2025 Faculty Soccer Rankings: Ohio State Reigns, Miami Making Noise, USC Falls

[ad_1] Michigan owns Ohio State — has for 4 years now.

And but, since Dec. 1 of final 12 months, the Buckeyes have been the perfect staff within the nation. They've an opportunity to change into the primary staff to repeat as nationwide champions since Georgia in 2021-2022. Standing of their method is the one staff Ohio State hasn’t crushed since 2019: the Wolverines.

The superlatives are lots, and the promise of glory — and richly gold pants — awaits a Buckeye staff that appears unstoppable … if it could actually topple its archnemesis in Ann Arbor this Saturday. However within the rivalry often known as "The Recreation," nothing is assured.

With that, here is a take a look at my prime 25 rankings following Week 13 of the school soccer season:

25. SMU (8-3), Beforehand Ranked: NR Week 13 consequence: Defeated Louisville, 38-6

Mustangs QB Kevin Jennings threw for 303 yards and 4 touchdowns in a win that places SMU only one victory away from a second journey to the ACC title recreation in as a few years.

Not unhealthy for a program that was nonetheless in Convention USA simply 13 years in the past, again when enjoying for a Energy 4 convention title appeared as far-fetched as faculty soccer paying its gamers a wage.

24. Arizona State (8-3), Beforehand Ranked: NR Week 13 consequence: Defeated Colorado, 42-17

Arizona State working again Raleek Brown rushed for 258 yards on 22 rushes because the Solar Devils broke open a recreation they led simply 21-17 at the beginning of the third quarter.

The Solar Devils have a small likelihood to play within the Large 12 title recreation, however barring chaos, head coach Kenny Dillingham and his staff must look again on performances like this to seek out pleasure within the common season.

23. Pitt (8-3), Beforehand Ranked: NR Week 13 consequence: Defeated Georgia Tech, 42-28

Pitt working again Ja’Kyrian Turner rushed for 201 yards and a landing, whereas Panthers linebacker Braylan Lovelace returned an interception 100 yards for a rating. If these two gamers don’t epitomize Pat Narduzzi soccer, nothing does.

The Yellow Jackets fell behind 21-0 earlier than the tip of the primary quarter, a deficit made even more durable to beat when the offense transformed simply 3 of 14 third downs and QB Haynes King threw as many interceptions as touchdowns (two).

The loss marked Georgia Tech's first at house since 2023, snapping a 10-game profitable streak.

A Pitt win subsequent weekend in opposition to Miami, coupled with a loss by SMU or Virginia, would ship the Panthers to the ACC title recreation.

22. USC (8-3), Beforehand Ranked: 19 Week 13 consequence: Misplaced to Oregon, 42-27

The Trojans haven’t crushed the Geese since 2016, and Lincoln Riley hasn’t defeated a top-10 staff since taking up at USC in 2022.

USC has by no means made the Faculty Soccer Playoff, and this season doesn’t seem like it is going to be the one to vary that.

21. James Madison (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 23 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Washington State, 24-20

The Dukes leaned on working again Wayne Knight, whose 58-yard landing run sealed the victory and saved JMU within the hunt for the Group of 6 CFP spot. They're the one Group of 6 staff with out a loss in convention play.

20. Tennessee (8-3), Beforehand Ranked: 22 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Florida, 31-11

The Vols regarded just like the type of staff that makes most of us imagine — myself included — the SEC is as deep as these rankings make it appear. This type of effort, this sort of win, in opposition to a program that has proven itself able to knocking off a prime 25 staff (Texas) is the type of efficiency Vols followers anticipate.

19. Navy (8-2), Beforehand Ranked: 21 Week 13 consequence: Idle

18. North Texas (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 20 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Rice, 56-24

Imply Inexperienced QB Drew Mestemaker threw for 469 yards and three touchdowns on simply 23 makes an attempt — an unbelievable 20.4 yards per go — whereas the North Texas offense racked up 640 whole yards in a whole dismantling of Rice.

This efficiency ought to function a loud assertion as to why UNT deserves consideration as the perfect staff within the Group of 6.

17. Virginia (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 17 Week 13 consequence: Idle

16. Utah (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 16 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Kansas State, 51-47

The Utes gave up 472 dashing yards at house, and nonetheless managed to win. Utah and Kansas State mixed to hurry for 634 yards and 1,125 whole yards in a recreation that absolutely felt like a private kick within the pants for each defensive coordinators — on the entrance and never the again.

15. Michigan (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 15 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Maryland, 45-20

The Wolverines entered the sport with out star tailbacks Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, however freshman RB Bryson Kuzdzal stepped up with 100 dashing yards and three touchdowns, serving to Michigan safe a win that retains them within the hunt for a CFP berth.

With Ohio State nonetheless on the schedule — a program Michigan has dominated since 2021 — all the pieces remains to be to play for.

14. Vanderbilt (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 13 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Kentucky, 45-17

Yet one more excellent efficiency from Heisman candidate Diego Pavia was considerably overshadowed by historical past: Vanderbilt received 9 video games within the common season for the primary time since 1915, marking this system’s second-ever profitable season in SEC play for the reason that convention expanded in 1992.

