10) Who's Out?
Arizona Wildcats, Miami Hurricanes, NC State Wolfpack, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Six teams dropped from our final Top 25 — some due to late-season collapses, others getting passed up by hotter teams. Let’s start with a few whose recent performances sealed their fate.
Texas A&M brought plenty of promise during their mid-season SEC run, including a statement series win over LSU that launched them into our rankings. But the wheels completely fell off down the stretch. The Aggies were swept by a Missouri team that had been winless in SEC play before that series. They followed it up by losing to Georgia to close the year, and ended the regular season at 28–25. That Missouri series, especially the 10–1 finale, felt like the gut punch that knocked them out for good.
Arizona looked like a hosting contender heading into May, but a disastrous series loss to Utah changed the narrative. The Wildcats still boast a solid 36–18 record and an 18–12 mark in Big 12 play, but their late-season stumble cost them a spot in the Top 25. That said, we still believe in this group heading into the Big 12 Tournament — don’t be surprised if they make a run.
Miami didn’t collapse as dramatically as Arizona or A&M, but it was enough of a slide to knock them out. After a red-hot stretch in the ACC that earned them a spot in our last update, the Hurricanes got swept by Virginia and then lost a series to Notre Dame. On the mound, ace Griffin Hugus told us recently that the team remains confident and united. The ‘Canes could absolutely bounce back in the ACC tourney — they’ve done it before.
NC State finds itself in a similar position. The Wolfpack re-entered the Top 25 after a sweep of Clemson, but a series loss to Stanford and two losses to Miami put them back on the bubble. They’re still a dangerous, young, and gritty group — not one anyone will want to face in Charlotte.
Oklahoma and Western Kentucky were squeezed out as stronger resumes emerged. The Sooners' inconsistency in Big 12 play ultimately hurt their case, while the Hilltoppers, despite a solid record, couldn’t hang on once Dallas Baptist surged and teams like Southern Miss and Northeastern caught fire.
Thanks to Just Baseball for the stats, analysis and insights for this slideshow article.
