Updated Clemson national seed projection

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Sun May 27 10:51:34 GMT-04:00 2018

Clemson enters Monday’s NCAA Tournament selection assured of a home regional after a 45-win campaign and a share of the ACC’s top record.

A guaranteed Super Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium is another matter.

Clemson will find out the NCAA Committee’s decision around noon Monday in an ESPNU-televised announcement of the national seeds and regional pairings.

The Tigers (45-14) entered this week’s ACC Baseball Championship just inside the top-8 national seeds by Baseball America’s projections and just outside in D1Baseball.com’s. After sweeping pool play, D1Baseball upgraded Clemson to a No. 6 projection going into Saturday.

After Saturday’s semifinal loss to Florida State, which is another National Seed contender, Clemson’s RPI remained unchanged from the start of the week, at No. 11. Likely for that reason, D1Baseball’s latest projection kept Clemson in as the final National Seed with Atlantic Sun champion Stetson and ACC 1-seed UNC on the bubble-out.

Baseball America didn't adjust their tournament projections, but they did offer some analysis on the week Sunday.

"The Atlantic Division winners, the Tigers seemed like a national seed lock heading into the tournament," Baseball America's Michael Lananna writes, "but with ACC regular season title holder North Carolina (No. 8 RPI) and FSU (No. 6 RPI) both ahead of Clemson’s No. 11 RPI, that standing is much less secure. The committee will face a difficult decision with all three teams. If FSU wins the ACC Tournament title, the Tigers might miss the cut for one of the top-eight seeds."

Clemson last hosted a Super Regional in 2010 after winning the Auburn Regional and went on to the College World Series. The Tigers were last a national seed in 2016.

Other national seed contenders this week (likely five teams for three spots):

Florida State (42-17 - as of 5/26): ACC Championship vs. Louisville Sunday (noon, ESPN). Wins over Virginia (3-2), NC State (5-2) and Clemson (5-4) in the ACC Tournament. RPI - 6.

Georgia (37-19): Losses to Texas A&M (0-7) and Ole Miss (4-5 in 10 innings) in the SEC Tournament. RPI - 9.

North Carolina (38-18): Loss to Pittsburgh (4-5) and a win over Georgia Tech in ACC Tournament (9-0). RPI - 8.

Stetson (45-11): Won Atlantic Sun championship with four wins. RPI - 4.