KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Ticket prices are soaring to unprecedented heights with a battle of No. 1 teams on tap at Sanford Stadium.
Tennessee became the “official” No. 1-ranked team on Tuesday night when the CFP Committee set the Vols atop their first rankings in contrast to the media and coaches’ polls which have Georgia No. 1.
The Bulldogs are No. 3 in the CFP standings, which will be updated weekly and set the four-team College Football Playoff after the Dec. 3 league championship games.
It wasn’t so long ago (2019) these teams were meeting much earlier in the year, before the conference signed off on moving the Bulldogs’ other traditional rival, Auburn, up to October.
Some complained about the schedule swap, but Georgia, Tennessee and Auburn were all on board.
“All of this was driven by the desires of the television partners,” former UGA athletic director Greg McGarity said. “It was backloading the schedule with East Division teams, so we can see what’s happening right now.
“The drama used to be over after this past week with Georgia-Florida, the winner of that game usually had the inside track.”
Former Tennessee head coach an athletic director Phillip Fulmer signed off on it on behalf of the Vols, looking to get more separation between UT’s traditional September meeting time with Florida and the rivalry with the Bulldogs.
“It looked like getting those games separated in our schedule was a plus,” Fulmer said. “I’m glad it worked out.”
The week opened with the storyline that Georgia and Tennessee have never met as No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams.
After Tuesday night, it’s a historical first-ever regular-season meeting between the CFP’s No. 1 team and the media and coaches’ poll’s No. 1 team.
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