College Baseball Rankings Top 25 (3/26/18)
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Oregon State beat Washington to win its 14th straight Pac-12 Conference series dating back to 2016 and remains atop the Baseball America Top 25, powered by Louisville Slugger.
The Beavers lost the series finale Sunday, snapping a 15-game winning streak in conference play that dated back to last season. Oregon State has been ranked No. 1 in 13 of the last 18 weeks. Coastal Carolina is the lone team this week to join the Top 25. The Chanticleers have won seven straight games and return to the ranking at No. 24 after a two-week absence. Dropping out of the Top 25 is Sam Houston State, which suffered a losing week. The Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with eight teams in the Top 25. The Atlantic Coast Conference follows with five representatives.
The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are through March 25 and do not include ties.
1. Oregon State
Previous rank: No. 1
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 20-2, 5-1 in Pac-12 (0-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
Results March 24-25: Washington: W 16-1, W 5-2, L 8-4 Upcoming March 29-31: @ Utah
Week in a sentence: Another weekend, another Pac-12 Conference series win; the Beavers have been playing with machine-like consistency since the start of last season.
2. Florida
Previous rank: No. 2
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 21-5, 4-2 in SEC (3-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 6-0
Results March 21: Jacksonville: W 10-3 March 23-25: (4) Arkansas: L 6-3, W 17-2, W 5-4
Upcoming March 27: vs. (5) Florida State in Jacksonville March 30-April 1: (8) Vanderbilt
Week in a sentence: In the premier Top 25 series of the week, the Gators battled back from a series-opening loss to take a well-earned series win against the mighty Razorbacks.
3. Stanford
Previous rank: No. 3
Last week: 3-0
Overall: 17-2, 3-0 in Pac-12 (6-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-0
Results March 23-25: Southern California: W 5-1, W 11-1, W 18-0
Upcoming March 27: San Diego March 29-31: Oregon
Week in a sentence: A week break to take exams had no ill effects on the Cardinal, as Stanford walloped a young but talented Southern California team to start Pac-12 play.
4. Mississippi
Previous rank: No. 7
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 22-3, 4-2 in SEC (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 6-0
Results March 20: New Orleans: W 9-4 March 22-24: (13) Texas A&M: W 5-4, L 7-6, W 7-6
Upcoming March 27: (14) Southern Mississippi March 29-31: (6) Arkansas
Week in a sentence: The Rebels are off to a rolling start in Southeastern Conference play, winning series against Tennessee and then taking down Texas A&M in a tough road environment.
5. Florida State
Previous rank: No. 5
Last week: 4-1
Overall: 20-5, 5-4 in ACC (2-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-1
Results March 20-21: (20) Central Florida: W 6-4, W 13-3 March 23-25: @ North Carolina: L 16-8, W 6-3 (10), W 9-4
Upcoming March 27: vs. (2) Florida in Jacksonville March 29-31: (20) Louisville
Week in a sentence: Nothing came easily for Florida State on the road against North Carolina, but it was able to battle late against the UNC bullpen in the final two games to seal the series.
6. Arkansas
Previous rank: No. 4
Last week: 1-3
Overall: 17-7, 4-2 in SEC (4-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
Results March 21: @ Charlotte: L 6-3 March 23-25: (2) Florida: W 6-3, L 17-2, L 5-4
Upcoming March 27: @ Memphis Marc 29-31: @ (4) Mississippi
Week in a sentence: Though they weren’t able to claim the series, the Razorbacks fared well in an incredibly tough draw on the road against the reigning national champions.
7. Kentucky
Previous rank: No. 8
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 17-7, 2-4 in SEC (4-5 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-1
Results March 20: @ Xavier: W 20-4 (8) March 23-25: (6) Auburn: W 5-4, L 4-3 (7), W 13-3
Upcoming March 28: Miami (Ohio) March 30-April 1: @ Alabama
Week in a sentence: The Wildcats rebounded nicely after getting swept at Arkansas, taking down a very hot Auburn team and winning the rubber game in dominating fashion.
8. Vanderbilt
Previous rank: No. 9
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 17-7, 5-1 in SEC (4-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
Results March 21: @ Belmont: L 8-5 March 23-25: (18) Louisiana State: W 4-2, L 6-2, W 1-0
Upcoming March 27: Lipscomb March 30-April 1: @ (2) Florida
Week in a sentence: The young Commodores are firing on all cylinders and have opened SEC play in searing-hot fashion by sweeping Mississippi State on the road, then claiming a home series against Louisiana State.
