Rice shows up as the top contender for the first time this year, and with good reason as they are solid in both pitching and fielding, the two dominant components.  Interestingly enough, the Owls aren’t even atop the Conference USA standings and still face league-leading UCF down the road.

The Gators would be on top, but their ERA is a tad out of range at 24th, but they are outstanding in every other respect.  This team could certainly take home the hardware in Omaha.

South Carolina continues it’s solid fielding, but both the pitching and hitting has tailed a bit. However, given the Gamecocks recent history they can’t be counted out. 

No team is standing out at this point.  Each of the four below have strong and weak points, though some of the weak points are weaker than others.

South Carolina is solid in fielding and pitching and so-so in batting and slugging.  The Gamecocks strength of schedule, though climbing in SEC play, is not great, which begs the question is the Gamecocks pitching that good or is it helped by their SoS to this point in the season?

Rice looks good in every category except ERA and the thought here is that this team is a legit contender.
 

Depending on your point of view, the Tigers either have an outstanding opportunity to prove themselves or have the most impossible schedule left as they have series scheduled at Kentucky, at Mississippi and at South Carolina left (along with Georgia, Vanderbilt and Alabama at home).