Texas A&M drops multiple spots RPI rankings after falling to Ole Miss

No. 7 Texas A&M (37-12, 16-10 SEC) has now lost back-to-back SEC series after falling to No. 20 Ole Miss on the road, losing Game 1 on Friday night, while Saturday's doubleheader was a tale of two Aggie teams that hit seven home runs and won 18-5 in Game 2, only to fall 6-5 with plenty of chances in the rubber match just hours later.

Still, after freshman shortstop Boston Kellner suffered a hit by pitch to the face, resulting in a broken orbital bone that could keep him out until the SEC Tournament or longer, senior infielder Ben Royo was extremely impressive after making just four appearances prior to this weekend's series, finishing his fifth and sixth starts a perfect 7-7 with three home runs, five RBI and a walk.

While Royo could keep his starting spot even after Kellner returns, Texas A&M's inconsistent performance at the plate, which includes a staggering 41 strikeouts in 25 innings this weekend, will not be good enough to get out of the Regional Round when the Aggies make it to the NCAA Tournament.

Looking ahead, the Aggies came into the weekend projected as a top 8 national seed in the postseason, but after dropping two games vs. Ole Miss, coach Mike Earley's veteran squad is now on the brink of dropping out of the top 16 if two or more wins against Mississippi State next weekend don't come to fruition.

In the Live RPI, Texas A&M dropped two spots to No. 10 after falling to the Rebels, which isn't drastic, but does provide a warning that a further plunge is likely imminent if the Aggies can't win the weekend's series, and could result in only hosting the Regional Round. Here is where the rest of the SEC ranks in the Live RPI after this weekend.