SEC Baseball Power Rankings: LSU clear No. 1, but Arkansas, Florida, Vandy, others hovering
Surprise!
The SEC looks like – again – the best conference in college baseball in 2023.
Yes, the ACC may have something to say about that, per usual. But with three teams in the top five, six in the top 10 and eight in the Top 25, it’s the SEC’s world right now.
LSU owns that world for the time being. The Tigers gave up eight runs in the 10th inning against Arkansas to kick off the weekend, but bounced back with a 10-run win and a nine-run the next day in a doubleheader. They stayed No. 1 in the country, as such.
The question is which team is after that. The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll goes with Florida and Vanderbilt. But our SEC Baseball Power Rankings take a slightly different path.
Let’s have a look at where the league stands after two weekends of conference play.
1. LSU (last week: 1)
#47 Tommy White at the plate as The LSU Tigers take on Central Connecticut State at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. Sunday, March 5, 2023.
Lsu Vs Central Connecticut Baseball 5647
2. Florida (5)
Florida left fielder Wyatt Langford (36) celebrates after hitting a home run during the SEC baseball tournament at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala., on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Florida Gators defeated Alabama Crimson Tide 11-6.
3. South Carolina (2)
May 24, 2022; Hoover, AL, USA; South Carolina shortstop Michael Braswell tags out Florida base runner Ty Evans as he attempts to steal second. South Carolina fell to Florida 2-1 in 10 innings in game two of the SEC Tournament at Hoover Met. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News
Ncaa Baseball Sec Baseball Tournament South Carolina Gamecocks Florida Gators
4. Vanderbilt (4)
May 24, 2022; Hoover, AL, USA; Vanderbilt catcher Jack Bulger throws to first to record a strikeout after the ball bounced away from him on the third strike. Vanderbilt faced Ole Miss in game 3 of the SEC Tournament at the Hoover Met. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News
Ncaa Baseball Sec Baseball Tournament Vanderbilt Commodores Vs Ole Miss Rebels
5. Arkansas (3)
Feb 19, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Jared Wegner celebrates a triple RBI third base hit against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports
6. Tennessee (7)
Tennessee first baseman Blake Burke (25) fields a ball against Charleston Southern in an NCAA college baseball game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.
Kns Vols Baseball Charleston Southern Bp
7. Kentucky (6)
May 28, 2022; Hoover, AL, USA; Kentucky outfielder Nolan McCarthy (19) makes a diving catch for an out a sinking line drive hit by a Tennessee batter in the SEC Tournament at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Ala., Saturday. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News
Sports Sec Baseball Tournament Kentucky Vs Tennessee
Kentucky is clearly the biggest surprise in the SEC so far. The Wildcats are 5-1. Yes, they’ve played Mississippi State and Alabama, but wins are wins and at this point in the season, UK looks the part of NCAA Tournament team.
8. Missouri (8)
Missouri third baseman Luke Mann (11) celebrates his home run against Vanderbilt during the fourth inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 18, 2022.
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Missouri may have followed a sweep of Tennessee with a sweep in the other direction against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks are nasty and two of the three losses came by just a run.
9. Alabama (9)
Alabama infielder Drew Williamson (18) celebrates after hitting a home run during the SEC baseball tournament at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala., on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Florida Gators defeated Alabama Crimson Tide 11-6.
Alabama shouldn’t feel ashamed. The Crimson Tide are the first team with a below-.500 record in conference play to show up here. Those series losses were to Florida and Kentucky. Not shabby. Arkansas is up next. On the road.
10. Ole Miss (10)
Jun 25, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels catcher Calvin Harris (20) catches the ball during the fourth inning against the Oklahoma Sooners at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss is winless in the SEC through six games. So how are the Rebels 10th? Florida and Vanderbilt. Another sweep, at the hands of Texas A&M this weekend, will destroy them, though.
11. Auburn (13)
Jun 20, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Auburn Tigers infielder Bryson Ware (8) hits a single during the eighth inning against the Stanford Cardinal at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn took two of three from Georgia on the weekend to get on the right side of the ledger for a series. But the Tigers are still just 2-4 and haven’t looked much like a contender.
12. Texas A&M (11)
Jun 22, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies first baseman Jack Moss (9) hits a single against the Oklahoma Sooners during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s be clear: Texas A&M is 1-5 but it’s doubtful they finish here in the power rankings. The sweep at the hands of Tennessee knocked them out of the Top 25. Winning the series against Ole Miss is paramount.
13. Georgia (12)
Georgia’s Connor Tate (23) celebrates a home run during a game between Tennessee and Georgia at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Georgia defeated Tennessee 8-3.
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Georgia has the third-ranked offense in the SEC and the 12th ranked staff in the SEC. The Bulldogs lost two of three at Auburn. The pitching will have to figure some things out.
14. Mississippi State (14)
Mississippi State Bulldogs’ Luke Hancock makes contact with a pitch against the Ole Miss Rebels at Oxford-University Stadium on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
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For the second consecutive year, it looks like Mississippi State is at the bottom of the SEC barrel. What a conference.
