SEC Baseball Power Rankings: South Carolina rises after impressive showing vs. LSU

Weather played a role across college baseball throughout the country this week, but that didn’t take away from an epic weekend of SEC action. After the action concluded, On3’s SEC baseball power rankings have been updated with a few changes.

Seven teams remain in the latest D1Baseball top 25 rankings as well, including five of the top six teams in the nation. Half of the country’s top 12 teams come from the SEC.

Six weekends of SEC play remain, and plenty of teams are still hard at work at building up their resume. The next couple of weeks will be pivotal with more intriguing matchups on their way.

Updated SEC Baseball Power Rankings

1. LSU

Weekly record: 2-1 (1-1 in SEC play)

Overall record: 26-5 (7-4)

Previous ranking: No. 1

After defeating Nicholls 12-2 on Tuesday, the country’s most intriguing matchup of the weekend began on Thursday when the Tigers hit the road for a trip to No. 6 South Carolina. It was the Gamecocks that jumped out early, holding on for a 13-5 victory on Thursday. LSU trailed for much of Friday’s game as well, but the Tigers ultimately prevailed and came away with an 8-7 win to even the series. The finale was set for Friday night as the back half of a doubleheader, but weather prevented the game from ever being played.

LSU is back in action on Tuesday, hosting Tulane. The Tigers then host No. 12 Kentucky for a three-game series starting on Thursday night.

2. Vanderbilt

Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)

Overall record: 26-6 (11-1)

Previous ranking: No. 2

Vanderbilt’s week began with an 8-1 win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday, and they then hit the road for a trip to Missouri on Thursday. The Commodores and Tigers played in a tight series throughout, with Vanderbilt winning 7-6 on Thursday and Missouri taking Friday’s game 5-4. In Sunday’s rubber match, Vanderbilt’s pitching came out on top and won 5-0 to clinch the series.

Vanderbilt is at home for four games this week, beginning with North Alabama on Tuesday before No. 6 South Carolina visits over the weekend.

3. Florida

Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)

Overall record: 27-6 (9-3)

Previous ranking: No. 3

Florida’s week began with an 8-4 victory over Bethune-Cookman, but the Gators’ success didn’t stop there. Against No. 11 Tennessee in Knoxville, Florida came in and claimed the first two games of the weekend, winning 6-1 on Thursday and 9-3 on Friday. Tennessee jumped out on early on Saturday in the series finale, and the Gators couldn’t come back, falling 14-2.

After hosting Florida State on Tuesday night, Florida is back at home over the weekend with a three-game series against a Georgia team coming off of an impressive series victory over Kentucky.

4. South Carolina

Weekly record: 2-1 (1-1)

Overall record: 28-4 (9-2)

Previous ranking: No. 5 (+1)

Entering a weekend against the country’s top team, South Carolina was on a mission to prove that its strong start to the year wasn’t a fluke. They did just that, and then some. South Carolina’s offense proved that it could hit some of the best pitching in the nation, jumping on LSU early in the first game and winning 13-5 on Thursday. The Gamecocks jumped out early again on Friday, but LSU eventually pulled back to win 8-7. The series ended in a split, with the final game unable to be played due to weather. Either way, it was an impressive showing for South Carolina, and that came after a 5-0 midweek victory vs. No. 13 North Carolina on Tuesday.

After hosting South Carolina Upstate on Tuesday, the Gamecocks hit the road for another tough road trip, this time to Nashville to take on No. 4 Vanderbilt from Friday through Sunday.

5. Arkansas

Weekly record: 2-1 (2-1)

Overall record: 25-6 (8-4)

Previous ranking: No. 4 (-1)

After no midweek contest, Arkansas hit the road for a trip to Ole Miss over the weekend. The series was originally scheduled to begin on Thursday before rain interfered. Instead, a Friday doubleheader kicked things off with the two teams splitting. Arkansas won the first game 11-2 before Ole Miss took the back end 7-4. With the series on the line on Saturday, Arkansas came away with a 6-4 win.

It’s a busy week upcoming for the Razorbacks, starting with a pair of midweek contests against Little Rock on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then, they return home over the weekend for a matchup with No. 16 Tennessee.

6. Tennessee

Weekly record: 1-2 (1-2)

Overall record: 22-10 (5-7)

Previous ranking: No. 6

Facing LSU and Florida over the last two weekends, Tennessee’s start to SEC play has been no joke and it isn’t getting easier. This week, the Vols were off during the midweek but returned home on Thursday to play host to No. 3 Florida. The Gators won 6-1 on Thursday and 9-3 on Friday to clinch the series, but Tennessee battled back to salvage a win and avoid the sweep with a strong 14-2 win on Saturday.

Sitting at 5-7 in SEC play, Tennessee isn’t where they expect to be quite yet. But a major opportunity awaits for an impressive statement weekend, with a road trip to No. 5 Arkansas coming up this weekend following a home date with Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday.

