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Ranking college baseball teams in order of their odds to win College World Series in 2024
By Jack McKessy, USA TODAY,
2024-05-27
The 2024 College World Series field is set, and early betting odds already indicate a few favorites heading into this year's tournament.
College baseball's race to Omaha, Nebraska begins this week. Sixty-four teams begin the competition, but the Tennessee Volunteers have emerged as the early betting favorite before the regional stage begins on Friday. They hope to be one of the eight teams that end up going to Omaha for the final double-elimination bracket to determine this year's champion .
Tennessee won its 50th game of the season when it won the SEC title game over LSU. The Vols shared the regular-season title with Kentucky after both teams finished with a 22-8 conference record. However, Tennessee's 50-11 overall record and tournament championship were enough to give them the top national seed in this year's Men's College World Series.
These are the full power rankings for the 64 teams playing in the 2024 College World Series, according to opening betting odds from BetMGM after Monday's selection show.
College baseball power rankings: 2024 College World Series odds
1. Tennessee Volunteers (+550)
Tennessee closed out the season with one full month atop the USA TODAY Coaches Poll . The Volunteers were the only D-I college baseball team to record 50 wins, but it's the third time they've hit the mark in the last four seasons. They're the top national seed in the Men's College World Series and host a group that also features Southern Mississippi, Indiana and Northern Kentucky, their regional Game 1 opponent.
2. Texas A&M Aggies (+600)
Before the Vols ran the top of the Coaches Poll to end the season, the Aggies held the top spot for three straight weeks. They finished the regular season ranked third and earned the No. 3 national seed in this year's College World Series national seeding. Texas A&M will host a regional that includes Louisiana, Texas and the Aggies' Game 1 opponent, Grambling State.
3. Arkansas Razorbacks (+700)
All season, the Arkansas Razorbacks relied on the excellent performances of their pitchers to succeed. Hagen Smith led the group with a 1.48 ERA and 9-1 record in 15 starts and established himself as one of the best pitching prospects in the 2024 MLB Draft class. Arkansas is the No. 5 national seed and a regional host. Their region includes Louisiana Tech, Kansas State and Southeast Missouri State, who the Razorbacks will play Friday.
4. LSU Tigers (+900)
The reigning national champions and SEC tournament runners-up are back near the top of the odds leaderboard after a 40-win regular season. Of the teams in the top five in betting odds, the Tigers are the only one that is not in the top-16 national seeds of the Men's College World Series. They also aren't hosting their regional. Instead, LSU will play in the Chapel Hill regional with North Carolina, Long Island and Wofford, who the Tigers play in Game 1 on Friday.
5. Kentucky Wildcats (+1000)
Kentucky was not ranked in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll for the first four weeks of the season. From mid-March until now, the Wildcats worked and won their way to the No. 2 spot to conclude the pre-tournament rankings. Kentucky finished with a 40-14 overall record and a 22-8 conference record that matched Tennessee for the best in the SEC.
Now, they're the No. 2 national seed in the 2024 Men's College World Series and are hosting a regional. They'll open with a game against MAC champions Western Michigan, while Illinois and Indiana State play the other game in their region.
T-51. Evansville, Army, Nicholls State, Penn, Bryant, High Point, St. John's, Northern Kentucky, Niagara, Western Michigan, Long Island, Stetson, Fresno State, Grambling State (+50000)
How to watch 2024 College World Series
ESPN will provide live broadcast and streaming coverage across its different networks at each stage of the Men's College World Series.
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