unveiled its final rankings, Tennessee was relegated to the fifth spot—just outside the playoff picture. This decision has raised eyebrows and generated a backlash, as it seems to reflect a troubling inconsistency in how the committee has handled similar teams in the past.
One of the most glaring examples of this double standard is the treatment of teams with similar records but different perceived strength of schedule. For instance, teams like Alabama and Florida State, both with one loss, were placed in the playoff conversation despite their own flaws. Alabama, for example, lost to Texas early in the season and had a narrow escape against several other teams. Yet, their victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship was enough to elevate them into the CFP. In contrast, Tennessee’s two losses, while significant, were both to top-tier teams and did not reflect a team that underperformed overall. The committee’s decision to penalize the Volunteers for these losses while giving a pass to teams like Alabama suggests that strength of schedule and the significance of certain wins can be arbitrarily applied based on conference affiliation and perceived strength of a program.
Furthermore, Tennessee’s exclusion from the playoff seems to ignore the evolution of college football in recent years. The SEC, home to powerhouse teams like Georgia, Alabama, and LSU, remains the most competitive conference in the nation. A two-loss team from the SEC, especially one with a victory over notable opponents and a top-ten offense, should not be dismissed so quickly. Yet, in Tennessee’s case, it seems the committee was quick to pull the trigger on their exclusion, while other teams were given more leeway.
It is also important to consider the precedent set by the committee’s decisions in previous seasons. Teams with similar resumes, or even worse records, have been allowed into the playoff due to the strength of their conference or their reputation. Tennessee, with its 10-2 record and impressive offensive showing, deserved a spot in the same conversation as these teams.
Tennessee’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff is a reminder that the selection process can sometimes feel arbitrary and inconsistent. The committee’s decisions seem to change based on factors like conference prestige, brand recognition, and historical dominance. For fans of teams like Tennessee, this reality is a bitter pill to swallow. They know their team performed admirably, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough in the face of a system that seems to prioritize tradition and conference affiliation over actual performance on the field.
