College Baseball Power Rankings: Major shakeup in top five with new top two

Last weekend brought some big-time upsets across college baseball, and this was a fun midweek slate as well. After all of those results, we have updated our college baseball power rankings with a ton of changes.

First, we have four new teams that joined this week’s top 25. We also have one new team inside the top ten.

As for the top ten, the back half of it doesn’t look all that different. As for the top five, though, there is a ton of movement. Each of our top three spots has a different team in it than last week, with Texas A&M and Arkansas both falling after losing series.

That’s just the start of this week’s changes in our college baseball power rankings. With conference tournaments and the postseason rapidly approaching, there’s still a lot to play for over the final weeks.

1. Tennessee

Record: 40-9 (17-7 in SEC)
Previous: No. 3 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 1

Tennessee was on the road last weekend and split the first two games against Florida, but came out strong in the finale to earn a series victory. The Vols then defeated Queens in a midweek game this week, making them 3-1 since our last college baseball power rankings. Due to the upsets ahead of them, Tennessee is on the move and becomes our new No. 1 team this week.

2. Kentucky

Record: 35-10 (18-6 in SEC)
Previous: No. 6 (+4)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 4

Kentucky hosted Arkansas over the weekend, and came away with a massive series victory. The Wildcats currently sit in first place in the SEC at 18-6 in league play. It has been a pretty remarkable season thus far for Kentucky, and they move up four spots to No. 2 in this week’s power rankings. They have built quite the resume as the postseason nears.

3. Clemson

Record: 37-10 (17-7 in ACC)
Previous: No. 4 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 2

It was a hard-fought series last weekend against Georgia Tech, but Clemson ultimately prevailed and took two out of three to win an important series to keep them right at the top of the ACC. The Tigers then played against Charlotte in a midweek contest and came back to win 14-12, improving to 37-10 overall on the season. The battle for the regular season ACC crown is a tight one, but Clemson stays at the top.

4. Texas A&M

Record: 41-8 (16-8 in SEC)
Previous: No. 1 (-3)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 3

For the first time essentially all season, Texas A&M struggled over the weekend. The Aggies were in Baton Rouge against LSU, and lost the first two games of the weekend to lose the series. They were able to win the finale, and then defeated Rice in a midweek game, sitting at 41-8 overall and 16-8 in the SEC entering this weekend. The Aggies fall in this week’s college baseball rankings, but not far.

5. Arkansas

Record: 40-9 (17-7 in SEC)
Previous: No. 2 (-3)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 5

Like Texas A&M, Arkansas also struggled over the weekend. The Razorbacks were in Lexington for a series at Kentucky, and lost two out of three to lose the series. Still, the Razorbacks are tied for second in the SEC at 17-7 in league play and remain 40-9 overall. Arkansas has some questions moving forward, but for now, they don’t fall far.

6. East Carolina

Record: 37-10 (16-5 in AAC)
Previous: No. 5 (-1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 6

East Carolina has lost a pair of games since our college baseball power rankings last week. The Pirates won the first two games over the weekend against USF, but lost on Sunday night in a seven-inning game that was delayed as part of a doubleheader. ECU then hosted Duke in an intriguing in-state midweek matchup, and lost 5-2 in a tight game. The Pirates still sit in a good position as a firm top six team, but they drop a spot this week.

7. Florida State

Record: 36-10 (14-9 in ACC)
Previous: No. 7
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 8

Florida State was only able to play two of their scheduled three games over the weekend against NC State, and the two teams split them with the Seminoles taking the finale. Florida State then faced off against Jacksonville in a midweek battle, and it took 11 innings to come away with a 7-6 victory. The win improved the Seminoles to 36-10 overall on the season.

8. Oregon State

Record: 36-12 (14-9 in Pac-12)
Previous: No. 8
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 7

Oregon State has been on a bit of a rollercoaster this season. They’ve remained right around the top ten, though, through it all. This past weekend, the Beavers took two out of three at Washington State before facing off against Gonzaga on Monday in an early midweek game. There, Oregon State won 20-13 to improve to 36-12 on the season.

9. North Carolina

Record: 36-11 (17-7 in ACC)
Previous: No. 9
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 11

North Carolina was not in action last weekend, as one of a few ACC teams to be idle as the end of the regular season approaches. The Tar Heels did host Campbell in a midweek game this week, which they won 16-10 in a high-scoring affair. UNC is 36-11 on the season, 17-7 in the ACC and right there in the mix at the top of the ACC. They remain at No. 9 in this week’s college baseball power rankings.

10. Duke

Record: 33-14 (14-10 in ACC)
Previous: No. 10 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 9

Duke did not play on Friday or Saturday last weekend, instead playing a doubleheader on Sunday against Longwood. They took both games on Sunday convincingly, cruising their way to a pair of victories. The Blue Devils then took a trip to Greenville on Tuesday to face off against ECU in a top ten matchup, and won 5-2 in an impressive all-around showing. Duke moves up a spot and into the top ten as a result.

College Baseball Power Rankings: 11-25

11. Virginia (+1)
12. Wake Forest (+1)
13. Mississippi State (+4)
14. Georgia (+8)
15. South Carolina (+1)
16. Arizona (+5)
17. UC Irvine (-7)
18. Indiana State (+1)
19. Oklahoma (+6)
20. Troy (NR)
21. UC Santa Barbara (NR)
22. Louisiana (-8)
23. NC State
24. Oregon (NR)
25. Southern Miss (NR)

The four new teams in this week’s college baseball power rankings are No. 20 Troy, No. 21 UC Santa Barbara, No. 24 Oregon and No. 25 Southern Miss. Those four replace Oklahoma State (previously No. 15), Vanderbilt (previously No. 18), Alabama (previously No. 20) and Louisiana Tech (previously No. 24).