2023 College World Series odds: Wake Forest favored to win first national title in nearly 70 years as NCAA baseball regionals begin Friday

NCAA baseball's postseason regional action begins this weekend across the country with 64 teams competing for a spot in the College World Series. The SEC is hosting eight regionals, a record for the tournament, while the ACC is hosting four. ACC team Wake Forest is the No. 1 overall seed for the postseason and a +400 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to win the national title for the first time since 1955.

All regionals are double elimination and start Friday. Wake Forest is the -235 favorite to win the Winston-Salem Regional and opens Friday vs. George Mason (+1000 to win regional). Maryland (+350) and Northeastern (+600) are also in it.

This is the Demon Deacons' 15th NCAA Tournament appearance and the only time in program history Wake Forest has been selected as the No. 1 overall seed. It has made two College World Series appearances. Overall, the Demon Deacons hold a 45-31 record at the national tournament. They are the first ACC team to be selected as the No. 1 overall seed since 2013 (North Carolina).

Wake Forest became the first team since North Carolina in 2017 to run the table and win all 10 ACC series in a regular season. It was the top seed in the ACC Tournament after winning its first regular-season title since 1963, but was eliminated in the semifinals by Miami.

Still, the 47 wins have tied a school record set last season. Brock Wilken is the team's star. The third baseman's 27 homers this season are a school record and four shy of the ACC record of 31 set by JD Drew in 1997. Wilken's 67 career homers are two shy of the ACC mark set by Anthony Maisano with Georgia Tech and Wake Forest from 1986-90. Wilken could be a first-round pick in this summer's MLB Draft. Two-time ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder is essentially a lock to be a first-round pick next month.

Here are the Top 8 overall seeds and their odds to win the CWS, although it possible none of them make it to Omaha; only Arkansas (runner-up twice) and Clemson have never won it all. SEC teams have also won three straight national championships and four of the last five. The SEC has a national-best 10 teams in the regional field. 

1. Wake Forest (+400)
2. Florida (+800)
3. Arkansas (+900)
4. Clemson (+1400)
5. LSU (+800)
6. Vanderbilt (+1800)
7. Virginia (+1800)
8. Stanford (+1800)

The Winston-Salem Regional is paired with the Tuscaloosa Regional. The winners of those two regionals will play in one of eight Super Regionals next weekend. The top eight national seeds are assured of hosting Super Regionals if they win their regionals.

Florida (+800), LSU (+800) and Arkansas (+900) are the only other teams below +1400 to win the College World Series. Vanderbilt has the longest active streak with its 17th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Ole Miss is the defending CWS champion but didn't even qualify for the SEC Tournament in a hugely disappointing 25-29 season. That means the last team to win back-to-back College World Series will remain South Carolina in 2010 and 2011. 

This year's event begins June 16 in Omaha.

Auburn Regional hosted by Auburn

Game 1: Southern Miss. (41-17) vs. Samford (36-23) | 2 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Auburn (34-21-1) vs. Penn (32-14) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Baton Rouge Regional hosted by LSU

Game 1: LSU (43-15) vs. Tulane (19-40) | 3 p.m. Friday | ESPNU

Game 2: Oregon St. (39-18) vs. Sam Houston (38-23) | 8 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Charlottesville Regional hosted by Virginia

Game 1: Virginia (45-12) vs. Army West Point (38-16) | Noon Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: East Carolina (45-17) vs. Oklahoma (31-26) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN2

Clemson Regional hosted by Clemson

Game 1: Clemson (43-17) vs. Lipscomb (36-24) | 1 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Tennessee (38-19) vs. Charlotte (34-26) | 6 p.m. Friday | ESPNU

Columbia Regional hosted by South Carolina

Game 1: Campbell (44-13) vs. NC State (35-19) | 1 p.m. Friday | ACCN

Game 2: South Carolina (39-19) vs. Central Conn. St. (36-12) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Conway Regional hosted by Coastal Carolina

Game 1: Duke (35-21) vs. UNCW (34-21) | 1 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Coastal Carolina (39-19) vs. Rider (35-19) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Coral Gables Regional hosted by Miami (FL)

Game 1: Texas (38-20) vs. Louisiana (40-22) | 2 p.m. Friday | LHN

Game 2: Miami (FL) (40-19) vs. Maine (32-19) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Fayetteville Regional hosted by Arkansas

Game 1: Arkansas (41-16) vs. Santa Clara (35-18) | 3 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: TCU (37-22) vs. Arizona (33-24) | 9 p.m. Friday | ESPNU

Gainesville Regional hosted by Florida

Game 1: UConn (43-15) vs. Texas Tech (39-21) | Noon Friday | ESPNU

Game 2: Florida (44-14) vs. Florida A&M (29-28) | 5:30 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Lexington Regional hosted by Kentucky

Game 1: Kentucky (36-18) vs. Ball St. (36-21) | Noon Friday | SECN

Game 2: West Virginia (39-18) vs. Indiana (41-18) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Nashville Regional hosted by Vanderbilt

Game 1: Oregon (37-20) vs. Xavier (37-23) | 1 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Vanderbilt (41-18) vs. Eastern Ill. (38-19) | 8 p.m. Friday | SECN

Stanford Regional hosted by Stanford

Game 1: Stanford (38-16) vs. San Jose St. (31-25) | 5 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Texas A&M (36-25) vs. Cal St. Fullerton (31-22) | 10 p.m. Friday | ESPN2

Stillwater Regional hosted by Oklahoma St.

Game 1: Dallas Baptist (45-14) vs. Washington (34-18) | 1 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Oklahoma St. (41-18) vs. Oral Roberts (46-11) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Terre Haute Regional hosted by Indiana State

Game 1: Indiana State (42-15) vs. Wright State (39-21) | 1 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Iowa (42-14) vs. North Carolina (35-22) | 7 p.m. Friday | ACCN

Tuscaloosa Regional hosted by Alabama

Game 1: Boston College (35-18) vs. Troy (39-20) | 3 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Alabama (40-19) vs. Nicholls (34-22) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Winston-Salem Regional hosted by Wake Forest

Game 1: Maryland (41-19) vs. Northeastern (44-14) | 1 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

Game 2: Wake Forest (47-10) vs. George Mason (34-25) | 7 p.m. Friday | ESPN+

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