UCLA has become the sixth team to occupy the top spot in CB360’s exclusive Composite National Rankings (CNR) – following five other teams (Vanderbilt, Virginia, TCU, LSU and Texas A&M) that have occupied the CNR No. 1 position already at some point during the 2015 season.
[34] Arkansas and [50] Alabama have returned to the top–50, with one another newcomer to this week’s CNR in Southland Conference favorite [48] Southeastern Louisiana. The three teams that have dropped out of the top–50 include: [42] Long Beach State, [45] San Diego State and [49] South Carolina.
Scroll down for the complete current Top–50, plus other date, links, notes, etc.
– front-page photo of Kort Peterson courtesy of UCLA
CLICK HERE for the preseason top-50, with complete release, historical notes, etc.
… week–2 update … week–3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
The current CNR formula has expanded to include 22 elements – the most detailed formula in the seven-year history of the CNR at CB360
(links to all 22 elements included lower down on this page):
• Seven regular national polls/rankings (USA Today coaches; NCBWA writers; Baseball America; D1baseball.com; Perfect Game; Collegiate Baseball magazine; and ESPN Power Rankings)
• Three midseason NCAA Tournament projections (BA, PG and D1Baseball.com)
• Four RPI elements (Official NCAA RPI, Warren Nolan RPI, Boyds World Pseudo-RPI, and projected final RPI from Warren Nolan)
• Five other RPI-type elements (Boyd’s World ISR, Massey Strength Ratings, Massey Power Rankings. ELO Rankings from Massey, and Warren Nolan Power Index/NPI)
• Three final elements that award a small bonus (projected final strength of schedule, plus current offense strength and defense strength, all per Massey)
Note – some in-depth notes may be added to this release later in the weekend (click on the week–10 update link above for in-depth notes from last week).
COMPOSITE NATIONAL RANKINGS (CNR) CRITERIA: Teams receive points based on their standings in each poll/rating/projection (60 pts for #1; 59 for #2, etc.). For polls involving voting points (coaches and CB) and the various RPI-type ratings, the CNR adjusts to reward teams that have larger margins in the voting/point totals (whereas two teams with nearly the same voting-point total will be closer in the CNR allotment for that poll). Note that strength-of-schedule typically is factored into RPI formulations … thus the actual SOS numbers only are used early in the season (SOS are not used in the CNR when RPI already are in the mix). For the NCAA field projections, teams are awarded CNR points based on their respective seedings, “last in” and “last out,” etc. (teams likely projected to make the field only via automatic bids do not receive points in the CNR formula).
The polls/ratings/projections are averaged, with 40 points typically then added to each total in order to yield the 100-point benchmark. Early in the season (projected SOS; and preseason conference coaches polls) and late in the season (final-10 games), a maximum bonus/penalty of 2.0 (SOS & conf. poll) or 0.5 points (final-10) is factored into the formula (in that case, 38.0, or 39.5, rather than 40, is added to the poll/rating/projection avg.).
Here are links to the 22 criteria currently used in the CNR:
• National Coaches Poll (USA Today/ESPN; top-25, plus rec. votes)
• National Collegiate Baseball NCBWA Writers Poll (top-30, plus rec. votes)
• DIBaseball.com top-25 (plus rec. votes)
• Baseball America top-25
• Collegiate Baseball magazine rankings (30 teams)
• Perfect Game rankings (top-25)
• ESPN.com Power Ratings (top-20, plus rec. votes)
• Baseball America projected NCAA Tournament field
• DIBaseball.com projected NCAA Tournament field (w/ stock report)
• Perfect Game projected NCAA Tournament field
• Official NCAA RPI (top–60)
• WarrenNolan.com RPI (top–60)
• Boyds World Pseudo-RPI (top–60)
• Projected Final RPI (Warren Nolan; top–60)
• Boyds World ISR (Iterative Strength Ratings; top–60)
• Massey Strength Ratings (top–60)
• Massey Power Ratings (top–60)
