2025 College World Series Predictions: Picking Our ‘Eight For Omaha’ (May 23)

Baseball America is back with a brand new College World Series projection featuring four teams that held onto their spots and four newcomers replacing Auburn, Coastal Carolina, Oregon State and Texas.

It is important to note that this prediction is accurate to our latest Field of 64, meaning no teams in this installment of Eight for Omaha would face each other in a projected regional or super regional. We’ve included a list of the opponents BA has projected into each regional and potential super regional that our Eight for Omaha selections would need to get through en route to the College World Series. Teams are listed alphabetically.

Arkansas

Record: 43-12
RPI: 3
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: Arizona, Virginia, Central Connecticut, TCU, Dallas Baptist, UTRGV, Sacramento State

Arkansas has been a mainstay in our Eight for Omaha projections all season, and nothing to this point has warranted a change. The Razorbacks have long had the pitching and defensive structure to weather deep postseason runs, but this year’s group also enters with a markedly improved offense that’s finally capable of matching elite arms blow for blow. That balance is what separates Arkansas from many of its peers and why it remains one of the safer bets to reach Omaha.

Clemson

Record: 43-15
RPI: 8
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: Southern Miss, Kentucky, Rider, Georgia, Duke, Stetson, Wright State

Clemson has teetered on the edge of our Omaha forecast in recent weeks, slipping in and out as its play wavered from the dominant form it showed early in the season. But the Tigers appear to be stabilizing at the right time, riding a five-game winning streak that includes ACC Tournament victories over Virginia Tech and NC State to help them lock down a host spot. When Clemson plays with conviction and balance, Eric Bakich’s group stacks up with anyone. If this current version holds, it has a real shot at getting back to Omaha for the first time since 2010.

Florida State

Record: 37-13
RPI: 15
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: Alabama, Oklahoma State, Bethune-Cookman, Auburn, Wake Forest, Xavier, Oral Roberts

Florida State faces one of the tougher projected paths to Omaha, but the Seminoles are built to navigate that kind of gauntlet, especially with the firepower they have on the mound. Jamie Arnold and Joey Volini form one of the most dominant one-two pitching punches in the country, and that tandem alone gives FSU a fighting chance in any series. If the offense can do enough, Link Jarrett’s club has the kind of rotation-led profile that tends to thrive in June.

Georgia Tech

Record: 40-16
RPI: 20
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: Ole Miss, Creighton, Missouri State, Texas, Northeastern, Kansas State, Houston Christian

Georgia Tech breaks into our Eight for Omaha for the first time this season. The Yellow Jackets surged down the stretch to claim their first outright conference regular season title since 2005 and boast a roster loaded with talent. But there’s also a narrative element that’s hard to ignore: Legendary head coach Danny Hall is set to retire at season’s end. That emotional edge, combined with a team capable of slugging its way through a regional, makes Georgia Tech a compelling pick to break through and deliver one final trip to Omaha for its long-time skipper.

Kansas

Record: 43-14
RPI: 22
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: UCLA, Mississippi State, Loyola Marymount, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Troy, Holy Cross

Among the projected two-seeds with real Omaha potential, Kansas stands out. This felt like the right time to reinsert the Jayhawks into our Eight for Omaha given a reasonably-favorable draw and red-hot momentum. Kansas just notched its sixth walk-off win of the season, toppling Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament, and continues to mash with one of the more potent lineups in the country. The pitching isn’t overwhelming, but it’s serviceable enough when paired with this offense. Head coach Dan Fitzgerald has this team peaking at the right time—and has positioned himself as a name to watch in this offseason’s coaching carousel.

LSU

Record: 42-13
RPI: 9
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: Louisville, Arizona State, Kent State, Oregon State, UC Irvine, Cincinnati, Nevada

There’s not much new to say about LSU, and that’s just a testament to just how complete this team is. The Tigers have been a fixture in our Eight for Omaha projections all season, and nothing about their performance or roster makeup suggests they should be anywhere else. With depth on the mound, firepower throughout the lineup and the experience of a recent national title, LSU enters the postseason looking every bit like a team capable of winning it all. Keeping them in the eight was one of the easiest calls on the board.

Oregon

Record: 42-13
RPI: 14
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: NC State, Southern California, Columbia, Coastal Carolina, Florida, Rhode Island, High Point

Oregon entered the Eight for Omaha conversation last week after clinching a share of the Big Ten title alongside UCLA and has done nothing since to suggest it doesn’t belong. The Ducks keep stacking wins and look like a team ready to finally break through the super regional ceiling after back-to-back misses. Their projected path is no cakewalk—especially if it means tangling with a team like Coastal Carolina or Florida in a super—but Oregon has the balance, athleticism and postseason experience to make the leap to Omaha.

Vanderbilt

Record: 40-16
RPI: 1
Projected Teams to beat to make CWS: UTSA, Miami, Eastern Illinois, Tennessee, West Virginia, East Tennessee State, Bryant

Vanderbilt has caught fire at the right time. Since dropping a series to Ole Miss, the Commodores have gone 9-3, including a current six-game win streak, and look every bit like a team built for a deep run. The strength starts on the mound, with lefthander JD Thompson emerging as a frontline ace and a bullpen that’s been nearly untouchable—Vanderbilt has lost only five games all season at the hands of its bullpen. While the offense doesn’t pack the same punch as some other SEC heavyweights, it’s found a rhythm as a station-to-station, gap-hunting, base-stealing unit that can manufacture runs in a variety of ways. Combined with elite pitching and defensive consistency, that makes the Commodores a dangerous Omaha contender.