Tennessee entered the 2023 season hoping to build on last year’s Orange Bowl bowl win. Things have not gone as planned for the Volunteers, but Josh Heupel’s squad remains in the top 25 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

Many fans and media members questioned Tennessee’s inclusion in the latest poll. UT is now 7-4 on the season after back-to-back blowout losses to Mizzou and Georgia. Tennessee also lost at Florida and Alabama.

CFP selection committee chair called Tennessee a good team that started strong enough to remain ranked through a rough patch.

“Yeah, they’ve been a really good team early in the year,” Corrigan told media members. “When you look at their losses to Alabama, to Missouri, to Georgia, they’ve played really – as a lot of people have – a tough schedule, but their ability to rush the ball. They’ve got some guys up front defensively, as we look at it, that they continue to impress the committee, and as I said before, there’s 13 people on the committee. We’re making sure we’re getting every angle and making sure we’re making the right decision every week.”

Tennessee being a ranked team boosts the resumes of Georgia, Alabama and Mizzou as the Playoff and New Year’s Six bowls are set to be decided by the final CFP rankings. No. 21 UT wraps up the regular season against a 2-9 Vandy squad winless in SEC play.