The road to Omaha begins on Valentine’s Day weekend, Friday, February 13, 2026, and the reigning national champions are once again the team to beat.
Following a comprehensive analysis of the three major preseason polls—Perfect Game (PG), Baseball America (BA), and D1Baseball (D1)—the LSU Tigers have emerged as the Consensus No. 1 team in the nation. After capturing their eighth national title in 2025, the Tigers secured the top spot in the Perfect Game rankings and placed No. 2 in both D1Baseball and Baseball America polls.
While UCLA claimed the No. 1 ranking in two of the three major polls (D1 and BA), their No. 5 placement in the Perfect Game poll allowed LSU—which never fell below No. 2—to secure the composite top spot.
A Dynasty Reloaded
LSU’s 2025 Championship victory marked the program’s second national title in three years (2023, 2025). Head Coach Jay Johnson enters his fifth season with a loaded roster featuring 19 veterans, including reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Derek Curiel, alongside a recruiting class of 20 newcomers that includes eight Division I transfers.
The Consensus Top 5
Based on a weighted system aggregating all three major polls, here is the clear hierarchy entering the 2026 season:
- LSU (5 Points): The undisputed consensus favorite.
- UCLA (7 Points): Entering the Big Ten, the Bruins are led by junior shortstop and potential No. 1 overall draft pick Roch Cholowsky. They are ranked No. 1 by both Baseball America and D1Baseball.
- Georgia Tech (11 Points): Under first-year head coach James Ramsey, the Yellow Jackets debut at No. 2 in Perfect Game and crack the top 5 in all three polls, boasting what analysts call the nation’s deepest offense.
- Mississippi State (13 Points): A consistent force, the Bulldogs rank No. 3 in Baseball America and No. 4 in D1Baseball.
- Texas (19 Points): The Longhorns enter the SEC with a No. 3 ranking from D1Baseball and a No. 8 ranking from both Perfect Game and Baseball America.
Realignment and Reshuffling: Conference Dominance
The 2026 season brings massive structural changes to the sport. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) flexes its muscle as the deepest league in America, placing between 9 and 11 teams in the rankings depending on the publication. The addition of Texas and Oklahoma only strengthens a conference that has produced the last four national champions.
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) follows closely, placing eight teams in the consensus rankings, headlined by Georgia Tech, Florida State, and North Carolina.
Meanwhile, the Big Ten sees a surge in relevance with the arrival of UCLA and Oregon, both of whom appear in the Perfect Game Top 15. Oregon State navigates the season as an Independent following the dissolution of the Pac-12, ranking as high as No. 7 in Perfect Game.
Storylines to Watch
- Coaching Carousel: Tennessee, a consensus top-10 team, begins a new era under head coach Josh Elander after Tony Vitello departed to manage the San Francisco Giants.
- New Rules: Teams have utilized new NCAA legislation allowing for five weeks of preseason preparation, ensuring rosters are more ready than ever for the February 13 opener.
2026 Consensus Preseason Top 25
(Aggregated from Perfect Game, Baseball America, and D1Baseball)
- LSU (Consensus #1)
- UCLA
- Georgia Tech
- Mississippi State
- Texas
- Arkansas
- Auburn
- TCU / Tennessee (Tie)
- Coastal Carolina / Oregon State (Tie)
- Georgia / North Carolina (Tie)
- Florida State
- Louisville
- Florida
- Virginia
- Clemson / Vanderbilt (Tie)
- NC State / Oregon (Tie)
- Southern Miss
- Ole Miss
- Kentucky
- Miami (FL) / Oklahoma (Tie)
Honorable Mentions (Ranked in at least one poll): Wake Forest, West Virginia, UC Santa Barbara, East Carolina, Arizona, Texas A&M.