• ELO Ratings (Warren Nolan; top–60)
• Warren Nolan Power Index (NPI; top–60)
The below three elements award a small bonus (max. 1.0 point each, with baseline max of 97 for the average of the above 19 core elements):
• Offense Strength (Massey; top–60)
• Defense Strength (Massey; top–60)
• Projected Final Strength of Schedule (Massey; top–60)
_________
CB360 Composite National Rankings #10
(top-50, plus projected NCAA field-of-64 – April 23, 2015)
(rank) Team – voting pts (previous weeks … 2015 preseason)
1. UCLA – 97.38 (#2 after week-10 … 4 … 6 … 6 … 7 … 10 … 4 … 5 … 6 … #6 preseason)
2. LSU – 95.98 (3 … 5 … 5 … 1 … 3 … 4 … 6 … 7 … 5 … 5)
3. Texas A&M – 92.96 (#1 …1 … 3 … 2 … 5 … 8 … 22 … 24 … 24 … 33)
4. Florida – 91.67 (8 … 11 … 4 … 5 … 2 … 3 … 5 … 4 … 4 … 4)
5. Louisville – 89.35 (4 … 6 … 11 … 8 … 13 … 18 … 23 … 20 … 10 … 10)
6. Miami – 88.86 (5 … 8 … 10 … 12 … 19 … 21 … 17 … 14 … 11 … 18)
7. TCU – 88.64 (6 … 3 … 2 … 4 … 1 … 1 … 2 … 2 … 3 … 3)
8. USC – 87.43 (10 … 10 … 9 … 14 … 10 … 11 … 24 … 37 … – … –)
9. Dallas Baptist – 87.10 (15 … 15 … 15 … 21 … 27 … 27 … 25 … 25 … – … 50)
10. Arizona State – 85.68 (9 … 9 … 7 … 10 … 14 … 14 … 16 … 13 … 17 … 15)
11. Illinois – 85.44 (16 … 14 … 18 … 18 … 22 … 23 … 37 … 27 … 30 … 37)
12. UC Santa Barbara – 85.08 (11 … 13 … 13 … 15 … 17 … 17 … 19 … 17 … 21 … 25)
13. Florida State – 84.95 (12 … 7 … 11 … 7 … 12 … 15 … 21 … 22 … 16 … 13)
14. Missouri State – 83.81 (14 … 23 … 41 … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
15. Vanderbilt – 83.51 (7 … 2 … 1 … 3 … 4 … 5 … 3 … 3 … 1 … 1)
16. Florida Atlantic – 83.33 (17 … 17 … 24 … 30 … 20 … 26 … 26 … 36 … – … –)
17. Oklahoma State – 81.94 (13 … 12 … 14 … 20 … 26 … 32 … 20 … 18 … 13 … 7)
18. College of Charleston – 71.23 (26 … 28 … 44 … 49 … – … _ … 39 … 30 … 42 … 34)
19. North Carolina – 69.18 (23 … 31 … 32 … 25 … 23 … 13 … 15 …12 … 14 … 12)
20. Maryland – 67.77 (18 … 18 … 31 … 19 … 31 … 29 … 18 … 21 … 20 … 20)
21. Nebraska – 66.37 (19 … 19 … 23 … 31 … 48 … – … – … 42 … 36 …. 26)
22. Ohio State – 66.15 (34 … 38 … 47 … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
23. Iowa – 65.88 (20 … 25 … 30 … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
24. Nevada – 65.44 (40 … 32 … 26 … 29 … 32 … 28 … 35 … 40 … – … –)
25. Notre Dame – 62.49 (31 … – … – … 44 … 33 … 39 … 33 … – … – … –)
26. UNC Wilmington – 62.15 (27 … 34 … 40 … 37 … 42 … 40 … – … 50 … – … –)
27. Virginia – 62.04 (41 … 21 … 19 … 17 … 8 … 2 … 1 … 1 … 2 … 2)
28. Missouri – 61.20 (25 … 27 … 34 … 32 … 35 … – … – … – … – … –)
29. Radford – 60.52 (46 … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
30. Coastal Carolina – 59.50 (21 … 24 … 29 … 42 … – … – … 49 … – … – … –)
31. Houston – 59.46 (29 … 22 … 16 … 16 … 21 … 22 … 9 … 6 … 7 … 8)
32. Oregon State – 58.54 (36 … 29 … 27 … 22 … 28 … 25 … 28 … 28 … 38 … 31)
33. Oral Roberts – 58.22 (38 … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
34. Arkansas – 58.21 (– … – … – … – … – … – … 32 … 35 … 25 … 36)
35. Texas Tech – 56.83 (33 … 46 … 33 … 27 … 15 … 19 … 7 … 9 … 17)
36. Bradley – 55.05 (43 … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
37. Auburn – 54.53 (39 … 43 …. 49 … – … – … 30 … 38 … – … – … –)
38. UC Irvine – 54.48 (32 … 41 … – … – … – … – … – … – … 39 … 41)
39. Rice – 54.16 (28 … 20 … 22 … 26 … 9 … 12 …. 13 … 11 … 15 … 14)
40. Georgia Tech – 52.73 (24 … 33 … 38 … 35 … 24 … 31 … 29 … 32 … 34 … 39)
41. Oklahoma – 52.69 (37 … 49 … – … 34 … 47 … – … – … – … – … –)
42. South Florida – 52.66 (35 … 42 … 45 … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
43. Connecticut – 52.48 (47 … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
44. Mississippi – 50.37 (48 … – … 50 … 45 … – … 46 … 30 … 26 … 28 … 24)
45. Memphis – 49.54 (50 … 44 … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
46. Cal State Fullerton – 48.35 (44 … – … – … – … 45 … 24 … 40 … 43 … 22 … 16)
47. California – 48.07 (30 … 26 … 21 … 24 … 30 … 41 … 44 … – … – … –)
48. Southeastern Louisiana – 47.68 (– … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … – … –)
