Baseball America is back with a brand new College World Series projection featuring four teams that held onto their spots and four newcomers replacing Florida State, North Carolina, Oregon State and Texas A&M.
It is important to note that this prediction is accurate to our latest Field of 64, meaning no teams in this installment of Eight for Omaha would face each other in a projected regional or super regional. Teams are listed alphabetically.
Arkansas
- Record: 38-9; 15-7 SEC
- RPI: 5
- Top 25: 10th
Arkansas’ recent slide continued in Week 11 with a series loss at Florida—its third straight series defeat and second in a row to an unranked opponent. But the Razorbacks responded with authority Thursday night, routing No. 1 Texas to remind everyone they’re still as dangerous as they were when they sat atop the rankings. The recent stumbles are real, but so is the ceiling. Arkansas still looks like an Omaha-caliber team, and for now, it continues to earn the benefit of the doubt with its third-straight appearance in BA’s Eight for Omaha.
Georgia
- Record: 36-11; 12-9 SEC
- RPI: 2
- Top 25: 4
Georgia debuts in the Eight for Omaha after continuing to stack big wins and climbing all the way to No. 2 in the RPI. The Bulldogs are among the nation’s hottest teams and have built one of the most impressive resumes in the country. There are real concerns about the pitching staff, which rarely sees starters go deep and sometimes forces the team into high-scoring shootouts. But the offense is built for exactly that kind of game, and right now, the Bulldogs are proving they can win just about any way they need to.
LSU
- Record: 37-9; 14-7 SEC
- RPI: 6
- Top 25: 2
LSU strengthened its standing among the nation’s elite with a series win over Tennessee last week, further solidifying its postseason credentials. There was never any doubt the Tigers would remain in the Eight for Omaha, and they continue to look the part of a true national title contender.
UC Irvine
- Record: 33-9; 19-2 Big West
- RPI: 11
- Top 25: 9
A month ago, it might’ve seemed far-fetched to include a Big West team in the Omaha conversation. But with each passing week, UC Irvine is making that prediction feel less like a reach. The Anteaters have steamrolled the Big West, all but locked up a hosting spot and now have a realistic path to a top-eight national seed. They’re built the right way, with a deep and balanced staff that includes standout starters like Riley Kelly and Trevor Hansen, plus bullpen weapons Max Martin and Ricky Ojeda. Every ingredient is there for a deep run, and from this vantage point, Irvine looks like a team that can do real damage in June.
Coastal Carolina
- Record: 34-11; 17-4 Sun Belt
- RPI: 12
- Top 25: 11
Coastal Carolina might not be facing the toughest competition day to day, but it has all the ingredients for a legitimate postseason surge. The Chanticleers have a deep, reliable pitching staff with three highly-productive starters and a lineup capable of putting up runs in a hurry. I’m backing them to make a run for now, as the pieces are in place for a return to Omaha.
Clemson
- Record: 36-10; 13-8 ACC
- RPI: 8
- Top 25: 6
After 10 weeks of steady dominance, Clemson finally stumbled, getting swept on the road by a red-hot NC State team. It was the Tigers’ first series loss of the season and their first weekend sweep in nearly a year. Like with Arkansas, we’re chalking that up to everyone having a bad week now and then.
Tennessee
- Record: 36-9; 13-8 SEC
- RPI: 10
- Top 25: 7
Tennessee leads the nation in weeks spent ranked No. 1, as well as weeks inside the top three. But the Vols dropped to their lowest position of the season after a weekend series loss to then-No. 4 LSU. Even so, there’s no panic here. The Volunteers still boast one of the most dangerous lineups and hardest-throwing pitching staffs in the country. That firepower plays in June, and I’m sticking with them in the Omaha mix.
Texas
- Record: 38-6; 19-3 SEC
- RPI: 1
- Top 25: 1
It would be crazy to bet against Texas—even after it got torched in one game against Arkansas. The Longhorns are on a historic pace in the toughest conference in college baseball and have looked like the sport’s most complete team for weeks. Injuries are a concern, but Texas has held it together through 22 SEC games, dropping just three. As long as it stays upright, there’s no reason to think this team won’t be in Omaha with a real shot to win it all.
