Week 13 is here, and the playoffs picture is still (kinda) blurry. 12 spots, and still a lot can change. One significant shift happened in the SEC after the Georgia Bulldogs overpowered the Tennessee Volunteers (31-17) in Athens. The Vols fell from no. 7 to no. 11. Everything looked rosy for Josh Heupel’s side before this game. Of course, they had that loss (avoidable) to Arkansas, but since then, four victories. Now, at 8-2 (one of the 5 SEC teams with the record), can they still make it to the top 12? Can a team like Alabama make way for the Vols? The answer is yes and yes. Let’s tell you how.

On November 20, Coach Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone discussed college Tennessee’s chances of getting to the playoffs. As we mentioned earlier, currently, there are 5 teams at two losses in the conference. The Longhorns, despite an easy schedule, are going to get to the Top 12 because they are likely to be at Texas A&M and end the regular season with one loss. That loss would take A&M out of the picture (even of the SEC championship game). What scenario are we looking at? A team with two-losses will likely feature in the SEC championship game against the Longhorns. What happens then?

As per Ingram, “Now you’re a three-loss team, and you take the risk of getting out then, Ole Miss, Georgia, who didn’t even play an SEC championship, get in like this devastating.” Coach Urban Meyer quickly jumps to the ongoing conversation and adds on to the former player, saying, “There’s no way a three-loss team will go ahead of a two-loss team in the SEC.”

That’s where we are. Who is most likely to make it to the SEC championship game? Well, if a few things go their way, it could be Alabama, as they would be ahead of Tennessee (the only competitor to have beaten them) in terms of conference opponent win percentage. What happens if Bama loses that game? How does it fare for the Vols?

Mark Ingram II asked, “And then that Tennessee, who’s that first team out? And do they get in?” he asked. Rob Stone, an American sports commentator for Fox Sports, joins the conversation and explains how teams can secure playoff spots despite not performing at their best in the critical stage and how Vols has grabbed an opportunity to reach the championship game even if they lose. “Yep. Why back in? They back in because somebody’s given the right to get to the championship game and loses.”

Surely, the committee will not hold a championship game loss against the Tide? That is the most likely outcome, but 12-team playoffs are unchartered territories, and anything could happen. That ‘anything’ includes a team like Vols getting in and rubbing it in the faces of Bama fans.

Kalen DeBoer’s strategy amid playoff pressure

All of us know that the initial weeks of college football 2024 weren’t easy for the new head coach Kalen DeBoer. He did not let the criticism affect him much and continued to focus; similarly, during this week’s press conference ahead of their big game against Oklahoma, he discussed his approach to the playoffs. “We don’t really talk about the outside,” he stated.

Further, when asked about his strategy for dealing with playoff pressure, he gave a long speech and added, “We just focus on what we’re doing right now because we know that if we don’t take care of our business, the rest of it doesn’t matter. And I guess it seems simple; I hope it’s simple for our guys even though I understand the distractions and the noise is out there everywhere. And I think we are really honed in and the guys really believe in and have understood the significance of just really focusing on where we’re at right now. We talk about the next plays, the most important plays in the next game, the most important game. We haven’t thought of anything beyond Oklahoma.”

Fortunately, DeBoer and his team are on the right track after various challenges; the last two weeks have turned out perfectly for them. But moving ahead, competition is going to get tough, and they must finish the season 10-2.