Tennessee Football's best-case scenario with 2024 schedule

Tennessee boasted a College Football Playoff-caliber team just two years ago, but it was in the wrong format and the wrong season.

The 2022 Vols would have hosted Kansas State in a first-round playoff game if the roster had already expanded to 12 teams.

So breaking into the CFP this season isn't a pipe dream. It could happen, and here's how.

The best scenario for Tennessee football in 2024?

Vols host College Football Playoff game

In a 12-team playoff, the four highest-seeded conference champions receive a first-round bye. The next four seeds host the four lowest-seeded teams in the first round.

UT could host a first-round game at Neyland Stadium as the second-best or perhaps third-best team in the SEC. That would mean an 11-1 record and likely a spot in the SEC title game, or maybe a 10-2 record.

If the Vols beat NC State, split games against Oklahoma and Alabama, and lose to Georgia, a playoff berth would likely be within reach. Whether that means a home game depends on the performance of the other playoff teams.