After the dust has settled on one of the most chaotic openings to a Major in recent memory, the final 16 teams are locked in for Stage 3 of the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. With FaZe Clan clinching the final spot after a confident 2-0 over MIBR, Pick’em players now have one last shot to recover from the madness of Stages 1 and 2.
One of the Tournament favorites in Team Falcons has already been eliminated, causing mass Pick’em heartbreaks. But Stage 3 offers redemption if you play it smart. This is your in-depth guide to locking in the best picks for your in-game CS2 Pick’em challenge. You need to choose two teams to go 3-0, six to qualify with a 3-1 or 3-2 record, and two who are most likely to go 0-3.
🔝 3-0 Teams: The Dominators
You only get two slots for teams you expect to go undefeated in the Swiss Group Stage. With the format being best-of-one until elimination or qualification, there’s no margin for error. These two teams stand above the rest.
| Team | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Team Vitality | Riding an unprecedented 30-match LAN win streak and having won six events in a row, Vitality are the best team in the world by far. ZywOo is in god form, and the entire team executes flawlessly. They are the safest 3-0 pick in the history of Pick’ems. |
| MOUZ | The second-best team in the world and only struggling against Vitality in recent events. With rising stars like Jimpphat and xertioN and proven consistency, MOUZ is perfectly positioned to breeze through if they avoid Vitality early. |
✅ 3-1 / 3-2 Teams: Solid Advancers
Here’s where Pick’ems are won or lost. You need to select six teams that will make it through the Swiss format with at least three wins. Our picks balance consistency, experience, and favorable opening matchups.
| Team | Why They Make It |
|---|---|
| Team Spirit | sh1ro and donk are carrying this team to elite status. They are ranked top 3 globally and haven’t shown any real weaknesses. An easy opener versus paiN gives them momentum. |
| G2 Esports | They’ve survived roster chaos and still boast the likes of huNter-, Snax, and hades. With decent matchups and lots of LAN experience, they are built to grind out a 3-2. |
| Virtus.pro | Went 3-0 in Stage 2 and looked rock solid. electroNic’s leadership thrives in pressure matches and they almost never lose when it counts. |
| FaZe Clan | Yes, they’ve been shaky but this is a Major-winning core. They just crushed MIBR and have the firepower to recover even from a bad start. And yeah, they have s1mple on the roster! |
| Natus Vincere | iM and jL are heating up and NAVI’s structure always performs well in Swiss. They’ve got an easier Round 1 versus Nemiga and their playoff pedigree is huge. |
| FURIA | Quietly had a great Stage 2 going 3-1. KSCERATO is back in form and they are more balanced than ever. Strong against weaker teams and capable of upsets. |
Honorable mentions include Aurora Gaming and The MongolZ. They have upset potential but their inconsistency and inexperience make them riskier picks than the teams listed above.
🚨 0-3 Teams: The Crash Candidates
This is a brutal call to make. Only one team can be picked and it must lose all three matches. It’s risky, but these two teams stand out as the most vulnerable.
| Team | Why They Could Go 0-3 |
|---|---|
| Lynn Vision | Incredible run to get here, but the jump in competition is huge. They were outclassed by teams like paiN in Stage 2 and now face Liquid first. They may not win a single map. |
| Nemiga Gaming | Overachieved to qualify. Realistically outmatched by top-tier teams in every metric. Likely to get dismantled by experienced rosters in all stages. |
Recommendation: Pick Lynn Vision for 0-3. Nemiga could scrape a BO1 win with a favorable matchup but Lynn Vision has the tougher schedule and a steep learning curve.
🧠 Final Advice
With FaZe qualifying, this Stage 3 field is one of the most stacked in recent memory. The safe route is to trust the elite, pick Vitality and MOUZ for 3-0, go with experienced rosters like Spirit, G2, and NAVI for progression, and spot the underdogs with no real win condition.
Suggested Picks Recap
3-0: Vitality, MOUZ
Advance: Team Spirit, G2 Esports, Virtus.pro, FaZe Clan, Natus Vincere, FURIA
0-3: Lynn Vision
Make your picks count. There’s no more room for error.
Good luck on the path to the Diamond coin 💎
