D1Baseball releases updated top 25 rankings after upset-filled weekend
This week was a pretty great one across college baseball. From ranked midweek action to top five weekend matchups and everything in between, the action was very exciting. And it has resulted in changes in this week’s D1Baseball top 25 rankings.
There were two midweek top 25 matchups this week, and six series between ranked teams over the weekend. Entering Sunday, six ranked teams had already lost their weekend series while four more were heading into rubber games with their series on the line.
The top ten looks a little different this week, too. Texas A&M and Arkansas hold onto the top spots, but a top five matchup between No. 3 Kentucky and No. 4 Tennessee, paired with series losses by No. 5 Oregon State, No. 8 Florida State and No. 10 Virginia, has resulted in movement at the top. Ultimately, 13 ranked teams lost their weekend series
Here is a full look at D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings this week. We also have some new faces that crack the updated top 25.
1. Texas A&M
Previous Ranking: No. 1
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 35-5 (13-5 in SEC)
The Aggies just keep winning and remain in the No. 1 spot in this week’s D1Baseball top 25 rankings. Texas A&M won 15-5 against Air Force to begin the week and then took a trip to Tuscaloosa to battle against No. 18 Alabama over the weekend. There, Texas A&M won the series behind 10-5 and 18-9 victories in the opening two games. Alabama won the finale 10-9, but it was another strong week for the top-ranked team.
2. Arkansas
Previous Ranking: No. 2
Weekly Record: 4-1
Overall Record: 34-6 (14-4 in SEC)
After falling out of the No. 1 spot last week, Arkansas bounced back in a big way. The Razorbacks defeated Texas Tech in a pair of midweek games, winning 9-8 and 5-4. They then hit the road for a series at No. 20 South Carolina. Arkansas won 2-1 in the opener before falling 6-3 in the second game, setting up a rubber game with the series on the line. There, Arkansas got a massive 9-6 win to clinch the series and stay at No. 2.
3. Tennessee
Previous Ranking: No. 4 (+1)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 33-7 (12-6 in SEC)
Tennessee dominated in a 20-5 midweek victory against Bellarmine before traveling to Lexington to take on No. 3 Kentucky over the weekend. The Vols fell 5-3 in the opener, but bounced back with a 9-4 victory to even the series. That set up a huge rubber game on Sunday, where Tennessee came away with a 13-11 victory in a slugfest to take the series.
4. Kentucky
Previous Ranking: No. 3 (-1)
Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 32-7 (15-3 in SEC)
Kentucky battled against Louisville in a high-scoring midweek affair to begin the week, and came away with a 17-13 victory. The Wildcats then hosted No. 4 Tennessee in the most highly-anticipated series of the weekend. Kentucky won 5-3 in the opener before falling 9-4 in the second game. That set up an intriguing and important rubber game, where the Wildcats fell just short in a 13-11 loss.
5. Clemson
Previous Ranking: No. 6 (+1)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 32-7 (13-5 in ACC)
Clemson fell in last week’s D1Baseball top 25 rankings and was looking for a strong response this week. The Tigers started by beating Charlotte 8-5 in a midweek game, and then hosted Pitt over the weekend. Clemson took the opener 6-4 before falling 8-4 in the second game. That set up a rubber game with the series on the line, and Clemson earned it with a 9-2 win.
6. Duke
Previous Ranking: No. 7 (+1)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 29-11 (13-8 in ACC)
Duke really had to grind out their week. It started with a 2-1 midweek victory against Gardner-Webb before this weekend’s series at No. 23 Virginia Tech. The first two games both went 11 innings, with the Blue Devils winning 9-8 in the opener and losing 2-1 in the second game. In Sunday’s finale and rubber game, Duke came from behind late to win 13-10 and clinch the series.
7. East Carolina
Previous Ranking: No. 9 (+2)
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 31-8 (11-4 in AAC)
It didn’t come easy, but ECU impressed with a gutsy 4-0 showing this week. The Pirates needed 13 innings to win at William & Mary on Tuesday, but came away with the 14-13 victory. They then hosted Wichita State over the weekend, winning 6-4 on Friday before a pair of comeback victories on Saturday. The Pirates offense came through in 11-7 and 11-4 victories, giving them a perfect week and a move up in this week’s D1Baseball top 25 rankings.
8. Wake Forest
Previous Ranking: No. 12 (+4)
Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 26-13 (11-10 in ACC)
Wake Forest has come storming back after some struggles earlier in the season. That being said, the Demon Deacons did fall 8-5 in a midweek contest against UNC Wilmington to begin this week. They then hosted No. 8 Florida State and came away with a series victory. Wake Forest won 5-4 and lost 9-6 in the first two games, winning 10-9 in the finale to take the weekend.
9. Oregon State
Previous Ranking: No. 5 (-4)
Weekly Record: 1-4
Overall Record: 30-9 (10-7 in Pac-12)
This week was an interesting one for Oregon State, to say the least. The Beavers split a pair of midweek games against Nevada, winning 12-5 on the road and losing 11-10 at home. They then took a trip to Cal over the weekend, and lost 10-8 and 8-7 in the first two games to lose the series. Oregon State was in need of a victory on Sunday to avoid the sweep but didn’t get it, losing 4-3 to finish a 1-4 overall week.
10. Florida State
Previous Ranking: No. 8 (-2)
Weekly Record: 1-3
Overall Record: 31-8 (11-7 in ACC)
Florida State suffered three losses this week, and moves down in D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings as a result. The Seminoles first lost 13-6 in a midweek contest against Mercer, and then lost their series at No. 12 Wake Forest. It was a pretty exciting weekend, as Wake Forest won the opener 5-4 and Florida State evened the series with a 9-6 victory. Ultimately, the Seminoles fell 10-9 in the finale.
D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings: 11-25
11. Vanderbilt (+2)
12. UC Irvine (+5)
13. Coastal Carolina (+6)
14. Virginia (-4)
15. North Carolina (-4)
16. Arizona (+5)
17. Louisiana (-3)
18. Oklahoma (NR)
19. Oklahoma State (-4)
20. Georgia (+4)
21. NC State (NR)
22. Oregon (-6)
23. Alabama (-5)
24. South Carolina (-4)
25. Indiana State (NR)
Three new teams join this week’s D1Baseball top 25 rankings. They are Oklahoma (No. 18), NC State (No. 21) and Indiana State (No. 25). They take the place of West Virginia (previously No. 22), Virginia Tech (previously No. 23) and Dallas Baptist (previously No. 25).
Wake Forest took a noticeable four-spot jump to rise into the top ten. Other notable jumps were UC Irvine (five spots), Coastal Carolina (six spots) and Arizona (five spots). Oregon State, Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma State and South Carolina all dropped four spots, while Oregon fell six and Alabama dropped five.