College World Series 2021: Championship Predictions, Format and Full Bracket

The College World Series returns to Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday with eight teams set to take the field at TD Ameritrade Park.

From a seeding perspective, the bracket looks wide-open this season as No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Arizona, No. 9 Stanford, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Tennessee and No. 7 Mississippi State join unranked Virginia and NC State as the last eight teams standing, but that's hardly a reflection of the star power up and down each roster. 

All eight teams will be in action this weekend with two games on Saturday and two more on Sunday to kick things off.

Here's a look at the bracket, rules and schedule as Omaha once again takes center stage. 

Format

The simple explanation comes down to this: Teams who make it to Omaha enter in a double-elimination tournament followed by a best-of-three series to determine the College World Series champions. 

The CWS is made up of two brackets consisting of four teams each. Both brackets feature a winners' pod and a losers' pod. Teams that win their opening game advance to the former, the losers head to the latter. The tournament is double elimination, meaning teams who are sent to the elimination bracket after Game 1 are fighting for their postseason lives. It also ensures at least two teams—one from each bracket—will be bounced after two games. 

Teams who win their second game after dropping their first get another elimination game against whichever team in their bracket loses Game 2 of the winners' pod. 

Once both brackets have produced a champion, those two teams will play in a best-of-three for the national title.

Full Bracket

Bracket 1

No. 9 Stanford vs NC State (Game 1, Saturday, June 19 at noon ET on ESPN)

No. 5 Arizona vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt (Game 1, Saturday, June 19 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN)

Bracket 2

No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Mississippi State (Game 1, Sunday, June 20, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2)

Virginia vs. No. 3 Tennessee (Game 1, Sunday, June 20 at noon ET on ESPN2)

Full schedule and brackets via NCAA

Championship Predictions

While both brackets are stacked with talent, Bracket 1 features some of the most notable programs in the sport. Arizona, Stanford and Vanderbilt have been among the toughest teams all season. The Commodores, in particular, could end up with the top two pitchers selected in this year's MLB draft between Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. 

The Wolfpack, meanwhile, came back to defeat No. 1 Arkansas on the road in the super regionals after losing Game 1, 21-2. NC State is not a team that can be taken lightly, even in elimination games. 

The same goes for Stanford, which waxed Texas Tech (24-3) in a two-game sweep despite playing away in Lubbock. 

Any of the teams in Bracket 1 would be a worthy championship pick. Still, it's tough to go against Vanderbilt and the dominant pitching staff it has built up. Look for the 'Dores to win their first two games of the CWS to set up an epic semifinal.

In Bracket 2, No. 2 Texas has the feel of a team that can't be stopped. The Longhorns had to rally multiple times to get past Super Regional Cinderella South Florida, but they ultimately won in two games to advance to Omaha. 

Once those two powerhouses meet for the championship, it'll come down to whichever club can get the most from their starters.

That likely makes the title Vanderbilt's to lose.

Prediction: Vanderbilt over Texas for the national title