What will the 4/11 Division A Poll look like?

[Timbalaned]

There is so much going on and so much that has happened, what will the new poll look like? There will definitely be a new #1 with Michigan losing two games since the last poll, but after that almost nothing is certain, maybe BYU being the new #1. I think BYU will be the new #1 for sure, but after that I am not sure. I would probably put Oregon at 2, but there is the possibility of CSU jumping them after thumping Michigan. Does Oregon's win over CSU and maybe Michigan being overrated keep CSU at 3, or do the jump over Oregon? Colorado has to fall after losing to UCSB and BYU, but how far? ASU for sure needs to be up in the mix, but how high? What is to be done with UMD, Northeastern, and FSU? All have been relatively stagnant in my eyes playing games that the should win and doing so, but have nothing else to base them on. Add Sonoma State into that mix too. I personally think ASU should jump the whole lot just because they have played top teams and have beaten them, those other guys will get to the tournament and will get to prove themselves there, but in my eyes ASU deserves a better seed cause they showed it earlier this year. So after all that ramble, my top 10 would be

1) BYU
2) Oregon
3) CSU
4) ASU
5) Michigan
6) CU
7) UMD
8 ) UCSB
9) Noma
10) Northeastern

and then from there I have no idea. A next group of FSU, UF, U of A, Utah, and Lindenwood (in no particular order) Good luck pollsters, I am glad I don't have to do this

[wingman3227]

Let me start off by saying that this is probably one of if not the toughest of polls for the pollsters to vote on, teams have been beating teams and losing to other all over the place, it has been a great season...and it is only going to get better with Conference Tourney's just around the corner....
First of all it needs to be looked at what each team has done since the last poll, not merely in the last week, but since the last poll was posted( voted on)...I think it still needs to be stated that some people voted prior to the completion of last tuesday's games, hence Oregon earning 7 first place votes, and ASU being ranked 11.
That being said, here is my two cents....
#1-BYU- tons of quality wins, most consistent so far this season..

#2- CSU- I feel they have done enough to show that the 13 goal spread against Oregon was not indicative of their team.

#3- Oregon- Started out the year with a band dropped two close ones in Arizona, bounced back with a few solid wins. I think they will edge out ASU for the three spot.

#4- ASU- much like CSU, I think they have shown that the 15 goal spread against BYU did not show the type of team they have become, wins against Oregon and Michigan (in Michigan) go along with quality wins from week 2 on solidify this spot.

#5- Michigan- started the year well, dropped two to top five teams this week, belong with the best teams, just not in front of all of them...

#6- CU- lost to UCSB, beat Oregon and ASU, I think they may still deserve a a top five ranking, but they did lose two games, need to fall at least a spot.

#7 -Sonoma State- Although they are not winning in convincing fashion and have no sexy wins, their only losses are to top three teams, they belong in the top ten...

#8- Northeastern- I have them ahead of UMD because they have beaten the only good team they have played, and Duluth has three losses that highlight it's season so far...

#9- UCSB- Solid win over CU, they deserve to move up, but in my opinion should not have been that high to begin with...

#10- University of Arizona- They have lost four games, all to teams in the top ten, and they have wins over a few teams that could be fighting for top ten recognition (Utah, Lindenwood) they have the ability to beat any team in the top ten, don't know if they will be this high, they belong here though...

#11- UMD- How is Duluth this low when they only lost to BYU and CSU by one? well those are the two most impressive games on their schedule, Lindenwood was a good win, but Zona beat them as well, however, losing to Utah has them just holding on to a top ten in my mind...

rounding out the top fifteen no particular order...FSU...no big wins, four losses, Utah- a few big wins, but they also have a number of losses to go along with that...Lindenwood, a few losses early in the year, and a few more this week, but they are playing a tough schedule and hanging right in there...Virginia Tech, tough loss to FSU, but they have bounced back proven they are the second best team in the SELC...

