Editor’s notice: The Athletic 134 is a weekly rating of all FBS school soccer groups.
Successful video games is tough.
That’s a press convention cliché you’ll hear from each coach, nevertheless it’s true, particularly for coaches coping with school athletes. How else are you able to clarify what occurred on Saturday?
For 2 weeks, SEC followers beat the narrative drum that Indiana hadn’t performed anybody. On Saturday, Indiana performed Ohio State and received manhandled 38-15. Vindication! Nicely, till a couple of minutes later when Ole Miss misplaced to a beforehand 5-5 Florida group. Then Alabama misplaced to a 5-5 Oklahoma group (by a 24-3 rating). Then Texas A&M misplaced to a 4-6 Auburn group. Instantly, three SEC groups that entered the day with two losses and a transparent path to the Faculty Soccer Playoff had a 3rd loss.
It seems, profitable is tough. That’s to not say all 10-1 information are created equally, or that extra wins ought to equal a better rating. They don’t. Beating good groups issues. However there must be an appreciation for profitable video games, even in opposition to common or above-average groups.
At one level Friday, the SEC appeared to have a path to ship 5 groups into the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff. By the top of the weekend, three SEC groups are within the CFP area based mostly on this week’s Athletic 134 rankings.
Each week this season has given us an upset that has upended the CFP. I wouldn’t pencil something in heading into the ultimate weekend both. It’s why we love school soccer.
However school soccer is greater than power of schedule rankings, betting strains and hypotheticals. You must play video games. That’s what sports activities are about. You by no means know what can occur. So whenever you get a win, it doesn’t matter what sort of win it’s, be sure to get pleasure from it.
Right here is that this week’s version of The Athletic 134.
1-10
| Rank | Staff | Report | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
11-0 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
10-1 |
2 |
|
|
3 |
10-1 |
3 |
|
|
4 |
10-1 |
4 |
|
|
5 |
10-1 |
9 |
|
|
6 |
9-2 |
8 |
|
|
7 |
9-2 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
10-1 |
12 |
|
|
9 |
10-1 |
5 |
|
|
10 |
10-1 |
13 |
Notre Dame followers, I advised you I’d put you into the highest 5 when you beat Military, and you probably did, so right here you’re. Beat USC, and the Irish will host a Playoff recreation in South Bend. I practically put Notre Dame over Penn State, contemplating the Nittany Lions’ shut calls in opposition to USC and Minnesota. However Penn State’s win in opposition to Illinois is now a top-25 win, and the Irish’s loss to Northern Illinois continues to be a drag. In the event that they deal with a USC group that took Penn State to extra time, there’s motive to leap the Nittany Lions.
Indiana drops to No. 9 after its loss to Ohio State, because of these aforementioned SEC losses. However the Hoosiers even have a very good quantity of stable blowout wins, and their power of schedule in ESPN’s metric jumped as much as No. 51, greater than Oregon, Miami, SMU, Notre Dame or Boise State, for what it’s value. SMU is as much as No. 8 in my rankings. The Mustangs are rolling and have that high quality loss to BYU. I nonetheless don’t perceive why Miami is greater than SMU within the polls and CFP rankings.
Boise State strikes as much as No. 10 after escaping a nasty Wyoming group, however the Broncos are teetering with some current shut calls. Nonetheless, the UNLV win and Week 2’s shut Oregon loss preserve them round right here for now. However with a rematch in opposition to No. 24 UNLV now probably within the Mountain West championship recreation, that Group of 5 spot within the Playoff is way from wrapped up.
Additionally, Georgia and Tennessee had higher not overlook Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, respectively, this week.
11-25
| Rank | Staff | Report | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
|
11 |
10-1 |
14 |
|
|
12 |
8-3 |
6 |
|
|
13 |
9-2 |
20 |
|
|
14 |
8-3 |
7 |
|
|
15 |
8-3 |
17 |
|
|
16 |
9-2 |
11 |
|
|
17 |
9-2 |
19 |
|
|
18 |
8-3 |
15 |
|
|
19 |
8-3 |
21 |
|
|
20 |
8-3 |
16 |
|
|
21 |
9-2 |
22 |
|
|
22 |
9-2 |
23 |
|
|
23 |
8-3 |
24 |
|
|
24 |
9-2 |
25 |
|
|
25 |
8-3 |
28 |
Miami is as much as No. 11, even when it took a shocking period of time to tug away from Wake Forest. However together with Indiana, the largest winner from the SEC losses may very well be the ACC, which now has a powerful case to get two Playoff bids, presuming SMU and Miami win this week. I’ve Miami in my CFP area as an at-large group.
Alabama and Ole Miss fall to Nos. 12 and 14, respectively. I don’t assume the Tide are out of the CFP combine but, however they’ll need assistance. Arizona State strikes as much as No. 13 after the win in opposition to BYU to take the highest spot within the Huge 12, whereas BYU falls to No. 16. The Cougars nonetheless have wins in opposition to SMU and Kansas State, so that they don’t fall too far.
