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Jay Johnson

Extra Innings: LSU Back at No. 1

May 12, 2025 | 11:30 AM

By Chris Marler

LSU Back at No. 1 

The game of musical chairs for the No. 1 ranked in the country continues this week. Last week UGA became the fifth different SEC team to be ranked No. 1 this season. After their series loss at Alabama and LSU’s decisive series win over Arkansas, the Tigers are back atop the national rankings. The team has some periodic flaws offensively that rear their ugly head from time to time. However, as the season has rolled on, the one thing that has become very clear is Anderson and Eyanson are going to be tough for anyone to beat.

Also, the rest of America better pray that they don’t play any postseason games after midnight because as Jay Johnson said LSU is “the best team in America at 1 AM.”

Tennessee loses, everybody wins

Let’s have an honest conversation about Tennessee. 

Tennessee is one of the best teams in the country. Vol Twitter is one of the worst hellscapes in the country. Tennessee baseball has become like if Vol Twitter came to life and got sponsored by DeMarini. 

This weekend showed once again why this program continues to be the least likable in all of college baseball. And that’s fine. It’s fine to play the villain role and embrace it. However, when you’ve lost five of your last six SEC series including four at home, and you’re starting fights after the final out, that’s not just a bad look. It’s weak. 

There’s a quote from American Gangster that sums up this entire team and fan base perfectly. 

“The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.” 

If that ain’t Tennessee baseball then I don’t know what is. 

Texas takes two steps back 

Last week Texas got swept at Arkansas, and I, like many, insisted that it was fine, and that they still deserved to be No. 1 in the country. This week they lost two of three at home to Florida, a team that was a projected 3 Seed coming into the weekend. The Longhorns have now lost five of their last six in SEC play. 

First and foremost, Texas is still one of the best teams in the country. They lead the SEC in ERA, with a 3.53 ERA, and have been great on the mound this season. 

However, objectively speaking, their offense is a big cause for concern. The Longhorns are simply not built to dig themselves out of any big holes, and as we’ve seen over the last two weekends, they are not impenetrable as a pitching staff. They currently rank 11th in the SEC in batting average (.348), total runs (348), and slugging percentage (.492).

Alabama gets a win they desperately needed 

It seems like the blueprint for all Alabama athletics is if they need a big win, they line up and play Georgia. However, that has not been the case in baseball. Alabama hadn’t won a series against Georgia dating back to 2015. The Tide hosted the No. 1 Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa this weekend and took two of three from them after losing a heartbreaking series clinching Game 3 to Vanderbilt just a week ago. With that win, Alabama should have now locked up a regional hosting spot when Selection Monday comes in a few weeks. 

The series was also a lesson in why not to be a box score nerd. Alabama got outhit .340-.217, out homered 8-4, out doubled 6-3, and outscored 26-17. And they still won the series. 

The more you know

I say this all the time, and I will say it again – if we are going to talk about sports, we are going to talk about it with factual information. 

I’m talking to you, Ole Miss fans. 

The little brother talk may be relevant in football, but all the social media keyboard warriors insisting that the Rebs own the Magnolia state in baseball? Not so fast my friend. 

Check out more of our SEC coverage.

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