Those are my picks...I am sure I missed a bunch of things and I am sure many people don't agree with me...WCLL bias, etc...this is the way I see it...I could be wrong and in some cases I hope that I am...I am putting teams based on resume and ability in that order....Losses are losses, by one or by fifteen, if you lose you should move down...period...I am also trying not to base any of this on past seasons rankings, because a great team last year, doesn't help you this season...anyway...it should be interesting, and I can't wait to see it...

[univduke21]

Old Poll
1. Michigan
2. BYU
3. Oregon
4. CSU
5. Colorado
6. Minnesota-Duluth
7. Sonoma State
8. Northeastern
9. Florida State
10. Arizona

My top 10
1. BYU-hands down right now #1 team in the nation
2. CSU- Big win over Michigan and hasn't lost since BYU, loss vs Oregon was a long time ago.
3.Oregon- Keeps winning, but Spring Break (1-2) hurts
4. Michigan- Win vs Lions good, but two losses to ASU and CSU
5. Colorado- Loss to UCSB and BYU, beat Utah, Chapman and UCSD easily
6. ASU- Big wins against Oregon and Michigan but hard to put above a CU team that just beat them at home
7. Sonoma State- just keeps winning but not big enough to move up
8. UCSB- win vs CU
9. Minnesota Duluth- Struggled with top 5 teams in schedule, not really one goal losses, but overall a top 10 team
10. Utah- a top 10 team in my mind, needs more wins but played an actual schedule.

Falling out of the top 10:
Florida State, 7 goal loss to #1 team isn't bad, until Michigan fell apart this weekend
Northeastern, I know you are on the east cost but please get someone on the schedule to have a SOS in the top 100
Arizona, two big L's on spring break and no notable wins, match-up with ASU last hope before WCLL tournament

[CATLAX MAN]

I doubt that you'll see Utah in the Top Ten after their loss to Chapman yesterday. At the risk of being accused of being biased, I don't understand why UCSB would be ranked below Sonoma & Northeastern when neither of those teams has a win against a Top Ten team.

[More Cowbell]

I am putting teams based on resume and ability in that order....Losses are losses, by one or by fifteen, if you lose you should move down...period...I am also trying not to base any of this on past seasons rankings, because a great team last year, doesn't help you this season...

Then why is Lindenwood still in your top 15? Right now they are ranked 15, and since the last poll they have had two losses. Granted, the losses were to high ranked teams, but if you look at Lindenwood's schedule, they have lost to every single ranked team they have played. If their ranking isn't based on last season, I don't know what it is based on. Sure, they have played tight games with highly ranked teams, but in the end, they lost. If the secret to a high ranking is simply to make a tough schedule, regardless if you win or lose the games, then I guess more teams should pick up on that.

Northeastern, I know you are on the east cost but please get someone on the schedule to have a SOS in the top 100

I don't really know what you suggest they do. They had to scheudle their CA trip before this season started, and they scheduled games against 2 top 10 teams from 2006 (UCSD and UA). They didn't know that UCSD would fall out of the rankings this year. It's tough on the east coast to schedule games vs highly ranked teams because few are willing to come to New England to play us, so we have to schedule road trips based on what teams did last season.

Plus, the PCLL is not as weak a league as people make it out to be. NU, BC, and UNH are all strong teams that are regularly ranked. Therefore, Northeastern's schedule had the potential to have games vs 4 ranked opponents (Zona, UCSD, BC, and UNH). That may be nothing special when you play on the West Coast, but it isn't bad when you play out here.

I don't know where NU should be ranked, but I really don't think they should be criticized for their scheduling.

[jlax]

1) BYU
2) Colorado State
3) Arizona State
4) Oregon
5) Michigan
6) Colorado
7) Northeastern
Arizona
9) Florida State
10) Minn Duluth
11) UCSB
12) Florida
13) Sonoma
14) Georgia
15) Lindenwood
16) Michigan State
17) Cal Poly
18) Virginia Tech
19) Utah
20) Texas A&M
21) Claremont
22) Buffalo
23) Illinois
24) Georgia Tech
25) Boston College

[univduke21]

I undestand that ASU is a good team but why does everybody having them jump 10 spots into the top 3 or 4? What have the done to deserve a top 5 ranking, I can see them in the top 10 no questions asked but the top 3, i just don't see it.