7. Kentucky

Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)

Overall record: 27-5 (9-3)

Previous ranking: No. 7

Kentucky has been one of the hottest teams in college baseball all year long, but the Wildcats ran into trouble this weekend, though it didn’t result in a fall in our SEC baseball power rankings. After beating Dayton 13-6 on Tuesday, Kentucky beat Georgia 7-4 on Friday in Athens to open the weekend. After Saturday’s game was pushed into a doubleheader on Sunday, the Bulldogs stole both ends. Georgia won 3-0 in the first game and 6-2 in the second to shock Kentucky and steal the weekend.

It’s only going to get tougher this week for Kentucky, with four road games against top ten teams. It starts on Tuesday at No. 10 Louisville before a three-game series at No. 1 LSU starting on Thursday.

8. Texas A&M

Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)

Overall record: 20-12 (5-7)

Previous ranking: No. 8

Texas A&M has now won two consecutive SEC series. The Aggies might be starting to turn a corner after a 3-1 week. After winning 10-9 against Texas State on Tuesday, Texas A&M won 9-5 at Auburn on Thursday to begin the weekend. The Tigers won 10-9 on Friday in the front end of a doubleheader, but Texas A&M won 12-6 in the final game of the weekend to clinch the series.

While things seem to be turning a corner in College Station, they are back at home for four games this week. It starts on Tuesday vs. UTSA before Missouri visits for three games starting on Thursday.

9. Missouri

Weekly record: 1-2 (1-2)

Overall record: 20-11 (4-8)

Previous ranking: No. 11 (+2)

Missouri might have lost the week, but the Tigers still showed enough to rise two spots in this week’s SEC baseball power rankings given the performances of other teams around them. After having no midweek action, Missouri hosted No. 4 Vanderbilt starting on Thursday. In the series opener, the Tigers fell just short with Vanderbilt winning 7-6. Missouri responded on Friday, though, winning 5-4 to force a rubber match on Saturday. In that game, Missouri’s bats couldn’t come through and they fell 5-0.

Four road games await Missouri this week, beginning with Missouri State on Tuesday before heading to Texas A&M on Thursday.

10. Alabama

Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)

Overall record: 23-10 (4-8)

Previous ranking: No. 10

Alabama entered the weekend looking to pick up its first series victory of SEC play, but that eluded them yet again against Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide started off with a 10-2 win over Troy on Tuesday, but then dropped Thursday’s series opener against Mississippi State 12-8. Alabama won 11-1 on Friday to even things up, but fell 8-4 on Sunday to drop the weekend.

After hosting Southern Miss on Tuesday, Alabama hosts Auburn starting on Friday, where they will again be looking for their first weekend series win of conference play.

11. Auburn

Weekly record: 1-3 (1-2)

Overall record: 19-12-1 (4-8)

Previous ranking: No. 9 (-2)

It was a week to forget for Auburn, with a disappointing 1-3 record to show for it. The Tigers started with a 6-5 loss at UAB on Tuesday before kicking off a weekend series vs. Texas A&M on Thursday. The Aggies won the opener 9-5, setting up a Friday doubleheader to round out the weekend. Auburn won the first 10-9 before falling 12-6 in the finale.

On Tuesday, Auburn hits the road for a trip to a challenging Georgia Tech team. Then, a three-game series at Alabama starts on Friday.

Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)

12. Georgia

Overall record: 18-14 (3-9)

Previous ranking: No. 13 (+1)

Georgia was in need of a turnaround and they got just that this week. The Bulldogs kicked off the week with a 6-4 win at Kennesaw State before hosting No. 10 Kentucky over the weekend. Kentucky took the first game, winning 7-4 on Sunday. But Georgia’s pitching prevailed in a Sunday doubleheader. The Bulldogs rode a complete game shutout in the first game, winning 3-0, before going on to win 6-2 in the second game to win the series.

A midweek matchup awaits at home vs. Clemson on Tuesday, and Georgia then hits the road for a trip to Gainesville to take on No. 3 Florida starting on Friday.

13. Mississippi State

Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)

Overall record: 19-14 (3-9)

Previous ranking: No. 14 (+1)

This season has been filled with struggles for Mississippi State, but you wouldn’t know if you looked only at this weekend. The Bulldogs came out strong with a 21-2 win over Grambling on Tuesday, and then won at Alabama 12-8 to begin the weekend. Despite losing 11-1 on Friday, Mississippi State bounced back with an 8-4 win to clinch the series on Saturday.

The Bulldogs head to UAB on Tuesday, but return home on Friday to begin a three-game series vs. Ole Miss.

14. Ole Miss

Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)

Overall record: 18-13 (2-10)

Previous ranking: No. 12 (-2)

The fall has continued for Ole Miss. The Rebels won at Memphis on Tuesday to begin the week, and then won once over the weekend against No. 5 Arkansas. The Razorbacks won 11-2 on Friday in the first half of a doubleheader before winning 6-4 on Saturday. Ole Miss took the second game on Friday 7-4. Injuries have played a serious role on Ole Miss’ struggles, and once they get healthy, they can’t be counted out and could go on a serious run. They might sit at the bottom of our SEC baseball power rankings right now, but the defending national champions are a serious bounce-back contender in the final months of the year.

Another date with Memphis awaits on Tuesday, this time at home. Ole Miss then hosts Alcorn State on Wednesday before travelling to Mississippi State over the weekend.