SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Opening weekend leads to early shift

Opening weekend is officially wrapped up from the college baseball world. The results have led to an early shift in the SEC pecking order, and now it’s time to release our initial SEC baseball power rankings.

On Monday, D1Baseball released their post-opening weekend top 25 rankings. 11 SEC teams were included, while Vanderbilt dropped out after making it in their preseason edition. That shows just how deep of a league it’s set to be again in 2026.

There was nothing crazy from within the SEC on opening weekend. Vanderbilt was the only team to lose their opening series, falling to TCU and Oklahoma State while beating Texas Tech in the Shriner’s Children’s College Showdown. Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Missouri each lost a game, but went 2-1 in their respective weekends.

Week 2 should be another fun one across the SEC, and will likely change next week’s version of our SEC baseball power rankings. Of course, we’ll get our first taste of midweek action, with some teams playing as early as Monday.

1. LSU

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Series sweep vs. Milwaukee
Upcoming Week: vs. Kent State (Monday), vs. Nicholls (Wednesday), vs. Indiana, Notre Dame, UCF (Friday-Sunday in Jacksonville)

While the defending national champions weren’t No. 1 in D1Baseball’s preseason rankings, they are the top team in the SEC to start the year. The Tigers swept Milwaukee on opening weekend, outscoring them 41-15 across three games. A five-game week awaits LSU, with two midweeks beginning on Monday followed by a trip to Jacksonville for three power conference tests over the weekend.

2. Texas

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Series sweep vs. UC Davis
Upcoming Week: vs. Lamar (Tuesday), vs. Michigan State (Friday-Sunday)

Just behind LSU in our initial SEC baseball power rankings, Texas is a legitimate title threat themselves. Their season started off strong with a series sweep over UC Davis, outscoring them 27-7 on the weekend. After hosting Lamar on Tuesday, Texas hosts a Michigan State team that just took a series from Louisville, a preseason top ten team.

3. Mississippi State

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Series sweep vs. Hofstra
Upcoming Week: vs. Troy (Tuesday), vs. Alcorn State (Wednesday), vs. Delaware (Friday-Sunday)

The Brian O’Connor era got off to a good start in Starkville, with Mississippi State sweeping Hofstra to kick off 2026. The series was tighter than most would’ve predicted, winning 6-5, 6-1 and 7-5 in the three games. Next up is a five-game week, beginning with Troy on Tuesday. The Bulldogs should be in position for another winning week.

4. Arkansas

Record: 2-1
Previous Week Results: 2-1 in Shriner’s Children’s College Showdown
Upcoming Week: vs. Tarleton (Monday in Arlington), vs. Xavier (Friday-Sunday)

The Shriner’s Children’s College Showdown was a fun one in Globe Life Field on opening weekend. Arkansas split its first two games, beating Oklahoma State 12-2 on Friday before falling to preseason No. 10 TCU 5-4 on Saturday. In the finale, Arkansas won an exciting, back-and-forth 6-5 game against Texas Tech that went to extra innings.

5. Tennessee

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Series sweep vs. Nicholls
Upcoming Week: vs. UNC Asheville (Tuesday), vs. Kent State (Friday-Sunday)

Tennessee cruised in its first series of the post-Tony Vitello era, earning a series sweep over Nicholls with an overall score of 27-3 on the weekend. It was a dominant all-around showing, and the Vols debut at No. 5 in our SEC baseball power rankings. Next up is a midweek date with UNC Asheville, followed by a three-game series against Kent State over the weekend.

6. Auburn

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Series sweep vs. Youngstown State
Upcoming Week: vs. Cincinnati (Tuesday), vs. Kansas State, No. 16 Florida State, No. 15 Louisville (Friday-Sunday in Amegy Bank College Baseball Series in Arlington)

While Auburn’s opening series with Youngstown State was tight, at least for two games, they blew it open with a 17-2 win in the finale after a pair of 2-1 victories to kick off the year. This week, the Tigers will really be tested. They’ll host Cincinnati on Tuesday, and then travel to Arlington for the Amega Bank College Baseball Series. There, they’ll face off with a pair of top 16 teams in addition to Kansas State.

7. Oklahoma

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Sweep through Shriner’s Children’s College SHowdown
Upcoming Week: vs. New Mexico State (Monday), vs. Coppin State (Friday-Sunday)

Picked to finish 14th in the preseason SEC baseball poll, Oklahoma did enough on opening weekend to jump up to No. 8 in our power rankings. The Sooners won the Shriner’s Children’s College Showdown, earning dominating wins over Texas Tech (10-3), Oklahoma State (10-1), and No. 10 TCU (12-2). They also entered D1Baseball’s top 25 this week, and will look to continue moving up with a four-game week starting on Monday.

8. Ole Miss

Record: 3-0
Previous Week Results: Series sweep vs. Nevada
Upcoming Week: vs. Arkansas State (Tuesday), vs. Jackson State (Wednesday), vs. Missouri State (Friday-Sunday)

After a season-opening series sweep over Nevada, Ole Miss debuts at No. 8 in our post-opening weekend power rankings. The Rebels outscored Nevada 29-6 on the weekend. An early-season five-game week awaits, with a pair of midweek games followed by a series against Missouri State this weekend.

SEC Baseball Power Rankings: 9-16

9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Kentucky
12. Texas A&M
13. Alabama
14. Vanderbilt
15. South Carolina
16. Missouri

Florida is the highest-ranked D1Baseball top 25 team that didn’t crack the top eight in our SEC baseball power rankings. The Gators lost on opening day against UAB before taking the series. Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Missouri each lost a game as well, while Vanderbilt dropped two.

Vanderbilt was a preseason top 25 team, but lost to No. 10 TCU 5-4 and Oklahoma State 11-1 with a 13-3 win over Texas Tech in the middle on opening weekend. They likely won’t stay ranked this low, but based on one weekend of results, the Commodores find themselves towards the bottom of the SEC.

The league is loaded, with 14 of the SEC’s 16 teams realistically in contention to fight for a regional appearance in 2026. There will surely be plenty more changes in the coming weeks.