Dear College Football Playoff Committee,

On behalf of Tennessee fans everywhere, I would like to extend my most sincere thanks for the action you took Wednesday when the first of many playoff rankings was released.

Not only did you leave Tennessee, a 6-2 team that has a three-point loss to then No. 1 Texas and a three-point loss to current No. 21 South Carolina, out of the Top 12 — at No. 13 — but you put Alabama, a team with the same record — with a 16-point loss to Tennessee on its resume — at No. 5.

Hard to see the logic when you say that Alabama’s difficult schedule (which includes a loss to Georgia, though Tennessee’s included the loss to Texas) weighs more heavily than head-to-head competition.

OK, if there were a tiebreaker situation that would have to be considered, that could maybe be a significant factor.

But, c’mon …

The thankfulness will come from the motivation you’re supplying to the Volunteers for their Saturday night experience against No. 6 Kentucky. If they weren’t juiced up for the 7-1 Wildcats before Tuesday night, they certainly are now.

This is better than Kentucky coach Will Stein saying Xavier Gilliam and Arion Carter wear pink tutus under their uniforms.

These are fightin’ words.

Of course, besides Tennessee and Kentucky, Alabama will have to go against No. 14 LSU in Death Valley Saturday afternoon. Just those two games will turn the rankings topsy-turvy with several weeks to go. Add in No. 2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss and No. 1 Miami at No. 11 (that’s another tough one to figure out) Notre Dame, and these rankings will be worthless by Sunday morning.

In the meantime, though, they are fodder for an assault on the Volunteers’ manhood. How dare the CFP Committee diminish the significance of the demolition of the Crimson Tide on The Third Saturday in October. It’s a sacred sabbath for Tennessee fans and should be held in the esteem it deserves.

It’s like dangling some raw meat in front of a hungry animal and daring that beast to do something about it.

There’s no beef with Kentucky, though its record to this point hasn’t exactly been overwhelming. It has included a four-touchdown loss to Alabama and back-to-back 35-34 overtime wins over South Carolina and LSU. It’s not like the Wildcats have steamrolled the competition, by any stretch of the imagination.

But, if your intent was to fire up the boys from Rocky Top: Mission accomplished.

There are going to be some angry Volunteers and 100,000 or so even more incensed fans.

It could get nasty Saturday.

Remember, this is on you.

Thanks,

al

Source: Yahoo Sports