Greg McElroy reacts to Alabama being ranked ahead of Tennessee in latest CFP rankings
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Generally speaking, there seemed to be fewer gripes about the second edition of the 2026 College Football Playoff rankings than the first. However, that doesn’t mean the committee’s reasoning for everything made sense to ESPN’s Greg McElroy.
Shortly after the reveal, McElroy continued to question why his alma mater, Alabama, was still so far ahead of Tennessee. The Crimson Tide were at No. 3 in the rankings while the Vols were No. 8.
“Tennessee is five spots behind Alabama, and I’m having a hard time understanding that,” McElroy said. “The only thing I can wrap my head around: right now, Tennessee’s offensive efficiency is No. 41. Alabama’s… is No. 5. That’s the only place where their profile is significantly different.”
McElroy pointed to CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek’s remarks on strength of schedule — Alabama’s No. 1, Tennessee’s No. 23 — as the “whole summary” of the disparity.
Fortunately, Tennessee still gets chances to prove itself down the stretch. Road games against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, plus a home date with LSU, offer the Volunteers opportunities to impress the committee, particularly on offense. If George MacIntyre can shine as a passer in those contests, it’d presumably do a lot for Tennessee’s offensive efficiency. The Vols and Aggies kickoff at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday (ESPN).
