The Tennessee Vols were the favorites to win the College World Series this month, but a loss to Notre Dame in the Super Regional this past weekend means UT's baseball team will be watching the events in Omaha unfold from home like the rest of us.

Tennessee is undoubtedly bummed to not be playing in the College World Series for what would've been a second straight year. But they have nothing to hang their heads about. The Vols were incredible this season, giving us one of the most entertaining college baseball seasons we've ever witnessed. They were the best team in the nation all season and losing to Notre Dame in the Super Regional doesn't change that.

The good news for Tennessee baseball is that the foundation of the program is extremely solid with head coach Tony Vitello leading the charge. The Vols may not win 57 games again next season, but they should still be one of the favorites to reach Omaha next summer.

Former Vols football head coach Phillip Fulmer, who served as Tennessee's athletic director from late 2017 to early 2021, had an interesting take on UT baseball recently during an interview with Outkick 360.

Fulmer compared Tennessee's 2022 baseball team to his football teams in 1997 and 2001, which he considered his best Vols teams, even though neither of those teams won a national championship.

"Our fans, I hope, are very proud of what Tony has done," said Fulmer. "I’m sure they’re disappointed deep down. My 1997 team was probably my best team, or maybe 2001, one of those two. We didn’t quite get it done either. You can go to every college in the country, and they’ve had something like that over their history. It just happens sometimes. We did get it done with our 1998 team, so go to work, recruit, fill the gaps that you have, and go after it again."

"That’s my advice to Tony. That’s exactly what I texted to him. He knows what he needs and what he wants to do. Maybe he’ll handle it differently or maybe he’ll handle it the same. That’s up to him.”

The best team in college baseball usually doesn't win the College World Series. In fact, the last No. 1 overall seed to win it all was the Miami Hurricanes in 1999.

The curse of the #1 seed in college baseball continues. No #1 seed has won the national championship since Miami in 1999. The #Vols are its latest victim. https://t.co/WKW3HPvOQh

— Adam Holt (@Bolt_Holt) June 12, 2022

The Vols faced an enormous amount of pressure this season and I think that pressure finally caught up to them in the Super Regional. No one is immune from the effects of pressure — especially college-aged kids who have been the target of frequent criticism throughout the season.

Tennessee might not be as good next year as they were in 2022, but they also might finish the season holding a trophy in Omaha.

Baseball can be a strange sport. This season certainly proved it.

Featured image via USA TODAY Sports