USC Rankings 2026

[Earl2]

I generally agree with the validity of the coaches poll sentiment . However, I respectfully think they got at least the top two teams correct.

For example, it's unclear to me how Babson, which is a very good team, could possibly ranked so much higher than Tufts.

I do think one or both St.Olaf / Midd will be playing for a natty.

Would be happy to wager a cup of coffee on this prediction.

[Flying Weasel]

These rankings are a s*** show.  Cortland ranked 6 spots behind Scranton despite beating Scranton.

<sarcasm>Well, obviously, the 4th ranked team from one region could never be better than the 2nd ranked team from another region. Duh!</sarcasm>

[Kuiper]

National - Poll 4 - October 6, 2026
Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    St. Olaf College    1    11-0-0
2    Middlebury College    2    7-0-2
3    University of Chicago    5    9-1-0
4    Rowan University    3    7-0-2
5    St. Lawrence University    7    9-0-1
6    Washington & Lee University    8    8-1-0
7    Case Western Reserve University    4    8-0-2
8    University of Lynchburg    12    7-1-2
9    Babson College    6    6-1-2
10    Catholic University    9    7-0-3
11    Williams College    RV    8-1-1
12    Hobart College    13    9-2-0
13    Southwestern University    11    8-1-0
14    Calvin University    15    8-1-1
15    Tufts University    18    6-1-3
16    University of Scranton    16    6-1-3
17    Saint John's University    24    11-1-0
18    University of Redlands    21    6-1-4
19    SUNY Cortland    22    7-2-1
20    New York University    17    7-1-1
21    Denison University    NR    4-1-4
22    North Park University    25    8-1-2
23    Connecticut College    14    5-2-1
24    Messiah University    RV    8-1-1
25    Kenyon College    NR    7-2-0

Records shown are through games of October 4, 2026

Also receiving votes: SUNY Oneonta, Roger Williams University, Emory University, Montclair State University, DePauw University, Gustavus Adolphus College, Johns Hopkins University, Colorado College

[Kuiper]

National - Poll 5 - October 13, 2026
Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    Middlebury College    2    8-0-2
2    St. Olaf College    1    12-0-1
3    Rowan University    4    9-0-2
4    St. Lawrence University    5    9-0-2
5    Case Western Reserve University    7    9-0-2
6    University of Lynchburg    8    9-1-2
7    Williams College    11    9-1-1
8    Washington & Lee University    6    9-1-1
9    University of Chicago    3    9-2-0
10    Catholic University    10    9-0-3
11    Hobart College    12    10-2-1
12    Calvin University    14    10-1-1
13    Southwestern University    13    9-1-1
14    Kenyon College    25    9-2-0
15    Connecticut College    23    6-2-2
16    University of Scranton    16    8-1-3
17    University of Redlands    18    8-1-4
18    SUNY Cortland    19    9-2-1
19    Montclair State University    RV    11-2-1
20    Messiah University    24    10-1-1
21    Saint John's University    17    12-1-1
22    Salisbury University    NR    10-1-2
23    Tufts University    15    6-2-3
24    SUNY Oneonta    RV    9-0-2
25    Roger Williams University    RV    9-1-3

Records show are through games of October 11, 2026

Also receiving votes: Babson College, North Park University, Carnegie Mellon University, Luther College, Bowdoin College

[Kuiper]

National - Poll 6 - October 20, 2026
Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    Middlebury College    1    9-0-3
2    Rowan University    3    10-0-3
3    St. Olaf College    2    13-0-2
4    St. Lawrence University    4    10-0-3
5    Case Western Reserve University    5    10-0-2
6    University of Lynchburg    6    10-1-3
7    Williams College    7    9-1-2
8    Kenyon College    14    11-2-0
9    Hobart College    11    10-2-2
10    University of Chicago    9    10-3-0
11    Southwestern University    13    11-1-1
12    University of Scranton    16    10-1-3
13    Connecticut College    15    9-2-2
14    Calvin University    12    11-1-2
15    Montclair State University    19    12-2-2
16    Messiah University    20    12-1-1
17    Emory University    NR    11-1-2
18    Washington & Lee University    8    9-2-2
19    SUNY Cortland    18    11-2-1
20    Tufts University    23    7-2-3
21    Catholic University    10    9-1-4
22    Saint John's University    21    13-1-2
23    Roger Williams University    25    9-1-5
24    Salisbury University    22    11-1-3
25    Colorado College    NR    11-2-1

Records shown are through games of October 18, 2026

Also receiving votes: SUNY Oneonta, Babson College, North Park University, Bowdoin College, Ithaca College, Carnegie Mellon University, Wesleyan University, University of Redlands, Luther College, Denison University

[Hopkins92]

(It's getting increasingly weird to even talk about a national poll when it's really close to being completely irrelevant with the NPI determining the at-large field... Unless I'm wildly missing the mark.)

[CollegeSoccerFan]

(It's getting increasingly weird to even talk about a national poll when it's really close to being completely irrelevant with the NPI determining the at-large field... Unless I'm wildly missing the mark.)

The NPI isnt wildly different in all fairness.

[Hopkins92]

Pure speculation, circling back to our earlier-season discussion about the utility and efficacy of coaches' polls... And an Occam's Razor approach to responding:

We've established the coaches are very busy and it's highly unlikely (laughable, really) to assume they've seen teams that aren't on their schedule. Beyond looking at regional rankings and/or pegging their votes closely to the preseason poll, and making slight adjustments based on week-over-week results. Now they also have a trusty "ranking tool" that fits into their limited time to fill out the stupid form before they're off to practice, the next game, a recruiting call, an AD meeting, etc., etc., and so on.

I don't really care that much about the USC poll one way or the other, but it's fun to climb on a soapbox now and then.

[Kuiper]

(It's getting increasingly weird to even talk about a national poll when it's really close to being completely irrelevant with the NPI determining the at-large field... Unless I'm wildly missing the mark.)

From the perspective of the schools, the more rankings the better!

In fact, alert the JHU athletics social media manager: According to the Rankings Aggregator, Johns Hopkins is in the top 25 (ranked #25)!