The third version of the School Soccer Playoff Rankings was launched Tuesday evening with undefeated Ohio State remaining No. 1 forward of Indiana and the highest 10 experiencing some key alterations. Simply three weeks stay till the ultimate School Soccer Playoff bracket is chosen, and there’s no telling what upsets could also be in retailer for the highest groups within the nation with two weeks left within the common season.
A pair of top-tier SEC matchups created a brand new No. 4 group within the nation. Alabama vacated that spot amid a 23-21 dwelling loss to Oklahoma with Georgia sliding into first-round bye place after dominating Texas, 35-10. The Sooners now sit No. 8, two spots forward of the Crimson Tide.
No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 5 Texas Tech spherical out the highest 5.
The reigning nationwide champion Buckeyes are looking for their seventh playoff look in 12 years of the postseason bracket’s existence (2014, 2016, 2019-20, 2022, 2024). Ohio State’s remaining recreation towards a ranked opponent is available in its regular-season finale towards Michigan.
Eight of the 11 groups ranked No. 1 in a season’s preliminary CFP Rankings in the end reached the playoff, an effort now made simpler with the expanded 12-team discipline, which is being contested for a second season.
At present projected to fulfill OSU within the Massive Ten Championship Recreation is Indiana after each groups gained by double digits on Saturday. IU enjoys a late off week earlier than taking part in Massive Ten basement dweller Purdue in Week 14.
Miami (FL), regardless of being ranked No. 13, takes the Eleventh projected bid because the highest-rated group from the ACC. Nevertheless, with the Hurricanes unlikely to play within the ACC Championship Recreation — projected as Georgia Tech vs. Virginia — they’ll nearly assuredly must earn a spot as an at-large group.
Tulane claims the final of the 12 playoff spots because the highest-ranked Group of 5 group in Tuesday’s launch at No. 24. With the 12-team playoff mannequin granting automated bids to the 5 highest-ranked convention champions, the Inexperienced Wave are presently projected to win the American and seize the ultimate spot within the discipline. Ought to a Group of 5 group not make the ultimate rankings, the CFP Choice Committee would select which champion deserved the final bid.
School Soccer Playoff Rankings, Nov. 18
* First-round bye | ~ First-round host | ^ Highest-ranked Group of 5 group
- Ohio State (10-0) *
- Indiana (11-0) *
- Texas A&M (10-0) *
- Georgia (9-1) *
- Texas Tech (10-1) ~
- Ole Miss (10-1) ~
- Oregon (9-1) ~
- Oklahoma (8-2) ~
- Notre Dame (8-2)
- Alabama (8-2)
- BYU (9-1)
- Utah (8-2)
- Miami (FL) (8-2) | No. 11 seed
- Vanderbilt (8-2)
- USC (8-2)
- Georgia Tech (9-1)
- Texas (7-3)
- Michigan (8-2)
- Virginia (9-2)
- Tennessee (7-3)
- Illinois (7-3)
- Missouri (7-3)
- Houston (8-2)
- Tulane (8-2) ^ | No. 12 seed
- Arizona State (7-3)
Miami’s curious case
Whereas losses to Louisville and SMU squandered Miami’s likelihood to regulate its personal future within the eyes of the committee, the excellent news for the Hurricanes is there is a larger likelihood now of reaching the bracket in comparison with two weeks in the past. Playoff hopes dwindled after their time beyond regulation loss in Dallas to open November, and the committee’s response was a No. 18 grade of their first prime 25 because the ACC’s fourth group behind Virginia, Louisville and Georgia Tech. All of these groups have misplaced not less than as soon as since, pushing the Hurricanes again out entrance of others within the ACC at No. 13 in Tuesday’s third version of the rankings.
Let’s handle the leprechaun within the room because it pertains to Miami. After transferring up three spots final week to No. 15, the Hurricanes pushed forward once more after their blowout win over NC State. Notre Dame dealt with the Wolfpack, too, however that matchup was 10-7 at halftime in South Bend. Miami held a 24-point benefit at intermission per week after NC State had given Georgia Tech its first ACC lack of the season. So, there’s the widespread opponent perspective when evaluating the 2 groups who every seem like heading towards 10-2 finishes. If the Hurricanes blow out Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh — who won’t be ranked any longer relying on Saturday’s end result towards the Yellow Jackets — they’re going to nonetheless be behind the Combating Irish within the energy of file, recreation management and energy of schedule metrics. These are vital components for the committee.
