Tennessee
Here are 7 ways that Tennessee can make the College Football Playoff
After Tennessee fans shook off their disappointment from a loss to Georgia, they realized that a College Football Playoff bid is still within reach.
But the Vols (8-2) will need to beat UTEP (2-8) on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) and Vanderbilt (6-4) on Nov. 30. And then they’ll need help from other teams.
The updated College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Tennessee will be a bubble team and clustered along with several others for one of the final spots. So UT fans will have a rooting interest in other games.
Here are seven ways the Vols could make it into the 12-team playoff.
Ole Miss loses to Florida
Ole Miss (8-2), Georgia (8-2), Alabama (8-2) and Tennessee have the same record and a head-to-head win against another team in the foursome. So any loss by a team in this group helps the others.
Ole Miss plays Florida (5-5) at The Swamp on Saturday (noon ET, ABC). The Rebels are favored. But the Gators are rejuvenated after beating LSU behind dynamic freshman quarterback DJ Lagway.
UT fans should root for Lane Kiffin to lose. That shouldn’t be hard.
Ohio State blows out Indiana
Indiana (10-0) plays at Ohio State (9-1) on Saturday (noon ET, FOX). Tennessee could benefit from a blowout by either team. But an Ohio State win by a wide margin seems more likely.
Indiana is undefeated, but it has a weak schedule and no Top 25 wins.
If the Hoosiers lose to Ohio State in a blowout, it would feed skepticism about their legitimacy and perhaps push them out of the bracket.
UT fans should root for Ohio State to rout Indiana.
Notre Dame loses to Army or USC
If Notre Dame (9-1) wins out, it will make the field. But considering it already has an ugly loss to Northern Illinois, another defeat likely would bury the Irish.
Notre Dame plays undefeated Army (9-0) on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, NBC) and then Southern Cal (5-5) on Nov. 30.
UT fans should practice patriotism and root for Army to win.
Texas-Texas A&M winner loses SEC title game
Texas (9-1) plays at Texas A&M (8-2) on Nov. 30. If both avoid an upset this week (against Kentucky and Auburn, respectively), the winner of their Lone Star State showdown would advance to the SEC title game.
Suppose Texas A&M beats Texas but loses the SEC title game for its third loss. There would be a good debate between the Aggies and Vols based on résumé.
Suppose Texas beats Texas A&M but loses the SEC title game for its second loss. Texas doesn’t have a Top 25 win, so its résumé may be weaker than Tennessee’s in that scenario.
There’s a solid chance that Alabama advances to the SEC championship game based on a series of tiebreakers. If Alabama wins the SEC title, the Vols would own a victory over the conference champion, strengthening their résumé.
UT fans should root against a Texas school in the SEC title game to create chaos.
Penn State loses to Minnesota or Maryland
Penn State has a strong ranking but a weak schedule. And it lost 20-13 to Ohio State in its only game against a Top 25 opponent.
So another loss would drop Penn State precipitously.
The Nittany Lions play at Minnesota (6-4) on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS) and against Maryland (4-6) on Nov. 30.
UT fans should root for Penn State to lose either game.
Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss lose rivalry games
On Nov. 29, Ole Miss plays Mississippi State (2-8) in the Egg Bowl, and Georgia plays Georgia Tech (6-4) in the “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” rivalry game. On Nov. 30, Alabama plays Auburn (4-6) in the Iron Bowl.
If any of the favorites loses its rivalry game, Tennessee would jump ahead of it. However, all three will be playing at home, making those upsets unlikely.
Nevertheless, UT should root for upsets in those rivalry games.
Tennessee is still in the field
Don’t assume that Tennessee will be outside the bracket when it’s released on Tuesday.
Most media projections list the Vols as the first team out, but a few others have them making the field — barely.
That disagreement is a good reminder that these rankings are subjective. Any of these scenarios could put the Vols back in the bracket, but they still might be in it with no assistance needed.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.
The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.
Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.
The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.
Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.
It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.
McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.
McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.
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Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
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