5 underdogs who have outperformed expectations in the 2024 college baseball season ft. Florida State

While college baseball is typically dominated by traditional powers and recent hustlers, there is always space for unexpected teams to make a mark.

Following are 5 underdogs who have outperformed expectations in the 2024 college baseball season:

5 underdogs who outperformed expectations in the 2024 college baseball season

Mississippi State has been a surprising SEC power in 2024.

5. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns have been one of the big surprises of the 2024 season. Despite being unranked in any of the three major preseason polls and initially picked fourth in the Sun Belt Conference, they have defied expectations.

Now, with one Sun Belt team breaking into the top 25, Louisana stands tall with a 33-13 record at No. 22, including an outstanding 17-4 record in Sun Belt play.

At the plate, Louisiana hits. 297 as a team, but their strength is the mound. None of their top five pitchers in innings has an ERA over 3.50. Opposing hitters have hit .218 with 28 homers. That will keep the Ragin' Cajuns around in the postseason.

4. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State has long been a traditional college baseball power. However, the outlook for the Bulldogs in 2024 was anything but optimistic. In the preseason poll of SEC coaches, the Bulldogs were projected to finish 13th out of the 14 teams in the SEC. Instead, No. 23 Mississippi State is 30-15 and 12-9 in SEC play. The Bulldogs are coming off a series win at Vanderbilt and could host an NCAA regional.

The club has been pretty pedestrian offensively, hitting just .281 with 48 homers. But the Bulldogs have impressed on the mound. Starters Khal Stephen (6-3, 2.77 ERA) and Jurrangelo Cijnte (6-1, 3.79, 80 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings) have both delivered phenomenal performances.

3. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners were projected to finish tied for sixth in the 13-team Big 12 conference in the preseason. Instead, the team is ranked No. 19 in the nation and holds a 26-17 record with a 15-6 mark in Big 12 play.

Oklahoma is a station-to-station team with just 53 team homers. The club has a .304 batting average, led by Easton Carmichael's .358 season average. They have run well on the basepaths, with 75 stolen bases.

2. Kentucky Wildcats

In the preseason, SEC coaches predicted the Kentucky Wildcats to finish 10th in the 14-team league. Instead, the Wildcats are ranked No. 9 with a 33-9 record and 16-5 in SEC play. The team has an 8-4 record against current top-25 teams and could host an NCAA Super Regional.

Kentucky has 92 stolen bases as a team and plays aggressively to carry their offense. The Wildcats employ a balanced lineup with no-star approach, although outfielder Ryan Nicholson (.321, 14 homers) and Émilien Pitre (.305, 20 stolen bases) are their standouts.

1. Florida State Seminoles

The FSU Seminoles have a proud college baseball tradition, yet the expectations for their performance this season were notably low. In the preseason voting, the league's coaches projected FSU to finish fourth in the ACC's seven-team Atlantic division. Instead, the 'Noles are No. 5 in the nation.

Florida State holds a record of 34-9 and 13-8 in ACC play with a batting average of .320. Pitching ace Jamie Arnold holds an 8-1 record with a 1.79 ERA. FSU has an excellent shot at Omaha and the College World Series.

Which college baseball surprise team do you think could end up in Omaha? Let us know your thoughts below in our comments section!