Where Kentucky sits in latest Field of 64 Projections

Where-Kentucky-sits-latest-Field-64-Projections — Kentucky's James McCoy (Photo via UK Athletics)

Following its four-game skid and 11 spot drop in the RPI Rankings, Kentucky is teetering on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.

The ‘Cats were one of the final teams left out of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, while hosting Regionals in both 2023 and 2024. Nick Mingione is back in familiar territory on the bubble, due to the recent play of his team. After getting as high as the No. 21 overall seed in the D1Baseball’s projections following the Tennessee series and Louisville win (five spots away from being a Regional host), Kentucky is either “Last Four In” or “Last Four Out” in recent projections.

Starting with On3’s latest Field of 64 Projections, Kentucky is listed among the “Last Four In”. “Kentucky also slides down to one of the last teams in after being swept by Mississippi State,” wrote On3’s Jonathan Wagner. “The Wildcats (both Kentucky and Kansas State) are in serious danger, and a strengthening bubble will only make it tougher.”

Here, the ‘Cats are the No. 3 seed in the Corvallis Regional alongside No. 1 seed Oregon State, No. 2 Arizona and No. 4 San Diego. Last season, Kentucky hosted the Beavers in the Lexington Super Regional.

In D1Baseball’s latest Projections, Kentucky is also in the “Last Four In”. The ‘Cats are the No. 3 seed in the Morgantown Regional along with No. 1 seed West Virginia, No. 2 Duke and No. 4 George Mason. Once again, this would be a bit of a “tables turned” situation for Kentucky. It hosted West Virginia in 2023’s Lexington Regional, where the Mountaineers were highly upset with their staying situation.

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WVU was forced to stay in the University of Kentucky dorms due to limited hotels in the Lexington area due to the Railbird Festival.

Finally, Kentucky is in the “Next Four Out” group in College Baseball Central’s latest projections. Here, five teams are listed ahead of the ‘Cats including Western Kentucky.

To say this weekend’s series against Oklahoma is a massive one would be an understatement. The ‘Cats will have to go at least 3-3 in their final six SEC games to reach the 13 conference win mark. Just three SEC teams (2006 Mississippi State, 2009 Vanderbilt and 2021 Alabama) with fewer than 13 conference wins have made the NCAA Tournament in the 21st century.