Tennessee baseball has a clear path to some payback from the 2025 season
Tennessee could get a shot in Hoover at at program that has become a significant rival of the Vols on the diamond in recent years.
The Tennessee Vols finished up their season by taking two out of three from Oklahoma on the road, and now the SEC Baseball Tournament bracket is set for this upcoming week in Hoover, Alabama.
Tennessee finished the regular season at 15-15 in SEC play and earned the 10 seed in the SEC Tournament. That means the Vols will be facing 15 seed South Carolina in their opener on Tuesday.
But beyond the Gamecocks, an intriguing opponent awaits if the Vols can take care of business: the Arkansas Razorbacks. Tennessee would get the Hogs at 5:30 pm ET on Wednesday if they can advance out of the opening round.
Tennessee would get Arkansas in the second round of SEC Baseball Tournament if they advance
It doesn’t take much more than a casual college baseball fan to appreciate what’s become a growing rivalry between the Hogs and Vols in recent years. As UT climbed back to national relevance under Tony Vitello, the games between Arkansas and Tennessee took on greater importance for SEC and national purposes.
Last year, the fever pitch between the programs hit a peak, as the Hogs swept Tennessee 2-0 in the Super Regionals to end the Vols’ season and reach the College World Series. The series was marked with moments involving emotional outbursts and verbal confrontations, particularly with former Hogs pitcher Zach Root and Tennessee first baseman Andrew Fischer.
But there’s no doubt that a matchup between the two schools would be an intense, must-watch event. We’ll see on Tuesday if Tennessee can take care of their own business first to set up some can’t-miss TV on Wednesday evening.