The Faculty Soccer Playoff rankings are assured to see one in all their greatest shake-ups of the season after a Week 8 that threw the whole AP High 25 ballot right into a blender.
A few of it was inevitable, as each AP High 25 crew was in motion this weekend, and the groups that completed No. 26 (Michigan) and No. 27 (Washington) confronted one another. In whole, Week 8 featured 5 ranked-on-ranked matchups and 9 whole losses by ranked groups. So when the brand new AP High 25 is launched on Sunday, anticipate loads of motion within the rankings.
As for the headliners, it is laborious to get previous what Clark Lea has completed at Vanderbilt — and what the Commodores are set to do on Sunday — following their win over LSU. In response to our analysis, Vanderbilt has by no means been ranked greater than No. 10 within the AP High 25 ballot, and our projection is that they will land greater than that as one of many high one-loss groups within the ballot.
Bowl projections: Miami, Texas Tech lose grip in Faculty Soccer Playoff image, Georgia Tech thrives
Brad Crawford
Here is how we anticipate the brand new AP High 25 to look on Sunday after Week 8:
1. Ohio State (Final week — 1): If the Buckeyes need to boast that they’ve one of the best protection within the nation, there may be definitely extra proof for it in Saturday’s 34-0 win at Wisconsin. Ohio State is permitting 5.9 factors per sport this season and has but to surrender 17 in a single sport, serving to stability what it already a hyper-talented offense that appears to be getting extra snug every week with Julian Sayin at quarterback.
2. Indiana (3): We’re beginning to see some severely award-winning work from Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who threw for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 25-point win in opposition to Michigan State the week after profitable on the highway at Oregon. It is laborious to win over first-place votes from a convention rival, however the transfer to No. 2 alone will make extra program historical past because the highest-ever AP High 25 rating for Indiana soccer.
3. Texas A&M (4): Some severely inclement climate situations preceded a high-scoring back-and-forth at Arkansas, however the Aggies held robust with solutions at each flip to enhance to 7-0 on the 12 months.
4. Alabama (6): It is only a slight bump within the rankings nevertheless it’s a giant hurdle to cross for an Alabama crew that’s clearly within the combine for title rivalry right here in 2025. The Crimson Tide dealt with enterprise in opposition to rival Tennessee and now prepares for its residence stretch of the season trying to safe the Faculty Soccer Playoff bid that eluded Kalen DeBoer a 12 months in the past.
5. Oregon (8): It is a nice response from the Geese after final week’s loss to Indiana, as Oregon needed to bounce again and journey throughout the nation to New Jersey for a fast turnaround in opposition to Rutgers. The 56-10 outcome speaks to the main focus of an Oregon crew that is not going to let one loss impression the remainder of the season, and it’ll hold them safely inside the highest 10 heading into Week 9.
6. Georgia (9): The 2025 version of Kirby Sensible’s Bulldogs aren’t profitable video games the way in which we’re accustomed to seeing from his title-contending program. Shootout victories in opposition to Ole Miss on Saturday and Tennessee earlier this season present that the Dawgs can win numerous methods and that could possibly be a profit to attaining their final purpose within the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff period.
7. Vanderbilt (17): As we talked about earlier, historical past is ready to be made as Vanderbilt will virtually definitely set a brand new faculty file for highest-ever AP High 25 ballot rating. The ceiling for Vanderbilt’s rise can be Alabama, the one crew that it is misplaced to this season, however the flooring is LSU’s earlier rating simply on the surface of the highest 10.
8. Ole Miss (5): Dropping an in depth back-and-forth sport on the highway to Georgia is not going to return with an excessive amount of punishment from the voters, however there can be a downgrade for the Rebels.
9. Georgia Tech (12): Brent Key’s group is ready to interrupt into the highest 10 after holding by means of a sluggish begin in Durham and pulling away for a formidable win in opposition to Duke.
10. Miami (2): We’re projecting that Miami hangs on inside the highest 10 partly due to the head-to-head win in opposition to Notre Dame, which continues to carry worth because the Combating Irish surge continues.
