What’s At Stake for SEC Baseball Teams in Final Week of Regular Season & SECT
- Info CBC
- 16 hours ago
- 5 min read
By Jake Mastroianni
The SEC season is quickly coming to a close, in what looks like will be another record-setting year for the conference, with as many as 13 teams heading to the postseason.
But, there is still work left to be done for several teams, while others are hoping to secure a national seed and/or regional host.
Here is what is at stake for each team heading into the final weekend of the regular season and the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, AL starting the morning of May 20.
Texas (20-7, 40-10. RPI: 4)
Despite stumbling down the stretch, the Longhorns are a lock to make the NCAA field as a regional host. Should they get swept at rival Oklahoma this weekend and go 0-1 in Hoover, they could drop out of being a national seed.
And as for the regular season conference title, their magic number over Arkansas this weekend is two, as the Hogs own the tie-breaker. There is the potential for a three-way tie with Texas, Arkansas, and LSU.
Arkansas (18-9, 41-11. RPI: 5)
The Razorbacks have lost four of their last five series, but they just might be the most complete team in the conference. They’re also a lock to host a regional, and a series win at home against Tennessee this weekend would guarantee them a national seed as well.
LSU (17-10, 40-12. RPI: 7)
The Tigers are another SEC team guaranteed to host a regional, and they also have a good shot at being a national seed with a series win at South Carolina this weekend. Should they stumble, which seems unlikely, they might need a win or two in Hoover to clinch a top eight ranking.
Vanderbilt (16-11, 36-16. RPI: 3)
The Commodores have come on strong down the stretch, securing a regional host spot and also putting themselves in a position to be a national seed. They’ll get Kentucky at home this weekend, and a series win there likely locks them up as a national seed.
Georgia (16-11, 40-13. RPI: 1)
With their RPI, Georgia is a pretty safe bet to be a national seed, but it would be in their best interest to win two of their next four games. They’ll get a Texas A&M team this weekend that is desperate for wins.
Auburn (16-11, 37-15. RPI: 2)
Auburn is one of the hottest teams in the conference right now, and with their RPI, and like Georgia, they are essentially a lock as a national seed if they can win two of their next four games. They’ll travel to Ole Miss this upcoming weekend before heading down the road to Hoover.
Tennessee (15-12, 40-13. RPI: 15)
Wildly enough, a team that looked like the clear number one early in the season isn’t a lock to host a regional heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Even just one win at Arkansas this weekend might do it, but they would feel much better winning two of their next four.
Alabama (15-12, 39-13. RPI: 8)
A huge series win over Georgia last weekend has the Crimson Tide in a position to host a regional. But, they head to Gainesville this weekend to face the red-hot Florida Gators. Their RPI is in a better spot than Tennessee's, but a win or two wouldn’t hurt them either. And if they were to have a big weekend and a few wins in Hoover, it’s not out of the question for them to earn a national seed.
Ole Miss (14-13, 35-17. RPI: 18)
A tough series loss on the road to rival Mississippi State has put Ole Miss on the bubble to be a regional host. They are at home to end the regular season, but they face Auburn. A series win this weekend increases their chances of hosting significantly, but if they can’t secure that, they’ll have some work to do in Hoover.
Kentucky (13-14, 29-20. RPI: 33)
Just when you think they’re out, they pull you back in. That’s what Kentucky was able to do last weekend by sweeping Oklahoma. Now, they are almost a lock to reach a regional for a third straight season, but a win over Vanderbilt this weekend would make them feel more comfortable.
Oklahoma (13-14, 32-17. RPI: 26)
The Sooners dropped the ball last weekend with a chance to play themselves into a regional host. Fortunately for them, their RPI is in good enough shape that making the regionals is a lock. There really isn’t much on the line for them the rest of the way, but you know they’d love to take the rival Horns down at home this weekend.
Florida (13-14, 35-18. RPI: 13)
It’s been an incredible run for Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, who always seems to get his team hot at the right time. After starting 1-11 in conference play, they are 12-3 since and are a lock to make the postseason. And hosting a regional is not out of the question either with a series win over Alabama this weekend and a good run in Hoover.
Mississippi State (12-15, 31-20. RPI: 32)
The coaching change sparked this team as they swept Kentucky and won a series over rival Ole Miss, putting them back in a position to make a regional. They get Missouri on the road this weekend, and a couple of wins there would lock them in. The Tiger sweep in College Station last weekend should also avoid any overlooking that could have happened by the Bulldogs had they instead been visiting a conference-winless last-place team.
Texas A&M (10-17, 27-23. RPI: 59)
After a big series win against LSU, it looked like the Aggies were going to make a brilliant comeback like Florida to reach the postseason. But, they laid the biggest of eggs against Missouri, getting swept by a previously conference-winless team. With how low their RPI is, their only shot of making a regional is to win the whole thing in Hoover, five straight victories in six days.
South Carolina (5-22, 27-26. RPI: 71)
It’s been a rough year back in the SEC for head coach Paul Mainieri, and the Gamecocks have really fallen flat down the stretch, losing their last seven conference games. Much like A&M, they’d need a five-game miracle run in Hoover to make the postseason.
Missouri (3-24, 16-35. RPI: 134)
What looked like a record-setting season of embarrassment suddenly has some intrigue. After sweeping Texas A&M and essentially ending their season, they have a chance to play spoiler, escape the basement, and finish with more wins than South Carolina.
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