Tennessee emerged as one of the big winners from Saturday’s chaotic day in college football.
And, no, we’re not just talking about the Vols’ 56-point shutout win over UTEP in Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee needed a bit of help on Saturday from the college football landscape and certainly got it – and then some. With Tennessee sitting at No. 11 in the college football playoff rankings entering the day, the Vols saw No. 5, No. 7, No. 9, No. 15, No. 16, and No. 19 all lose around them. Not only does that move Tennessee up to a projected playoff spot but also clears up a lot of the logjam around them.
Two of those teams include Alabama and Ole Miss, who lost to Oklahoma and Florida, respectively. Tennessee now trails only one-loss Texas and two-loss Georgia in the SEC rankings thanks to the Sooners and the Gators. Looking at you, Josh Pray.
For more on how a wild day in college football impacts Tennessee’s playoff rankings, click here.
More from RTI: Eli Drinkwitz Caught on Camera Hurling Expletives At Opposing Team in Trollish Way
Otherwise, check out some of the top reactions from social media on Saturday and Sunday after a Vols blowout win and some needed help in the CFB Playoff picture:
The biggest winner of the day so far has got to be Tennessee.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 23, 2024
Man if I’m a Tennessee Vol I’m giddy tonight.
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) November 24, 2024
The biggest winners from today:
1. Tennessee
2. Indiana
3. Miami
4. SMUright?
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) November 24, 2024
Tennessee to the CFP Committee… pic.twitter.com/Y6b6ojHGuW
— David Farris (@Farris_TN) November 24, 2024
Just another week in the SEC: pic.twitter.com/SS20zz73B8
— Adam Spencer (@AdamSpencer4) November 24, 2024
Did every team that Tennessee needed to lose today lose today lmao
— Kevin VOLone (@Kevin_VOLone) November 24, 2024
Tennessee fans pic.twitter.com/GMj1hHyClO
— Josh Ward (@Josh_Ward) November 23, 2024
Last week Alabama beat FCS Mercer 52–7 and the CFP committee moved them up 3 spots. Part of that was UT and BYU losing. With Indiana blown out at Ohio State, Ole Miss losing at Florida and Tennessee 56-0 over UTEP, looking at you CFP committee.
Let’s be consistent this week.
— Christopher Gabriel (@CGProgram) November 23, 2024
I expect a hand written apology from every CFB Playoff committee member to the Vols for ranking Bama FOUR spots ahead of Tennessee this week.
— Reed Carringer (@ReedCarringer) November 24, 2024
I feel good about a top six of…
Oregon
Ohio State
Georgia
Texas
Notre Dame
TennesseeAnd that Tulane should be the highest ranked G5.
After that. Good luck. I don’t have the brainpower right now to do a deep dive. Although some would argue I never possess the brainpower.
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) November 24, 2024
The CFB playoff committee trying to come up with a way that a 9-2 Tennessee team is still ranked below an 8-3 Alabama team who just got bludgeoned in Norman pic.twitter.com/cYsc7SHz3L
— Mark Nagi (@MarkNagi) November 24, 2024
Jaxon Dart gave his all for Tennessee today.
— VOLatile Fan (@VOLatileFan) November 23, 2024
Well, this day couldn’t have worked out much better for Tennessee. Beat Vandy and you might even be hosting a playoff game. Wow. Wow. Wow.
— Charlie Burris (@Charlie_Burris) November 24, 2024
No playoffs for Bama.
What a damn night.
Hell of a job, Sooners.
Thank you from a Tennessee fan!!!!
— 🍊🍊Capt’n Cornjuice🥃🥃 (@BoCamaro) November 24, 2024
Five teams that won the week
1) Florida – Lagway a star, Gators turning corner
2) Ohio St – dominated an OK team
3) Oklahoma – Defense destroyed Bama
4) Tennessee – playoff spot fell right to them
5) Kansas – Are they the best team in the Big 12 right now?— Brandon Walker (@BFW) November 24, 2024
Wish that I was on ol’ Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee hills
Ain’t no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain’t no telephone bills— Bud Elliott (@BudElliott3) November 23, 2024
Tennessee fans thinking about a home playoff game in Neyland after today pic.twitter.com/NaqsCJhxJe
— More Important Issues (@More_Issues) November 24, 2024
The committee watching Ole Miss and Indiana lose knowing that they have to put Tennessee in
pic.twitter.com/2wdUBxndLG— Artist Formerly Known as Derrick Henry’s Stiff Arm (@traviebird00) November 23, 2024
At this point, Bama/OU feels like a four-way wheel of “win” for Tennessee.
— Houston Kress (@VolRumorMill) November 24, 2024
My playoff 12 entering final week. Top four seeds are title win projections.
1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Miami
4. Arizona State
5. Ohio State
6. Tennessee
7. Texas
8. Penn State
9. Notre Dame
10. SMU
11. Indiana
12. Boise State— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 24, 2024
Indiana and Tennessee fans were ready to go to war and they’re both looking like they’ll be safely in the bracket after all the carnage tonight.
— David Ubben (@davidubben) November 24, 2024
Only Teams That Deserve To Make CFP
Oregon
Ohio State
Miami (FL)
Penn St
Texas
Notre Dame
SMU
Tennessee— Big Game Boomer (@BigGameBoomer) November 24, 2024
SEC Power Rankings (Week 13 Edition)
1: Texas
2: Georgia
3: Tennessee
4: South Carolina
5: Ole Miss
6: Alabama
7: Texas A&M
8: Missouri
9: Florida
10: LSU
11: Oklahoma
12: Auburn
13: Vandy
14: Arkansas
15: Kentucky
16: Mississippi State— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) November 24, 2024
Just a few 2024 things I didn’t expect
Texas A&M loses to Auburn, but still has a path to playoff
Indiana getting beat up by Ohio State, still being playoff eligible.
Oklahoma ends Alabama postseason chances.
Tennessee’s most important game of season being Vanderbilt.
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) November 24, 2024
