Diamond Dogs No. 8 In Final USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll
Mississippi State, picked for a last-place finish in the Southeastern Conference in a preseason vote of the league coaches, finished the year with a 38-22 record. MSU claimed a second-place finish behind divisional champ in the SEC West, and reeled off five straight wins in NCAA Regional and Super Regional competition to advance to the 61st annual College World Series.
Oregon State (49-18), ranked 25th in the final regular season poll, bested North Carolina 9-3 Sunday night to successfully defend its national title at the College World Series. The Beavers out-pointed North Carolina and Rice for the top spot in the season’s final poll compiled by a panel of 31 NCAA Division I baseball coaches.
Four other SEC teams also closed out the year with national ranking in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches’ poll. Behind Mississippi State were No. 9 Vanderbilt (54-13), No. 10 South Carolina (46-20), No. 16 Mississippi (40-25) and No. 21 Arkansas (43-21). The No. 8 national ranking marks Mississippi State’s 11th season-ending top 10 national ranking.