We'll remember this November

Hello. This is the Josh and Swain Newsletter, a quick roundup of the week’s top stories and topics involving Tennessee and the sports world.

Here’s what we have for you today:

• Why Kentucky offers Tennessee a perfect bounce-back opportunity

• What Tennessee needs to do to secure a spot in the CFB Playoff

• Games to Watch that will affect the CFB Playoff race

• Tennessee’s recruiting momentum continues after UT’s win over Bama

TENNESSEE’S BOUNCE-BACK SPOT

Tennessee is back from its second bye week to begin the final stretch run of the season. 

Are the Vols ready?

Things didn’t go well for Tennessee after its previous bye week.

That’s when Arkansas beat UT in Fayetteville. 

But this time should be different as Tennessee prepares to play Kentucky on Saturday night. 

📍 Neyland Stadium
⏰ 7:45 p.m. ET
📺 SEC Network
📻 99.1 The Sports Animal/WIVK

Tennessee is a big favorite in this game: by 17.5 points as of this writing. 

Tennessee is fresh from the bye week and dealing with very few injuries. 

Kentucky on the other hand…

You might notice Gerald Mincey’s name as OUT for Kentucky. 

The Wildcats’ offensive lineman transferred from Tennessee to UK after last season. 

During the offseason, he talked confidently about the return trip to Neyland Stadium. 

“I love the underdog (role),” Mincey said in January. “So when we go there Nov. 2 to Neyland and we bust them in the mouth, we can put the standard back over here.”

But Mincey won’t be out there to back it up. 

Neither will several key players, including cornerback Maxwell Hairston, linebackers D’Eryk Jackson and J.J. Weaver, and tight end Jordan Dingle.

This is a bad spot for Kentucky and a big opportunity for Tennessee. 

Consider these stats:

• Kentucky hasn’t scored more than 20 points in an SEC game this season.
• Tennessee hasn’t allowed an opponent to score 20 points in a game this season.

Kentucky will have a hard time scoring on Saturday night. 

But what about Tennessee’s offense?

The Vols haven’t scored a point in the first half of a game since Sept. 21 when UT played Oklahoma.

Can Tennessee’s offense break out this week?

This looks like a good opportunity. 

Auburn scored 24 points at Kentucky last week with running back Jarquez Hunter running for 278 yards and two touchdowns.

The week before, Florida scored 48 points against Kentucky with freshman running back Jadan Baugh rushing for 106 yards and five touchdowns.

Dylan Sampson will lead the way for Tennessee needing two touchdowns to break Gene McEver’s school record of 18 rushing touchdowns in a season.  

Sampson has a great chance to break the record this weekend. 

And let’s see if Nico Iamaleava can hit some deep passes. 

He did so in the second half against Alabama. 

Can Tennessee carry that momentum into the first half against Kentucky?

If the answer is yes, Tennessee should blow out the Wildcats.

THE AMAZING PLAYOFF RACE

There are all kinds of projections for how the college football regular season will play out. 

Almost all of them have Tennessee in the College Football Playoff. 

But different criteria is being used for these projections. 

Some are going off current rankings; others are using predictions for how the next six weeks will play out. 

Brad Crawford of 247Sports made his Crystal Ball prediction based on how he believes the games will play out. 

Here’s how sees the 12-team playoff field looking:

As you can see, Tennessee sneaks into the last at-large spot (the No. 12 seed is an automatic qualifier from the Group of 5).

In Crawford’s scenario, Tennessee is the only 2-loss team to make the field. 

That’s one of the great unknowns for the first 12-team playoff: will 10-2 assure Tennessee of getting in. 

The answer from this is “maybe.”

Crawford has the Vols getting a little help with Alabama, LSU, and Texas A&M all falling to 9-3. 

What happens if one or two of those teams ends up with a 10-2 record?

And will Tennessee for sure make it in over Iowa State if the Cyclones go 11-1 but lose in their conference title game?

Tennessee’s main focus will be on winning every game the rest of the way. 

The Vols will also need to look better in the games they’re supposed to win. 

Let’s say Tennessee loses at Georgia, which of course could happen.  

How will UT have played in the other four games?

