College Baseball Rankings: Predicting D1Baseball Top 25 after conference tournaments

Conference tournament week is in the books. With the NCAA Tournament next up, it’s time to predict how D1Baseball’s latest top 25 rankings will look after the week’s action.

The week was full of action and also full of weather delays. In the end, each of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC saw the same team win the regular season and tournament titles, among a few other leagues. Those teams are all going to be ranked highly.

Just one new team joins this week’s predicted D1Baseball top 25 rankings. Here’s how we expect the full top 25 to look.

1. UCLA

Previous Ranking: No. 1
Previous Week Record: 3-0

UCLA’s run at the top of the rankings continues into the postseason. The Bruins swept their way through the Big Ten Tournament, defeating Purdue, USC and Oregon to take home both the regular season and tournament titles.

2. Georgia Tech

Previous Ranking: No. 3 (+1)
Previous Week Record: 3-0

Georgia Tech put on an impressive performance in Charlotte, going 3-0 and sweeping through the ACC Tournament. The Yellow Jackets scored 38 runs in three games, defeating Virginia, Miami and North Carolina to win the tournament title. They could move up in this week’s D1Baseball top 25 to No. 2.

3. Georgia

Previous Ranking: No. 4 (+1)
Previous Week Record: 3-0

Georgia dominated through the SEC regular season and then swept its way through the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs picked up three tough wins against Mississippi State, Florida and Arkansas in Hoover, putting a stamp on the week with an 11-1 win in the championship game against the Razorbacks.

4. North Carolina

Previous Ranking: No. 2 (-2)
Previous Week Record: 2-1

North Carolina impressed in its first two games of the ACC Tournament. The Tar Heels beat Virginia Tech 10-4 and then Pittsburgh 13-5 to reach the championship game. There, UNC fell short and lost 13-6 against Georgia Tech.

5. Auburn

Previous Ranking: No. 6 (+1)
Previous Week Record: 2-1

Auburn started off its run in Hoover with wins against LSU and Texas A&M, advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals. The Tigers’ run ended there, though, falling 2-1 to Arkansas on Saturday. They could move back up into the top five of D1Baseball’s top 25 after the two wins.

6. Texas

Previous Ranking: No. 5 (-1)
Previous Week Record: 0-1

Texas didn’t have a long stay in Hoover at all. The Longhorns opened their week on Friday and lost 8-1 against Arkansas. Still, they won’t drop far, if at all. Texas finished second in the SEC during the regular season.

7. Southern Miss

Previous Ranking: No. 8 (+1)
Previous Week Record: 4-1

The Sun Belt Tournament was heavily impacted by rain, but Southern Miss prevailed. The Golden Eagles had to play five games, including two on Sunday, but ultimately came away as champions with a 4-1 record on the week. They’re moving up in our D1Baseball top 25 predictions.

8. Oregon State

Previous Ranking: No. 7 (-1)
Previous Week Record: 0-0

Oregon State plays baseball as an independent without a conference, so it was not in action this week. The Beavers went 43-12 during the regular season.

9. Kansas

Previous Ranking: No. 13 (+4)
Previous Week Record: 3-0

Kansas won the Big 12 regular season but didn’t stop there. The Jayhawks went 3-0 this week, picking up victories against Baylor, Oklahoma State and West Virginia to sweep their way through the Big 12 Tournament. They’re bound to join the top ten in D1Baseball’s top 25.

10. Arkansas

Previous Ranking: No. 12 (+2)
Previous Week Record: 3-1

Arkansas played great baseball last week, beating Tennessee, Texas and Auburn on its way to an appearance in the SEC championship. The Razorbacks fell short in the final, though, falling 11-1 against Georgia. Still, an impressive run for Arkansas.

D1Baseball Top 25 Predictions: 11-25

11. West Virginia (-2)
12. Oregon (+2)
13. Texas A&M (-3)
14. Florida State (-3)
15. Alabama
16. Mississippi State
17. Florida (+1)
18. Ole Miss (-1)
19. Oklahoma State
20. Nebraska
21. Arizona State
22. Jacksonville State (NR)
23. Tennessee
24. Cincinnati (-2)
25. USC

Predicted to drop out of D1Baseball Top 25: Coastal Carolina (prev. No. 24)