On a university soccer weekend that introduced loads of losses for ranked groups, a few of the most impactful outcomes had been the shut calls that went the best way of the favorites on a nervy Week 11 Saturday. Indiana and Oregon each confronted late deficits on the street however emerged victorious, preserving their top-10 standing and including to what must be a largely calm week-to-week adjustment for voters within the AP High 25 ballot. 

However ought to that be the case? 

Texas A&M went on the street as nicely, however not like Indiana and Oregon, the Aggies didn’t path late. Actually, they by no means tailed in any respect. Mike Elko’s group got here out of the off week with an 8-0 document and dealt with enterprise the best way that title contenders do — by grabbing management of the sport early and by no means letting go. Each time Missouri discovered a bit little bit of spark, the Aggies had a response, and now as we head into the ultimate stretch of the common season, it is price contemplating whether or not Texas A&M is extra deserving of consideration for the No. 1 spot. 

Final week’s voting had Ohio State because the rock-solid No. 1 group within the AP High 25 ballot with 55 first-place votes and 1,633 voting factors. Indiana had the second-most first-place votes with 11, however the 1,591 voting factors was nearer to No. 1 than it was to No. 3, the place Texas A&M checked in with only one first-place vote and 1,523 voting factors. 

The Buckeyes aren’t prone to be displaced from No. 1, however on a weekend the place Indiana confronted getting knocked off by an interim coach, it is price contemplating whether or not Texas A&M has an argument for shifting up within the rankings. On the very least it appears sure that the Aggies will minimize into the hole with the 2 groups on the high, and that as a substitute of a debate for No. 1 the voting factors will entertain a debate for No. 2 heading into Week 12. 

Bowl projections: Texas Tech replaces BYU in School Soccer Playoff bracket, Oregon avoids chaos

Brad Crawford

Additional down within the rankings, outdoors the highest 10, we’re projecting little bit of chaos with Virginia, Louisville and Washington all taking surprising losses. Additionally, with this being the primary set of AP rankings because the School Soccer Playoff Choice Committee launched its high 25, we shall be monitoring the cat-and-mouse sport between the voters and the committee. The choice committee made some decisions — like rating Pitt and Iowa or placing Texas forward of Oklahoma — that didn’t align with the AP voters, and now we are going to see if there is a response.  

This is how we venture the brand new AP High 25 ballot to look on Sunday after the outcomes from Week 11 in school soccer: 

1. Ohio State (Final week — 1): No change on the high of the rankings for the Buckeyes, who received an enormous day from Jeremiah Smith (10 catches, 137 yards, one landing) because the spotlight of a 24-point street win at Purdue. Subsequent step for Ohio State is a two-game house stand towards UCLA and Rutgers earlier than the regular-season finale at rival Michigan in Ann Arbor. 

2. Indiana (2): The Hoosiers might have seemed extra human with their near-upset on the street at Penn State, however the group additionally appears to be like heroic following the Heisman second from Fernando Mendoza with the game-winning landing to Omar Cooper, who himself has an argument for catch of the yr. Just a few ballots may entertain swapping Indiana for Texas A&M, however we’re projecting it will not be sufficient of a consensus opinion to result in a change within the rankings. 

3. Texas A&M (3): There shall be some momentum and a reliable argument for Texas A&M because the No. 1 group within the nation following a 21-point street win towards ranked Missouri. The Aggies at the moment are 9-0 and have a win towards Notre Dame to pair with six SEC victories, giving power to the argument for some upward motion within the rankings. The problem is displacing both the No. 1 or No. 2 group after a weekend of wins. The Aggies will minimize into the voting factors deficit, for positive, however we’re projecting it is not sufficient for a swap on the high. 

4. Alabama (4): No main adjustments within the rankings for Alabama after a lower-scoring win towards LSU. The Crimson Tide are 8-1 on the yr and 6-0 in SEC play, however the path to Atlanta contains some tough spots left that embody a showdown with Oklahoma subsequent week and the Iron Bowl on the finish of the season at Auburn.  

5. Georgia (5): There are head-to-head outcomes which have Georgia pinned into a fairly particular spot within the rankings, nevertheless it’s laborious to not see this inventory worth going up following a 20-point win on the street at Mississippi State. Kirby Sensible’s group caught the upset-minded Bulldogs between taking part in Florida and Texas but confirmed up in Starkville with hammers able to impose their will.  

6. Oregon (6): Beating Iowa at its personal sport will stay a cornerstone in Oregon’s 2025 marketing campaign, because the Geese needed to rally with a handful of key offensive contributors out of the lineup and discover methods to win within the rain in Kinnick Stadium. Escaping Iowa Metropolis with a win is a victory that retains all of Oregon’s big-picture targets on monitor, nevertheless it will not transfer the needle when it comes to a shakeup within the rankings given outcomes elsewhere.  

