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Ruston Today
By the People, for the People
UCLA Reclaims Top Spot in College Baseball Top 25
Southern Miss jumps five spots, USC enters poll after impressive start
Published on Mar. 2, 2026
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The UCLA Bruins have reclaimed the top spot in the college baseball Top 25 rankings after an impressive weekend in Arlington, Texas, where they beat three ranked SEC teams - Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State. LSU fell to No. 2 after losing to McNeese earlier in the week, but bounced back with wins over Dartmouth and Northeastern. Southern Miss made the biggest jump, moving up five spots to No. 10 after sweeping Louisiana Tech on the road. Vanderbilt dropped out of the rankings after losing three games at the Las Vegas Classic, while USC entered the poll at No. 24 as one of just three undefeated teams in the country.
Why it matters
The college baseball rankings are closely watched by fans, players, and scouts as they provide a snapshot of the top teams in the nation and can impact postseason seeding and at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. UCLA's rise to the top spot and Southern Miss's big jump highlight the shifting landscape of college baseball, while Vanderbilt's fall from the rankings shows how quickly fortunes can change over the course of a season.
The details
UCLA's rise to the No. 1 ranking comes after the Bruins beat three ranked SEC teams - Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State - in Arlington, Texas. The Bruins now have six wins over likely NCAA Tournament teams, including a series sweep over TCU. LSU fell to No. 2 after losing to McNeese earlier in the week, but bounced back with wins over Dartmouth and Northeastern. Southern Miss was the biggest mover, jumping from No. 15 to No. 10 after sweeping Louisiana Tech, who had previously been 8-1. Vanderbilt, which lost three games at the Las Vegas Classic, dropped out of the rankings entirely.
- UCLA beat three ranked SEC teams in Arlington, Texas over the weekend.
- LSU lost to McNeese on Tuesday before beating Dartmouth and Northeastern.
- Southern Miss swept Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Louisiana.
- Vanderbilt lost three games at the Las Vegas Classic.
The players
UCLA
The UCLA Bruins are the new No. 1 team in the college baseball Top 25 rankings after an impressive weekend in Arlington, Texas where they beat three ranked SEC teams.
LSU
The LSU Tigers fell to No. 2 in the rankings after losing to McNeese earlier in the week, but bounced back with wins over Dartmouth and Northeastern.
Southern Miss
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles made the biggest jump in the rankings, moving up five spots to No. 10 after sweeping Louisiana Tech on the road.
Vanderbilt
The Vanderbilt Commodores dropped out of the rankings entirely after losing three games at the Las Vegas Classic.
USC
The USC Trojans entered the rankings at No. 24 as one of just three undefeated teams in the country.
The takeaway
The shifting landscape of college baseball is on full display in the latest Top 25 rankings, with UCLA reclaiming the top spot, Southern Miss making a big jump, and traditional powerhouse Vanderbilt falling out of the rankings entirely. These rankings will have major implications for postseason seeding and at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, underscoring the importance of these weekly polls for both teams and fans.
