For third-consecutive season, Mississippi State has punched its ticket to the College World Series.

On the Bulldogs’ side of the bracket are three of the hottest teams in the country—Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia. State will face the Longhorns in game one, a rematch from opening day, when MSU took an 8-3 win in Arlington, Texas.

All-time, State and Texas have split down the middle with a 5-5 series record. The Bulldogs and Longhorns have a history in the NCAA Tournament, facing four times total in 1983 and 1985. In the 1983 Austin Regional, State took down Texas in game two but fell in consecutive matchups to allow the Horns a trip to Omaha. They battled again in the 1985 College World Series, in which the Horns took a 12-7 win

On the year, Texas has a 47-15 record, 17-7 in conference play, winning the Big 12 regular-season championship. After getting swept by Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Ole Miss in the season-opening tournament, the Horns dropped only one series the rest of the way. They have a sweep over South Carolina and series wins over tournament teams Oklahoma State and TCU.

In the postseason, Texas went 2-2 in the Big 12 Tournament before turning their attention to the Austin Regional. They took three convincing victories over Southern, Arizona State, and Fairfield to make it to the Supers. In the Austin Super Regional, they walked off South Florida in game one before cruising to an easy victory in game two, punching their ticket to Omaha.

The Horns are led by an elite pitching staff, showcased by ace Ty Madden. Madden pitched against State to open the season and will get the nod again in Omaha. On the year, Madden has a 2.41 ERA and a 7-4 record in 16 starts. He has thrown 100.2 innings, giving up 33 runs (27 earned) and 39 walks while striking out 119.

Next is Tristen Stevens, who possesses a 2.97 ERA and an 11-3 record in 16 starts. He has compiled 103.0 innings, giving up 34 runs (all earned) and 19 walks with 74 strikeouts.

Rounding out the Horns’ starting rotation is Pete Hansen. He has a 1.84 ERA and a 9-1 record in 13 starts. In 83.1 innings, Hansen has given up 20 runs (17 earned) with 21 walks and 72 strikeouts.

Texas is backed up with a very solid bullpen. Cole Quintanilla boats a 1.29 ERA and a 4-0 record in 24 appearances. He has thrown 35.0 innings, giving up five runs (all earned) and 10 walks alongside 36 strikeouts.

Aaron Nixon has a 2.35 ERA and a 3-3 record in 25 appearances, along with eight saves. In 30.2 innings, he has given up eight runs (all earned) while walking eight and striking out 34.

Tanner Witt possesses a 3.06 ERA and a 4-0 record in 26 appearances. He has thrown 50.0 innings, giving up 19 runs (17 earned) while walking 22 and striking out 71.

The Longhorns also have a pair of relievers with 3.32 ERAs—Lucas Gordon and Palmer Wenzel. Gordon has a 0-0 record with 19 appearances, throwing 21.2 innings and giving up eight runs (all earned) with nine walks and 19 strikeouts. Wenzel has a 3-0 record in 17 appearances. Like Gordon, he has also thrown 21.2 innings and has given up eight runs (all earned) with nine walks and 13 strikeouts.

At the plate, Texas has a quartet of hitters who combine consistency and power. They are led off with a pair of .321 hitters, Mitchell Daly and Ivan Melendez. Daly has scored 32 runs and has notched 62 hits with 15 doubles, two home runs, and 31 RBI. Melendez has scored 34 runs while totaling 60 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, and 46 RBI. Cam Williams has a .303 average with 41 runs, 57 hits, 20 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs, and 47 RBI. Zach Zubia completes the Texas list of .300 hitters with a .300 average. He has 43 runs, 64 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, and 57 RBI.

The Bulldogs and Longhorns have the nightcap game on Sunday night at 6:00 PM, after the match between Tennessee and Virginia.

The Volunteers and Bulldogs, both SEC foes, have faced 90 times in the two programs’ histories. State has a 60-30 all-time lead in the series with the last matchup coming earlier this season in the SEC Tournament, where the Volunteers won handily.

This year, Tennessee has a 50-16 record, 20-10 in SEC play. They have a regular-season sweep over LSU, along with series wins over tournament teams Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. They dropped two games in series to Vanderbilt and Arkansas.

In the postseason, the Vols went 3-2 in the SEC Tournament, falling to Arkansas in the title game. They started the Knoxville Regional with a bang, defeating Wright State with a walk-off grand slam en route to a 3-0 showing. They then took two games from LSU in the Knoxville Superregional to make it to Omaha for the first time since 2005.

Tennessee’s pitching staff is led by ace Chad Dallas, who has a 4.10 ERA and an 11-1 record in 16 starts. He has thrown 96.2 innings, giving up 48 runs (44 earned) with an absurd 118-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Next in the rotation is Blake Tidwell, who has a 3.57 ERA and a 10-3 record in 17 starts. In 95.2 innings, Tidwell has given up 45 runs (38 earned) with 32 walks and 87 strikeouts.

Rounding out the Volunteers’ rotation is Will Heflin, who possesses a 4.07 ERA and a 3-3 record in 16 starts. In 79.2 innings, he has given up 40 runs (36 earned) with 17 walks and 77 strikeouts.

