Nothing shakes up the faculty soccer rankings just like the No. 1 staff within the nation dropping. And when the top-ranked staff falls to a different staff excessive up within the rankings — similar to Texas falling to Georgia on Saturday night time — it may result in every kind of modifications to the brand new AP High 25 ballot.
Amongst them shall be a brand new No. 1, and whereas Georgia will be ok with its standing as among the best groups within the nation after successful on the highway, the AP voters usually are not going to rocket the Bulldogs all the best way as much as the highest spot. That is as a result of there’s an excellent candidate prepared to maneuver up: Oregon.
In shifting to No. 1, the Geese could be reaching some historic bench marks that have not been hit all that always even given this system’s success within the twenty first century. Oregon has solely been ranked No. 1 for eight weeks complete in AP ballot historical past, and 7 of these weeks had been within the 2010 season the place the Geese completed because the nationwide runner-up to Auburn. The final time Oregon acquired to No. 1 was within the 2012 season, however that rating solely held for one week.
Now, Dan Lanning and Oregon take excessive spot from Texas, however accomplish that having already confirmed themselves in opposition to one other top-five staff. The Geese will hope to carry it longer than they did in 2012 as they transfer on to play an Illinois staff that was one other one of many huge rankings winners of the week.
This is how we venture the brand new AP High 25 to look on Sunday after Week 8.
1. Oregon (2): The Geese did in no way undergo any results of a letdown or hangover from final week’s epic win in opposition to Ohio State. Occurring the highway on a brief week after that type of end result and shutting out the opponent is spectacular, and voters will take word as they transfer Oregon as much as No. 1.
2. Penn State (3): The Nittany Lions had been off in Week 8 and shall be again in motion subsequent week at Wisconsin.
3. Georgia (5): The Bulldogs do not have a ton of room to maneuver up within the rankings, however my have they got a lift of confidence on the subject of the SEC title race and different championship rivalry after going into Austin and dominating Texas. The 30-15 rating might not absolutely spotlight how Kirby Sensible’s staff had the Longhorns tied up in knots, wanting as out-of-sorts as that they had all 12 months.
4. Ohio State (4): The Buckeyes had been off in Week 8 and shall be again in motion subsequent week at house in opposition to Nebraska.
5. Texas (Final week — 1): Voters have a straightforward resolution to make on the subject of slotting the Longhorns on their ballots; dropping to Georgia permits for Texas to be one of many high one-loss staff within the nation.
6. Miami (6): Cam Ward continues to throw up eye-popping statistics, this time going for 319 yards and 4 touchdowns as Miami held off Louisville in a 52-45 shootout win on the highway. It is the third straight recreation that the Hurricanes have wanted some late heroics to stay unbeaten, however it’s additionally the seventh straight recreation the place Ward and the offense have answered the decision to provide at a excessive degree.
7. LSU (8): The Tigers have now received six in a row since that season-opening loss to USC, and in following up final week’s time beyond regulation win in opposition to Ole Miss with a highway victory in opposition to Arkansas, they’re beginning to construct some actual energy to the rankings profile. The highlights from the victory embody one other sturdy efficiency from LSU’s protection, which pressured turnovers and saved the Razorbacks from constructing any type of momentum in entrance of their house crowd.
8. Iowa State (9): It took some severe second half heroics, however Iowa State improved to 7-0 with an exhilarating 38-35 win in opposition to UCF. The 7-0 report marks this system’s greatest begin since earlier than World Struggle II, and now Cyclones followers can set their eyes on the very best of heights for what Iowa State can obtain this season.
9. Clemson (10): Main by simply seven at halftime, Clemson hit the fuel within the third quarter to create a long way and maintain off a late cost from Virginia in a 48-31 win. The Tigers have taken care of enterprise in a 5-0 begin to ACC play however now face a number of the hardest checks on the convention schedule with Louisville, Virginia Tech and Pitt arising within the subsequent three weeks.
10. Tennessee (11): Not solely does Tennessee get to gentle some cigars after one other win in opposition to rival Alabama, however the rankings profile will get an enormous enhance from the victory. Even when the motion won’t be dramatic instantly, the endurance for Tennessee as a high staff is boosted when beforehand one of the best wins on the schedule had been Oklahoma and Florida.
11. BYU (13): The Cougars improved to 7-0 with some late-game dramatics from Jake Retzlaff, and with one more convention win on the resume, it is getting more durable for voters to maintain slotting BYU behind a number of one-loss groups.
