With simply 12 regular-season video games on the schedule, each Saturday carries vital weight within the faculty soccer season.
Two weeks of the 2024 marketing campaign are full, and after Week 3, most applications might be 1 / 4 of the best way by way of their schedule.
The pattern dimension offers some perception, with constructive momentum evident for the most effective groups within the nation. Others have been tripped up on the best way to the guts of the schedule in October and November and are flying into the hazard zone except they will flip it round instantly.
10. Maryland
Aug 31, 2024; School Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) delivers a cross throughout the second quarter towards the Connecticut Huskies at SECU Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Daniel Kucin Jr.-USA TODAY Sports activities Opening Massive Ten play at dwelling towards a Michigan State crew that’s in a substantial rebuild might have been a springboard for Maryland. As an alternative, the Terps continued final season’s vexing development of dropping one-score convention video games — three of their 5 defeats have been by a landing or much less in 2023.
It’s time for the Terps to sweat. They’re in an early gap with a street journey to Indiana subsequent on the Massive Ten docket, USC visiting on Oct. 19, and a treacherous November of Oregon, Iowa and Penn State to complete.
9. Michigan
Jul 25, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore speaks to the media throughout the Massive 10 soccer media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports activities It’s no shock the reigning nationwide champions have been going through some appreciable roster turnover heading into 2024 — not the least of which was changing head coach Jim Harbaugh. Shedding in a prime 10 matchup to fellow 2023 School Soccer Playoff crew Texas may not have been so stunning, given all of the Longhorns returned for 2024.
Nevertheless, the Wolverines endured their worst defensive efficiency because the 2022 season—Michigan’s Fiesta Bowl loss to TCU—en path to a 31-12 defeat that was extra lopsided than the ultimate rating. Michigan can’t afford one other loss if the Massive Ten title and School Soccer Playoff stay the purpose.
8. Arkansas
Sep 7, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks defensive again Jaheim Singletary (15) makes an interception over Oklahoma State Cowboys large receiver Rashod Owens (10) throughout the second quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Necessary Credit score: William Purnell-Imagn Photographs Coming off of a 4-8 end, Sam Pittman wanted a bounceback to at the least bowl-eligible standing in 2024. The Razorbacks face one of many nastiest schedules in faculty soccer, making six wins a troublesome benchmark to achieve.
Dropping a two-overtime resolution on the street to a prime 20-ranked opponent, which occurred to Arkansas in Week 2, isn’t problematic in a vacuum.
However with the Razorbacks squandering a two-touchdown lead towards the Cowboys, they let a vital likelihood slip by way of their fingertips. Lifeless forward is a stretch of perilous video games, together with Auburn on the street, Texas A&M on a impartial area, and Tennessee earlier than Arkansas attracts its bye.
These three video games doubtless make or break Arkansas’ season — and Pittman’s future in Fayetteville.
7. Notre Dame
Aug 31, 2024; School Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Preventing Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) makes an attempt to cross the ball throughout the first quarter towards the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Discipline. Necessary Credit score: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Photographs Preventing Irish coach Marcus Freeman described Notre Dame’s first two weeks as “from the very best of highs to the bottom of lows” following a 16-14 loss at dwelling to Northern Illinois. The gorgeous defeat got here on the heels of a 23-13 win at Texas A&M.
Each video games supply trigger for concern in South Bend.
With quarterback Riley Leonard but to throw a landing cross, he may be on the new seat instantly.
What’s extra, Notre Dame’s upcoming schedule lacks marquee-win alternatives for the Irish’s Playoff resume — a resume already in deep trouble after dropping to the MAC guests from DeKalb.
6. Texas A&M
Sep 7, 2024; School Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies operating again Le’Veon Moss (8) scores a landing towards the McNeese State Cowboys throughout the first quarter at Kyle Discipline. Necessary Credit score: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Photographs Enjoying a troublesome schedule locations a premium on dwelling video games.
The Aggies had home-field benefit and the help of the twelfth Man however misplaced to Notre Dame within the opener.
