Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The College World Series bracket has been updated after a chaotic weekend in Omaha with several top-ranked teams eliminated.
- West Virginia and North Carolina will face off in a crucial double-elimination matchup on Tuesday, June 16.
- The Georgia Bulldogs have moved on, and will face the Oklahoma Sooners in the next round.
The most unpredictable College World Series in recent memory has delivered in Omaha. The vast majority of the top-ranked teams in the initial regionals bracket — yes, we're talking to you UCLA and Georgia Tech, among others — failed to make it to this eight-team invitational. Roch Cholowsky and Vahn Lackey, two of the top MLB draft prospects per our latest mock, went out early. Meanwhile, the Georgia Bulldogs are one of the more intriguing storylines in this year's bracket thanks to catcher Daniel Jackson, who is skyrocketing up draft boards and shouldn't have to buy another drink in Athens.
The Bulldogs aren't alone, though. West Virginia's country roads haven't taken them home, at least not yet. The North Carolina Tar Heels are present as the last, best chance for the ACC to reclaim its crown atop the college baseball world.
Updated College World Series bracket after a wild Saturday
CWS Bracket Number 1
- West Virginia vs North Carolina
- Game 9, Tuesday, June 16
As you can see, there's still plenty to be decided this weekend in Omaha. West Virginia and North Carolina face off in the first game of their series. As a reminder, the CWS is not single elimination, but rather double elimination. The winner of Game 1 does have an incredible advantage, though, and Mountaineers fans travel better than most. WVU has been one of the best stories of this tournament, with the Mountaineers making their first ever super regional and College World Series.
CWS Bracket Number 2
- Oklahoma vs Georgia
- Game 10, Tuesday, June 16
The Georgia Bulldogs are rolling, thanks in large part to Jackson, who is quickly entering the Lackey and Ryder Helfrick conversation on MLB Draft boards. He is not alone, of course, but the Bulldogs catcher can wreck havoc on the basepaths, at the plate and behind the plate. He's easily been Georgia's MVP this season (and the SEC's), and stopping a rapidly-moving freight train will be on the Oklahoma Sooners.
College World Series games today: What to expect in Omaha
- Troy vs Ole Miss: 2pm ET on ESPN
- WVU vs UNC: 7pm ET on ESPN
If Cade Townsend and Ole Miss hope to survive the weekend, they'll need to defeat the upstart Troy Trojans on Sunday afternoon. Troy catcher Jimmy Janicki is expected to be one of the top MLB Draft prospects in next year's class, as ESPN's Kiley McDaniel ranked him higher than even Justin Lebron, who will go in the first round of this year's showcase.
As for North Carolina, they can advance to the next round with a win over West Virginia, sending those country bumpkins home disappointed in the process. There will be no country roads played on Sunday should the Tar Heels win. Jake Schaffner, the UNC shortstop, is a breakout player to watch in Omaha.
Who does Georgia play next in the College World Series?
Georgia will face the Oklahoma Sooners in the next round. The Sooners have gone undefeated in postseason play, while the Bulldogs have lost just one game. The Sooners, despite playing in the big, bad SEC, are one of the stories of the tournament. Brendan Brock is the top MLB Draft prospect Oklahoma has to offer, but he is ranked No. 15 on McDaniel's list. Oklahoma is, as compared to the rest of the teams still alive, a relative unknown. So far, that hasn't remotely mattered.
Oklahoma and Georgia will not face off until Monday, giving both teams a much-needed rest day on Sunday.
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