9. Auburn
Previous rank: No. 6
Last week: 1-3
Overall: 20-5, 3-3 in SEC (4-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-1
Results March 20: @ Georgia Tech: L 6-4 March 23-25: @ (8) Kentucky: L 5-4, W 4-3 (7), L 13-3
Upcoming March 27: vs. Alabama in Montgomery March 30-April 1: Missouri
Week in a sentence: A week after catapulting into the Top 10, the Tigers dropped a hard-fought series against the Wildcats in the tightly bunched, fiercely competitive SEC.
10. North Carolina State
Previous rank: No. 10
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 20-4, 7-2 in ACC (3-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-0
Results March 23-25: Georgia Tech: L 13-4, W 5-2, W 9-6
Upcoming March 27: George Mason March 29-31: @ Virginia Tech
Week in a sentence: A week after sweeping Clemson on the road and vaulting into the top 10, the Wolfpack showcased its resiliency by coming back against Georgia Tech—and scoring six runs in the eighth inning of the rubber game to seal the series.
11. Texas Tech
Previous rank: No. 11
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 21-5, 1-2 in Big 12 (6-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-2
Results March 23-25: Northeastern: W 22-3, W 12-3, W 13-2, W 9-4
Upcoming March 27: @ New Mexico State March 29-31: West Virginia
Week in a sentence: After dropping two consecutive road series, the Red Raiders got back to the friendly confines of Rip Griffin Park and rebounded with a clean, dominant four-game sweep of Northeastern.
12. Clemson
Previous rank: No. 12
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 18-6, 5-4 in ACC (2-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-1
Results March 20: @ Coastal Carolina: L 9-5 March 23-25: @ (17) Louisville: W 3-1, W 4-3, L 5-1
Upcoming March 27: @ Furman March 29-31: Boston College
Week in a sentence: The Tigers shook off a home sweep to North Carolina State and a walk-off loss at Coastal Carolina by going to three-time ACC champ Louisville’s home ballpark and winning two out of three.
13. Duke
Previous rank: No. 14
Last week: 4-1
Overall: 20-5, 6-3 in ACC (3-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-1
Results March 20: @ Campbell: W 4-0 March 21: Maryland-Eastern Shore: W 9-5 March 23-25: @ Pittsburgh: W 12-6, L 8-7, W 6-5
Upcoming March 27: Presbyterian March 30-April 1: Notre Dame
Week in a sentence: The Blue Devils are the fastest Duke team to 20 wins since the 1998 club and lead the ACC Coastal Division after three straight series wins to open conference play.
14. Southern Mississippi
Previous rank: No. 15
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 17-5, 4-1 in CUSA (3-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-0
Results March 20: Southern: W 12-1 March 23-25: @ Florida Atlantic: L 6-5, W 5-2, W 14-3
Upcoming March 27: @ (4) Mississippi March 30-April 1: Rice
Week in a sentence: In their toughest series since opening weekend against Mississippi State, the Golden Eagles went to Florida Atlantic and won a huge, resume-boosting Conference USA series.
15. UCLA
Previous rank: No. 16
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 15-5, 5-1 in Pac-12 (0-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-0
Results March 23-25: Arizona State: W 5-4 (10), W 12-1, L 4-0 Upcoming March 29-31: @ California
Week in a sentence: After Oregon State ran away with the Pac-12 last year, the conference is looking much more like a three-team race this year, as the Bruins have gotten off to a 5-1 start in league play.
16. Texas A&M
Previous rank: No. 13
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 19-6, 2-4 in SEC (2-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-2
Results March 20: @ Rice: W 13-4 March 22-24: (7) Mississippi: L 5-4, W 7-6, L 7-6
Upcoming March 27: @ Texas A&M-Corpus Christi March 29-31: @ Georgia
Week in a sentence: Texas A&M fought played Ole Miss nearly straight up for 27 innings, but came out on the losing end of a hard-fought series and the Aggies have now lost back-to-back series to open SEC play.
