Big Ten Power Rankings Shift as UCLA, LSU, and Texas Shine in Opening Weekend
One week after college baseball's Opening Day, the national power rankings have shifted as early performances reshape expectations across the country. UCLA, LSU, and Texas each made strong statements during their opening weekend series, and their outstanding performances suggest all three programs are built deep for postseason runs. The 2026 NCAA Baseball season promised fierce competition, and the opening weekend delivered exactly that. From elite pitching debuts to breakout offensive showings, the early results offer a compelling preview of what fans can expect as the season progresses towards the College World Series.
UCLA opened the season as the top-ranked team nationally, and the Bruins wasted no time proving that ranking was deserved. Roch Cholowsky continued his dominance at shortstop, while Mulivai Levu emerged as a breakout star of the opening weekend, hitting .417 with consistent multi-hit production throughout the series. Levu’s most impressive showing came on Sunday, when he went four-for-12 with a home run and two doubles, proving himself capable of holding a key spot in the batting lineup all season long. The combination of Cholowsky’s veteran leadership and Levu’s early surge gives UCLA a multi-threat lineup that will only grow more dangerous as the season continues. If the Bruins shortstop and the team continue producing at this level, a national championship run feels less like a possibility and more like an expectation.
LSU reinforced its status as the defending national champion with an impressive opening-weekend performance that signals greater things ahead. Jake Brown was sensational at the plate, hitting .500 with two home runs, asserting himself as a threatening bat in the college baseball season. On the mound, junior right-hander Cooper Moore delivered a career-defining outing in Game Two of the series, striking out 11 batters over six innings and allowing one run. His career high strikeout total in his LSU debut was a strong sign of what he can become as a full-time starter. Moore’s performance was the backbone of LSU’s 5-3 victory, and if he pitches on this level consistently, the Tigers’ rotation will become one of the most dangerous in the Southeastern Conference. With Brown supplying power at the plate and Moore anchoring the rotation, LSU is trending toward another College World Series and a shot at back-to-back titles.
Texas delivered an eye-opening performance in the opening weekend, and the future looks equally bright for the Longhorns. Dylan Volantis made his first career start and was immediately dominant, striking out eight while walking just one across seven innings, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and retiring fourteen out of the sixteen batters he faced. His performance suggests he could anchor the Texas rotation for years to come. His teammate, Anthony Pack, raised further eyebrows by going six-for-13 with two RBIs, displaying the kind of instincts and plate discipline he’s trained for years. If Pack continues to produce and Volantis builds on his debut, Texas has the pieces to contend not just this season but well beyond it. Head coach Jim Schlossnagle has consistently built programs that peak in June, and everything about opening weekend suggests the Longhorns are right on schedule for another NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament deep run.
