College Baseball Teams Struggle with Non-Conference Scheduling

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A recent article on on3.com criticizes college baseball programs for scheduling weak non-conference opponents, arguing that it negatively impacts their chances of hosting NCAA Tournament regionals and earning national seeds. The author points to examples of top SEC teams like Florida scheduling stronger non-conference opponents compared to their peers, which can give them an advantage in the selection process for the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

The article highlights an ongoing debate in college baseball about the importance of non-conference scheduling and how it can impact a team's postseason resume. With the margins for earning NCAA Tournament hosting duties and national seeds being so narrow, the author believes teams need to be more strategic about who they play early in the season.

The details

The author argues that teams should avoid scheduling opponents with an RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) over 100 for their non-conference weekend series. They point to examples like Florida, which played UAB (RPI 35), Kennesaw State (RPI 61), and High Point (RPI 52) in their non-conference schedule, compared to the author's own team, which played Hofstra (RPI 139), Delaware (RPI 240), and Lipscomb (RPI 207). The author believes this scheduling disparity can give some teams an advantage when it comes to NCAA Tournament selection.

• The article was published on April 8, 2026.