2026 Men’s College World Series Preview
Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images
Every year in June, the city of Omaha turns into the baseball epicenter for two weeks. The city has played host to the double-elimination tournament since 1950. From Rosenblatt Stadium to the current Charles Schwab Field – generations of fans have enjoyed watching the best college baseball teams in the country fight for a national champion.
I grew up in the area, worked at the stadium in high school and have attended games every year since I can remember. The city transforms during this time. It’s hard to describe just how unique this tournament and environment is, but I’ll try my best.
Streets are shut down, empty lots near the stadium turn into beer gardens that go until 2 a.m. every night. Every block around the stadium is utilized for shops, merchandise, local foods or a huge fan fest with endless baseball activities. One bar across the street has turned Jello-O shots into a viral experience that even Livvy Dunne and Paul Skenes have indulged in.
For the people in the Omaha metro area, it’s a special event that we like to share with as many people as possible. There’s only one way to truly experience it – seeing it for yourself. It should be included in every MLB fan’s stadium bucket list, it’s a truly unique experience.
This year is no different. College baseball blue bloods Texas and North Carolina join a total of five SEC teams and two first-timer underdogs in Troy and West Virginia. Here’s a look at the bracket and a brief preview on all eight teams:
College World Series Bracket
West Virginia (45-19)
The mountaineers are making their first ever trip to Omaha. Their offense has been red hot all postseason. Combined with the Big 12’s best pitching staff, they’re showing everyone just how good they can be.
Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, Maxx Yeh,l will probably get the nod in Game 1 Friday afternoon versus Troy. Through 17 starts this season, he holds a 2.80 ERA with 105 strikeouts.
Troy (38-30)
Everyone loves a good underdog story, and that’s exactly what the Tory Trojans are. As a 3-seed in the Florida regional, they lost game 1 but haven’t dropped a game since. Fans will undoubtedly be rooting for Troy, I’ve seen it with every mid-major or irregular team that makes it because, let’s face it, the SEC has dominated college baseball.
Similarly to their foe on Friday, Troy’s offense is also on fire, averaging 10.6 runs a game since the start of regional play. They have the underdog mentality and probably got the most favorable draw they could have asked for. Who knows what could happen.
North Carolina (50-12-1)
The Tar Heels are making yet another appearance in the CWS. The lone ACC team has scored the 8th most runs in the country while maintaining the 8th lowest ERA. Their extremely well balanced team believes they have what it takes to bring the trophy back to Chapel Hill.
North Carolina is led by Juniors Owen Hull (.390/.505/.589) and Jake Schaffner (.358/.472/.565) offensively and starting pitcher Jason DeCaro (2.28 ERA). I can’t miss mentioning freshman reliever Caden Glauber who is 10-0 in 25 appearances and allowed just a .184 batting average.
Ole Miss (42-21)
The Rebels return to Omaha for the first time since they won in 2023. Ole Miss made it out of the Lincoln regional without a loss and continued the momentum by sweeping Auburn in the supers.
Hunter Elliott will likely be taking the ball for the Rebels Friday night, with a sub-3 ERA and over 100 strikeouts this year – the Rebs have to feel confident. You can’t ask for a better college baseball pitching matchup, and with two talented teams, this will be a great night one game.
Alabama (42-19)
The Tide’s leader and projected first-rounder, Justin Lebron, will be one of the most fun players to watch in the tournament. He’s swinging the hottest bat on the team and is 41 for 42 on stolen base attempts this season to go along with 16 homers.
Although Lebron is immensely talented, it’s not a one-man show. Their rotation has the 15th lowest ERA in the country and 3rd lowest in the SEC.
Oklahoma (38-22)
The Sooners finished T-11th in the SEC regular season standings, but that clearly doesn't matter. They took down the best offensive team in college baseball history, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, in the Atlanta regional and have gotten better and better.
Although Alabama swept the season series against Oklahoma, this is a completely different Oklahoma team from when they first faced off. They limited the Kansas Jayhawks to just three runs in the super regional and have been playing their best as of recent.
Georgia (51-22)
The Bulldogs are making their first trip to Omaha in nearly 20 years. They rely on the long ball, hitting a nation-leading 174 of them – 24 more than the second place team. Five players have at least 19 homers.
The Dawgs are led by Junior Daniel Jackson, who is slugging an absurd .837 thanks to 31 home runs. Jackson was recently named as a finalist for the Golden Spikes award.
Texas (45-13)
The Texas Longhorns have become a staple in Omaha, but are looking to win it all for the first time in 21 years – a drought that is too long for this program, perhaps this could be the year.
The Longhorns will turn to Dylan Volantis on the mound in Saturday night’s game versus Georgia. Volantis carries a 2.03 ERA (4th lowest in NCAA) with 126 strikeouts. Texas also scores over 8 runs a game, making them very dangerous and a tough matchup for anyone.
Photo Creds: VisitOmaha.com
About the Author:
Cody Hamilton is the writer behind The Data Dugout that launched at the end of 2025. As a lifelong fan of baseball, he writes with the goal to educate and foster a real community of readers behind his words and stories. He writes in-depth player and prospect analysis articles, along with pieces that analyze front office moves, and highlights classic baseball stories that make the game unique.