If a talented North Carolina squad can carry a 12-year grudge, its opening game against Oregon State should be interesting. OSU beat Carolina 11 and 12 years ago -- both times for the national title.

Playing as the number one national seed in the CWS last year, Oregon State took LSU apart in their first game, but then lost twice to that same LSU bunch. This year, playing with a chip, OSU outscored LSU in their two regional games, 26-1 -- that was some chip. OSU then defeated a very talented Minnesota team in the super round.

Sports reporters will probably label Washington as this year's CWS darkhorse. I don't think they really are. Yes, they had never won a super regional game, much less appeared at the CWS. But having played in the very competitive Pac-11 conference (Colorado has no baseball team), Washington put things together later in the season, winning consecutive series against good teams.

The first five decades of the CWS history book were written primarily by West Coast teams, particularly those from the Pac-11; seven teams from this conference have won CWS titles. One more school from this conference is a darkhorse?

Anyway, having received a number three playoff seed, Washington dispatched two East Coast teams and then squeaked by Fullerton (also a number three seed) in gritty, dramatic fashion in the supers.

Fullerton had just defeated the number two team in the country (Stanford) in Palo Alto. This was no real surprise. Stanford had swept a series from the Titans to start the season. While Fullerton can play with anybody, perhaps pay-back was also at hand.

But as a total West Coast homer, I don't think Fullerton or Washington should have been number three seeds, ranked below Baylor and Connecticut respectively. But these things usually get settled on the field -- which they were.

Following Washington's nail-biting win at Fullerton, in a show of class and sportsmanship, Fullerton's public address system played the Counting Crows' "Omaha," as the Huskies dogpiled on its field.

Another high-drama team in Mississippi State heads to Omaha. All I can say here is: poor Florida State and its fans; talk about eternal frustration.

Texas will face a real pitching challenge against Arkansas. But with some guy named Clemens in Texas' lineup, watch out.

As Texas Tech draws Florida in its first game, I'm not sure how confident I'd be with the wins Tech's had -- but good luck.

Arkansas got close to a national championship in 1979, losing to Fullerton 2-1. But they definitely have the pitching and offense to make a run in Omaha.

Fresh off its tip-drill homer to win their super vs. Auburn, Florida heads to Omaha definitely tested more than I thought they'd be. Maybe their lackluster play down the stretch nearly caught up with them, but Florida's always dangerous.

In closing, Augie Garrido, the former coach at Fullerton and Texas, passed away earlier this year. A Texas-Fullerton final would have been a nice tribute.