Whereas the school soccer rankings should not anticipated to see main upheaval after Week 9, there are many modifications coming after every week that featured 5 video games between groups ranked within the AP High 25 ballot. Of these 5 matchups, none had been extra vital than Texas A&M’s win in opposition to LSU, which saved the Aggies in first place within the SEC standings and can possible propel them into the highest 10 when the rankings are up to date on Sunday.
The highest of the rankings are prone to keep principally static. Oregon was one of many solely high groups to get by Week 9 with out going through the actual potential of an upset. Penn State, Ohio State and Texas all confronted varied ranges of adversity in victory with the Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes getting late touchdowns to protect their standing, whereas the Longhorns held off a late cost from Vanderbilt.
Additional down the rankings, voters must begin making some selections about how lengthy they’re keen to place undefeated energy conferences groups behind different groups with losses. BYU and Indiana each gained by double-digit margins on Saturday to take care of their unbeaten begin, and on Thursday, Pitt completely dismantled Syracuse to enhance to 7-0. In final week’s balloting, there have been six groups with losses forward of BYU, seven forward of Indiana and 12 groups with losses forward of Pitt, together with two-loss Ole Miss.
There can even be some cut up selections concerning groups within the 20s after Illinois, Missouri, Navy and Vanderbilt all misplaced. Some voters will boot any crew in that vary that loses, whereas others have been extra reluctant to maintain groups on their poll if the defeat got here by the hands of a top-ranked crew. All 4 misplaced to top-15 groups in Week 9.
This is how we undertaking the brand new AP High 25 to look on Sunday after Week 9.
1. Oregon (Final week — 1): We do not count on to see any change on the high after the Geese dealt with their enterprise in a 38-9 win in opposition to Illinois. Oregon led 35-3 at halftime and received loads of reps for the backups as they put together to hit the highway and play at Michigan subsequent week.
2. Georgia (2): The Bulldogs had been off in Week 9 and will likely be again in motion subsequent Saturday in opposition to Florida.
3. Penn State (3): High of thoughts for Penn State followers is not going to be the place they sit within the rankings however as a substitute the standing of beginning quarterback Drew Allar, who didn’t play within the second half of Saturday evening’s 28-13 win at Wisconsin attributable to harm. The Nittany Lions deserve credit score for rallying with their QB1 out, getting a decide six from the protection and a robust displaying from backup quarterback Beau Pribula to shut out the win and maintain Penn State undefeated.
4. Ohio State (4): An in depth name in opposition to Nebraska is not going to depart voters with any motivation to begin pushing the Buckeyes up their ballots, however the alternatives for Ohio State to maneuver up are developing subsequent week at Penn State.
5. Texas (5): Quinn Ewers was extraordinarily sharp early, not lacking a single throw till late within the first half and ending with 288 yards and three touchdowns within the 27-24 win in opposition to Vanderbilt. As a result of the Commodores had been in a position to cost again into the sport within the last 20 minutes — chopping a 24-10 result in simply three factors with lower than a minute remaining — there’s not going to be a serious transfer up, however Texas enters its off week 7-1 nonetheless within the thick of the SEC title race.
6. Miami (6): Whereas Florida State had the rating at 14-7 halfway by the second quarter, Miami was not often threatened with the potential of an upset in what ended up being a 36-14 rivalry win to enhance to 8-0.
7. Texas A&M (14): If the AP voters had been keen to miss different head-to-head outcomes from the early weeks of the season on their ballots, then I do suppose we are going to see the Notre Dame ceiling shattered after the Aggies’ win in opposition to LSU. As Texas A&M continued to climb the rankings with every win, the Combating Irish have at all times been their ceiling as they had been each one-loss groups with considerably comparable profiles. However after Marcel Reed’s second-half heroics, I believe voters can justify that the Texas A&M crew they’re rating heading into Week 10 is way totally different than the group that fell in a low-scoring grinder to Notre Dame in Week 1.
8. Tennessee (7): The Volunteers had been off in Week 9 and will likely be again in motion subsequent Saturday in opposition to Kentucky.
9. Clemson (9): The Tigers had been off in Week 9 and will likely be again in motion subsequent Saturday in opposition to Louisville.
10. Iowa State (10): The Cyclones had been off in Week 9 and will likely be again in motion subsequent Saturday in opposition to Texas Tech.