Nonetheless.

How about Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia: 32-of-38 for 469 passing yards with 5 whole TDs.

13. Notre Dame (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 11 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Syracuse, 70-7

The Combating Irish led 35-0 after one quarter of soccer. Notre Dame working again Jeremiyah Love rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns on simply eight carries. The Notre Dame offense ran for 324 yards on simply 24 rushes — 13.7 yards per rush — with six touchdowns.

Usually, I’d say one thing offensive about Syracuse right here, however I’m afraid the Orangemen received’t have the ability to defend themselves.

12. Alabama (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 12 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Jap Illinois, 56-0

Jap Illinois accounted for 34 whole yards. That’s not a typo, a misprint or a joke. It’s a press release of reality.

The Tide offense didn’t must do a lot on this recreation, however what it did was greater than sufficient, particularly on the bottom: 49 rushes for 269 yards — 5.5 yards per carry — and eight dashing touchdowns. And that got here in opposition to a program nowhere close to Bama’s weight class, which has the identical variety of losses and mainly performs an ACC schedule.

11. Miami (Fla.) (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 18 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Virginia Tech, 34-17

Miami QB Carson Beck was elite in opposition to a piss-poor Hokies staff that spent the week celebrating the hiring of James Franklin. Beck accomplished 27 of 32 passes for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns, together with 12 completions to Miami’s greatest participant, Malachi Toney, who completed with 146 yards and a rating.

Miami is ranked the place it's as a result of it beat Notre Dame, and Notre Dame is ranked beneath Miami as a result of it misplaced to the Canes. Similar variety of losses, comparable schedules — one simply received the head-to-head.

Somebody inform the CFP choice committee. I’m not satisfied they watched any video games this weekend.

10. Texas (8-3), Beforehand Ranked: 10 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Arkansas, 52-37

Texas QB Arch Manning accomplished 18 of 30 passes for 389 yards and 4 TDs in a lopsided win over a Razorbacks staff that hasn’t crushed an SEC opponent all 12 months. It was a superlative efficiency for a staff that has proven each brilliance — like their win in opposition to Oklahoma — and inconsistency — like their loss to Florida — and is prone to miss the CFP for the primary time since 2022.

9. BYU (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 9 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Cincinnati, 26-14

BYU held serve, leaving UCF as the one impediment between them and a possible rematch with Texas Tech within the Large 12 title recreation, providing their first likelihood at a convention championship and a CFP berth.

8. Texas Tech (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 8 Week 13 consequence: Idle

7. Oklahoma (9-2), Beforehand Ranked: 7 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Missouri, 17-6

Oklahoma’s protection is the second-best unit within the nation, and it has proved that by surviving the SEC’s murderers’ row and exhibiting the league that the Sooners are simply as deadly to ranked SEC groups as anybody.

6. Ole Miss (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 6 Week 13 consequence: Idle

5. Oregon (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 5 Week 13 consequence: Defeated USC, 42-27

The Geese held USC to simply 1.7 yards per stick with it the bottom, securing win No. 10 and strengthening their case for an at-large berth to the CFP.

This model of Oregon feels lots like final 12 months’s Indiana staff — adequate to earn an invite, however whether or not the Geese can do what that Hoosiers staff couldn’t stays the query: win a CFP recreation.

4. Georgia (10-1), Beforehand Ranked: 4 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Charlotte, 35-3

Kirby Good owns everyone however Alabama, and that features the Charlotte 49ers, who had been held to a hapless 1-for-11 on third down and simply 39 dashing yards.

Look, I do know UGA is nice. You already know UGA is nice. And beating up Charlotte in November does nothing to vary anybody’s thoughts. Truthfully, it seems like Georgia would like to take this week off, however the schedule received’t enable it.

3. Texas A&M (11-0), Beforehand Ranked: 3 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Samford, 48-0

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed threw three touchdowns within the first quarter earlier than head coach Mike Elko instructed his Heisman candidate to sit — one other traditional case of November SEC scheduling conceitedness. The Aggies spent the afternoon punching down on an FCS program from Birmingham, Alabama, one which even fired its head coach earlier this 12 months.

2. Indiana (11-0), Beforehand Ranked: 2 Week 13 consequence: Idle

1. Ohio State (11-0), Beforehand Ranked: 1 Week 13 consequence: Defeated Rutgers, 42-9

Ohio State outscored Rutgers 28-6 within the second half, and its protection continues to seem like the perfect unit in faculty soccer. The Buckeyes have allowed 16 factors or fewer in each recreation this season, together with not more than 10 in every of their final three contests.

However the true check comes Saturday, when the undefeated Buckeyes face a Michigan staff they haven’t crushed since 2019 and are 0-4 in opposition to during the last 4 years. A win wouldn't solely hold Ohio State’s good season intact but in addition strengthen their place within the Faculty Soccer Playoff race.

RJ Younger is a nationwide faculty soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Observe him @RJ_Young.

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