Several Top Teams Stumble Ahead of Conference Play: Around the SEC

After another wild weekend across the world of college baseball, we find ourselves on the verge of conference play. For teams in the SEC this means a grueling 30-game gauntlet that offers no weekends off.

Some will enter conference play riding a wave of momentum, fresh off impressive wins in their early season non-conference contests. Others won't be so lucky, as they find themselves stumbling out of the gate.

The No. 2 Texas Longhorns, of course, firmly fall in the former category. They have cruised to a sparkling 15-0 record and are one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the country. Fresh off a 4-0 week in which three of their wins came via the run-rule, they are undoubtedly one of the top teams in the conference.

Oklahoma Sooners' outfielder Alec Blair celebrates a double against the Santa Clara Broncos. | University of Oklahoma Athletics

Who were the winners and losers from this week in the SEC?

Biggest Winners

No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia was one of the two SEC teams to move up three spots in this week's D1Baseball Top 25 rankings. Like several other teams, the Bulldogs split their two midweek games with a win against the Kennesaw State Owls and loss to the Western Carolina Catamounts.

Their showing over the weekend is what earned them a bump in the rankings and a spot on our winners list. Facing the Queens College of Charlotte Royals, the Bulldogs absolutely dominated their way to a three-game sweep. Each win was of the run-rule variety, with Georgia outscoring its opponent 36-7 in those contests.

No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners

As for the other team in the SEC to jump up three spots in the latest rankings, that would be the Sooners. They now come in at No. 9 overall and find themselves in the top 10 following an undefeated week of their own.

It was business as usual for Oklahoma, starting with an impressive midweek win over the Dallas Baptist Patriots -- one which will definitely age well as the season progresses. Then it was a sweep of the Santa Clara Broncos in three games, which could have been a four-game sweep if Friday night's contest had not been cancelled.

14-2 ☑️ pic.twitter.com/Dlirj1Gky8
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 9, 2026

No. 22 Texas A&M Aggies

Unlike the Bulldogs and Sooners, the Aggies were not the recipient of a bump up in the polls this week. Despite that, though, it is hard to argue against them being one of the teams feeling the best after the week they put together at the plate.

Going a perfect 4-0 in their four games, the Aggies had no trouble dispatching the UIW Cardinals in a midweek game and sweeping the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The competition wasn't the stiffest they've faced this season, but they outscored their opponents 39-7 and tallied two run-rule wins.

Even though they were games the Aggies were supposed to win, busting out of their early season offensive slump is a positive sign ahead of conference play.

Biggest Losers

No. 13 LSU Tigers

Unfortunately for the Tigers, they were by far the easiest pick when it came to selecting the three losers for this week. Yes, it is still early in the season but that doesn't mean they haven't shown signs for concern so far. After entering the week 11-1, they came out on the other side at a disappointing 12-5.

No, as 12-5 record isn't inherently bad. However, how they got there is. First, they dropped both of their midweek games against the Northeastern Huskies and the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. It didn't get better from there, as they took the series opener against the Sacramento State Hornets before dropping the final two games and losing the series.

There's still plenty of time for the Tigers to turn it around but for now they find themselves trending in the wrong direction ahead of conference play.

Florida Gators

Speaking of trending in the wrong direction, the Gators join the Tigers in that department. They started the week at No. 9 in the rankings and appeared poised for another strong stretch of games after securing midweek wins over the FAU Owls and Florida A&M Rattlers.

However, that momentum was quickly brought to a screeching halt during their weekend series against the High Point Panthers. Just like their counterparts in the Louisiana, the Gators dropped a series they likely should have won and needed a miraculous comeback in the finale on Sunday to avoid a sweep.

Vanderbilt Commodores

Another week and yet another appearance among the biggest losers of the week for the Commodores. It is earned for the second straight week, however, as their early season struggles continue to rear their ugly heads in Nashville.

Splitting its midweek games with a loss to the Central Arkansas Bears and win over the Troy Trojans saw Vanderbilt start the week 1-1. And while the Commodores did win their series against the North Dakota State Bison, they could not complete the sweep -- dropping the finale 5-2, further highlighting their inconsistency this early in the campaign.

Player of the Week

Dylan Vigue - Georgia Bulldogs

Vigue is a Vision 🙌@DylanVigue was named Co-SEC Pitcher of the Week for his 7-inning shutout performance against Queens. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/RXO8zODqXS
— Georgia Baseball (@BaseballUGA) March 9, 2026

For the first time this season, a pitcher takes home our Player of the Week honors. Of course, all you have to do is look at Vigue's stat line from his last outing to see why he's our selection as well as Co-SEC Pitcher of the Week.

In the Bulldogs' finale against the Royals, he was untouchable. He carved through the lineup with ease and racked up 11 strikeouts. Going the distance in what was a run-rule victory, he needed just 84 pitches to toss a complete-game shutout and secure the victory.