Baseball America's preseason ranking confirms Omaha-of-bust for Bulldogs

Mississippi State is ranked in the top five of another publication's preseason college baseball rankings with 25 days until opening day.

Mississippi State Catcher Jackson Owen (#23) during the game between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium in Starkville, MS. | Mississippi State Athletics

In 25 days, Mississippi State will start what’s one of the most anticipated baseball seasons in recent years.

The Bulldogs’ first game under new coach Brian O’Connor is set for February 13 against Hofstra and they’ll do so with a very low number next to their name.

D1Baseball had Mississippi State at No. 4 overall when it debuted its preseason rankings last week.

On Tuesday, Baseball America published its own preseason rankings with the Bulldogs coming in at No. 3 overall. Here’s the publication said about Mississippi State:

“Mississippi State’s unforgiving expectations triggered the in-season dismissal of seventh-year coach Chris Lemonis, the architect of the program’s 2021 national championship, and launched the most visible coaching search of the offseason. The Bulldogs landed longtime Virginia coach Brian O’Connor, who departed Charlottesville after 22 seasons to take over one of the sport’s most heavily resourced programs. O’Connor moved quickly to reshape the roster, securing one of the nation’s strongest transfer classes, signing a wave of high-profile high school talent and retaining key contributors from the previous staff. The result was a rapid reset aligned with Mississippi State’s Omaha-or-bust standard.”

The expectations are certainly Omahoa-or-bust and, on paper, the Bulldogs have a team capable of reaching that goal.

Here’s the full top 25 rankings, featuring 11 SEC teams and three teams from the Magnolia State.

Baseball America Top 25 Rankings

1. UCLA

Last Season: 48-18 (22-8 Big Ten); Reached College World Series
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 6

2. LSU

Last Season: 53-15 (19-11 SEC); Won College World Series
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 1

3. Mississippi State

Last Season: 36-23 (15-15 SEC); Eliminated in Tallahassee Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked

4. Georgia Tech

Last Season: 41-19 (19-11 ACC); Eliminated in Oxford Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 25

5. Auburn

Last Season: 41-20 (17-13 SEC); Eliminated in Auburn Super Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 10

6. Georgia

Last Season: 43-17 (18-12 SEC); Eliminated in Athens Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 20

7. North Carolina

Last Season: 46-15 (18-11 ACC); Eliminated in Chapel Hill Super Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 9

8. Texas

Last Season: 44-14 (22-8 SEC); Eliminated in Austin Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 18

9. TCU

Last Season: 39-20 (19-11 Big 12); Eliminated in Corvallis Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked

10. Arkansas

Last Season: 50-15 (20-10 SEC); Reached College World Series
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 3

11. Coastal Carolina

Last Season: 56-14 (26-4 Sun Belt); Finished as national runner up in College World Series
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 2

12. Florida State

Last Season: 42-16 (17-10 ACC); Eliminated in Corvallis Super Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 11

13. Tennessee

Last Season: 46-19 (16-14 SEC); Eliminated in Fayetteville Super Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 12

14. Virginia

Last Season: 32-18 (16-11 ACC); Missed NCAA Tournament
Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked

15. Oregon State

Last Season: 48-16-1; Reached College World Series
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 5

16. Ole Miss

Last Season: 43-21 (16-14 SEC); Eliminated in Oxford Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 19

17. Vanderbilt

Last Season: 43-18 (19-11 SEC); Eliminated in Nashville Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 17

18. Louisville

Last Season: 42-24 (15-15 ACC); Reached College World Series
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 4

19. Oklahoma

Last Season: 38-22 (14-16 SEC); Eliminated in Chapel Hill Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked

20. Clemson

Last Season: 45-18 (18-12 ACC); Eliminated in Clemson Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 24

21. West Virginia

Last Season: 44-16 (19-9 Big 12); Eliminated in Baton Rouge Super Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 13

22. Florida

Last Season: 39-22 (15-15 SEC); Eliminated in Conway Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 23

23. Southern Miss

Last Season: 47-16 (24-6 Sun Belt); Eliminated in Hattiesburg Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 21

24. East Carolina

Last Season: 35-27 (13-14 American); Eliminated in Conway Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: Unranked

25. Miami (FL)

Last Season: 35-27 (15-14 ACC); Eliminated in Louisville Super Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 16