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College Football: 1 of these 5 teams will make the playoff for the first time in 2023

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half of the Pac-12 Championship against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half of the Pac-12 Championship against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7) during preseason football practice held on UT’s campus on Monday, August 7, 2023.
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7) during preseason football practice held on UT’s campus on Monday, August 7, 2023. /

4. Tennessee Volunteers

No, Tennessee has never made the playoff. Yes, the Volunteers will be one of the best teams in the SEC this season. But no, I’m not 100 percent sold on them.

However, looking at the contenders this year, there aren’t many from the SEC that haven’t made a playoff yet. You have Alabama, Georgia, and LSU who have all made the field and won national titles but a team like Tennessee could sneak in and make some noise.

The only real caveat I have about this team is the quarterback situation. Sure, there’s a ton of buzz around Joe Milton but I’ve seen him as a starting quarterback in the past and it wasn’t pretty. His time at Michigan was forgettable and he came with plenty of hype there, too. I’m afraid people are forgetting to realize that his strong arm and running ability are far from the issue, but rather his accuracy and decision-making are the problems.

Either way, Tennessee is loaded with talent and Josh Heupel will have the roster to compete.

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