Tennessee still needs one more victory to become bowl eligible, but it's not too early to get out the crystal ball and take a look at a few possible postseason scenarios.
Saturday's game at Ole Miss will go a long way toward sorting out the bowl picture. If the Vols (who are a slight underdog on the road this week) can leave Oxford with a win, the bowl picture looks pretty rosy.
And from the bowls' perspective, the Vols are a hot team. All the media attention that follows head coach Lane Kiffin is a plus, as is the perception that Tennessee is a team on the rise.
Here's a look at what could happen, assuming that Alabama and Florida both earn spots in the BCS (and we know at least one of them will):
An 8-4 finish would give the Vols the inside track to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, with an outside shot at the Capital One Bowl depending on how LSU finishes the season and what the Capital One decides to do with first pick of SEC teams after the BCS.
If UT wins its last three games, the Cotton Bowl could also be possibility, but it's not as likely as either the Capital One or Outback. The Cotton typically takes a team from the SEC West, while the Outback chooses from the East. That's not iron clad, but it would be hard to see the Outback passing on an 8-4 Tennessee team for someone from the West.
At 7-5, the Vols could still be a strong possibility in the Outback Bowl. There are the obvious connections with defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and Tampa, but the Vols would still have gone 5-2 in their last seven games.
South Carolina (6-4) has lost two in a row and still has to play Florida and Clemson. Georgia (5-4) has Auburn, Kentucky and Georgia Tech to go. And unless either Georgia or South Carolina wins out, Tennessee could still be the most attractive team for the Outback Bowl.
If the Outback passes on Tennessee at 7-5, it would be hard to see the Vols get past the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Chick-fil-a takes a 7-5 Georgia over a 7-5 UT for obvious geographic reasons. Much like the Music City Bowl is praying for us to lose to Ole Miss.
Lets just win the rest and bring UT back to the Outback bowl. We always draw real good here and its great when my Vols come down into Gator territory and with the MOnte storyline GO VOLS
Who would the Vols most likely opponents be if they went to the Outback?
I think with the Schedule Tennessee has had this season, the Vols should get a push in the standings, beating ole miss this weekend would be great. Tennessee is a very good team and i think they deserve ATLEAST a capital one bowl. Chick-fil-a bowl wouldn't be bad either, i'd like to see Tennessee play Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech or even UNC. For Capital One, I'd even love to play Iowa, Northwestern, i know it's a long shot, but Ohio State. I hope NCAA reads this, i know they won't but go vols, To be the best we have to play the best.
I am hoping for the Cotton Bowl. One of the 'original' four bowl games -- the first one in the new Cowboys Stadium -- good exposure in talent-rich Texas for recruiting. Let LSU go to the Capital One and Auburn to the Outback.
Stuart -
As it stands right now, the most likely opponent in the Outback Bowl would probably be Wisconsin. Iowa could be a possibility (although they played South Carolina in the Outback last year). Penn State's another possible opponent.
Kind of interesting that the two most likely - Penn State and Wisconsin - are the last two teams the Vols have played in a bowl game. And it happened to be the Outback.
Keep in mind, the Outback has the third pick of Big Ten teams after the BCS and Capital One Bowl.
- Drew
Michael,
Va Tech is a possibilty, but Georgia Tech is currently the number 1 team in the ACC. If they lose in the conference championship, who knows where they would go. I also highly doubt that a one loss Big Ten team is going to be in the same bowl as an 8-4 or 7-5 team.
I would like to see the Vols play in the Outback or Capital One Bowl. I believe a win in either one of those bowl games would be a big boost in recruiting. I am looking forward to this weekend against Ole Miss. I will focus on the bowl selections when the time comes.
Robbie -
I love the one-game-at-a-time approach. You sound like a coach!
- Drew
HOTTY TODDY! Woooohoooo!
We are all really looking forward to having you guys down here. This game really will pan out a lot of the bowl drama.
Hope we can redeem our dissapointing season with a win over the big orange.
-Hal
What if... TENN had scored on one of its 3 tries against UCLA and hit one of the 2 field goals against ALA and wins its remaining games( good possibility). Sounds like 10&2 and quite a different bowl picture to say the least.
please no more georgia dome even the liberty would be better than that dreaded georgia dome and on new years eve not a good draw