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)!

[SimpleCoach]

(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)!

Well that is interesting....

SC.

[CollegeSoccerFan]

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.

To your point, again speculation, but could coaches be using the NPI to formulate their opinions on the USC rankings? Little variances here and there based on seeing teams live but overall the rankings are fairly similar

[Hopkins92]

I was being way too wordy... Yes, that's what I'm implying.

[Kuiper]

National - Poll 7 - October 27, 2026
Rank   School   Prev   W-L-T
1   Middlebury College   1   10-0-3
2   St. Olaf College   3   15-0-2
3   Case Western Reserve University   5   11-0-3
4   St. Lawrence University   4   10-0-4
5   Southwestern University   11   13-1-1
6   Rowan University   2   11-1-3
7   University of Scranton   12   12-1-3
8   University of Chicago   10   11-3-1
9   Williams College   7   9-2-2
10   Tufts University   20   9-2-3
11   University of Lynchburg   6   11-1-4
12   Hobart College   9   10-2-3
13   Montclair State University   15   14-2-2
14   Calvin University   14   13-1-2
15   Messiah University   16   13-1-2
16   Connecticut College   13   9-2-3
17   Kenyon College   8   12-3-0
18   Denison University   RV   8-1-6
19   Washington & Lee University   18   10-2-3
20   Roger Williams University   23   11-1-5
21   SUNY Cortland   19   12-3-1
22   Colorado College   25   12-2-1
23   North Park University   RV   11-1-4
24   Saint John's University   22   14-2-2
25   SUNY Oneonta   RV   12-1-2
Also receiving votes: Dickinson College, Salisbury University, Emory University, Washington University (Mo.), Augsburg University, Wheaton College (Mass.), Ithaca College, Wesleyan University, Lebanon Valley College, Otterbein University, Bowdoin College, Catholic University, Babson College, The College of New Jersey, Muhlenberg College, Johns Hopkins University, Hamilton College, Luther College, Whitman College