Tennessee Football might deserve to go to the Sugar Bowl, but the Orange Bowl could be a better result.
This is the special situation for vols while waiting for their bowl bid.
The College Football Playoff standings will be released on Tuesday (7pm ET) and finalized on Sunday (12pm ET) on ESPN. This will determine which teams advance to the playoffs and the New Year’s Six Bowls.
Most predictions see Tennessee versus Clemson in the Orange Bowl and Alabama versus Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. Some projections trade Tennessee and Alabama in these matchups.
The Cotton Bowl is another option for the Vols, but the odds are slimmer.
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“I have no preference,” said UT coach Josh Heupel. “I’ve learned that your preference doesn’t usually come true anyway. I feel like we’re in a special bowl. I expect our fanbase to arrive well and we’ll prepare to play well.”
But what should Tennessee and its fans want? There is no consensus answer.
Why Tennessee wanted the Sugar Bowl
The top-ranked SEC team not in the playoffs goes to the Sugar Bowl. That will likely be No. 7 Alabama (10-2) because No. 5 LSU lost to Texas A&M. But No. 10 Tennessee (10-2) can put in a effort to leap across the Crimson Tide.
Their appointment strength and record strength are similar. Tennessee beat Alabama 52-49. But the loss of quarterback Hendon Hooker to a cruciate ligament tear could cloud the CFP committee’s view of the Vols.
The Sugar Bowl has a traditional stature, having automatically won the SEC champion for decades before the Bowl Championship Series and College Football Playoffs roiled the postseason.
And getting a Sugar Bowl offer for Alabama combines bravado with a sense of justice. It would mean the Vols earned the offer by beating the Crimson Tide on the field.
The Sugar Bowl will be played in New Orleans on December 31 at noon. The SEC team meets the Big 12 champion or the highest-ranked Big 12 team not in the playoffs. For now, that’s Kansas State, as TCU will go to the playoffs if they win the Big 12 title.
Why Tennessee would want the Orange Bowl
After that, the Orange Bowl gets the highest-ranked team among the SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame. That would be Tennessee if it ranks behind Alabama and ahead of Penn State.
And the other spot is occupied by the top-ranked ACC team that isn’t in the playoffs. That would be the winner of the ACC title game between Clemson and North Carolina.
Bowls aside, wouldn’t Tennessee fans rather play Clemson than Kansas State?
This matchup has more regional appeal. And don’t forget that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney shot in Tennessee when the Vols lost to South Carolina, and then Clemson lost to the same team.
Perhaps the Sugar Bowl has a little more appeal. But the Orange Bowl may have the more attractive matchup. Of course, that could change if North Carolina wins the ACC title and an Orange Bowl bid.
The Orange Bowl will be played in Miami on December 30 at 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.
Why Tennessee would want the Cotton Bowl
The Cotton Bowl is the last team in the New Year’s Six Bowls, so it’s commonly seen below the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl.
The Cotton Bowl will be played on January 2nd at 1pm in Arlington, Texas. It has a free choice to play a group five team, likely the winner of the American Athletic Conference championship game between Tulane and UCF.
Tennessee could fall into the Cotton Bowl if Penn State skips the Vols in the college football playoff rankings and takes the Orange Bowl spot.
The downside of the Cotton Bowl is the matchup. A bowl game against a mid-sized team isn’t going to excite Tennessee fans as much as an ACC or Big 12 opponent.
The advantage is the chance of winning. The Vols lost the Music City Bowl to cap Heupel’s first season, so a bowl win would be a nice cap to his second season. Tennessee has not won 11 games since 2001.
The venue is also a plus if visiting AT&T Stadium, the palatial home of the Dallas Cowboys, is a sports bucket list item.
You can reach Adam Sparks at [email protected] and on Twitter at @AdamSparks.