Baseball
Titans clash: Hogs-Vols Super Regional sets stage for epic battle
Two college baseball powerhouses collide in Fayetteville as Arkansas and Tennessee battle for a College World Series berth
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — You can feel the electricity around town as Arkansas and Tennessee get ready to play an NCAA Super Regional.
This is usually the feeling around a football game or big basketball game.
As Baum-Walker Stadium prepares to host what might be one of the most anticipated super regional in college baseball history, the numbers tell a compelling story.
Nearly 90 media credentials issued. Ticket prices soaring past $200. Two powerhouse programs. One ticket to Omaha.
“It’s going to be a little nutty,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said, perhaps understating the magnitude of what’s about to unfold in Northwest Arkansas.
The matchup features the No. 3 Razorbacks (46-13) against the No. 14 Volunteers (46-17), a collision of college baseball’s winningest programs since 2018.
Tennessee comes in as the defending national champions, having claimed their first title in program history last June. Arkansas, meanwhile, has been knocking on the door, reaching Omaha in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
In 2018 they came within a dropped foul ball of a title. Sorry to bring up bad memories, but it’s a fact.
The talent level is staggering. Ten players ranked among MLB Pipeline’s top 69 draft prospects will take the field, including Golden Spikes Award finalists Wehiwa Aloy of Arkansas and Tennessee’s Liam Doyle.
As Razorbacks assistant coach Nate Thompson said, these teams account for an astounding 32% of all 98 mph-plus fastballs thrown in college baseball this season.
Recent history between these programs adds another layer of intrigue.
Arkansas claimed the regular-season series in mid-May, taking two of three games in a series that showcased both teams’ offensive firepower. The Razorbacks prevailed 8-6 and 8-4 after dropping the opener 10-7.
Since that series, both teams have continued their winning ways.
Arkansas went 3-1, including a dominant regional performance with wins over North Dakota State and two against Creighton. Tennessee posted a 5-2 mark, reaching the SEC Tournament semifinals and surviving a challenging regional that included Wake Forest.
The atmosphere promises to be extraordinary.
On SeatGeek, the cheapest chair-back seat for Game 1 exceeded $228, with premium locations behind home plate commanding more than double that price. Even the famous Hog Pen grass berm is fetching triple-digit prices.
“You’ve got the SEC pitcher of the year, you’ve got the SEC player of the year,” Thompson said. “You’ve got two out of three Golden Spikes guys. It’s best-on-best, man. It’s a scout’s dream.”
Arkansas has dominated the all-time series, holding a 39-28 edge, including a 19-10 record in Fayetteville. But historical records matter little when two of college baseball’s hottest programs collide with a College World Series berth on the line.
The coaching staffs are taking measured approaches to the high-stakes matchup. Van Horn emphasized maintaining routine, noting that panic-driven changes could send the wrong message to players.
Both teams will hold 90-minute practice sessions on Friday, treating the super regional like any other series, despite its extraordinary implications.
This weekend’s clash represents more than just a super regional—it’s a showcase of college baseball’s evolution.
These programs have transformed the SEC into the sport’s premier conference, combining player development with passionate fan bases that rival any in college athletics.
For baseball purists, scouts, and casual fans alike, this series promises everything: velocity, power, defense, and drama.
Only one team will advance to Omaha, but the path there will likely produce moments that resonate well beyond this season.
The series begins Saturday at 4 p.m., with Baum-Walker Stadium ready to add another chapter to its storied history.
“If both teams are doing what they do well, it’s going to be an incredible series,” Van Horn said.
In college baseball’s modern era, super regionals rarely come bigger than this.
