Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt is one of many national talking heads praising the Tennessee Vols right now.

And why shouldn't he be?

The Vols are the best story in college football. No one expected Tennessee to be a factor in the College Football Playoff this season, yet here they are ranked No. 3 in the nation with just five regular season games left to play.

Klatt has praised Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker in recent weeks. And he has the Vols ranked as his No. 2 team in the country (ahead of Georgia).

My CFB Top 10 (10/22)
1) @OhioStateFB
2) @Vol_Football
3) @GeorgiaFootball
4) @UMichFootball
5) @AlabamaFTBL
6) @ClemsonFB
7) @TCUFootball
8) @oregonfootball
9) @CowboyFB
10) @Utah_Football

Almost: @uscfb @PennStateFball @OleMissFB @UCLAFootball

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) October 23, 2022

Klatt even admitted that he's been hard on Vols fans in the past while saluting them for their celebration after Tennessee's win over Alabama.

If was @Vol_Football and their fans I would be insulted at the $100,000 fine for last night

I've been hard on you in the past, but that deserved at least a half mil…I mean, YOU CARRIED THE POSTS OUT OF THE STADIUM!!

Elite celebration!

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) October 16, 2022

I'm sure Tennessee fans appreciate the love from Klatt, but let's not forget that after Butch Jones was fired in 2017, and Vols fans correctly revolted against the almost-Greg Schiano hire, Klatt went on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" and said he hoped no one took the UT job.

"I hope no one takes that job because that fan base doesn't deserve anybody," said Klatt in 2017.

Klatt even brought up fans being mad at Lane Kiffin when Kiffin left UT on his own accord. And he said that Schiano "dodged a bullet" by not landing at Tennessee.

Here's the video. It's worse when you hear it and see it.

"I hope no one takes that job because that fan base doesn't deserve anybody." — @joelklatt on the Tennessee coaching search pic.twitter.com/4t3mLpD8jG

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) November 29, 2017

Sorry, Joel. It's kinda hard to take your praise now as genuine when you went scorched earth on Tennessee fans in 2017 all because they wanted a football coach that was competent, instead of the three disastrous hires made in the post-Phillip Fulmer era.

Maybe it's best if Klatt just sits out any discussions about the Vols moving forward.

Featured image via Jamar Coach/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK