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I voted USC simply because I believe Clay Helton is on borrowed time and they're going to go hard after Urban this December (or maybe earlier if USC is even worse than expected).  That's a big if though.

If not, then Penn State is probably the next closest.  They're going to have to beat Ohio State to do it though, but as already mentioned they're much closer than Michigan.  Michigan and Texas are roughly equivalent right now - they aren't getting as much as they expected with their coaches, but they're at least shooting for New Year's Day bowls.  Tennessee is just happy to make any bowl right now.

doesn't bother me, because........ the Huskers weren't going to get any votes

 a couple years ago, when folks thought Scott Frost was a magician capable of pulling rabbits out of his hat, the Huskers may have received a few votes

after the past two seasons, not so much

texas...  When Texas is close enough to sniff the top 4, there will be a lot of pull to push a storied program with a huge fanbase back into the spotlight.  And the Big12 is not as deep as the other conferences at this time...

This.
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But it's also a coin flip between Texas and USC.  If/when either gets the right HC, they're in within a couple of years.

These things are cyclical.  Tennessee has stunk for awhile, but they can be good again.  TN isn't a talent hotbed, but they're adjacent to plenty of talent.  They haven't had THE right guy at HC, but eventually they will.  I'm confident of all this because I investigated a hunch and it yielded something:
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Tennessee is good when Alabama stinks.  Tennessee stinks when Alabama is good.
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I plotted both programs' wins each year, starting at 1992 (Alabama's 13-0 NC season).  I had this hunch because of what I've seen and remember, and by 1992 I was pretty much a college football fiend.
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There are points of intersection (seasons):  both were 9-game winners in 1993, 10-game winners in 1996, and within a game of each other in 1999.  BUT....
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When Alabama dropped by 4 wins from 94-95, Tennessee improved by 3.  While Alabama struggled to 4 and 6 wins in '97-98, the Vols jumped to 11 and 13 wins (and a NC).  Tennessee regresses by 4 games in 99...you guessed it, Bama improves to 10 wins.  Bama goes back in the tank in '03-04, the Vols enjoy consecutive 10-win seasons.
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And since Alabama's resurgence under Saban...oh boy!  Since 2008, Bama's worse has been one 10-win season (that's in the past 12 years!).  Tennessee?  Their BEST was a pair of 9-win seasons, but mostly sat between 4-6 wins.
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The Vols will matter once again, but probably not until Saban hangs it up.  You can look up what I said here, the line graph is quite remarkable.

as Minnesooota proved last season

all it takes is the right coach

proximity to talent is helpful, but not a deal killer

kids can be persuaded to leave home and play across the country

programs like Tennessee and Nebraska have the "want to" and the resources, so they eventually will find the "right" coach for their situation.

If you are hoping to someday be like the Gophers, you might not be a helmet.