Entering the final week of the regular season, UNC baseball and N.C. State remain in the race for an ACC regular-season championship.
The fourth-ranked Tar Heels (37-11, 16-10 ACC) and 18th-ranked Wolfpack (32-16, 16-9) remain among the league squads listed in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches top 25 poll on May 12. The Tobacco Road rivals split two games at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill before rainy weather led to the cancellation of the finale.
No. 2 Florida State (36-11, 16-8), which hosts UNC in the final week of the regular season, currently sits atop the ACC standings. Following its series win at No. 13 Clemson (38-15, 15-12), Duke entered the poll at No. 24. The Blue Devils close their ACC regular-season schedule against Georgia Tech (37-15, 17-10) in Durham.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest bracket projections for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, which begins with regional games on May 30. The selection show is at noon on May 26.
UNC baseball NCAA Tournament projections
According to Aria Gerson’s latest projections for the USA TODAY Sports Network on May 13, the Tar Heels are on track to be the No. 8 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament. Gerson has UNC hosting No. 2 seed Florida, No. 3 UConn and No. 4 seed Columbia in the Chapel Hill Regional. D1Baseball predicts UNC to secure the No. 7 seed, with Ole Miss, Iowa and Holy Cross set to play in the Chapel Hill Regional. The Tar Heels are the No. 8 overall seed in Baseball America’s projections. Florida, Cincinnati and SIUE are listed as the teams in the Chapel Hill Regional. With a huge series against the Seminoles on deck, the Tar Heels have an opportunity to move even higher up the seed line. Either way, they’re a virtual lock to host a regional.
NC State baseball NCAA Tournament projections
The Wolfpack remains likely to be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, according to Gerson. In her projections, N.C. State will head to the Auburn Regional, where the Tigers are predicted to host the Wolfpack, Kansas State and Bryant. D1Baseball has the Pack sticking closer to home as part of the Conway Regional at Coastal Carolina, which includes Florida and High Point. Baseball America has State in position to play at West Virginia in a regional that includes Texas A&M and Wright State.
Duke baseball NCAA Tournament projections
The Blue Devils are back in the top 25 and putting themselves in position to move up in NCAA Tournament projections. In Gerson’s latest “bracketology,” Duke is projected to be a No. 2 seed in the Austin Regional against the Texas Longhorns, Kansas and Missouri State. D1Baseball has the Devils playing at West Virginia as the No. 2 seed in a regional that includes Kentucky and George Mason. Baseball America’s projections have Duke on the 3 line at the Auburn Regional, which could include Southern Miss and Kent State.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.