SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Top five gets shaken up after upset-filled weekend
What a week it was on the diamond inside the SEC. The end of the regular season is rapidly approaching, with just two weeks remaining on the regular season schedule. This weekend, upsets filled the SEC with the results shaking up the latest power rankings for the baseball conference.
Five of last week’s top six teams in the SEC lost a series over the weekend, and all five series losses came while on the road. Overall, six of the seven road teams across the SEC this past weekend came away with a series victory.
The D1Baseball top 25 rankings saw a shakeup on Monday, with LSU falling from No. 1 to No. 2. Seven teams from the SEC were ranked inside the top 25 overall.
Updated SEC Baseball Power Rankings
1. LSU
Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2 in SEC play)
Overall record: 37-10 (16-9)
Previous ranking: No. 1
LSU’s week began with a 10-0 victory at SE Louisiana, and the Tigers then traveled to Auburn for a three-game series over the weekend. After winning Friday’s game 3-0, LSU was held in check the rest of the weekend. Auburn won 8-6 on Saturday to even the series and took home a 12-2, run-rule victory on Sunday to clinch the series and hand LSU its first weekend series loss since SEC play got underway.
LSU fell to No. 2 in D1Baseball’s top 25, but they still hold the top spot in our SEC baseball power rankings. Next up is a week with four home games, beginning with Northwestern State on Tuesday before Mississippi State visits starting on Friday.
2. Arkansas
Weekly record: 3-1 (3-0)
Overall record: 36-12 (17-7)
Previous ranking: No. 5 (+3)
After being swept two weekends ago at Georgia, Arkansas has turned it on. The Razorbacks haven’t lost a game on the weekend since, and that continued this weekend at Mississippi State. Arkansas fell 8-6 on Tuesday against Lipscomb, but then went to Starkville and won 6-2 on Friday, 14-2 on Saturday and 11-6 on Sunday to secure the sweep.
Arkansas is rising in the rankings, but two challenging weekends await. The Razorbacks are off during the midweek in each of the final two weeks. This upcoming weekend, they return home to face No. 6 South Carolina.
3. Vanderbilt
Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)
Overall record: 34-13 (17-7)
Previous ranking: No. 2 (-1)
One of the most surprising results of the week across college baseball happened in Tuscaloosa, where Alabama stunned Vanderbilt. The Commodores first won 11-5 on Tuesday in midweek action against Georgia State, and then hit the road to take on the Crimson Tide. Alabama won 11-2 in Thursday’s opener before Vanderbilt evened the series with a 4-1 win on Friday. In the rubber match on Saturday, Vanderbilt fell just short in a 2-1 loss.
The final two weeks won’t be easy for the Commodores. This week, they hit the road for four games, starting with Louisville on Tuesday before heading to Gainesville to take on No. 7 Florida over the weekend.
4. Florida
Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)
Overall record: 37-12 (15-9)
Previous ranking: No. 3 (-1)
The week started off in strong fashion for Florida, beating Florida State 7-5 on the road on Tuesday and coming into College Station and beating Texas A&M 6-5 on Friday. It was all Aggies from there. Texas A&M dominated in a 15-2 win on Saturday, setting up a rubber match on Sunday. In that deciding game, Florida lost in brutal fashion, giving Texas A&M the winning run in a 3-2 game on a walk-off balk.
The Gators have no midweeks left in the season, and this weekend they’ll return home to host No. 5 Vanderbilt.
Weekly record: 1-3 (0-3)
Overall record: 36-11 (14-9)
Previous ranking: No. 4 (-1)
After losing twice last weekend to Auburn, South Carolina needed a bounce-back this week. The Gamecocks won 6-1 at Winthrop on Wednesday, and then hit the road for a trip to Kentucky starting on Friday. In Friday’s opener, Kentucky won 7-3. The Wildcats dominated the weekend from there, winning 14-7 on Saturday and 9-2 on Sunday to sweep, and stun, the Gamecocks.
Another important week is here for South Carolina, with a trip to No. 3 Arkansas coming up over the weekend following a home date with North Florida on Tuesday.
6. Kentucky
Weekly record: 3-0 (3-0)
Overall record: 33-13 (14-10)
Previous ranking: No. 9 (+3)
Kentucky entered the week having lost four straight SEC weekend series, and desperately needed to snap that skid to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats did just that against South Carolina. Kentucky beat South Carolina 7-3 on Friday before clinching the series with a 14-7 win on Saturday. To secure the sweep on Sunday, they won 9-2.
Teams 6-9 in our rankings are neck-and-neck, but Kentucky’s sweep launches them up to No. 6. The Wildcats will host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday before traveling to take on No. 23 Tennessee over the weekend.
7. Alabama
Weekly record: 2-1 (2-1)
Overall record: 32-16 (11-13)
Previous ranking: No. 7
After firing head coach Brad Bohannon just hours before Thursday’s first pitch, nobody knew what would come from Alabama over the final weeks of the season. But the Crimson Tide came out and won 11-2 over Vanderbilt in dominating fashion. While the Commodores won 4-1 on Friday, Alabama came back on Saturday and won a tight 2-1 ballgame to secure a massive series win, which likely has the Crimson Tide safely in the NCAA Tournament.
