Tennessee baseball has struggled in some SEC series since the start of conference play, dropping the Vols to No. 15 in the rankings. The drop has also led to Tennessee falling out of the top eight in the NCAA Tournament, meaning they would not host in the Super Regional round.
The Vols are currently projected to be the No. 9 seed and host a Regional series in Knoxville. Tennessee is one spot behind SEC and in-state rival Vanderbilt for the final Super Regional host spot.
If both teams were to advance out of their region, it would be an 8-9 matchup for the Vols and Dores, but it is unlikely to stay that way with a series between the two rivals on deck.
Tennessee and Vanderbilt's series will start on Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 5:30 PM ET. If Tennessee can bounce back after three straight SEC series losses and win at least two out of three against Vanderbilt, it could leapfrog the Commodores for the No. 8 seed.
A series win would also nicely prepare the Vols for their final SEC series of the season against Arkansas next weekend.
As for the postseason projection, Tennessee is currently projected to host Wake Forest, East Tennessee State, and Kent State in the Knoxville Regional.
ETSU already has one win over Tennessee this year, ending Tennessee's impressive undefeated run to start the season.
If these projections hold true, the teams across the bracket, including Louisville, Xavier, and Yale, will join Vanderbilt in Nashville.
The Vols are currently fifth in the SEC, while Vanderbilt is sixth in the SEC. Both teams hold a 14-10 conference record, leaving much on the table going into this weekend's three-game series.
A series win would give Tennessee bragging rights over an in-state rival and position the Vols in a better spot for the SEC Tournament, likely opening the door to Tennessee hosting in the Regional Round and Super Regional Round.