College World Series Bracket Filled by SEC Teams

The College World Series bracket now has more than half of its teams from the SEC. In fact, Wednesday's scores ensured that at least one SEC school will be one of the last two in the bracket, whether it is Vanderbilt or Florida. The Gators were already through to the semifinal round, and now the Commodores will join them for a rematch after eliminating North Carolina.

This year's play has favored SEC programs, whether it was Florida, South Carolina or Vanderbilt. The only loss for the conference came when the Commodores lost to the Gators in a game that ended Tuesday morning. But after a 5-1 win over the Tar Heels, according to the Associated Press, the Commodores will get a second shot at the Gators, and perhaps a third as well.

In this stage of the tournament, Vanderbilt needs two straight wins over Florida to reach the finals, thanks to its one earlier loss. If the Commodores can't hit against the Gators, as they couldn't Monday and Tuesday, then Florida may advance quickly. However, if Vanderbilt repeats the quick start it had against North Carolina, when it went up 4-0 in the second, then things could get interesting.

Should Vanderbilt and Florida go long in the semifinals, SEC rival South Carolina could benefit at the rate it is going. The Gamecocks, like the Gators, are through to the semifinals after two wins, and are waiting for the winner of the Cal-Virginia game Thursday.

After winning it all last year, South Carolina has picked up where it left off, becoming the favorite to repeat after coming out of nowhere in 2010. But if the Gamecocks make the best-of-three finals, a conference rival will be waiting no matter what.

The last time such a final took place was in 1997, back when there was just one national championship game in the World Series. In that case, two more SEC rivals squared off, as LSU knocked off Alabama. Right now it seems unlikely that history won't repeat itself, since Vanderbilt and Florida are facing off in the semis and South Carolina has been on such a roll.

The only hopes to stop the SEC domination are big underdog California and top-seeded Virginia. But the Bears were steamrolled by the Cavaliers in their last matchup Sunday, and the Cavaliers were in turn dismantled by the Gamecocks Tuesday. Therefore, a few things will need to go differently in the next few days.

The College World Series will shortly reach its final four, with only one non-SEC team left in the bracket, and declining hopes for a non-SEC school to be the last one standing. Yet either California or Virginia will be left to stand in the way after one stays alive Thursday.

Sources

Yahoo Sports- "Vanderbilt ousts Carolina from CWS with 5-1 win"

NCAA.com- "Championship History"

ESPN- "NCAA baseball schedule/results"