UT also has a very stout bullpen, led by Sean Hunley. He has a 2.92 ERA and a 7-4 record in 33 appearances with nine saves. He has given up 27 runs (23 earned) in 71.0 innings, walking 11 and striking out 75.

Mark McLaughlin has a 1.83 ERA and a 2-0 record in 15 appearances. In 34.1 innings, he has given up eight runs (seven earned) with 21 walks and 40 strikeouts.

Redmond Walsh possesses a 2.52 ERA and a 5-1 record in 26 appearances with five saves. He has thrown 35.2 innings, giving up 16 runs (10 earned) with eight walks and 38 strikeouts.

Camden Sewell has a 2.79 ERA and a 4-1 record in 21 appearances. In 48.1 innings, Sewell has given up 16 runs (15 earned), walking 14 and striking out 43.

Rounding out the UT bullpen is Kirby Connell, who has a 3.00 ERA and a 1-1 record in 26 appearances. He has compiled 42.0 innings, giving up 19 runs (14 earned) while walking three and striking out 39.

While Tennessee has a very solid pitching staff, they are known for their offensive prowess. Despite having just two players hitting above .300, they make up for it with raw power.

Liam Spence leads the Vols with a .339 average. He has scored 63 runs and notched 80 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, five home runs, and 35 RBI.

Jake Rucker has a .331 average with 48 runs, 88 hits, 21 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, and 55 RBI.

The remainder of the lineup, while ranging in below .300, has double-digit home runs among all of them. Drew Gilbert has 10, Jordan Beck has 15, Max Ferguson has 12, Luc Lipcius has 15, and Evan Russell has 14.

The final team in the Bulldogs’ bracket is Virginia. The Bulldogs and Cavaliers have battled only twice, the 2013 Charlottesville Super Regional, in which State went 2-0 en route to an appearance in the national championship series.

This season, Virginia has a 35-25 record, 18-18 in conference play. They started off slowly, losing five of their first six series. However, they caught fire towards the end of the year, winning six of their last seven series.

The Cavaliers faced a host of NCAA Tournament teams this season with series wins over UConn, Georgia Tech, and Duke. Their series losses came at the beginning of the season— Florida State, a sweep at Notre Dame, and Miami.

In the postseason, UVA went 2-1 in the ACC Tournament with wins over Virginia Tech and Notre Dame before falling to Duke. They then traveled to Columbia for the Regional, falling to South Carolina in game one. They then reeled off four-straight wins over Jacksonville, South Carolina, and Old Dominion (twice) to reach the Supers.

Staying in Columbia, the Cavaliers faced elimination off the bat again after a game-one loss to Dallas Baptist. They rebounded with back-to-back wins to punch their ticket into the College World Series, improving their record to 6-0 in NCAA Tournament elimination games.

The Cavaliers have a host of starters, led by ace Andrew Abbott. He has a 3.04 ERA and an 8-6 record in 16 starts. He has thrown 100.2 innings, giving up 39 runs (34 earned) with 30 walks and 152 strikeouts (not a typo).

Next is Mike Vasil, who has a 4.82 ERS and a 7-5 record in 15 starts. In 74.2 innings, Vasil has given up 50 runs (40 earned) with 17 walks and 65 strikeouts.

Nate Savino possesses a 3.86 ERA and a 3-3 record in 10 starts. He has compiled 53.2 innings, giving up 28 runs (23 earned) with 15 walks and 33 strikeouts.

Griff McGarry rounded out the Cavs’ rotation in the Super Regional. He has a 6.06 ERA and an 0-5 record in 10 starts. He has compiled 35.2 innings, giving up 25 runs (24 earned) with 40 walks and 61 strikeouts.

One of Virginia’s strengths is bullpen depth. Blake Bales boasts a 0.71 ERA and a 3-0 record in 25 appearances. He has thrown 38.0 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) with 15 walks and 54 strikeouts.

Zach Messinger has a 4.31 ERA and a 3-2 record in 26 appearances. He has totaled 56.1 innings, giving up 32 runs (22 earned) while walking 21 and striking out 63.

Brandon Neeck possesses a 1.93 ERA and a 2-0 record in 22 appearances. In 21.1 innings, Neeck has given up seven runs (five earned) with 11 walks and 40 strikeouts.

Steven Schoch has a 2.52 ERA and a 4-1 record in 25 appearances with eight saves. He has thrown 35.2 innings, giving up 14 runs (10 earned) and walking 15 with 52 strikeouts.

Kyle Whitten has a 3.23 ERA and an 0-1 record in 25 appearances. In 30.2 innings, Whitten has given up 11 runs (all earned) with 18 walks and 37 strikeouts.

Matt Wyatt rounds out the Virginia pen with a 3.79 ERA and a 4-1 record in 19 appearances. He has given up 16 runs (15 earned) in 35.2 innings while walking 19 and striking out 46.

At the plate, UVA is led by Kyle Teel. He has a .320 average and has scored 41 runs with 63 hits, 10 doubles, a triple, nine home runs, and 40 RBI.

Zack Gelof has a .298 average with 47 runs, 74 hits, 16 doubles, nine home runs, and 39 RBI.

Devin Ortiz is another offensive threat for the Cavs with a .284 average. He has totaled 41 runs, 60 hits, 10 doubles, a triple, eight home runs, and 34 RBI.