SEC Baseball Power Rankings: A new No. 2 emerges after Auburn tops South Carolina

Last week, four teams ranked in the top half of On3’s SEC baseball power rankings lost their respective weekend series. This week, the script was flipped. Three weeks remain in the regular season, and this weekend’s action has resulted in some movement inside our latest power rankings.

Six teams remain inside D1Baseball’s latest top 25 rankings, which were released on Monday morning. Five of those ranked teams are found inside the top six.

A few teams from the SEC are on the NCAA Tournament bubble, with others trying to solidify their cases as a regional host, or as a potential top eight overall seed. The final three weeks will play a major role in whether or not they have the opportunity to play for a national championship this season.

Updated SEC Baseball Power Rankings

1. LSU

Weekly record: 3-1 (3-0 in SEC play)

Overall record: 35-8 (15-5)

Previous ranking: No. 1

For the second consecutive week, LSU began its week with a midweek loss. This time around, it came against Nicholls by way of a 6-5 final score. The Tigers then hosted Alabama over the weekend, and it was a wild series that went back-and-forth. LSU pulled out an 8-6 win on Friday, before clinching the series with a 12-8 win on Saturday. On Sunday, the Tigers completed the sweep with a 13-11 victory.

Sitting at 35-8, LSU remains the team to beat this season in college baseball. The Tigers will look to break their two-game midweek losing streak this week against SE Louisiana before hitting the road for a trip to Auburn over the weekend.

2. Vanderbilt

Weekly record: 3-0 (3-0)

Overall record: 32-11 (16-5)

Prevous ranking: No. 4 (+2)

Last week, Vanderbilt went 0-4 while getting swept at Tennessee. This week, the Commodores responded in strong fashion with a three-game sweep over No. 15 Kentucky. Vanderbilt won 6-4 on Friday before clinching the weekend with a 9-3 win on Saturday. The finale was also won by Vanderbilt in a tight 3-2 contest.

Teams 2-5 are pretty neck-and-neck in our power rankings, but Vanderbilt’s strong week was enough for a return to the No. 2 spot. After hosting Georgia State on Tuesday, the Commodores hit the road for a trip to Alabama starting on Thursday.

3. Florida

Weekly record: 4-0 (3-0)

Overall record: 35-10 (14-7)

Previous ranking: No. 3

This week was a strong one for Florida, especially after getting swept against South Carolina last weekend. The Gators beat North Florida 6-2 on Tuesday to begin the week, and then swept Missouri over the weekend. Florida won 11-1 on Friday, 11-7 on Saturday and 8-7 on Sunday.

This week won’t be easy for the Gators, starting with a home date against Florida State on Tuesday. Florida then travels to College Station over the weekend to take on Texas A&M.

4. South Carolina

Weekly record: 1-2 (1-2)

Overall record: 35-8 (14-6)

Previous ranking: No. 2 (-2)

South Carolina swept Florida last weekend, but that momentum did not carry over into this week. The Gamecocks did not have a midweek game, but then lost the first two games of the weekend against Auburn, 8-3 on Friday and 9-5 on Saturday. South Carolina avoided the sweep with an 8-7 win on Sunday, but the result of the weekend was surprising nonetheless.

The Gamecocks will look to rebound with a four-game road week, starting with Winthrop on Wednesday before heading to Kentucky on Friday.

5. Arkansas

Weekly record: 3-1 (3-0)

Overall record: 33-11 (14-7)

Previous ranking: No. 5

Over recent weeks, Arkansas has been a team for streaks. The Razorbacks snapped a four-game winning streak last weekend when they got swept against Georgia. Losing at Missouri State this week on Tuesday made that a four-game losing skid, but the Razorbacks responded with three straight wins over Texas A&M over the weekend. Arkansas won 7-5 on Thursday, 10-4 on Friday and 8-7 on Saturday in a much-needed strong weekend.

Arkansas hosts Lipscomb on Tuesday before heading to Mississippi State for three games over the weekend.

6. Tennessee

Weekly record: 4-0 (3-0)

Overall record: 30-14 (11-10)

Previous ranking: No. 6

Tennessee has been on a wild ride this season, with strong weeks followed by struggles and vice versa. Right now, it’s safe to say that the Vols are on a roll. They dominated Bellarmine on Tuesday, winning 19-1. Tennessee then won 8-7 on Thursday against Mississippi State, before taking Friday 12-8 and Saturday 13-2.

Tennessee’s winning streak now stands at seven games, and they’ll look to extend that even further this week. The Vols host Wofford on Tuesday before heading to Athens to take on Georgia over the weekend. Tennessee is knocking on the door of a top five spot in our SEC power rankings.

7. Alabama

Weekly record: 1-3 (0-3)

Overall record: 30-15 (9-12)

Previous ranking: No. 8 (+1)

Alabama’s week began on Tuesday, defeating Samford 13-6. The Crimson Tide then hit the road for a trip to Baton Rouge against No. 1 LSU. It was a crazy series with a lot of momentum shifts, but Alabama wasn’t able to sneak away with a win. They lost 8-6 on Friday, 12-8 on Saturday and 13-11 on Sunday, finishing 1-3 on the week.

