Predicting the School Soccer Playoff rankings, bracket for Week 13

The third School Soccer Playoff rankings of 2024 are hours away as we’re inching nearer and nearer to the tip of the common season. Earlier than the CFP committee unveils the following rankings on Tuesday evening, I predict the place the highest 25 groups will land. 

The third of six CFP high 25 reveals occurs on Tuesday, Nov. 19 (here’s the full schedule). Forward of the announcement, this is a prediction of how the committee might rank its high 25 groups. Notice that these are my predictions and mine alone. I take a look at head-to-head outcomes, schedule power, video games towards ranked groups and extra to assist rank the groups how I feel the CFP committee will achieve this.  You can read the CFP committee’s official protocols here.

2024 School Soccer Playoff rankings predictions: Third High 25 projections

These predictions are as of Sunday, Nov. 17. 

1. Oregon (11-0) LW: 1 — Oregon escaped Wisconsin, and whereas the Geese did not look their greatest, they’re nonetheless undefeated, conserving them on the high.
2. Ohio State (9-1) LW: 2 — Ohio State beat Northwestern and may keep No. 2.
3. Texas (9-1) LW: 3 — Texas held off Arkansas and may stay the highest-ranked SEC workforce.
4. Penn State (9-1) LW: 4 — Penn State handily beat Purdue and may stay within the high 4.
5. Indiana (10-0) LW: 5 — Indiana had a bye and no top-10 workforce received a sport sufficiently big to maneuver previous the Hoosiers.
6. Notre Dame (9-1) LW: 8 — Notre Dame is the logical selection to maneuver up after BYU and Tennessee misplaced.
7. Miami (Fla.) (9-1) LW: 9 — Miami was ranked above the two-loss SEC groups final week, and I do not assume Georgia’s win over Tennessee is sufficient to transfer it previous the Hurricanes.
8. Georgia (8-2) LW:12 — Here is the place the committee might go any which approach in its rankings. I feel spots Nos. 8-11 will all be two-loss SEC groups. I predict the committee will lead off with Georgia at No. 8. The Bulldogs simply beat Tennessee by two scores. Whereas Georgia does have losses to Alabama and Ole Miss, do not forget that this is similar committee that opened with Georgia ranked No. 3 within the nation. Why? As a result of no SEC workforce has a greater win proper now than Georgia’s victory over Texas. The committee clearly noticed worth in that win and can transfer the Bulldogs atop the two-loss SEC ladder.
9. Tennessee (8-2) LW: 7 — Tennessee misplaced to Georgia after beforehand dropping to Arkansas. Nonetheless, I feel the committee leans on head-to-head outcomes right here and makes use of Tennessee’s win over Alabama to position the Vols at No. 9.
10. Alabama (8-2) LW: 10 — I feel Alabama stays put at No. 10. The Tide can be ranked above Ole Miss, however with wins over Missouri and LSU dropping luster final week, Alabama’s resume took a success.
11. Ole Miss (8-2) LW: 11 — I do not assume the committee strikes Ole Miss after a bye week, however on this projection, it’s out of the playoff bracket as a result of two convention champions are ranked beneath it.
12. BYU (9-1) LW: 6 — BYU will nonetheless make the playoff projection this week because the top-ranked workforce from the Massive 12. The Cougars keep above Boise State due to its win over SMU — the one presently ranked win between the 2 applications.
13. Boise State (9-1) LW: 13 — Boise State will not leapfrog BYU after the Cougars misplaced. Boise State’s loss to Oregon is a greater loss than BYU’s defeat to Kansas, however the Broncos have not overwhelmed a presently ranked opponent now that Washington State misplaced.
14. SMU (9-1) LW: 14 — SMU stays on the playoff bubble after beating Boston School.
15. Texas A&M (7-2) LW: 15 — A win over New Mexico State will not transfer the needle for the committee.
16. Colorado (8-2) LW: 17 — Colorado’s ceiling of Kansas State is gone now that the Wildcats misplaced. There’s an opportunity the Buffaloes might enter the highest 12 earlier than the common season ends in the event that they maintain successful. Colorado’s 24-point win over Utah can be sufficient for the committee to maintain a rising workforce like South Carolina ranked beneath it. 
17. South Carolina (7-3) LW: 21 — South Carolina strikes in entrance of Clemson after choosing up a ranked win over Missouri. 
18. Clemson (8-2) LW: 20 — Clemson wanted fourth-quarter heroics to defeat Pitt, which is able to permit its in-state rival to maneuver in entrance of it this week.
19. Arizona State (8-2) LW: NR — Arizona State picked up a ranked win over Kansas State the place the Solar Devils led 24-0 within the third quarter. That win will land Arizona State within the high 20. 
20. Military (9-0) LW: 24 — Military will transfer into the highest 20 after a number of ranked groups forward of it misplaced. Nonetheless, with out a notable win, an unranked workforce like Arizona State can debut in entrance of it.
21. Kansas State (7-3) LW: 16 — Kansas State will not fall out of the rankings after dropping to Arizona State, however the Wildcats will fall out of the highest 20. Kansas State has misplaced back-to-back video games however wins over Colorado and Tulane maintain it ranked.
22. Tulane (8-2) LW: 25 — Tulane landed a shutout win that may increase the Inexperienced Wave this week. Nonetheless, a head-to-head loss to Kansas State limits how excessive Tulane can rise.
23. Iowa State (8-2) LW: NR — The committee corrects itself this week from when it dropped a two-loss Iowa State out of the rankings. The Cyclones return after a win.
24. Missouri (7-3) LW: 23 — Missouri is a three-loss SEC workforce, with all of its losses coming to ranked opponents. Whereas Missouri hasn’t overwhelmed any presently ranked groups, I feel the committee will nonetheless maintain the Tigers ranked till they lose a fourth sport.
25. Illinois (7-3) LW: NR — Illinois joins the rankings at No. 25. The committee might go lots of other ways right here, however the Preventing Illini are a secure decide at 7-3 out of the Massive Ten.

CFP🏆: College Football Playoff rankings release schedule

What the bracket might seem like

First Groups Out: No. 11 Ole Miss, No. 14 SMU, No. 15 Texas A&M, No. 16 Colorado

LOOKING AHEAD: 2024-25 College Football Playoff schedule, dates, TV channel, sites 

Notable School Soccer Playoff rankings questions

How does the committee rank the two-loss SEC groups?

Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Ole Miss all have two SEC losses. But, none of that quartet is undefeated towards the opposite three applications. The committee might throw out any order of those 4 groups and have a legitimate cause for why. Nonetheless, the place the groups land this week could possibly be the order they keep for the remainder of the season as neither the Bulldogs, Volunteers, Tide nor Rebels play a presently ranked workforce the remainder of the season.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP: No. 1 Oregon survives Wisconsin, No. 12 UGA beats No. 7 Tennessee

How far does BYU drop?

BYU misplaced its first sport this week, 17-13 to Kansas, which implies it will probably drop beneath its earlier No. 6 rating. How far the Cougars fall might depend upon how closely the committee weighs their wins over SMU and Kansas State. I feel BYU will certainly be ranked above SMU, however will it’s ranked above any two-loss SEC groups not named Texas A&M?

What new groups are on the committee’s radar?

5 ranked groups exterior of the highest 15 misplaced final week. Meaning the committee should rank new groups this week, a few of which is able to make their season debuts within the CFP rankings. The groups the committee chooses to rank this week might have a long-lasting impression because it might create ranked matchups that would increase playoff resumes.