Tennessee’s offense hasn't wowed anyone in UT’s win this season. 

If the Vols can put up more points against Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, perhaps that will impress the playoff committee.

The committee knows UT can play defense; the Vols might need to show off a complete team.

(IF Tennessee loses at Georgia, the Vols also need to make sure it’s a competitive game.)

This could play out several different ways. 

Buckle up for a wild ride down the stretch.

SPORTS NUGGETS

🏈 Here’s a story from CBS Sports on how the committee will choose the 12-team playoff field.

🏈 Here is Bill Connelly’s Week 10 preview in college football (ESPN+).

🏈 Can James Franklin and Penn State win the big one against Ohio State this weekend?

🏈 Tennessee was named the top college for sports fans in a recent poll from USA Today.

🏀 Rick Barnes spoke to the media ahead of Tennessee’s regular season opener against Gardner-Webb on Monday.

🏀 The Lady Vols dominated their exhibition game against Carson-Newman, scoring 135 points in the win on Thursday.

⚾ Incredible story on what Freddie Freeman went through to end up as the Dodgers’ World Series MVP.

CFB GAMES TO WATCH

So what are some games to keep an eye on this weekend as it relates to the playoff race?

Here are five games to scoreboard watch this weekend. 

1️⃣ Ohio State at Penn State, 12 PM ET on FOX

Ohio State already has one loss (at Oregon) this season. 

Another loss would not eliminate the Buckeyes, but their margin for error would disappear. 

Penn State will feel like a playoff lock with a win. 

If Ohio State wins?

Penn State would still be in a good position, but the Nittany Lions would be wise to win out to get to 11-1.

2️⃣ Texas A&M at South Carolina, 7:30 PM on ABC

Texas A&M is the only SEC team without a conference loss. 

But the Aggies do have a loss to Notre Dame. 

If South Carolina can pull off the upset (TAMU is only favored by 3 points), Texas A&M will need to win out to reach the playoff. 

The Aggies will host Texas in the regular season finale. 

That will be a huge game for several reasons.

3️⃣ Pittsburgh at SMU, 8:00 PM on ACC Network

Did you know Pitt is 7-0 this season and SMU is 7-1 with a 4-0 record in ACC play?

It’s hard to believe either one of these teams will win out the rest of the way. 

But Tennessee will be glad to see one of them go ahead and lose this weekend.  

4️⃣ Clemson vs Louisville, 7:30 PM on ESPN

Clemson looked awful in its season opener against Georgia. 

And Clemson has looked awesome since then. 

I know what you’re thinking.

Who has Clemson beaten?

Well, no one that’s really impressive. 

But Clemson is unbeaten in the ACC and has a clear path to the conference title game. 

That means a clear path to make the playoff. 

Tennessee would love to see Louisville upset Clemson this weekend. 

5️⃣ Indiana at Michigan State, 3:30 PM on Peacock

Indiana is 8-0 and loving life. 

I know what you’re thinking again. 

Who has Indiana beaten?

Once again, no one that’s impressive. 

It is impressive that the Hoosiers have won all eight games by double digits. 

They have whipped their weaker competition. 

Let’s see if Michigan State can change that this weekend. 

TENNESSEE ADDS TWO

Tennessee has added two football commitments in the last two days.

On Thursday night, the Vols landed 2025 linebacker Brendan Anes from Page High School in Franklin.

Anes is a top-20 player in the state of Tennessee who flipped his commitment from Wisconsin.

On Wednesday, Tennessee received a commitment from 2026 wide receiver Tyreek King from Catholic High School in Knoxville.

“The speed is noticeable,” Jayson Swain said of King after seeing him practice at Catholic on Tuesday.

“He’s fast and he can move. We know that’s what Josh Heupel wants in this offense. He has that right now, but you can always use some more.”

Tennessee will look to continue momentum from home wins against Florida and Alabama.

The atmosphere at Neyland Stadium during those two games impressed a lot of recruits, including 2025 defensive line target Isaiah Campbell.

Tennessee’s 2025 class ranks No. 8 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

We discussed the latest with UT football recruiting + previewed the Tennessee-Kentucky game with Austin Price of Volquest. Check it out below or anywhere you get your podcasts.

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