Athens Regional Odds
 | Georgia Bulldogs | -425 |
 | Boston College Eagles | +750 |
 | Liberty Flames | +600 |
 | LIU Sharks | +5500 |
Read Doug Ziefel's full college baseball betting preview for the 2026 NCAA Regionals here.
1. Georgia Bulldogs: It’s time to pat yourself on the back if you joined me in grabbing the Dawgs preseason to win the College World Series at 18-1.
Georgia is hosting its third consecutive Regional, and its team profile over the past few seasons has been apparent. This team can absolutely mash.
The Bulldogs lead the nation in home runs and rank second in wRC+ and fourth in runs per game. However, what sets this Georgia team apart from years past is the pitching depth.
Ace Joey Volchko has been stellar, but it’s arms like Dylan Vigue, Matt Scott, and Caden Aoki who have helped round out this program.
The Bulldogs are built for success in a double-elimination format and have all the tools to make a run through Omaha.
2. Boston College Eagles: It’s time for some Bird Ball in the NCAA Tournament, as the Boston College Eagles make their first tournament appearance since 2023.
Boston College made some noise last year in the ACC Tournament, and that veteran leadership from A.J. Colarusso, combined with an aggressive lineup that stole 139 bases this year, led to a scrappy 2026 club that showed it can compete with the toughest teams in the nation.
However, its aggressiveness on the basepaths can only do so much if the bats struggle to reach base.
On top of that, its staff doesn't miss many bats, so if the Eagles don’t hit, we could see them face large deficits in this Regional.
3. Liberty Flames: Don’t let the insurance jingle fool you, the Liberty Flames are legit and arguably should be a No. 2 seed.
The Flames have a dangerous 1-2 punch on the mound in the form of Ben Blair and Bradley Zayac. Blair holds a 2.40 SIERA and a 29.4% strikeout rate over 87 innings this season.
Meanwhile, Zayac went 9-0 with a 3.36 ERA and also broke the 80-inning mark.
These two, combined with a solid bullpen, have allowed the Flames to keep their opposition at bay while waiting for the bats to come around.
Now, that's not a recipe for success against Georgia, but Liberty should handle Boston College in its opener.
4. LIU Sharks: It’s safe to say that the Long Island Sharks are not new to this. They're set to make their third NCAA Tournament appearance in five years, and we all remember how they pushed UNC to their limit last season.
However, having to face Georgia out of the gate is going to expose their issues on the mound. The Sharks rank 214th in ERA and don’t miss bats, sitting 229th in strikeout rate.
That's a recipe for disaster against Georgia and any other team in this region. While Long Island has formed a winning pedigree in the NEC, the gap between them and the rest of the region will be very apparent.
Athens Regional Picks
- Georgia vs LIU Over 15.5 or Better
- Liberty ML -120 vs. Boston College (bet365)
- LIU vs. Boston College Over 12.5 or Better
