For most of the programs in college baseball, this past weekend was the final weekend series before the opening weekend of conference play, and although some might have a lot of questions, others are feeling good about where they’re sitting ahead of the Opening Weekend of conference play. To be fair, outside of Southern Miss being ranked below Mississippi State, I think the D1 Baseball rankings are heading into the weekend, not everyone will agree with that sentiment, but we’ve seen enough sample sizes from every team to have an early idea of who might be elite at this point in the season, and who has issues heading into the thick of conference play. 

So, as we’ve done after every weekend since Opening Weekend, let’s dive right into the prior weekend while addressing thoughts, observations, and issues with a few teams. 

First, as of right now, depending on the draws of the Regionals, there’s a legitimate conversation to be had that the state of Mississippi will likely produce one, if not two, and maybe all three, to the College World Series. As of right now, Southern Miss and Mississippi State are the frontrunners to represent Mississippi in the College World Series, but Ole Miss isn’t that far off from being a legitimate third team in Omaha out of the eight-team field. A lot of baseball to be played, but this level of baseball has been building for years, and the excitement for the three state teams is warranted. As of now, Mississippi State is the highest-ranked team, but Southern Miss has the head-to-head and could pass Ole Miss on Tuesday night, when the Rebels visit Pete Taylor Park. All three Mississippi schools will open their conference slates on the road. Southern Miss travels to Arkansas State, Ole Miss heads to Texas, and Mississippi State heads out west to take on the Razorbacks of Arkansas. 

Second, there’s a lot of outside noise surrounding Tennessee, LSU, Vanderbilt, and Florida. Out of the three, Tennessee and Vanderbilt won two out of three this weekend, while the other two struggled. Not to dismiss the fans’ frustration: losing is never fun. Sometimes it’s growing pains with a new team, but the frustrations and concerns are very real with these four programs. With that being said, winning cures all, and these four teams still have the potential to make this season special. That said, in Tennessee, the frustrations are a bit over the top. Coach Elander is not Coach Tony Vitello, and that’s okay. Be patient with the new guy and allow him to build the program the way he sees fit. There will be roadblocks along the way, but Coach Elander is a first-year Head Coach; mistakes are allowed, and trust the process. For the other three, LSU and Florida have the highest potential to be fine. LSU might not be at that level they were a year ago, but that’s okay. Coach Johnson is a proven winner, and if this year isn’t the year, then there’s always next year. As far as Vanderbilt goes, Coach Corbin is a legend, and it’s hard to bet against him, but there’s something about this Vanderbilt team that isn’t hitting the way it used to. With LSU on the horizon, Vanderbilt has a chance to gain some momentum, but as of right now, the caution flag is out on Vanderbilt. 

Third, as most of the country enters into conference play, remember that parity in the sport is a good thing, and quite honestly, there’s gaining mometum that the overall product of college baseball has never been better. We’ll see just mayhem across the country with gaulntents in the Sun Belt, SEC, ACC, Big 12, and really the American, and then you have a competitive MAC, Missouri Valley, Conference USA, SWAC, and some of the west coast conferences as well, creating this almost euphoric feeling heading into conference play. It’s hard to describe, but I think as spring weather rolls across the country, we’ll see attendance numbers spike, leading into the postseason, where conference tournaments will jumpstart a fun ride to the College World Series. 

Lastly, it’s time to have that conversation about Texas being back in the golden ages of Texas baseball. Last week, the conversation was about UCLA, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss; this week, it’s about the Longhorns. At 15-0 and number two in the entire country, it’s hard not to notice the Longhorns as we enter the conference slate. Texas scored 23 runs in the Bruce Bolt Classic in Houston, dominating the field of Coastal Carolina, Baylor, and Ohio State, sparking interest in the college baseball world. Obviously, they haven’t had the overwhelming wins over the competition like UCLA, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss have, but it’s hard to deny that the Longhorns, as of now, have a legitimate National Championship-contending team. We’ll learn about them this weekend as they host Ole Miss, in what many anticipate will be a weekend of many runs between the Longhorns and Rebels. A series win over Ole Miss would give the Longhorns even more mometum heading into the final weeks of March. With all that said, Texas is one of those baseball programs that, when they’re good, college baseball is better for it. Texas plays Texas State on Tuesday night and will look to avoid a potential midweek trap game against a pesky Texas State squad with in-state mayhem on its mind. 

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