SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Florida falls after two-loss week

SEC play will get underway this week, and the weekend slate is an intriguing one all-around. But before we get to this week’s action, it’s time to update our SEC baseball power rankings.

Nine of the 14 teams in the SEC had a perfect week. Of the other five, just one (Kentucky) lost their weekend series, while Missouri split a four-game set. Florida also suffered a pair of losses, though, and that has shaken up our SEC baseball power rankings as we enter conference play.

The top three remain in tact, though there are a couple of changes throughout the rest of the league.

Here is a full look at how our SEC baseball power rankings take shape entering the week.

1. Arkansas

Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 13-2
Previous: No. 1
Upcoming Week: vs. Oral Roberts (TUE), vs. Missouri (FRI-SUN)

Arkansas has continued a strong start to the year, and the Razorbacks now sit as D1Baseball’s No. 1 team entering SEC play. After winning a tight 9-7 game against Central Arkansas on Tuesday, Arkansas swept McNeese over the weekend with 3-1, 11-1 and 18-5 victories. They’ll host Oral Roberts on Tuesday before Missouri comes to town to kick off league play.

2. LSU

Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 14-2
Previous: No. 2
Upcoming Week: vs. North Dakota State (TUE, WED), at Mississippi State (FRI-SUN)

LSU’s week began with a tight, comeback victory over Southeastern Louisiana on the road, but the Tigers prevailed with a 4-3 win. They then hosted Xavier for a three-game weekend series, and that proved to be a close one. LSU took the first two games, winning 4-0 on Friday and 8-2 on Saturday. It was Xavier, though, that took Sunday’s finale 2-1. After a two-game midweek set with North Dakota State, LSU hits the road for a trip to Starkville to begin their SEC slate.

3. Texas A&M

Weekly Record: 5-0
Overall Record: 16-0
Previous: No. 3
Upcoming Week: vs. Sam Houston (TUE), at Florida (FRI-SUN)

Texas A&M went to Austin on Tuesday and handled Texas, winning 9-2. They then returned to College Station to defeat Texas Southern 7-4 on Wednesday. The Aggies hosted Rhode Island over the weekend and dominated on Friday and Saturday, earning 11-0 and 6-0 victories. Sunday’s finale was a tight battle, and it took until the 10th inning before Texas A&M finished the sweep with a 12-11 win. Next up will be a challenging week, with a midweek date with Sam Houston before heading to Gainesville in what should be one of the top series of the weekend.

4. Tennessee

Weekly Record: 5-0
Overall Record: 16-1
Previous: No. 5 (+1)
Upcoming Week: vs. Eastern Kentucky (TUE), at Alabama (FRI-SUN)

Tennessee just keeps winning. The Vols began their week with a pair of midweek victories, 15-5 over Kansas State and then 2-1 against Southern Indiana. They then hosted Illinois over the weekend and cruised. Tennessee won 6-3 on Friday, 24-1 on Saturday and 8-3 on Sunday. The Vols find themselves on the rise in our SEC baseball power rankings. This upcoming week will surely test Tony Vitello’s squad, as they host Eastern Kentucky before heading to Tuscaloosa to take on a surging Alabama ballclub.

5. Vanderbilt

Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 14-3
Previous: No. 6 (+1)
Upcoming Week: vs. Indiana (TUE), vs. Auburn (FRI-SUN)

Vanderbilt has continued its recent success, currently riding a nine-game winning streak. That is after a perfect week that included a 6-2 win over Eastern Michigan and a three-game sweep over Illinois State over the weekend. Vanderbilt’s first SEC series is one of the most interesting ones on the weekend’s slate, as they’ll host a strong Auburn team starting on Friday.

6. Florida

Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 10-5
Previous: No. 4 (-2)
Upcoming Week: vs. Florida State (TUE), vs. Texas A&M (FRI-SUN)

Florida has not had an easy go of things as of late, and just finished their second conescutive two-loss week. The Gators fell to UCF on Wednesday 9-6, before taking two of three against Saint Mary’s over the weekend. That included a nailbiting 12-11 victory in 10 innings on Friday and a 10-0 win on Sunday, though Saint Mary’s won Saturday’s game 9-7. As a result of the two losses, Florida has fallen two spots in our SEC baseball power rankings. This week will be an extremely difficult one too, with Florida State visiting on Tuesday before Texas A&M comes to town to kick off SEC play.

7. Alabama

Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 15-1
Previous: No. 7
Upcoming Week: at Southern Miss (TUE), vs. Tennessee (FRI-SUN)

Alabama has looked very good thus far, and look to be a legitimate threat in the SEC. It was a tight midweek contest on Wednesday, but the Tide won 8-7. They then swept Lipscomb over the weekend in what turned out to be a high-scoring series, winning 20-13 and 10-1 in a Saturday doubleheader before finishing the sweep 10-5 on Sunday. Going to Southern Miss on Tuesday will not be easy, nor will hosting Tennessee this weekend. It’ll be a true test for Rob Vaughn’s team.

SEC Baseball Power Rankings: 8-14

8. South Carolina
9. Auburn
10. Georgia (+1)
11. Kentucky (-1)
12. Mississippi State
13. Ole Miss
14. Missouri

South Carolina and Auburn remain just on the cusp of rising into the top half of the SEC in our power rankings. The Gamecocks enjoyed a 5-0 week with a sweep of Longwood, while the Tigers had a 3-1 week and took two out of three against Austin Peay over the weekend. Both are very strong teams, and could surely be ranked higher if not for the teams in front of them.

Georgia has had a very good start to the season, as well. The Bulldogs, kicking off the Wes Johnson era, are currently 16-1 after a rare six-game week, all of which were victories. If the SEC starts beating up on itself, Georgia could be a sleeper to rise higher up in our power rankings in no time.

Mississipi State and Ole Miss have continued to play better baseball in recent weeks. Both teams enjoyed a 4-0 week. Missouri, on the other hand, continues to struggle. Despite a 3-2 week, the Tigers are now 8-8 on the year. They had a four-game weekend against Purdue Fort Wayne this past week, losing the first two games of the series.

All eyes will be on the SEC this weekend, that’s for sure.