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The SEC set another record by getting five teams into the 2026 College World Series, breaking the previous record of four teams from the same conference.
With one bracket consisting of all SEC teams, it is guaranteed that one team from the conference will play in the title series for the ninth consecutive season in Omaha, Nebraska.
The five teams weren't necessarily tabbed to be the main contributors. Neither Ole Miss nor Oklahoma hosted a regional.
The preseason projections were even worse. In the preseason SEC coaches poll, only Texas was considered a CWS-caliber team. The Longhorns were picked to finish second in the league.
The other four teams in the CWS were picked in the bottom half of the league − Georgia at ninth, Ole Miss at 10th, Alabama at 12th and Oklahoma at 14th.
The College World Series begins June 12 at Charles Schwab Field when Ole Miss will open up against No. 5 North Carolina (6 p.m. CT, ESPN). On June 13, Oklahoma will face No. 7 Alabama (2 p.m. CT, ESPN) and No. 3 Georgia will face No. 6 Texas (7 p.m. CT, ESPN).
Here's how every team got here:
Texas and Georgia, who finished first and second in the SEC, have been at the top all season, but they did not face each other in the regular season. Now, they will face off in their opening game of the College World Series in a game that could determine who plays for the national title.
The two teams go about things differently. The Bulldogs built the majority of their roster through the transfer portal, and they targeted hitters who can mash. Their 174 home runs are 24 more than any other team in the country, but with a very vanilla pitching staff, they've had to outslug other teams. It's long been a common belief that Georgia's type of approach doesn't work in Charles Schwab Field, but in recent years, a team with a profile this extreme hasn't tried it out.
Texas is built on pitching at its core; its strikeout-to-walk ratio is tops among teams still remaining. What's helped the Longhorns in the postseason has been having the first team All-SEC duo of starter Dylan Volantis and closer Sam Cozart in a very heavily homegrown pitching staff. Transfers Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney lead the way in a lineup that isn't as deep as Georgia's but can still put up runs.
Ole Miss played one of the most difficult SEC schedules − just two of the bottom six teams in the conference were on its slate. But the Rebels' roster construction was built to excel in the postseason. Hunter Elliott, the 2022 College World Series champion, fronts a very heavily homegrown pitching staff, but he hasn't even been the best arm on the staff. Cade Townsend is a first-round prospect for the MLB draft, while Taylor Rabe has 98 strikeouts and 11 walks on the season. The relief duo of Walker Hooks and Hudson Calhoun can lock things down on the back end.
Tristan Bissetta and Judd Utermark have led the way in the offense, both blasting over 20 home runs. But the Rebels' offense has similar concerns to Georgia's, without the same level of batting average.
Most people wrote off Alabama before the season started, but the Crimson Tide have been one of the most steady, consistent teams throughout the season. The only team in the country to use the same three weekend starters for all 14 weeks of the regular season, Alabama has heavily ridden Tyler Fay, Zane Adams and Myles Upchurch. Brady Neal, Justin Lebron and Bryce Fowler lead a well-rounded lineup.
The Crimson Tide don't stand out in any one area statistically, but they can win games in multiple ways, which could help them in Omaha.
Every year there's a team in Omaha whose success is inexplicable other than simply "they got hot at the right time." This year, that's Oklahoma.
The Sooners took down Georgia Tech and Kansas to advance. In the regular season and SEC Tournament, Oklahoma had just 65 home runs. In the NCAA Tournament, the Sooners have 18 home runs. Deiten LaChance and Brendan Brock have been the season-long power threats, but Dayton Tockey has five home runs since the regular season ended. The rotation, meanwhile, has improved since moving freshmen Xander Mercurius and Cord Rager to the front of the rotation.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: SEC gets record five SEC baseball teams in College World Series, here's how
Continue reading...
With one bracket consisting of all SEC teams, it is guaranteed that one team from the conference will play in the title series for the ninth consecutive season in Omaha, Nebraska.
The five teams weren't necessarily tabbed to be the main contributors. Neither Ole Miss nor Oklahoma hosted a regional.
The preseason projections were even worse. In the preseason SEC coaches poll, only Texas was considered a CWS-caliber team. The Longhorns were picked to finish second in the league.
The other four teams in the CWS were picked in the bottom half of the league − Georgia at ninth, Ole Miss at 10th, Alabama at 12th and Oklahoma at 14th.
The College World Series begins June 12 at Charles Schwab Field when Ole Miss will open up against No. 5 North Carolina (6 p.m. CT, ESPN). On June 13, Oklahoma will face No. 7 Alabama (2 p.m. CT, ESPN) and No. 3 Georgia will face No. 6 Texas (7 p.m. CT, ESPN).
Here's how every team got here:
Texas and Georgia have contended all year
Texas and Georgia, who finished first and second in the SEC, have been at the top all season, but they did not face each other in the regular season. Now, they will face off in their opening game of the College World Series in a game that could determine who plays for the national title.
The two teams go about things differently. The Bulldogs built the majority of their roster through the transfer portal, and they targeted hitters who can mash. Their 174 home runs are 24 more than any other team in the country, but with a very vanilla pitching staff, they've had to outslug other teams. It's long been a common belief that Georgia's type of approach doesn't work in Charles Schwab Field, but in recent years, a team with a profile this extreme hasn't tried it out.
Texas is built on pitching at its core; its strikeout-to-walk ratio is tops among teams still remaining. What's helped the Longhorns in the postseason has been having the first team All-SEC duo of starter Dylan Volantis and closer Sam Cozart in a very heavily homegrown pitching staff. Transfers Aiden Robbins and Carson Tinney lead the way in a lineup that isn't as deep as Georgia's but can still put up runs.
Ole Miss is built for the postseason
Ole Miss played one of the most difficult SEC schedules − just two of the bottom six teams in the conference were on its slate. But the Rebels' roster construction was built to excel in the postseason. Hunter Elliott, the 2022 College World Series champion, fronts a very heavily homegrown pitching staff, but he hasn't even been the best arm on the staff. Cade Townsend is a first-round prospect for the MLB draft, while Taylor Rabe has 98 strikeouts and 11 walks on the season. The relief duo of Walker Hooks and Hudson Calhoun can lock things down on the back end.
Tristan Bissetta and Judd Utermark have led the way in the offense, both blasting over 20 home runs. But the Rebels' offense has similar concerns to Georgia's, without the same level of batting average.
Alabama has been the SEC's biggest surprise
Most people wrote off Alabama before the season started, but the Crimson Tide have been one of the most steady, consistent teams throughout the season. The only team in the country to use the same three weekend starters for all 14 weeks of the regular season, Alabama has heavily ridden Tyler Fay, Zane Adams and Myles Upchurch. Brady Neal, Justin Lebron and Bryce Fowler lead a well-rounded lineup.
The Crimson Tide don't stand out in any one area statistically, but they can win games in multiple ways, which could help them in Omaha.
Oklahoma got hot at the right time
Every year there's a team in Omaha whose success is inexplicable other than simply "they got hot at the right time." This year, that's Oklahoma.
The Sooners took down Georgia Tech and Kansas to advance. In the regular season and SEC Tournament, Oklahoma had just 65 home runs. In the NCAA Tournament, the Sooners have 18 home runs. Deiten LaChance and Brendan Brock have been the season-long power threats, but Dayton Tockey has five home runs since the regular season ended. The rotation, meanwhile, has improved since moving freshmen Xander Mercurius and Cord Rager to the front of the rotation.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: SEC gets record five SEC baseball teams in College World Series, here's how
Continue reading...
