Rating 134 school soccer groups after Week 9: Prime-10 Indiana’s dream season is getting actual

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

Indiana is not only a enjoyable school soccer story. That’s to say, Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers aren’t some plucky upstart. They’re the actual deal. They’re a machine. And it’s time to comprehend they’re an actual risk to make the Faculty Soccer Playoff.

After beating Washington and changing into the primary FBS group in 26 years to begin 8-0 with out ever trailing, Indiana is as much as No. 9 on this week’s version of The Athletic 134.

It’s actually wild {that a} program that went 3-9 final season was favored to beat after which did beat final 12 months’s nationwide runner-up, and that Indiana is prone to be favored in opposition to final 12 months’s nationwide champion, Michigan, in just a few weeks. The college document for wins is 9, and it must take an entire collapse for the Hoosiers to not no less than tie that document.

With out proficient quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the Hoosiers turned to the bottom, and working again Justice Ellison had 123 yards and a landing on 29 carries in opposition to the Huskies. Successful otherwise is spectacular, however it will be useful for Rourke to come back again earlier than later.

And for the individuals able to chime in with, “Who’ve they performed?” — it’s true that the schedule has not been that troublesome. However ESPN’s analytics, which rank Indiana’s power of schedule at No. 106, additionally rank the Hoosiers’ power of document at No. 10, crediting them for the way they’ve achieved whereas factoring in opponent power. It nonetheless issues the way you carry out in opposition to your schedule, and once more Indiana hasn’t trailed for a second all season.

It’s been a dream season in Bloomington, and with a remaining schedule that ranks seventeenth within the nation, alternatives for extra impactful wins are coming, together with in opposition to Ohio State.

Right here is that this week’s version of The Athletic 134.

1-10

The one modifications right here come on the backside of the group, the place Indiana has moved to No. 9 and Notre Dame has returned to the highest 10 after a 51-14 win in opposition to a ranked Navy. That, coupled with the truth that Texas A&M hasn’t misplaced since its Week 1 defeat to the Irish, means Notre Dame is squarely again within the CFP image. Lots of people wrote off the Irish after their loss to Northern Illinois, however welcome to the 12-team CFP period, the place colleges can play their means again into the combo.

Anticipate one other shakeup within the high 5 after Ohio State visits Penn State this week. And by the best way, BYU has two wins in opposition to 7-1 groups this season. The Cougars nonetheless aren’t getting sufficient respect within the polls.

GO DEEPER

Mandel’s Closing Ideas: QB choices loom for top-10 groups in Week 10

11-25

Texas A&M rises all the best way as much as No. 11 after its 38-23 win in opposition to LSU. The Aggies are the lone group nonetheless undefeated in SEC play. Clemson and Iowa State each dropped whereas idle, however that was just because Notre Dame and Texas A&M now have a lot better wins after the weekend.

Pitt is as much as No. 17 after a 41-13 win in opposition to Syracuse. I wished to maneuver the Panthers up extra, however the groups forward of them additionally gained. Their journey to SMU this Saturday is their first likelihood for a significant victory. Welcome to the highest 25, Colorado. The Buffs are actually 6-2 after beating Cincinnati. They’ve simply been a extremely strong group this season, with fewer individuals paying consideration.

In some way, Missouri stays within the high 25 at No. 23 regardless of a 37-0 loss to Alabama. I didn’t anticipate to maintain the Tigers right here, however so many groups simply behind them in final week’s rankings additionally misplaced, and Mizzou nonetheless has the win in opposition to Vanderbilt to hold its hat on (sure, that’s an actual sentence). Arkansas additionally jumps into the highest 25 after a blowout win in opposition to Mississippi State and losses by a bunch of groups forward of the Razorbacks. It additionally helps that two of Arkansas’ three losses got here to top-20 groups, and the Razorbacks have a win in opposition to Tennessee.

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AP Prime 25: Penn State, OSU set for top-5 recreation; Colorado strikes in

26-50

Navy solely slips to No. 27 after its loss to Notre Dame, largely due to the win in opposition to No. 28 Memphis. Military stays exterior the highest 25 as a result of it doesn’t have a win in opposition to an FBS group with a successful document but. The Black Knights solely “dropped” as a result of Colorado and Arkansas moved up. As I all the time say, don’t overreact to dropping whereas idle. It’s nearly what different groups did.

