Repicking Our Omaha 8, Golden Spikes, and Conference Winners + WBC Talk: Italy Beating USA Baseball

The 11.7 podcast crew opens by joking about Dimitri arriving over an hour late. Dimitri then joins Ben, Jack, and Noah as they analyze the World Baseball Classic. They criticize USA manager Mark DeRosa’s lineup and pitching choices while discussing pool tiebreakers, Italy’s run, and the idea of a college all-star team competing in the WBC. Afterwards, the guys re-pick their preseason Omaha 8s under snake-draft rules, adjust their Golden Spikes selections with several adds/drops, and then re-evaluate their preseason conference champion picks across every league in Division I College Baseball 00:00 Intro 03:05 USA Baseball Played With Fire And Almost Got Burned 06:38 Dimitri Joins to Talk WBC 18:03 College All Star Team in the WBC Debate 22:27 Omaha 8 Repicks 33:56 Golden Spikes Award Repicks 44:50 Conference Repicks Begin with the ACC 50:16 A Shakeup in the Big 12 55:43 Big West and CAA Switches 57:31 C-USA Ivy and MAAC Thoughts 01:03:36 Mountain West and OVC 01:08:48 Patriot League 01:09:00 SEC Analysis 01:12:30 SoCon Repicks 01:14:04 Southland Mess 01:15:17 Sun Belt Thoughts 01:21:19 A Summit League Switch 01:22:42 WCC Talk 01:25:27 WAC is Wide Open 01:26:33 Weekend Series Pick 'Em        

SEC Stumbles Headlines Weekend 4 Recap + Mid Major Top 25 Update & Eye Test Top 10 The 11.7 podcast recaps college baseball weekend four by unveiling a new Mid-Major Top 25 with five new teams and discussing key movers, including Southern Miss, UC Santa Barbara, and UTSA holding the top three, Coastal Carolina’s walk-off grand slam vs East Carolina, South Florida’s rise, and new entrants like Texas State, Jacksonville State, Cal Baptist, and Florida Gulf Coast. The hosts debate Dallas Baptist’s early résumé and Conference USA RPI concerns, highlight Cal’s win streak and series wins, and note teams dropping out such as Xavier and Hawaii. They break down major upsets and SEC vulnerability, focusing on High Point’s series win at Florida and Sacramento State taking a series at LSU, plus concerns around Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and others. In a Q&A, they address postseason risks for preseason top-10 teams, Sun Belt bid potential, UC Santa Barbara’s national-seed path, Texas Tech’s offense vs pitching, and compare Omaha to a Final Four run, before previewing a loaded midweek slate. 00:00 Weekend Recap Setup 02:12 Mid Major Top 25 02:55 Coastal Walk Off Buzz 05:46 DBU Debate Spiral 09:44 Newcomers And Dropouts 14:18 Texas State Rises 16:56 Upset Weekend Vibes 17:51 High Point Stuns Florida 22:45 Sac State Shocks LSU 27:00 LSU Tennessee Panic Meter 30:54 Why SEC Feels Vulnerable 40:14 Top 10 Without Bias 45:06 USC Virginia UNC Notes 47:53 Coaching Carousel Win-Win 48:54 Duke Facilities Debate 52:43 ACC Weekend Recap and Miami Panic 56:05 Georgia Tech Offense Explosion 57:53 Weekend Series Roundup 01:02:02 Q&A Top 10 Teams on Upset Watch 01:06:36 Sun Belt Five-Bid Argument 01:09:37 Can UCSB Earn a Top Eight 01:14:07 Texas Tech Bats vs Pitching 01:16:23 Omaha vs March Madness Comparison 01:17:35 Omaha Trip Dad Letter 01:20:55 Loaded Midweek Slate Preview 01:23:23 Wrap Up and Jack Update

