It has been a long offseason, but the road to Omaha officially starts on Friday. That’s right, folks, college baseball is back!
For years, the Big 12 Conference has been one of the most underrated conferences for college baseball, and 2025 looks to be another promising year.
The season starts with a bang, as several teams have premier matchups. Let’s take a look at the top four storylines heading into the weekend.
Everything is Bigger In Texas
The 2025 college baseball starts with a bang because the Shriners Children’s College Showdown is going to be the can’t-miss tournament of the weekend. This tournament is played down in Arlington at Globe Life Field, which is the home of the Texas Rangers and the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship.
The six teams playing in the tournament are Arizona, Oklahoma State, Texas, Ole Miss, Clemson, and Louisville. Four of these teams are ranked inside D1Baseball’s Top 25 which includes both Big 12 schools who are participating.
Oklahoma State and Arizona are the favorites to win the Big 12, and this would be an excellent opportunity for both teams to prove themselves on a national stage. I know these two have the offense to carry them through the weekend, but I am curious to see how both pitching staffs handle themselves against quality opponents.
Tournament Schedule
Friday 2/14
#17 Oklahoma State at #15 Clemson
#21 Arizona at Ole Miss
#19 Texas at Louisville
Saturday 2/15
#15 Clemson at #21 Arizona
Louisville at #17 Oklahoma State
Ole Miss at #19 Texas
Sunday 2/16
Louisville at #21 Arizona
Ole Miss at #15 Clemson
#17 Oklahoma State at #19 Texas
Hello Tobacco Road
There will be two Big 12 teams heading to North Carolina opening weekend, and they will be playing just 12 miles from each other. Texas Tech will be taking on North Carolina, while Cincinnati will take on Duke. The Tar Heels and Blue Devils are ranked in the top 12, and both are expected to be title contenders in the ACC. Coming off a trip to Omaha, North Carolina is arguably the most balanced team, not just in the ACC but maybe the entire country. While they do have to replace one of the best players in program history (Vance Honeycutt) they bring back several key players and ace pitcher Jason DeCaro.
Duke may not be as good as North Carolina on paper, but they aren’t far off. The Blue Devils have two rising stars, AJ Gracia and Kyle Johnson, alongside veteran Ben Johnson, who smashed 15 homers a year ago. This team won the ACC tournament last year and nearly hosted a regional.
I know Texas Tech will have plenty of offense to bring to the table with Damian Bravo and TJ Pompey. Plus, they have some experienced players in their lineup, including Tracer Lopez and Dylan Maxcey, and I really like some of the players they brought in from the portal. But as usual with Tech, my concern is on the mound and the pitching staff will have their hands full in Chapel Hill.
Meanwhile, I find Cincinnati to be a very interesting team. Kerrington Cross headlines the offense for the Bearcats, while Tommy Boba and Nathan Taylor look to be the dynamic duo on the mound. Plus, they were also able to bring in another veteran arm, Adam Mrakitsch, from Central Michigan. Between the pitching deep and returning six infielders from last year’s team, Cincinnati could give Duke all they can handle this weekend.
Beach, Please
The Kansas State Wildcats are heading east to participate in the annual Baseball at the Beach Tournament in Conway, South Carolina. The Cats will kick off the 2025 season by playing Washington on Friday, who is projected to finish dead last in the new look Big Ten. However, they will face tournament host Coastal Carolina twice (Saturday and Monday), which will be by far their toughest test of the weekend.
The Chanticleers are always contenders in the Sun Belt, and that shouldn’t change under new head coach Kevin Schnall. On Sunday, Kansas State will take on St. Joseph’s before ending their trip with a rematch against Coastal Carolina. The Wildcats will have plenty of new faces this season outside of Nick English but I like their chances to go at least 3-1 this weekend.
Who Is On Upset Alert This Weekend?
Unfortunately, I am officially putting TCU on upset alert this weekend. The Horned Frogs will head west to San Diego to face the Toreros for a three-game series. San Diego is projected to win the West Coast Conference this season, and for good reason. They may arguably have two of the best players in the conference between two-way players Austin Smith and Logan Reddemann.
There is no lack of talent on TCU’s roster and that’s why are ranked inside the top 25. Between veteran guys like Ben Abeldt, Kole Klecker, Karson Bowen and Anthony Silva, this team has to find a way to be more consistent than they were in 2024. Last year was a roller coaster ride that was completely unnecessary, considering how talented they were. Now it’s time to put it all together; this weekend is the perfect time to start things.
Other Games
West Virginia at Jacksonville
Kansas at Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Ohio State at Arizona State
Siena at UCF
BYU at Fresno State
Youngstown State at Baylor
Utah at Pepperdine
Minnesota at Houston
