If you like the SEC or the ACC, this College World Series is for you.
No other conference will be represented in Omaha. That reality set in Sunday night, when Oregon and Oregon State both bowed out against SEC competition.
The top four seeds in the tournament all advanced to Omaha, including a first-time College World Series participant and some of the best offenses in the nation. Also heading to Omaha is one of the most electrifying players in college baseball, Jac Caglianone, who brings his two-way ability back to the sport’s biggest stage.
Here’s a complete look at the 2024 College World Series teams and updated national championship odds.
MORE: Who will win the College World Series?
Who is in the College World Series in 2024?
No. 1 Tennessee
Tennessee received a bit of a scare when Evansville, the Cinderella team of the tournament, won Game 2 of the super regionals and put the Volunteers in an elimination scenario. That stress didn’t last long. Tennessee jumped out to a 12-1 lead by the fifth inning in the decisive Game 3, rolling to a second consecutive College World Series.
The Volunteers boast one of the best offenses in college baseball, as they lead all power conference teams in home runs per game and have two dangerous bats in infielders Christian Moore and Blake Burke.
No. 2 Kentucky
Kentucky has never been to the College World Series — until now. The Wildcats won a tight Game 2 battle with Oregon State in the Super Regionals to make their first trip to Omaha.
The Wildcats don’t nearly hit for the same kind of power as certain SEC rivals, but they do boast a fringe first-round MLB Draft prospect in outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt and have five everyday players batting .298 or higher. The biggest question is whether Kentucky’s pitching can match up well with some of the nation’s best lineups.
No. 3 Texas A&M
The Aggies are back in the College World Series for the second time in the past three years, and they return as one of the most balanced teams in the nation. Texas A&M sits seventh in runs scored and sixth in ERA, but it was the bats that came through in the Super Regionals with a combined 25 runs in two games against Oregon.
Texas A&M had three big-time power bats this season, but the player for MLB fans to watch is now out of the tournament altogether. Shortstop Braden Montgomery suffered a serious ankle injury in the Super Regionals and was ruled out for the College World Series, delivering a major blow to the Aggies’ offense.
A potential top-10 pick in July’s draft, Montgomery hit .322 with 27 home runs and a 1.187 OPS this season.
No. 4 North Carolina
The Tar Heels won a pair of close games over West Virginia in the Super Regionals to secure their first College World Series appearance since 2018. Just like Texas A&M, they’re well-balanced.
Top 15 in the nation in both runs and ERA, North Carolina’s offense is led by the power-hitting trio of Vance Honeycutt, Parks Harber, and Casey Cook, with Honeycutt taking 26 home runs and a 1.112 OPS to Omaha.
Starting pitcher Jason DeCaro, who has a 3.89 ERA through 17 starts but has battled control issues, stepped up in a major way against West Virginia and will be key to the Tar Heels’ success on the biggest stage.
No. 8 Florida State
Florida State can score runs, and that’s exactly what the Seminoles did in their Super Regionals series against UConn. FSU put 34 runs on the board, including 24 in Game 1, to make quick work of the Huskies. Time will tell if that kind of production can sustain itself against the best of the best.
The Seminoles have two legitimate first-round prospects in this year’s MLB Draft in 3B Cam Smith and OF James Tibbs. Tibbs has 28 home runs and a stellar 1.309 OPS, while Smith is batting .402 with 16 home runs. Florida State’s pitching staff will have to lean heavily on ace Jamie Arnold, but the offense could make his job easy when he’s on the mound.
No. 10 NC State
NC State was the final team to punch their spot to the College World Series, defeating Charlie Condon and Georgia in the Super Regionals in a winner-take-all Game 3. The Wolfpack offense exploded for a combined 26 runs in their two wins over the Bulldogs, including 18 in Game 1.
At the helm of NC State’s offense is 3B Alec Makarewicz. The infielder has 21 home runs and 77 RBIs so far this year while sporting a .380 batting average. Behind him is 1B Garrett Pennington, who is batting .347 with 17 homers and 63 RBIs.
No. 12 Virginia
Virginia enters the College World Series fourth in the nation in runs, and that’s the result you get when more than half of the lineup has an OPS north of 1.000. While the Cavaliers aren’t too heavy on power, their .336 is the best among all power conference teams. Everyone who stepped to the plate for Virginia in Game 2 against Kansas State recorded a hit, and that sums up the kind of tightrope pitchers will have to walk against this Cavaliers lineup.
Florida
Florida is the only unseeded team in the College World Series, having won a thriller against Clemson in the Super Regionals that didn’t come without some controversial calls. Fans of every level will be thrilled to see highly-touted MLB Draft prospect Jac Caglianone back in Omaha.
Caglianone has put up otherworldly numbers in 2024, batting .411 with 33 home runs and a 1.392 OPS while starting 15 games and striking out 82 batters on the mound for the Gators.
There are questions about Florida’s offense outside of Caglianone, particularly when it comes to the lineup’s ability to hit for contact. That’s part of what made Florida such an underdog in the first place, even with Caglianone’s production. The Gators are certainly no stranger to playing in Omaha, however, and they will hope to keep their magic alive in pursuit of a title.
College World Series odds
This section will be updated when odds are published.
College World Series bracket 2024
The four teams in each bracket will face off in a double-elimination tournament, with the winners from each bracket facing off in a best-of-three series in the finals.
Here’s a look at the brackets and standings for the College World Series:
Bracket 1
Team | W | L |
---|---|---|
North Carolina | 1 | 0 |
Tennessee | 1 | 0 |
Florida State | 0 | 1 |
Virginia | 0 | 1 |
Bracket 2
Team | W | L |
---|---|---|
Kentucky | 0 | 0 |
NC State | 0 | 0 |
Texas A&M | 0 | 0 |
Florida | 0 | 0 |
When & where is the College World Series?
- College World Series: Friday, June 14-June 24
- Finals: June 22-24
- Location: Charles Schwab Field, Omaha, Neb.
The 2023 College World Series kicks off on Friday, June 14, and will last until Monday, June 24, at the latest.
This year marks the 77th overall College World Series — 74 of which have been held in Omaha, making the event synonymous with the Nebraska city. All games will again be played at Charles Schwab Field.