SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Tennessee slips after opening weekend
College baseball is finally back. All 14 teams from the SEC were in action on opening weekend, with a handful playing in different invitationals and events. All but one team finished the weekend with a winning record, leading to a couple of changes in this week’s On3 SEC baseball power rankings.
The talent across the conference was on display over the weekend, and teams showed just how tight the battle is going to be down the stretch.
With more intriguing games coming up on the schedule, these SEC baseball power rankings are sure to see plenty more changes over the first weeks of the new campaign.
Updated SEC baseball power rankings after opening weekend
1. LSU
Weekly record: 3-0
Overall Record: 3-0
Previous ranking: No. 1
LSU is one of the favorites to win this year’s College World Series, and the Tigers looked the part on opening weekend. Facing Western Michigan, LSU kicked things off with a 10-0 victory on Friday night. The Tigers got experience in a close game on Saturday, winning just 5-3 before going on to take the season finale 9-2 to earn the season opening series sweep.
If LSU can stay healthy, this team’s ceiling is very high. The Tigers lost pitcher Grant Taylor to a season-ending injury just before the season started, and transfer third baseman Tommy White left the season opener after dislocating his shoulder, not returning for the rest of the series. Next up for LSU is a midweek matchup against Southern before playing in the Round Rock Classic over the weekend.
2. Ole Miss
Weekly record: 3-0
Overall record: 3-0
Previous ranking: No. 3 (+1)
Ole Miss began its quest to defend last year’s national championship on Friday against Delaware, and it couldn’t have gone better. The Rebels picked up a dominating 11-2 victory on Friday, and the blowout wins didn’t stop there. On Saturday, Ole Miss picked up a run-rule victory, beating Delaware 10-0 in eight innings. Ole Miss then won 14-4 in seven innings to secure the sweep on Sunday.
Ole Miss moved up in the rankings this week, and the Rebels have a big weekend ahead. After facing Arkansas State on Tuesday, the Rebels will face off against Maryland.
3. Tennessee
Weekly record: 1-2
Overall record: 1-2
Previous ranking: No. 2 (-1)
Tennessee’s weekend got off to a rocky start when it was revealed that transfer shortstop Maui Ahuna was awaiting word on his eligibility and would not be on the field. He did not play at all during the weekend. The road bumps continued for the Vols, losing 3-1 on Friday to Arizona in the MLB Desert Invitational. Tennessee then lost a close game against Grand Canyon, falling 4-3 to begin the season 0-2. Luckily for Tony Vitello’s squad, they were able to salvage the weekend with a 7-0 win on Sunday against UC San Diego.
It wasn’t the weekend that Tennessee hoped for to begin the year, and now all eyes are on Ahuna’s status moving forward. Tennessee will look to bounce back with five games this week, with the first two coming on Tuesday and Wednesday against Alabama A&M before hosting Dayton over the weekend.
4. Texas A&M
Weekly record: 3-0
Overall record: 3-0
Previous ranking: No. 4
Texas A&M looked good over opening weekend, beginning with an 8-2 victory over Seattle on Friday. The Aggies won a closer game on Saturday, with a 6-3 final score. On Sunday, though, Texas A&M erupted and earned a run-rule, 14-2 victory that came to an end in the eighth inning. The Aggies host Lamar for a midweek contest on Tuesday before hosting Portland for a three-game set over the weekend.
5. Florida
Weekly record: 3-0
Overall record: 3-0
Previous ranking: No. 5
Having Florida at No. 5 in the conference seems like a disservice to the Gators, because they look to be one of the top teams in all of college baseball. Florida picked up consecutive run-rule wins to kick things off, winning 13-3 in seven innings on Friday and winning 16-2 in seven innings against Charleston Southern on Saturday. The Gators completed the sweep on Sunday, winning 8-0. Florida has four games against the AAC this week, hosting South Florida on Wednesday and Cincinnati over the weekend.
