Editor’s notice: The Athletic 134 is a weekly rating of all FBS faculty soccer groups.
The ACC and Large 12’s hopes of sending a number of groups to the primary 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff took an enormous hit over the weekend.
Miami (Fla.) and Iowa State each misplaced, drastically damaging their at-large hopes. In the meantime, Ole Miss’ win at Georgia introduced extra SEC groups into the Playoff combine moderately than knocking one out with a 3rd loss. BYU’s comeback escape at Utah probably didn’t assist its at-large case with the committee, both.
At this level, these leagues’ greatest hope for a number of bids is an upset of their respective convention championship video games that doesn’t knock the highest group out of the combo both. These two conferences also needs to be rooting for Tennessee to beat Georgia subsequent week and hoping Alabama and Ole Miss discover a second loss someplace. The group of two-loss SEC groups has the potential to squeeze out not solely ACC and Large 12 at-large hopes however a group like Indiana, too, ought to the Hoosiers lose to Ohio State in overwhelming vogue.
However this isn’t the committee. That is The Athletic 134, and I’m standing by my rankings and never reacting to the preliminary CFP rankings like ballot voters typically do.
Right here is that this week’s version of The Athletic 134.
1-10
| Rank | Group | Document | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
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1 |
10-0 |
1 |
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2 |
8-1 |
3 |
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|
3 |
8-1 |
5 |
|
|
4 |
9-0 |
6 |
|
|
5 |
8-1 |
7 |
|
|
6 |
8-1 |
8 |
|
|
7 |
10-0 |
9 |
|
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8 |
7-2 |
13 |
|
|
9 |
8-2 |
16 |
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10 |
7-2 |
2 |
Is BYU the fourth-best group within the nation? I don’t know, however they preserve pulling out wins, they usually nonetheless have two victories over top-20 groups in SMU and Kansas State. That’s a superb resume. Ought to Tennessee be increased than the Cougars with its loss to Arkansas or ought to Penn State and Indiana be increased and not using a top-25 win? Proper now, I don’t actually assume so.
Indiana strikes up from No. 9 to No. 7 due to losses by Georgia and Miami, however the Hoosiers barely held on for a 20-15 win towards a Michigan group that pushed them round a bit within the second half. I feel Indiana ought to be secure for a CFP spot so long as it beats Purdue, however a blowout loss to Ohio State might begin a dialog. We’ll see what occurs in two weeks.
Alabama jumps from No. 13 to No. 8 after whipping LSU on the street, whereas Ole Miss climbs from No. 16 to No. 9 after dealing with Georgia. The Bulldogs are instantly barely hanging on to a spot within the CFP, they usually’ve misplaced to each Alabama and Ole Miss. Alabama stays forward of Ole Miss right here due to their performances towards LSU, which beat Ole Miss.
GO DEEPER
Faculty Soccer Playoff 2024 projections: Indiana as much as 92 % probability to make discipline
11-25
Notre Dame really inches out of my CFP discipline after Alabama and Ole Miss transfer up. The Irish is perhaps one other group hoping the SEC knocks a few of its groups out, relying on what the committee exhibits on Tuesday.
SMU is my new ACC chief at No. 12 and in place for the No. 4 seed. The issue with Miami’s weak resume was that it couldn’t afford a foul loss, and it took one towards Georgia Tech, dropping from No. 4 to No. 14. Miami’s greatest wins embody Louisville and … Duke? Its early-season escapes towards Cal and Virginia Tech don’t assist. SMU additionally has wins towards Louisville and Duke, plus its Pitt win (which doesn’t imply as a lot this week), and its lone loss is to undefeated BYU.
Colorado is as much as No. 17 and controls its path to the Large 12 title sport and a CFP spot after Saturday’s win at Texas Tech. Washington State is 8-1 and as much as No. 18, however the path to an at-large spot is perhaps simply too far-off. Nonetheless, the Cougars are having an excellent season and will be ok with it.
South Carolina jumps as much as No. 20 after a dominant win towards Vanderbilt. Military can also be newly into this group at No. 22 after beating North Texas 14-3. The Black Knights went from zero wins towards groups with a profitable report to 2 over the weekend, due to this sport and East Carolina’s win elsewhere. Arizona State grabs the No. 25 spot after beating UCF to maneuver to 7-2.
GO DEEPER
Mandel’s Ultimate Ideas: Alabama bought its act collectively and appears Playoff certain … once more
26-50
Tulane has quietly been rolling and is as much as No. 26, very a lot within the race for the Group of 5’s assured Playoff bid if Boise State stumbles. Iowa State falls to No. 27 after a loss to Kansas, whereas Pitt drops to No. 28 after dropping to Virginia, the second consecutive loss for each groups. 8-1 Louisiana is perhaps too far behind to problem for the G5 spot within the CFP, particularly since its one loss was to Tulane, however the Ragin’ Cajuns seem like the perfect group within the Solar Belt and are having a extremely good season, now as much as No. 31.
Georgia Tech jumps as much as No. 32 after beating Miami. Syracuse falls to No. 40 after dropping to Boston Faculty, whereas Iowa drops to No. 41 after a loss at UCLA. West Virginia’s win towards Cincinnati sees the Mountaineers climb to No. 46.
GO DEEPER
Week 11 CFP race classes: Mizzou within the ‘Playoff hunt’? One-bid ACC?
51-75
UCLA has actually turned issues round, profitable three consecutive video games and rising to No. 57 after sitting close to the underside of the Energy 4 not way back. NC State slips to No. 64 after dropping to Duke. Kansas jumps up from No. 85 to No. 65 due to its win towards Iowa State. No. 71 UConn is 7-3, its most wins for the reason that Fiesta Bowl season of 2010, after beating UAB.
76-100
San Jose State’s win towards Oregon State strikes the Spartans as much as No. 79 and the Beavers right down to No. 80. Jacksonville State, No. 81, scored on a Hail Mary towards Louisiana Tech and missed the game-winning additional level however received in additional time anyway to remain tied atop the Convention USA standings.
Oklahoma State’s collapse continued with a 38-13 loss to TCU, making it seven consecutive losses for the Cowboys, who’ve fallen to No. 85. Texas State beat ULM to maneuver as much as No. 84. The MAC pack continues, as Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bowling Inexperienced all received, and Northern Illinois handed Western Michigan its first MAC defeat. 4 groups are tied atop the convention standings at 4-1.
Has East Carolina turned issues round since firing head coach Mike Houston? The Pirates are 2-0 beneath interim coach Blake Harrell and have scored a mixed 105 factors in wins towards Temple and FAU, transferring as much as No. 97.
101-134
I haven’t turn out to be numb to seeing Florida State lose each week, now right down to No. 103 after a 52-3 loss to Notre Dame. It’s nonetheless stunning each time. Mike Norvell bought transferring early in cleansing home, asserting Sunday that each coordinators had been fired. New Mexico is 4-6 and as much as No. 109 after beating San Diego State. Nevada is perhaps the perfect 3-8 group within the nation — the Wolf Pack have now pushed SMU and Boise State to the restrict in defeat this season.
Air Pressure beat Fresno State to maneuver as much as No. 126, and in a battle of one-win groups, UTEP beat Kennesaw State in additional time, resulting in a training change at Kennesaw State. Kent State misplaced 41-0 to Ohio and stays winless and on the backside of the rankings.
The Athletic 134 sequence is a part of a partnership with Allstate. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Companions haven’t any management over or enter into the reporting or modifying course of and don’t assessment tales earlier than publication.
(Picture: Justin Ford / Getty Photos)
