College baseball rankings: Predicting D1Baseball's top 25 after third weekend
Three weekends have now been completed across college baseball. This weekend featured some intriguing weekends and brought a couple of upsets along the way, which could have an impact on D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings on Monday.
While no new teams join the top ten in our predictions for D1Baseball’s rankings, there is some movement throughout the top 25.
We also have one new team we are predicting to join D1Baseball’s rankings this week.
Here is a full look at how we expect D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings to look when they are released on Monday morning.
1. Wake Forest
Previous Ranking: No. 1
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 10-1
Wake Forest had a relatively smooth week, beginning with a midweek victory over North Carolina A&T, winning 12-1. They then had a doubleheader against Binghamton on Saturday due to weather, and won 7-5 and 9-8 to clinch a victorious weekend. In the weekend finale against Elon, the Demon Deacons again came away victorious, winning 9-0.
2. Arkansas
Previous Ranking: No. 2
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 9-2
Arkansas continues to impress all-around. The Razorbacks dominated in a 21-1 midweek victory over Grambling before hosting Murray State over the weekend. Arkansas won 5-1 on Friday on another great Hagen Smith outing, and then 11-1 on Saturday. In Sunday’s series finale, the Razorbacks finished the sweep with a 5-3 win.
3. LSU
Previous Ranking: No. 3
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 11-1
After dominating at Rice during the midweek slate, winning 16-4, LSU finished the week off with some impressive wins. The Tigers defeated No. 15 Texas on Friday, 6-3. Saturday’s game against Louisiana was even tighter, but the defending national champions held on to win 5-4. On Sunday, won 10-3 over Texas State to put a wrap on a very impressive weekend.
4. TCU
Previous Ranking: No. 5 (+1)
Weekly Record: 5-0
Overall Record: 12-0
TCU might play in some close games, but they always seem to find a way. After winning a 12-inning, 8-7 ballgame over Washington State on Tuesday, the Horned Frogs defeated Arizona 6-1 on Wednesday. They then battled against USC and Arizona State over the weekend, defeating USC 9-8 (11 innings) and 9-5, also beating Arizona State 11-9. In doing so, TCU moved up a spot in our predicted D1Baseball rankings.
5. Florida
Previous Ranking: No. 4 (-1)
Weekly Record: 3-2
Overall Record: 8-3
Florida’s week didn’t start in strong fashion, losing a midweek battle against Stetson on Tuesday. The Gators then hosted Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday, and won that one 9-2. Over the weekend, Florida faced off against Miami and won the opener 7-3 before losing the second game on Saturday 10-6. In Sunday’s decisive rubber match, Florida was able to win 8-4 to take the series. But after losing two games on the week, Florida drops one spot in the predicted D1Baseball rankings.
6. Oregon State
Previous Ranking: No. 6
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 11-1
Yet again, Oregon State had a very strong weekend. Playing against North Dakota State in a four-game weekend series, the Beavers had no midweek contest this week. But that didn’t stop them from cruising their way to a series sweep, winning 19-7, 6-5, 10-0, and 13-7.
7. Texas A&M
Previous Ranking: No. 7
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 11-0
Texas A&M’s week started off on the right foot, beating Lamar 13-2 on the midweek docket. The Aggies then battled against Arizona State, winning 4-0. That was not it, though, as Texas A&M defeated USC 9-3 on Saturday and then again on Sunday against Arizona State, winning 10-5.
8. Tennessee
Previous Ranking: No. 8
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 11-1
Tennessee has continued rolling early on, and this week that started off with a 7-4 midweek victory over High Point. The Vols then hosted Bowling Green and had no issues, winning 11-1 on Friday, 12-1 on Saturday, and 16-6 on Sunday, holding onto the No. 8 spot in our predicted D1Baseball rankings.
9. Vanderbilt
Previous Ranking: No. 9
Weekly Record: 5-0
Overall Record: 10-3
Some might have been beginning to hit the panic button on Vanderbilt, but they responded with a strong week. The Commodores blew out Indiana State on Tuesday, winning 20-4. They then beat Evansville 7-3 on Wednesday. Over the weekend, Vanderbilt picked up a quality win over Louisiana, winning 7-4, then beating Houston 3-1. On Sunday, it was another successful day with a 14-11 victory over No. 15 Texas. What a week at the perfect time for Vanderbilt.
10. Clemson
Previous Ranking: No. 10
Weekly Record: 3-0
Overall Record: 9-1
It was a week of in-state battles for Clemson, beginning in the midweek with a battle against USC Upstate. Clemson won 12-6 in that game, heading into the three-game weekend against No. 19 South Carolina. While the series opener was postponed until later in the season, Clemson came in on Saturday and won 5-4 in a tight, 12-inning contest. On Sunday, it was the same, with another 5-4 win.
D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings Predictions: 11-25
11. Duke (+1)
12. Virginia (+1)
13. NC State (+1)
14. Alabama (+2)
15. East Carolina (-4)
16. North Carolina (+1)
17. Texas Tech (+1)
18. Coastal Carolina (+4)
19. Auburn (+4)
20. Georgia (NR)
21. Texas (-6)
22. South Carolina (-3)
23. Campbell (-2)
24. UC Santa Barbara
25. Dallas Baptist
Georgia is the lone new team to crack our D1Baseball top 25 rankings predictions. They take the place of Indiana, who dropped out after a 1-3 week, including an ugly midweek loss against Purdue Fort Wayne.