SMU men's soccer soars into Week 5 Power 5 rankings

The reigning national champs are out of the men's college soccer Power 5 rankings and SMU, largely thanks to its keeper's stellar performance, has launched its way to No. 2 in Week 5's list. As the season approaches a midway point, the competition couldn't be closer with several hard-fought draws and one-goal leads headlining this past week's action.

Here's a rundown of Andrew McDevitt's top-5 rankings for Week 5 of men's college soccer.

5. Akron | 5-0-4 (Prev. 4)

The Zips squeeze into the Power 5 with a third-straight draw, surviving a scoreless match with Notre Dame and 1-1 tie at St. John's. Akron's most recent equalizer came late in the second half after the Zips rallied from going down early in the match. Between the two draws, the Zips have directed 20 total shots on goal and only allowed one. Akron will aim to break through with a win as they host Seton Hall on Friday.

4. UCF | 4-1-2 (Prev. 3)

UCF's tough 1-0 loss to Marshall puts it back a spot but the squad's historic rise this season should not be discounted. Saturday's matchup marked the first time the program earned a spot in a top-3 nationally-ranked matchup and last week's draw with West Virginia was the Knights' first-ever top-5 matchup. UCF will look to reclaim their dominance on Friday as they travel to play Kentucky.

3. West Virginia | 6-0-2 (Prev. 2)

The Mountaineers track back a spot after a scoreless draw at home against Sunbelt opponent Georgia Southern. WVU put up a solid fight narrowly missing the posts and outshooting the Eagles 20-2 while holding a huge advantage in corners (17-1).  The Mountaineers will look to find the net in their road match on Tuesday at UNC Greensboro. 

2. SMU | 7-1 (Prev. NR)

The Mustangs break through for the No. 2 spot after recording a 2-1 road win over South Florida that saw six saves from senior keeper Cole Johnson, including a penalty kick stop. Hermann Trophy candidate Jelldrik Dallmann sealed the win with a pair of goals, bringing his season total to six. Next up, the Mustangs will defend their home turf against Grand Canyon on Wednesday, and maintain their clean home record (6-0). 

W O W ! ! !

Things you love to see from the reigning AAC Goalkeeper of the Week:

SMU:1
USF: 0 pic.twitter.com/a42niBe1yy

— SMU Men's Soccer (@SMUSoccerM) September 22, 2023

1. Marshall | 8-0 (Prev. 1)

The Herd maintain a steady hold at No. 1, notching their eighth-straight win of the season over UCF, who are nationally ranked at No. 3. Marshall fans can't help but join the winning frenzy, with attendance at Saturday's Senior Night reaching a program high of 3,075 screaming fans. The 1-0 win over UCF marks the squad's fifth shutout of the season. The Herd look to keep the momentum up on Wednesday as they play their final non-conference match against VCU.