The Windup: Previewing SEC baseball Week 9 slate (April 10-13)

SEC baseball is in full swing. Fans around the conference have been treated to some exciting action for the last 2 months.

With March Madness all wrapped up, baseball takes center stage in the SEC. It’s Week 9 of the college baseball season, and after this weekend, we’ll be halfway through the SEC slate. We’re starting to get a good feel for which teams will likely be playing in the NCAA Tournament, but a lot can happen with 18 remaining conference games.

Ahead of all the action Thursday-Sunday, The Windup is here to provide a quick glance at where each squad stands entering this weekend’s conference series.

Mississippi State at Alabama

Mississippi State at a glance:

• Overall record: 20-13
• SEC record: 3-9
• Home record: 14-5
• Road record: 3-6
• Streak: W3
• Last SEC series: W, 2-1 vs. South Carolina
• RPI: 47

Alabama at a glance:

• Overall record: 28-6
• SEC record: 7-5
• Home record: 18-4
• Road record: 6-2
• Streak: W1
• Last SEC series: L, 1-2 vs. Auburn
• RPI: 8

Off the bat watchability rating: Heading for the gap

There’s some solid intrigue in this matchup. Alabama currently has the resume to host a Regional in Tuscaloosa, but things could change if the Crimson Tide drops another series. Mississippi State is not on the bubble radar right now, but a 3-9 start in conference play means a 13-17 SEC record – often considered the minimum requirement for an NCAA Tournament bid – is not out of reach.

Arkansas at Georgia

Arkansas at a glance:

• Overall record: 31-3
• SEC record: 11-1
• Home record: 23-1
• Road record: 5-1
• Streak: W8
• Last SEC series: W, 3-0 vs. Mizzou
• RPI: 1

Georgia at a glance:

• Overall record: 30-5
• SEC record: 8-4
• Home record: 22-1
• Road record: 6-4
• Streak: W1
• Last SEC series: L, 0-3 vs. Texas
• RPI: 3

Off the bat watchability rating: Tape-measure power

How will Arkansas handle having a target on its back as the new No. 1 in the major college baseball polls? Will Georgia bounce back from getting swept by Texas? These two teams have already entered the 30-win club and are top-3 RPI squads, so future meetings could be happening in Hoover and Omaha with a lot more on the line, but that doesn’t take anything away from this weekend in Athens, where UGA has only lost 1 game all season.

LSU at Auburn

LSU at a glance:

• Overall record: 31-3
• SEC record: 10-2
• Home record: 22-1
• Road record: 5-2
• Streak: W9
• Last SEC series: W, 3-0 vs. Oklahoma
• RPI: 5

Auburn at a glance:

• Overall record: 23-10
• SEC record: 6-6
• Home record: 15-5
• Road record: 3-5
• Streak: W2
• Last SEC series: W, 2-1 vs. Alabama
• RPI: 11

Off the bat watchability rating: Out of the park

An exciting weekend awaits on The Plains. LSU and Auburn are rivals in any sport, and both enter Week 9 of the season playing well lately. Both Tiger teams are currently projected to be Regional hosts come NCAA Tournament time. Someone’s momentum is about to be slowed with a series loss.

Mizzou at Florida (Thursday-Saturday)

Mizzou at a glance:

• Overall record: 12-20
• SEC record: 0-12
• Home record: 7-10
• Road record: 1-7
• Streak: W1
• Last SEC series: L, 0-3 Arkansas
• RPI: 146

Florida at a glance:

• Overall record: 21-14
• SEC record: 1-11
• Home record: 17-7
• Road record: 4-6
• Streak: W1
• Last SEC series: L, 0-3 vs. Vanderbilt
• RPI: 33

Off the bat watchability rating: Can of corn

Well, somebody has to snap its SEC losing skid. Mizzou and Florida are at the bottom of the SEC standings after each getting swept last weekend. If the Tigers or Gators are going to turn things around, now’s the time to start. The matchup, though, offers zero intrigue to outsiders.

Texas at Kentucky

Texas at a glance:

• Overall record: 27-4
• SEC record: 11-1
• Home record: 16-3
• Road record: 6-0
• Streak: W4
• Last SEC series: W, 3-0 vs. Georgia
• RPI: 4

Kentucky at a glance:

• Overall record: 18-12
• SEC record: 5-7
• Home record: 10-7
• Road record: 8-5
• Streak: L3
• Last SEC series: L, 1-2 vs. Ole Miss
• RPI: 40

Off the bat watchability rating: Heading for the gap

Texas is cruising through its first season of SEC competition. There’s still plenty of action ahead, but the Longhorns are in the mix for SEC championships and a potential No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky, meanwhile, is currently on the tournament bubble entering a crucial weekend.

Tennessee at Ole Miss

Tennessee at a glance:

• Overall record: 29-4
• SEC record: 9-3
• Home record: 21-3
• Road record: 5-1
• Streak: W1
• Last SEC series: L, 1-2 vs. Texas A&M
• RPI: 7

Ole Miss at a glance:

• Overall record: 26-7
• SEC record: 8-4
• Home record: 18-3
• Road record: 6-2
• Streak: W4
• Last SEC series: W, 2-1 vs. Kentucky
• RPI: 9

Off the bat watchability rating: Out of the park

When Tennessee and Ole Miss play, expect some fireworks. As if an SEC matchup of two top-10 teams in RPI isn’t exciting enough, it pits the defending national champions coming off their first SEC series loss against a Rebels team that just scored 29 runs for a new school record. Get your popcorn ready.

Vanderbilt at Oklahoma

Vanderbilt at a glance:

• Overall record: 25-8
• SEC record: 7-5
• Home record: 18-3
• Road record: 6-3
• Streak: W5
• Last SEC series: W, 3-0 vs. Florida
• RPI: 6

Oklahoma at a glance:

• Overall record: 23-9
• SEC record: 5-7
• Home record: 15-5
• Road record: 4-4
• Streak: L4
• Last SEC series: L, 0-3 vs. LSU
• RPI: 21

Off the bat watchability rating: Off the wall

With a strong overall record and solid RPI, Oklahoma is in the mix to be a Regional host in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners desperately need to avoid another sweep. Seven of OU’s 9 losses on the season have come in SEC play. The Vandy Boys come in with a 5-game winning streak, including a sweep of Florida.

South Carolina at Texas A&M (Thursday-Saturday)

South Carolina at a glance:

• Overall record: 20-14
• SEC record: 2-10
• Home record: 16-6
• Road record: 3-6
• Streak: W1
• Last SEC series: L, 1-2 vs. Mississippi State
• RPI: 39

Texas A&M at a glance:

• Overall record: 17-15
• SEC record: 3-9
• Home record: 13-9
• Road record: 3-4
• Streak: W3
• Last SEC series: W, 2-1 vs. Tennessee
• RPI: 61

Off the bat watchability rating: Seeing-eye single

Texas A&M and South Carolina have both had rough 2025 seasons. The Aggies, though, turned some heads with a series win over Tennessee. Both teams desperately need some SEC wins to fight their way into the NCAA Tournament picture. It will be interesting to see if the Aggies can keep things rolling or if the Gamecocks start to turn things around.