5th MDIA Div. A Top 25 Poll is out (4/19/06)!

[Sonny]

Enjoy!
http://www.uslia.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=527

[bbandlax]

I haven't had much input on the polls this year; I pretty much have only been able to see the BYU games on TV and in Florida. However after watching those games and reading all the debate this poll looks pretty good. Sure there is room for debate about placing CU and UCSB (I guess AZ and UCSD could say the same) but I think any reasonable person could look at this poll and say it includes all the right teams at about the right spots (I'm only talking about the top 15 or so.)

I think it is interesting that BYU has played every team in the top 12 except UCSD (they also played 3 pretty decent div 3 teams.) That has to be a first. I know CSU and SB have has some crazy tough schedules in the past as well. Michigan played 5 of the the top 12, CSU the same. Sonoma played 7 of the top 12, and CU played 4. All of these teams except Michigan will also have a chance to play top 10 teams in their respective conference playoffs. That means by the time May 8th rolls around Michigan will not have seen a top 12 team since playing Arizona on March 24th. Good, bad or indifferent, I'm not sure.

This afternoon’s game is huge for both BYU and SSU. I think you would want to be in the top 3 this year because who wants to see the likes of Utah, Cal Poly, Oregon, or Lindenwood in the first round.

Surely this will be the most competitive National tourney to date. I for one am excited to be there to watch it all unfold.

[FredaFelcher]

Why in the world is Utah #12???? They have beaten multiple top ten teams, did the pollsters not get the memo that they beat Sonoma on monday? Also, what is Florida State doing at #7, or even in the top ten? Tell me a team they've beat that is in contention for anything.

The other problem I have is that CU beat BYU very recently(Saturday), yet BYU is ranked ahead of them? BYU obviously has had a real tough schedule, but fact is they have lost to three teams ranked lower than them.


respec

[Danny Hogan]

fsu bumping up is more a function of Oregon and UCSD dropping

agree on utah

ucsb could make the same arguement about Colorado.

considering the results thus far, i think the poll is pretty good.

[DG]

Why in the world is Utah #12???? They have beaten multiple top ten teams, did the pollsters not get the memo that they beat Sonoma on monday? Also, what is with Florida State doing at #7? Tell me a team they've beat that is in contention for anything.

The other problem I have is that CU beat BYU very recently(Saturday), yet BYU is ranked ahead of them? BYU obviously has had a real tough schedule, but fact is they have lost to three teams ranked lower than them.


respec

I had CU ahead of BYU for that reason, and had Utah in the top 10. Otherwise, it looks pretty good to me.

DG

[Bluevelvet]

I agree. Nice job pollsters. I also had a little problem with CU-BYU-UCSB placement but their point totals are very close so I guess the pollsters were not unanimous.

As of now: Cal Poly, Utah and Lindenwood are in.
UMD, VaTech and Oakland are out unless they win their conference title.


Seems to me that Cal Poly and Utah are pretty safe. If they lose in their conference championships it won't hurt them unless it's a blow out because their games will all be against higher ranked teams. Cal Poly still has to avoid the upset to UC Davis.

WCLL will have 5 teams
RMLC will have 4 teams

[Gregg Pathiakis]

Congrats to Michigan!

[bbandlax]

Why in the world is Utah #12???? They have beaten multiple top ten teams, did the pollsters not get the memo that they beat Sonoma on monday? Also, what is Florida State doing at #7, or even in the top ten? Tell me a team they've beat that is in contention for anything.

The other problem I have is that CU beat BYU very recently(Saturday), yet BYU is ranked ahead of them? BYU obviously has had a real tough schedule, but fact is they have lost to three teams ranked lower than them.


respec

I don't really disagree with any of your comments but there are a couple notes.

1. You don't always get to be ahead of the teams you beat recently (ie BYU and CSU.)
2. I agree that CU could be at 4 and BYU at 5. However if (and thats a big if) BYU can pull of a win today they not only would have lost to 3 teams ranked below them, they also would have beaten the top 3 teams in the country.
2. Utah did move up one spot since the last poll. Since April 5th they have had 2 losses and one win. One of those losses was a demolishing at the hands of CSU.
3. True FSU has not played a tough schedule, but their record is still pretty impressive. Maybe 7 is a bit too high, but 9-12 does not seem out of order. On a side note they seem to resemble some of the SELC teams of the past. Great record but not a lot of competition. None of those teams faired extremely well at the national tourney.