7. Ole Miss (7): Voters will not react an excessive amount of someway after a 49-0 win towards The Citadel. Up subsequent for the Rebels is the house finale towards Florida subsequent Saturday night time, adopted by every week off after which the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28 to shut out the common season. 

8. Texas Tech (9): We’re projecting a slight bump up for the Purple Raiders following a powerful win towards a top-10 opponent, handing BYU its first lack of the season by a 22-point margin. The Purple Raiders may leap Ole Miss as nicely, however final week’s balloting had a big sufficient hole between these two groups to assume a swap is so as after a pair of wins. 

9. Notre Dame (10): No main adjustments after Notre Dame greatly surprised Navy. The Combating Irish have now gained seven straight video games and proceed to point out little when it comes to wavering kind because the stress mounts with every week to win or face falling out of the playoff image. 

10. Texas (13): The Longhorns had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion subsequent week at Georgia. As we talked about earlier, our projection for a transfer up is without doubt one of the few spots the place the AP voters may tail the committee’s actions. Texas and Oklahoma had been separated by simply 15 voting factors final week, and since each are 7-2 and the CFP committee put the Longhorns forward, we’re projecting the AP voters to observe go well with. 

11. Oklahoma (11): The Sooners had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion at Alabama subsequent Saturday. 

12. Vanderbilt (15): Trailing by double digits at house, Vanderbilt turned to Diego Pavia to assist hold the Commodores’ postseason hopes alive and he delivered. Pavia completed with 377 yards passing, 112 yards dashing and 4 whole touchdowns within the 45-38 extra time win towards Auburn to assist Vanderbilt enhance to 8-2 on the season.   

13. Georgia Tech (16): The Yellow Jackets had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion subsequent week at Boston School. 

14. BYU (8): There may be a simple spot to venture for BYU’s drop after the loss, as a result of whereas the Cougars had been arguably undervalued as an undefeated group outdoors the highest 5, they do have a key head-to-head win towards one other top-20 group in Utah. It is attainable the respect for Texas Tech and the standard loss leaves BYU as excessive as No. 12, however for now, we’ll venture it is a simple slide into the slot above the Utes for many voters. 

15. Utah (17): The Utes had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion subsequent week at Baylor. 

16. Miami (18): A gradual begin towards Syracuse appeared to spell doom for a Hurricanes squad that wanted a spark, and perhaps they discovered it with Carson Beck’s landing reception. Miami poured it on late and in the end gained by 28 factors to maintain their spot within the high 25.  

17. USC (20): Friday night time noticed the Trojans deal with enterprise towards Northwestern, tightening up after a unfastened begin and pulling away for a 38-17 win. Now at 7-2 with a win over Michigan, the Trojans have a path to extra upward motion with video games towards Iowa and Oregon within the coming weeks. 

18. Michigan (21): The Wolverines had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion subsequent week at Northwestern. 

19. Tennessee (23): The Vols had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion subsequent week towards New Mexico State. 

20. Cincinnati (25): The Bearcats had been off in Week 11 and shall be again in motion subsequent week towards Arizona. 

21. Tulane (NR): The Inexperienced Wave bounced again from a surprising double-digit loss at UTSA with a robust efficiency taking down Memphis on the street. Now at 7-2 general, Tulane has a fancy resume with a 2-1 document towards energy convention opponents, a ranked win (at Memphis) and one dangerous loss. Making the American title sport, which is the important thing to creating the School Soccer Playoff, is more likely after the win towards the Tigers. Now will the AP voters word that and make a G5 swap on their ballots? It is actually attainable. 

22. James Madison (NR): Search for the School Soccer Playoff race to get one other contender on the subject of potential convention champions, as a result of JMU is now 8-1 general and 6-0 in convention play after a 12-point street win towards Marshall. If the Dukes win out and declare the Solar Belt title, they’re going to be a 12-1 group with the one loss coming to Louisville. What’s left are house dates towards App State and Washington State adopted the regular-season finale at Coastal Carolina. 

23. Pittsburgh (NR): The Panthers had been off in Week 11 however had been twenty eighth in final week’s balloting and confirmed up within the School Soccer Playoff Rankings as one of many high 25 groups within the nation, in accordance with the choice committee. That would convey a highlight that would not in any other case be on Pitt throughout an off week, and when in search of two-loss groups to think about, the Panthers have a stable argument.   

24. Houston (NR): The Cougars had been simply inside the highest 25 two weeks in the past earlier than a surprising loss to West Virginia, so it is not going to be a far attain to see voters seize a group when in search of choices within the 20s. Houston would not have many nice wins, it’s 8-2 after profitable in Week 11 at UCF and a kind of losses got here to a Texas Tech group who shall be shifting up on voters’ ballots. 

25. San Diego State (NR): The Aztecs are at present in motion at Hawaii. 

Projected to drop out: No. 12 Virginia, No. 14 Louisville, No. 19 Missouri, No. 22 Memphis, No. 24 Washington