After College Baseball’s Chaotic Weekend, This Surprise Team Is the New CWS Favorite

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament generally carries a reputation for being the most chaotic and unpredictable realm of college sports. 

In recent years, though, NCAA baseball is giving March Madness a run for its money.

Last weekend’s regional round saw the elimination of both No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Georgia Tech. One week ago, these were the national championship co-favorites.

UCLA lost its opening game against Saint Mary’s and wasn’t able to make it to the regional final from the loser’s bracket. Georgia Tech cruised to its final but dropped back-to-back games against Oklahoma, capped by a walk-off win in the 10th inning on Monday night.

In basketball terms, this would be the equivalent of the No. 1 overall seed losing to a No. 16 seed, while another No. 1 seed choked away a big lead in the Round of 32. 

Chaos permeated this bracket, so it’s not just UCLA and Georgia Tech fans that have been victimized. But in terms of college baseball odds analysis, there is no bigger story than the national championship co-favorites being ejected from their own regionals – opening up major opportunities for other teams.

After Regional Chaos, There’s a New Title Favorite in BetMGM’s College World Series Market

North Carolina (+275) is the new College World Series favorite at BetMGM. The Tar Heels finished second in the ACC this year and haven’t lost a series since the first week of March.

For now, Texas (+310) and Georgia (+275) remain the most popular championship tickets at BetMGM, accounting for a combined 14.5% of tickets. North Carolina is the No. 6 most popular ticket with 5.3% of all championship wagers.

Five of the eight most popular title bets – UCLA, Georgia Tech, LSU, Arkansas, and Florida – all failed to make the Super Regional round. 

Next weekend, Cal Poly or West Virginia is going to play Little Rock or Troy in an opening-round game of the College World Series.

None of those four have ever played in the event. One of those four teams is going to win a game in Omaha.

— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) June 2, 2026

Big 12 In Strong Position After Upsets

The other major winners from the turbulence at the top are the two Big 12 teams that hosted regionals: No. 15 Kansas and No. 16 West Virginia.

BetMGM’s 2026 college baseball regional odds priced both teams as some of the shortest favorites of last weekend’s opening round. But both teams prevailed in their regional finals against SEC foes and, thanks to the UCLA and Georgia Tech losses, are now hosting Super Regionals instead of playing on the road. 

In the case of West Virginia, the earliest it can play a seeded team is the second round of the College World Series, as No. 1 UCLA, No. 8 Florida, and No. 9 Southern Miss all lost last weekend. The fortuitous path explains West Virginia’s rocket toward the top of the table. The Mountaineers are 10-to-1 and closing fast. It’s on the opposite side of the bracket from Georgia, Mississippi State, Texas, Oregon, and Alabama. 

North Carolina @ +275

Texas @ +310

Georgia @ +275