College Rankings: Week 3… For the First Time Since 2019, We Have a New #1 As the Sooners Bash Their Way to the Top!

For the first time in years, literally, as UCLA was #1 all last year and much of 2019, we have a new team at the top of the college rankings.

While many teams suffered their first loss of the season last week—including the defending National Champion (2019) Bruins—Oklahoma has steamrolled ahead and is looking like a juggernaut having scored over 20 runs in three of its 12 wins and in double-digits in eight of its dozen wins.

But the Sooners’ pitching is deep and strong as well and has allowed just over 1 run per game so far.

After all the action in Week 3, here are the latest college rankings…

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Oklahoma takes over No. 1 spot in USA Today/NFCA DI Top 25 Poll

Oklahoma and its high-octane offense took over the No. 1 spot in this week’s 2021 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll.

The Sooners (12-0), who earned 27 first-place votes and 792 points, return to the top for the first time since May 6, 2019.

OU added to its win total with four more last weekend at the Grand Canyon/Arizona State Tournament, including a 5-3 triumph over co-host and then-No. 13 Sun Devils. The Sooners recorded a school-record 28 hits in a 33-4 victory over New Mexico, while also tossing a perfect game versus the same Lobos in their tournament opener.

OU leads NCAA Division I in all major offensive categories, including a .492 batting average, 44 home runs and 14 runs per game.

Undefeated Arizona and Alabama (three first-place votes) moved up to No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, while previous No. 1 UCLA (two first-place votes) dropped to No. 4 after its first loss of the season to new-No. 6 Oregon, 3-1, in a non-conference matchup in Tempe, Ariz.

The Bruins (6-1) picked up a mid-week win over San Diego State (14-0), while the No. 6 Ducks (9-0) also topped RV Utah in Arizona.

The Wildcats (10-0) captured five more victories at home, earning four run-rule victories over BYU (12-0, 9-1), Colorado State (9-1) and Seattle (9-1), along with an extra-inning triumph versus RV Oregon State, 3-2.

The Crimson Tide extended their undefeated start to 14 games with six more home wins, including three straight shutouts over North Carolina (2-0, 4-0) and Troy (2-0). Florida stayed undefeated and moved into the fifth spot after wins over UNF (8-0), Louisville (5-1, 2-0) and McNeese State (1-0).

Texas remained at No. 7 with Washington dipping to No. 8 and Oklahoma State and Kentucky rounding out the to Top 10. The Longhorns (8-0) earned six wins and the Huskies (13-2) went 4-1 last week.

Following two road wins at Lamar, the Cowgirls (13-1) went 5-1 in the state of Louisiana, including two victories at then-No. 11 LSU (1-0, 3-1) and a split with then-Louisiana (1-7, 5-3). The Wildcats (14-0) continued to score runs as the NCAA’s second-ranked offense (10 runs per game) racked up 49 more over a five-game run last week.

Two Southeastern Conference programs joined the rankings as No. 24 Auburn (10-1) and No. 25 Tennessee (12-1) pushed the league’s total to 10 ranked schools. Then-No. 23 Baylor (5-3) and then-No. 24 Minnesota (3-3) fell out of the Top 25.

The 2021 USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Records reflect games played through Feb. 28. Programs not competing in 2021 will not be eligible for ranking consideration.

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2021 USA Today / NFCA Division I
Top 25 Coaches Poll – March 2 (Week 3)

New to Poll: No. 24 Auburn, No. 25 Tennessee 

Dropped Out: No. 23 Baylor, No. 24 Minnesota

Receiving Votes: Clemson (31), Illinois (25), Northwestern (24), Baylor (22), Southern Illinois (11), Stanford (7), James Madison (5), Liberty (4), Ole Miss (4), Mississippi State (4), Utah (4), Minnesota (3), Notre Dame (3), Troy (1).

The 2021 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches with one representing each of the NCAA’s Division I Conferences. Records reflect games played through Feb. 28.

*Programs not competing in 2021 will not be eligible for ranking consideration.

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ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

2021 Season – Week 3 – Mar. 2, 2021

1.	Oklahoma (12) Big 12 Record: 12-0	Preseason Rank: 2
		Points: 489
2.	Alabama (5) SEC Record: 14-0	Preseason Rank: 3
		Points: 475
3.	Arizona (1) Pac-12 Record: 10-0	Preseason Rank: 4
		Points: 445
4.	UCLA (2) Pac-12 Record: 6-1	Preseason Rank: 1
		Points: 441
5.	Florida SEC Record: 12-0	Preseason Rank: 5
		Points: 404
6.	Oregon Pac-12 Record: 9-0	Preseason Rank: 10
		Points: 393
7.	Texas Big 12 Record: 8-0	Preseason Rank: 7
		Points: 383
8.	Oklahoma State Big 12 Record: 13-1	Preseason Rank: 8
		Points: 374
9.	Washington Pac-12 Record: 13-2	Preseason Rank: 6
		Points: 317
10.	Arizona State Pac-12 Record: 10-1	Preseason Rank: 11
		Points: 311
11.	Kentucky SEC Record: 14-0	Preseason Rank: 12
		Points: 299
12.	LSU SEC Record: 10-5	Preseason Rank: 13
		Points: 262
13.	Louisiana Sun Belt Record: 9-3	Preseason Rank: 9
		Points: 257
14.	Virginia Tech ACC Record: 7-2	Preseason Rank: 14
		Points: 234
15.	Duke ACC Record: 12-1	Preseason Rank: 16
		Points: 224
16.	Florida State ACC Record: 10-3	Preseason Rank: 15
		Points: 210
17.	Missouri SEC Record: 12-2	Preseason Rank: 19
		Points: 154
18.	South Carolina SEC Record: 8-2	Preseason Rank: 18
		Points: 128
19.	Tennessee SEC Record: 12-1	Preseason Rank: 23
		Points: 96
20.	Arkansas SEC Record: 11-2	Preseason Rank: 24
		Points: 95
21.	Georgia SEC Record: 9-2	Preseason Rank: 20
		Points: 94
22.	Michigan Big Ten Record: 4-2	Preseason Rank: 17
		Points: 83
T23.	Auburn SEC Record: 10-1	Preseason Rank: RV
		Points: 55
T23.	UCF AAC Record: 9-2	Preseason Rank: RV
		Points: 55
25.	Northwestern Big Ten Record: 6-0	Preseason Rank: RV
		Points: 46

Parenthesis denotes first place votes.

Dropped Out: Baylor, Minnesota, Mississippi State
New to Poll: Auburn (T23), UCF (T23), Northwestern (25)

Others receiving votes: Baylor (39), Iowa State (31), Illinois (25), Clemson (24), Mississippi State (15), Oregon State (14), Minnesota (13), Texas State (5), Texas A&M (3), Stanford (2), NC State (2), James Madison (1), Liberty (1), Troy (1).