Tennessee Volunteers College Football Playoff chances (Week 14): Can Josh Heupel's team make the postseason in 2024?

The Tennessee Volunteers entered Week 13 ranked No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings. They appeared to be on the bubble to reach the postseason, as they were coming off of their second conference loss.

The Volunteers feel to the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 12 in a matchup with big-time postseason implications. Tennessee's remaining schedule featured the UTEP Miners and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Volunteers took care of business with a dominant 56-0 blowout victory to improve to 9-2 while remaining 5-2 in SEC play. Despite having a difficult path to the postseason entering the week, they benefited tremendously from a weekend that featured several big upsets, with multiple teams in the College Football Playoff picture falling to unranked opponents.

Take a closer look at whether Tennessee could reach the College Football Playoff below:

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Can the Tennessee Volunteers make the College Football Playoff?

The Tennessee Volunteers' hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff got a significant boost in Week 13, as they rose to seventh in the latest rendition of the AP Top 25 Poll.

While that has no bearing on the postseason, they will likely see a similar rise when the College Football Playoff rankings update on Tuesday, as three of the teams in front of them fell in Week 13.

The Volunteers are one of three SEC teams with two or fewer regular season losses. While they may not play for a conference title, they have a strong chance to reach the postseason.

Tennessee began the regular season with four straight wins, the latest of which came in its SEC opener, as it outscored the FCS level Chattanooga Mocs, NC State Wolfpack, Kent State Golden Flashes and the Oklahoma Sooners (216-28).

After a Week 5 bye, the Volunteers suffered their first loss, falling to the Arkansas Razorbacks. They responded with another four-game winning streak, knocking off the Florida Gators, Alabama Crimson Tide, Kentucky Wildcats and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

While Tennessee fell to the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 12, it bounced back with a dominant performance on Saturday. The Volunteers visit the Vanderbilt Commodores in an intrastate conference rivalry matchup to close out their regular season.

Although their path to the SEC Championship Game is virtually non-existent, the Tennessee Volunteers have a strong chance to reach the College Football Playoff. They will need to beat the Commodores in their season finale, though, to ensure that they don't miss out on the postseason.