Tennessee is only two years removed from touting a College Football Playoff caliber team, but it happened in the wrong format and the wrong season.

The 2022 Vols would’ve hosted Kansas State in a first-round playoff game if the bracket had already expanded to 12 teams.

So breaking into the CFP this season isn’t a pipe dream. It could happen, and here’s how.

Tennessee football’s best-case scenario in 2024?

Vols host College Football Playoff game

In a 12-team playoff, the four highest-ranked conference champions will get a first-round bye. The next four seeds will host the bottom four seeds in the first round.

UT could host a first-round game at Neyland Stadium by being the second-best or perhaps third-best team in the SEC. That would mean an 11-1 record and likely trip to the SEC title game or maybe a 10-2 record.

If the Vols beat NC State, split the Oklahoma and Alabama games and lose to Georgia, then a playoff bid likely would be in cards. Whether that meant a home game would depend on the resumes of other playoff teams.

TENNESSEE 2024 SEASON PREDICTIONS Game-by-game picks for Vols

Beat Alabama in Neyland Stadium again

UT had already shown that it could reverse the curse of Nick Saban when it beat Alabama in 2022, which triggered an unforgettable fan-storming at Neyland Stadium.

So why couldn’t the Vols defeat an Alabama team coached by Kalen DeBoer?

It could be quite the matchup in the third Saturday in October.

To that point, Alabama will be favored in every game except a home tilt against Georgia. So the Crimson Tide could be 5-1 or 6-0 and ranked in the top 10 when it travels to Knoxville.

That would make a win over Alabama that much sweeter for the Vols.

Double Heisman buzz, even for a short time

UT quarterback Nico Iamaleava has gotten preseason Heisman Trophy buzz despite starting only one game as a freshman last season.

And UT edge rusher James Pearce was ranked the No. 1 player in college football by ESPN.com.

Don’t pencil in either for the New York ceremony just yet. But there’s a plausible scenario where both players could earn Heisman consideration during the season, even for a short time.

If UT’s offense returns to its record-breaking production of 2021 and 2022, Iamaleava would rack up eye-popping stats. And although defensive players rarely get Heisman attention, Pearce could grab the spotlight temporarily with multiple sacks in UT’s key games.

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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