Answer from Josh Heupel during weekly press conference shows the Tennessee Vols are avoiding a potentially costly mistake

We're about to enter the final month of the 2024 college football regular season, which means College Football Playoff talk is about to intensify.

On Monday, Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel was asked during his weekly press conference how he'd make his case that UT deserves a spot in the playoff.

Instead of choosing to campaign for a spot in the playoff, Heupel said that Tennessee will make its case by how they perform on Saturdays.

“You make your case by going and controlling what you [can] control, which is your performance on Saturdays," said Heupel. "Your preparation takes you there. We’re halfway through the conference schedule, there’s a ton of football [left]. If you’re worried about the end result, you’re going to make the mistakes you can’t afford on the way to the end. And for us, being present, being in the now, preparing in a great way, continuing to grow as a football team. You guys hear me say it, players here me say it -- good teams continue to get better. Our best football is still out in front of us. We gotta go chase that.”

Not only is that the right message to the media, but it's right message to Tennessee's football team. The playoff decisions will come later in the year. For now, Tennessee's only focus should be on their opponent in any given week (that's the Kentucky Wildcats this week). If the Vols start thinking about the playoff, they risk slipping up in a game they shouldn't lose -- which would essentially end Tennessee's playoff hopes.

One of the keys to having a championship season is maintaining the right focus throughout the entire season. And that's something that starts with the head coach. Fortunately for the Vols, Heupel's mindset when it comes to the playoff is exactly what it should be at this point in the season.

Related: There's a big flaw with the 12-team College Football Playoff and it could impact the Tennessee Vols