The Hurricanes need assistance from an at-large standpoint until one in every of two convoluted situations involving numerous different ACC outcomes leads to a league championship recreation alternative. The extra real looking state of affairs is without doubt one of the three at-large, two-loss groups forward of the Hurricanes lose one other regular-season recreation — you, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Alabama.
Hazard zone for Alabama
From being slotted — at worst — on the No. 4 line with a loss within the SEC Championship Recreation previous to final week’s defeat to Oklahoma, the Tenth-ranked Crimson Tide are one other turnover-filled setback at Auburn away from being outdoors of the playoff. That would not sit properly with the natives in Tuscaloosa, not after this group gained eight straight video games following the season-opening loss at Florida State with 4 of these victories coming towards ranked groups in SEC play.
There isn’t any must panic for Alabama, by the best way. So long as errors are corrected, the Crimson Tide ought to deal with their rival within the Iron Bowl. The choice is one other cataclysmic November slide that might preserve Kalen DeBoer away from the nationwide championship image for the second straight season, which may make 2026 a contract 12 months of kinds given the elite expectation degree at Alabama.
Oregon’s Massive Ten predicament
Take out the Sharpie and present unbeaten Ohio State and Indiana some love. They’re in. The Massive Ten’s third playoff entry hasn’t but materialized, nonetheless. No. 7 Oregon’s in prime place with one loss and wraps up a first-round assure with a victory over Fifteenth-ranked USC this weekend. If the Trojans clip the Geese at Autzen Stadium, the chaos begins. That might arrange a state of affairs that features three 10-2 groups contained in the convention on the finish of the month behind the Buckeyes and Hoosiers if Michigan takes out Ohio State on Nov. 29. If the committee did vote a fourth Massive Ten squad into the bracket, Oregon can be on the surface trying in.
The one metric during which the Geese at present have a large benefit over the Trojans and Wolverines is recreation management. Their greatest win is Iowa, whereas USC has that very same victory and would maintain head-to-head edges over Oregon and Michigan and beat Nebraska away from dwelling. Michigan’s resume would sparkle with the Ohio State shocker, and one in every of its losses got here to potential SEC invitee Oklahoma. How would the committee justify placing Oregon in over the Trojans and Wolverines if all finish with the identical file? They could not. Beating USC this weekend ought to convey Dan Lanning reassurance, no matter what occurs within the finale at Washington.
4 groups battling for 2 first-round spots
So long as Ohio State and Indiana get to Indianapolis with out a loss, there’s 5 groups battling for the opposite two coveted opening-round byes — the SEC champion together with the SEC’s runner-up, Texas Tech or Georgia competing for the opposite two coveted opening-round byes. I do not foresee Eleventh-ranked BYU leaping sufficient spots to get there — even by profitable out and taking the rematch with the Purple Raiders within the Massive 12.
- The most certainly state of affairs is third-ranked Texas A&M profitable the SEC at 13-0 over Alabama with an 11-win Georgia group pushing to the 4 seed throughout remaining deliberations. You are not speculated to be docked by what occurs in a convention championship, however a three-loss Crimson Tide must slide behind the Bulldogs. In that state of affairs, Georgia’s final-month wins would come with Florida, Mississippi State, Texas, Charlotte and Georgia Tech, whereas Alabama would maintain wins over LSU, Jap Illinois and Auburn. That is not recency bias. It is one group getting into the playoff purple sizzling and the opposite leaking oil.
- One other state of affairs is Alabama beating Texas A&M within the convention title recreation and incomes the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, relying on the committee’s desire alongside the Massive Ten’s runner-up. That would depart the No. 4 spot open for the Aggies, Massive 12 champion Texas Tech or 11-win Georgia.
- Greatest-case for the at present fifth-ranked Purple Raiders getting a first-round bye can be all of those video games going chalk the remainder of the season together with a convincing win over BYU within the Massive 12 remaining. A twelfth victory and convention title needs to be sufficient to push them forward of the Bulldogs for that remaining place.
