Florida vs. LSU: 2023 College World Series National Championship series preview, prediction

After months of action, we are now officially down to two teams in college baseball, both of which come from the SEC in the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers. With the national champion now set to come from the SEC for the fourth consecutive year, here is everything you need to know going into this weekend’s 2023 College World Series championship series between Florida and LSU, which is between two teams who did not meet during the regular season, as well as a rematch of the 2017 national title matchup.

Florida vs. LSU: 2023 College World Series National Championship series preview, prediction

When:

• Game 1: Saturday, June 24 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN
• Game 2: Sunday, June 25 at 3:00 PM ET on ESPN
• Game 3 (If Necessary): Monday, June 26 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN

Where: Charles Schwab Field, Omaha, NE

Beginning with a look at Florida, the Gators are the No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, and are currently sitting at 53-15 overall this season, a record that also included a 20-10 mark in SEC play to be named the conference’s co-regular season champions. The Gators, who are led by head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, have also won eight consecutive games dating back to June 4, and have yet to lose a game so far in Omaha, defeating each of Virginia, Oral Roberts, and TCU by one run.

Offensively, Florida owns a combined .291 AVG this season, and are led by one of the nation’s top two-way players in Jac Caglianone, who owns a .325 AVG with 31 HR and 84 RBI at the plate, as well as a 3.68 ERA and 85:52 K:BB ratio on the mound. In addition to Caglianone, the Gators also have three other .300+ hitters in top MLB Draft prospect Wyatt Langford, Josh Rivera, and Luke Heyman, as well as two others that are prominent names with 15+ HR each in BT Riopelle and Cade Kurland.

On the Gators pitching staff, which owns a combined 4.48 ERA this season, Caglianone is joined by two of the SEC’s top right-handers in Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep to make up the Florida rotation, both of which have 120+ strikeouts on the year. Florida’s bullpen is also anchored by one of the nation’s top relievers in right-hander Brandon Neely, who owns a 3.66 ERA with 13 saves and a 68:19 K:BB ratio, while others including Cade Fisher, Ryan Slater, and Philip Abner are key names who each own an ERA under 4.00.

As for LSU, the Tigers are the No. 5 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, and enter the weekend at 52-16 overall for the season, a record that also included a 19-10 mark in SEC play. The Tigers are led by head coach Jay Johnson, and have gone 4-1 so far during the 2023 College World Series, as they have defeated both Tennessee and Wake Forest twice, along with falling to the top-seeded Demon Deacons once.

Offensively, LSU is batting for a team .307 AVG this season, and are led by the 2023 SEC Player of the Year in outfielder and likely top overall MLB Draft pick Dylan Crews, who owns a .423 AVG with 18 HR, 69 RBI, and six SB. LSU also has one of the nation’s top run producers in Tommy White at a .370 AVG with 23 HR and 100 RBI, while others such as Cade Beloso, Tre’ Morgan, Jared Jones, and Hayden Travinski own a .300+ AVG, with Brayden Jobert, Gavin Dugas, and Jordan Thompson also having 10+ HR each.

The Tigers pitching staff owns a combined 4.30 ERA this year, and are led by the 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year in Paul Skenes, who holds a 13-2 record with a 1.69 ERA and 209:20 K:BB ratio across 122.2 IP this season. In addition to Skenes, the duo of Ty Floyd and Thatcher Hurd are also in LSU’s rotation, while the Tigers bullpen features the likes of Riley Cooper, Griffin Herring, Gavin Guidry, Blake Money, and Nate Ackenhausen, among others.

As for a prediction, these two teams have not met so far this season, which will make this series that much more intriguing this weekend. On who wins, I’ll say that this series comes down to a game three Monday night, with Florida ultimately winning their first national championship since 2017 in a close game.

Prediction: Florida wins in three games