College Football Playoff Bubble Watch: Tennessee needs help, Colorado looks to stay on postseason path

Tennessee’s loss to Georgia pushed the Volunteers outside of the College Football Playoff field this week, which alters our bubble watch lookahead. They are one of six SEC teams inside the selection committee’s top 15 but need help to earn an at-large bid. 

The Vols — currently sitting at -160 to make the College Football Playoff, according to FanDuel Sportsbook — will be scoreboard watching through SEC Championship Game weekend as they close against UTEP and Vanderbilt. One game outside the conference that holds significance for Tennessee is Indiana’s showdown at Ohio State. A Hoosiers loss would likely pit them against the Vols in the race for one of the final 12 playoff spots.

Colorado’s blowout win over Utah kept the Buffaloes in the thick of the Big 12 race as the season hits its stretch run. Deion Sanders said this week that his Buffaloes have ignored the noise and are simply focused on Kansas before making any conference title game reservations.

MORE: Six paths for Tennessee to secure a College Football Playoff spot

In our estimation, five of the eight teams on the current playoff bubble will not need help if they win out, including Army. If the Black Knights upset Notre Dame this weekend and finish a perfect campaign with a victory over Tulane in the AAC Championship Game, we’re not expecting the selection committee to leave out an unbeaten team, even from the Group of Five ranks.

Odds for to make the College Football Playoff via FanDuel Sportsbook. Check out the latest FanDuel promo code to get in the game. 

College Football Playoff Bubble Watch: Week 13

About the expanded CFP

The third College Football Playoff Rankings from the selection committee will be released on Nov. 26, then one more time leading up to Selection Sunday (Dec. 8). In the first season of the 12-team playoff format, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and receive first-round byes next month. Remaining teams, including the fifth conference champion, will be seeded 5-12 based on the selection committee’s opinion. 

First-round games on campus start Dec. 20 with CFP quarterfinals at bowl sites beginning Dec. 31. The semifinals at the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl will be played Jan. 9 and 10. The national championship is set for Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.