Why did CFP committee forget that Tennessee football beat Alabama?

Should Tennessee be ahead of Alabama in the College Football Playoff rankings? And can the Vols keep that debate alive by beating Texas A&M?

It's a topic tailored-made for podcasts.

So on this episode of "The Volunteer State," beat writer Adam Sparks and columnist John Adams dig into the debate over the Vols' position in the initial CFP rankings and what could happen in the second edition after a 34-6 win over Kentucky.

The updated CFP rankings will be released on Nov. 10 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN). And No. 9 Tennessee (7-2, 5-2 SEC) plays at Texas A&M (4-5, 1-5) on Nov. 14 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN).

After the CFP discussion, Sparks and Adams preview the Texas A&M game, react to the Faizon Brandon package and much more. To hear the full conversation, listen to the 55-minute podcast. Here are a few highlights.

Should Tennessee be ahead of Alabama in CFP rankings?

Tennessee won a “prove it” type game by trouncing Kentucky. And now all eyes have turned to the CFP committee, which initially placed the Vols eight spots behind Alabama in the rankings despite UT winning the head-to-head meeting, 26-10.

Sparks said Alabama has a slightly better postseason resume if head-to-head isn't in play. Here are some key rankings to compare:

• Strength of schedule: Alabama (1) vs. Tennessee (23)
• Strength of record: Alabama (5) vs. Tennessee (12)
• Record vs CFP Top 25: Alabama (3-2) vs. Tennessee (2-2)

Sparks and Adams agreed that the CFP committee is misguided in considering Alabama's win over Mississippi State early in the season as a quality win. There's no way to know whether Mississippi State would've been a Top 25 team if quarterback Kamario Taylor was healthy, and that approach leads to a slippery slope.

Tennessee's counter argument to Alabama is pretty simple. The Vols beat the Tide convincingly. And when two resumes are comparable, then head-to-head should be a determining factor.

Sparks and Adams recalled their philosophy as former AP Top 25 voters in how they considered head-to-head results among other metrics.

Why CFP committee's eye test of Alabama has a blind spot

Sparks senses a theme in the CFP committee's view of Alabama. It gives the Tide bonus points based on the so-called eye test.

Alabama looks like a balanced team. It has a good defense and a good offense, featuring rising star Keelon Russell at quarterback. But that discounts UT's effective but not-so-flashy style of play, which includes an elite defense and rushing offense.

Adams points out that UT's defense neutralized Alabama's quarterback and offense in the head-to-head game.

Both teams win in their own way, but Alabama's style is not better than Tennessee's simply because it's well-rounded. The Kentucky games demonstrated that. Alabama beat Kentucky 45-17 with an exciting offense, and Tennessee beat Kentucky 34-6 with a dominant defense. Both won by 28-point margins.

That levels out the eye test and returns the debate back to Neyland Stadium in their "Third Saturday in October" game, which the Vols won handily over the Tide.

Sparks and Adams transitioned from the CFP debate to the latest chapter of UT's quarterback saga and a preview of the Vols' game at Texas A&M. To hear those discussions, listen to the podcast.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why did CFP committee forget that Tennessee football beat Alabama?