[laxfan25]

I undestand that ASU is a good team but why does everybody having them jump 10 spots into the top 3 or 4? What have the done to deserve a top 5 ranking, I can see them in the top 10 no questions asked but the top 3, i just don't see it.

Well they did beat the team that was ranked #1 at the time - on the #1 team's home field! That's gotta count for something!

[univduke21]

The same #1 team that lost by 7 to CSU? I think so, they did beat Oregon, but it was the day after CU beat Oregon and then they lost to CU so I see them moving up, but not that far.

[sohotrightnow]

Why is UCSB so low? They just beat UCLA 18-1. Granted, UCLA is not a world beater this year, but that is impressive nonetheless. They also beat Colorado last week, yet most people don't have Colorado moving down that much.

[CP18]

Question?

Why is the LSA front running Aggies not receiving love in the polls?

-Quality Wins - Colorado 7-5
-Only losses are on the road at Arizona and Arizona State; two extremely good teams this year
-Taken care of business in their conference (Florida State gets credit for this)

Shouldn't this ballclub be in the mix with all of the other 10-15 teams in the polls? I will make this point again, but look for a 14, 15, or 16 to upend a 1, 2, or 3 in the first round of the tournament this year! Way to much balance in the MCLA this year.

[Phantanimal]

As far as Power Rating and SOS goes, Lax Power sets the top 15 as:

1-BYU
2-CSU
3-Oregon
4-UMD
5-Michigan
6-UCSB
7-Sonoma
8-Northeastern
9-Simon Fraser
10-Arizona
11-ASU
12-Colorado
13-Utah
14-Boston College
16-Florida State (excluding Chapman who is LP's #15)

I don't think ASU deserves top 5 although they have put together a great season....

I won't explain my to 11 because I'd just be reiterating what others have already expressed on the boards... but If I voted...

1-BYU
2-CSU
3-Oregon
4-Michigan
5-CU
6-ASU
7-UMD
8-Sonoma
9-UCSB
10-Northeastern
11-Arizona
12-Lindenwood (Good schedule and beat Fontbonne which can't hurt)
13-FSU (13-3 is nothing to scoff at)
14 Boston College (6-1 with a diverse OOC schedule including Northeastern and UCSB)
15-Utah (5-5 with losses 2 weekend losses to Oregon and Chapman)

[sohotrightnow]

Question?

Why is the LSA front running Aggies not receiving love in the polls?

-Quality Wins - Colorado 7-5
-Only losses are on the road at Arizona and Arizona State; two extremely good teams this year
-Taken care of business in their conference (Florida State gets credit for this)

Shouldn't this ballclub be in the mix with all of the other 10-15 teams in the polls? I will make this point again, but look for a 14, 15, or 16 to upend a 1, 2, or 3 in the first round of the tournament this year! Way to much balance in the MCLA this year.

For a few reasons.

One, they have a quality win, not "wins."

Two, the second best team in the LSA, Texas, lost to Santa Clara and UCLA, two WCLL teams that will not make the playoffs and have losing records.

Three, their defense does not look that great. 10 goals to UCLA? 12 to Santa Clara?

They were ranked 17th in the last poll. They are on the verge of cracking the top 15. It's not as if they are unranked.

[Ravaging Beast]

1. BYU
2. CSU
3. Oregon
4. Michigan
5. ASU
6. Colorado
7. UMD
8. UCSB
9. SSU
10. Northeastern
11. Arizona
12. Utah
13. FSU
14. Lindenwood
15. Cal Poly
16. Texas A&M

[JJLAX]

I think RB's poll is spot on. Just a few thoughts:

- BYU is clear #1 at this point.
- #2 and #3 with CSU and Oregon is tough b/c of the head to head result earlier this season but I think CSU has proved to be a different team since then and deserves #2.
- Michigan was overrated at #1 but as always, playing games sorts things out. No shame in losing to CSU.
- I like ASU at #5. They have put the BYU loss behind them and are very deserving, not to mention one of the most enjoyable teams to watch.
- Colorado can be really good depending on which team shows up. Could reak havoc in the tourney.