[oaklandlax]

#1 Michigan
#16 Texas Tech (or winner of LSA)

#2 CSU
#15 Northeastern (or winner of PCLL)

#3 Noma
# 14 Duluth

#4 BYU
#13 Lindenwood

#5 Colorado
# 12 Utah

#6 UCSB
# 11 Cal Poly SLO

#7 FSU
#10 Oregon

#8 Zona
#9 UCSD

[lil lady lax fan]

#8 Zona
#9 UCSD

I bet those two teams are getting tired of playing each other!!

Interesting matchups

[ME]

I agree that FSU should not be ranked so high.
Also, Utah should be ranked higher than Poly and Zona, in my opinion, they beat them both and now they proved they can beat a Top 5 team.
On a side note:

#5 Colorado
# 12 Utah

I am sure Utah wouldn't mind that tourney set-up I am sure they would love to see Colorado again... That game was alot closer than 3 goals.

[gobblerlax05]

we woke up at 12 am and now this/???? man this wow.... we are now focoused and hungry!

[TrainerDan]

Why in the world is Utah #12???? They have beaten multiple top ten teams, did the pollsters not get the memo that they beat Sonoma on monday? Also, what is Florida State doing at #7, or even in the top ten? Tell me a team they've beat that is in contention for anything.

The other problem I have is that CU beat BYU very recently(Saturday), yet BYU is ranked ahead of them? BYU obviously has had a real tough schedule, but fact is they have lost to three teams ranked lower than them.


respec

The big win by CU over BYU was eclipsed by BYU's win over CSU the day before. If we used your logic then we could say BYU should be #1 since they have beaten both Michigan and CSU this season. BYU may have 3 losses to teams below them but they were all tough, tight ball games. What do you say about CU getting worked by UCSB? Not to mention BYU is the only team in the MDIA to beat CSU or Michigan. The poll looks just about right to me with the exception of Utah being a little low and FSU & Oregon being a little high

[Aaron Myers]

And Poly beat Oregon and ASU beat UCSD and so on and so forth. Just win baby...However, I'll say it again. To be in the top ten you should, in my opinion, earn the right to be there. I.E. beat someone in the top ten. If you can't beat anyone in the top then why should you be ranked there. FSU will bow out early again just like the years before and just like the highly touted Auburn team of 2002. They simply do not have a tough enough schedule year in and year out unless their conference is uncharacteristically deep, which it is not this year. (As I recall Auburn's undefeated record was mentioned over and over again as a testament to their unequivocable prowess in the USLIA in 2002 and the 2nd round game against UCSB wasn't close at all) It has been proven that defense wins championships and the SELC hasn't progressed defensively as quickly as they have offensively. Here is the poll as I see it, imperfections and all.



#1 Michigan-impressive and convincing wins over top calibur teams, one loss early in season to a tough BYU team
#2 CSU-year in and year out one of the most dangerous teams in the country
# Colorado-big win over BYU. Also beat Utah(good team) and Oakland(overrated). This team is hit or miss. Can be great or disappointing(Whittier and UCSB)
#4 BYU-could be higher if it weren't for close losses to SB, Poly, and Zona. All good teams. No team has gone undefeated against top 5 opponents on consecutive days. (Colorado loss)
#5 Sonoma-solid team, Utah loss was a little surprising but UTes are dangerous in close games
#6 Arizona- this will stir up some people but they are playing very good ball right now. Deserve to be above UCSB.
#7 UCSB-well coached but other teams are catching up mentally and might not be athletic enough to make a real run at nationals
#8 UCSD-Great team, have several big wins but have to drop after two losses to inferior teams. Still very dangerous though
#9 Cal Poly-two wins over top ten opponents, two losses to lower ranked teams.
#10 Utah-has proven they can play with the top teams. Conference tournament will make or break them. A few bad losses keep them here.
#11-15 Oregon, FSU, Duluth, Lindenwood, someone-Oregon is the best in my opinion but lacks some team chemistry. Have a great player that is great when he's up but yells at players when they're losing. Their defense is impressive. Good feet and aggressive. But neither Oregon or FSU deserve to be in the top ten without wins over top ten competition. It is too late in the season to be there (top ten) without it.


TWO CENTS: ASU will get shafted this year. They may be better than a few of the teams going to nationals. There is a significant lack of mobility among the top teams in the polls late in the season which makes it hard for them to move up significantly. Look for them to schedule more OOC games next year and make a trip to the big show.

[Maverik]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't agree with Utah moving up, let alone them being that high. I guess we are all just forgiving for early season losses to what is now #18 Chapman and, unranked Chico, and #14 Minnesota-Duluth. Additionally I don't think losses should gain a team that much ground, it hasn't for other teams. Don't get me wrong they have had a nice win or two and I don't want to take that away from them, but even those wins were only by about a goal.