Power Rankings 10-24-23

Welcome Back!

Before I talk about the rankings, there are 2 early games this week. Hopefully, I'll do better this week than last on these early contests...

Tuesday, October 17

New Mexico State @ La Tech- The Bulldogs lead the series 8-4, winning the last 6, but most of the contests (8) occurred between 2005-2012, when both were members of the WAC. They also played in 1995, when each were members of the Big West, and in 1967, '68, and '83. The Aggies have never defeated LT in Ruston in 5 tries. This year NMSU is 5-3/3-1, and 2-2 on the road, with wins over FIU (by 17), Sam Houston, and at UTEP (by 21), and a loss at Liberty, and they currently are battling WKU and JSU for 2nd place in CUSA and a spot in the title game (JSU is ineligible). The Bulldogs are 3-5/2-2, and 2-2 at home, with wins over FIU (by 5) and at UTEP (by 14), and losses to WKU and at MTSU. This will probably be close, but the Aggies finally get a win in Ruston.

Liberty @ WKU- The Flames lead the series 3-0, winning twice in Bowling Green, but the games were played in 1995-96 and in 2020. The Hilltoppers are 4-3/2-1, and 3-0 at home, with wins over MTSU (by 21) and at La Tech, and a loss to JSU (by 3). Liberty is 7-0/5-0, and is 3-0 on the road, with wins over NMSU, Sam Houston, MTSU (by 7). and at FIU and JSU (by 18). A win by LU would almost clinch a berth in the CUSA Championship Game, as they would hold the tiebreaker advantage over all of the closest followers with just 3 games to play. WKU pulls the mild upset at home and pulls the Flames back into the pack.

NOTE: Even though this blog is published after the games were completed, these predictions were written before the games started. It's obvious I didn't cheat, as I am now 1-1 on the week...

Power Rankings

There are quite a few changes in the Power Rankings again this week, as everything is now based on what the teams have accomplished this season. 

One of the results of dropping my preseason points is that the teams are now more tightly bunched together, and so wins and losses affect them more than they have before. In other words, the rankings from week to week are going to be much more volatile than they have been.

At any rate, I am less concerned with being correct right now than I am with being correct at the end of the season. 

The Top 10 has been rearranged yet again, as has much of the bottom 10, and pretty much everything in between. Michigan moves into the top spot, mainly because Georgia didn't play this week, and thus didn't earn any points. Don't be surprised if they change again next week if Ohio State, Oklahoma, and/or Georgia win, as Michigan is idle this week.

Most teams moved 9 spots or less. Here are the teams that moved up at least 10 places:

SMU +10 to #25

South Alabama +17 to #31

Oklahoma State +13 to #48

UTSA +31 to #62

Boston College +15 to #65

Rice +24 to #68

San Jose State +20 to #70

BYU +13 to #71

Minnesota +11 to #74

ODU +12 to #77

Bowling Green +11 to #91

Virginia +16 to #92

Charlotte +10 to #109

Here are the teams that dropped 10 or more places:

North Carolina -12 to #17

Clemson -10 to #34

Iowa -10 to #49

West Virginia -15 to #55

TCU -11 to #63

Georgia Tech -12 to #72

Texas Tech -12 to #76

Arkansas -10 to #80

Marshall -16 to #81

WKU-12 to #84

Utah State -17 to #86

Cincinnati -19 to #87

Appalachian State -17 to #88

Pittsburgh -11 to #90

South Carolina -10 to #96

FAU -15 to #97

Michigan State -19 to #102

Army -16 to #110

Central Michigan -10 to #116

As you can tell, many teams moved a lot of spots. I feel these rankings more accurately reflect what has transpired this season, though I am surprised at where a few teams are this week. Remember, I use a point system, so none of this is my opinion.

As stated before, this year I am listing where the teams were ranked last week as well.

Here are the new rankings:

Rank	Team	Previous
1	Michigan	8
2	Ohio State	4
3	Oklahoma	2
4	Georgia	1
5	Penn State	3
6	Oregon	6
7	FSU	7
8	Texas	9
9	Washington	11
10	Notre Dame	10
11	Alabama	16
12	Air Force	13
13	Oregon State	12
14	UCLA	17
15	LSU	22
16	Ole Miss	19
17	North Carolina	5
18	Miami, Fl	20
19	James Madison	23
20	Missouri	25
21	Tennessee	14
22	Liberty	18
23	Duke	15
24	Louisville	21
25	SMU	35
26	Utah	30
27	Kansas State	27
28	Arizona	26
29	Troy	28
30	Toledo	36
31	South Alabama	48
32	Texas A&M	31
33	Tulane	33
34	Clemson	24
35	Florida	34
36	USC	29
37	Fresno State	37
38	Miami, OH	32
39	Rutgers	42
40	Wisconsin	41
41	Memphis	44
42	Texas State	38
43	Kansas	43
44	Georgia State	47
45	Georgia Southern	45
46	Maryland	46
47	UNLV	53
48	Oklahoma State	61
49	Iowa	39
50	Kentucky	51
51	Jacksonville State	59
52	Iowa State	54
53	UCF	50
54	Ohio	57
55	West Virginia	40
56	Syracuse	55
57	Wyoming	56
58	Washington State	49
59	Louisiana	58
60	NC State	62
61	Coastal Carolina	66
62	UTSA	93
63	TCU	52
64	Virginia Tech	67
65	Boston College	80
66	Nebraska	74
67	Auburn	63
68	Rice	92
69	Mississippi State	78
70	San Jose State	90
71	BYU	84
72	Georgia Tech	60
73	Colorado	73
74	Minnesota	85
75	New Mexico State	82
76	Texas Tech	64
77	ODU	89
78	Houston	75
79	California	77
80	Arkansas	70
81	Marshall	65
82	Northern Illinois	81
83	Wake Forest	91
84	WKU	76
85	Boise State	87
86	Utah State	69
87	Cincinnati	68
88	Appalachian State	71
89	New Mexico	98
90	Pittsburgh	79
91	Bowling Green	102
92	Virginia	108
93	Northwestern	88
94	Baylor	103
95	Illinois	95
96	South Carolina	86
97	FAU	72
98	Purdue	99
99	Navy	96
100	North Texas	97
101	Arizona State	105
102	Michigan State	83
103	Colorado State	101
104	USF	107
105	UAB	104
106	La Tech	111
107	Tulsa	100
108	Indiana	109
109	Charlotte	119
110	Army	94
111	Western Michigan	114
112	Eastern Michigan	112
113	ULM	115
114	Middle Tenn	117
115	East Carolina	110
116	Central Michigan	106
117	Arkansas State	116
118	Buffalo	126
119	San Diego State	113
120	Vanderbilt	120
121	Ball State	128
122	FIU	125
123	Stanford	118
124	UConn	121
125	Hawai'i	122
126	Sam Houston	124
127	UTEP	127
128	UMass	132
129	Southern Miss	123
130	Kent State	130
131	Akron	131
132	Temple	129
133	Nevada	133

I will update these rankings each week throughout the season.

Feel free to leave a comment. Come back tomorrow for my Odds and Ends! 

Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!