RICE
The Owls as a darkhorse? Believe it. Rice, rewarded for a solid season last year with a super-regional trip to top-ranked LSU, may have it just as difficult this year. The starting pitching, usually stout under guru Wayne Graham, enters the season as a question mark. Third baseman Anthony Rendon is a candidate for player of the year.
ARIZONA STATE
Lots of talent returns from a CWS team, led by ace pitcher Josh Spence and slugger Kole Calhoun. But questions abound in Tempe after the firing of coach Pat Murphy and appointment of Tim Esmay as interim coach. Esmay was on Murphy's staff for the past five years. An NCAA investigation also lingers.
COASTAL CAROLINA
It will happen one of these years — the Chanticleers are going to break through and make it to the College World Series. A perennial darkhorse, Coastal Carolina faces an uphill battle because of its Big South schedule. Check that nonconference slate this year, though, with UC Irvine, Michigan, San Diego, Clemson, North Carolina and Virginia.
TCU
The four-time defending Mountain West-champion Horned Frogs took Texas to a decisive super-regional game last year. They lost a lot but reload well in recruiting near home. Watch the results of an early series at Fullerton and a stout nonconference schedule that includes meetings with the whole Big 12 South except Oklahoma State and, interestingly, Texas.
OREGON
Something of a reach here, but it will be fun to watch the Ducks mature in the second year of a revamped program under George Horton. A true darkhorse, Oregon sputtered to the finish of a 14-42 season last year but notched wins over UCLA, Stanford and recent national champs Oregon State and Fresno State.
— Mitch Sherman
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