The third weekend of the college baseball season is the best yet, as there are multiple marquee matchups on tap this Friday.
We're going to be right in the thick of all the action as three of our best bets are on teams ranked inside D1Baseball's Top 25.
Let's find out who these teams are as we dive into my three college baseball picks and NCAA baseball predictions for Friday, February 27.
College Baseball Picks, Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Action Network's Doug Ziefel is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3 p.m. | |
  | 4 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Houston vs Oregon State Pick
I'm going back to the well here and backing one of the most electric arms in the country.
Oregon State's Dax Whitney is fresh off the best outing of his career, where he struck out 17 batters over seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits to Baylor.
This afternoon, he takes the mound against a Houston lineup that has yet to face a pitcher anywhere near his caliber.
The Cougars got off to a hot start in Puerto Rico to open the season, but a series loss to UTRGV shows their lineup will be in for a long afternoon.
Getting run support for Whitney has been a question mark for Oregon State, as the Beavers have scored just six runs for him across his two starts.
However, Chris Scinta gets the ball for the Cougars, and he’s sporting a 6.43 ERA across four relief appearances.
Houston's decision to pitch off here could prove deadly against Whitney, as runs will be a premium.
Look for Oregon State to get the bats going early and give Whitney the early support he needs to lead the Beavers to a decisive victory.
Pick: Oregon State -1.5
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UCLA vs Tennessee Pick
It's tough to fade the No. 1 team in the country, but in the most high-profile matchup of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, the No. 20-ranked Tennessee Volunteers are being massively undervalued.
The departure of Tony Vitello this past offseason was a big hit to the program in many ways. Tennessee has a new head coach in Josh Elander and a lineup that's nowhere near as deep as we've seen in years past.
But what the Vols lack at the dish, they make up for on the mound.
Ace Tegan Kuhns has a chance to shine here. Kuhns has been lights out over his first outings of the season, entering with a 0.73 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and a BAA of just .075.
Now, those gaudy numbers have come against Nicholls and Kent State, but the talent that's produced them is real. Kuhns should compete fiercely against the Roch Cholowsky and the Bruins.
Kuhns will be countered by Logan Reddemann, who's off to a tremendous start in his own right.
Reddemann has punched out 16 in 10 innings of work, but when the ball has been put in play against him, it's been hard and impactful, as his .409 BABIP displays.
This game is going to be tight and potentially low-scoring. It's also the first true test for the Volunteers this season, and I think they're up to the task.
Back Tennessee to pull off the upset.
Pick: Tennessee ML +135
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Florida vs Miami Pick
Lastly, we head to Miami, where the No. 17 Hurricanes host the No. 10 Florida Gators. This in-state rivalry is loaded with talent, as both lineups have shown they can absolutely mash.
However, the separating factor in this game is on the mound.
Florida starter Liam Peterson has shown the two versions of himself. He struggled mightily in his first start of the year and then bounced back with a dominant outing against Kennesaw State.
That shows his consistency is a real issue, and there's no room for mistakes against this Miami lineup.
On the other side, Miami's AJ Ciscar has been sharp, to say the least. Through two starts, he has yet to walk a batter and has punched out 16 in 11 innings of work.
In a matchup of heavyweight lineups, the team with better pitching will prevail, so back Miami to take the first game of the series
Pick: Miami ML -130
