College Baseball Rankings: Predicting D1Baseball's top 25 after 13 ranked series losses

Jonathan Wagner

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Last week was a wild one across college baseball, and the results had a major impact on D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings. This week was another one filled with upsets and surprises, and the rankings have been updated yet again with some notable changes.

There were four series this weekend between two teams ranked in D1Baseball’s top 25. Entering Sunday, six top 25 teams had completed their weekend series and seven entered a rubber match needing a win to secure a series victory.

Ultimately, 13 top 25 teams lost their weekend series. It was simply a stunning weekend for many teams across the country, and there is some significant movement in our D1Baseball top 25 predictions as a result.

Here is how we expect D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings to look on Monday morning. There are four teams that join this week’s edition.

1. Arkansas

Hagen Smith, Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher — (Steven Branscombe | USA TODAY Sports)

Previous Ranking: No. 1
Weekly Record: 2-1
Overall Record: 19-3 (5-1 in SEC)

Arkansas has played steady baseball all season, and have held onto the No. 1 spot in D1Baseball’s top 25 since moving into it a couple weeks back. This weekend, the Razorbacks hit the road for a top 25 matchup against No. 23 Auburn. Hagen Smith did exactly what we expect every time he takes the mound, leading his team to a 1-0 victory in the opener. Arkansas clinched the series in the second game with a 6-5 win, though Auburn took the finale 8-6.

2. Oregon State

Jun 12, 2022; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon State Beavers infielder Travis Bazzana (37) is congratulated by third base coach Ryan Gipson as he circles the bases after his home run in the 4th inning during Game 2 of a NCAA Super Regional game at Coleman Field. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Previous Ranking: No. 2
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 21-2 (5-1)

Oregon State hasn’t slowed down all season. The Beavers began the week with a midweek win over Portland, taking it 14-3. They then faced off against Washington in a Pac-12 series over the weekend. Oregon State took the opener 3-1 before winning the series on Saturday with an 18-2 victory. On Sunday, the Beavers again won in dominating fashion, this time 10-0.

3. Clemson

clemson-baseball-wins-11th-straight-game-after-blake-wright-delivers-game-winning-heroics-vs-unc — (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: No. 4 (+1)
Weekly Record: 5-0
Overall Record: 22-2 (5-1 in ACC)

Clemson might just be the team to beat in the ACC. Coming off of a series win over Duke, the Tigers won midweek games over Winthrop and Presbyterian and then faced a red-hot Florida State team that entered the week ranked at No. 12. It was all Clemson in the opener, winning 15-5. Florida State entered the ninth up 8-1 in the second game, but Clemson stormed back and erased the deficit, walking off 9-8 to take the series. On Sunday, Clemson came back yet again to win 14-12 to wrap up a wild weekend and secure the sweep.

4. Florida

florida-gators-colby-shelton — Photo courtesy of UAA Communications

Previous Ranking: No. 6 (+2)
Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 14-9 (4-2 in SEC)

Florida might have a midweek problems, but they will be just fine if they keep winning SEC weekends. The Gators lost 7-6 to Jacksonville this week, and then went to Baton Rouge to take on No. 5 LSU. After losing the opener 6-1, Florida won 6-4 on Saturday to even the series. On Sunday, the Gators dominated the Tigers, winning 12-2 via the run-rule and now move back into the top five of our D1Baseball top 25 predictions.

5. Texas A&M

Braden Montgomery A&M — © Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

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

Texas A&M entered last weekend undefeated, and came into this week looking to bounce back after a series loss to open SEC play. The Aggies won 11-9 in a midweek game against Prairie View to start the week, and then hosted No. 21 Mississippi State over the weekend. The two teams split the first two games, Texas A&M winning the first 6-3 and Mississippi State winning the second 5-1. In the rubber match, it was the Aggies that came away with a 6-1 victory to take the series.

