The 2026 NCAA baseball tournament is underway, with regional action starting Friday. A busy slate of 32 games was scheduled for the first day. Games began at noon ET and continued late into the night.
The regional round is double-elimination, so no teams were eliminated on Friday. The action continues through Monday, when the 16 teams that will move on to the super regionals will be decided.
Jackson’s Historic Season
Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson has been on a historic tear in 2026. He won the SEC triple crown. Jackson has spearheaded the Bulldogs’ high octane lineup in nearly every offensive category.
That says something for a team that leads the SEC in statistics like batting average, home runs, and RBIs. The junior became the sixth DI player to hit 25 homers and 25 stolen bases during the regular season and currently sits at 27-25.
Jackson would become the second player to accomplish the feat, the first since J.D. Drew for Florida State in 1997.
Bruins’ Top Seed
The Bruins etched their name in college baseball history after securing the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA tournament.
They became the first team in the sport’s history to finish a full regular season wire-to-wire as No. 1 in the national rankings across both D1Baseball and Baseball America.
They were named No. 1 in preseason polls after reaching the Men’s College World Series last season. The Bruins also held a 27-game win streak at one point of the season.
Potential Rivalries
Rivalries birth a new set of emotions in sports, especially in college baseball. You might find a neutral side stadium packed to the brim on a random Tuesday in March with fans fueled by anger and bragging rights.
Some fan bases will get to experience this during the NCAA tournament, as numerous teams will travel into familiar enemy territory for their regional. It sets the table for a ground-shaking atmosphere.
The NCAA tournament won’t look too much different than in years past, but it will surely feel that way.
- Vanderbilt didn’t make the Field of 64 for the first time since 2005.
- LSU didn’t make the Field of 64 for the first time since 2011.
- Dallas Baptist didn’t make the Field of 64 for the first time since 2013.
Michella Chester detailed her three dark horses to watch in the NCAA tournament, including Cincinnati, UC Santa Barbara and Jacksonville State.