No. 1 Tulane Ready for Challenge

Tulane is ready to take on the big boys at the College World Series.

Three teams from the Big 12, two from the Southeastern Conference and two from the Pacific 10 made it to Omaha, but it’s the top-seeded Green Wave from Conference USA that is favored to win its first national championship.

Though the traditional power conferences remain dominant, the CWS has a bit of a new look this year. Oregon State’s only other appearance was in 1952. Baylor is here for the third time but first since 1978.

“It’s good to see the field starting to even out, and that it’s not just the same schools dominating every year,” said Jeff Corsaletti of Florida, which is in the CWS for the first time since 1998.

Not everything has changed.

Powerhouses Texas and Arizona State return, and each seeks its sixth national title. The Longhorns are in the CWS for the fourth year in a row and a record 32nd time overall. The Sun Devils, who knocked out defending champion Cal State Fullerton, haven’t been to Omaha since 1998. And Nebraska is back with a familiar sea of red-clad fans.

Bracket 1 play opens today with seventh-seeded Florida (45-20) playing Tennessee (46-19) at 11 a.m. PDT and No. 3 Nebraska (56-13) playing Arizona State (39-23) at 4 p.m.

First-round games Saturday in Bracket 2 match No. 1 Tulane (55-10) against Oregon State (46-10) at 11 a.m., and Baylor (44-22) against Texas (51-16) at 4.

Bracket winners meet in a best-of-three championship series starting June 25.

Tulane will try to become the first top-seeded team to win the title since Miami in 1999.