Editor’s observe: The Athletic 134 is a weekly rating of all FBS faculty soccer groups.
It’s time to take discover of BYU.
The Cougars are undefeated and have delivered Kansas State and SMU their solely losses of the season. But BYU stays exterior the highest 10 in each the AP and Coaches polls. However not right here. BYU is as much as No. 7 on this week’s version of The Athletic 134.
I’m stunned the Cougars haven’t gotten extra love. They’re undefeated at 7-0 and have two actually good wins, each of that are higher than the most effective wins of Iowa State (Iowa) and a number of other different groups round their place within the polls. They’ve truly been in my prime 10 for weeks.
Maybe it’s as a result of BYU has twice performed on Friday nights, or as a result of its 38-9 win in opposition to Kansas State was a ten:30 p.m. kickoff on a Saturday. Sure, the Cougars have performed some shut video games and wanted a late landing to beat Oklahoma State, however this crew and particularly this protection appears to be like legit, now thirteenth in yards per play allowed.
You must also take discover as a result of the second half of the schedule is manageable. BYU and Iowa State don’t play one another within the common season. The Cougars already beat Okay-State and gained’t play 5-2 Colorado. If the Large 12 needs to get two groups into the Faculty Soccer Playoff, BYU would seemingly be one in all them.
GO DEEPER
AP Prime 25: Oregon new No. 1; Vandy ends ballot drought
We’re greater than midway by means of the season, and we’re nonetheless getting shock outcomes that shake up the rankings. Right here is that this week’s version of The Athletic 134.
1-10
Rank
Group
File
Prev
1
7-0
1
2
6-1
3
3
6-0
4
4
7-0
6
5
5-1
5
6
6-1
2
7
7-0
8
8
6-1
12
9
6-1
11
10
6-1
9
Georgia slides as much as No. 2 after its win at Texas, whereas the Longhorns fall to No. 6 as a result of their greatest win at this level is a sliding Michigan crew or a sliding Oklahoma. The Bulldogs’ loss to Alabama retains them from the highest spot, particularly after the Tide misplaced once more and at the moment are ranked subsequent to Boise State, which Oregon beat.
Miami jumps Ohio State after its win at Louisville, however the Ohio State-Penn State recreation in two weeks will probably be one other shakeup recreation.
Tennessee and LSU leap into the highest 10 after the Vols beat Alabama and the Tigers beat Arkansas 34-10. Tennessee and LSU’s resumes are extremely even, however Tennessee has the higher Finest Win, so the Vols get the slight edge.
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Tennessee proved in opposition to Alabama it’s not a one-hit surprise below Josh Heupel
11-25
Illinois is the one newcomer to the highest 25, again after a 21-7 win in opposition to Michigan to maneuver to 6-1.
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Stewart Mandel’s 12-team Playoff projections after Week 8
26-50
Groups simply exterior the highest 25 took all sort of losses this week. In consequence, Syracuse, UNLV, South Carolina, Memphis, Military, Duke and Cincinnati make large jumps into the highest 35. Michigan State additionally jumps to No. 39 after a 32-20 win in opposition to Iowa. Subsequent up is a Michigan-MSU recreation that would have main bowl implications for each.
Is it bizarre that we’ve stopped speaking about Colorado proper because the Buffs grew to become a strong crew? Colorado is 5-2 and No. 38 after a 34-7 win in opposition to Arizona, which comes after a last-minute loss to Kansas State and a win in opposition to UCF. It’d be a shocker if Colorado didn’t go bowling, which is one other enchancment for coach Deion Sanders.
No. 46 Florida and No. 47 Virginia Tech additionally transfer into the highest 50 after dealing with Kentucky and Boston Faculty, respectively. Utah continues to slip and is now simply hanging onto No. 50 after shedding to TCU.
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Mandel’s Last Ideas: Georgia’s defensive havoc takes down Texas and extra from Week 8
51-75
USC has tumbled to No. 52 after blowing one other 14-point lead and shedding at Maryland to drop to 1-4 in Large Ten play. No. 53 Rutgers misplaced a shocker to UCLA and dropped out of the highest 50.
Louisiana continues to sneak across the prime of the Solar Belt, now No. 60 after beating Coastal Carolina to maneuver to 6-1 general, whereas Georgia Southern took management of the Solar Belt East in beating James Madison and strikes as much as No. 63 from No. 82. Toledo is as much as No. 68 after beating Northern Illinois.
No. 65 NC State and No. 66 Cal are the hardest groups to rank. NC State lately misplaced to Wake Forest however circled and beat Cal, which is 0-4 in ACC play by a complete of 9 factors. If the Golden Bears might make a discipline aim, their document can be fully completely different.
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Morales: USC has invested closely in Lincoln Riley and his employees. The place are the outcomes?
76-100
Baylor jumps to No. 76 after a shocking 59-35 win in opposition to Texas Tech. Texas State drops to No. 77 after a loss to Outdated Dominion. Auburn blew a double-digit lead in opposition to Missouri, dropping to 2-5, and slips to No. 80.
No. 82 Western Michigan is definitely atop the MAC at 3-0 after beating Buffalo, which has defeated Toledo and NIU. Marshall jumps as much as No. 81 as a result of the Herd have a win in opposition to WMU and beat Georgia State final week.
The underside of the Energy 4 is bunching collectively. Purdue is the bottom of the group at No. 95, however Florida State is simply forward at No. 94 after shedding to Duke for the primary time ever. No. 93 Mississippi State has performed Georgia and Texas A&M competitively in current weeks, whereas Houston slides again all the way down to No. 89 after a 42-14 loss to Kansas.
GO DEEPER
Large 12, ACC ought to relish a number of bids in the event that they get them: Faculty Soccer Playoff Bubble Watch
101-134
New Mexico has gained three video games in a row after a 50-45 barnburner in opposition to Utah State to maneuver as much as No. 106 in Bronco Mendenhall’s first yr. UTSA’s win in opposition to Florida Atlantic bounces the Roadrunners again as much as No. 110.
UTEP bought its first win of the season, beating FIU, to maneuver as much as No. 129. That leaves the FBS with simply two winless groups: Kennesaw State and Kent State.
The Athletic 134 collection 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 enhancing course of and don’t evaluation tales earlier than publication.
(Photograph: Chris Gardner / Getty Photos)
