The NCAA Super Regional bracket is set. Here’s how we reseeded the 16 teams still standing
Tennessee baseball is alone at the top heading into the NCAA Super Regional, as it has been for most of the 2022 season. The Vols left the Knoxville Regional untouched by Campbell and Georgia Tech, but most other teams were not so fortunate.
Shake-ups, upsets, controversial calls and unique celebrations filled a wild Regional round, sending six previously unseeded teams into the final 16. From Tennessee’s Jordan Beck flashing his middle finger to a combined 66 runs over three games between Arkansas and Oklahoma State, the Regional round provided spectacle after spectacle.
UConn and Louisville ended up on the right side of controversial calls to keep their hopes alive, while Virginia Tech left nothing in doubt, outscoring its opponents 46-15. Tennessee continued to roll, and Texas further proved its history of dominance in the Regional round.
Though most of the reseeding happened at the bottom of the pile, thanks to some ambitious unranked teams and dominant top-ranked teams, here’s how the final 16 teams stack up.
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1. Tennessee
Record: 56-7
Original seed: No. 1
What we know: The Vols were tested by Campbell and Georgia Tech in the Knoxville Regional but escaped unblemished. Tennessee is vying to become the first national champion since 1989 Wichita State (68-16) to win 60 games in a season.
Super Regional opponent: Notre Dame
2. Virginia Tech
Record: 44-12
Original seed: No. 4
What we know: If anyone counted Virginia Tech out, they are currently eating their words. The Hokies are living one of the best comeback stories of the postseason, including outscoring their regional opponents 46-15 in three regional games.
Super Regional opponent: Oklahoma
3. Stanford
Record: 45-15
Original Seed: 2
What we know: A pinch-hit single from Trevor Haskins, one of Stanford’s prized freshmen, sent the Cardinal singing their fight song at the Sunken Diamond for Supers. A tied ninth inning turned into a Stanford win after a walk-off.
Super Regional opponent: Connecticut
4. Texas
Record: 45-19
Original seed: No. 9
What we know: Texas is no stranger to Super Regionals: This will be the program’s 12th appearance. The Longhorns and their fans ended their game against the Air Force with a “USA” chant to show unity off the field.
Super Regional opponent: East Carolina
5. Auburn
Record: 40-19
Original seed: 14
What we know: Auburn is the first team in SEC history to accumulate more than 50 runs during its first three tournament games. The Tigers’ consistency could be their saving grace in a high-stakes Super Regional against Oregon State.
Super regional opponent: Oregon State
6. Arkansas
Record: 41-19
Original seed: N/A
What we know: There’s something in the water over in Arkansas, as both the Razorbacks’ baseball and softball teams advanced to Super Regional. The Razorbacks toppled No. 7 Oklahoma State, a team that seemed like a lock for Omaha.
7. Oregon State
Record: 47-16
Original seed: No. 3
What we know: Oregon State displayed one of the key traits of a national championship-caliber team: resilience. Every inning against Vanderbilt was a back-and-forth dual, and somehow, the Beavers found something left to give.
Super regional opponent: Auburn
8. Texas A&M
Record: 40-18
Original seed: No. 5
What we know: Texas A&M has 11 appearances in the past 12 NCAA tournaments. One of the Aggies’ main weapons will be their lineup’s versatility. Against TCU, each Aggie in the immediate lineup had at least one run.
Super regional opponent: Louisville
9. UConn
Record: 49-14
Original seed: N/A
What we know: Fate and a blurry replay favored the Huskies in a contentious eighth-inning call at first, helping UConn earn its second Super Regional bid in program history and its first since 2011.
Super Regional opponent: Stanford
10. Oklahoma
Record: 40-21
Original seed: unseeded
What we know: The baseball Sooners didn’t earn a mercy-rule win like their softball counterparts, as it took four runs in the eighth inning to complete a come-from-behind win for Oklahoma over Florida on the Gators’ home turf.
Super Regional opponent: Virginia Tech
11. Southern Miss
Record: 47-17
Original seed: No. 11
What we know: The Golden Eagles fell on both sides of an extra-innings decision in the Hattiesburg Regional, getting walked off by LSU before walking off Kennesaw State the next day. Southern Miss rebounded to win two straight over LSU and advance.
Super Regional opponent: Ole Miss
12. East Carolina
Record: 45-19
Original seed: No. 8
What we know: Outfielder Bryson Worrell didn’t get much time to celebrate his three-run homer in ECU’s clinching win over Coastal Carolina, but it marked a rebound win following an eight-run loss to the Chanticleers the day prior.
Super Regional opponent: Texas
13. Notre Dame
Record: 38-14
Original seed: N/A
What we know: The Irish escaped a brutal Regional and made it two straight trips to the Super Regionals. But as one of just two teams not hailing from the southern U.S., Notre Dame stands out.
Super Regional opponent: Tennessee
14. North Carolina
Record: 42-20
Original seed: N/A
What we know: Helped by skill, luck, or Roy Williams’ pink shirt, the Tar Heels pummeled Virginia Commonwealth to advance. But Vance Honeycutt saved UNC’s Super Regional hopes, robbing Georgia at the wall in the ninth inning to preserve the Heels’ lead.
Super Regional opponent: Arkansas
15. Louisville
Record: 42-9-1
Original seed: N/A
What we know: There could be no controversy over the two-run homer from Cameron Masterman that sent his team over the edge to take down Michigan 11-9 and earn a spot in the Super Regional.
Super Regional opponent: Texas A&M
16. Ole Miss
Record: 35-22
Original seed: N/A
What we know: An early exit from the SEC Tournament put Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco on the hot seat, but Ole Miss is playing cool under pressure, including putting on a home-run derby in a 22-6 win over Arizona.
Super Regional opponent: Southern Miss
Emma Healy is a sports reporting intern for The Tennessean. Contact her at ehealy@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_EmmaHealy_.
Alexis Davis is a sports reporting intern for the Commercial Appeal. Contact her at alexis.davis@commercialappeal.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: NCAA Super Regionals baseball 2022: Ranking the final 16 teams