6. Arkansas
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 6
Arkansas played in a loaded College Baseball Showdown field in Arlington to begin the season. On Friday, the Razorbacks picked up a tight 3-2 victory over Texas. On Saturday, Arkansas struggled in an 18-6 loss at the hands of No. 15 TCU. Then, Arkansas ended the weekend in truly dominating fashion, winning 18-1 in seven innings against No. 9 Oklahoma State. The Razorbacks host Grambling on Tuesday afternoon this week before hosting Eastern Illinois in a three-game weekend series.
7. Vanderbilt
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 7
Like Arkansas, Vanderbilt faced off against TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas in the College Baseball Showdown to begin the year. Vanderbilt suffered an 11-4 loss against TCU on opening day, but responded with an 11-9 victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Commodores ended the weekend in triumphant fashion, winning 12-2 against Texas. A busy week awaits Vanderbilt, as they host Central Arkansas on Tuesday, UAB on Wednesday and UCLA over the weekend in an intriguing three-game set.
Weekly record: 3-0
Overall record: 3-0
Previous ranking: No. 8
Looking across the country, not many teams dominated the first weekend on the same level as South Carolina. The Gamecocks outscored UMass Lowell 49-5 on the weekend, winning 20-3 on Friday, 17-1 on Saturday and 12-1 on Sunday. South Carolina will look to carry that momentum into a five-game week, as the Gamecocks host Winthrop on Tuesday, Queens on Wednesday and Penn over the weekend.
9. Alabama
Weekly record: 3-0
Overall record: 3-0
Previous ranking: No. 9
Alabama also saw great success this weekend, outscoring Richmond 39-5 in three games. The Crimson Tide won 12-3 on Friday, 13-1 on Saturday, and 14-1 on Sunday. After hosting Tennessee Tech on Tuesday and UT Martin on Wednesday, Alabama will hit the road for the first time this season, heading out west for a three-game series against Pepperdine.
10. Auburn
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 10
Auburn began the season against Indiana, and the Tigers got off to a good start with an 8-4 win on Friday and a 6-1 victory on Saturday. Auburn was unable to complete the series sweep, though, as Indiana won 11-2 on Sunday to hand the Tigers their first loss. Auburn hosts North Alabama on Tuesday before hitting the road over the weekend with a weekend series at USC.
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 11
Mississippi State is looking to bounce back in a big way this year, and Friday’s 11-2 win over VMI was a good start. VMI won 14-13 on Saturday, though Mississippi State finished the weekend on the right note, winning 9-3. The Bulldogs are at home for five games this week, with the first two coming against ULM on Tuesday and Wednesday before Arizona State comes to town over the weekend.
12. Georgia
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 12
Georgia suffered a disappointing loss against Jacksonville State on opening day, falling 8-5. The Bulldogs responded on Saturday with a 10-3 victory, later winning 10-5 to win the season opening series. Though Georgia will not play a midweek game this week, the Bulldogs will play four games against Princeton over the weekend, including a doubleheader on Saturday.
13. Missouri
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 14 (+1)
Missouri was also part of the College Baseball Showdown on opening weekend. The Tigers might have opened the eyes of many across the country while doing so, too. Missouri began the season with a close 5-3 loss against Oklahoma State, but the Tigers came back on Saturday and beat Texas, 6-5. On Sunday, Missouri stormed back to defeat TCU 9-8, finishing the weekend 2-1 with a pair of impressive victories, resulting in a rise in this week’s rankings. Missouri has a four-game weekend series coming up against FIU, with the opening game coming on Thursday.
14. Kentucky
Weekly record: 2-1
Overall record: 2-1
Previous ranking: No. 13 (-1)
Kentucky sitting at the bottom of the SEC baseball power rankings after opening weekend really says more about the overall strength in the conference than it does about the Wildcats. It was truly a masterful weekend for Kentucky’s pitching staff, holding Elon to three total runs. Unfortunately for Kentucky, the offense wasn’t there on Friday, and Elon won 2-0 on opening day. The Wildcats won 5-1 on Saturday before securing the series victory on Sunday with a 4-0 win. Kentucky hosts Evansville on Tuesday before Wright State comes to down for a three-game set over the weekend.