ESPN’s linear television networks are slated to feature 135 NCAA baseball games during the 2017 regular season, in addition to carrying five conference championships and 153 post-season games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, LHN and SEC Network. More than half of the games showcase a team in the USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25* and 33 games compromise at least one Top 5 team.
ESPN’s expansive schedule of digitally exclusive games streaming on ESPN3, ACC Network Extra and SEC Network + via the WatchESPN and the ESPN app will be released at a later date.
2017 college baseball schedule highlights:
Ranked vs. Ranked: In total the schedule includes 30 matchups of ranked teams vs ranked team highlighted by the following games with a Top 10 team:
No. 1 TCU vs. No.22 Oklahoma State (Mar. 25, 26) and vs. No. 19 Texas Tech (Apr. 30)
No. 3 LSU at No.2 Florida series (March 24-26)
No. 6 Vanderbilt at No. 4 South Carolina series (Apr. 6-8)
No. 2 Florida at No. 6 Vanderbilt (Apr. 13,15)
No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Florida State (Apr. 17)
No. 4 South Carolina at No. 2 Florida (Apr. 20, 22)
No. 8 Louisville at No. 12 Clemson (May 14)
No. 5 Florida State at No. 8 Louisville (May 20)
ACC Mondays on ESPNU: ESPNU will once again televise a battle among ACC schools most Mondays throughout the season. In addition to the afore mentioned high-profile baseball matchup of No.12 Clemson at No.5 Florida State, this year’s ESPNU schedule includes two softball games. The full ESPN softball schedule will be released next week. ESPN will also provide more than 250 games on the newly launched ACC Network Extra platform on WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
SEC Thursday Night Baseball: SEC Thursdays continue on ESPNU and SEC Network, highlighted with a preseason Top 25 team scheduled each week. SEC Network’s schedule also features a Bases Loaded special on opening night of conference play, March 17. The SEC’s 98-game television schedule is available here.
Wildcard: Similar to last year, ESPNU and SEC Network have designated May 18 as a “wildcard day”, where the two networks will select the most compelling SEC game on the last weekend of conference play. SEC Network has additional wildcard selections slated for April 21,May 12 and May 19.
Big 12 Gets Bigger: ESPN is televising its largest selection of Big 12 matchups on record, highlighted with the No. 22 Oklahoma State at No.1 TCU series March 25 and 26 on ESPN2.
Hook ‘Em: Longhorn Network, the home of Texas baseball, will televise more than 30 home games this season including No. 25 Rice (Feb. 19) and No. 19 Texas Tech (March 17, 19).
Championship Games: American, ACC, Big South, SEC and SWAC Championship games will all air on ESPN, ESPNU or ESPNEWS
Home of the Post Season: ESPN will cover up to 153 postseason games beginning with the Regionals. Complete details will be announced at a later date. The NCAA Baseball Selection Show swings ESPN into the postseason on Monday, May 29 at noon on ESPNU.
ESPN3: The network-leading 450+ game schedule for ESPN3 streaming games begins in February, with season long contests from 13 different conferences— Atlantic Sun, Big 12, Big East, Big South, Big West, Horizon League, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Missouri Valley, Southern, Southland, Sun Belt and Western Athletic.
Television Commentators
The 2017 baseball roster of accomplished ESPN network list commentators includes:
Nick Belmonte: Played at Florida where he holds the school record for stolen bases; spent time in the minor leagues
Chris Burke: Three-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year at Tennessee; Named to the all CWS all-tournament team in 2001. Was a first round pick of the Houston Astros and played parts of five MLB seasons with the Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres
Wes Clements: All-American and CWS Champion at Arizona; Drafted by the Houston Astros
Rusty Ensor: Was a captain and power hitter at Tennessee
Gabe Gross: All-American for the Auburn Tigers, where he also played quarterback. First round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays
Ben McDonald: All-American and Golden Spikes Award winner at LSU; Helped the Tigers reach the CWS twice and was also a member of the basketball team. First round selection of the Baltimore Orioles and went on to play eight MLB seasons.
Keith Moreland: 12-year MLB veteran; three-time All-American baseball player while at Texas and College World Series All-Decade Team member; Inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009
Kyle Peterson: Played in two different College World Series as a member of Stanford; National Freshmen of the Year and two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year with the Cardinal. He was a first round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers
Mike Rooney: Versatile position player at Notre Dame; Helped lead the Fighting Irish to the Super Regionals
Greg Swindell: 1985 Baseball America National Play of the year while playing at Texas; three time finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and 17-year career in the MLB as a left-handed pitcher
Jay Walker: Former football player and current Hall of Famer at Howard; has transition into multi-sport analyst
Roxy Bernstein, Mike Couzens, Lowell Galindo, Tom Hart, Steve Lenox, Clay Matvick, Mike Morgan, Dave Neal, Mark Neely, Matt Stewart, Alex Perlman and Taylor Zarzour will handle the play-by-play throughout the season.
