How Tennessee Baseball fared as defending national champions compared to past champs

College baseball has had just five teams win back-to-back national championships and none since 2010 and 2011, when South Carolina repeated in Omaha. 

Tennessee’s defense as national champions ended Sunday at Arkansas in the Fayetteville Regional. But the Vols as the defending champs still fared better than some of the more recent national title winners.

Here’s a look back at the recent national champions and how they fared the following season: 

Tennessee | 46-19, 16-14 SEC | NCAA Tournament Super Regional 

Tennessee’s national title defense came to a close in a two-game sweep at the hands of Arkansas in the Fayetteville Super Regional. The Vols lost 4-3 on Saturday and 11-4 on Sunday. They fought off elimination in the Knoxville Regional after beating Wake Forest 11-5 after losing 7-6 the previous day.

LSU | 43-23, 13-17 SEC | NCAA Tournament Regional

LSU was sent to North Carolina for the Chapel Hill Regional last season as the defending national champions. There the Tigers would force a decisive Game 7 in the regional final against the Tar Heels, but the season ended in a 4-3 loss in extra innings. 

Ole Miss | 25-29, 6-24 SEC | No Postseason

Ole Miss went from winning the College World Series in 2022 to finishing four games under .500 and missing the postseason in 2023, after winning just six SEC games and missing the conference tournament. The Rebels ended the year on a six-game losing streak after getting swept by Auburn and Alabama. 

Mississippi State | 26-30, 9-21 SEC | No Postseason

Mississippi State went the same way as Ole Miss the season before, from wining a national title to finishing four games under .500 and missing the postseason entirely the next season. The Bulldogs were done after getting swept by No. 1 Tennessee in the final weekend of the 2022 regular season, a series that started with a 27-2 win for the Vols in Starkville. 

Vanderbilt | 49-18, 19-10 SEC | CWS Runner Up

After COVID cancelled the 2020 season the previous March, Vanderbilt returned to the College World Series in 2021 and had a 1-0 lead in the three-game championship series before losing two straight and the title to Mississippi State. Vandy swept its way through the Nashville Regional and Super Regional, then went 3-1 in bracket play at the College World Series before finishing runner up. 

Oregon State | 36-20, 21-8 Pac-12 | NCAA Tournament Regional

Oregon State in 2019 was two-and-done in the NCAA Tournament in the Corvallis Regional as the defending national champs, losing to Cincinnati and Creighton to see its title defense quickly come to an end.

Florida | 49-21, 20-10 SEC | College World Series Semifinals

Florida in 2018 won 49 games, hosted an NCAA Tournament Regional and Super Regional and made a return trip to Omaha. But the defending champion Gators lost their first game in the College World Series to Texas Tech and was eliminated five days later by Arkansas.

Coast Carolina | 37-19-1. 22-7-1 Sun Belt | Missed NCAA Tournament

After a 55-win season and a national championship in 2016, Coastal Carolina won just 37 games in 2016 and missed the NCAA Tournament. The Chanticleers were one-and-done in the Sun Belt Championship, too, losing 7-5 to Texas State.

Virginia | 38-22, 19-11 ACC | NCAA Tournament Regional

Virginia was done in the NCAA Tournament Regional round as the defending champs in 2016. The postseason started with a win over William & Mary, but back-to-back losses to East Carolina and against William & Mary in a rematch ended the season for the Cavaliers.

Vanderbilt | 51-21, 20-10 SEC | CWS Runner Up

Vanderbilt followed its 2014 national title with another trip to the national championship series, but lost in three games to Virginia after taking a 1-0 series lead with a 5-1 win in Game 1. Vandy swept the Nashville Regional then swept No. 5-seed Illinois on the road in Super Regional play. The ‘Dores won four straight in Omaha before Virginia rallied for the title with back-to-back wins.