11. Notre Dame (13): Marcus Freeman’s crew was prepared for the weather on Saturday evening and the Combating Irish battled by means of the wind and rain for a hard-fought win in opposition to USC to enhance to 5-2 on the 12 months.
12. Oklahoma (14): The Sooners wanted a robust bounce again after the Crimson River Rivalry loss to Texas they usually acquired it with a 26-7 victory at South Carolina. It was a win that affirmed, if nothing else, that this years Oklahoma crew can be led and pushed by its protection as they utilized relentless strain to assist hold South Carolina from ever threatening for an upset at residence.
13. BYU (15): The Cougars are set to maneuver up after an enormous rivalry win in opposition to Utah.
14. Missouri (16): The Tigers held on in double time beyond regulation and escaped with a win at Auburn to enhance to 6-1 on the season.
15. Tennessee (11): The Volunteers boast one other high quality loss resume that voters should think about after a 37-20 loss at Alabama. There aren’t any wins in opposition to groups which might be near being within the high 25 nevertheless it’s additionally a crew that solely has misplaced in opposition to Georgia, by three, and the Tide, on the highway.
16. Virginia (18): Think about this an averted catastrophe for Virginia, which escaped with a 22-20 win in opposition to Washington State due to a game-winning security. The Wahoos have been popping out of an off week hoping to be more healthy and prepared for a run on the ACC Championship, however Washington State continued its current run of placing a scare in energy convention opponents and pushed UVA to the brink. As it’s, Virginia improves to 6-1 total holds on to its spot within the high 25.
17. South Florida (19): The Bulls confirmed no indicators of a hangover from final week’s key win in Denton, throttling FAU 48-13 to enhance to 6-1 total and stay undefeated in convention play.
18. Texas Tech (7): There’s clearly going to be a drop for Texas Tech following the highway loss to Arizona State, however the injury may restricted by the truth that it was simply the primary lack of the season for the Crimson Raiders. A head-to-head win in opposition to Utah supplies some cushion by way of the place they land on the autumn, as does the boldness that voters had when placing them firmly within the combine for a top-five spot one week in the past.
19. Texas (21): Voters did not get a lot by way of causes to imagine in Texas as a high 25 crew from their Week 8 efficiency, as a result of a 13-10 time beyond regulation win at Kentucky doesn’t line up with the standard win the Longhorns logged in opposition to Oklahoma final week. There could possibly be some shuffling on the ballots as all positions are up for grabs, however within the consensus we’ll guess not a lot change within the pecking order amongst two-loss groups.
20. Cincinnati (24): The Bearcats backed up their current success with no indicators of a letdown, handing Oklahoma State a 32-point defeat in Stillwater.
21. Louisville (NR): There is just one loss on Louisville’s resume and it is in opposition to Virginia, so the Playing cards are going to interrupt into the rankings and be set by the Wahoos standing after taking down Miami on Friday evening.
22. Illinois (NR): The Combating Illini have been off in Week 8 however after being No. 26 in final week’s balloting ought to have a transparent path into the highest 25 as one of many high two loss groups within the nation.
23. Michigan (NR): The Wolverines bounced again from final week’s loss to USC with a win in opposition to Washington, which was beforehand the No. 28 crew in voting factors in final week’s rating.
24. Arizona State (NR): On one hand, the Solar Devils are 5-2 with losses to 2 groups, Utah and Mississippi State, who each misplaced on Saturday. However on the opposite, that is additionally a gaggle that simply handed Texas Tech its first lack of the season. So whereas the entire head-to-head matchups do not line up precisely, there’s sufficient high quality to the profile to get Arizona State again into the highest 25 after taking down the Crimson Raiders.
25. LSU (10): It is a complicated resume for voters to parse, as a result of whereas LSU has misplaced shut video games to a few ranked groups (Ole Miss and Vanderbilt) on the highway, it additionally does not have a bevy of high quality wins to justify a high 25 rating. Finally our projection is that the standard losses do sufficient work to keep away from falling all the way in which out of the rankings however this can be a crew that can be on the chopping block for a lot of voters’ ballots.
Projected to drop out: No. 20 USC, No. 22 Memphis, No. 23 Utah, No. 25 Nebraska
