Let’s take a look at the most recent bracketology report ahead of Tennessee’s Top 15 matchup at home against Mississippi State on Tuesday night.
Despite some recent struggles with a blowout loss to Florida and a heartbreaking finish against Vanderbilt in the last four games, Tennessee has still built up a lot of goodwill in the college basketball landscape to this point in the season. The Vols’ losses did show some cracks in the armor but Tennessee also picked up a handful of resume-building moments early in the season. Plus, Tennessee has ample opportunity on the horizon with six ranked opponents in its next seven games.
In The Field of 68’s first bracketology projection on Monday, Tennessee landed as one of three SEC programs on the one-line. The Vols have the top spot in the West Region while Auburn leads the South Region and Alabama heads up the Midwest Region.
Tennessee’s first projected matchup is against 16-seed Omaha while its second-round opponent lines up as either 8-seed Gonzaga or 9-seed Creighton.
“I did go with Tennessee over Iowa State for the fourth No. 1 (seed),” Field of 68’s Rocco Miller said on the Monday show. “It was fairly close but I think when it comes back to the old committee principles of who did you play, where did you play, and how did you do, Tennessee’s road win at Illinois and a growing road win at Louisville, as that team is red hot. A road win at Texas is solid. Neutral court win over Baylor. Lot of good damage away from home for Tennessee.”
Other notables in Tennessee’s projected region include No. 2 Purdue and No. 9 Creighton, two opponents from the Vols’ 2024 run to the Elite Eight, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Illinois. Tennessee toppled Illinois on a buzzer-beating layup from Jordan Gainey during non-conference play while the Vols still have a pair of games against Kentucky in the coming weeks.
More from RTI: Three Things To Watch For: Tennessee Basketball vs. Mississippi State
Rick Barnes’ squad is one of several SEC teams in The Field of 68’s projections:
- South
- 1 Auburn
- 5 Ole Miss
- 10 Vanderbilt
- East
- 2 Florida
- 4 Mississippi State
- 8 Georgia
- 11 Oklahoma
- Midwest
- 1 Alabama
- 4 Texas A&M
- 6 Missouri
- West
- 1 Tennessee
- 3 Kentucky
Tennessee has never held a No. 1 seed in the March Madness tournament but has twice been on the two-line during Rick Barnes’ tenure in Knoxville (2019 and 2024). Tennessee was also a two-seed twice during the Bruce Pearl era (2006 and 2008).
The Vols will return to action on Tuesday night as No. 6 Tennessee hosts No. 14 Mississippi State in a massive conference clash from Rocky Top. Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for full, on-site coverage of the game on Tuesday.
Our FIRST projected bracket is HERE!
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