Rating 134 school soccer groups after Week 4: Tennessee to the highest 3; BYU, Navy soar

Editor’s word: The Athletic 134 is a weekly rating of all FBS school soccer groups.

A lot of the discuss going into Tennessee’s journey to Oklahoma was about Volunteers coach Josh Heupel’s return to his alma mater, Heupel was proper when, by teary eyes, he advised his gamers that Saturday’s 25-15 win towards the Sooners was about them and their future. Proper now, Tennessee’s future appears to be like like an SEC contender.

After a street win that wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating, Tennessee strikes as much as No. 3 on this week’s version of The Athletic 134.

By 4 video games, the Vols have proven they will win in numerous methods, and that ought to bode effectively in SEC play. Saturday’s win was an unsightly one, and that’s not a nasty factor. Two years in the past, the Tennessee group that completed No. 6 within the School Soccer Playoff rankings might put up 40 or 50 factors on virtually everybody, nevertheless it ranked thirty first in yards per rush on offense and forty eighth in yards per play allowed on protection. This Tennessee group can run the ball and play higher protection.

Sure, Oklahoma’s offense has struggled, however Tennessee performed a recreation by which it knew it might maintain on to a lead, run the ball and play protection to expire the clock, and that’s what occurred. The Vols handed the ball 21 instances and ran it 49 instances (excluding sacks) whereas lacking two offensive tackles. The Sooners averaged 1.1 yards per carry and turned it over 3 times.

Tennessee is taking part in full ball proper now, and after top-of-the-line wins of the weekend, the Vols transfer up within the rankings.

We’ve reached the purpose the place most groups are one-third of the best way by their season. Head-to-head outcomes aren’t weighted as closely for groups that aren’t on the identical tier (goodbye, Northern Illinois), however some lopsided outcomes this weekend resulted in some ultimate few large jumps.

Right here is the Week 5 version of The Athletic 134.

1-10

Apart from Tennessee’s rise, the one change right here is that Missouri strikes out of the highest 10 and Utah strikes as much as No. 9 after the Utes’ 22-19 win at Oklahoma State that was 22-3 at one level within the fourth quarter. I don’t suppose the ceiling of this Utah group is excessive with out quarterback Cam Rising, however the protection is as nasty because it’s ever been, and the Utes are the Large 12 favourite.

Georgia’s journey to Alabama this Saturday will shake up subsequent week’s rankings.

To acknowledge Ohio State, my preseason No. 1 has now dropped right down to No. 4 merely due to the schedule. The three groups above the Buckeyes have performed significantly better opponents. Video games towards Iowa and Oregon to open October will likely be Ohio State’s first probability to start out climbing again up.

11-25

I can’t inform whether or not Missouri is not so good as we anticipated or simply taking part in with its meals an excessive amount of. Beating Vanderbilt in additional time after taking part in Boston School unexpectedly shut weren’t performances indicative of a top-10 group. The Tigers are testing my endurance and can proceed to drop with play like that, despite the fact that their schedule could be very favorable for an SEC group.

Michigan jumps again as much as No. 11 after a comeback win to beat USC at dwelling. Like Utah, I don’t suppose the Wolverines’ ceiling is excessive — the offense went nowhere as soon as USC adjusted — however they’re additionally higher within the trenches than virtually everybody they’ll play. BYU makes an enormous soar as much as No. 16 after a 38-9 beatdown of Kansas State, a earlier top-15 group. The ultimate margin wasn’t indicative of the field rating numbers in Okay-State’s favor, however BYU’s protection appears to be like strong, and its earlier win at SMU appears to be like higher after Saturday’s outcomes.

Illinois climbs as much as No. 18 after a win at Nebraska. The Illini are grabbing takeaways and taking part in effectively on offense. This group performs actually arduous and could possibly be one other Bret Bielema overachieving traditional. Louisville lastly performed somebody of word, transferring as much as No. 23 after a 31-19 win towards Georgia Tech. Indiana additionally strikes into the highest 25 at No. 24 not as a result of the Hoosiers demolished Charlotte however as a result of they’ve demolished everybody to date. The subsequent recreation towards Maryland will inform us whether or not that is for actual.

Welcome to the highest 25, Washington State. The Cougars are 4-0 after stopping a two-point try to beat San Jose State in additional time, and their earlier win towards Texas Tech appears to be like higher this week. They’ll solely attain the CFP as an at-large group this 12 months and subsequent, which means they’ll should be ranked across the prime 10.

26-50

If Oklahoma wasn’t “Oklahoma,” the Sooners wouldn’t be ranked within the prime 25. They haven’t been good all season exterior of their opening blowout of Temple, they usually drop to No. 26 right here going through main questions on offense with the benching of quarterback Jackson Arnold. Iowa nonetheless can’t go the ball, however its new offense is opening lanes for explosive working again Kaleb Johnson. The Hawkeyes slide as much as No. 28 after beating Minnesota. Texas Tech jumps as much as No. 35 after beating beforehand unbeaten Arizona State. It’s doable neither of those groups are pretty much as good as their rating, however for now, they’ll sit right here.