49. UCF (Central Florida) – 47.00 (22 … 16 … 8 … 9 … 11 … 9 … 14 … 19 … 33 … 38)
50. Alabama – 46.85 (– … 50 … 48 … 41 … 38 … 47 … 41 … 31 … 29 … 35)
Next Five: Louisiana (Lafayette), Michigan State, North Florida, Long Beach State and Tulane
• 17 Other Projected 2015 NCAA Tournament Teams
(conferences not in top–50):
(based on composite preseason projections; to be updated in mid-April):
San Francisco (WCC) … Mercer (SoCon) … Wright State (Horizon)
Creighton (BIG EAST) … Louisiana -Lafayette (Sun Belt)
Alabama State (SWAC) … Columbia (Ivy League)
North Florida (Atlantic Sun) … Southeast Missouri State (Ohio Valley)
Stony Brook (America East) … Canisius (MAAC) … Saint Louis (A-10)
Central Michigan (Mid-American) … Bryant (Northeast)
Seattle (WAC) … Holy Cross (Patriot League) … Bethune-Cookman (MEAC)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–10:
42. Long Beach State – 54.75 (37 … – … – … – … – … 36 … – … – … – )
45. San Diego State – 53.25 (36 … 35 … 38 … 39 … 33 … 27 … 33 … – … –)
49. South Carolina – 48.97 (30 … 17 … 11 … 6 … 7 … 8 … 10 … 12 … 11)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–9:
35. Texas – 56.66 (20 … 13 … 16 … 16 … 12 … 9 … 8 … 9)
39. Kentucky – 53.01 (39 … – … – … – … – … – … – … 49)
40. Arizona – 51.94 (25 … 33 … 41 … 37 … – … – … – … –)
45. San Diego – 48.43 ( 28 … 36 … 36 … 38 … 45 … – … – … –)
47. Indiana – 47.84 (36 … 28 … 29 … – … – … 49 … 32 … –)
48. Wright State – 47.25 (43 … 43 … – … – … – … – … – … –)
50. Alabama – 46.50 (48 … 41 … 38 … 47 … 41 … 31 … 29 … 35)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–8:
37. Georgia – 47.46 (– … – … 50 … – … 29 … – … –)
42. Oregon – 44.53 (23 … 18 … 6 … 10 … 15 … 18 … 21)
46. Cal State Northridge – 41.38 (40 … 43 … 44 … – … – … – … –)
50. Mississippi – 39.97 (45 … – … 46 … 30 … 26 … 28 … 24)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–7:
34. Oklahoma – 48.31 (47 … – … – … – … – … –)
39. Mississippi State – 44.20 (25 … 20 … 11 … 16 … 19 … 19)
44. Notre Dame – 41.66 (33 … 39 … 33 … – … – … –)
46. Duke – 41.27 (– … – … – … – … – … –)
47. Old Dominion – 38.57 (– … – … – … – … – … –)
48. Stanford – 36.27 (40 … 34 … 34 … 44 … 26 … 22)
50. New Mexico – 35.50 (46 … 35 … 42 … – … – … –)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–6:
34. Campbell – 50.45 (43 … – … – … – … –)
37. Tulane – 46.98 (42 … 31 … 39 … – … –)
44. Milwaukee – 44.14 (– … – … – … – … –)
45. Cal State Fullerton – 43.63 (24 … 40 … 43 … 22 … 16)
49. East Carolina – 41.89 (– … – … – … – … –)
50. Central Arkansas – 41.69 (– … – … – … – … –)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–5:
30. Auburn – 54.27 (38 … – … – … –)
36. Arkansas – 48.48 (32 … 35 … 25 … 36)
45. Georgia Southern – 43.11 (– … – … – … –)
46. Mississippi – 42.03 (30 … 26 … 28 … 24)
47. Kennesaw State – 41.93 (46 … 23 … 23 … 23)
47. Louisiana-Lafayette – 41.93 (– … – … 45 … 44)
50. Georgia – 41.75 (– … 29 … – … –)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–4:
36. Long Beach State – 48.09 (– … – … –)
39. College of Charleston – 45.83 (30 … 42 … 34)
43. Baylor – 42.80 (34 … 43 … –)
47. Columbia – 42.46 (– … – … –)
48. Arkansas State – 42.40 (– … – … –)
49. Coastal Carolina – 42.40 (– … – … –)
50. Clemson – 42.30 (48 … 44 … 27)
– Dropped Out of the Top-50 after Week–3:
29. Georgia – 50.50 (– … –)
38. UNLV – 42.27 (40 … –)
41. Grand Canyon – 41.57 (– … –)
42. Nebraska – 41.36 (36 … 26)
45. Tennessee – 39.02 (41 … 30)
46. Liberty – 38.57 (27 … 29)
47. Loyola Marymount – 38.52 (35 … 32)
49. Indiana – 38.04 (32 … –)
50. UNC Wilmington – 38.01 (– … –)
Dropped Out of Top-50 after Week–2:
31. Florida International
37. Cal Poly (#28 preseason)
39. UC Irvine (41)
45. Louisiana (Lafayette) (44)
46. Sam Houston State (47)
47. Washington
48. Pepperdine (45)
49. St. John’s (40)
50. Fresno State
Note: the following teams dropped out of the top-50 after being in the preseason CNR –
(42) Kent State, (43) Wichita State, (46) Ball State, (48) San Diego and (49) Kentucky (also #50 Dallas Baptist, which later returned to the top-50).