NCAA baseball tournament 2024: Super regional picks, College World Series predictions (2024)

Matchup: (1) Tennessee vs. Evansville

Analysis: The greatest possible super regional dichotomy exists between Tennessee and Evansville. In Knoxville, the deserving No. 1 overall seed in the 2024 tournament hosts a regional four-seed with a spot in the College World Series on the line. It projects as an immensely favorable matchup for the Vols, who have just about every advantage imaginable over this year's Cinderella squad. The Purple Aces will not catch a break when they face a loaded lineup that features six batters with double-digit home runs, and Tennessee's ferocious pitching staff should keep the visiting offense in check.

Pick: Tennessee

Matchup: (2) Kentucky vs. (15) Oregon State

Analysis: Nobody is going to intimidate a Kentucky team that finished the regular season tied atop the nation's toughest conference. But if there is a lineup outside of the SEC that can cause serious problems for the Wildcats, it is that of Oregon State, which crossed the double-digit threshold in two of its three regional wins and has a bona fide star in second baseman Travis Bazzana. Kentucky pitchers Trey Pooser and Mason Moore tossed gems in their regional sweep, but their lack of overpowering stuff leaves the door open for the Beavers to rake. If the Wildcats cannot take advantage of the visitors' shaky bullpen, their season could end on their home turf.

Pick: Oregon State

Matchup: (3) vs. Oregon

Analysis: Texas A&M and Oregon combined for an 0-4 record in their conference tournaments but rolled through regional play with three-straight victories. Throw momentum out the window when these teams square off at Blue Bell Park. The Aggies are 12-4 when ace Ryan Prager takes the mound, and their deep and explosive offense has a chance to feast off the Ducks' middle-of-the-road rotation, so the home squad should feel good about its chances in at least Game 1. Oregon's pitching has been much better of late, but its powerful offense did not top five runs in any of its first five postseason games. That will not get it done against first-round lock Braden Montgomery and the Aggies.

Pick: Texas A&M

Matchup: (4) North Carolina vs. West Virginia

Analysis: West Virginia emerged victorious from a Tucson Regional dubbed the "regional of death," but two of its three wins came against four-seed Grand Canyon and it never faced host Arizona. It would be unfair to call the Mountaineers untested, but North Carolina is by far the best team they will have seen this postseason. UNC's star power in Vance Honeycutt, Parks Harber, Casey Cook and other bats, along with an impressive pitching staff, should win the day here. Chapel Hill will be a tough place for West Virginia to make its program super regional debut.

Pick: North Carolina

Matchup: (6) Clemson vs. Florida

Analysis: Neither Clemson nor Florida has much in the way of top-tier pitching, so this super regional comes down to which offense takes advantage to a greater extent. The Tigers are the safer bet given the depth of their bats, but the Gators have the best player in this matchup in Golden Spikes Award hopeful Jac Caglianone, who boasts a tremendous 1.368 OPS and ranks third nationally with 31 home runs. Caglianone can do enough damage on his own to carry the Gators, but their inconsistency all year makes them hard to trust.

Pick: Clemson

Matchup: (7) Georgia vs. (10) NC State

Analysis: NC State's top two starting pitchers each allow over a home run per outing, so Georgia star and national home run leader Charlie Condon should be licking his chops ahead of this matchup. The .445 hitter and potential No. 1 overall draft pick had a pair of multi-hit games with one round-tripper in the Athens regional and leads a surprise Bulldogs squad into a best-of-three series at home, where his team is 32-5 on the year. Both the Wolfpack and Bulldogs played their share of tight games in the regional round, neither has reliably overpowering pitching and both present strong offensive attacks. Flip a coin in this one.

Pick: NC State

Matchup: (8) Florida State vs. UConn

Analysis: UConn was in many ways an afterthought in the Norman Regional before action got underway. The Huskies were, at best, the third-likeliest team to emerge from that loaded corner of the bracket, but they knocked down Oklahoma in two of three games. Is Florida State the next victim in a remarkable turnaround that saw UConn reach the super regionals after opening the year at 10-16? Doubtful. The Seminoles rank in the top 15 nationally in batting average, runs scored and home runs, and they are nearly unstoppable when ace Jamie Arnold (2.45 ERA, 146 strikeouts) is on the mound.

Pick: Florida State

Matchup: (12) Virginia vs. Kansas State

Analysis: Kansas State pulled off a tremendous regional upset, scooting past No. 5 national seed Arkansas to reach its second super regional in program history. Its reward: a highly unfavorable matchup with a terrific Virginia offense. Pitching has been an adventure for a K-State team that late in the year pulled Jackson Wentworth out of the bullpen as a new starting option, and relievers Cole Wiserbaker (2.51) and Tyson Neighbors (3.93) are the only arms on the entire staff with ERAs below 4.00. That bodes poorly against a host team that ranks second nationally in batting average and 12th in home runs. Virginia is no pitching stalwart either, though, so this has the makings of a high-scoring super regional.

Pick: Virginia