Final Prediction: LSU Baseball vs. Arkansas Razorbacks in the College World Series

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 2:51 PM ET

The LSU Tigers will square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday night at Charles Schwab Field in a College World Series rematch.

Jay Johnson's crew is coming off of back-to-back victories in Omaha after taking down the Razorbacks on Saturday followed by a Tuesday win over the UCLA Bruins.

Now, after opening College World Series play with a 2-0 record, LSU is one win away from punching a ticket to the National Championship.

The Bayou Bengls have received significant contributions from shortstop Steven Milam with the second-year Tiger handling business in all facets of the game.

"My approach stays the same always. Just trying to get a pitch that I can drive. I gotta take what they're giving me. And I have good hitters around me that do their job," Milam said.

"Just taking good swings. We faced probably four different guys. Different looks are sometimes tough, but just gotta stay locked in, dialed in. Coach Johnson does a good job with the whole team getting us dialed in on that."

Now, the stage is set for Wednesday night in Omaha with the LSU Tigers looking to reach the College World Series Finals for the second time in the last three seasons.

A look into the broadcast information for Wednesday, the current betting lines and a final prediction for the SEC matchup.

The Preview: LSU Tigers (50-15) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (50-14)

DATE/TIME
• Wednesday, June 18 at 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)
STADIUM
• Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb. (24,500)
RANKINGS
• LSU – No. 6 NCAA Tournament National Seed
• Arkansas – No. 3 NCAA Tournament National Seed
RADIO
• LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates
• Live audio at www.LSUsports.net/live; Live stats at NCAA.com
TELEVISION
• Wednesday's game will be televised on ESPN.

The Final Betting Lines:

*Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook*

LSU: +1.5 (-175)
Arkansas: -1.5 (+135)

Over/Under: 10.5 runs

Money Line:
- LSU: -110
- Arkansas: -120

Johnson and the LSU Tigers enter Wednesday night's clash as 1.5 run underdogs with Arkansas heading into it as the betting favorite.

Gameday In Omaha

Arkansas
Charles Schwab Field
⏰ 6:00 p.m. CT
https://t.co/sayPXpQzcR
98.1 FM (https://t.co/W2pzd3erFH)
ESPN (https://t.co/4GqwOTKyrq) pic.twitter.com/B7eULyqUUt
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 18, 2025

The Final Prediction: LSU's Depth Sets the Tone

LSU's starting pitcher remains unknown heading into the matchup with Johnson and the Tigers' staff preparing to utilize a "whole staff" approach.

It'll be Zac Cowan, Jaden Noot, Conner Ware, William. Schmidt, Mavrick Rizy and Chase Shores, among others, in the program's arsenal. LSU could also see Anthony Eyanson come in relief if needed after tossing less than 50 pitches on Monday.

Johnson and Co. have a variety of arms to utilize on Wednesday with the depth of the pitching staff set to play a critical role heading into the College World Series semifinals clash.

On the other side, Arkansas has burnt both left-hander Zach Root and College World Series star, Gage Wood, this week with both unable to go on Wednesday.

The Razorbacks have a talented bullpen, which has been on full display this season, but it'll certainly be a key piece to monitor.

At the plate, LSU has utilized contributions from top to bottom with Derek Curiel, Steven Milam, Chris Stanfield and Ethan Frey, among others, playing significant roles in the success offensively.

Can the Arkansas pitching staff contain LSU's lethal lineup?

The power at the plate the Razorbacks attain will also be a critical factor, but the LSU defense has been a pivotal piece to the program's success.

Daniel Dickinson, Jared Jones and Steven Milam have shown tremendous ability during the program's run.

Timely at-bats, consistent hitting and utilizing the depth of the pitching staff will be the X-factors on Wednesday night at Charles Schwab Field.