FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For Arkansas fans that have never won a championship despite some agonizingly-close No. 2 finishes, they start play in the College World Series as the betting favorite.
For the major sports (football, men’s basketball and baseball) the Razorbacks have one national championship they won.
There is a claim for a football title but that one’s up for debate nationally because of the 1964 way championships were chosen.
Winning in Omaha, Neba., would not be disputed this year.
Coach Calipari is here to wish the team good luck before heading to the ballpark! #WPS pic.twitter.com/ArcakCEyBO
— Pig Trail Nation (@PigTrailNation) June 14, 2025
The CWS is set for a marquee SEC clash as the No. 3-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks take on the No. 6-seeded LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha on Saturday at 6 p.m., with ESPN handling the broadcast.
Both teams arrive with impressive résumés and storylines that go beyond just the numbers.
Arkansas (48-13, 20-10 SEC) has run the table in the NCAA Tournament thus far, dispatching North Dakota State and Creighton twice in the Fayetteville Regional before taking down Tennessee in two straight during the Super Regional.
LSU (48-15, 19-11 SEC) had its own scare, dropping a game to Little Rock in the Baton Rouge Regional, but responded with a decisive winner-take-all victory, then swept West Virginia in the Super Regional to punch its ticket to Omaha.
Here come the OmaHogs pic.twitter.com/RlJKBDFjEG
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 14, 2025
Ticket prices for this game are going off the chart. Somehow, it’s going to cost an awful lot more for fans that were getting a ticket on the secondary market at the last minute.
The matchup is a familiar one. Since 1960, the Razorbacks have just a 45-79 record against the Tigers, and under Dave Van Horn’s leadership, Arkansas has gone 31-46 versus LSU.
“We know what kind of team we’re facing,” Van Horn said during practice in Omaha. “LSU is disciplined and they’ve got experience in big moments. But so do we. Our guys are loose, focused, and ready for the challenge.”
On the mound, Arkansas will start Zach Root (3.59 ERA), while LSU counters with Kade Anderson (3.58 ERA). Both lefties have been steady all season, and with the double-elimination tournament format, pitching depth could be critical.
On the mound in Omaha: LHP Zach Root pic.twitter.com/ONtyktg2ft
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 14, 2025
“As good of a constructed pitching staff I’ve seen in my time in college baseball,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said of Arkansas’s arms “It’s about focus, execution, and trusting your preparation. This group has shown they rise to the moment.”
The stakes are clear. Only one loss can be absorbed before a team is on the brink in Omaha’s double-elimination gauntlet.
The winner will advance to face either UCLA or Murray State, while the loser faces an uphill battle in the elimination bracket.
For Arkansas, this is the 12th College World Series appearance in program history and their eighth trip under Van Horn.
“Our guys have been here before,” Van Horn said. “They know what it takes to play under the lights in Omaha.”
LSU, meanwhile, is just a year removed from its most recent national championship, with Johnson at the helm. The Tigers’ powerful lineup and postseason experience could make the difference.
For fans, the game can be watched on ESPN or heard across Arkansas on RSN affiliates, including ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain with Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter.
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