How Alabama vs Tennessee will affect the College Football Playoff race - College Football HQ Skip to main content Sign In October 14, 2022NewsRankingsSchedulesSI.comNewsRankingsSchedulesSI.comNewsletterHomeCollege Football HQNews How Alabama vs Tennessee will affect the College Football Playoff raceAlabama vs. Tennessee is already a huge matchup, but now it could directly impact how the College Football Playoff looksAuthor:James ParksPublish date:Oct 14, 2022 3:32 PM EDTThe matchup between Alabama and Tennessee already figured to be the biggest Third Saturday in October in some time, but now it could directly impact how the College Football Playoff will look later this year. That's according to Football Power Index, the predictive computer model, which forecasts major change for both teams' playoff hopes in the event of a win, and a loss. Where do things stand for the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers in the playoff chase coming out of this game? What it means for Alabama With a win over the Vols this Saturday, Alabama has a 88 percent chance to make the final four, compared to a 62 percent shot if it loses this game. Losing this game doesn't doom the Tide as far as making the College Football Playoff goes. Winning out the rest of the season with one loss here, to a top 10 SEC rival, would still allow for Alabama to make the playoff. That is, only if it doesn't lose again after that: no two-loss team has ever made the playoff, and there are still games against a ranked Mississippi State, on the road to a currently undefeated Ole Miss, and a trip to LSU. What it means for Tennessee Tennessee has a lot more on the line this weekend, playoff-wise: it has the 48 percent chance to make the semifinal by defeating Alabama, compared to a 12 percent chance to make it with a loss to the Crimson Tide. That narrower margin on both sides stems from the fact that the Vols still have to contend with SEC East favorite and current No. 1 Georgia later on this season.  FPI rates Tennessee's schedule as the 6th hardest nationally, which means there's an outside chance it could make the playoff with a loss to the Bulldogs despite not playing for the SEC championship.  That is, provided the Vols only have one slip-up at season's end, a "quality loss" to Alabama. The path to the playoff for Big Orange is simple: just win, baby. More from College Football HQ for the Week 7 schedule of games Alabama vs. Tennessee preview, prediction How to watch Bama vs. UT on the Week 7 schedule Tide vs. Vols picks, predictions: Week 7 college football odds, spread, lines AP top 25 poll: Georgia, Ohio State jump Alabama in Week 7 rankings Week 7 college football point spread, betting lines for top games Expert picks, predictions for Week 7 games by computer model College football picks, predictions against the spread for Week 7 Week 7 college football games you should watch College football rankings: ESPN updated top 25 poll for Week 7 College football rankings According to AP top 25 poll 1. Georgia2. Ohio State3. Alabama4. Clemson5. Michigan6. Tennessee7. USC8. Oklahoma State9. Ole Miss10. Penn State11. UCLA12. Oregon13. TCU14. Wake Forest15. NC State16. Mississippi State17. Kansas State18. Syracuse19. Kansas20. Utah21. CincinnatiT-22. KentuckyT-22. Texas24. Illinois25. James Madison (FPI) Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark Rankings Facebook News How Alabama vs Tennessee will affect the College Football Playoff raceBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 3:32 PM EDTSchedules College football games today Week 7 TV schedule for FridayBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 3:01 PM EDTSchedules USC vs Utah schedule game time how to watch TV channel streamingBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 12:54 PM EDTSchedules Notre Dame vs Stanford schedule game time how to watch TV channel streamingBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 12:39 PM EDTSchedules Clemson vs Florida State schedule game time how to watch TV channel streamingBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 12:25 PM EDTSchedules Kentucky vs Mississippi State schedule game time how to watch TV channel streamingBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 12:18 PM EDTSchedules LSU vs Florida schedule game time how to watch TV channel streamingBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 11:39 AM EDTSchedules Arkansas vs BYU schedule game time how to watch TV channel streamingBy James ParksOct 14, 2022 11:26 AM EDTLoading…See MoreCLOSECLOSECLOSECLOSE