Before the season started, we at White & Blue Review asked each other two simple questions: why are there so many official polls for collegiate soccer, and what would it take for Creighton to crack these top 25 and top 30 lists?
We’re still not sure about the first question, but the Bluejays went ahead and answered the second query. A 4-0-0 start and a dominating defense proved to be the perfect formula to vault the Jays back into the national rankings.
WBR considers Bob Bradner and College Soccer News friends of the site (heck, Bradner spoke with us during Creighton’s search for Bob Warming’s replacement), so for the purposes of our CU soccer coverage we defer to their ranking of the Jays. And in this week’s rankings, College Soccer News ranks Creighton #18 in the nation. That’s one spot behind Jamie Clark’s previous employer, the Harvard Crimson.
The Bluejays also cracked the rankings according to Soccer America (#14), moved up to #16 from #24 in the NSCAA poll, and rose from #24 to #20 in the Soccer Times poll.
Creighton already beat UC Santa Barbara, a team that was ranked at the time but has since slipped from College Soccer News’ Top 30 poll. But the Bluejays still have scheduled matches against #26 Southern Methodist this weekend in Peoria, Illinois; in Omaha against #4 Tulsa (October 5) and vs. #22 Indiana (October 9); and on the road at #1 Akron (October 27) and #29 Evansville (October 16).
Some of the players say they took issue with the team being left out of many preseason rankings and polls. But the Bluejays are back where many of their fans and followers figured they would be sooner rather than later under Clark. Still, the tough slate facing the Jays during the remainder of this season serves as a great challenge and substantial opportunity to improve ahead of what could be a return to what really matters: the NCAA Tournament.