After Omaha 2021, it’s hard to pretend that SEC baseball isn’t on top of the hill. Sure, the West Coast was a trend-setter in the sport. Sure, the ACC has some decent squads. But top to bottom, the SEC ruled college baseball in 2021 and will probably do the same this year. But who’s up and who’s down? Here are our power rankings to start the new season.

14. Missouri (15-36 last year)

The Tigers had an awful 7.24 ERA last season, exactly 2 earned runs per game worse than 13th-place Auburn. If for no other reason, they have to be projected at the bottom of the SEC. The Tigers also hit .243, which was also last in the SEC. It can’t go anywhere but up, but there’s a long gap between Mizzou and the rest of the SEC.

13. Auburn (25-27)

The Tigers might not be that bad. But the West was a juggernaut and likely will be again. A&M and LSU are in full rebuild mode; defending CWS champ Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Arkansas are legitimate national threats, and Auburn will be stuck near the bottom of the league. Brody Moore and the Tigers open with a big series of nonconference games that could give them some momentum. But if not, the SEC slate won’t be easy to handle.

12. Kentucky (29-23)

The Wildcats are in a season that could see them sneak into NCAA Tournament competition or get coach Nick Mingione fired. Shortstop Ryan Ritter is a standout and the Wildcats have a better pitching staff than most teams in the lower half of the league. UK could make this ranking look silly — or they could sit around this spot all season.

11. Alabama (32-26)

Not unlike UK, Bama hung around the periphery of being a good team last season. That said, they lost some significant help on the mound and will struggle to keep up in a horrifying West division. Zane Denton is a consistent threat at the plate, but Bama might have to outscore some people to keep up in the SEC race.

10. South Carolina (34-23)

Keep an eye on Gamecocks ace Will Sanders. Last year’s Carolina squad struggled to manufacture runs. This season’s group should be better on that front but will need a big year from Sanders to make any type of postseason run. The Gamecocks have to improve on last season’s .246 team batting average (13th in the league) but might struggle to match the 3.80 team ERA, which was 4th in the SEC.

9. Texas A&M (29-27)

Expectations are that former TCU boss Jim Schlossnagle can get A&M back in the SEC picture. With a new coach enters a wealth of transfers. Don’t be surprised if 3 or 4 starters are new faces from the transfer scene. The Aggies will be better, but 5th in the West feels like a glass ceiling.

8. Georgia (31-25)

The Tate brothers are back, which is a big thing on offense. On the mound, righty Jonathan Cannon could be the ace of the league … and bullpen arm Jaden Woods (4-1, 53 Ks in 53 IP) can pick up where he left off. UGA’s pitching depth is a little shaky, and the rearrangement of the SEC makes it hard to project them to rise much higher in 2022.

7. Tennessee (50-18)

Yes, this would be a step back. But Tony Vitello’s squad really didn’t leave much room for improvement after a magical 2021 season. All-SEC outfielders Jordan Beck and Drew Gilbert are back, but with ace Blade Tidwell uncertain due to arm issues, UT may have to outscore the opposition this year. Last year’s 3.51 team ERA (2nd behind Vandy in the league) is almost certainly impossible to repeat.

6. LSU (38-25)

Is this low for the Tigers? It could be. New head man Jay Johnson brought stud infielder Jacob Berry with him from Arizona. Plug Berry into a dangerous LSU batting order and the Tigers could be the top offense in the league. Can the pitching hold up? There’s talent, but not a ton of experience, and that’s why LSU isn’t ranked higher.

5. Florida (38-22)

Coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s team was the disappointment of the SEC in 2021, but the road back could be an easy one. Slugging outfielder Jud Fabian is back, as is lefty starter Hunter Barco. UF’s bullpen can’t be as bad as it was last year, and the Gators might not be all the way back to the top of the SEC, but they’re a threat at the least.

4. Ole Miss (45-22)

The Rebels led the SEC in batting average last year at .288 and scored the 2nd-most runs in the league. There’s no reason for those stats to drop. Tim Elko, who starred on one leg late last season, should be close to healthy again. Infielder Jacob Gonzalez and outfielder Kevin Graham are just two more offensive returning stars. Can the pitching hold up? The Rebels are depending heavily on transfer arms, but they were in the thick of the league hunt with a 4.79 team ERA last year. Picking Ole Miss to win is far from a bad idea … just not one we wanted to engage in.

3. Mississippi State (50-18)

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The Bulldogs took the hardware home last year, but they also lost Tanner Allen, Will Bednar and many other contributors. There’s enough talent left for MSU to be one of the top teams in the nation. Catcher Logan Tanner will be key as the Bulldogs break in some new arms and see Landon Sims’ transition from bullpen ace to starter.

2. Vanderbilt (49-18)

No, Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker won’t be walking through that door. But stolen base star Enrique Bradfield Jr. might be running through it. Patrick Reilly could be the next great Vandy starter and Nick Maldonado could be a key component on the mound. The Vandy Boys will be fine. In fact, they could go a game farther than last season.

1.Arkansas (50-13)

The Hogs were the best team in the nation for most of last season. Yes, Kevin Kopps is gone, and there are some real questions about pitching depth. But infielders Robert Moore and Cayden Wallace will keep the Razorbacks potent at the plate and competitive in the field. Arkansas had the best fielding percentage in the league last year, and even if the pitchers are a bit less dominant, the Hogs won’t beat themselves. Could somebody else beat them? It will take another effort like last year’s postseason. And Arkansas just might take the whole deal this time.