College Baseball Midweek Upsets, WBC Talk, and Weekend Picks: LSU Concerns, Sun Belt Surge & Blue Blood Debate The hosts record a late-night, shortened 11.7 Podcast episode without Jack (traveling) and initially without Noah, mixing World Baseball Classic discussion with a midweek college baseball recap and weekend series picks. They react to a string of uninspired LSU performances, give Louisiana a mea culpa after strong wins including over LSU, and praise a Southern Miss–Mississippi State midweek thriller while debating how much midweek games matter for RPI and postseason readiness. They highlight undefeated starts by Texas and USC, detour into a spirited “college baseball blue bloods” debate using historical regional/super-regional/CWS data, and show an early field-of-64 projection tool. Weekend picks include DBU over Louisiana, split opinions on FGCU vs Bethune-Cookman, Coastal over ECU, UCF over Murray State, UNC over Virginia, and a split on Rice vs Abilene Christian, plus frustration with a weak SEC nonconference slate. 00:00 Podcast Roll Call 01:40 World Baseball Classic Talk 04:59 Pest Control Conspiracy 08:57 Ants at T Ball 11:04 Noah Joins Late 11:59 Midweek Recap LSU Slump 13:05 Louisiana Cajuns Surprise 15:37 Sun Belt Realignment Buzz 16:47 Southern Miss vs State Classic 20:11 Do Midweeks Matter 25:40 Undefeated Texas and USC 29:20 College Baseball Blue Bloods 37:00 Vanderbilt and Troy Struggles 40:22 Field of 64 Generator 47:09 Back to Midweek Notes 47:55 Oregon State Breakout 49:16 Beavers Schedule Context 51:16 Double Base Debate 58:01 USC Proves Legit 59:18 Weekend Pickem Begins 01:04:08 Raffle Wheel Winner 01:05:37 FGCU vs Bethune Picks 01:09:48 ECU vs Coastal Showdown 01:13:35 Murray State at UCF 01:17:23 Virginia at UNC Pick 01:23:11 Rice at Abilene Christian 01:25:27 What Rice Turnaround Means 01:29:10 SEC Cupcake Weekend Rant 01:32:57 Final Wrap Up

We start the show breaking down the legendary game between UCLA and Mississippi State. Both teams show why they are National Title contenders.  After breaking down the full Arlington tournement we transition to our Mid Major Top 25 where Southern Miss remains #1 after sweeping LT on the road.  Once we finish breaking down the Mid Major Top 25 we talk about Miami/Florida and South Carolina/Clemson We end the show live picking our 6 series for Weekend #4 Series Pick'em. Then we preview a LOADED midweek slate!  Noah should come in and edit the timestamps. I'm tired and need to go to sleep, early morning tomorrow. Love you guys!

Joba Chamberlain Talks College Baseball’s Boom, NIL, the Midges & Nebraska’s Road Back | 11.7 Podcast The 11.7 Podcast welcomes former Yankees World Series champion and Nebraska College World Series alum Joba Chamberlain, who discusses reconnecting with college baseball through his son Karter, the growth in exposure for the sport, and his unconventional path from Division II Kearney and summer ball to Nebraska, Team USA, and the first round of the MLB Draft. Chamberlain reflects on College World Series changes from Rosenblatt to the current era, shares parenting and clubhouse stories from his MLB days, and emphasizes “getting outs” over pitching metrics. He weighs in on NIL, the best timing for the MLB Draft, and why the “midges” moment still follows him every October, while also talking Nebraska’s need to keep in-state talent and win to return to Omaha. The show finishes with weekend series picks and discussion of major tournaments and notable midweek upsets. 00:00 Welcome Joba Chamberlain 07:03 Unconventional Road to Nebraska 17:49 Old School Pitching Advice 19:34 MLB Draft Timing Debate 25:04 Signing Bonus and NIL 31:01 Midges and Tough Matchups 42:37 Weekend Series Pick Em Begins 44:56 Omaha Super Regional Flashback 46:59 Miami Florida Series Picks 50:18 Southern Miss Louisiana Tech Showdown 54:29 Michigan at San Diego Preview 59:57 USF UCF Rivalry Series 01:03:53 USC at Cal Poly Pitching Duel 01:08:23 Nebraska at Auburn Debate 01:13:54 Midweek Chaos and Upsets 01:18:14 Arkansas State Statement Wins 01:20:05 Arizona State vs Oklahoma Recap 01:21:17 Midweek Upset Chaos 01:22:57 Tournament Week Preview 01:23:28 Las Vegas Classic Breakdown 01:26:34 Vanderbilt Power Surge 01:30:22 Arlington Field Reactions 01:32:55 Arlington Storylines and Picks 01:39:12 Frisco Quick Picks 01:44:52 Houston College Classic Preview 01:48:03 Coastal Injuries and Texas Talk 01:50:22 Ole Miss Case to Sweep 01:53:25 Wrap Up and Next Episode

