Mid-Majors Make Noise in First NET Rankings of the Season
The first NET rankings of the college basketball season dropped this week, and if you’re a fan of the underdog-or just someone who appreciates a good shake-up-you’re going to like what you see. Mid-majors are making their presence felt early, and some power conference programs are finding themselves in unfamiliar territory: way down the list.
Let’s break it all down.
Mid-Majors Storm the Top 75
A whopping 23 mid-major programs landed in the top 75 of the NET rankings (not counting Gonzaga, who’s long since graduated from Cinderella status). That’s a strong early showing, especially considering the NET algorithm gets sharper as the season progresses and more data comes in.
Still, for these schools to be positioned this well out of the gate? That’s a statement.
Utah State Cracks the Top 20
One of the biggest eye-openers? Utah State sitting at No. 20.
The Aggies are fresh off a Charleston Classic title, where they edged VCU and then steamrolled Davidson by 34. That’s a solid resume-builder, but considering the Mountain West’s offseason turnover, few expected a team from that league to climb this high this early. Utah State’s rise is a testament to how well they’ve adapted, and how quickly.
Yale Flexes Ivy League Muscle at No. 25
Yale at 25? That’s not a typo.
The Bulldogs are riding high thanks to a key Quad 1 win over Akron, and they’ve padded their resume with five Quad 3 wins while avoiding the dreaded Quad 4 trap games. Scheduling is always a challenge for mid-majors, especially when it comes to landing those valuable Quad 2 and Quad 3 matchups. Yale’s managed it well, and the NET is rewarding them for it.
Belmont Leading the Missouri Valley Charge
Every year, the Missouri Valley seems to produce a team that can make noise in March. Right now, that looks like Belmont, who sits at No. 33.
All seven of the Bruins’ games so far fall into Quad 3 or 4 territory, but the NET’s adjusted efficiency metrics take opponent strength into account. The real test will come when Belmont starts facing better competition. For now, they’ve done what they needed to do-and done it well.
Tulsa Tops the AAC Early
One of the more surprising developments? Tulsa is the highest-ranked team in the American Athletic Conference at No. 27.
The Hurricanes were picked to finish eighth in the AAC preseason poll. Memphis and South Florida were the favorites.
But Tulsa’s 2-1 record against Quad 2 opponents has vaulted them into the national conversation. They haven’t faced a Quad 1 team yet, but they’ve clearly taken care of business early-and that’s enough to flip the AAC script just one month into the season.
Conference Strength Getting a Boost
Tulsa’s rise isn’t happening in a vacuum. Santa Clara (No. 36) is giving the WCC a boost, and the Atlantic 10 has three teams-George Washington, George Mason, and Saint Louis-in the top 50.
These rankings matter. When conference play begins, having multiple teams in the top tier of the NET gives everyone more chances to rack up quality wins.
The WCC is hoping to sneak a third team into the NCAA Tournament, while the A-10 is eyeing at-large potential. These early rankings could be the foundation for those bids.
Akron, UC San Diego, and Cal Baptist Keep Climbing
Let’s talk about a few more surprise risers.
Akron sits at No. 40, well ahead of MAC rivals Buffalo and Miami (OH), both of whom were expected to be right in the mix. The Zips are outperforming expectations-and the NET is taking notice.
UC San Diego, meanwhile, is holding strong at No. 43 despite losing head coach Eric Olen to New Mexico in the offseason. The Tritons faced significant roster turnover, but they’ve found a new leader in Auckland native Tom Beattie, who’s stuffing the stat sheet in both rebounds and assists. The Tritons are proving they’re more than just a one-coach program.
And then there’s Cal Baptist at No. 67.
With Grand Canyon no longer in the WAC, it looked like the conference might fade from relevance. Not so fast.
Cal Baptist and Utah Valley are both in the top 75, and the Lancers are already being projected as a potential 13-seed come March.
Big Ten’s Bottom Tier Raises Eyebrows
Not everything is rosy for the power conferences. The Big Ten, often lauded for its depth and strength in the NET, has a few programs dragging down the average.
Rutgers (No. 184), Oregon (No. 192), and Maryland (No. 203) are all outside the top 180.
That’s not where you want to be if you’re hoping to help your conference’s tournament profile. For power leagues, having teams in the Quad 1 and 2 range is critical-not just for their own resumes, but for the strength of schedule of everyone else in the league.
A December Snapshot of the Road to March
This is just the first checkpoint in a long season, but it’s already telling us a lot. Mid-majors are capitalizing on early opportunities, and the NET is giving them credit. Power conference teams that stumble early are finding it harder to hide.
The rankings will shift as more games are played, but if this first release is any indication, we’re in for a wild ride to March. The gap between the haves and have-nots?
It’s not as wide as it used to be. And for fans of chaos, that’s very good news.