Just when you thought the Tennessee hype couldn’t get any louder, Dave Bartoo – founder of CFB Matrix, has emerged to provide his thoughts on Vols’ title odds this season.

During a recent segment of the Unsportsmanlike Conduct Podcast, Bartoo called in to give his thoughts on arguably the three teams getting the most hype this offseason: Tennessee, Michigan and Washington. According to Bartoo, the Vols finally have the pieces in place to excel in his proven TLC (Talent-Location-Coaching) method of projecting college football games. 

“(Tennessee) they do have playoff talent,” Bartoo said on the air. “(Tennessee’s) recruited in the Top 15 the last four years, this is come to Jesus time for Butch Jones… This is it. These are all his guys and look at the window of opportunity in his division.”

According to Bartoo, every other team in the East have significant disadvantages compared to the Vols this season and should cruise toward Atlanta. Of course assuming head coach Butch Jones doesn’t get in the way with a poor sideline decision or two.

The reason for Bartoo’s high confidence in Tennessee this year centers on the team’s addition of defensive coordinator Bob Shoop. According to Bartoo, Shoop registered as the second best defensive assistant in the nation last season and has proven to be an elite coordinator capable of taking the Vols all the way to the mountaintop this season.

“It Tennessee is going to win that division, it’s because of the defense,” Bartoo said. “[Landing Bob Shoop], that was an incredible hire, the second best defense efficiency coach guy in college football is now at Tennessee. If Tennessee wins that division, it’s because of that hire. That’s a national championship defensive coordinator.”

Considering Tennessee has the talent, the coaching and the location (TLC) — the Vols play nine games inside the state of Tennessee including the first four of the season and only face three SEC opponents outside the state (Georgia, Texas A&M and South Carolina) — all factoring in its favor this season, it’s no wonder Bartoo is so high on the Vols.

If interested, you can listen to Bartoo’s full interview here; it’s definitely worth a listen: