For it All: Ags, Vols set to face off in Men's College World Series Final

Press conference video courtesy of the NCAA.

OMAHA, Neb. — Another familiar foe.

This time for the college game's biggest prize.

A best-of-three series for the 2024 Men's College World Series championship begins Saturday night as Texas A&M (52-13, 19-11) and Tennessee (58-12, 22-8) meet in another SEC showdown.

"We're excited. Obviously been a great week," A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "Excited for the 12th Man. Looking forward to the number of Aggies that are going to roll in town here. It's always special.

"And super excited for our players. They've earned this opportunity."

Game 1 is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with left-hander Ryan Prager (9-1, 2.88 ERA) starting opposite an opener approach by Tennessee.

It will be the second time the Aggie ace will face a potent Volunteer lineup.

The first was a previously planned abbreviated start in a 7-4 loss at the SEC Tournament.

"I don't know if it's a sense of comfort, but, like, 'Been there, done that' almost," Prager said. "Also we'll have a great game plan written up by the coaches and by our team. I think it's cool because we’ve done it against them before.”

Echoing the sentiments shared by Florida's Kevin O'Sullivan prior to A&M's lengthy stay in Omaha, that matchup has no bearing on which immensely talented club will hoist a trophy.

"We were, for whatever reason, able to edge them out on that particular day, but we don't get any runs for that on the scoreboard," Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said. "I don't think it carries a lot of weight."

Beyond the May 23 meeting in Hoover, the clubs — specifically their respective head coaches — are extremely familiar with one another.

Vitello spent three years on Schlossnagle's staff in Fort Worth, serving as a TCU assistant and recruiting coordinator from 2011 to 2013.

"He was well known as just the hardest working, laser-focused recruiting guy in the country," Schlossnagle said. "He was fully prepared to go run his own program, and he's done a great job, obviously."

After a stint in Fayetteville, Vitello was hired by Tennessee ahead of the 2018 season.

Now, his Vols and Schlossnagle's Ags are among the top programs in the country.

A&M is in Omaha for the second time in three years. Tennessee is back for the third time in four.

But this time, the stakes have been raised even further.

"I think it would mean a lot because everybody comes and joins this program because you want to win a championship," Prager said. "You want to be the best. You want to beat the best. You want to play against the best. That's why you come to a place like this."

The Aggies have not played for a "big three" championship since 1939. The Volunteers are in the final for the first time since a runner-up finish in 1951.

Neither school has ever ascended the baseball mountaintop.

One of them finally will, and doing so would be extra special.

"It would be awesome," Schlossnagle said. "I think the 12th Man deserves it so much. They've been so close and invested so much in athletics.

"The 12th Man is so special. If I start talking about it too much I'll start crying because they really are a unique, special group of people that are so supportive, and it would be awesome to reward that."

To achieve as much will require an extra level.

They are two of the top three national seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Both have spent a large chunk of 2024 atop or near the top of the national polls.

Jamie Maury

Jace LaViolette is one of five All-Americans on the Aggies’ roster. The Volunteers have four All-Americans. Jim Schlossnagle said Friday that “Lord Tubbington” will play.

Both feature All-American players up and down their respective lineups.

"Tennessee is far and away the best team I've seen outside of our team this year," Schlossnagle said. "Looking forward to playing against them. And that's what you get in our league, and that's obviously what you get in the World Series."

Christian Moore, who hit for the first MCWS cycle since 1956 a week ago, leads the way for Tennessee, but dangerous Vol bats include Blake Burke, Kavares Tears and Billy Amick.

Drew Beam headlines a pitching staff that features Kirby Connell, Nate Snead and AJ Causey.

Tennessee is so good that they were crowned SEC regular-season and tournament champions.

"This is something that we've talked about for my five years is trying to win a national championship," Connell said. "We get to in a three-round fight this weekend."

Even without the injured Braden Montgomery, A&M's record-setting offense is led by Jace LaViolette, Jackson Appel, Hayden Schott and Gavin Grahovac.

Fireballer Christopher Cortez and NCBWA Stopper of the Year Evan Aschenbeck are A&M's top bullpen options.

Then there is Prager, who hurled 6.2 innings of no-hit ball in Monday's start vs. Kentucky.

"I think, being back this time, I've been able to take it in a little more," Prager said. "I think we've truly been able to take care of business and play baseball but also enjoy it when we're off the field."

Yet much of A&M's talent is playing through nagging injuries, but that doesn't worry the Aggies.

Instead, they've embodied what it truly means to be a team en route to an 8-0 run through the NCAA Tournament.

Look no further than Kaeden Kent, who is hitting .450 (9-for-20) with 10 RBIs since Montgomery went down.

"If I would say one word, I'd just say perseverance," Schott said. "I think it's also a testament to our guys that maybe haven't played a lot throughout the season. It's just that next-man-up mentality."

Should A&M's ride reach a happy conclusion, that magic must continue.

The 12th Man is already familiar with what these Aggies are capable of.