LSU is back on top. If you missed the madness in Omaha this past June, you missed one of the most statistically improbable runs in the history of the sport. We saw a number thirteen seed—the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers—nearly pull off a second miracle a decade after their first. But in the end, the 2025 Men's College World Series belonged to the Bayou Bengals.
The college world series schedule 2025 wasn't just a list of dates. It was a gauntlet. It started with 64 teams in late May and ended with Kade Anderson throwing gems at Charles Schwab Field. Honestly, if you’re trying to piece together what happened or looking back at how the bracket shook out, the timing was everything.
The Road to Omaha: It All Started in May
Before the first pitch was even thrown in Nebraska, the "Road to Omaha" kicked off with Selection Monday on May 19. This is where the committee basically decides the fate of 64 programs. By Friday, May 30, the Regionals were in full swing across 16 different campus sites.
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You've gotta realize how compressed this schedule is.
Teams play multiple games in a weekend. If you lose once, you’re looking at a climb. If you lose twice, you’re packing the bus. We saw massive upsets early, with several top-tier seeds stumbling before they even smelled the steak houses in Omaha. The Super Regionals followed from June 6 to June 9, narrowing the field down to the "Omaha Eight."
Breaking Down the College World Series Schedule 2025
When the dust settled, the eight teams arrived in Nebraska for the start of the MCWS on June 13. The format is a double-elimination bracket system. It’s brutal. You play, you win, you rest. You lose? You’re playing for your life the next day.
The Opening Weekend (June 13–15)
The tournament opened on Friday, June 13, with a statement game from Coastal Carolina, who took down Arizona 7–4. Later that night, Oregon State edged out Louisville in a 4–3 nail-biter.
Saturday, June 14, brought the second half of the bracket into the light. UCLA beat Murray State 6–4, and LSU started their dominant run by handling Arkansas 4–1. By Sunday, we already saw our first elimination. Louisville sent Arizona home early, while Coastal Carolina kept the magic alive by beating Oregon State 6–2 to move into the driver's seat of Bracket 1.
The Mid-Week Grind (June 16–18)
Monday was quiet with only one game, where Arkansas shut out Murray State 3–0 to stay alive. But Tuesday? Tuesday was chaos. LSU beat UCLA 9–5 in the evening, but because of the way the double-elimination schedule works, UCLA had to turn around and play Arkansas later that same day. They lost 7–3. Just like that, the Bruins were out.
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Wednesday, June 18, served as the "moving day" for the finals. Coastal Carolina absolutely dismantled Louisville 11–3 to secure their spot in the championship series. Meanwhile, LSU and Arkansas had an all-SEC showdown for the other spot. It was a walk-off. LSU won 6–5, sending the Razorbacks home in heartbreaking fashion.
The Championship Finals: LSU vs. Coastal Carolina
The schedule gave the teams two days off to catch their breath. The best-of-three finals started on Saturday, June 21.
- Game 1 (June 21): A pure pitcher's duel. LSU squeezed out a 1–0 win. One run. That was the difference.
- Game 2 (June 22): Coastal Carolina fought, but LSU’s depth was too much. The Tigers won 5–3 to sweep the series and claim their 8th national title.
If a Game 3 had been necessary, it would have played on Monday, June 23, but LSU made sure the trophy was on the plane by Sunday night.
Why the 2025 Schedule Felt Different
There was a lot of talk this year about the "rest advantage." Because LSU and Coastal Carolina both went undefeated in their respective brackets, they didn't have to play the "if-necessary" games on Thursday. This gave their pitching staffs 48 hours of extra recovery.
In college ball, where arms are precious, those two days are like gold.
We also saw the impact of the new conference realignments. Watching Texas and Oklahoma navigate the postseason as SEC members changed the geography of the Regionals. It felt... weird. But the crowds didn't care. Total attendance in Omaha hit 342,676, proving that no matter who is playing, people show up for the Jello shots and the wood-bat-feel of metal-bat baseball.
Practical Takeaways for the Next Season
If you're planning for the 2026 cycle based on what we learned from the college world series schedule 2025, keep these things in mind:
- Book Omaha early: Seriously. The moment the Super Regional matchups are set, hotel prices in Nebraska triple. If you wait for the final eight, you're sleeping in Iowa.
- Watch the weather: We saw several lightning delays in the early Regionals this year. The schedule is a suggestion; Mother Nature is the boss.
- The "Gap Day" Matters: Look for teams that sweep their bracket 3-0. They almost always have the upper hand in the Finals because of the pitching reset.
The 2025 season showed us that while the names on the jerseys change—and Coastal Carolina proved that small schools can still hang with the giants—the grind of the Omaha schedule remains the toughest test in amateur sports. LSU survived it. Everyone else is already back in the cages, looking at the calendar for next year.
To get ahead of the next season, start tracking the top 25 polls in February. It's the only way to see which teams are built for the June heat versus the February chill.