CB360 Composite National Rankings #7 (3/28/18)

(Note – plenty of notes and breakdown lists included on this release page; scroll down … )

The balance of the current top-5 include Ole Miss (93.79) followed closely by Texas Tech (93.68) and then Oregon State (93.44), which ranks higher in the “human polls” but is knocked down a bit based on the computerized metrics (i.e. RPI).

The CNR now features 18 different elements in the formula, reflecting the use of more computerized ratings that in some cases results in certain teams being slotted lower than their standing within the human polls.

Florida – the CNR preseason #1 – has jumped up from the No. 7 position a week ago, thanks to a series win over then-#4 Arkansas, followed by a midweek victory over arch-rival [9] Florida State.

Stanford was idle a week ago and has bumped up one spot, from No. 3. Ole Miss has dropped one position to No. 3, after winning a series, 2-1, at [11] Texas A&M and adding a quality midweek win over [15] Southern Miss.

Texas Tech – which recently spent two weeks atop the CNR – has moved up two spots from No. 6, after sweeping a 4-game home series vs. [49] Northeastern. Oregon State had been No. 1 in the CNR a week ago, before winning 2-of-3 vs. Washington (a team outside the CNR Top-50).

Elsewhere in the current top-10, FSU has moved up three spots to No. 6, while Arkansas slipped from #4 to #7 following the pair of losses to Ole Miss. Current #8 Auburn is down three spots after losing 2-of-3 at Kentucky, which has vaulted back into the top-10 (#14 to #9). North Carolina State remains in the CNR 10th position.

Vanderbilt (#8 to #14) has slipped outside the current top-10, after winning 2-of-3 vs. [19] LSU but then losing a midweek battle vs. crosstown rival Lipscomb, at minor-league First Tennessee Park.

• Top-10/Top-16:– The SEC accounts for half of the  CNR current top-10, followed by two teams each from the Pac-12 and ACC, plus the Big 12’s Texas Tech. Expanding out to the current top-16  (i.e. forecasted NCAA Regional top seeds/hosts), the breakdown includes: 7 SEC, 3 ACC, 3 Pac-12, 1 Big 12, 1 Conference USA and 1 from the American Athletic Conference.

• Coming & Going – Four teams have returned to the CNR Top–50: [26] San Diego State, [42] Oklahoma, [46] Missouri State & [47] Minnesota … while Hawaii, Virginia, South Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana all have slipped outside the Top–50 in the current update … UVa (preseason #16) and South Alabama (initial #22) had been in the CNR Top–50 all season, prior to this week’s update.

• Top-10 Regulars – Only three teams have been in the CNR Top–10 all season: Florida (1-2-3-4-8-7-1), Texas Tech (3-3-2-1-1-6-4) and Oregon State (2-1-1-2-2-1-5).

• Quick Climbers – Clemson was #18 in the preseason CNR but has climbed as high as #4 (now #11) … Ole Miss similarly climbed from #20 to its current #3 (after a week at #2) while Auburn’s strong start has boosted the Tigers from #36 in the preseason CNR to a top-10 position for each of the past four weeks (now #8). NC State opened the season at #24 in the CNR but has spent the past two weeks at #10.

• That’s Why They Play The Games – 21 of the teams in the current CNR Top–50 were not in the preseason Top–50, most notably current #15 East Carolina along with [18] Wichita State, [21] Georgia and [25] Illinois. There are 11 other current top-40 teams that were not among the CNR preseason Top–50: [28] UNLV, [29] Missouri, [30] Stetson, [31] College of Charleston, [33] Tennessee Tech, [34] Louisiana Tech, [35] Florida Atlantic, [37] South Florida, [38] Creighton, [39] Troy and [40] Baylor … six other teams currently in the 41-50 range likewise were not CNR preseason Top–50 squads: [41] Ohio State, [43] Indiana State, [45] Alabama, [47] Minnesota, [49] Oregon and [50] Northeastern.

• Top-50 Regulars – Only 26 teams have remained among the CNR Top–50 throughout the 2018 season: each of the current top-17 teams: Florida, Stanford, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Oregon State, Florida State, Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, NC State, Clemson, Texas A&M, Southern Miss., Vanderbilt, East Carolina, UCLA & Coastal Carolina … along with Louisville, Indiana, North Carolina, Duke, LSU, TCU, Sam Houston State, Texas & UCF.

• Disappointing Feb. & March – Six teams that received plenty of preseason praise (each among the CB360 Composite top-25) currently sit outside the CNR Top–50: preseason #15 Cal State Fullerton, [16] Virginia, [19] Mississippi State, [22] South Alabama, [23] Houston and [25] Arizona.

• Poll Position – Three teams have held down the CNR top spot, through the first seven ranking weeks of 2018: Florida (CNR week #1 & #7), Oregon State (weeks #2, #3 & #6) and Texas Tech (weeks #4 & #5).

CONFERENCE CALL – Here is the current breakdown, by conference (nearly half, 22, are from the SEC, Pac-12 or ACC; and 35 are from the SEC/Pac-12/ACC/Big 12/AAC/Big Ten. The total number of leagues represented in the top-50 has risen to 16 (was 13 in the preseason Top–50), despite the absence of any Big West Conference or West Coast Conference teams:
• 11 SEC teams (4 top-8; 5 top-10; 7 top-16; 9 top-25) – (1) Florida, (3) Ole Miss, (7) Arkansas, (8) Arkansas, (9) Kentucky, (12) Texas A&M, (14) Vanderbilt, (21) Georgia, (24) LSU, (29) Missouri & (45) Alabama
• 6 ACC teams (2 top-10; 3 top-16; 6 top-25) – (6) Florida State, (10) NC State, (11) Clemson, (19) Louisville, (22) North Carolina & (23) Duke
• 5 Pac-12 Conf. teams (2 top-8; 3 top-16): – (2) Stanford, (5) Oregon State, (16) UCLA, (48) California & (49) Oregon
• 5 Big 12 Conf. teams (1 top-4): – (4) Texas Tech, (27) TCU, (36) Texas, (40) Baylor & (42) Oklahoma
• 4 American Athletic Conf. teams (1 top-16; 2 top-25) – (15) East Carolina, (18) Wichita State, (37) South Florida & (44) UCF
• 4 Big Ten Conf. teams (2 top-25) – (20) Indiana, (25) Illinois, (41) Ohio State & (47) Minnesota
• 3 Conference USA teams (1 top-16) – (13) Southern Miss., (34) Louisiana Tech & (35) Florida Atlantic
• 2 Sun Belt Conf. teams –(1 top-25): (17) Coastal Carolina & (39) Troy
• 2 Mountain West Conf. teams – (26) San Diego State & (28) UNLV
• 2 Colonial Athletic Assoc. teams – (31) Charleston & (50) Northeastern
• 1 each (3 teams) – Atlantic Sun (#30 Stetson), Southland (#32 Sam Houston State), Ohio Valley (#33 Tennessee Tech), Big East (#38 Creighton) and Missouri Valley (#43 Indiana State)