The Greatest Show On Dirt —WCWS Opens Today

Special edition. WCWS opens without OU.

For the first time since 2016, Devon Park opens without Oklahoma in the field. What's left is a bracket every analyst is calling the most wide-open in years — UCLA is the betting favorite (+360), Alabama is right on their heels (+370), and both of those teams play each other on Day One. Here's how Thursday sets up, game by game.

Game of the Day: Alabama vs. UCLA — the two title favorites, on Day One

Vegas has UCLA (+360) and Alabama (+370) one and two on the championship board, and the bracket decided to skip the appetizers and serve them to each other Thursday at 4 PM PT. Whoever loses falls into the elimination side immediately. It's the heaviest opening-round game in years.

Game 1 — 9:00 AM PT · ESPN

No. 11 Texas Tech (57–7) vs. Mississippi State (38–18) — first-ever WCWS

Back-to-back WCWS for the Red Raiders, and they're bringing the loudest weapon in the sport with them — NiJaree Canady (26–8, 1.78 ERA, 226 K). Mississippi State arrives on the wave of the upset of the tournament, having gone into Norman and shut out No. 1 Oklahoma 6–0 in a winner-take-all Game 3. The Bulldogs hit hard — but the pitching they saw in Norman isn't what's waiting on the mound at Devon Park.

"An Underdog Is Still A Freakin’ Dawg" ~Delainey Everett, Mississippi State, Pitcher

Watch for: Canady and Kaitlyn Terry. The Tech 1–2 has the sixth-best team ERA in the country (2.12). Whichever one starts, the other is one batter away.

Sneak pick: Texas Tech. Cinderella runs are great, but Canady on three days' rest is a tough first dance. Yahoo Sports preview.

Game 2 — 11:30 AM PT · ESPN

No. 3 Texas (47–11), defending champ, vs. No. 7 Tennessee (47–10)

A rematch with a long memory: Texas knocked Tennessee out of OKC last year a single win shy of the Lady Vols' first-ever title game. The Longhorns are the defending national champs and have made it three straight WCWS trips. Tennessee — first team to clinch this year's bracket — has Sage Mardjetko (12–2, 0.96 ERA, 2nd nationally) and a year of unfinished business.

Watch for: Texas's bats vs. Mardjetko. The Lady Vols ride or die with their ace. If she has it, Tennessee has all night. If not, the defending champs cruise.

Sneak pick: Texas in a low-scoring one. The champs have pitching depth Tennessee doesn't — and the receipts from last June. Rocky Top Insider.

Game 3 — 4:00 PM PT · ESPN2 · Game of the Day

No. 1 overall Alabama (54–7) vs. No. 8 UCLA (52–8) — title favorite

The bracket's two heavyweights, on Opening Day. Alabama is the top overall seed and rides a three-pitcher rotation (Briski, Pallozzi, Moten) with eight hitters above .306. UCLA, meanwhile, is the betting favorite to win it all — every Bruin in the starting lineup is hitting at least .328, and Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery sit 1st and 3rd nationally in home runs (40 and 34). Whoever loses goes to the elimination bracket immediately.

Watch for: UCLA's power vs. Alabama's depth. The Bruins outscored UCF 23–5 over their super regional. Alabama allowed one run in two super-regional games against LSU. Something has to give.

Sneak pick: UCLA, just barely. A bat catches one early and the Bruins hold serve — but extra innings would not be a shock. UCLA preview.

Game 4 — 6:30 PM PT · ESPN2

No. 4 Nebraska (51–6), first WCWS since 2013, vs. Arkansas (47–11) — first-ever WCWS

The late game is the best story. Nebraska arrives on a 26-game win streak — the longest active in DI — with Jordy Frahm (18–4, 1.24 ERA) in the circle and a program back in OKC for the first time in 13 years. Arkansas is the second team in WCWS history to run-rule every game on its way here (the only other: 1995 Arizona). Two teams playing the loosest softball of anyone in the field. "Numbers-wise, we match up really similarly," coach Rhonda Revelle said this week.

Watch for: whether Arkansas's run-rule offense keeps showing up. They've been beating teams into the dirt. If Frahm slows that, Nebraska's been the more complete team for two months.

Sneak pick: Nebraska. Frahm has been one of the steadiest aces in the country and the Huskers feel inevitable right now. Fayetteville Flyer preview.

The bottom line

Three first-time-in-a-long-time teams and no Oklahoma — Thursday is the bracket's audition night. Half of the eight WCWS teams are either first-timers or first-time-in-a-decade. Two of them — Arkansas and Mississippi State — get their debut on Day One. If you only watch one game, make it Alabama–UCLA at 4 PM PT. If you want the best story, set an alarm for the late one.

Back to your regularly scheduled Tuesday issue next week — with Opening Day in the rearview. Full WCWS bracket and schedule →