The road to Omaha’s final weekend is finally here. North Carolina and Oklahoma will square off in a best-of-three to crown a champion. The paths were very different, but they will end in the same place.
The Tar Heels entered the postseason looking every bit like a national title contender. A 50 win team that was ranked in the top ten all year long, they had the best odds of any of the final eight teams in Omaha coming into the CWS.
Their path in Omaha included victories over Ole Miss and West Virginia twice, showing they are one of the nation’s most complete teams. They have an explosive lineup with one of the deepest pitching staffs in America. Owen Hull has had a ridiculous postseason run at the plate, while North Carolina’s offense has consistently delivered in big moments.
The Tar Heels are seeking the first national championship in program history after coming up short in 12 previous trips to the College World Series including finals appearances.
The route has not been the same for Oklahoma. The Sooners were an afterthought, but refused to accept that. They’ve slugged their way to the final two teams left standing after hitting 26 home runs in their last ten games.
Oklahoma struggled in the regular season going just 14-16 in SEC play. That trend ended when the lights began to shine brightest. Oklahoma blasted Alabama 9-0 in its Omaha opener before knocking off Georgia twice, including an 11-4 semifinal victory Wednesday night. The Sooners have won seven consecutive postseason games and have paired a suddenly explosive offense with a pitching staff that continues to deliver in pressure situations despite being incredibly young.
Picking a winner
This is an extremely intriguing matchup. North Carolina has looked like one of the best teams in the country for most of the season. Oklahoma looks like the hottest team in the country right now. The Tar Heels will try to capture a national title that has eluded them for decades, while the Sooners are chasing the program’s first championship since 1994.
Something has to give, and by the end of the weekend, one of these teams will be dogpiling in Omaha as the final chapter of the 2026 college baseball season is written. My guess is that that story will be written in Carolina blue instead of crimson and cream. Take UNC in a two game sweep.
