How the final CFP rankings (sort of) did Tennessee football a favor – embrace the Orange Bowl
Put aside your chagrin over Tennessee football being ranked one spot behind Alabama, Vols fans, and consider this: Which bowl matchup would excite you more?
Tennessee vs. Kansas State?
For us, it is the latter.
The Vols (10-2) got a choice draw among New Year's Six bowls by landing an Orange Bowl bid opposite the Tigers (11-2), the ACC champions. Alabama, courtesy of its No. 5 ranking, will play K-State in the Sugar Bowl.
The Orange Bowl is a prime-time game on Dec. 30 against a program that trails only Alabama as college football's persistent top dog throughout the past decade.
A win against Dabo Swinney's Tigers would ring loudly and clearly: Josh Heupel's Vols are here, and they intend to stay.
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams examine what should be one of the marquee matchups of bowl season.
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Interestingly, each team has handed the baton to a new starting quarterback. Joe Milton became UT's starter in the regular-season finale after Hendon Hooker's knee injury.
Clemson freshman Cade Klubnik will make his first career start after a dazzling relief performance in the ACC Championship.
TOPPMEYER: Snubbed?! Yes, but Hendon Hooker's Heisman Trophy finalist omission is no shock
SPARKS: Recounting Heisman votes from Peyton Manning loss to Charles Woodson in 1997
ADAMS: Could Tennessee football be headed where Clemson has been?
This will mark Tennessee's first Orange Bowl appearance since Jan. 2, 1998, when the Vols lost to Nebraska.
Tennessee has not won a bowl game since the conclusion of the 2019 season, when it defeated Indiana in the Gator Bowl. Like Tennessee, Clemson's College Football Playoff chances were squashed by a pair of November losses.
Later in the episode, the hosts discuss the effect of offensive coordinator Alex Golesh's exit to become South Florida's coach and how Josh Heupel may address that vacancy.
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Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel. John Adams is the News Sentinel's senior columnist. If you enjoy their coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Also, you can subscribe to The Volunteer State podcast for free so you won't miss an episode. Toppmeyer and Adams also host another weekly podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered. Or, check out their SEC Unfiltered newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How final CFP rankings did UT Vols a favor – embrace the Orange Bowl
