A month into the 2024 school soccer season, we’re not solely studying which groups would be the most formidable this 12 months but in addition which conferences are the strongest.
With Group of 5 members battling for one computerized Faculty Soccer Playoff bid, general convention energy may very well be a vital tiebreaker.
Listed here are our mid-major convention energy rankings getting into Week 5.
Be aware: To find out the rankings, we used ESPN’s Football Power Index and Brian Fremeau’s Fremeau Efficiency Index to search out the typical rank for every Group of 5 convention.
1. Solar Belt
FPI: 90.920 • FEI: 90.786 | AVG: 90.857
Prime CFP candidate: James Madison Dukes (3-0)
James Madison’s 70-50 Week 4 win over North Carolina (3-1) gave the SBC its signature win this season. Whereas the Dukes are on the prime of the convention, the Solar Belt’s depth propels it over extra top-heavy conferences.
9 Solar Belt members rank within the prime 100 of ESPN’s FPI, essentially the most of any Group of 5 convention.
South Alabama (2-2, 1-0 in Solar Belt) scored 87 factors two weeks in the past towards FCS Northwestern State and performs No. 14 LSU (3-1, 1-0 in SEC), which has struggled defensively, in Week 5. Texas State (2-1) solely misplaced by three, 31-28, to Arizona State (3-1, 0-1 in Large 12) in Week 3.
Georgia State (2-1) defeated Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1 in SEC) 36-32 one week earlier than the Commodores took No. 11 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 in SEC) to double extra time.
2. Mountain West
FPI: 94.750 • FEI: 89.583 | AVG: 92.167
Prime CFP candidate: UNLV Rebels (3-0)
UNLV is perhaps undefeated, however it suffered a serious loss this week. Quarterback Matthew Sluka give up the group, alleging he did not obtain the cash promised to him upon transferring to the college from FCS Holy Cross. Backup working again Michael Allen additionally introduced his departure. Throughout UNLV’s undefeated begin, the previous NC State working again had 19 carries for 108 yards.
Ought to the Rebels fall to Fresno State (3-1, 1-0 in Mountain West) this weekend, Boise State (2-1) may very well be the league’s probably CFP consultant. It performs Washington State (4-0) on Saturday, three weeks after narrowly dropping to No. 8 Oregon (3-0) on the street, 37-34, on a last-second discipline objective.
With UNLV and Boise State, the MWC is the one G5 convention to have two FPI prime 50 groups, however groups together with Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State and Wyoming lavatory down the convention within the rankings.
3. American
FPI: 95.286 • FEI: 96.357 | AVG: 95.821
Prime CFP candidates: Military (3-0, 2-0 in AAC); Navy (3-0, 2-0 in AAC)
The 2 service academies are the final remaining AAC undefeated groups. Navy had a powerful 56-44 win towards Memphis (3-1, 0-1 in AAC) in Week 4 after the Tigers beat Florida State (1-3, 1-2 in ACC) on the street.
Military has wins over Florida Atlantic (1-3), Rice (1-3) and FCS Lehigh (3-1), however each packages have video games towards No. 16 Notre Dame (3-1) that might increase their resumes.
Memphis and Tulane (2-2) rank as the highest AAC groups, per ESPN’s FPI. The Inexperienced Wave misplaced on the street at No. 21 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1 in SEC) and at house towards No. 23 Kansas State (3-1, 0-1 in Large 12), whereas the Tigers have the American’s finest out-of-conference win.
Each packages have time to emerge as the highest within the AAC by the tip of the season, however they need assistance to complete as one of the best G5 possibility for the CFP.
4. Mid-American
FPI: 104.833 • FEI: 105.917 | AVG: 105.375
Prime CFP candidate: Northern Illinois (2-1, 0-1 in MAC)
The MAC bought whacked in Week 4. Northern Illinois, coming off a bye following a 16-14 win at Notre Dame, misplaced 23-20 in extra time to Buffalo (3-1, 1-0 in MAC), which fell 38-0 at Missouri earlier this season.
Toledo, contemporary off a 41-17 romp at Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 in SEC), misplaced 26-21 on the street at Western Kentucky (3-1, 1-0 in CUSA), the identical Hilltoppers who have been blown out 63-0 at Alabama (3-0) in Week 2.
The underside of the convention is as dangerous because it will get. Kent State (0-4) misplaced to No. 5 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 in SEC) and No. 9 Penn State (3-0) by a mixed rating of 127-0. The Golden Flashes have a median margin of defeat of 41 factors per sport this season, the worst in FBS. Fellow MAC member Akron (1-3) has the second-worst common margin of defeat (27.5 factors per sport) in 2024, together with losses to energy convention members No. 3 Ohio State (3-0), Rutgers (3-0) and South Carolina (3-1, 1-1 in SEC) by a mixed rating of 151-30.
5. Convention USA
FPI: 114 • FEI: 108.4 | AVG: 111.2
Prime CFP candidate: Liberty Flames (4-0)
Do not be shocked if Liberty runs the desk once more. The Flames are in school soccer’s weakest convention, which might assist them waltz to a different undefeated common season.
Solely three Convention USA groups (Liberty, Western Kentucky, Sam Houston State) have a profitable file. The remainder of the convention is a mixed 5-21.
A season in the past, Liberty was a controversial decide for the G5’s bid in a New 12 months’s Six bowl, making the sport over extra certified groups due to its undefeated file towards a weak schedule. It misplaced to Oregon, 45-6, within the Fiesta Bowl.
Per ESPN’s FPI, the Flames’ energy of schedule is the weakest within the nation, and their remaining schedule is not way more difficult, rating one hundred and thirtieth out of 134 FBS packages.