The Diamond Hogs' quick stint in the SEC Tournament might be a sign of a declining season. But more than likely, it meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Some of you might have even been worried that Arkansas would lose its chance at a top-eight seed. Luckily, there are 55 other games for the committee review. The Razorbacks have been a top-five team in the nation since the beginning of the season. Two losses would never be weighted so heavily to push the Hogs out of the top-eight, regardless of their context.
If you don’t believe that, maybe two of the most respected college baseball outlets could sway your mind. D1 Baseball released its NCAA Tournament projections on Saturday morning, and Arkansas sits comfortably with the No. 5 overall seed.
According to the D1 Baseball staff, the Fayetteville Regional would include Louisiana Tech, Kansas State, and Oral Roberts. If Arkansas were to advance to the super regionals, it would play the winner of the Santa Barbara Regional.
The guys at D1 Baseball aren’t the only ones confident in the Razorbacks chances. Baseball America also released its projections the same day.
The top-five is the same, just in a slightly different order. While D1 Baseball arranges seeds 1-5 as Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Arkansas, Baseball America switches Kentucky and North Carolina. The Fayetteville Super Regional would be much more fun, though.
The corresponding regional would be the Stillwater Regional. If the Cowboys and Hogs play each other, it might be the most entertaining super regional of the tournament. Earlier this year, Oklahoma State beat Arkansas, 2-1, in a 14-inning dogfight at Globe Life Field. But in 2022, Arkansas knocked off the Cowboys in their own regional. If the two meet in a Fayetteville Super Regional, the budding rivalry is bound to grow
“OH NO! JALEN BATTLES! DEEP INTO THE NIGHT!” pic.twitter.com/VXlqZjSVdK
— Jacob Davis (@JacobScottDavis) May 29, 2023
The official regional hosts will be released at 7:30 p.m. CDT on Sunday, and the NCAA Tournament Selection Show is scheduled to air on Monday at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.