USC Surges, LSU and Florida Tumble in College Baseball Top 25

The Athletic's latest rankings see major shakeups in the top teams

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The latest college baseball rankings from The Athletic saw significant movement, with USC jumping up to No. 17 after sweeping Illinois, while LSU dropped from No. 2 to No. 21 after a 1-4 week and Florida fell from No. 8 to No. 15 after losing two of three to High Point. Southern Miss continued its climb to No. 6, and Wake Forest made a big jump after sweeping Stanford.

Why it matters

The college baseball season is heating up, and these rankings provide a snapshot of the top teams and how they are performing. The shakeups at the top of the rankings could have major implications for the postseason, as teams jockey for position and conference titles.

The details

USC, one of only two undefeated teams in the rankings, jumped from No. 24 to No. 17 after sweeping Illinois to open Big Ten play. Southern Miss, which beat Mississippi State on Tuesday, moved up to No. 6. Wake Forest, winners of 15 straight games, made a big jump after sweeping Stanford in Winston-Salem. Meanwhile, LSU tumbled from No. 2 to No. 21 after a 1-4 week that included a series loss to Sacramento State, and Florida dropped seven spots, from No. 8 to No. 15, after losing two of three to High Point.

  • The rankings were released on March 9, 2026.

The players

USC

One of two undefeated teams in the college baseball rankings, USC jumped from No. 24 to No. 17 after sweeping Illinois to open Big Ten play.

LSU

The Tigers dropped from No. 2 to No. 21 in the rankings after a 1-4 week that included a series loss to Sacramento State.

Florida

The Gators fell from No. 8 to No. 15 in the rankings after losing two of three games to High Point.

Southern Miss

The Golden Eagles continued their climb in the rankings, moving up to No. 6 after beating Mississippi State on Tuesday.

Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons made a big jump in the rankings after sweeping Stanford in Winston-Salem, extending their winning streak to 15 games.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The shakeups in the college baseball rankings highlight the competitive nature of the sport, with teams jockeying for position and conference titles as the season progresses. The rise of programs like USC and Southern Miss, coupled with the struggles of traditional powers like LSU and Florida, demonstrate the unpredictability and excitement of the college baseball landscape.