Perfect Game, Baseball America Rank Bulldogs in Top-10

Two more preseason polls have been released by major publications, and last year's NCAA runners-up, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, have landed in the top-10 of each of them. On Monday, Perfect Game announced Mississippi State as the No. 6 team in the country, and Baseball America ranked the Bulldogs as the No. 8 team in the country.

Mississippi State enters the season after participating in their ninth College World Series and reaching their first national championship to end the 2013 season.  UCLA, the team that defeated Mississippi State for the national championship, ranks No. 8 in the Perfect Game poll.

Both polls find many familiar foes of the Bulldogs.  The Perfect Game poll has Virginia, the team Mississippi State defeated in the Charlottesville Super Regional, ranked No. 1 in the country. Oregon State, the No. 3 team, saw their season end in Omaha at the hands of the Bulldogs, who delivered both losses to the Beavers.  Indiana, who also lost to Mississippi State in Omaha, rank No. 5.  As far as SEC teams, Mississippi State leads the way and are followed by No. 7 South Carolina, No. 11 Vanderbilt, No. 12 LSU, No. 15 Florida, No. 19 Texas A&M, and No. 21 Alabama.

Virginia also tops the Baseball America Poll, and No. 2 Oregon State and Indiana round out the top-three.  South Carolina carries the SEC banner at No. 7 in the poll, and LSU and No. 10 Vanderbilt complete the top-ten.

Earlier this year, Collegiate Baseball ranked Mississippi State No. 2 to start the season, which starts on Feb. 14 against Hofstra.