College World Series 2018: Predictions for NCAA Baseball Bracket
Eight teams remain in the hunt for the 2018 College World Series title and they will fight it out for the national championship starting on Saturday.
The remaining teams will be divided into two brackets for a pair of double-elimination mini-tournaments, with the two schools who emerge meeting for a best-of-three series to decide this year's champion.
Here's a look at the full tournament schedule:
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| 1 | Saturday, June 16 | Oregon State vs. North Carolina | 3 p.m. | ESPN |
| 2 | Saturday, June 16 | Washington vs. Mississippi State | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| 3 | Sunday, June 17 | Arkansas vs. Texas | 2 p.m. | ESPN |
| 4 | Sunday, June 17 | Florida vs. Texas Tech | 7 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| 5 | Monday, June 18 | Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser | 2 p.m. | ESPN |
| 6 | Monday, June 18 | Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 7 | Tuesday, June 19 | Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser | 2 p.m. | ESPN |
| 8 | Tuesday, June 19 | Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 9 | Wednesday, June 20 | Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 10 | Thursday, June 21 | Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser | 8 p.m. | ESPNU |
| 11 | Friday, June 22 | Game 6 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner | 3 p.m. | ESPN |
| 12 | Friday, June 22 | Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| 13 | Saturday, June 23 | Bracket 1 Final (if necessary) | TBA | ESPN |
| 14 | Saturday, June 23 | Bracket 2 Final (if necessary) | TBA | ESPN |
| 15 | Monday, June 25 | CWS Final Game 1 | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 16 | Tuesday, June 26 | CWS Final Game 2 | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 17 | Wednesday, June 27 | CWS Final Game 3 (if necessary) | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
With the full schedule and format laid out, let's take a crack at predicting how each game will play out throughout the tournament.
Here's one potential outcome:
| 1 | Saturday, June 16 | Oregon State vs. North Carolina | Oregon State |
| 2 | Saturday, June 16 | Washington vs. Mississippi State | Washington |
| 3 | Sunday, June 17 | Arkansas vs. Texas | Arkansas |
| 4 | Sunday, June 17 | Florida vs. Texas Tech | Florida |
| 5 | Monday, June 18 | *North Carolina vs. Mississippi State | North Carolina |
| 6 | Monday, June 18 | *Oregon State vs. Washington | Oregon State |
| 7 | Tuesday, June 19 | *Texas vs. Texas Tech | Texas Tech |
| 8 | Tuesday, June 19 | *Arkansas vs. Florida | Florida |
| 9 | Wednesday, June 20 | *North Carolina vs. Washington | North Carolina |
| 10 | Thursday, June 21 | *Texas Tech vs. Arkansas | Texas Tech |
| 11 | Friday, June 22 | *Oregon State vs. North Carolina | North Carolina |
| 12 | Friday, June 22 | *Florida vs. Texas Tech | Texas Tech |
| 13 | Saturday, June 23 | *Oregon State vs. North Carolina | Oregon State |
| 14 | Saturday, June 23 | *Florida vs. Texas Tech | Florida |
| 15 | Monday, June 25 | *Oregon State vs. Florida | Oregon State |
| 16 | Tuesday, June 26 | *Oregon State vs. Florida | Florida |
| 17 | Wednesday, June 27 | *Oregon State vs. Florida | Florida |
The Florida Gators have been the No. 1 team in the nation all season, and they're the team to beat as things get going in Omaha.
Brady Singer (12-1, 2.30 ERA, 107 K, 101.2 IP) and Jackson Kowar (9-5, 3.24 ERA, 102 K, 105.2 IP) are two of the top pitchers in the country headlining the staff, while Michael Byrne (34 G, 15 SV, 1.59 ERA) is an X-factor anchoring the bullpen.
Third baseman Jonathan India (.354/.500/.722, 20 HR, 48 RBI) leads an offensive attack that has plated 6.8 runs per game, while senior catcher JJ Schwarz will rejoin the lineup after missing the entire postseason so far with a broken bone in his hand.
All signs point to them being on a collision course with Oregon State.
The Beavers have a balanced roster with an offense that averaged 7.5 runs per game (ninth in the nation) and a pitching staff that posted a 3.45 ERA (23rd in nation).
Starters Luke Heimlich (16-1, 2.32 ERA, 151 K, 120.1 IP) and Bryce Fehmel (10-1, 2.87 ERA, 60 K, 103.1 IP) headline the rotation, while standout reliever Jake Mulholland (27 G, 15 SV, 2.37 ERA) is a dangerous weapon closing out games.
First-round picks Nick Madrigal (.397/.463/.567, 3 HR, 32 RBI) and Trevor Larnach (.336/.466/.645, 18 HR, 68 RBI) lead the offensive attack, while catcher Adley Rutschman (.386/.485/.595, 7 HR, 70 RBI) could be one of the first players off the board next June.
Can anyone upset one of those two schools?
Texas Tech might be the team to watch in that department, thanks to an offensive attack that is capable of steamrolling opponents.
The Red Raiders ranked among the national leaders in batting average (.309, eighth), home runs (74, 12th) and runs per game (8.4, third).
Josh Jung (.390/.493/.651, 12 HR, 78 RBI) and Grant Little (.372/.469/.654, 12 HR, 73 RBI) provide the power, while Gabe Holt (.352/.446/.496, 68 R, 29 SB) is a dynamic table-setter atop the lineup.
Anything can happen at the College World Series.
However, as the tournament begins, the Florida Gators and Oregon State Beavers are the clear front-runners.
Individual stats courtesy of The Baseball Cube, while team stats come via NCAA.com.
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