Wake Forest baseball took the top spot in the first USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll of the 2024 college baseball season. 

LSU, the 2023 College World Series champions, landed at no. 2, while Florida, Arkansas and TCU round out the top five teams in the poll.

The Tigers will be looking to go back-to-back at this year's CWS, while the Demon Deacons will be looking for their first college baseball title in nearly 70 years.

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Wake Forest's Nick Kurtz is considered one of the top MLB prospects for the 2024 MLB Draft. Kurtz slashed .344/.498/.695 with 39 homers in his first two seasons.

The 6-foot-5 first baseman has been named first team All-American by multiple outlets and is drafted at no. 1 or no. 2 in most mock drafts.

USA Today College Baseball Rankings 2024

Here's the complete list of teams in USA Today's 2024 College Baseball Coaches Poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Kansas State 65; UC Irvine 51; Oregon 42; Oklahoma State 41; Auburn 35; Southern Miss 21; Dallas Baptist 21; Troy 19; Ole Miss 16; Florida State 13; UNCW 12; Arizona 10; Oral Roberts 9; Indiana State 8; Connecticut 7; USC 6; Georgia 6; Campbell 6; Kentucky 5; West Virginia 4; Indiana 4; Georgia Tech 4; Maryland 3; Hawaii 3;

How To Watch The College Baseball Showdown

Watch the 2024 Shriners Children's College Showdown on FloBaseball and the FloSports app.

FloBaseball will be streaming several season-opening college baseball tournaments, including the Sanderson Ford College Classic, Snowbird Baseball and the Kubota College Baseball Series.

What Teams Are Playing In the 2024 College Baseball Showdown?

Here are the teams: 

• University of Oklahoma
• Texas Tech University
• Baylor University
• University of Tennessee
• University of Nebraska
• University of Oregon
• University of Arkansas
• Oklahoma State University
• University of Michigan
• Oregon State University 
• TCU 
• Texas A&M
• University of Southern California 
• Arizona State University

2024 Shriners Children's College Showdown Schedule

All times Eastern

Friday, Feb. 16 

• 12 p.m. – Nebraska vs. Baylor 
• 4 p.m. – Oregon vs. Oklahoma 
• 8 p.m. – Tennessee vs. Texas Tech

Saturday, Feb. 17 

• 12 p.m. – Baylor vs. Oregon 
• 4 p.m. – Texas Tech vs. Nebraska 
• 8 p.m. – Oklahoma vs. Tennessee

Sunday, Feb. 18 

• 11:30 a.m. – Nebraska vs. Oklahoma 
• 3:30 p.m. – Oregon vs. Texas Tech 
• 7:30 p.m. – Tennessee vs. Baylor

2024 Kubota College Baseball Series Weekend 2 Schedule

All times Eastern

Friday, February 23 

• 4 p.m. – Michigan vs. Oklahoma State 
• 8 p.m. – Oregon State vs. Arkansas

Saturday, February 24 

• 4 p.m. – Michigan vs. Oregon State 
• 8 p.m. – Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State

Sunday, February 25 

• 2 p.m. – Arkansas vs. Michigan 
• 6 p.m. – Oklahoma State vs. Oregon State

2024 Kubota College Baseball Series Weekend 3 Schedule

All times Eastern

Friday, March 1 

• 3 p.m. – USC vs. TCU 
• 7 p.m. – Arizona State vs. Texas A&M

Saturday, March 2 

• 3 p.m. – Texas A&M vs. USC 
• 7 p.m. – TCU vs. Arizona State

Sunday, March 3 

• 12 p.m. – Arizona State vs. Texas A&M 
• 4 p.m. – USC vs. TCU

What's The Difference Between The Shriners Showdown and the Kubota College Series? 

The Shriners Children's College Showdown is one of two marquee collegiate events set for Globe Life Field in the opening weeks of the season. The Showdown is a one-weekend, six-team event, which will be followed by the Kubota College Series. 

The Kubota College Series opens with mid-week games on Feb. 20, pitting Texas Tech against UT Arlington. The Red Raiders return for a Feb. 21 double-header against Oregon State, while Oklahoma State meets Abilene Christian in the nightcap. 

The Kubota College Series runs from those opening contests into the following weekend and continues into the first weekend of March. 

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