Moving up a spot after getting swept isn’t something that happens often, but teams in this range really struggled this week in the SEC. Alabama keeping it tight against the top team in the country was just enough to warrant a slight rise, although it has more to do with struggles elsewhere. There is no midweek action for Alabama this week, and they’ll host No. 5 Vanderbilt starting on Thursday.

8. Auburn

Weekly record: 2-2 (2-1)

Overall record: 25-18-1 (9-12)

Previous ranking: No. 11 (+3)

Going into the week, Auburn beating South Carolina would have been a prediction that raised some eyebrows. After losing to Troy 8-7 on Tuesday, that’s exactly what happened. The Tigers came in and won the first two games of the weekend, 8-3 on Friday and 9-5 on Saturday on the road. Although South Carolina won 8-7 on Sunday to avoid the sweep, it was an impressive showing by Auburn regardless.

Auburn has no midweek game this week, and they’ll then head back home for a three-game series against No. 1 LSU starting on Friday.

9. Kentucky

Weekly record: 0-4 (0-3)

Overall record: 30-13 (11-10)

Previous ranking: No. 9

After a dominant start to the season, Kentucky has struggled over the past few weeks. The Wildcats went 0-4 this week, although all were against top 25 opponents. The action began on Tuesday, with Kentucky falling at home to No. 21 Louisville, 7-0. They then went to face No. 5 Vanderbilt over the weekend, and the losses piled up. Vanderbilt won all three games, although it was a tight series. Kentucky was outscored 18-9 on the weekend.

Now having lost four consecutive weekend series, Kentucky is in major need of a series win. They certainly won’t have an easy path to doing so this week, facing No. 3 South Carolina starting on Friday.

10. Texas A&M

Weekly record: 0-4 (0-3)

Overall record: 25-19 (9-12)

Previous ranking: No. 7 (-3)

Texas A&M is on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and this weekend did not help their case. The Aggies lost all four games this week, losing 9-2 vs. Sam Houston State on Tuesday before facing off at No. 7 Arkansas over the weekend. Texas A&M fell 7-5 on Thursday, 10-4 on Friday and 8-7 on Saturday.

Next up is a home game against Tarleton on Tuesday before hosting No. 4 Florida for a series beginning on Friday. The Aggies are hoping to avoid another fall in our SEC power rankings.

11. Georgia

Weekly record: 1-3 (1-2)

Overall record: 24-20 (8-13)

Previous ranking: No. 10 (-1)

After a 4-0 week that saw the Bulldogs sweep Arkansas, this week was a different story. Georgia lost 9-7 vs. Georgia State on Tuesday, and then dropped a series at Ole Miss over the weekend. The Rebels won 7-3 on Friday before the Bulldogs won 7-3 on Saturday to even the series. In Sunday’s rubber match, Georgia fell just short in an 8-7 loss.

As Georgia continues to fight for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, they’ll look for better fortunes this week. It begins at home against Kennesaw State on Tuesday before No. 18 Tennessee comes to town on Friday.

12. Mississippi State

Weekly record: 1-3 (0-3)

Overall record: 24-20 (6-15)

Previous ranking: No. 12

Mississippi State’s week began with a rivalry showdown at Ole Miss, which the Bulldogs won 2-1. That game does not count towards either team’s SEC record. The Bulldogs then lost a close game to Tennessee, falling 8-7 on the road on Thursday. Tennessee then won 12-8 on Friday, and Mississippi State wasn’t able to keep up on Saturday, losing 13-2.

It was a disappointing week for Mississippi State, and they’ll look to bounce back against No. 6 Arkansas on Friday to kick off a three-game home series.

13. Ole Miss

Weekly record: 2-2 (2-1)

Overall record: 23-21 (5-16)

Previous ranking: No. 14 (+1)

Ole Miss fell to Mississippi State 2-1 to open the week, and again, that game will not count towards either team’s conference record. The weekend will, though, which is good news for Ole Miss. The Rebels defeated Georgia 7-3 on Friday before falling by the same score on Saturday. Ole Miss then won 8-7 on Sunday to secure their first SEC series win of the season.

Next up for the Rebels is Little Rock on Tuesday afternoon. They’ll then head to Missouri on Thursday. Ole Miss will hope for another win, staying out of the bottom spot in our SEC power rankings.

14. Missouri

Weekly record: 1-3 (0-3)

Overall record: 24-19 (5-16)

Previous ranking: No. 13 (-1)

Missouri has struggled since SEC play got underway, and they now sit at the bottom of our power rankings as a result. This week, the Tigers won on the road against SIUE 8-3 on Wednesday, but then got swept at No. 4 Florida over the weekend. Florida won 11-1 on Friday, 11-7 on Saturday and 8-7 on Sunday.

Missouri has now dropped six consecutive games on the weekend. They have not won a series since the first weekend of conference play. Next up is a four-game home week, beginning with Kansas on Tuesday before Ole Miss visits starting on Thursday.