The NCAA Men’s College World Series (MCWS), held annually in Omaha, Nebraska, is the pinnacle of college baseball, crowning the national champion after a grueling postseason tournament. Often referred to simply as the “College World Series,” this event is the final destination of a complex and evolving playoff structure that tests the mettle of the nation’s best Division I teams. The path to Omaha has changed significantly over the decades, growing from a small initial bracket to the expansive 64-team format we see today.
The roots of the tournament trace back to 1947 when the first College World Series was held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Initially, eight teams participated, divided into two four-team single-elimination playoff brackets, with the winners advancing to a best-of-three final. The tournament moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1949, and the CWS final itself expanded to a four-team double-elimination format.
A pivotal moment arrived in 1950 when the College World Series found its permanent home in Omaha, Nebraska. Coinciding with this move, the CWS itself adopted an eight-team double-elimination format, a structure that would remain largely consistent for many years. While the preliminary rounds leading up to Omaha varied in structure and number of teams over the next few decades, the goal remained reaching the eight-team field in Nebraska.
Significant expansion began in 1973, when the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament expanded to 32 teams, double the previous number. This change aimed to increase the national stage and foster greater competition. The preliminary rounds continued to grow, reaching 34 teams in 1976, 36 in 1982, 38 in 1985, and 40 in 1986.
The 48-Team Era (1988-1998)
From 1988 through 1998, the tournament featured 48 teams. These teams competed in eight regionals, each consisting of six teams. These regionals were played as double-elimination tournaments. The winner of each of these eight regional tournaments advanced to the College World Series in Omaha.
Upon reaching Omaha during this era, the eight teams were divided into two four-team double-elimination brackets. This format mirrored the regional structure. The winners of each of these two brackets then played in a single championship game to determine the national champion. This single-game final was designed, in part, for network television coverage.
The Expansion to 64 Teams and the Introduction of Super Regionals (1999-Present)
A major restructuring occurred in 1999 with the expansion of the overall tournament field to 64 teams. This expanded format remains in place today. With 64 teams, the road to Omaha was significantly altered, introducing a new intermediate round.
The tournament now begins with 16 regional sites, each featuring four teams. Like the regionals in the previous format, these are double-elimination brackets. The teams within each regional are seeded 1 through 4. The top 16 teams in the entire tournament are designated as “national seeds”. These national seeds are typically assigned as the No. 1 seed in their respective regional and are often granted hosting rights for the regional round. Hosting is determined largely by merit, though it can also be contested by bids from schools guaranteeing certain revenue, and facilities must meet NCAA standards.
The winners of the 16 regional tournaments advance to the next round, known as the Super Regionals. There are eight Super Regional sites, and this round consists of a best-of-three series between the two regional winners paired together. The pairings for the Super Regionals are determined by how the regionals are bracketed; for example, the winner of the regional hosted by the No. 1 national seed is paired with the winner of the regional hosted by the No. 16 national seed. The higher national seed in the pairing typically hosts the Super Regional, unless they are eliminated or hosting is impacted by facility issues or scheduling conflicts. The Super Regional winners are the eight teams that earn a trip to the College World Series in Omaha.
Once the eight teams reach Omaha, the format shifts again, combining elements of both double-elimination and best-of-three. The eight teams are split into two four-team double-elimination brackets. The matchups within these brackets are determined by the results of the Super Regionals, following the structure of the initial 64-team bracket. The winners of each of these two brackets then face off in the CWS Final, which since 2003, has been a best-of-three championship series. This best-of-three final replaced the single championship game and requires pitching depth, better mimicking traditional series play.
The expansion to 16 national seeds in 2018 further refined the pairing process, ensuring a more structured path through the Super Regionals. This format allows a team to potentially lose up to four games across the entire tournament (up to two in their regional and up to two in their CWS bracket) and still be crowned national champion.
The journey through Regionals and Super Regionals is the essence of the “Road to Omaha,” an intense, multi-week playoff that culminates in the iconic event held at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, the site since 2011 after 61 years at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. This evolving format, from 8 teams to 64, with the introduction of Super Regionals and a best-of-three final, has shaped the drama and excitement of college baseball’s postseason, making the trip to Omaha a celebrated and hard-fought achievement.
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