College Baseball Rankings: Predicting D1Baseball's top 25 with new No. 1
Attention is beginning to turn towards postseason resumes in college baseball, and this week was an interesting one in that regard. After a few losses from some of the country’s top teams, we are predicting some changes in D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings on Monday.
Entering Sunday’s action, two top 25 teams had already finished their weekend series, with Kentucky and Florida State already sweeping. For the other 23 ranked teams, it was quite the weekend. While nine top 25 teams entered Sunday up 2-0 on the weekend, four had already fallen to 0-2. There were ten rubber games on Sunday, and the results played a big role in how the rankings will take shape this week.
This week only saw two matchups between top 25 teams. No. 3 Texas A&M hosted No. 6 Vanderbilt, while No. 1 Arkansas was on the road at No. 25 Alabama. The midweek slate also included a couple of ranked matchups, while Tuesday was a brutal one for teams in the top 25.
After all of the upsets, rubber games and other action, it’s time to predict D1Baseball’s top 25. Here’s how we expect the rankings to look when they are released on Monday morning.
1. Texas A&M
Previous Ranking: No. 3 (+2)
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 32-4 (11-4 in SEC)
In a week where some top 25 teams struggled, Texas A&M stayed hot and will move up in the rankings as a result. The Aggies came back to beat UTSA 6-5 in a midweek battle to begin the week, and then hosted No. 6 Vanderbilt over the weekend. The highly anticipated series was not as close as many expected, though, with Texas A&M dominating. The Aggies won 15-0 on Friday and 9-0 on Saturday, before picking up a 12-6 win on Sunday to finish the sweep. And now we have a new No. 1 in our predicted D1Baseball top 25.
2. Arkansas
Previous Ranking: No. 1 (-1)
Weekly Record: 3-2
Overall Record: 30-5 (12-3 in SEC)
Arkansas kicked off their week with a pair of midweek victories over San Jose State, winning 5-1 on Tuesday and 8-2 on Wednesday. The Razorbacks then hit the road for a trip to No. 25 Alabama, where a tight series ensued. Arkansas won the opener 5-3, before Alabama walked it off to win 4-3 on Saturday in the series. In Sunday’s rubber game, Arkansas was shut out 5-0 to lose the series, ending the week in disappointing fashion.
3. Tennessee
Previous Ranking: No. 4 (+1)
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 30-6 (10-5 in SEC)
Tennessee had a great week, beginning with a dominating 20-2 midweek victory over Alabama A&M. The Vols then hosted a reeling LSU team and picked up another SEC series victory. Tennessee won 6-3 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday to clinch the series. They went for the sweep on Sunday, and got it with an 8-4 win in the finale.
4. Oregon State
Previous Ranking: No. 5 (+1)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 29-5 (10-4 in Pac-12)
After beating Portland 11-8 in a midweek contest to start the week, Oregon State hosted Stanford over the weekend. The Beavers shut out the Cardinal on Friday to win 6-0, and then won 3-1 on Saturday to take the series. In Sunday’s weekend finale, Oregon State fell 11-10, but they still came away with a series victory.
5. Kentucky
Previous Ranking: No. 8 (+3)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 30-5 (14-1 in SEC)
Kentucky lost its midweek game at Samford to begin this week, but they kept rolling in SEC play over the weekend. The Wildcats were at Auburn for their fifth SEC series, and came away with a sweep. It took a couple of comebacks though, and Kentucky ultimately won 6-5, 9-1 and 13-8. Now sitting at 14-1 in the SEC, Kentucky is a legitimate top team in college baseball. That is likely to reflect in this week’s D1Baseball top 25.
6. Clemson
Previous Ranking: No. 2 (-4)
Weekly Record: 1-3
Overall Record: 29-6 (11-4 in ACC)
It was not a great week for Clemson, who struggled out of the gate. The Tigers faced USC Upstate in a midweek battle to begin the week and fell 9-5. They then hosted NC State over the weekend and dropped the first two games to lose the series. NC State won 11-8 on Friday and 4-0 on Saturday. Looking to avoid the sweep on Sunday, Clemson picked up a 7-0 victory to end the weekend on a high note.
7. Duke
Previous Ranking: No. 7
Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 26-10 (11-7 in ACC)
Duke was one of the many teams that lost their midweek game on Tuesday, falling 4-2 against William & Mary. The Blue Devils bounced back over the weekend, though, taking the series against Pitt on the road. Friday’s game was postponed due to weather, creating a doubleheader on Saturday to start the weekend. Duke won both ends of it, 14-4 in the first game and 4-3 in the second. In Sunday’s finale, Duke fell 11-10 and fell just short of the sweep.
8. East Carolina
Previous Ranking: No. 9 (+1)
Weekly Record: 4-1
Overall Record: 27-8 (8-4 in AAC)
This week was a historic one for East Carolina. No-hitters are rare in college baseball, but the Pirates threw two of them. Both were combined efforts, and both came in seven-inning, run-rule victories. But ECU didn’t allow a hit in wins over Elon and Charotte. The Pirates also picked up a midweek victory over Old Dominion, before taking the weekend against Charlotte. ECU won 11-0 and 5-1 over the 49ers on Friday and Saturday, and then lost 8-7 on Sunday after a late Charlotte rally. Despite the loss on Sunday, the Pirates move up a spot in our predicted D1Baseball top 25.
9. Florida State
Previous Ranking: No. 10 (+1)
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 30-5 (10-5 in ACC)
What a run this season has been for the Seminoles. Florida State has now swept both Florida and Miami this season, adding a little extra meaning to his week. It started with another dominating midweek victory over Florida, 19-4 on Tuesday. Florida State then hosted Miami over the weekend and picked up 5-4, 11-7 and 6-4 wins to sweep the week. Now sitting at 30-5 on the year, the Seminoles are in a great position moving forward.
10. Virginia
Previous Ranking: No. 11 (+1)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 28-8 (11-7 in ACC)
Virginia has been right around the top ten for much of the season in D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings, and they could move up there this week. They defeated VCU 8-4 to start the week, and then hit the road for a trip to Louisville. Virginia dominated in the opener by winning 21-3, but fell 14-10 on Saturday. Needing a win to secure the series victory on Sunday, Virginia got just that with a 16-7 final to take the weekend.
D1Baseball Top 25 Predictions: 11-25
11. North Carolina (+2)
12. Wake Forest (+2)
13. Vanderbilt (-7)
14. Oregon (+4)
15. Louisiana (+4)
16. Oklahoma State (+5)
17. Alabama (+8)
18. UC Irvine (-6)
19. Coastal Carolina (+1)
20. West Virginia (NR)
21. Dallas Baptist (-6)
22. Virginia Tech (-6)
23. South Carolina (NR)
24. Indiana State (NR)
25. Oklahoma (NR)
Four new teams join the rankings in our D1Baseball top 25 predictions this week. They are West Virginia (No. 20), South Carolina (No. 23), Indiana State (No. 24) and Oklahoma (No. 25). The teams that fell out of our predicted rankings are UCF (previously No. 17), Mississippi State (previously No. 22), Nebraska (previously No. 23) and Nebraska (previously No. 24).
Virginia slides up into the top ten in our predictions, while Vanderbilt drops seven spots and out of the top ten down to No. 13. Other notable fallers were UC Irvine, Dallas Baptist, and Virginia Tech, who each dropped six spots. Alabama is the biggest riser of the week, up eight spots. Oklahoma State also jumps five spots, while Oregon and Louisiana rise four.