Weekend 2 Recap + Mid-Major Power Rankings, UCLA/LSU/Texas Takeaways & Midweek Preview | 11.7 Podcast This episode of the 11.7 podcast recaps weekend two of the college baseball season, previews the upcoming midweek slate, and breaks down the newly released 11.7 Mid-Major Power Rankings (referred to as “power rankings” due to a past trademark issue with “mid-major top 25”). The hosts also discuss podcast updates (including expanded Instagram/Facebook posting due to audience requests), Dimitri’s new microphone, and shout-outs to game analysts and broadcasters from the weekend’s tournament coverage.  The show notes major movement in the mid-major rankings, especially in week two. Southern Miss is ranked No. 1 after a six-game win streak and a strong Round Rock showing; UC Santa Barbara is No. 2; UTSA is No. 3 after sweeping Dallas Baptist and starting 7–0; Coastal Carolina and UC Irvine round out the top five while dealing with injuries and a surprising home series loss, respectively. Louisiana Tech is highlighted at No. 6 ahead of an upcoming matchup with Southern Miss. Other notable risers and storylines include Cal Poly at No. 7, Kent State’s 17-spot jump to No. 8 after winning a series at Tennessee, San Diego entering at No. 9 after strong early results despite losing a key shortstop right before the season, and UTRGV at No. 10 after winning a road series at Houston while playing an early schedule heavy with Big 12 opponents. Kent State receives extended discussion for sweeping Southeastern, competing with LSU midweek, and then taking two of three at Tennessee. Individual notes include Sawyer Solitaire’s hot start, Serin Coffee’s scoreless innings, and Easton Tous (Texas transfer) as a mid-90s starter. The hosts also cover the rest of the Top 25, including South Florida at No. 11, Dallas Baptist dropping to No. 12, Mercer rising after sweeping Columbia, ECU at No. 17 including a rain-shortened tie vs UNC and how the tie will be handled in 11.7 pick’em/survivor games, Louisiana entering at No. 22 after sweeping Maryland (with freshman shortstop Blaise Rodriguez’s five-hit day in a 15-inning game), and UAB at No. 25 for quality early wins. In “teams of the weekend,” UCLA is praised for sweeping TCU and for key players like Roch Cholowsky (six homers in six games at the time of recording, discussed as a potential No. 1 overall pick) plus standout pitching performances from Logan Redman and Weiland Moss. LSU is described as an elite offensive club with questions about starting pitching. Texas is highlighted for pitching development under Max Weiner and the strength of its rotation and closer usage. Georgia Tech’s offense is discussed as potentially elite despite questions about schedule strength, and Auburn is credited for going 3–0 in Arlington with wins over Kansas State, Florida State, and Louisville. The episode also touches on Oregon State’s offensive struggles while praising Dax Whitney’s dominant 17-strikeout performance, shouts out UNC’s Jason DeCarlo for consistency and command, and previews key midweek games (including Arizona StateOklahoma). The hosts list the next 11.7 weekend series pick’em matchups—Florida–Miami, Southern Miss–Louisiana Tech, Michigan–San Diego, South Florida–UCF, Nebraska–Auburn, and USC–Cal Poly—and close with notes on upcoming tournaments, early Southland conference play, a planned World Baseball Classic preview episode, and Jack’s return for the next show. 00:00 Weekend 2 Recap Kickoff + What’s on Today’s Show 05:41 Why Weekend 2 Tells Us More Than Weekend 1 07:33 Mid-Major Power Rankings: Top 5 Breakdown (Southern Miss, UCSB, UTSA) 11:19 Ranks 6–10: Louisiana Tech Buzz + Kent State’s Massive Jump 14:21 Kent State Deep Dive: Why the Golden Flashes Are for Real 21:48 Finishing the Mid-Major Top 25 (11–25) + ECU-UNC Rain Tie Ruling 27:49 UTSA Hosting Dreams: The ‘Alamodome Regional’ & Bird Bath Renovation Talk 29:33 Teams of the Weekend: UCLA’s Sweep, Roch’s No. 1 Pick Case, and TCU Pulse Check 42:23 Segue to the Heavyweights: LSU’s Offense Hype vs Starting Pitching Questions 45:55 Texas Spotlight: Max Weiner’s Pitching Lab, Riojas on Fridays, and a Loaded Staff 50:03 Texas arms shut down Michigan State: pitching staff talk 50:42 Is Georgia Tech an A+ team? Lineup loaded with first-round talent 52:34 Auburn goes 3-0 in Arlington: offense wakes up, pitching pieces emerge 55:39 Quick check-in: Arizona State Big 12 favorite buzz 56:18 Oregon State’s offense concerns vs. Dax Whitney’s historic 17-K gem 01:02:43 Weekend leftovers: UNC’s Jason DeCaro praise + Oregon’s big test ahead 01:04:54 AJ Garcia’s 3-HR game wasn’t televised—Synergy to the rescue 01:09:46 Midweek slate preview: upset calls and games to watch (Warren Nolan) 01:18:36 Weekend Series Pick ’Em: six featured matchups + why Clemson/SC is out 01:20:36 Wrap-up: upcoming tournaments, WBC bonus episode plans, and sign-off

