An SEC team will be crowned college baseball champion for the fourth straight season and for the fifth time in six College World Series editions.
No. 2 Florida swept through its bracket in the College World Series, beating No. 7 Virginia, Oral Roberts and TCU to return to the CWS final for the first time since winning the program’s first title in 2017. The Gators will be met in the final series by No. 5 LSU, which worked its way back after a second-game loss to No. 1 Wake Forest to beat Tennessee and win a pair against the Demon Deacons to set up a rematch of that 2017 CWS final.
That College World Series clash featured plenty of star power, particularly on the Florida side, with the Gators featuring Jonathan India, Brady Singer, Alex Faedo and Jackson Kowar. This year, both sides are loaded with stars.
The Tigers feature the top two draft prospects in the 2023 class in Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, while Florida features the No. 3 prospect in Wyatt Langford and the fourth-best college arm in Hurston Waldrep. Each team also features a top draft prospect in the 2024 class, with LSU slugger Tommy White and Florida’s two-way phenom Jac Caglianone.
MORE: Watch the College World Series live with Fubo (free trial)
On paper, LSU appears to be the better squad, with the higher team OPS (.986 to .935) and better ERA (4.30 to 4.48). It was also ranked No. 1 at one point this season, holding the top spot until ceding it to Wake Forest in mid-May.
However, Florida holds one distinct advantage: Waldrep and expected early draft pick Brandon Sproat will be on normal rest when the College World Series final begins, while Skenes would only be available on short rest possibly in a Game 2 or 3 scenario.
The Sporting News will be tracking live scores and highlights from the first game of the College World Series final. Follow for results from the matchup of LSU and Florida.
LSU vs. Florida baseball score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | F | |
| LSU | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Florida | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
College World Series live updates, highlights from Game 1
(All times Eastern)
6:30 p.m.: The teams have confirmed it will be Brandon Sproat vs. Ty Floyd in Game 1 as the starters on the mound. Here’s a look at the lineups for each team.
Geaux Tigers pic.twitter.com/tSxF3UVKrs
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 24, 2023
The lineup for Game One 😤#GoGators pic.twitter.com/wFb2zXf6Cn
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 24, 2023
How to watch 2023 College World Series finals Game 1
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo
ESPN will be continuing its coverage of the 2023 College World Series through the remainder of the finals. Viewers can find the games on ESPN, ESPN+ or on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Karl Ravech will be calling play-by-play for the game, with Chris Burke and Kyle Peterson providing analysis. Kris Budden will be reporting from the field and dugouts.
College World Series schedule 2023
The College World Series has worked down to just the final two teams and only two to three games left in the season. Saturday kicks off the best-of-three series between Florida and LSU, and it will run through Sunday or Monday.
Here’s how the College World Series final is slated to take place:
Saturday, June 24: College World Series finals Game 1
| Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| LSU vs. Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
Sunday, June 25: College World Series finals Game 2
| Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| LSU vs. Florida | 3 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
Monday, June 27: College World Series finals Game 3*
| Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| LSU vs. Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
* – If necessary
