There will be a new College World Series champion in 2025.
Tennessee, the defending national champion, lost to Arkansas in the Fayetteville Super Regional, missing out on the NCAA Tournament’s final eight for just the second time in the last five seasons. In fact, none of the teams that participated in last season’s College World Series qualified for the field this time around. It’s the first time that’s happened since 1957.
The eight programs headed to Omaha, Neb. are Arkansas, UCLA, Louisville, Oregon State, Arizona, Coastal Carolina, LSU and Murray State.
The CWS begins Friday with a pair of games beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
GOLDEN: Titles are won in June
This year’s field includes just three top-eight seeds: Arkansas, LSU and Oregon State. The other five, including Texas, each suffered an upset defeat along the way. That presents a contrast from the last two seasons, when five top-eight seeds qualified.
The SEC, widely accepted as the best conference in college baseball, will send only Arkansas and LSU to Omaha. That’s the fewest since 2016, when Florida was the league’s only representative. On three occasions since then, SEC teams have comprised half of the CWS bracket.
So, who will come through this year’s bracket and claim the national title?
Here are the American-Statesman staff predictions:
Anthony Catalina , Texas A&M beat writer
Fun storylines this year include Murray State making it to Omaha as a smaller school, Coastal Carolina being back for the first time since a magical 2016 run and there being no repeat teams from the previous season for the first time since 1957. But in the an SEC power stands alone. Arizona is a legitimate threat to take home the national title, but I think LSU, backed by excellent pitching and timely hitting, will win the 2025 CWS.
FIRST ROUND
Arizona over Coastal Carolina
Louisville over Oregon State
UCLA over Murray State
LSU over Arkansas
SECOND ROUND
Arizona over Louisville
LSU over UCLA
LOSER’S BRACKET
Oregon State over Coastal Carolina
Oregon State over Louisville
Arkansas over Murray State
UCLA over Arkansas
SEMIFINALS
Arizona over Oregon State
LSU over UCLA
FINAL
LSU over Arizona
Danny Davis, Texas beat writer
Texas saw what this Arkansas team can do when it’s peaking, and the rest of college baseball will see that version of the Razorbacks over the next few days. Arkansas has yet to lose in the NCAA Tournament and I expect the Razorbacks won’t run into any problems en route to a championship showdown with an Oregon State team that inexplicably lost its tournament opener, but has proven in the postseason that it has plenty of offensive firepower. In a rematch of the 2018 World Series championship series, expect Arkansas to catch the foul ball this time around and secure their first championship.
FIRST ROUND
Coastal Carolina over Arizona
Oregon State over Louisville
UCLA over Murray State
Arkansas over LSU
SECOND ROUND
Oregon State over Coastal Carolina
Arkansas over UCLA
LOSER’S BRACKET
Louisville over Arizona
Louisville over Coastal Carolina
LSU over Murray State
LSU over UCLA
SEMIFINALS
Arkansas over LSU
Oregon State over Louisville
FINAL
Arkansas over Oregon State
David Eckert, Texas insider
It’s hard to look past Arkansas here. The Razorbacks are the most complete team in the field, leading the Power Four conferences in runs at 534 and ranking 10th in the nation with a 3.91 ERA. Their path includes a first-round matchup with LSU, which likely means Arkansas will have to go through first-team All-SEC starter Kade Anderson. But the Razorbacks can counter with a first-team All-SEC arm of their own in Zach Root. Coach Dave Van Horn has been to Omaha nine times without a title. This is the year he gets one.
FIRST ROUND
Coastal Carolina over Arizona
Oregon State over Louisville
Murray State over UCLA
Arkansas over LSU
SECOND ROUND
Coastal Carolina over Oregon State
Arkansas over Murray State
LOSER’S BRACKET
Arizona over Louisville
LSU over UCLA
Oregon State over Arizona
LSU over Murray State
SEMIFINALS
Coastal Carolina over Oregon State
Arkansas over LSU
FINAL
Arkansas over Coastal Carolina
Thomas Jones, Texas beat reporter
Coastal Carolina is a great story, but don’t use the “C” word for the squad. “We’ve won 23 straight games; this is no Cinderella” coach Kevin Schnall told reporters this week. But Arkansas is the nation’s most complete team, and junior left-hander Zach Root may just be the best pitcher.
FIRST ROUND
Coastal Carolina over Arizona
Oregon State over Louisville
UCLA over Murray State
Arkansas over LSU
SECOND ROUND
Coastal Carolina over Oregon State
Arkansas over UCLA
LOSER’S BRACKET
Arizona over Louisville
LSU over Murray State
Arizona over Oregon State
Arkansas over LSU
SEMIFINALS
Coastal Carolina over Arizona
Arkansas over LSU
FINAL
Arkansas over Coastal Carolina
Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: College World Series predictions: Who will win 2025 baseball title?
Reporting by David Eckert, Austin American-Statesman / Austin American-Statesman
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
