College baseball 2026: Preseason top 25 and how to watch

The start of the 2026 college baseball season is almost here, and we can't wait for things to get started.

With a new, but familiar head coach at Tennessee after the departure of Tony Vitello to the San Francisco Giants, how will this year's Volunteers look underneath Josh Elander? And what about last year's defending champions, the LSU Tigers? Well, they're ranked in the top five of D1Baseball's preseason top 25, but another team that was in Omaha with them for the Men's College World Series is in the top spot. And big surprise, it's not a team from the SEC, which has been dominating college baseball as of late, taking seven of the past eight MCWS titles.

As we gear up for everything college baseball, here's what you need to know to stay up to date, plus the complete preseason ranking.

How to watch

Everything college baseball on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big 12 Now on ESPN+, ESPN3, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACCNX is accessible here, in addition to being available on the ESPN App.

What's the full schedule

You can check out the complete scoreboard here to stay up to date this spring.

Subscribe to ESPN | Stream college baseball on ESPN

Preseason top 25

Here is D1baseball.com's preseason top 25 ranking, plus information on each team's first game for the 2026 season.

All games are on Friday Feb. 13. All times Eastern.

1. UCLA Bruins

2025 record: 48-18
2025 finish: Lost in MCWS

First game for 2026: vs. UC San Diego at 8 p.m.

2. LSU Tigers

2025 record: 53-15
2025 finish: MCWS champions

First game for 2026: vs. Milwaukee at 3 p.m.

3. Texas Longhorns

2025 record: 44-14
2025 finish: Lost in Austin Regional

First game for 2026: vs. UC Davis at 7:30 p.m.

4. Mississippi State Bulldogs

2025 record: 36-23
2025 finish: Lost in Tallahassee Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Hofstra at 5 p.m.

5. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

2025 record: 41-19
2025 finish: Lost in Oxford Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Bowling Green at 4 p.m.

6. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

2025 record: 56-13
2025 finish: MCWS runner-up

First game for 2026: vs. Fairfield at 4 p.m.

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

2025 record: 50-15
2025 finish: Lost in MCWS semifinals

First game for 2026: vs. Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. (Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas)

8. Louisville Cardinals

2025 record: 42-24
2025 finish: Lost in MCWS semifinals

First game for 2026: vs. Michigan State at 4 p.m.

9. Auburn Tigers

2025 record: 41-20
2025 finish: Lost in Auburn Super Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Youngstown State, time TBA

10. TCU Horned Frogs

2025 record: 39-20
2025 finish: Lost in Corvallis Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. (Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas)

11. North Carolina Tar Heels

2025 record: 46-15
2025 finish: Lost in Chapel Hill Super Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Indiana at 4 p.m.

12. Oregon State Beavers

2025 record: 48-16-1
2025 finish: Lost in MCWS

First game for 2026: vs. Michigan at 4 p.m. (College Baseball Series in Surprise, Arizona)

13. Florida Gators

2025 record: 39-22
2025 finish: Lost in Conway Regional

First game for 2026: vs. UAB, time TBA

14. Tennessee Volunteers

2025 record: 46-19
2025 finish: Lost in Fayetteville Super Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Nicholls at 4:30 p.m.

15. Georgia Bulldogs

2025 record: 43-17
2025 finish: Lost in Athens Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Wright State at 3 p.m.

16. Florida State Seminoles

2025 record: 42-16
2025 finish: Lost in Corvallis Super Regional

First game for 2026: vs. James Madison at 5 p.m.

17. NC State Wolfpack

2025 record: 35-21
2025 finish: Lost in Auburn Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Washington at 2:30 p.m. (Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge in Ponce, Puerto Rico)

18. Kentucky Wildcats

2025 record: 31-26
2025 finish: Lost in Clemson Regional

First game for 2026: vs. UNC Greensboro at 4 p.m.

19. Clemson Tigers

2025 record: 45-18
2025 finish: Lost in Clemson Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Army at 4 p.m.

20. Southern Miss Golden Eagles

2025 record: 47-16
2025 finish: Lost in Hattiesburg Regional

First game for 2026: vs. UC Santa Barbara at 5 p.m.

21. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2025 record: 39-22
2025 finish: Lost in Knoxville Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Houston at 9:30 a.m. (Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge in Ponce, Puerto Rico)

22. Miami Hurricanes

2025 record: 35-27
2025 finish: Lost in Louisville Super Regional

First game for 2026: vs. Lehigh at 7 p.m.

23. Vanderbilt Commodores

2025 record: 43-18
2025 finish: Lost in Nashville Regional

First game for 2026: vs. TCU at 4 p.m. (Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas)

24. Arizona Wildcats

2025 record: 44-21
2025 finish: Lost in MCWS

First game for 2026: vs. Stanford at 8 p.m. (College Baseball Series in Surprise, Arizona)

25. Texas A&M Aggies

2025 record: 30-26
2025 finish: Did not make NCAA tournament

First game for 2026: vs. Tennessee Tech, time TBA