Date Time (ET) Away Network
Sat, Feb. 4 3 p.m. Texas Alumni Game LHN
Fri, Feb. 17 7:30 p.m. No.25 Rice at Texas LHN
Sat, Feb. 18 4 p.m. No.25 Rice at Texas (double header) LHN
Sun, Feb. 19 3 p.m. No. 25 Rice at Texas LHN
Fri, Feb. 24 5 p.m. Connecticut at Texas LHN
Sat, Feb. 25 3 p.m. Connecticut at Texas LHN
Sun, Feb. 26 1 p.m. Connecticut at Texas LHN
Tues, Feb. 28 7:30 p.m. Lamar at Texas LHN
Tue, Mar. 7 7:30 p.m. Richmond at Texas LHN
Wed, Mar. 8 7:30 p.m. Texas A&M-Corpus Christian at Texas LHN
Fri, Mar. 10 1 p.m. Florida A&M at Bethune-Cookman ESPNU
7:30 p.m. UCLA at Texas LHN
Sat, Mar. 11 5 p.m. UCLA at Texas LHN
Sun, Mar. 12 2 p.m. UCLA at Texas LHN
Tue, Mar. 14 7 p.m. Murray State at Kentucky SEC Network
7:30 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at Texas LHN
Wed, Mar. 15 7:30 p.m. Chicago State at Missouri SEC Network
Fri, Mar. 17 7:30 p.m. No.19 Texas Tech at Texas LHN
Sat, Mar. 18 2 p.m. Missouri at Alabama SEC Network
5 p.m. No.19 Texas Tech at Texas LHN
8 p.m. Mississippi State at Arkansas SEC Network
Sun, Mar. 19 1 p.m. Missouri at Alabama SEC Network
2 p.m. No.4 South Carolina at Tennessee ESPNU
2 p.m. No.19 Texas Tech at Texas LHN
4 p.m. No.6 Vanderbilt at No.24 Ole Miss SEC Network
Tue, Mar. 21 7 p.m. No.25 Rice at No.20 Texas A&M SEC Network
Wed, Mar. 22 7:30 p.m. Texas-Rio Grande Valley at Texas LHN
Thu, Mar. 23 7 p.m. No.24 Ole Miss at Kentucky SEC Network
Fri, Mar. 24 7 p.m. No.3 LSU at No.2 Florida SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Kansas State at Texas LHN
Sat, Mar. 25 noon No.24 Ole Miss at Kentucky SEC Network
3 p.m. Arkansas at Missouri SEC Network
3 p.m. No.3 LSU at No.2 Florida ESPN2
5 p.m. Kansas State at Texas LHN
8 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.6 Vanderbilt SEC Network
8 p.m. No. 22 Oklahoma State at No.1 TCU ESPN2
Sun, Mar. 26 1 p.m. No.3 LSU at No.2 Florida SEC Network
2 p.m. Kansas State at Texas LHN
2 p.m. No. 22 Oklahoma State at No.1 TCU ESPN2
4 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.6 Vanderbilt SEC Network
Tue, Mar. 28 6 p.m. Savannah State at Georgia SEC Network
8 p.m. Auburn vs. Alabama ESPNU
Thu, Mar. 30 7 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.3 LSU SEC Network
8 p.m. Mississippi State at No.24 Ole Miss ESPNU
Fri, Mar. 31 9 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.3 LSU ESPNU
Sat, Apr. 1 3:30 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.3 LSU ESPN2
6 p.m. No.4 South Carolina at Auburn ESPNU
8 p.m. Arkansas at Alabama SEC Network
Sun, Apr. 2 4 p.m. Arkansas at Alabama SEC Network
Tue, Apr. 4 7 p.m. No.12 Clemson at Georgia SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Sam Houston State at Texas LHN
8 p.m. No. 22 Oklahoma State at Wichita State ESPNU
Thu, Apr. 6 7 p.m. No.6 Vanderbilt at No.4 South Carolina SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Missouri at Georgia ESPNU
Fri, Apr. 7 7 p.m. No.6 Vanderbilt at No.4 South Carolina ESPNU
8 p.m. Oklahoma at Texas LHN
Sat, Apr. 8 noon No.6 Vanderbilt at No.4 South Carolina ESPN2
5 p.m. Oklahoma at Texas LHN
6 p.m. Tennessee at No.2 Florida SEC Network
Sun, Apr. 9 1 p.m. Tennessee at No.2 Florida SEC Network
3:30 p.m. Oklahoma at Texas LHN
4 p.m. Alabama at No.24 Ole Miss SEC Network
Mon, Apr. 10 7 p.m. Duke at No.17 Miami ESPNU
Tue, Apr. 11 7 p.m. Georgia Tech at Georgia SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Texas State at Texas LHN
Thu, Apr. 13 7 p.m. Auburn at Tennessee SEC Network
9 p.m. No.2 Florida at No.6 Vanderbilt ESPNU
Sat, Apr. 15 3 p.m. No.2 Florida at No.6 Vanderbilt ESPN2
8 p.m. Kentucky at Missouri SEC Network
