Scarbinsky: Tide vs. Tigers for the baseball title unless Troy gets in the way
As the poet said, nothing can happen if not first a dream, but first innings first.
Olivia Bennett 
Alabama and Auburn have produced legendary clashes across the sporting landscape, but a national championship showdown remains the ultimate unfulfilled fantasy. While the Iron Bowl defined the gridiron and a thrilling 2024-25 basketball season flirted with a historic rubber match in the Final Four, the diamond offers a fresh opportunity for an unthinkable collision.
A Diamond Dream
As we approach the College World Series, set to begin its championship series on June 20, the NCAA baseball bracket is perfectly positioned for a dream scenario. A best-of-three series featuring the Tide and Tigers—two fierce rivals chasing their first national title in the sport—would be the ultimate hardball spectacle.
Before any of that can materialize, there are significant hurdles for head coaches Butch Thompson and Rob Vaughn. For Auburn, the focus is squarely on a difficult Super Regional matchup against Ole Miss at Plainsman Park, a rematch of a pivotal 2022 College World Series encounter where the Rebels ultimately paved their path to a title.
The Road to Omaha
In Tuscaloosa, Vaughn leads the Crimson Tide into their first Super Regional since 2006. Facing St. John’s, Alabama looks to rewrite history and make its first trip to Omaha since 1999. While Auburn has enjoyed recent tournament success, Alabama holds the edge in regular-season head-to-head performance this year.
With national title favorites like UCLA and Georgia Tech out of the picture, the path is clear for the two Alabama-based powerhouses to potentially meet on the sport's biggest stage. However, the road is far from guaranteed.
Troy remains a dangerous wildcard in the national conversation. Having already gutted the Florida Gators in the Sunshine State, the Sun Belt squad is ready to disrupt the narrative. If the Iron Bowl rivals aren't careful, the men of Troy could very well steal the show and crash the party in Omaha.
Kevin Scarbinsky, a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame, is a special contributor to 205focus.com. Follow him on X @kevinscarbinsky. Watch his Scarbo Knows podcast on YouTube.
