So I got to looking at the standings and what is left this morning. Some interesting thoughts ...
The CWS and Outdoor Track Championships are all that remain, but both are "Group B" big point sports. OTF Championships start tomorrow in Eugene. There are potentially 120 points to be earned by winning both titles (for frame of reference, tOSU leads the standings with only 93 and we're right behind with 89). I had NO IDEA that UVa men's track is currently ranked in the top 10, ranked 8th currently. In these sports, points are biggest for titles/"finals"/"semis" -- 60-36-30-24, then the dropoff to 18-15-12-9-6-3 for finishing in the top 10.
Interestingly, several teams at the CWS are ranked very highly in men's track (Florida 1, LSU 4, Arkansas 5, Virginia 8), so there could be a big swing if a team pulled a double or even a title and a top 4 (good for 96/90/84 points). Luckily for us, those other teams at both championships are way behind us in the standings and would need one of those championship-top 4 double results (LSU-24, FL-14, ARK-10 currently). We are not out of reach from TCU either (back, but at 43, so a title would vault them up quickly). Oregon could be the biggest concern, currently 28 points behind us and ranked #2 in track. A title for them on home turf means we have to perform well in both sports to stay ahead of them.
So, we have to root for TAMU, Southern Cal and Georgia at the OTFC (or more specifically root against Oregon, LSU and Arkansas), root for Vandy/Miami when they are not playing us at the CWS and we need to win a game or two at the CWS. 0-2 from either LSU or UF would be ideal, but preferably LSU, as would any win for us over ARK/UF/LSU. A top 5 finish at OTFC would go a long, long way to winning the whole thing. TAMU and Georgia going 1-2 in track would seal the deal for us, as would either one of them winning and us getting one win in Omaha (I think).
The CWS and Outdoor Track Championships are all that remain, but both are "Group B" big point sports. OTF Championships start tomorrow in Eugene. There are potentially 120 points to be earned by winning both titles (for frame of reference, tOSU leads the standings with only 93 and we're right behind with 89). I had NO IDEA that UVa men's track is currently ranked in the top 10, ranked 8th currently. In these sports, points are biggest for titles/"finals"/"semis" -- 60-36-30-24, then the dropoff to 18-15-12-9-6-3 for finishing in the top 10.
Interestingly, several teams at the CWS are ranked very highly in men's track (Florida 1, LSU 4, Arkansas 5, Virginia 8), so there could be a big swing if a team pulled a double or even a title and a top 4 (good for 96/90/84 points). Luckily for us, those other teams at both championships are way behind us in the standings and would need one of those championship-top 4 double results (LSU-24, FL-14, ARK-10 currently). We are not out of reach from TCU either (back, but at 43, so a title would vault them up quickly). Oregon could be the biggest concern, currently 28 points behind us and ranked #2 in track. A title for them on home turf means we have to perform well in both sports to stay ahead of them.
So, we have to root for TAMU, Southern Cal and Georgia at the OTFC (or more specifically root against Oregon, LSU and Arkansas), root for Vandy/Miami when they are not playing us at the CWS and we need to win a game or two at the CWS. 0-2 from either LSU or UF would be ideal, but preferably LSU, as would any win for us over ARK/UF/LSU. A top 5 finish at OTFC would go a long, long way to winning the whole thing. TAMU and Georgia going 1-2 in track would seal the deal for us, as would either one of them winning and us getting one win in Omaha (I think).
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