SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Massive changes after first weekend of conference play

SEC play is officially underway, and what an opening weekend it was. Just three teams from the league had an undefeated week, and there are major changes in our updated SEC baseball power rankings as a result.

From our SEC baseball power rankings last week, three of our top seven teams lost their weekend series. There is some notable this weekend because of that, and the bottom half of the rankings have been completely overhauled as well.

With so many quality teams across the conference, SEC play is going to be must-watch for the entire season. Nine teams from the league cracked D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings this week.

There are plenty of changes in our updated SEC baseball power rankings. The only two teams that stay in the same spot as last week are at the very top and the very bottom. Everybody in between has moved at least one spot.

1. Arkansas

Weekly Record: 4-0 (3-0 in SEC play)
Overall Record: 17-2 (3-0 in SEC play)
Previous: No. 1
Upcoming Week: at Auburn (THU-SAT)

In a week full of chaos across the SEC, Arkansas stayed on top. The Razorbacks first defeated Oral Roberts 4-2 in a midweek battle. They then hosted Missouri over the weekend in their first conference series, and it was a smooth weekend throughout. Winning 8-0 on Friday, 6-0 on Saturday and 9-1 on Sunday, Arkansas had no trouble with Missouri. And they stay on top of our SEC baseball power rankings as a result.

2. Vanderbilt

Weekly Record: 4-0 (3-0)
Overall Record: 18-3 (3-0)
Previous: No. 5 (+3)
Upcoming Week: vs. Belmont (TUE), at South Carolina (FRI-SUN)

Vanderbilt might be the hottest team in college baseball right now. Currently riding a 13-game winning streak, they have silenced the concerns after some early-season struggles. Last week, Vanderbilt picked up a strong midweek victory over Indiana before hosting Auburn to kick off SEC play. There, the Commodores earned a sweep behind 11-1, 13-5 and 9-6 victories. Another intriguing matchup awaits this weekend against South Carolina in Columbia, as Vanderbilt continues to rise in our SEC baseball rankings.

3. LSU

Weekly Record: 3-2 (1-2)
Overall Record: 17-4 (1-2)
Previous: No. 2 (-1)
Upcoming Week: vs. Louisiana Tech (TUE), vs. Florida (FRI-SUN)

LSU began last week with a pair of midweek wins over North Dakota State, winning 6-1 on Tuesday and 7-0 on Wednesday. They then hit the road for a trip to Starkville, kicking off SEC play at Mississippi State. It was the Bulldogs that took Friday’s opener 10-4, though LSU evened the series on Saturday with a 9-8 victory. In Sunday’s rubber match, LSU was run-ruled in a 15-5 loss, a surprising result to end a difficult weekend. This week won’t be any easier with Florida coming to town.

4. Florida

Weekly Record: 2-2 (2-1)
Overall Record: 12-7 (2-1)
Previous: No. 6 (+2)
Upcoming Week: vs. Jacksonville (TUE), at LSU (FRI-SUN)

While this season has been up-and-down for the Gators, this week ended on a high note. After losing to a red-hot Florida State club, 12-8 on Tuesday, Florida hosted a top five team in Texas A&M over the weekend. The Gators won 8-6 on Friday before the Aggies took Saturday’s game 10-6. On Sunday with the series on the line, Florida won 4-2 in a tight ballgame to take the series. Next up is a trip to LSU, which will certainly have the attention of everyone across the country. That series will also have a heavy impact on next week’s SEC baseball power rankings.

5. Texas A&M

Weekly Record: 2-2 (1-2)
Overall Record: 18-2 (1-2)
Previous: No. 3 (-2)
Upcoming Week: vs. Prairie View A&M (WED), vs. Mississippi State (THU-SAT)

Texas A&M began the week with a midweek victory against Sam Houston, entering SEC play with an undefeated record. Florida quickly changed that by taking Friday’s game 8-6, though the Aggies responded to win 10-6 on Saturday. Florida ultimately took the series on Sunday, handing Texas A&M a series loss to kick off SEC play, dropping them in our baseball power rankings as a result. Next up is a home matchup against a Mississippi State team that just knocked off LSU.

6. Alabama

Weekly Record: 2-2 (2-1)
Overall Record: 17-3 (2-1)
Previous: No. 7 (+1)
Upcoming Week: at Alabama State (TUE), at Georgia (FRI-SUN)

Alabama has been great early in the season, and that continued into the start of SEC play. After falling to a very strong Southern Miss team on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide returned home to host Tennessee in what turned out to be a great series. The Vols took the opener 11-3 on Friday, but Alabama took the final two games, 6-3 on Saturday and 7-6 on Sunday, to take the series. They will hit the road for four games this week, including this weekend in Athens.

7. Tennessee

Weekly Record: 2-2 (1-2)
Overall Record: 18-3 (1-2)
Previous: No. 4 (-3)
Upcoming Week: vs. Xavier (TUE), vs. Ole Miss (FRI-SUN)

Tennessee dominated against Eastern Kentucky to kick off the week, picking up a 17-2 midweek victory. They then went to Tuscaloosa and took the opener against Alabama before dropping the next two games on Saturday and Sunday. While an 18-3 record seems way better than a drop to No. 7 in our SEC baseball power rankings, it speaks to the strength throughout the league. Next up is a matchup at home against an Ole Miss team that is playing some great baseball.

SEC Baseball Power Rankings: 8-14

8. Mississippi State (+4)
9. Kentucky (+2)
10. Ole Miss (+3)
11. South Carolina (-3)
12. Auburn (-3)
13. Georgia (-3)
14. Missouri

Last week, Mississippi State and Ole Miss sat at No. 12 and No. 13, respectively, in our SEC baseball power rankings. After great weeks for both, they now rise. The Bulldogs sit at No. 8 after a series victory over LSU, while the Rebels crack the top ten after knocking off South Carolina. Kentucky also rises into the top ten at No. 9 after sweeping Georgia.

South Carolina and Auburn have sat in the top nine all season, but now they both have fallen out of the top ten. There will be plenty of opportunities throughout SEC play to earn impressive series victories, though, and both teams could very quickly find themselves back on the rise. Georgia and Missouri round out the rankings after getting swept in their first SEC weekend.