2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament

[billga99]

OK the ACC continues to look lousy. 9 teams in the tournament:
1st team out in Regional - NC State, VT
Not reaching Regional Final (still games in play but behind in each) - Miami (losing 9-6 in 9th), Boston College (losing 8-2 in 8th), Wake (losing 10-5 in 9th)
In loser's bracket - VA (plays Jax St. to reach Regional Final), FSU (need to win next game against unknown to reach Regional Finals)
Won First 2 - GT, UNC
Highly likely 5 will be out in the next hour, 2 have to win multiple games and 2 are in the driver's seat (ours to lose). Betting 2 no more than 3 in Super Regionals.

SEC
1 team out in Regional (TN)
3 teams with 1 loss (Auburn, Oklahoma, Arkansas leads 4-1 in 6th to get to Regional Finals).
7 teams 2-0 (UGA, AL, KY, MS, MS St, Florida, TX A&M).
Legitimately 6-8 teams will reach Super Regionals.

I realize the SEC gets a lot of teams, in many cases weaker regional opponents, etc. However, the ACC has to start being more competitive in the big 3 sports - football, basketball and baseball to complain about SEC bias. I know it exists but hard to make an argument with these results.

 

[Eli]

D1baseball couldn’t wait to post this

 

[L41k18]

OK the ACC continues to look lousy. 9 teams in the tournament:
1st team out in Regional - NC State, VT
Not reaching Regional Final (still games in play but behind in each) - Miami (losing 9-6 in 9th), Boston College (losing 8-2 in 8th), Wake (losing 10-5 in 9th)
In loser's bracket - VA (plays Jax St. to reach Regional Final), FSU (need to win next game against unknown to reach Regional Finals)
Won First 2 - GT, UNC
Highly likely 5 will be out in the next hour, 2 have to win multiple games and 2 are in the driver's seat (ours to lose). Betting 2 no more than 3 in Super Regionals.

SEC
1 team out in Regional (TN)
3 teams with 1 loss (Auburn, Oklahoma, Arkansas leads 4-1 in 6th to get to Regional Finals).
7 teams 2-0 (UGA, AL, KY, MS, MS St, Florida, TX A&M).
Legitimately 6-8 teams will reach Super Regionals.

I realize the SEC gets a lot of teams, in many cases weaker regional opponents, etc. However, the ACC has to start being more competitive in the big 3 sports - football, basketball and baseball to complain about SEC bias. I know it exists but hard to make an argument with these results.

You are 100% correct. At some point you'd think those who continually cry about the ACC not getting enough respect in baseball would acknowledge reality. But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Eli]

You are 100% correct. At some point you'd think those who continually cry about the ACC not getting enough respect in baseball would acknowledge reality. But I'm not holding my breath.

So if Georgia Tech or UNC wins the national championship will that mean the ACC is now better than the SEC?

 

[gtrower]

So if Georgia Tech or UNC wins the national championship will that mean the ACC is now better than the SEC?

That was that dudes justification for SEC being dominant last year despite having a miserable tournament outside of lsu (who very nearly didn’t make it out of their regional). So yeah all we have to do is win it and the ACC is the best conference.

 

[Eli]

That was that dudes justification for SEC being dominant last year despite having a miserable tournament outside of lsu (who very nearly didn’t make it out of their regional). So yeah all we have to do is win it and the ACC is the best conference.

That’s my issue. SEC defenders will pick both sides of the fence. If the SEC has a terrible tournament as opposed to the ACC but then have one team get hot and win it all then they are the better “conference.” So now the SEC is having a good tournament but if they don’t have a champion you can no longer say they are the best correct?

 

[L41k18]

I sure hope Tech wins.

To answer your question, of course not. It would only be 1. BUT, it would immediately elevate the ACC a step closer. Win a few more, then yes.

 

[L41k18]

That was that dudes justification for SEC being dominant last year despite having a miserable tournament outside of lsu (who very nearly didn’t make it out of their regional). So yeah all we have to do is win it and the ACC is the best conference.

BS. Not just last year. 6 in a row and what, 9 of 11 or 12? And the ACC has 1 in 70 years.
At least be truthful.

 

[Eli]

I sure hope Tech wins.

To answer your question, of course not. It would only be 1. BUT, it would immediately elevate the ACC a step closer. Win a few more, then yes.

So the SEC national championship from 6 years ago would still hold water in making them the best? The ACC would have to win 7 in a row to be the best? When do we strip them of being the best?

 

[L41k18]

So the SEC national championship from 6 years ago would still hold water in making them the best? The ACC would have to win 7 in a row to be the best? When do we strip them of being the best?

I'm amazed at the ability of smart people to look squarely at facts yet deny their existence.

I hate the SEC too but I am not blind to the results on the field.

If the ACC had won the last 6 we'd be crowing loud about it.

