Ranking college baseball teams in order of their odds to win College World Series in 2024
College baseball is just about two months into the 2024 season, and the SEC is dominating the top of the board.
The Arkansas Razorbacks top the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll with a 19-3 overall record. It's a strong start one year after they missed out on the College World Series despite a regular season SEC title. They're just one of seven teams from their conference in the top 10 of the poll and one of four SEC teams in the top five of College World Series (CWS) odds.
Top-ranked teams through the first couple of months of play don't always indicate top CWS contenders. There's plenty of season yet to play, but some teams are standing out early.
Through about two months of play, here's where college baseball teams rank based on championship odds courtesy of BetMGM.
Last month's rankings: College baseball teams in order of their odds to win College World Series in 2024
College baseball power rankings: Week 6
T-1. LSU (+900)
Previously: 2 (+800)
LSU's odds dropped from last month after losing a close game to Xavier in early March before dropping a series to unranked Mississippi State – including a mercy rule loss – in Starkville to open conference play.
Despite their dip in odds, other teams' struggles allowed them to move up the odds board. On Sunday, the Tigers play a rubber match with fellow SEC powerhouse Florida. LSU won the first game Friday but fell, 6-4, in 11 innings on Saturday.
T-1. Arkansas (+900)
Previously: T-3 (+1000)
Arkansas' pitching has continued to dominate throughout March and helped move the Razorbacks into the top of the odds leaderboard and the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
Starting pitchers Hagen Smith and Brady Tygart both hold sub-2.00 ERAs through six starts each. Neither has a loss on his record, and Smith is tied for second in NCAA Division I baseball with 62 strikeouts. Reliever Will McEntire has also been excellent in 11 appearances (28 2/3 innings) with a 1.57 ERA and 32 strikeouts to just three walks.
3. Wake Forest (+1000)
Previously: 1 (+700)
Wake Forest, who appeared in last year's CWS, were favorites last month but have struggled in March. The Demon Deacons dropped consecutive series to Duke and Virginia to open ACC play and most recently lost a series finale to Louisville, 7-3.
Graduate transfer third baseman Adam Tellier currently leads the team with a .372 average, 1.227 OPS and nine home runs.
T-4. Florida (+1300)
Previously: T-3 (+1000)
The Gators opened March with a series win over in-state rival Miami, won a series against top-10 team Texas A&M and play a rubber match with reigning champions LSU on Sunday.
Jac Caglianone has continued his dominance of college baseball as a two-way player. He leads Gators hitters with a .404 average, 1.220 OPS and 10 home runs. He also leads all Florida starting pitchers with a 1.77 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in four starts and is second on the team with 34 strikeouts despite having two fewer starts than leader Cade Fisher, with 42 strikeouts.
T-4. Tennessee (+1300)
Previously: 5 (+1500)
The Vols began March with a 10-game win streak. They lost a series to Alabama to open SEC play but won two straight games after that and have five home runs in their Sunday rubber match against Ole Miss. Tennessee leads 15-3 through five innings at the time of writing.
Seven Tennessee batters have at least 20 at-bats and a batting average over .300. Leading them all is outfielder Kavares Tears with a .387 average, 1.222 OPS and seven home runs entering Sunday. He slugged another round-tripper against Ole Miss in the first inning of the series finale.
College baseball notebook: Series win over Wake Forest gives new-look Duke its best start since 2008
T-6. Texas A&M (+1500)
T-6. Oregon State (+1500)
8. Duke (+1800)
9. Vanderbilt (+2000)
10. TCU (+2200)
T-11. Clemson (+2500)
T-11. East Carolina (+2500)
T-13. Virginia (+3000)
T-13. South Carolina (+3000)
T-13. Florida State (+3000)
16. Alabama (+3500)
T-17. Texas (+4000)
T-17. North Carolina (+4000)
T-19. N.C. State (+5000)
T-19. Dallas Baptist (+5000)
MLB news: Orioles send Jackson Holliday, MLB's No. 1 prospect, to minor leagues
When is the 2024 College World Series?
The 2024 college baseball postseason will begin with regional matchups from May 31-June 3. Super regionals will run from June 7-9 or June 8-10.
College World Series games will begin among qualified teams June 14 with the finals taking place June 22-23/24.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College baseball power rankings based on College World Series odds
