Baseball America Preseason College Top 25

January 5, 2006

• Chat Wrap: Will Kimmey took your college baseball questions

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BA’s ABCA Convention Preview Guide Now Available!
It’s not just for coaches anymore . . . The preseason guide that we send to the coaches convention is now available as a PDF download. Baseball America’s preseason All-America team, projected 64-team NCAA field and a feature on Florida slugger Matt LaPorta are available in this guide sponsored by Louisville Slugger.

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Team	2005 Record	2005 Final Rank
1. Texas	56-16	1
2. Clemson	43-23	14
3. Florida	48-23	2
4. Georgia Tech	45-19	11
5. Cal State Fullerton	46-18	9
6. North Carolina	41-19	NR
7. Rice	45-19	13
8. Oregon State	46-12	7
9. Tennessee	46-21	8
10. Missouri	40-23	21
11. Pepperdine	41-23	24
12. Tulane	56-12	3
13. Mississippi State	42-22	22
14. South Carolina	41-23	25
15. Florida State	53-20	16
16. Arizona State	42-25	6
17. Southern California	41-22	17
18. Arkansas	39-22	NR
19. Texas Christian	41-20	NR
20. Louisiana State	40-22	18
21. Fresno State	30-29	NR
22. Long Beach State	37-22	19
23. Mississippi	48-20	10
24. North Carolina State	41-19	NR
25. California	34-23	NR

DURHAM, N.C.—Defending national champion Texas begins 2006 right back atop the rankings, a preseason spot the Longhorns have held four previous times, but not since 1987.

Five more teams that advanced to the 2005 College World Series begin this season ranked, starting with runner-up Florida at No. 3. The Gators haven't debuted this high since 1992. Oregon State makes its first preseason Top 25 ever, starting at No. 8 after notching a school-record 46 wins a year ago.

No. 17 Arizona State begins the year ranked for the 20th consecutive season; the longest streak in the nation began in 1987. Stanford had been ranked in every preseason Top 25 since 1981, a run that ended this year. Louisiana State is ranked for the 17th straight season, though its No. 20 spot represents its lowest since it began 1989 unranked.

North Carolina's No. 6 ranking is its highest preseason mark since it was No. 4 before the 1984 season. Tennessee's No. 9 ranking marks its highest preseason standing since debuting sixth in 1996.

Missouri opens at No. 10, making it the second time the Tigers have debuted in the Top 25 and first time since they were No. 19 in 1983. No. 19 Texas Christian earns a preseason ranking for the second consecutive season and second time in history after opening at No. 21 in 2005.

The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are 2005 final records and do not include ties.