Weekend 1 Recap + Weekend 2 Preview (Jax Classic, Round Rock, Arlington) | 11.7 College Baseball Podcast This episode of the 11.7 Podcast serves as a combined Weekend 1 recap, midweek recap, and Weekend 2 preview. They highlight coverage from major opening-week events, including Noah’s on-site recap of the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, where Oklahoma went 3–0 and impressed with two-out hitting, aggressive baserunning, and unexpected power. Noah also spotlights Texas Tech freshman Lincoln Garcia and TCU standouts including Noah Franco (four shutout innings vs Arkansas) and shortstop Lucas Franco, while noting TCU starter Tommy LaPorte will miss his upcoming start. The group discusses Noah’s interview video with Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn and his initial reluctance turning into engagement. Jack recaps calling Coastal Carolina vs Fairfield, praising Coastal’s student-run broadcast production, the atmosphere in Conway, Coastal’s deep pitching, and the fan reaction to coach Kevin Schnall returning for Game 3. The hosts discuss how Coastal has shifted from being known primarily as an offense-first team to emphasizing pitching development, technology, and live arms. Ben also recaps Mercer’s series win over Troy, pointing to Mercer’s improved pitching development and midweek win over Georgia State, while noting Troy’s 16–1 Game 3 response. Dimitri’s top Weekend 1 series is Southern Miss vs UC Santa Barbara, emphasizing Jackson Flora’s electric stuff and a dramatic Sunday finish that included defensive miscues, a game-tying ball off the center-field wall, and a walk-off walk. They talk about how rare it is for elite pitchers like Flora (UCSB) and Cam Flukey (Coastal) to remain at non-power-conference programs, and later break news that Flukey will not pitch this weekend (not arm-related). They also discuss UT Rio Grande Valley’s energized home crowds vs Kansas, and Noah and Dimitri debate which opening weekend was most impressive, bringing up Michigan’s wins over Oregon State, Arizona, and Stanford, as well as Michigan State beating Louisville twice at Jim Patterson Stadium. Players of the week include LSU’s Jake Brown (five home runs through four games), Baylor’s Ty Armstrong (three grand slams in one game), Vanderbilt catcher Colin Barczi (three second-deck home runs in Globe Life Field), and Tennessee’s Blaine Brown (three homers on the weekend, then a midweek start with 94–97 mph). They also mention Florida State’s Myles Bailey’s massive first-pitch home run and the Tallahassee atmosphere. For Weekend 2 previews, they outline multiple tournaments (including Jacksonville College Baseball Classic, Round Rock Classic, and the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series in Arlington) and discuss likely storylines for teams like Indiana, UCF, Notre Dame, Southern Miss, Oregon State, Baylor, and Kansas State (including D. Kennedy’s hot start and LASIK note). They finish with the Weekend Series Pick ’Em slate and make selections for: North Carolina at East Carolina; TCU at UCLA; UTRGV at Houston; Dallas Baptist at UTSA; West Virginia at Liberty; and Wright State at Charlotte, while also noting the new team-page updates on the 11.7 website. 00:00 Welcome Back + Weekend 1 Recap Plan (and missed episode apology) 01:50 Patreon Pick ’Em & Survivor Carnage: Who Got Eliminated? 02:34 Week 1 Pick ’Em Records + Dmitri Counting Before 5 Minutes 05:04 Shoutouts & Chinook Eatery Banter (Santa Claus of snacks) 06:50 Noah’s Arlington Classic Takeaways: Oklahoma, TCU, Texas Tech 11:04 The Tim Corbin Interview Clip: From Cold Shoulder to Chatty 12:38 Jack’s Coastal vs Fairfield Call: Broadcast, Atmosphere, Coastal Blueprint 17:20 Ben’s Mercer Bears Soapbox + Troy Response + Logan Shepherd Bombs 20:10 Dmitri’s Weekend 1 Big Series: Southern Miss vs UC Santa Barbara (Flora) 22:18 Why Elite Arms Are Staying at ‘Mid-Majors’ + Draft/Transfer Ripple Effects 27:45 UTRGV Buzz, Kansas Grit, and Big 12 Depth (Houston, Baylor, etc.) 34:15 Player of the Week Picks + Are the Balls Juiced? (Arlington HRs) 43:16 Wild Series Notes (TCU vs NDSU extras) + Pivot to Weekend 2 Tournaments 44:02 Jacksonville Classic Preview: LSU, Indiana, UCF, Notre Dame Storylines 47:08 Surprise Teams to Watch: Indiana & UCF Buzz 47:54 Notre Dame’s Bounce-Back Case + Gold Helmet Distraction Bit 50:44 Round Rock Classic Preview: Oregon State, Southern Miss, Baylor & Purdue 52:44 Injury Alert & Who Wins Round Rock? Plus Southern Miss Burner Storytime 57:49 Arlington College Baseball Series Preview: Kansas State, Louisville & FSU Picks 01:02:15 Pick ’Em Setup + Travel/Nap Debate Before Weekend Series 01:07:05 Rapid-Fire Picks with Jack (Then He Gets Kicked) 01:08:43 Weekend Series Breakdown: UNC–ECU & TCU–UCLA 01:15:05 Upset Watch: UTRGV at Houston + UTSA vs Dallas Baptist Showdown 01:23:33 Liberty vs West Virginia + Wright State vs Charlotte Picks 01:31:29 Wrap-Up: Week 2 Ahead, Schedule Notes & Sign-Off