Sun, Apr. 16 1 p.m. Kentucky at Missouri SEC Network
4 p.m. Mississippi State at No.4 South Carolina SEC Network
Mon, Apr. 17 7 p.m. No.12 Clemson at No.5 Florida State ESPNU
Tue, Apr. 18 7 p.m. No.8 Louisville at Kentucky SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Texas State at Texas LHN
Thu, Apr. 20 7 p.m. Alabama at Mississippi State SEC Network
7:30 p.m. No.4 South Carolina at No.2 Florida ESPNU
Fri, Apr. 21 7 p.m. No.6 Vanderbilt at Georgia ESPNU
7 p.m. Wildcard SEC Network
8 p.m. New Orleans at Texas LHN
Sat, Apr. 22 noon No.4 South Carolina at No.2 Florida ESPN2
4 p.m. No.14 NC State at Boston College ESPNU
5 p.m. New Orleans at Texas LHN
9 p.m. No. 7 Oregon State at UCLA ESPNU
Sun, Apr. 23 2:30 p.m. New Orleans at Texas LHN
2 p.m. Indiana State at Dallas Baptist ESPNU
4 p.m. Arkansas at Auburn SEC Network
Tue, Apr. 25 8 p.m. No.24 Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State SEC Network
Wed, Apr. 26 7 p.m. Xavier at Kentucky SEC Network
Thu, Apr. 27 7 p.m. No.24 Ole Miss at Arkansas SEC Network
7:30 p.m. No.3 LSU at Alabama ESPN2
Fri, Apr. 28 7 p.m. No.24 Ole Miss at Arkansas SEC Network
Sat, Apr. 29 4 p.m. No.1 TCU at No.19 Texas Tech ESPNU
5 p.m. Tennessee at No.6 Vanderbilt SEC Network
7 p.m. Texas at No. 22 Oklahoma State ESPNU
8 p.m. Auburn at Mississippi State SEC Network
10 p.m. UC Irvine at No. 11 Cal State Fullerton ESPNU
Sun, Apr. 30 1 p.m. Auburn at Mississippi State SEC Network
2:30 p.m. No.1 TCU at No.19 Texas Tech ESPNU
4 p.m. Tennessee at No.6 Vanderbilt SEC Network
Tue, May 2 7 p.m. Murray State at Missouri SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Texas-Arlington at Texas LHN
Thu, May 4 7 p.m. Arkansas at Tennessee SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Mississippi State at No.20 Texas A&M ESPNU
Fri, May 5 8 p.m. Texas at No.1 TCU ESPNU
Sat, May 6 1 p.m. Arkansas at Tennessee SEC Network
1 p.m. Texas at No.1 TCU ESPN2
2 p.m. Mississippi State at No.20 Texas A&M ESPNU
8 p.m. No.4 South Carolina at No.3 LSU SEC Network
Sun, May 7 2 p.m. No.24 Ole Miss at No.2 Florida SEC Network
2 p.m. Texas at No.1 TCU ESPNU
3 p.m. No.4 South Carolina at No.3 LSU ESPN
5 p.m. Alabama at Auburn SEC Network
Mon, May 8 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech ESPNU
Tue, May 9 7 p.m. Indiana at Kentucky SEC Network
Thu, May 11 7:30 p.m. Auburn at No.3 LSU ESPNU
Fri, May 12 7 p.m. Wildcard SEC Network
9 p.m. No. 23 UC Santa Barbara at No. 11 Cal State Fullerton ESPNU
Sat, May 13 1 p.m. Auburn at No.3 LSU SEC Network
4 p.m. Mississippi State at Georgia SEC Network
7 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.24 Ole Miss SEC Network
Sun, May 14 noon No.8 Louisville at No.12 Clemson ESPN2
1 p.m. No.20 Texas A&M at No.24 Ole Miss SEC Network
4 p.m. No.2 Florida at Alabama SEC Network
Tue, May 16 6 p.m. Furman at Georgia SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Incarnate Word at Texas LHN
Thu, May 18 7 p.m. Wildcard SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Wildcard ESPNU
Fri, May 19 7 p.m. Wildcard SEC Network
7:30 p.m. West Virginia at Texas LHN
Sat, May 20 noon Arkansas at No.20 Texas A&M SEC Network
3 p.m. Georgia at No.4 South Carolina SEC Network
4:30 p.m. No.3 LSU at Mississippi State ESPNU
5 p.m. West Virginia at Texas LHN
7:30 p.m. No.5 Florida State at No.8 Louisville ESPNU
10:30 p.m. BYU at Gonzaga ESPNU
Sun, May 21 Noon SWAC Baseball Championship ESPNU
2 p.m. West Virginia at Texas LHN
Sat, May 27 3 p.m. Big South Baseball Championship ESPNU
Sun, May 28 Noon American Baseball Championship ESPNEWS
Noon ACC Baseball Championship ESPN2
3 p.m. SEC Baseball Championship ESPN2
