Three SEC Squads Stand Between Tennessee and the CFP

The Tennessee Volunteers have CFP aspirations. These three games will make or break those chances.

With the Tennessee Volunteers coming off of an 11-win season that was capped off by a New Year's 6 Bowl win, the expectation for 2023 is even bigger. The Vols are looking for their first berth in the College Football Playoff this season. Three key matchups will determine the team's fate. We take a look here.

1) Tennessee vs. Georgia; November 18, 2023

This season, the most obvious challenge for the Vols is against the two-time reigning champions, the Georgia Bulldogs. The difference between last year and 2023 is that the game will be played in Neyland Stadium. The Bulldogs will likely be elite again this season, but they do have question marks. With guys like Stetson Bennett, Jalen Carter, Keelee Ringo, and others departed the Dawgs may not be quite as dominant as the past two seasons. For the Vols, they are seeking their first victory over UGA since 2016, when Josh Dobbs completed a Hail Mary to cap off a miraculous victory in Athens. The Volunteers last defeated UGA in Knoxville in 2015, when Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome injury. This game has the potential to have two top-5 teams squaring off on national television. 

2) Tennessee @ Alabama; October 21, 2023

Tennessee's biggest road task will come in late October at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It is hard to defeat Nick Saban twice in a row, and that is exactly what Josh Heupel and company will attempt. 

With Alabama losing Bryce Young, Will Anderson, and a few others, they will be reloading just like UGA. The Vols have not won in Tuscaloosa since 2003, a five-overtime victory. 

3) Tennessee at Florida; September 16, 2020

While you can make a case for games like South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Kentucky, I went with the Vols' early season test against the Gators. This matchup has provided some wild endings, like in 2017. Before last season, Tennessee had dropped 5 in a row to Florida by an average margin of 35-15. Even in an off-year for the Gators in 2022, the Vols nabbed a tight 5-point victory. This contest will be Tennessee's first true challenge of 2023 and its first true road task in the daunting environment of The Swamp. Will Joe Milton and the Vols begin a winning streak against the Gators? Or will they start the season off on a slip?

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