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Tennessee Vols' rocky finish to the season actually showcases program strength as two elite schools bottomed out in 2025

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Craig Smith | Last updated May 27, 2025 12:51 PM ET

It's been a tale of two seasons for the Tennessee Vols on the baseball diamond in 2025. The Vols rode the wave of a 2024 national championship to a hot start that saw them retake the #1 spot and make it to the top of the SEC standings.

Then April got underway in earnest, and things fell apart to a large degree. The Vols dropped 6 out of 7 series, including at home to Texas A&M and Kentucky. The only series win was over Ole Miss on the road. As a result, Tennessee finished at 16-14, and after two big wins in the SEC tournament over Alabama and Texas, they secured the national 14 seed and a hosting opportunity in the NCAA tournament.

Some might see that as a disappointment after 2024, but, in one sense, it should be viewed as anything but that - particularly when you take into account two other 2024 College World Series participants. Both Texas A&M and Virginia - who started the season off as the #1 and #2 teams in the polls, respectively, missed out on the NCAA tournament.

The #1 and #2 preseason teams both missed the 2025 postseason.

Insane. pic.twitter.com/SaQUVhTcwq
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 26, 2025

The Aggies have had one of the most surprising falls from grace this year, with them returning just about everyone except head coach Jim Schlossnagle, who left for rival Texas right after the College World Series. But that roster wasn't enough to make it through a rugged SEC. It also wasn't enough to get even one game against Missouri who swept the Aggies on the way to a 3-27 SEC mark.

Meanwhile, Tennessee, who had 8 players drafted last year, managed to not just make the tournament, but give their home fans at least one more home weekend of baseball as a regional host. And while the Vols have been shaky, there's no doubt the talent is there for a run to a fourth trip to Omaha in the last five years, as evidenced by the oddsmakers this week putting faith in Tennessee as a legitimate national title contender.

It's not been a great year by comparison to others, but things could have been far, far worse for the Vols, and for that they deserve some credit. Just ask fans in College Station and Charlottesville.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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