Clemson strikes as much as No. 17, and I don’t perceive why the Tigers are No. 12 in each polls. They don’t have any good wins, and so they shouldn’t be behind two SEC groups that beat Georgia, since Georgia whipped Clemson. If Clemson beats South Carolina, then we are able to begin a CFP at-large dialog, however the Tigers shouldn’t be close to there proper now, and it’s going to be arduous to persuade me a second ACC spot shouldn’t go to SMU or Miami. I’m very curious the place the committee places Clemson. Something near No. 12 opens the chance the Tigers leap the loser of the potential SMU-Miami matchup.
Kansas State is as much as No. 19, again forward of No. 20 Colorado and nonetheless forward of No. 21 Tulane as a result of the Wildcats beat each. Iowa State is at No. 22 and has a path to the Huge 12 Championship Sport in any case.
26-50
| Rank | Staff | Report | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
|
26 |
7-4 |
26 |
|
|
27 |
9-1 |
18 |
|
|
28 |
8-3 |
30 |
|
|
29 |
7-4 |
32 |
|
|
30 |
7-4 |
33 |
|
|
31 |
9-2 |
34 |
|
|
32 |
7-4 |
29 |
|
|
33 |
6-5 |
43 |
|
|
34 |
7-4 |
35 |
|
|
35 |
6-5 |
31 |
|
|
36 |
7-4 |
36 |
|
|
37 |
8-3 |
39 |
|
|
38 |
6-5 |
37 |
|
|
39 |
6-5 |
38 |
|
|
40 |
7-4 |
40 |
|
|
41 |
7-4 |
42 |
|
|
42 |
6-5 |
41 |
|
|
43 |
8-3 |
27 |
|
|
44 |
6-5 |
44 |
|
|
45 |
6-5 |
45 |
|
|
46 |
6-5 |
53 |
|
|
47 |
5-6 |
58 |
|
|
48 |
9-2 |
47 |
|
|
49 |
6-5 |
50 |
|
|
50 |
6-5 |
54 |
Military drops out of the highest 25 to No. 27 after a 49-14 loss to Notre Dame. No. 28 Syracuse is quietly a powerful 8-3 in Fran Brown’s first season, together with a win in opposition to UNLV. Florida climbs all the best way as much as No. 33 after beating Ole Miss, one week after the win in opposition to LSU. The Gators are the highest-ranked 6-5 group, with all 5 losses coming to top-25 groups.
Washington State tumbles to No. 43 after dropping to Oregon State, which got here after a loss to New Mexico. Oklahoma jumps as much as No. 46 after beating Alabama, its first win since September. No. 47 Kansas is the very best 5-6 group within the nation. The Jayhawks are the primary group in historical past to beat three consecutive top-25 groups whereas a sub-.500 group, the newest a dominant efficiency in opposition to Colorado. West Virginia beat UCF to get bowl-eligible and climb as much as No. 50.
51-75
Boston Faculty planted North Carolina and strikes as much as No. 52. James Madison drops to No. 55 after dropping to Appalachian State within the snow, and the Tar Heels fall to No. 56.
Cal got here again to beat Stanford, get bowl-eligible and transfer as much as No. 54, nonetheless forward of Auburn, which climbs after beating Texas A&M. Cal’s win in opposition to Auburn retains the Golden Bears forward.
Marshall jumps as much as No. 65 after beating Coastal Carolina and remaining atop the Solar Belt East division. No. 73 Jacksonville State has gained eight consecutive video games after an 0-3 begin and clinched a spot within the Convention USA Championship Sport. Liberty’s win in opposition to Western Kentucky places these two plus Sam Houston within the combine for the opposite CUSA spot.
76-100
Colorado State received bit, dropping at Fresno State to considerably injury the Rams’ Mountain West championship hopes. They now want UNLV to lose to Nevada. Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bowling Inexperienced are all 6-1 in MAC play heading into the ultimate weekend, and all three transfer up after wins. No. 84 East Carolina is now 4-0 underneath interim head coach Blake Harrell, who’s placing himself into the dialog to get the full-time job.
Oregon State strikes as much as No. 88 after beating Washington State however stays behind San Jose State because of the head-to-head end result. Texas State tumbles to No. 91 after dropping to Georgia State. Oklahoma State lastly confirmed a pulse however misplaced 56-48 to Texas Tech to make it eight consecutive losses and an 0-8 file in Huge 12 play.
101-134
No. 103 Florida State lastly received a second win, in opposition to FCS Charleston Southern. No. 112 Charlotte beat FAU in a battle of interim coaches. No. 113 Central Michigan beat Western Michigan, after which coach Jim McElwain retired.
No. 134 Kent State missed its final greatest probability at a win in a 38-17 loss to No. 128 Akron. The Golden Flashes should win at Buffalo to keep away from an 0-12 season.
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 overview tales earlier than publication.
(Picture: James Gilbert / Getty Photos)