A&M opens SEC play in Week 3, visiting a determined Florida crew that should make good on its dwelling area. This opening stretch is a mirrored image of the Aggies’ schedule usually, with the extra beatable opponents like UF, South Carolina and Auburn on the street and the marquee opponents — Missouri, LSU and Texas — at Kyle Discipline.
5. Auburn
Jul 21, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; The Auburn Tigers helmet on the stage throughout SEC Media Days on the School Soccer Corridor of Fame. Necessary Credit score: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports activities Auburn’s controversial rent of Hugh Freeze was made with the hope that he might rejuvenate a long-struggling offense. Earlier than his scandalous exit from Ole Miss, Freeze oversaw the short emergence of a once-moribund program into an offensive juggernaut that helped change the complexion of the SEC final decade.
The Tigers averaged 26.2 factors per recreation in 2023 however scored 21 factors or fewer towards seven power-conference opponents. That development of stacking up factors towards overmatched opponents then struggling towards a more durable protection continued: Auburn racked up 73 factors towards Alabama A&M, solely to be stymied for 14 factors in a loss Week 2 vs. Cal.
4. NC State
Sep 7, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall (2) runs with the soccer as Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Tyre West (42) and defensive lineman Caleb Herring (31) defend throughout the second half on the Dukes Mayo Basic at Financial institution of America Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Photographs The Wolfpack struggled, placing away Western Carolina — a Southern Convention opponent that misplaced the subsequent week to Campbell—within the opener. NC State’s stunning defensive points towards the Catamounts paled compared to a tough displaying towards Tennessee final week.
The Wolfpack gave up 460 yards within the 51-10 loss, when the Vols averaged 6.9 yards per play. Whereas NC State is unlikely to see an offense as prolific as Tennessee’s the remainder of the best way, the schedule doesn’t let up: Clemson and all of the sudden related Northern Illinois—sure, the Huskies might be riled as much as beat NIU’s former coach, Dave Doeren—loom on the finish of September.
3. Florida
Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) runs with the ball towards the Miami Hurricanes throughout the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Photographs A pivotal yr for the Florida program beneath coach Billy Napier opened with a powerful thud. The Gators’ 41-17 loss in Week 1 to Miami could have made Napier’s destiny inevitable.
Nevertheless, the upcoming five-game stretch is the distinction between the 2024 season providing some promise or being a traditionally rotten one in Gainesville.
The Gators draw Texas A&M at dwelling in Week 3, UCF for a non-conference date with in-state bragging rights on the road, and journey to Mississippi State in between. Something worse than 2-1 doubtless relegates Florida to a different sub-.500 end.
2. Colorado
Nov 11, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) on the line of scrimmage within the first half towards the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Discipline. credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports activities A 28-10 loss at Nebraska in Week 2 that was extra lopsided than the ultimate rating suggests dropped Colorado’s document to 2-9 since final yr’s 3-0 begin and Prime 25 rating. The hype that originally surrounded Deion Sanders’ rent as head coach and subsequent undefeated begin in 2023 has turned to a palpable malaise.
A program with only one above-.500 end in every full season over the past 18 years would welcome merely attending to a bowl recreation. The identical points that plagued the Buffs in Sanders’ first season, a 4-8 marketing campaign, stay evident in Yr 2. And if CU can’t recover from the hump with potential first-round draftees like Sheduer Sanders and Travis Hunter, this system’s long-term outlook is grim.
1. Florida State
The Seminoles entered the hazard zone 9 months in the past when their exclusion from the School Soccer Playoff set off a sequence of misfortune. A 60-point loss to Georgia within the Orange Bowl preceded appreciable roster adjustments. The brand new-look lineup is 0-2 after anemic offensive performances towards Georgia Tech in Week 0 and Boston School in Week 1.
Compounding Florida State’s first two losses is that each got here in convention video games. The Seminoles haven’t any margin for error within the ACC.
There is no such thing as a signal of life from FSU’s anemic offense. Switch quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is 40-of-69 passing for 465 yards; no ballcarrier has 50 speeding yards in eight quarters of soccer and substitute choices supply little optimism.