Not rising in our SEC baseball rankings was difficult for the Tide, but this range is extremely tight and the overall body of work kept other teams higher. Alabama will face Troy this week on Tuesday before heading to College Station for a series with Texas A&M starting on Friday.
8. Auburn
Weekly record: 2-1 (2-1)
Overall record: 27-19-1 (11-13)
Previous ranking: No. 8
Auburn appears to be getting hot at the perfect time. The Tigers entered this week having won two straight SEC series, including last weekend at South Carolina. Even after losing Friday’s series opener to LSU 3-0, Auburn took over and took care of business. They won 8-6 on Saturday and then clinched the series on Sunday in triumphant fashion, run-ruling LSU, 12-2.
On the NCAA Tournament bubble, Auburn is likely on the right side of things right now. They will need to keep winning to end the regular season, though, and that begins at Samford on Tuesday before going to Ole Miss starting on Thursday.
9. Tennessee
Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)
Overall record: 32-16 (12-12)
Previous ranking: No. 6 (-3)
Tennessee entered the week red hot, and that continued in the first two games. The Vols beat Wofford 13-3 on Tuesday before taking the opener at Georgia, 12-3. The Bulldogs had the last laugh on the weekend, though. Georgia won 3-1 on Saturday to even the series, also snapping a nine-game winning streak for Tennessee. The Vols then fell 9-4 in Sunday’s rubber match to drop the series.
After hosting Austin Peay on Tuesday, Tennessee remains at home to host No. 17 Kentucky for a three-game series starting Friday. A successful week could have the Vols back on the rise in our SEC baseball rankings next week.
10. Texas A&M
Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)
Overall record: 28-20 (11-13)
Previous ranking: No. 10
Texas A&M is a bubble team for this year’s NCAA Tournament, and headed into the week in desperate need of a turnaround, carrying a five-game losing skid. They snapped that on Tuesday with a 6-5 win vs. Tarleton, and then hosted Florida over the weekend. The Gators took the opener 6-5 on Friday, but it was all Aggies from there. Texas A&M evened the series with a 15-2 win on Saturday and won it with a 3-2 win on Sunday on the heels of a walk-off balk.
As Texas A&M looks to continue strengthening its NCAA Tournament resume, they will host UT Rio Grande on Tuesday before hosting Alabama over the weekend.
11. Georgia
Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)
Overall record: 27-21 (10-14)
Previous ranking: No. 11
Two weeks ago, Georgia looked to be in the NCAA Tournament after sweeping Arkansas. But after falling last weekend against Ole Miss, that changed. Georgia needed to respond with a strong week and that’s exactly what they did. The Bulldogs beat Kennesaw State 10-9 on Tuesday, and then dropped the opener to Tennessee on Friday. They then won 3-1 on Saturday to even the series and 9-4 on Sunday to clinch it.
Any other week and Georgia likely rises in our SEC baseball power rankings. That was tough this week with many teams in this range having success. Georgia is still a bubble team, so finishing strong will be important. That begins with SC Upstate on Wednesday before hitting the road for a series at Missouri starting on Friday.
12. Missouri
Weekly record: 3-1 (2-1)
Overall record: 27-20 (7-17)
Previous ranking: No. 14 (+2)
Missouri might be out of the NCAA Tournament picture, but this past weekend against Ole Miss was important for the SEC Tournament. The winner would be in a better position to make the field, as the SEC’s bottom two teams will miss the tournament. After beating Kansas 9-7 on Tuesday, Missouri started strong with an 11-9 win over Ole Miss on Thursday. They then won 13-3 on Friday before falling 20-14 in a high-scoring finale on Saturday.
The Tigers now control their own destiny for making it into the SEC Tournament field, but they’ll need to start by winning a series at home against Georgia this weekend.
Weekly record: 0-3 (0-3)
Overall record: 24-23 (6-18)
Previous ranking: No. 12 (-1)
Mississippi State is trying to make it into the SEC Tournament, as only the top 12 teams in the conference will do so. This weekend, their hopes took a hit. The Bulldogs lost all three games at home against Arkansas, falling 6-2 on Friday, 14-2 on Saturday and 11-6 on Sunday. Mississippi State has now lost eight straight games on the weekend, and are tied for the worst SEC record at 6-18.
After facing Memphis at home on Tuesday, Mississippi State hits the road for a trip to Baton Rouge, taking on No. 2 LSU starting on Friday.
14. Ole Miss
Weekly record: 2-2 (1-2)
Overall record: 25-23 (6-18)
Previous ranking: No. 13 (-1)
Ole Miss began the week with a 12-10 win against Little Rock, and then a massive weekend began at Missouri on Thursday. The Rebels fell 11-9 on Thursday and 13-3 on Friday, but responded with a 20-14 slugfest victory in Saturday’s finale. Unfortunately for Ole Miss, they now sit at the bottom of the SEC standings with two weekends to go. They are in serious danger of missing not only the NCAA Tournament, but the conference tournament.
This weekend’s series at home against Auburn is essentially must-win for Ole Miss. It begins on Thursday.