UAB off to scorching start with wins over Florida and two over Cincinnati. Bats are effective and bullpen is solid. Perhaps an overreaction, but rather get ahead on this number.

WVU avoids Arizona and Oklahoma State in conference play and hosts TCU to close the regular season. Draw 7 of bottom 8 according to preseason odds. B12 play starts with Baylor & BYU to gain momentum. Talented team highly spoke of but not represented in rankings. Return ace Chase Meyer, a first-team preseason AA selection. Good funding helped land a decent transfer class. Quietly landed atop the Big 12 last year and finished in the Super Regional for a second straight year.

Stud roster. This team fell short in another regional but has the talent to make a run at Omaha. High-end bats like Sawyer Strosnider and Noah Franco, high-end arms like Tommy LaPour and Mason Brassfield, and lots of returning contributors. Even without Louis Rodriguez (season-ending injury), Frogs have the depth in the bullpen to compete. Must score more runs against top arms and think another year with the core lineup will help.

Preseason No. 1 team not priced like it. Return 8 starters from last year’s Omaha team. Check all the boxes — star power, depth, and coaching.

Stellar start for USM that proves they’re not just hot, they’re excellent. Strong on both sides with a deep bullpen and potent lineup. Sun Belt schedule gives them the inside track to host a Regional — no Coastal until the postseason. Probably longest this number is going to be.

Return Golden Spikes favorite Roch Cholowsky and 8-of-9 starters from Omaha team last year. Pitching is solid, though depth of pen needs to show. Schedule is good balance of test (host TCU early, tourney vs. Tennessee, A&M, MSST) and manageable in Big Ten. Should contend for 40 wins again. Roster & staff understands how to win in postseason. Debuted as D1Baseball No. 1 team and is not priced like it everywhere.

Frogs return a strong nucleus. Last year bats were frustratingly silent but Bill Mosiello has a history of producing elite offenses. Sophomore class is as good as any. Tommy LaPour is a legitimate ace and bullpen is deep. Consistent program that has Omaha experience in the coaching staff.

Hired an elite coach in Brian O’Connor (Virginia). Few programs spend on baseball like Mississippi State and four straight disappointing seasons are followed by major buy-in. Big time transfer class with two high MLB prospects in Ace Reese and Jack Bauer.

Already one of the country’s most productive players brings his No. 1 WR to Miami and joins another alpha WR in Toney. Upgrades to OL and RB. Miami should remain near the top of preseason rankings and the high-profile nature of his breakup with Duke ensures Mensah’s name is known among voters. Miami should be favored in 11-of-12 games (sans at Notre Dame).

Find this writeup on Action Network!

Find this writeup on Action Network!

Find this writeup on Action Network!

Find this writeup on Action Network!

Importing ultra efficient schemes and players from Go6 schools is a viable strategy at the P4 level. See: - Vanderbilt/Pavia - Ole Miss/Trinidad Chambliss (D2 import) - Everything Curt Cignetti did at Indiana Eric Morris turned North Texas into the No. 1 PPD offense and Mestemaker into a household name. He brings top target Wyatt Young and Caleb Hawkins at RB. With such variability with transfers, we could see a return to “QB of No. 1 team” votes like with Mendoza last year. Getting ahead of a potential massive jump from OKST this year and 90-1 is a buy price.

Full writeup coming soon to Action Network.

Full writeup coming soon to Action Network.

Full writeup coming soon to Action Network. Flier.

Entirely new team under Neal Brown and Matt Prowledge. Brown appears to be the OC this year as there is no OC listed as of May. Betting against Tayven Jackson and 19 new starters facing a non-conference slate of Indiana, UNLV, and Texas State. Expected favorites in 4-5 games. TD+ underdogs in expected 6 games.

Team barely breaks into the FBS ranks ill-prepared. Head coach Brennan Marion is gone, but 2024 starting QB Carson Conklin is back after rumspringa at Fresno State in ‘25. Run game is gutted — top two rushers from No. 2 FCS run game leave for Colorado. Depth is an enormous issue here, though there’s some starting talent and P4 transfers. This team could start 3-2 (Eastern Michigan, MVSU, UMass before October) and still miss this win total. When depth is needed, the schedule picks up. Financial questions… there’s a reason the FBS wasn’t clamoring to add this program.

Alt. win total. Star QB, leading rusher, top receiver all gone. Quinn Henicle is a great athlete with an average arm. OC is gone. 2025 was an anomalous year. Can count 3 confident games ODU is certain to be favored in (Norfolk, Georgia State, Southern Miss) and a bunch of toss-ups. Historical average under Ricky Rahne is .500 or worse with several one-score games. Last 10-win season (2016, under Bobby Wilder) was followed up with 5-7. Even under this alt total secures a bowl bid.