Tennessee football has been on the receiving end of what has become an uncomfortably familiar outcome for the Vols for nearly a decade: a loss to Georgia.

Tennessee’s 31-17 setback against the Bulldogs Saturday night at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, will have significant implications for the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff. By winning, Kirby Smart and the No. 10 Bulldogs avoided what likely would have been a grueling third loss when it came to their playoff aspirations. For now, they’ll keep hunting.

But what does the 14-point loss mean for the Vols?

REQUIRED READING: Tennessee vs Georgia live score updates, highlights: Vols fall in College Football Playoff chase

Coach Josh Heupel’s team has put together a strong 2024 season thus far, posting an 8-2 record, including a 5-2 mark in what is arguably the toughest and deepest conference in sports.

Will that be enough to clinch a coveted spot in the twelve-team playoff field?

Here’s what you need to know about Tennessee’s playoff chances:

Can Tennessee Football make the College Football Playoff?

The short answer is yes. It’s entirely possible the Vols will hear their name called when the 12-team playoff bracket is revealed on December 8. At the very least, the path to that point still exists.

Whether it’s Tennessee shall making it there remains more of an open question.

The expansion of the playoffs from four to twelve teams gives candidates a greater margin for error. Two losses were once considered a death sentence for even the most talented teams in the four-team playoff format, but now teams can have multiple losses and still be firmly in contention.

The question is whether the Vols stand out enough among their SEC peers. Tennessee is one of six SEC teams with fewer than three losses, a group that also includes Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia. Because as respected as the SEC is, it’s virtually impossible for the league to account for exactly half of the playoff field, with four spots reserved for teams from other conferences. That’s made much more unlikely by the fact that the Big Ten, college football’s other behemoth, has four teams with fewer than two losses, including a pair of undefeated squads in Oregon and Indiana.

The Vols were the second-highest rated SEC team in the most recent playoff committee rankings, moving up to No. 7. However, Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia were all within five spots of Tennessee, meaning it it’s entirely possible that the Vols’ losses will drop. they include at least one or two members of that trio.

Even if they are No. 12 in the latest rankings and Boise State remains outside of that top 12, Tennessee would be the first team out of the expected bracket as the highest-rated conference champion from a non-Power Four league receives an automatic advance to the play- off.

With only UTEP and Vanderbilt remaining on the schedule, the Vols will be a heavy favorite to finish the regular season 10-2 overall and 6-2 in SEC play. They have a big win on their resume, a 24-17 victory against rival Alabama on October 19. Entering Week 12, Tennessee ranked ninth in ESPN’s strength of record, although lacking a strong schedule, at No. 36 out of 134. FBS teams.

Can Tennessee earn a first-round bye?

Under the expanded playoff’s criteria, the top four rated conference champions earn a first-round bye and an automatic spot in the national quarterfinals.

To do that, Tennessee would have to win the SEC, a task that, as any college football fan knows, is much easier said than done. That said, the Vols remain alive for one of those two spots in Atlanta for the SEC championship game.

Tennessee is one of four SEC teams with two losses in conference play, along with Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss. Texas A&M and Texas, both at 5-1 in SEC competition, are tied atop the standings. That won’t stay that way as the Longhorns and Aggies will play in the regular season finale, marking the first time the old rivals have faced off since 2011. Both teams from the Lone Star State have manageable opponents for those long awaited match. with Texas hosting 4-6 Kentucky and Texas A&M going on the road to take on 4-6 Auburn.

The Vols have one SEC game remaining, a potentially tough matchup against a 6-4 Vanderbilt team that has already defeated Alabama in Nashville this season. One of their fellow two-loss SEC teams, Georgia, is done with conference play, with a 6-2 mark. Here’s a look at the remaining schedules for the other two SEC squads with two losses:

• Alabama: at Oklahoma, vs. Auburn

• Ole ma’am: in Florida, versus Mississippi State

The Crimson Tide and Rebels will be favored to win all four of these games, which would mean all four teams would finish 6-2 in SEC play, along with whoever loses the Texas-Texas A&M game.

Unless Alabama or Ole Miss suffer another loss and the five-team tie occurs, Tennessee will be in an undesirable position. If Texas A&M beats Texas in this scenario, the Vols would finish in fifth place based on the SEC’s various tiebreakers. If the Longhorns beat the Aggies, Tennessee will finish sixth.

In short, Heupel and the Vols will have to hold out a bit.

REQUIRED READING: Will SEC fine Tennessee for fake injury after Omarr Norman-Lott leaves game against Georgia?

2024 tennessee football schedule

• Saturday August 31: vs. Chattanooga (W, 69-3)

• Saturday September 7: vs. No. 23 NC State (Charlotte, NC) (W, 51-10)

• Saturday September 14: vs. Kent State (W, 71-10)

• Saturday September 21: at number 13 Oklahoma (W, 25-15)*

• Saturday October 5: at Arkansas (L, 19-14)*

• Saturday October 12: vs. Florida (W, 23-17) (OT)*

• Saturday October 19: vs. No. 7 Alabama (W, 24-17)*

• Saturday November 2: vs. Kentucky (W, 27-17)*

• Saturday November 9: vs. Mississippi State (W, 33-14)*

• Saturday November 16: at No. 10 Georgia (L, 31-17)*

• Saturday November 23: vs. UTEP

• Saturday November 30: at Vanderbilt*

*Denotes SEC play

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Can Tennessee football still make CFP? What’s next after Georgia’s loss?