 

[Eli]

I'm amazed at the ability of smart people to look squarely at facts yet deny their existence.

I hate the SEC too but I am not blind to the results on the field.

That didn’t answer my question. At what point are they no longer the best? How many championships would the ACC have to win in order to be the best? Assuming the SEC continues to get 4 teams in Omaha for the next 4 years let’s say they don’t win any in the next 4 and it’s split between the ACC and another conference. Would we still say the SEC won a national championship in 2019-2025 so they are still the best?

 

[BonafideJacket]

OK the ACC continues to look lousy. 9 teams in the tournament:
1st team out in Regional - NC State, VT
Not reaching Regional Final (still games in play but behind in each) - Miami (losing 9-6 in 9th), Boston College (losing 8-2 in 8th), Wake (losing 10-5 in 9th)
In loser's bracket - VA (plays Jax St. to reach Regional Final), FSU (need to win next game against unknown to reach Regional Finals)
Won First 2 - GT, UNC

The complete non-competitive face plants by Wake and Miami in what should have been winnable regionals are embarrassing for the conference. Especially how inept Miami looked in the late innings last two days. BC is disappointing also but didn’t expect them to get past UGAg.

But then I realize this is how the rest of the conference probably viewed Tech’s postseason performance for the last two decades.

 

[billga99]

So the SEC national championship from 6 years ago would still hold water in making them the best? The ACC would have to win 7 in a row to be the best? When do we strip them of being the best?

I'm amazed at the ability of smart people to look squarely at facts yet deny their existence.

I hate the SEC too but I am not blind to the results on the field.

If the ACC had won the last 6 we'd be crowing loud about it.

The ACC can make the case of being the best when we get multiple teams being successful in the NCAA tournament and our share of national championships. We held that distinction multiple years in basketball though it has been weaker in the past several years.

 

[FredJacket]

So the SEC national championship from 6 years ago would still hold water in making them the best? The ACC would have to win 7 in a row to be the best? When do we strip them of being the best?

This idea of what is the 'best' conference and the debate is pissing into the wind.. if you believe there is an actual real way to determine who is best.

There is no "best conference" title of any sort anywhere. This entire conversation/debate is made up by fans. You'll never convince an SEC 'fan' they are not the best.

 

[Eli]

The ACC can make the case of being the best when we get multiple teams being successful in the NCAA tournament and our share of national championships. We held that distinction multiple years in basketball though it has been weaker in the past several years.

Check the last 6 years we’ve matched the SEC in Omaha appearances.

 

[L41k18]

That didn’t answer my question. At what point are they no longer the best? How many championships would the ACC have to win in order to be the best? Assuming the SEC continues to get 4 teams in Omaha for the next 4 years let’s say they don’t win any in the next 4 and it’s split between the ACC and another conference. Would we still say the SEC won a national championship in 2019-2025 so they are still the best?

Let's win one.
One.
Then let's hope we can win a few more.

If your make believe scenario happens yes it would absolutely change perceptions. "What have you done recently" is a huge thing.

 

[billga99]

The ACC can make the case of being the best when we get multiple teams being successful in the NCAA tournament and our share of national championships. We held that distinction multiple years in basketball though it has been weaker in the past several years.

The complete non-competitive face plants by Wake and Miami in what should have been winnable regionals are embarrassing for the conference. Especially how inept Miami looked in the late innings last two days. BC is disappointing also but didn’t expect them to get past UGAg.

But then I realize this is how the rest of the conference probably viewed Tech’s postseason performance for the last two decades.

Would love the win tonight and not risk a game 7 against Oklahoma. I would also much rather face Kansas vs. Arkansas. Not that Kansas isn't good but this is all new to them vs. Arkansas which has been very good for years.

 

[RW22]

Some observations from following this for the first time in a while and watching some of the games on TV… stadium size seems to matter for hosting regionals. A lot of the games featured big stadiums for the host team. And it clearly impacted Miami last night. They made a ton of unforced errors in that game. The SEC is just spread out in all of the regionals. They’re winning a lot because they are hosting a lot of regionals. The Texas regional is ridiculously easy. Tech’s field looks great. West Virginia’s field on the other hand looks like it is Astroturf from the 70s. To no surprise, SEC teams seemed to be more heavily featured on the free version of the tournament.

 

[Eli]

Let's win one.
One.
Then let's hope we can win a few more.

If your make believe scenario happens yes it would absolutely change perceptions. "What have you done recently" is a huge thing.

Here’s the issue with this thinking is it won’t change. The Big10 have won the last 3 football national championships and yet you have every media personality and playoff committee member trying to ram the playoffs full of 8-4 SEC teams because playing Alabama is still harder than playing in the NFL.

 

[MWBATL]

So if Georgia Tech or UNC wins the national championship will that mean the ACC is now better than the SEC?

Yes.

You’re catching on, aren’t you?