An entire series of college baseball has come and gone, and it’s now down to eight teams: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, Troy, and West Virginia. The College World Series starts Friday in Omaha, Neb., and here are some of the main storylines to watch out for.
For those unfamiliar with post-season college baseball, the top 64 teams in the country battled it out in the double-elimination Regionals, followed by the top 16 facing off in the best-of-three Super Regionals. The College World Series follows a similar format: a double-elimination tournament with the winners of those tournaments playing a final best-of-three series.
The first timers
One of the most fascinating things about this College World Series field is that none of the teams that made it to Omaha last year were in the hunt. This year’s finalists include two first-time competitors.
The first game of this year’s tournament features West Virginia and Troy, two teams making their Omaha debut. They’re the true underdogs of the tournament, and they could make some big statements in the series.
One conference to rule them all
Over half of this year’s College World Series field hails from a single conference: the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Five SEC teams punched their tickets to Omaha, which is a record for a single conference.
Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas represent the SEC, which has been dominant in the polls and throughout the season. Georgia won both the SEC regular season championship and the SEC tournament championship, and the other four teams are formidable.
Related: Remembering Rennie Stennett: From His 7-for-7 Game to His Grandson's Postseason Moment
The stacked bracket
Bracket 2 included four SEC teams: Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Texas. It’s going to be a gauntlet to emerge from this bracket. The teams in this bracket know what they’re in for.
“I tell people all the time, winning is probably the most unloyal thing there is in this world,” Georgia head coach Wes Johnson said. "The minute you take your foot off the gas and start thinking… I have this fear that somebody’s going to try to lap me, and I can’t let that happen.”
Alabama and Oklahoma faced off in the regular season, with Alabama taking that series, but Oklahoma has gotten red hot in postseason play. Georgia and Texas didn’t face each other in the regular season or during the SEC tournament, so they’ll face off for the first time all year in what will certainly be an electrifying game.
Players to watch
It’s tough to pick just one player from each team (especially the teams I’m familiar with), but here’s a player to watch from all eight teams in the College World Series.
Alabama: SS Justin Lebron, one of the most talked-about players all season, is a power hitter who produces highlight-reel quality defense in nearly every game.
Georgia: C Daniel Jackson is the SEC Player of the Year with 31 home runs and 86 RBI coming into Omaha, always a threat to steal — and foil potential stolen bases from behind the plate.
North Carolina: SS Jake Schaffner is a .400 postseason hitter with tremendous speed and a penchant for hitting doubles.
Oklahoma: 3B Camden Johnson, a power hitter, base stealer, and all-around defensive athlete.
Ole Miss: RHP Cade Townsend, a thrilling hurler with a 98 mph fastball and four other effective pitches.
Texas: OF Aiden Robbins, a versatile outfielder with a quick bat, strong contact skills, and baserunning speed.
Troy: SS Aaron Piasecki, a hitting machine with defensive chops who’s been hitting .407 throughout postseason play.
West Virginia: C/2B/OF Gavin Kelly, a versatile hitter who is already turning heads as the projected number one prospect in the 2027 Major League Baseball draft.
This weekend’s matchups
- Friday, June 12: No. 16 West Virginia vs. Troy (2 p.m.); No. 5 North Carolina vs. Ole Miss (7 p.m.)
- Saturday, June 13: No. 7 Alabama vs. Oklahoma (3 p.m.); No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas (8 p.m.)
Elimination games and winners’ bracket games start on Sunday. You can catch it all on ESPN or the College World Series app.
It’s going to be so much fun to watch (and listen, since I like to listen to Georgia's incredible radio coverage). Go Dawgs!
The College World Series is here, and between Georgia chasing glory, the SEC taking over Omaha, and two first-time teams trying to shock everybody, there’s no shortage of drama. PJ Media will keep bringing you smart, fearless coverage of sports, culture, politics, and everything else the legacy media manages to fumble like a routine grounder.
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