Week 8 of the 2025 college softball season was one of the best, most competitive weekends this year.
No. 1 Texas Longhorns and then-No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners both lost on Friday, making it the first time the top two teams in our ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate poll lost on the same day since June 2, 2019. Texas bounced back to win the final two games of its series against Mississippi State, but Oklahoma lost twice to Tennessee.
No. 9 South Carolina earned an impressive series win over then-No. 3 LSU in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1997. And No. 11 Virginia Tech swept No. 17 Stanford at home.
No. 14 Texas Tech is riding a four-game win streak with the help of NiJaree Canady's dominant Friday night performance. She pitched her third career no-hitter and first as a Red Raider in a win over Kansas.
Let's take a look at this week's top 25 ranking, plus our player of the week and game to watch.
Play of the week
UConn and Creighton brought the heat this weekend. Across three games, the two teams scored 51 runs and fans even got to see history. Check out Kaitlyn Breslin's NCAA-record tying fourth homer that ultimately helped the Huskies win 22-18 -- yes, that was the real score.
We are running out of words for Kaitlyn Breslin🤯
— UConn Softball (@UConnSoftball) March 29, 2025
BRESLIN HITS HER 4TH, YES 4TH HOMER OF THE GAME, TYING AN NCAA SINGLE-GAME RECORD‼️ pic.twitter.com/gnu2j0WQd6
Player to watch
Devyn Netz, P, Arizona
A perfect game just wasn't enough for Netz. She also blasted a two-run homer against BYU.
The redshirt senior has had an impressive season both in the circle and the batter's box. She boasts a 2.54 ERA in 85.1 innings of work and has tosses 72 strikeouts. And she has hit 46 RBIs, 12 home runs with a .383 batting average. The No. 12 Wildcats are one of the most exciting teams in softball this season, and Netz is a major reason why.
Arizona pitcher Devyn Netz does it all with a home run and perfect game in the Wildcats' win over BYU.
Game to watch
No. 2 Florida at No. 10 Florida State (Wednesday, 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra)
A top 10 matchup? Check. In-state rivalry? Check. This game has the makings of a classic. The Gators and the Seminoles softball rivalry goes way back, with Florida leading the all-time series 29-23. Florida State rides into this game on a 13-game win streak with the third-best team batting average in the country (.373). Florida bounced back this weekend, winning three straight in Auburn, after losing a 4-0 heartbreaker to UCF. Taylor Shumaker leads the way for the Gators with 56 RBIs (the second-best mark in the nation), while Florida State is backed by a pitching staff that boasts a 2.15 ERA (tied with the Gators for 12th). Watch out for a huge game in Tallahassee.
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Week 8 Top 25
Here is the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 ranking, plus each team's next game.
All times Eastern.
1. Texas (25 first-place votes)
Previous rank: 1
Record: 34-3
Next game: at Missouri, Friday at 7 p.m. on SECN+
2. Florida
Previous rank: 4
Record: 33-5
Next game: at Florida State, Wednesday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra
3. Oklahoma
Previous rank: 2
Record: 31-3
Next game: at UT Arlington, Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
4. Texas A&M
Previous rank: 5
Record: 31-5
Next game: vs. Prairie View A&M, Wednesday at 7 p.m. on SECN+
5. Oregon
Previous rank: 6
Record: 31-3
Next game: at Oregon State, Wednesday at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
6. Tennessee
Previous rank: 10
Record: 29-7
Next game: vs. Western Carolina, Tuesday at 6 p.m.
7. LSU
Previous rank: 3
Record: 31-4
Next game: at McNeese, Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
8. UCLA
Previous rank: 7
Record: 32-5
Next game: vs. Cal State Northridge, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
9. South Carolina
Previous rank: 11
Record: 27-7
Next game: vs. Wofford, Wednesday at 6 p.m. on SECN+
10. Florida State
Previous rank: 8
Record: 33-5
Next game: vs. Florida, Wednesday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra
11. Virginia Tech
Previous rank: 12
Record: 28-5
Next game: vs. Liberty, Wednesday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra
12. Arizona
Previous rank: 9
Record: 31-6
Next game: vs. Oklahoma State, Friday at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
13. Arkansas
Previous rank: 14
Record: 26-7
Next game: at Florida, Friday at 6 p.m. on SECN+
14. Texas Tech
Previous rank: 13
Record: 27-9
Next game: at Abilene Christian, Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
15. Mississippi State
Previous rank: 18
Record: 29-8
Next game: vs. Central Arkansas, Tuesday at 6 p.m. on SECN+
16. Georgia
Previous rank: 17
Record: 25-10
Next game: vs. Mercer, Wednesday at 6 p.m. on SEC Network
17. Stanford
Previous rank: 16
Record: 24-6
Next game: vs. Saint Mary's, Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ACC Network Extra
18. Oklahoma State
Previous rank: 15
Record: 21-9
Next game: at Arizona State, Wednesday at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
19. Duke
Previous rank: 19
Record: 25-12
Next game: at UNC Wilmington, Wednesday at 5 p.m.
20. Ole Miss
Previous rank: 21
Record: 28-7
Next game: at South Carolina, Friday at 6 p.m.
21. Nebraska
Previous rank: 20
Record: 26-9
Next game: at Iowa, Friday at 6 p.m.
22. Ohio State
Previous rank: 23
Record: 29-7-1
23. Alabama
Previous rank: 25
Record: 25-13
Next game: vs. Alabama State, Tuesday at 5 p.m. on SECN+
24. Liberty
Previous rank: 24
Record: 31-6
Next game: vs. Virginia Tech, Wednesday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra
25. Clemson
Previous rank: 22
Record: 25-10
Next game: vs. Maryland, Tuesday at 5 p.m. on ACC Network Extra