College Baseball Power Rankings: Top ten shaken up after wild weekend
Last weekend delivered some very memorable series, with multiple top 25 teams falling. Eight D1Baseball ranked teams lost their series, leading to big changes in this week’s rankings. Now, we have updated our college baseball power rankings with some notable movement throughout the top 25.
At the top, Arkansas stays put at No. 1. Behind them, every other team moved at least one spot. The top five looks a little bit different this week as well, while three new teams jump into this week’s top ten.
This week is sure to bring more great action. The weekend is headlined by Vanderbilt-LSU, North Carolina-Virginia, Alabama-Kentucky, Georgia-Mississippi State, Wake Forest-Virginia Tech and Texas A&M-South Carolina, among others.
Here is a full look at our newest college baseball power rankings heading into the new week. One new team joins our top 25.
1. Arkansas
Record: 24-3 (8-1 in SEC)
Previous: No. 1
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 1
Arkansas couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. The Razorbacks are now atop SEC standings at 8-1, with just three losses overall on the year. This past weekend, they picked up a very strong series sweep over LSU. Next up for the Razorbacks is a home series against Ole Miss, as they look to hold firm at No. 1 in our college baseball power rankings.
2. Clemson
Record: 25-3 (7-2 in ACC)
Previous: No. 3 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 2
Not only has Clemson played their way into the top tier of the ACC, but also the top tier of the country. The Tigers have three losses on the year and are 7-2 to start ACC play, with an already impressive resume. Clemson is on the road this week, as they head to Notre Dame for a three-game series. If there was another team ready to step into the top spot in the rankings, it’s undoubtedly Clemson.
3. Florida
Record: 17-11 (6-3 in SEC)
Previous: No. 4 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 6
It didn’t come easy, but Florida won a pair of tight games to win last weekend’s series against a good Mississippi State team. The Gators then won their midweek contest against Florida A&M, putting an end to their recent midweek woes. Florida has one of the best weekend resumes in college baseball, and despite their 11 losses, are deserving of being in the top five of our power rankings. Next up is a road trip to Missouri over the weekend.
4. Texas A&M
Record: 26-3 (6-3 in SEC)
Previous: No. 5 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 3
Texas A&M is rolling, and certainly has a case to be ranked in the top three of our power rankings. They finish just outside, mostly due to Florida’s head-to-head weekend victory. Last weekend, the Aggies swept Auburn in a tight series to improve to 6-3 in the SEC. The upcoming weekend slate will test Texas A&M, as they play at South Carolina this weekend. They then have a stretch that includes vs. Vanderbilt, at Alabama, vs. Georgia, at LSU, at Ole Miss and vs. Arkansas to end the regular season.
5. Oregon State
Record: 23-4 (5-3 in Pac-12)
Previous: No. 2 (-3)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 5
For the first time this season, Oregon State struggled. The Beavers fell 1-2 and 17-4 against USC over the weekend, dropping their first Pac-12 series of the year. The finale was rained out, and it was truly a weekend to forget for the previous No. 2 team in the country. Oregon State responded with a pair of midweek victories over Gonzaga on Monday and Tuesday, and now host Arizona State this weekend as they look to get back on track.
6. Tennessee
Record: 24-5 (5-4 in SEC)
Previous: No. 7 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 4
Tennessee looked to be in trouble this weekend after falling 16-2 to Georgia in the series opener, but the Vols responded. They won 16-11 on Saturday and 7-0 on Sunday to come back and secure the series victory, avoiding a bit of a fall in our college baseball power rankings. Instead, the Vols move up a spot into the top six, and they’ll look to move higher up this weekend at Auburn.
7. North Carolina
Record: 25-4 (10-2 in ACC)
Previous: No. 10 (+3)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 10
It’s safe to say that UNC has established itself as a top ten team at this point, and is right there with Clemson at the top of the ACC. The Tar Heels’ four losses this season have come against East Carolina and at Miami, two quality opponents. Last weekend, UNC swept Wake Forest in a high-scoring weekend matchup. This weekend is another intriguing test, as the Tar Heels head to Charlottesville to take on Virginia.
8. Vanderbilt
Record: 23-6 (6-3 in SEC)
Previous: No. 9 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 7
Last weekend was somewhat surprisingly tight for Vanderbilt, as they swept Missouri by a total series score of 10-2. Regardless, it’s a big sweep to improve to 6-3 in a crowded SEC picture. Vanderbilt faces a difficult couple of weeks ahead, with looming road trips to Baton Rouge and College Station to take on LSU and Texas A&M. Florida looms the following week, so the Commodores are about to be seriously tested.
9. Duke
Record: 21-8 (6-6 in ACC)
Previous: No. 12 (+3)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 9
Duke picked up a massive series victory against Virginia last weekend, taking two out of three to improve to 6-6 in ACC play. The Blue Devils have been an interesting team this season, and surely look to be right there at the top of the ACC. They’ll look to hold firm in the top ten this weekend against Miami in a home matchup.
10. Dallas Baptist
Record: 24-4 (5-1 in CUSA)
Previous: No. 11 (+1)
D1Baseball Ranking: No. 8
If the season ended today, Dallas Baptist is undoubtedly hosting a regional and would have a strong case to be a national top eight seed. There’s a lot of baseball left to be played, but what a start it has been. With just four losses on the year, Dallas Baptist is certainly on a roll. They’ll look to keep that going this weekend at Western Kentucky.
College Baseball Power Rankings: 11-25
11. UC Irvine (+3)
12. Virginia Tech (+4)
13. Alabama (+4)
14. East Carolina (+4)
15. Virginia (-7)
16. Florida State (+3)
17. Kentucky (+4)
18. South Carolina (-3)
19. Coastal Carolina (+1)
20. LSU (-14)
21. Wake Forest (-8)
22. Nebraska (+3)
23. Mississippi State (-1)
24. Indiana State (NR)
25. Georgia (-1)
Indiana State is the lone team to join this week’s college baseball power rankings. They take the place of Oklahoma, who fell out after a brutal weekend in a series loss to Lamar. Other teams, including NC State and UCF, were also considered for the top 25.
LSU is surely the biggest faller this week, dropping 14 spots to No. 20 after falling to 2-7 in ACC play. Similarly, Wake Forest dropped eight spots down to No. 21. Virginia also fell seven spots and out of the top ten, down to No. 15.