With the NCAA Tournament Underway, Who Should TCU Fans Root for Now?

Why the NCAA Tournament Still Matters to TCU

TCU missed the NCAA Tournament this season, even though the season is over for the Frogs, some good can still be taken out of this season. Six teams from the Big 12 made the 64-team bracket.

Kansas, West Virginia, Arizona State, UCF, Oklahoma State, and Arizona State.

Both Kansas and West Virginia are regional hosts. Any Big 12 team making a run to the super regionals and the College World Series can impact TCU greatly. As seen in past years, how a team performs in the tournament can impact their rankings the next year, and if the aforementioned teams can get to Omaha, their preseason rankings will be higher.

Why Big 12 Success Could Hep TCU in 2027

Similar to college football and Basketball, the strength of one team’s conference can be the difference between making and missing the bracket. This season, the NCAA didn’t seem to regard Kansas or West Virginia as highly as the other host teams. Both teams were ranked at the bottom of the top sixteen regional hosts, while they had more wins than about half of them. The NCAA must have felt the Big 12 wasn’t that strong a conference if both its top two finishers in the regular season and its tournament champion and runner-up aren’t close to the top ten.

A higher ranking for Big 12 teams next year, with present TCU, will give it an opportunity for quality wins on its schedule and more national media attention. It also provides TCU with more room for error. If the conference is ranked higher, if TCU drops a series against one of the highly ranked teams, it wouldn’t hurt their resume as much.

The Teams TCU Fans Should Root Against

TCU Baseball may not have made the postseason, but TCU fans still have teams to root for. | Tony Beblowski-KillerFrogs.com for TCU on SI

Root For: Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas going far in the tournament brings back prestige to the conference, as the regular-season and tournament champions show how good they are outside the conference. Their path brings in the Lawerence facing Arkansas, Northeastern, and Missouri State. Advancing over an SEC team is great, especially when the NCAA adores the conference. Arkansas is a historical baseball program, and the Jayhawks' advancement would strengthen the Big 12.

Root Against: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech is the No.2 national seed, and the winner of the Atlanta regional would face the winner of the Lawrence regional. Assuming Kansas advances, if Georgia Tech loses, Kansas would host the Super Regional, increasing its chances at the College World Series.

Root For: West Virginia Mountaineers

On the opposite side of the bracket, West Virginia hosts Wake Forest, Kentucky, and Binghamton. However, if the Mountaineers advance to the Super Regionals, they could face the No. 1 overall seed, the UCLA Bruins. It may be too tall a task for the Mountaineers, but if they pull off the cross-country upset against the Bruins, it would bring great attention to the Big 12.

Root Against: All Power 4 Teams, especially the SEC

TCU fans will still need to be engaged. They need the Big 12 to perform well. — Georgia Bulldogs head coach Wes Johnson hoists the championship trophy as Georgia Bulldogs take on Arkansas Razorbacks during the SEC baseball tournament championship game at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala. on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Georgia Bulldogs defeated Arkansas Razorbacks 11-1 | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This pick may seem broad, but there's a reason. The Big 12 is directly competing with the other Power 4 conferences, and if its teams advance farther than the others, maybe the NCAA will treat the Big 12 with more respect.

The SEC had 12 teams make the bracket, with 7 as regional hosts and 4 as top-7 national seeds. Ridiculous performance by the Southeastern Conference. Only four teams from the conference didn’t make the bracket: historically great Vanderbilt and reigning national champion LSU. If the Big 12 wants more of its teams to make the bracket, spots will have to become available, and it seems that the SEC is taking a big share of the bids.

What’s at Stake for the Big 12

Finally, it will be important for the Big 12 and TCU that the conference performs well. Regardless if the other Power 4 conference advances, it would mean nothing if the Big 12 doesn’t take advantage.

Arizona State and UCF

The Sun Devils head to Lincoln, Nebraska, to face South Dakota State, Ole Miss, and the Cornhuskers. However, their path becomes tricky if they advance to the Super Regionals and face fellow Big 12 member Central Florida. An unfortunate but dream scenario for the conference: a guaranteed spot in the College World Series. The Knights travel to Auburn to face N.C. State, Milwaukee, and the Tigers.

Oklahoma State and Cincinnati

The Cowboys travel to Tuscaloosa to Face Alabama, Alabama State, and USC Upstate. One of the lower-ranked Big 12 teams, Cincinnati may have the toughest path; they head to Starkville to face Mississippi State, Lipscomb, and Louisiana. A regional win by the Cowboys and Cincinnati could show the depth of the Big 12.

TCU’s 2027 Season May Have Already Started

TCU Baseball Field | Natural Surface Mainenance | https://unitedturfandtrack.com/project/tcu-baseball-infield/

Preseason rankings can change drastically in the next couple of weeks, and if TCU wants its best chance at success, the right teams winning and losing will matter. Overall, the Big 12 is in a decent position to make some noise, but the way the first weekend of play goes, next season could have a completely different storyline.

Stay Connected to KillerFrogs and Follow TCU On SI all Tournament Long

TCU on SI is the place to keep up with the NCAA baseball tournament and the path to Omaha. Follow along for how the tournament plays out and how it impacts TCU. The Forum will be hot, as fans know these tournament games could quietly shape TCU's 2027 season before the Horned Frogs even take the field again.

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