Kent State accomplished an amazing feat this past week. After giving LSU a tough challenge in Baton Rouge during a midweek clash, the Golden Flashes carried that energy to Knoxville and clinched a road series victory against Tennessee. so, the Vols experienced a significant drop in this week’s rankings, falling seven positions to No. 20.
How will the Vols bounce back? They’ll be up against the nation’s top team, UCLA, on Friday, so a quick recovery is essential. The Bruins, along with the four teams immediately below them, maintained their spots in the rankings after displaying dominant performances, but further down the list, there were additional changes.
TCU faced a challenging week overall. Following a loss to UT Arlington in a midweek game, the Horned Frogs were swept by UCLA in Los Angeles, leading to an 11-spot drop in the rankings. The biggest gainers this week were Southern Miss and Oklahoma, both moving up eight spots. Louisville fell completely out of the rankings, allowing Ole Miss to enter at No. 25.
Here’s how the complete top 25 rankings appear as of Feb. 23, along with our favorite plays and what we’re looking forward to this upcoming week.
Top plays
LSU doesn’t need any added power, yet Jake Brown is delivering home runs like this one.
Jake Cannon Brown Everybody 💣 @JakeBrown_14 | SECN + pic.twitter.com/WTy1th1r6v
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) February 17, 2026
And check out this home run from UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky. He’s certainly living up to the pre-season hype.
Roch goes dead center 🤯
📺B1G+ #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/zXXISgXcrM
— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) February 22, 2026
Player to watch
Jackson Flora, RHP, UCSB
Flora’s stock is rising on draft boards for good reason. The junior, ranked No. 4 by Kiley McDaniel in his MLB draft projections, reached 100 MPH in his 2026 debut and has continued to heat things up since. Can he surpass Cholowsky for the No. 1 pick? We’ll have to wait and see.
FLO-STATE 🌊
Back-to-back strikeouts for Flora as he escapes a bases-loaded jam!
T2 | Pilots 0 – Gauchos 1
📺 ESPN+
🎧 https://t.co/TYosww6CZU #GoChos pic.twitter.com/HXE196J0xl— UC Santa Barbara Baseball (@UCSB_Baseball) February 21, 2026
Games to watch
No. 10 Florida at No. 17 Miami
Game 1: 7 p.m. on Friday (ACC Network Extra)
Game 2: 6 p.m. on Saturday (ACC Network Extra)
Game 3: 1 p.m. on Sunday (ACC Network Extra)
We’re excited for these early-season top-ranked matchups, and this in-state rivalry makes it all the more intriguing. Miami has started the season strong, boasting an impressive 7-0 record, while Florida has already suffered a loss. The Gators must be prepared for Miami’s Alex Sosa, who has been a force this season with five home runs and 17 RBIs. Adding to the challenge is Daniel Cuvet, who also has five homers, along with 13 RBIs. Expect a high-scoring showdown in Coral Gables this weekend.
Updated top 25
Here are D1baseball.com’s most recent rankings, along with details for each team’s next game.
All times Eastern.
1. UCLA Bruins
Previous rank: 1
Record: 6-1
Next game: vs. Tulane, 8 p.m. on Tuesday
2. LSU Tigers
Previous rank: 2
Record: 8-0
Next game: vs. McNeese, 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
3. Texas Longhorns
Previous rank: 3
Record: 7-0
Next game: vs. UTRGV, 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
4. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Previous rank: 4
Record: 8-0
Next game: vs. Austin Peay, 5 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
5. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Previous rank: 5
Record: 8-0
Next game: at Georgia State, 4 p.m. on Tuesday (ACC Network Extra)
6. Arkansas Razorbacks
Previous rank: 8
Record: 6-1
Next game: vs. Arkansas State, 4 p.m. on Monday (SEC Network+)
7. Auburn Tigers
Previous rank: 9
Record: 6-1
Next game: vs. West Georgia, 7 p.m. on Wednesday (SEC Network+)
8. North Carolina Tar Heels
Previous rank: 10
Record: 6-1-1
Next game: vs. NC A&T, 4 p.m. on Tuesday (ACC Network Extra)
9. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Previous rank: 6
Record: 5-2
Next game: vs. Campbell, 4 p.m. on Tuesday (ESPN+)
10. Florida Gators
Previous rank: 12
Record: 7-1
Next game: vs. FIU, 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday (ESPN+)
11. Georgia Bulldogs
Previous rank: 14
Record: 6-1
Next game: vs. Troy, 3 p.m. on Wednesday (SEC Network+)
12. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Previous rank: 20
Record: 6-1
Next game: vs. Alabama, 7 p.m. on Tuesday (ESPN+)
13. Oklahoma Sooners
Previous rank: 21
Record: 7-0
Next game: vs. Arizona State, 5 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
14. NC State Wolfpack
Previous rank: 17
Record: 5-1
Next game: vs. Richmond, 3 p.m. on Tuesday
15. Clemson Tigers
Previous rank: 19
Record: 7-0
Next game: vs. Presbyterian, 4 p.m. on Tuesday (ACCNX)
16. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Previous rank: 22
Record: 6-1
Next game: at UNCG, 5 p.m. on Tuesday (ESPN+)
17. Miami Hurricanes
Previous rank: 23
Record: 9-0
Next game: at FAU, 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday
18. TCU Horned Frogs
Previous rank: 7
Record: 2-5
Next game: at Loyola Marymount, 4 p.m. on Monday
19. Oregon State Beavers
Previous rank: 11
Record: 4-3
Next game: at Houston, 3 p.m. on Friday
20. Tennessee Volunteers
Previous rank: 13
Record: 5-2
Next game: vs. Bellarmine, 4 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
21. Florida State Seminoles
Previous rank: 16
Record: 4-2
Next game: vs. North Florida, 5 p.m. on Wednesday (ESPN+)
22. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous rank: 18
Record: 5-2
Next game: vs. Western Kentucky, 4 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
23. Texas A&M Aggies
Previous rank: 24
Record: 7-0
Next game: vs. Lamar, 7 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
24. West Virginia Mountaineers
Previous rank: 25
Record: 5-1
Next game: vs. Ohio, 1 p.m. on Wednesday (ESPN+)
25. Ole Miss Rebels
Previous rank: NR
Record: 8-0
Next game: vs. Southeast Missouri State, 5 p.m. on Tuesday (SEC Network+)