11. BYU (11): Ballot inertia will most likely forestall it, however there is a strong argument for a transfer up by a pair spots for the Cougars after a commanding 37-24 win at UCF. The oddsmakers had the sport as a toss-up and BYU made it something however with an early 17-0 lead and the sixth straight recreation scoring 30-plus factors.
12. Notre Dame (12): The day began with all eyes on MetLife Stadium and one of the extremely anticipated editions of the Notre Dame-Navy rivalry lately, however in the event you had been searching for upset potential, the Combating Irish shut it down early. Notre Dame greatly surprised Navy’s protection, and a few uncharacteristic turnovers by the Midshipmen made it simple for the Combating Irish to construct an enormous lead early and cruise to a 51-14 blowout win.
13. Indiana (13): The Hoosiers have performed six quarters with out star quarterback Kurtis Rourke and are outscoring their opponents 59-17 in that span after a 14-point dwelling win in opposition to Washington. Rourke’s absence was actually felt in opposition to the Huskies because the passing recreation struggled to get going, however Indiana’s protection confirmed up with big-time performs and the bottom recreation wore Washington down within the second half to enhance to 8-0 on the 12 months.
14. Alabama (15): The offensive struggles for Missouri laid the inspiration for Alabama to get a much-needed 34-0 win, enhancing to 6-2 total because the crew heads right into a late-season off week. After going 2-2 throughout 4 consecutive one-score video games, the Crimson Tide truly had a bit of room to breathe on Saturday with permitting the run recreation to get going and the protection to log a few interceptions.
15. Kansas State (16): We’re not anticipating the AP voters to punish the Wildcats for a closer-than-expected victory in opposition to Kansas in a rivalry recreation. In pulling off the 29-26 win, Kansas State ought to maintain its spot within the rankings order.
16. Boise State (17): On a fourth-and-goal within the fourth quarter with first place within the Mountain West on the road, the one logical possibility was to provide it to Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos star delivered with a go-ahead (and ultimately game-winning) landing at UNLV on Friday evening. Boise State helped its rankings profile with the win and could possibly be slated for an enchancment after dropping two spots final week within the wake of a win in opposition to Hawaii.
17. Pitt (19): We’re projecting Pitt to make some strikes forward of different groups with losses after enhancing to 7-0 total with a thunderous 41-13 win in opposition to Syracuse. The Panthers protection delivered three decide sixes on 5 interceptions and now stare down a November schedule that has the 2021 ACC champions firmly within the midst of the convention title race as soon as once more.
18. LSU (8): The autumn for the Tigers is extraordinarily predictable. The pinnacle-to-head benefit from a current win in opposition to Ole Miss offers a straightforward spot for voters to drop a two-loss crew that they nonetheless possible think about one of many 20 greatest within the nation after a loss at Texas A&M.
19. Ole Miss (18): The times of the Ole Miss offense ripping by opponents appear farther and farther away after the Rebels failed to attain 30 factors for the fourth straight recreation. Accidents, particularly to star huge receiver Tre Harris, actually performed a job, however for voters attempting to fit the Rebels on their ballots there wasn’t a ton to remove from Saturday’s 26-14 win in opposition to Oklahoma that may counsel a transfer up is required.
20. Military (23): The Black Knights had been off in Week 9 and will likely be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Air Pressure within the subsequent chapter of the 2024 battle for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
21. SMU (22): Going to additional time in opposition to Duke as a double-digit favourite is not going to encourage voter confidence, however in holding on for the victory, the Mustangs will stay inside the highest 25.
22. Colorado (NR): In taking down Cincinnati, the Buffs improved to 6-2 total and 4-1 in convention play with that solely Huge 12 defeat coming to top-20 Kansas State by three factors. Colorado has been enjoying its greatest soccer of the season on this final four-game stretch and the #Big12AfterDark win could have them making a return to the AP ballot for the primary time since final 12 months’s early-season success.
23. Illinois (20): The Combating Illini had been eight factors shy of Ole Miss in final week’s balloting and a transparent two tiers forward of the minimize line, so we’re projecting that at 6-2, the highway loss to Oregon will not bounce Bret Bielema’s group out of the highest 25.
24. Washington State (NR): The Cougars had been twenty sixth in final week’s balloting and although it was a sweat had been in a position to enhance to 7-1 with a win at San Diego State late Saturday evening.
25. Vanderbilt (25): Can the Commodores hold on? There aren’t many apparent choices when final week’s balloting, and Vanderbilt did push the previous No. 1-ranked crew all the way in which to an onside kick try.
Projected to drop out: No. 21 Missouri, No. 24 Navy