17. East Carolina
Previous rank: No. 21
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 18-5, 2-1 in American (4-2 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-0
Results March 23-25: @ (20) Central Florida: L 9-1, W 12-4, W 11-5
Upcoming March 29-31: Wichita State
Week in a sentence: East Carolina announced itself as American Athletic Conference contenders by going on the road and winning a series at defending conference champion Central Florida and outscoring the Knights 23-9 over the last two games.
18. Indiana
Previous rank: No. 19
Last week: 1-1
Overall: 16-5, 1-1 in Big Ten (1-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-0-1
Results March 23: @ Iowa: W 4-2, L 5-1
Upcoming March 27: @ Indiana State March 29-31: Butler
Week in a sentence: Weather wreaked havoc on Indiana’s schedule this week, limiting it to just a doubleheader at Iowa to open Big Ten Conference play.
19. Texas Christian
Previous rank: No. 23
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 13-7, 3-0 in Big 12 (0-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
Results March 20: Arkansas-Pine Bluff: W 7-1 March 23-25: Kansas State: W 4-2, W 12-2, W 6-0
Upcoming March 27: Dallas Baptist March 30-April 1: @ Oklahoma State
Week in a sentence: After suffering its first losing weekend of the year last week against Minnesota, TCU got back on track with a sweep of Kansas State to open its Big 12 Conference slate.
20. Louisville
Previous rank: No. 17
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 18-6, 4-5 in ACC (4-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-2
Results March 21: @ Western Kentucky: W 8-5 March 23-25: (12) Clemson: L 3-1, L 4-3, W 5-1
Upcoming March 27: Cincinnati March 29-31: @ (5) Florida State
Week in a sentence: After losing a series at Wake Forest last weekend, Louisville again stumbled, this time against Clemson and suffered a rare home series loss with a big series at Florida State looming on the horizon.
21. Louisiana State
Previous rank: No. 18
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 16-9, 3-3 in SEC (3-3 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 3-2
Results March 21: Tulane: W 10-4 March 23-25: @ (9) Vanderbilt L 4-2, W 6-2, L 1-0 (7)
Upcoming March 27: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in Metairie, La. March 29-31: Mississippi State
Week in a sentence: LSU stumbled in its first road series of the year, dropping a pair of close games at Vanderbilt and suffering its first losing weekend since Opening Weekend.
22. Illinois
Previous rank: No. 24
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 15-5, 3-0 in Big Ten (1-0 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 2-0
Results March 21: Cal State Northridge: W 12-7 March 23-25: @ Northwestern: W 5-4, W 5-4 (11), W 4-2 (10)
Upcoming March 27: @ Bradley March 30-April 1: Iowa
Week in a sentence: Illinois finished a perfect week with a sweep of in-state rival Northwestern to start Big Ten play and has now won 14 of its last 16 games.
23. San Diego State
Previous rank: No. 25
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 16-7, 6-2 in Mountain West (0-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 5-0
Results March 20: Cal State Bakersfield: W 5-4 March 23-25: @ Nevada-Las Vegas: L 4-3, W 17-8, W 22-7
Upcoming March 27: @ Long Beach State March 29-31: New Mexico
Week in a sentence: SDSU went to Las Vegas and won a series against a hot UNLV team and in the process firmly established itself as the team to beat in the Mountain West Conference.
24. Coastal Carolina
Previous rank: NR
Last week: 4-0
Overall: 19-7, 6-0 in Sun Belt (1-1 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 2-0
Results March 20: (12) Clemson: W 9-5 March 23-24: Texas State: W 8-0, W 11-3, W 7-3
Upcoming March 27: @ College of Charleston March 29-31: @ Georgia Southern
Week in a sentence: Coastal has bounced back well from a short skid earlier this month that briefly knocked it out of the Top 25 and has now won seven straight games, highlighted by a walk-off grand slam Tuesday against Clemson.
25. Central Florida
Previous rank: No. 20
Last week: 1-4
Overall: 18-8, 1-2 in American (4-4 vs. Top 25)
Weekend series: 4-1
Results March 20-21: @ (5) Florida State: L 6-4, L 13-3 March 23-25: (21) East Carolina: W 9-1, L 12-4, L 11-5
Upcoming March 29-31: @ Memphis
Week in a sentence: It was never going to be an easy week for UCF with five games against Florida State and ECU on the schedule, but winning just one of those games was a disappointment for the Knights.
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