College Baseball Rankings: Predicting D1Baseball Top 25 with significant shakeup after Week 7

We’ve already seen some wild weeks across college baseball, but Week 7 might be the craziest yet. After a weekend full of ranked matchups and upsets, we’re predicting D1Baseball’s top 25 will see a significant shakeup.

This week’s midweek slate was a fun one, and we also saw five series between ranked teams over the weekend. No. 2 Texas hosted No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 3 Georgia Tech hosted No. 14 NC State, No. 18 Ole Miss hosted No. 6 Mississippi State, No. 22 Arizona State hosted No. 17 West Virginia, and No. 23 Notre Dame hosted No. 13 North Carolina.

While two top 25 teams were finished with their weekend entering Sunday and ten were 2-0 with a series win clinched, the remaining 13 teams were in a battle. Seven ranked teams entered Sunday down 0-2 in their series, while six were facing a rubber game while knotted up at 1-1 on the weekend.

It’s safe to say that this week was a big one in college baseball. Here’s how we expect D1Baseball’s top 25 to change entering Week 8.

Predictions subject to change pending outcome of No. 17 West Virginia at No. 22 Arizona State, which starts at 8:00 p.m. ET. Current predictions are as if Arizona State, the home team, wins.

1. UCLA

Previous Ranking: No. 1
Weekly Record: 4-0 (3-0 in Big Ten)
Overall Record: 25-2 (12-0 in Big Ten)

UCLA continued its winning ways this week, maintaining their hold on the No. 1 spot in the rankings. The Bruins first beat Loyola Marymount 6-2 on Tuesday, and then took a trip to Iowa over the weekend. After a 5-2 win in Friday’s opener, UCLA blew it open with a 19-0 victory on Saturday to clinch the series. In Sunday’s finale, they stayed perfect in Big Ten play with a 14-6 victory.

2. Texas

Previous Ranking: No. 2
Weekly Record: 3-1 (3-0 in SEC)
Overall Record: 23-4 (7-2 in SEC)

Texas lost another midweek game on Tuesday, falling 9-7 at Houston to start the week. They didn’t let that stop them from a strong week, though, earning a series sweep over rival No. 8 Oklahoma. The Longhorns won 14-0 in Thursday’s series opener, and then won a pair of 10-inning games to take the series with a 4-3 victory on Friday and 5-4 win on Saturday.

3. Georgia Tech

Previous Ranking: No. 3
Weekly Record: 3-0 (3-0 in ACC)
Overall Record: 22-5 (9-3 in ACC)

Georgia Tech hosted No. 14 NC State this weekend and it was quite the series. The Yellow Jackets won 3-1 in Friday’s series opener before clinching the weekend with a 6-4 victory on Saturday. On Sunday, Georgia Tech finished the sweep with a 10-0 win. They continue to control their spot in the top three of D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings.

4. Mississippi State

Previous Ranking: No. 6 (+2)
Weekly Record: 4-0 (3-0 in SEC)
Overall Record: 24-4 (7-2 in SEC)

Not that there was any doubt, but Mississippi State solidified itself as one of the top teams in the country this week. After a dominating 12-0 win against No. 11 Southern Miss on Tuesday, the Bulldogs were at rival No. 18 Ole Miss over the weekend. After winning 5-4 on Friday, Mississippi State won 6-1 on Saturday to clinch the series. On Sunday, they won 7-1 to finish the sweep.

5. Georgia

Previous Ranking: No. 7 (+2)
Weekly Record: 3-1 (3-0 in SEC)
Overall Record: 23-6 (7-2 in SEC)

Georgia lost its first game of the week, falling 10-7 against Kennesaw State on Tuesday. They bounced back over the weekend, hosting South Carolina. The Bulldogs won 5-2 in Friday’s opener, clinching the series with a 3-1 victory on Saturday. Looking for the sweep on Sunday, they won 9-7. Now, Georgia is likely to be on the rise in D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings.

6. North Carolina

Previous Ranking: No. 13 (+7)
Weekly Record: 4-0 (3-0 in ACC)
Overall Record: 24-4-1 (9-3 in ACC)

North Carolina dominated in a midweek battle against South Carolina on Tuesday, starting the week with a 9-1 victory. The Tar Heels then traveled to a surging No. 23 Notre Dame team over the weekend. The series opener was pushed into a Saturday doubleheader, and UNC won both ends of it, 6-5 and 13-7, to clinch the series. In Sunday’s finale, the Heels won 15-10 to complete the sweep.

7. Florida State

Previous Ranking: No. 10 (+3)
Weekly Record: 2-2 (2-1 in ACC)
Overall Record: 21-6 (7-2 in ACC)

Florida State entered the top ten last week, and now they’re inching up even higher. The Seminoles fell 5-0 at rival Florida on Tuesday, but took the series over the weekend against Duke. FSU won 3-1 on Friday before winning 12-11 on Saturday in a game that saw them lose Myles Bailey to a serious injury. In Sunday’s finale, the Seminoles lost 11-4.

8. USC

Previous Ranking: No. 12 (+4)
Weekly Record: 2-2 (2-1 in Big Ten)
Overall Record: 26-3 (10-2 in Big Ten)

Southern Miss entered the week with just one loss, but they fell 12-4 to No. 16 Oregon State on Tuesday. The Trojans then traveled to Maryland over the weekend, winning 11-10 on Friday before falling 6-4 on Saturday to force a rubber game on Sunday. With the series on the line, USC won 14-4 to win it.

9. Coastal Carolina

Previous Ranking: No. 16 (+7)
Weekly Record: 4-0 (3-0 in Sun Belt)
Overall Record: 20-7 (9-0 in Sun Belt)

Coastal Carolina has overcome a plethora of injuries, and now they could move back into the top ten of D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings. The Chanticleers won 11-9 at Clemson on Tuesday before facing off at Marshall over the weekend. Coastal won 11-9 on Friday and 12-4 on Saturday to take the series, and won 5-4 in 10 innings on Sunday to stay unbeaten in Sun Belt play.

10. West Virginia

Previous Ranking: No. 17
Weekly Record: 3-1 (2-1 in Big 12)
Overall Record: 19-5 (7-2 in Big 12)

West Virginia could be a big riser in this week’s D1Baseball top 25 rankings. The Mountaineers won 3-0 at Marshall on Tuesday to start the week, and then battled No. 22 Arizona State on the road in a massive Big 12 series. After falling 14-4 on Friday, WVU responded with a 13-7 win on Saturday. In Sunday night’s finale, they won xxxxx

Note: Predictions were updated following West Virginia’s win over Arizona State on Sunday night

Predicting D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings: 11-25

11. Southern Miss
12. Oregon State (+4)
13. Oregon (+7)
14. Alabama (NR)
15. Florida (NR)
16. Boston College (NR)
17. Arkansas (-13)
18. Auburn (-13)
19. Virginia (-10)
20. Oklahoma (-12)
21. Nebraska (+3)
22. Texas A&M (+3)
23. UCF (NR)
24. Arizona State (-2)
25. Kentucky (-6)

Predicted to drop out of D1Baseball Top 25: NC State (prev. No. 14), Ole Miss (prev. No. 18), Tennessee (prev. No. 21), Notre Dame (prev. No. 23)