WELCOME TO OPENING WEEK OF 2026 COLLEGE BASEBALL SEASON Start off the show with our Preseason Field of 64 Projections Then we move on and preview the big 4 tournaments (Shriners Arlington, Puerto Rico, Surprise AZ, MLB Desert Invitational) Lastly we make our Week 1 Weekend Series Pick'em Picks -UC Santa Barbara @ Southern Miss -Troy @ Mercer -Missouri State @ Louisiana -Cal Poly @ Campbell -San Diego @ Charlotte -Illinois @ South Florida   If you want to play along all season long in the Weekend Series Pick'em competition, go to 11point7.com and sign up! 

It's 1:30am and I can think of a good description of the pod.  The first 20 minutes or so is our explanation of the Preseason Mid-Major Top 25, and also talk about honorable mentions that didn't make the cut.  Visit 11point7.com for write-ups on all 25 teams.  The last hour of the show is going conference by conference and Ben, Noah, Dimitri, and Jack each make their conference regular season champion picks.    Only 5 days left to sign up for our Weekend Series Pick'em competition and Survivor competition. Go to our website or Patreon to sign up! 

Host Ben, along with Dimitri and Noah, dive into the 2025 preseason with their classic Omaha Eight and Golden Spikes drafts. The episode kicks off with the team commemorating College Baseball Month and discussing the minor setbacks faced by Jack, their utility man, who's stuck in a Nashville airport. Despite his absence, Jack contributes his top 30 teams and picks for the Golden Spikes draft, ensuring his voice is still represented. The main event is the Omaha Eight snake draft, where each member, including Dimitri, Noah, and a stand-in for Jack, meticulously selects teams they predict will make it to Omaha. From SEC powerhouses like LSU and Texas to dark horse candidates like UCI and Troy, the draft showcases a variety of teams loaded with potential. Moving on to the Golden Spikes draft, the stakes remain high as they pick top players expected to shine in the coming season. From proven stars like Drew Burress and Justin Lebron and Noah Franco, the hosts cover it all. They discuss the strategic elements behind each pick and offer insights into why each player has been chosen for the award. Additionally, the episode features a rapid-fire Q&A session with questions from their dedicated Discord community, touching on topics like NIL impacts in college baseball and season expectations for Ohio State under Justin Haire. Lastly, they unveil the 11.7 Fantasy Team for Noah's super secret highly competitive underground fantasy league, showcasing the competitive teams lined up by top names in college baseball coverage. With interesting picks and strategy breakdowns, this segment promises to keep fans at the edge of their seats. 00:00 Welcome to the 11.7 Podcast 06:02 Omaha Eight Snake Draft Begins 38:54 Concluding the Draft and Final Thoughts 47:09 Golden Spikes Draft Begins 55:36 Golden Spikes Draft Dark Horse Picks 01:04:56 Q&A Session From Discord Channel 01:18:31 Fantasy League and Final Thoughts