SMU’s 66-42 win towards TCU sees the Mustangs come as much as No. 36; their earlier loss to BYU doesn’t look as unhealthy after what BYU did to Kansas State. Navy makes the largest soar of the week, from No. 105 to No. 37, after beating Memphis. The three-0 Midshipmen have scored their most factors by three video games since 1918 and may find yourself being one of many higher groups within the AAC. Northern Illinois tumbles to No. 38 after blowing an 11-point lead and dropping to Buffalo in additional time.

Arkansas’ 24-14 win towards Auburn strikes the Razorbacks as much as No. 41, whereas Cal’s loss to Florida State sees the Golden Bears drop to No. 42. James Madison had not performed effectively this 12 months, however a surprising 70-50 win at North Carolina vaults the Dukes as much as No. 44.

51-75

North Carolina had been taking part in effectively earlier than Saturday, however that JMU loss drops the Tar Heels to No. 55. Virginia Tech tumbles to No. 58 after a late loss to Rutgers. The bigger downside is that two losses to Rutgers and Vanderbilt now depart Virginia Tech with out many probabilities for notable wins. NC State additionally drops to No. 59 after a 59-35 loss to Clemson, the Wolfpack’s second beating of the season by the hands of an AP Prime 25 group.

Toledo is one other Group of 5 darling that drops, this time after a dramatic loss at Western Kentucky. TCU falls to No. 69 after dropping to SMU, whereas Stanford jumps as much as No. 70 after beating Syracuse on a last-second area objective. TCU’s head-to-head win towards Stanford explains their relative positioning. Wisconsin dropped to No. 71 with out taking part in, however that’s just because different groups (like Stanford) bought good wins whereas Wisconsin was idle. Military is 3-0 and looking out fairly strong to date. Service academies again on the rise, maybe? Cincinnati is as much as 3-1 and No. 73 after a 34-0 win towards Houston, and the Bearcats could also be rounding into kind. If not for that blown fourth quarter towards Pitt…

Kansas is right down to No. 74 after one other one-score loss, this time to West Virginia, and Florida State is as much as No. 75 after beating Cal, turning into the ultimate Energy 4 group to get a victory.

76-100

No. 77 San Jose State misplaced to Washington State, however the Spartans are wanting fairly good beneath first-year coach Ken Niumatalolo to date. Virginia leapfrogs Coastal Carolina to No. 79 after beating the Chanticleers. South Florida drops to No. 78 after a 50-15 loss to Miami. The Bulls’ nonconference schedule has been tough.

Bowling Inexperienced strikes as much as No. 86 after a one-score loss to Texas A&M, which got here after a one-score loss to Penn State. This looks like a group that might do numerous injury within the MAC. Similar with Buffalo, which is 3-1 and No. 87 after beating Northern Illinois. Sam Houston is 3-1 and as much as No. 91 after taking good care of enterprise towards New Mexico State and will make noise in Convention USA.

South Alabama is the hardest group to rank this week. The Jaguars have losses to Ohio and North Texas however beat Appalachian State 48-14 on the street. They have been lacking quarterback Gio Lopez towards Ohio, so perhaps they’ve simply figured issues out after an 0-2 begin? Or perhaps App State is in large bother the remainder of the 12 months. It is a South Alabama group we have to see extra of to get a greater learn.

Mississippi State is the lowest-ranked Energy 4 group at No. 98, and quarterback Blake Shapen is out for the 12 months after struggling a shoulder harm within the 45-28 loss to Florida. Annnnnd subsequent up on the schedule are Texas and Georgia. I’m so sorry, Bulldogs.

101-134

Shoutout to No. 108 Troy and No. 125 Temple for his or her first wins of the season. I believed Temple could possibly be an 0-12 candidate, however the Owls beat Utah State 45-29. Is UConn turning a nook? The Huskies performed Duke shut final week and whipped FAU 48-14 on Saturday, transferring as much as No. 113.

FIU, in the meantime, misplaced to FCS Monmouth at Pitbull Stadium and falls to No. 115. Tulsa beat Louisiana Tech in additional time to maneuver as much as No. 118. Wyoming is tumbling quick, now right down to No. 130 after a 44-17 loss to North Texas. The Cowboys, a perennial bowl group beneath Craig Bohl, have three blowout losses to FBS groups and a loss to FBS Idaho in Jay Sawvel’s first season.

Kent State stays on the backside after getting outgained 718-67 in whole yards towards Penn State. That’s the largest hole I can ever bear in mind seeing, off the highest of my head.

The Athletic 134 collection 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 enhancing course of and don’t assessment tales earlier than publication.

(Picture: Brian Bahr / Getty Photos)