6. Tennessee

Previous Ranking: No. 8 (+2)
Weekly Record: 3-1
Overall Record: 21-4 (3-3 in SEC)

Tennessee kicked off the week by beating Xavier 10-2 in a midweek contest, and then hosted Ole Miss, a team on the fringe of joining the D1Baseball top 25, over the weekend. The Vols won Friday’s opener in resounding fashion, winning 15-3. The Rebels responded on Saturday, though, to take an 8-5 win and even the series. Tennessee needed a win on Sunday to take the series, and they got one in dominant fashion, 15-4 over the Rebels.

7. LSU

lsu-dh-hayden-travinski-showcases-bat-designed-like-no-2-pencil — © SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network

Previous Ranking: No. 5 (-2)
Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 19-6 (2-4)

LSU dropped its first SEC weekend of the year last week, and faced another tough week this week. After beating Louisiana Tech 11-1 in their midweek contest, LSU hosted No. 6 Florida over the weekend. The Tigers won 6-1 on Friday before falling 6-4 in 11 innings on Saturday, setting up a massive rubber match on Sunday. There, LSU was unable to put it together and ultimately got run-ruled 12-2.

8. Virginia

Casey Saucke — Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Previous Ranking: No. 14 (+6)
Weekly Record: 4-0
Overall Record: 20-4 (6-3)

Virginia is certainly on a roll right now. Their week began with a 15-6 midweek victory against Georgetown, before traveling to take on Pitt over the weekend. Virginia started off hot and didn’t let up, winning 18-2 on Friday, 10-4 on Saturday and 8-2 on Sunday, picking up a dominant weekend sweep. They make a major rise into the top ten of our D1Baseball top 25 predictions as a result.

9. Vanderbilt

Alan Espinal — © Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Previous Ranking: No. 3 (-6)
Weekly Record: 1-3
Overall Record: 19-6 (3-3 in SEC)

Vanderbilt has been one of the nation’s hottest teams as of late, but that all changed over the weekend. After beating Belmont 3-1 in a midweek game, the Commodores hit the road for a trip to South Carolina over the weekend. There, it was all Gamecocks. Vanderbilt was unable to get it going, falling 8-4 on Friday, 8-3 on Saturday and 10-2 on Sunday.

10. Duke

Previous Ranking: No. 9 (-1)
Weekly Record: 2-2
Overall Record: 17-7 (4-5 in ACC)

Duke defeated Towson 12-2 in a midweek game to kick off the week, and they then traveled to Raleigh for another ACC series. The Blue Devils were looking to bounce back, but they ended up losing the first two games by a combined two runs – 4-3 on Friday and 9-8 on Saturday. Duke answered on Sunday, though, earning a dominant 13-2 victory to avoid the sweep.

D1Baseball Top 25 Predictions: 11-25

Miguel Santos — © NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

11. Dallas Baptist (+4)
12. Virginia Tech (+7)
13. East Carolina (-3)
14. North Carolina (+6)
15. Wake Forest (+1)
16. South Carolina (NR)
17. Alabama (-6)
18. Florida State (-6)
19. NC State (NR)
20. Coastal Carolina (-7)
21. UC Irvine (+3)
22. Nebraska (NR)
23. Mississippi State (-2)
24. Georgia (NR)
25. TCU (-7)

Four new teams join the top rankings in our latest D1Baseball top 25 predictions. They are South Carolina (No. 16), NC State (No. 19) Nebraska (No. 22) and Georgia (No. 24). They take the places of Oklahoma (previously No. 17), Campbell (previously No. 22), Auburn (previously No. 23) and UC Santa Barbara (previously No. 25).

The most notable drops in our predictions are Coastal Carolina and TCU. TCU, a top five team entering the season, was nearly dropped out of the top 25 in our predictions. Vanderbilt, Alabama and Florida State each dropped six spots. Virginia rose six spots into the top ten, while Virginia Tech jumped seven spots and North Carolina rose six spots into the top 15. .