Tennessee Vols: College basketball insider releases early top 25
College basketball insider Jeff Goodman (currently of Watch Stadium, formerly of ESPN and CBS Sports) released his updated 2019-2020 top 25 and the Tennessee Vols are nowhere to be found. Four SEC teams, including Alabama, cracked Goodman's top 25. Watch Stadium Top 25 Tennessee, who finished the regular season as the No. 6 ranked team […]
College basketball insider Jeff Goodman (currently of Watch Stadium, formerly of ESPN and CBS Sports) released his updated 2019-2020 top 25 and the Tennessee Vols are nowhere to be found.
Four SEC teams, including Alabama, cracked Goodman's top 25.
Watch Stadium Top 25
Tennessee, who finished the regular season as the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, reached the Sweet 16 after winning 31 games this past season. The Vols, however, were unable to get past the Purdue Boilermakes, ending their magical season.
I'm not completely surprised that UT is absent from Goodman's top 25, though I still think his failure to include the Vols is a bit harsh.
We know for sure that Tennessee will be without Admiral Schofield and Kyle Alexander next season (both have exhausted their eligibility). And Jordan Bone and Grant Williams both declared for the NBA draft (though they both also left the door open to returning to Rocky Top). But the Vols still have talent (Lamonte Turner, Jordan Bowden, John Fulkerson, Joshiah James and DJ Burns say hello) and they still have Rick Barnes (who was heavily courted by UCLA, but he couldn't get a deal worked out with the Bruins).
It could be argued that if Bone and Williams return to Tennessee next season, then the Vols should be the favorites in the SEC.
Even without Bone and Williams, I still think UT is going to be a tough opponent in the SEC. Are they going to win 31 games again? Probably not. But they'll be a tournament team and they should flirt with top 25 status throughout the season.
Personally, I don't think Goodman, who has covered college basketball for a long time, is giving Barnes and the Vols nearly enough credit.
But that might actually be a good thing. Remember, it was only two years ago that Tennessee was picked to finish 13th in the SEC and they ended up winning the conference.
I wouldn't be shocked if the Vols once again make the experts look like fools.
After all, UT basketball seems to be at its best when no one gives them any respect.
Featured image via Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
