The Underdogs Poll is a weekly ranking of college football's top non-power FBS teams. Voters come from SB Nation sites Bull Run, Hustle Belt, Miner Rush, Mountain West Connection, Underdog Dynasty, Vanquish The Foe, and Voodoo Five.
The Underdogs Poll, week 11: Marshall law
After 10 weeks of being just on the cusp, the Thundering Herd have finally reclaimed their No. 1 spot. But it may be a short-lived crown if the mighty MWC has its way.
Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports
It sure feels like ECU’s reign atop the Underdogs Poll was a long one. But the truth of the matter is that after just four weeks of holding off Marshall and company, the Pirates are king of this ship no more. In the end, it wasn’t the Thundering Herd that pushed ECU off the plank (pirate puns for the win!). No, Bill Cosby’s favorite Owls and an obsession with shooting themselves in the foot were what got the best of the Pirates this past Saturday.
| RANK | TEAM | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marshall (8) | 217 | 2 |
| 2 | Colorado State (6) | 211 | 3 |
| 3 | Boise State (1) | 197 | 4 |
| 4 | East Carolina | 153 | 1 |
| 5 | Georgia Southern | 145 | 6 |
| 6 | Utah State | 122 | 10 |
| 7 | Nevada | 106 | 11 |
| 8 | Northern Illinois | 95 | 8 |
| T-9 | Air Force | 87 | 7 |
| T-9 | Memphis | 87 | 9 |
| 11 | Houston | 68 | 13 |
| 12 | UCF | 64 | 5 |
| 13 | BYU | 53 | 12 |
| 14 | Louisiana Tech | 49 | 16 |
| 15 | Temple | 38 | 22 |
| Dropped out: Middle Tennessee, Toledo | Others receiving votes: Cincinnati (37), Toledo (28), Arkansas State (11), UL Lafayette (9), BGSU (7), Rice (7), WMU (5), Middle Tennessee (2), Akron (1), Navy (1) | |||
So for the fourth time this season, we have a new leader. Marshall, which began this season as the top-ranked team in our preseason poll (and didn’t even play this past week), has outlasted ECU and BYU to reclaim its title. But, as is the case with any regime change, we’ve got a fierce battle to take control, with a pair of Mountain West teams chomping at the Herd’s heels.
Marshall deserves the advantage right now — however weak its schedule has been — for doing what ECU couldn’t: not stumble. In fact, Marshall is one of just three teams in all of the FBS to have not slipped up yet. With a combined record of 8-11, it’s unlikely any of the Herd’s four remaining opponents will knock the unflappable bovines.
But Colorado State and Boise State are sure to make things interesting. Both have blemished records — a not-so-embarrassing-now loss to Ole Miss and a confusing loss to Air Force for the Broncos, and a Week 2 loss to Boise State for the Rams — but both have been rumbling along, racking up wins in what is the toughest conference amongst the so-called “Group of Five.”
Strange things happen when the calendar flips to November. This time next week we could be looking at another new No. 1.
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