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We’re on the midpoint of the faculty soccer season, and 14 groups are nonetheless undefeated. In the present day, I’m joined by Ari Wasserman to test in on the nationwide title race.
Right here’s what’s occurring in school soccer Till Saturday …
AP Ballot Evaluation
Overreaction, underreaction
Seven AP Prime 25 groups misplaced in Week 6, inflicting loads of fluctuation in Sunday’s latest ballot. Texas fell six spots to No. 9, and Notre Dame dropped 11 to No. 21. The highest 5 (with first-place votes in parentheses): Georgia (50), Michigan (11), Ohio State (1), Florida State (1), Oklahoma. A couple of ideas:
The place the voters overreacted: No. 19 Washington State. The Cougs dropped an excessively dramatic six spots after their 25-17 loss to UCLA. Wazzu is now the lowest-ranked of the Pac-12’s seven Prime-25 groups. The Bruins sport the nation’s finest protection in yards per play allowed (3.74), and I’d anticipate them to disrupt a couple of different Pac-12 offenses down the road. What actually irks me right here is Wazzu being 4 spots behind an Oregon State crew that it beat and three spots behind a Utah crew it may beat.
The Cougs dropped an excessively dramatic six spots after their 25-17 loss to UCLA. Wazzu is now the lowest-ranked of the Pac-12’s seven Prime-25 groups. The Bruins sport the nation’s finest protection in yards per play allowed (3.74), and I’d anticipate them to disrupt a couple of different Pac-12 offenses down the road. What actually irks me right here is Wazzu being 4 spots behind an Oregon State crew that it beat and three spots behind a Utah crew it may beat. The place the voters underreacted: No. 10 USC. I do give the voters credit score for pulling down USC for the third week in a row regardless of the Trojans successful every time, however Saturday’s triple-overtime consequence towards Arizona ought to have been price greater than a single spot drop. A extra full crew, maybe UNC or Alabama, deserves the highest 10 as an alternative.
I do give the voters credit score for pulling down USC for the third week in a row regardless of the Trojans successful every time, however Saturday’s triple-overtime consequence towards Arizona ought to have been price greater than a single spot drop. A extra full crew, maybe UNC or Alabama, deserves the highest 10 as an alternative. A crew with a case: Wyoming. There’s a unique No. 25 as soon as once more this week; it simply wasn’t the crew that needs to be there. Wyoming knocked Fresno State out of the ballot with a 24-19 win on Saturday. The Cowboys are 5-1 with their solely loss coming towards Texas … a recreation by which they had been tied with the Longhorns at 10 heading into the fourth quarter. The Cowboys face 5-0 Air Power subsequent.
Ballot guru Matt Brown has a full breakdown on this week’s “Behind the Poll.”
Cameron Ward and the Washington State Cougars suffered their first lack of the season Saturday towards UCLA. (Gary A. Vasquez / USA In the present day)
Championship Test-In
Predictions for every P5 convention
ACC: Louisville, Florida State and UNC are undefeated and look most outfitted for a visit to Charlotte. I’m additionally not ruling out Duke (4-1, 1-0 ACC), which is able to resume convention play Saturday towards NC State. We all know Florida State’s offense can put up factors, and UNC has flown comparatively below the radar whereas star QB Drake Maye leads the Tar Heels’ ACC-best passing offense. The most important drawback? None of these three undefeated groups play one another. Prediction: Florida State vs. UNC.
Huge 12: Oklahoma and Texas are simply essentially the most dominant groups within the convention. West Virginia (4-1, 2-0 Huge 12) stays within the dialog with its excellent convention mark and a good schedule (excluding a Nov. 11 highway journey to Oklahoma). BYU (4-1, 1-1) is the one convention newcomer holding its personal as Cincinnati, Houston and UCF have but to document a convention win. Prediction: Oklahoma vs. Texas.
Huge Ten: The Huge Ten title race seems, properly, how we anticipated it to look. The large, unhealthy East Division is a toss-up between undefeated Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ toughness has been questioned, they usually have survived a couple of scares, however they’ve the most important win of this group towards Notre Dame — and had been the primary to face sneaky good Maryland. Wisconsin (4-1, 2-0 Huge Ten) leads the West Division and might take full management if it beats Iowa this weekend. Prediction: Michigan vs. Wisconsin.
Pac-12: It was solely a matter of time earlier than the offense-crazed Pac-12 imploded on itself, and that started when UCLA knocked off Wazzu. USC, Oregon and Washington stay undefeated, though that’ll change this week when the Geese journey to Husky Stadium. Two-time reigning Pac-12 champ Utah (4-1,1-1 Pac-12) misses QB Cam Rising, and placing up only one landing towards Oregon State received’t get the Utes again to Las Vegas. As a lot as I’d love a Pac-2 showdown between Oregon State and Washington State, I’d guess we get a Huge Ten primer as an alternative. Prediction: Oregon vs. Washington.
SEC: After a lot discuss of an SEC down 12 months and questions in regards to the sport’s elite convention, the SEC title race seems all too acquainted. Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC) took an outright lead within the West Division by beating Texas A&M. LSU (4-2, 3-1) is second, though the Tigers don’t look almost as harmful as we thought. In the meantime, undefeated Georgia lastly confirmed its dominance towards Kentucky. Tennessee’s unhealthy loss to Florida has knocked it down within the East Division standings whereas Missouri let an enormous alternative slip by means of the cracks towards LSU. Prediction: Alabama vs. Georgia.
However can the Dawgs make all of it the best way but once more? Let’s hear from Ari Wasserman.
