Tennessee Advances in College Football Championship Race, Defeats Alabama
The Tennessee Volunteers put an end to a period of 15 years of suffering and, in the process, shook up the college football world on Saturday evening.
The Vols had a remarkable 52-49 win over Alabama, which entered the game as one of the contenders for the national title. This victory is the most significant since the program won its last national championship in 1998.
In the first quarter, the Vols rushed to a 21-7 lead, only to see Alabama take the lead twice in the second half, including midway through the fourth quarter on a defensive touchdown. However, the Volunteers managed to score the last 10 points, with Chase McGrath kicking a game-winning 40-yard field goal just as the clock ran out, giving Tennessee their first win over their SEC rivals since 2006.
The victory lifted Tennessee's record to 6-0 for the season.
Coach Josh Heupel spoke to reporters after the win, acknowledging the team's growth and resilience but reminded them that there was still much of the season left to play. Despite the milestone, he said, "I think it just speaks to the mentality, the growth, and the progress of the individuals inside of our locker room and collectively as a team."
Four of the wins this season have been against teams ranked in the Associated Press poll, a feat that hasn't been accomplished by the school since 1998.
Tennessee's Odds Getting Shorter
Initially, few would have predicted the Volunteers as title contenders at the beginning of the season. The once-highly-regarded program had not recorded a 10-win season since 2007 and hadn't played in a major bowl since the 2005 Cotton Bowl.
Following a 7-6 season last year under first-year coach Josh Heupel, major sportsbooks saw fit to mark UT as a +10000 or 100-1 shot at winning a championship. Caesars Sportbook went even further, starting the Vols at +15000. As they continued to win, however, their odds started to shrink drastically.
DraftKings cut Tennessee from +5000 to +1600 after the last weekend, and BetMGM, Caesars, and PointsBet did the same, dropping them from +4000 to +1800. FanDuel and the Westgate SuperBook now offer the best price at +2000, down from +4000 and +5000, respectively.
Tennessee's odds haven't plummeted as low as some other teams, however. In fact, four other teams have shorter odds than the Volunteers, and Michigan's odds aren't very different at most sportsbooks.
Ohio State is still the favorite, with no sportsbook offering odds greater than +180 (Caesars and DraftKings) for the Big Ten leaders. Right behind them is Georgia. The defending champions have +200 odds at BetMGM, their best so far.
The reason Tennessee's odds haven't fallen lower is because they still have games remaining against Kentucky and Georgia. They play at Georgia on November 5. If they win there, the Vols could control their destination to the SEC title game. Assuming they make it, they might face Alabama again. This could prove to be a significant challenge.
The Georgia game is of utmost importance. If the Vols come out victorious, they'll control their fate for the SEC title game. Given the strength of the conference, this may secure them a spot in the College Football Playoff even if they lose.
Alabama, whose odds were similar to Georgia's and Ohio State's before Saturday, saw a significant jump to +450 at BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, and PointsBet. Clemson also moved into a position ahead of Tennessee, with odds at +1200 from Caesars.
Hendon Hooker's Odds are also Shrinking
Fifth-year senior quarterback Hendon Hooker began the season as a +5000 long-shot for the Heisman Trophy. As his team racked up wins, his odds reduced.
On Saturday, he made history with a career-high 385-yard passing performance on 21-of-30 throws and equaled a career-best with five touchdown passes. His outstanding performance on the field has seen his odds lower. He now holds +600 odds at BetMGM.
Hooker is currently the second favorite among sportsbooks, with Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud remaining the clear favorite. Most operators offer even-money odds or close to it on Stroud.
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