LSU Takes Over Top Spot in College Baseball Top 25

Oklahoma and Michigan enter the rankings after strong opening weekends

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The college baseball rankings saw some major shakeups after the opening weekend of the season. LSU jumped UCLA to take over the top spot after sweeping Milwaukee, while UCLA dropped one spot after losing the series finale at home to UC San Diego. Oklahoma and Michigan also entered the Top 25 after impressive neutral-site performances, with Oklahoma moving all the way up to No. 10 and Michigan cracking the rankings as well.

Why it matters

The early-season rankings are an important indicator of which teams are poised for strong campaigns and potential postseason runs. LSU and UCLA are expected to be among the nation's elite this year, so their head-to-head matchup is a key early-season storyline. Oklahoma and Michigan's rises show they could be surprise contenders as well.

The details

LSU swept Milwaukee in Baton Rouge to jump over UCLA for the top spot. The Bruins lost the series finale at home to UC San Diego, dropping them to No. 2. Oklahoma went 3-0 at the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Texas to vault into the Top 10 at No. 10, while Michigan beat Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona in Surprise, Arizona to earn a spot in the rankings.

  • The college baseball season opened on the weekend of February 14-16, 2026.
  • LSU swept Milwaukee in Baton Rouge over that opening weekend.
  • UCLA lost the series finale at home to UC San Diego on February 16, 2026.
  • Oklahoma went 3-0 at the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Texas on February 14-16, 2026.
  • Michigan beat Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona in Surprise, Arizona on February 14-16, 2026.

The players

LSU

The Louisiana State University baseball team, which took over the top spot in the rankings after sweeping Milwaukee in their opening series.

UCLA

The University of California, Los Angeles baseball team, which dropped one spot to No. 2 after losing the series finale at home to UC San Diego.

Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma baseball team, which entered the Top 25 at No. 10 after going 3-0 at the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Texas.

Michigan

The University of Michigan baseball team, which earned a spot in the rankings after beating Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona in Surprise, Arizona.

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The takeaway

The early-season shakeup in the college baseball rankings shows that the landscape is wide open, with traditional powers like LSU and UCLA jockeying for position alongside rising contenders like Oklahoma and Michigan. The next few weeks will be crucial as teams look to solidify their standing heading into conference play and the postseason push.