Tulane strikes as much as No. 34 after a win at North Texas. Nebraska solely drops one spot to No. 38 after taking Ohio State to the restrict; the Huskers’ win in opposition to Colorado retains trying higher. Minnesota jumps as much as No. 41 after a dominant 48-23 win in opposition to Maryland.

TCU is again within the high 50 at No. 44 after a comeback win in opposition to Texas Tech. Cincinnati drops to No. 46 due to its loss to Colorado and due to Texas Tech’s loss, which drags on the Bearcats as a result of their head-to-head end result.

GO DEEPER

Week 9’s Faculty Soccer Playoff classes: Ohio State strolling a tightrope, new SEC chief

51-75

One week after Maryland beat USC, each maintain nonetheless right here after the Terps misplaced to Minnesota and the Trojans beat Rutgers. It’s an occasion the place the earlier week’s outcomes nonetheless maintain a whole lot of sway for 2 4-4 groups. North Carolina bought again on observe with a 41-14 win in opposition to Virginia to maneuver as much as No. 53. Cal’s 44-7 win in opposition to Oregon State strikes the Golden Bears as much as No. 60 and an idle NC State as much as No. 59 as a result of the Wolfpack beat Cal per week in the past.

Auburn is up from No. 81 to No. 61 after beating Kentucky, which continues to tumble down, now at No. 62. Utah continues to slide as effectively, now all the way down to No. 68 after a loss to Houston and on a decline that appears prone to proceed with the Utes’ quarterback accidents. However their wins in opposition to Baylor and Oklahoma State preserve them from falling additional. Baylor’s win in opposition to Oklahoma State strikes the Bears as much as No. 69 and Oklahoma State all the way down to No. 71. Previous Dominion hammered Georgia Southern 47-19 to crack the Solar Belt East extensive open and transfer as much as No. 73, whereas Liberty’s stunning loss to beforehand winless Kennesaw State dropped the Flames to No. 75, all however ending their Faculty Soccer Playoff hopes.

GO DEEPER

Week 9’s Faculty Soccer Playoff classes: Ohio State strolling a tightrope, new SEC chief

76-100

UCF, on a five-game dropping streak, is all the way down to No. 76. Kansas stays at No. 84 after Kansas State wanted a late 51-yard subject aim to beat the Jayhawks. Western Michigan is as much as No. 86 and atop the MAC as the one undefeated group in league play, however No. 87 Miami (Ohio), No. 88 Ohio and No. 89 Bowling Inexperienced usually are not far behind, particularly after the Falcons beat Toledo 41-26 and Ohio pummeled Buffalo. The MAC is all jumbled in, and it’s mirrored right here within the rankings, particularly after Notre Dame-slayer Northern Illinois misplaced to Ball State to fall to No. 93.

I can’t consider I needed to kind “1-7” for Florida State’s document right here. The No. 99 Seminoles proceed to sit down with No. 98 Mississippi State and No. 100 Purdue because the worst Energy 4 groups.

101-134

Would you consider No. 100 Colorado State is definitely undefeated in Mountain West play and has a reasonably clear path to the convention championship recreation? As a result of the Rams do. USF slips to No. 102 as a result of the Bulls had been idle and a number of other groups under them bought notable wins. Ball State’s win in opposition to NIU strikes the Cardinals as much as No. 107. UTSA falls to No. 112 after blowing a 35-7 halftime lead in a loss to No. 111 Tulsa. Nevada additionally falls into this group at No. 117 after a loss to Hawaii. Akron beat Japanese Michigan to maneuver as much as No. 125.

Congratulations to Kennesaw State on its first win as an FBS program and in opposition to an FBS program, because the Owls surprised Liberty. That will get Kennesaw State as much as No. 127 and leaves No. 134 Kent State because the final winless FBS group.

The Athletic 134 sequence is a part of a partnership with Allstate. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Companions don’t have any management over or enter into the reporting or modifying course of and don’t assessment tales earlier than publication.

(Picture: Justin Casterline / Getty Photos)