By R.L. Bynum
No. 4 North Carolina’s 4–3 victory Sunday in the deciding game of the Chapel Super Regional was the most-watched Super Regional game on record, according to ESPN.
The network said that 1.3 million viewers watched the Tar Heels’ dramatic ninth-inning rally, helping the ESPN networks average 608,000 viewers for the Super Regionals, up 31% year-over-year.
The ratings were the largest for the round since 2009, when the Tar Heels swept East Carolina in two straight games at the Chapel Hill Super Regional and made the College World Series.
Overall, according to the network, the 2026 Super Regionals were responsible for five of the 10 most-watched telecasts on record for the round.
Georgia’s 11–9 10-inning Sunday win over Mississippi State (1.6 million) was the second-most-watched Supers game on record, and Sunday’s Texas 6–4 win over Oregon (1.3 million) was the sixth-most-watched Supers game on record.
More CWS coverage
— There was no dogpile Sunday for UNC team focused on national title
— ESPN analysts say that Tar Heels may be tailor-made for spacious CWS stadium
— UNC carries history to Omaha, with another chance to change it
—How does the College World Series format work?
—Video, transcript: UNC’s CWS press conference in Omaha
—Built to reload: UNC’s portal formula helps deliver another Omaha trip
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College World Series
At Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
Sunday, June 21, game on ABC, all other games on ESPN
Bracket 1
No. 5-seed and No. 4-ranked North Carolina (51–12–1), No. 16-seed and No. 9-ranked West Virginia (48–16), Troy (38–31) and No. 23-ranked Ole Miss (41–22)
Bracket 2
No. 3-seed and No. 3-ranked Georgia (51–12), No. 6-seed and No. 6-ranked Texas (45–13), No. 7-seed and No. 16-ranked Alabama (42–19) and Oklahoma (38–22)
Pool play
All listed times are ET
(Probable starting pitchers)
Friday’s games
Game 1: West Virginia 7, Troy 5
Game 2: North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2
Saturday’s games
Game 3: Oklahoma (freshman left-hander Cord Rager, 5–3, 5.20 ERA) vs. Alabama (redshirt junior right-hander Tyler Fay, 11–4, 4.37 ERA), 3:09 p.m.
Game 4: Georgia (junior right-hander Joey Volchko, 13–2, 4.00 ERA) vs. Texas (sophomore left-hander Dyan Volantis, 10–1, 2.03 ERA), 8:09 p.m.
Sunday’s games
Game 5: Troy vs. Ole Miss loser, elimination game, 2:09 p.m.
Game 6: West Virginia vs. North Carolina, 7:09 p.m.
Monday’s games
Game 7: OU-Alabama loser vs. Ga.-Texas loser, elimination game, 2:09 p.m.
Game 8: OU-Alabama winner vs. Ga.-Texas winner, 7:09 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
Game 9: Troy-Ole Miss winner vs. UNC-WVU loser, elimination game, 2:09 p.m.
Game 10: Monday afternoon winner vs. Monday night loser, elimination game, 7:09 p.m.
Wednesday’s games
Game 11: UNC-WVU winner vs. Tuesday afternoon winner, 2:09 p.m.
Game 12: Monday night winner vs. Tuesday night winner, 7:09 p.m.
Thursday’s games
Deciding Bracket 1 game if Game 9 winner also wins Game 11
Deciding Bracket 2 game if Game 10 winner also wins Game 12
CWS Finals
(Best-of-3 series)
Game 1: Saturday, June 20, 8:09 p.m.
Game 2: Sunday, June 21, 1:39 p.m.
Game 3: Monday, June 22, (if needed) 8:09 p.m.
| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times/ scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record/ TV * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 13–14 | Fri., Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 12–2 (7); W, 4–3 (11) | vs. Indiana | 3–0 |
| 17 | Tuesday | W, 10–0 (7) | vs. Richmond | 4–0 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 5–3 | vs. Longwood | 5–0 |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun | W, 10–0 (8); L, 10–3; T, 3–3 | vs. East Carolina | 6–1–1 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. N.C. A&T | 7–1–1 |
| 25 | Wednesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. VCU | 8–1–1 |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | W, 16–3 (7); W, 12–2 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 10–1–1 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 21–1 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 11–1–1 |
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 5–1 | vs. Elon | 12–1–1 |
| 6–7 | Fri., Sat | L, 13–3 (7); L, 9–2; W, 8–7 (12) | vs. Virginia | 13–3–1, 1–2 ACC |
| 10 | Tuesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. Bucknell | 14–3–1 |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 8–1; W, 6–2; W, 10–2 | at California | 17–3–1, 4–2 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 8–2 | vs. UNCG | 18–3–1 |
| 20–22 | Fri.–Sun. | W, 11–1 (8); L, 2–0; W, 7–6 | vs. Louisville | 20–4–1, 6–3 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 21–4–1 |
| 28, 29 | Sat., Sun | W, 6–5; W, 13–7; W, 15–10 | at Notre Dame | 24–4–1, 9–3 |
| 31 | Tuesday | W, 5–4 (14) | vs. Campbell | 25–4–1 |
| April | ||||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | L, 6–1; W, 5–2; W, 8–7 | vs. Boston College | 27–5–1, 11–4 |
| 7 | Tuesday | W, 8–4 | vs. Charlotte | 28–5–1 |
| 10–12 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 6–4 (14); W, 12–5 | at Clemson | 30–6–1, 13–5 |
| 14 | Tuesday | W, 14–5 | vs. UNCW | 31–6–1 |
| 17–19 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–2; W, 14–4 (8); L, 5–2 | vs. No. 2 Georgia Tech | 33–7–1, 15–6 |
| 21 | Tuesday | W, 9–2 | vs. High Point | 34–7–1 |
| 23–25 | Thur.–Sat. | W, 3–1; L, 3–1; W, 22–5 (7) | at Duke | 36–8–1, 17–7 |
| 28 | Tuesday | L, 12–2 | vs. Coastal Carolina | 36–9–1 |
| May | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | W, 13–0 (7) (non-conference game) | vs. Duke | 37–9–1 |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 4–1; W, 12–2 (8); W, 7–3 | vs. Pittsburgh | 40–9–1, 20–7 |
| 12 | Tuesday | W, 13–7 | at UNCW | 41–9–1 |
| 14–16 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 17–7 (8); L, 7–2 | at N.C. State | 43–10–1, 22–8 |
| ACC tournament | Charlotte | |||
| 22 | Friday | W, 10–4 | Quarterfinal vs. Virginia Tech | 44–10–1 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 13–5 | Semifinal vs. Pittsburgh | 45–10–1 |
| 24 | Sunday | L, 13–6 | Championship vs. No. 2 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 8–0 | VCU | 46–11–1 |
| 30–31 | Sat.–Sun. | W, 7–5, W, 9–3 | East Carolina | 48–11–1 |
| June | ||||
| Chapel Hill Super Regionals | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5, W, 4–0, W, 4–3 | Southern Cal | 50–12–1 |
| College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | |||
| 12 | Friday | W, 6–2 | No. 18 Ole Miss | 51–12–1 |
| 14 | Sunday | 7:09 p.m. | No. 9 West Virginia | ESPN |
Photo by Smith Hardy
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