12. Indiana (16): Confidence is booming in Bloomington as Curt Cignetti’s staff not solely handed their hardest take a look at of the season to this point however aced it, hanging 56 factors on Nebraska in a 49-point win. Star quarterback Kurtis Rourke didn’t even play within the second half because of a thumb damage and the Hoosiers nonetheless outscored the Cornhuskers 28-0 within the third and fourth quarter. It is potential Indiana jumps forward of BYU within the pecking order for undefeated groups, however we’re projecting a touchdown only one spot behind the Cougars.
13. Notre Dame (12): There have been just some hiccups alongside the best way, however for essentially the most half, Notre Dame did an awesome job of dealing with its enterprise in a highway journey to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech. The 31-13 win now has the Combating Irish at 6-1 on the season, and regardless of a mess of accidents, this protection continues to play at a excessive degree holding the opponent below 14 factors for the fifth time this season.
14. Texas A&M (14): The Aggies defensive entrance traveled and answered the decision with three sacks and 11 tackles for loss in opposition to Mississippi State in a 34-24 win. The offense was not fairly as dominant because it was final day out in opposition to Missouri, however the highway victory retains Texas A&M inside the highest 15 as among the best one-loss groups within the nation.
15. Alabama (7): Final month’s win in opposition to Georgia is doing numerous work to Alabama’s rankings profile because the Crimson Tide fall to 5-2 with the loss at Tennessee. The attention take a look at has not performed Alabama numerous favors the final couple of weeks, and voters will wrestle with the way to rank a staff that has not checked out all just like the group they pushed to No. 1 simply three weeks in the past.
16. Boise State (15): The Broncos had been off in Week 8 and shall be again in motion subsequent week in an enormous Mountain West showdown at UNLV.
17. Kansas State (17): It is exhausting to see a significant shakeup within the rankings, however the Wildcats deserve loads of credit score with the best way they’ve dealt with enterprise in two robust highway journeys, beating Colorado in Boulder and West Virginia in Morgantown in back-to-back weeks. Kansas State is now 6-1 with its solely loss coming at BYU, and given the schedule forward, there’s loads of alternatives to maintain stacking wins and slowly climb up the rankings.
18. Illinois (22): The Combating Illini proceed to be doubted and neglected however have exceeded expectations at practically each flip. At 6-1 general with the one loss coming to Penn State, Illinois is beginning to construct a profile that may warrant consideration as among the best one-loss groups within the nation. The excellent news and unhealthy information of the schedule forward might finish these debates; Illinois now hits the highway to tackle Oregon in Eugene subsequent week on CBS.
19. Ole Miss (18): The Rebels had been off in Week 8 and shall be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Oklahoma.
20. Pitt (20): The Panthers had been off in Week 8 however shall be again in motion on Thursday night time in opposition to Syracuse.
21. SMU (21): The Mustangs dealt with enterprise in a highway journey to Stanford and at the moment are 6-1 are the 40-10 win.
22. Military (23): Quarterback Bryson Each day has already put collectively among the best single-season performances in program historical past, main the best way with six complete touchdowns in a 45-28 win in opposition to East Carolina to enhance to 7-0 on the season and 6-0 in AAC play. In doing so, Each day broke the single-season report for speeding touchdowns, now main the earlier report holders by two with 19 scores on the bottom and loads of video games left to increase that report.
23. Navy (25): The Midshipmen proceed to maintain tempo with their Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy rivals, enhancing to 6-0 general and 4-0 in AAC play with a 51-17 thumping of Charlotte.
24. Missouri (19): The Tigers deserve credit score for storming again from a 17-6 deficit to win 21-17 behind a gritty effort from quarterback Brady Prepare dinner, who was hobbled by an ankle damage suffered in the course of the first half. However the staff might see some floor given as much as the undefeated squads behind them within the rankings given the aesthetic high quality of efficiency within the recreation and the continued momentum of the spectacular undefeated begins from Military and Navy.
25. Vanderbilt (NR): Will Vanderbilt break into the highest 25 primarily based on the energy of a 24-14 win in opposition to Ball State? No. However with wins in opposition to Alabama, Virginia Tech and Kentucky, there’s some beef behind that 5-2 report that would garner just a few extra votes than final week when the Commodores had been twenty sixth in voting factors and appeared on greater than half of the ballots whilst excessive as No. 17.
Projected to drop out: No. 24 Michigan
