Commonwealth Collegiate Power Rankings Heading Into Week 3 (9-11-24)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: Arturo Jones-LMS Network
We are talking all Virginia Football and let’s see who the top dog by the end of the year will be. We will rank the top 10 teams with 9 division one programs along with the top division 2 or 3 team, to hold the 10th spot. We look at strength of schedule, conference, in state matchups, recent success just as a few of the categories helping us decide who is ultimately the state’s top Team!
Honorable Mention:
Virginia Union (1-1)– Comes in as a reigning CIAA champ, ranked in the top 20 in Division II, and looked to make a splash in the state starting with a 69-7 dominant season opener and then Joe Taylor, old football coach and Legend at Hampton almost went back by sea and stole a win as they pushed the Pirates for four quarters of football losing 28-23. They can go on a run and possibly shake this ranking up.
10.VMI (0-2)– Starting with an in-state loss to William and Mary, it gets even tougher for the Cadets as they will take on Georgia Tech and then a chance of hope with another in-state game against Norfolk State with a chance to get a win on the board.
9. Norfolk State (1-3)– One of the few teams that played in week 0 of the college football season and they have only gained a victory against Virginia State in a nail-biter to be 1-3. We will truly know where they stand in the state as they have Hampton and VMI on the schedule.
8.Richmond (0-2) With a loss to UVA by three touchdowns and a tough loss against a thriving Wofford team leaves Richmond below the standard for what the historic program generally produces. It’s early and plenty of time to turn it around.
7.ODU (0-2), Their losses comes against SEC opponent South Carolina and then a rival game against East Carolina, but it does not get any better as they will host Virginia Tech who looks to get on a roll but if you look at the schedule, they are not playing cupcakes.
6.Hampton (1-1)– With a big victory against Virginia Union as they are a top 20 division II program in the nation, and it just would not have been a good loss at home. One of those sleeper games but Hampton pulled it out and avenged the season-opener loss to Morgan State.
5.William and Mary (1-1) – The Tribe looked strong in the home opener as they dominated VMI but went on the road and lost to a tough Coastal Carolina team and will look to take on a strong Wofford team and will have multiple chances to move up hosting Hampton and facing Richmond later. The Tribe should be in a position to win the conference and push in the playoffs for a strong run.
4.Virginia Tech (1-1)– With all the hype for this upcoming year it was a deflated balloon as they lost the season opener in overtime against Vanderbilt. They recovered well against Marshall and look to keep it rolling with in-state opponent ODU up next.
3. James Madison (2-0) My only reason for having JMU ranked third is because they will have a big test in front of them with a chance to move up as they take on North Carolina which is the biggest game on the schedule. After handling Charlotte and Gardner-Webb, the Dukes can end this year as the number-one team in the state.
2. Liberty (2-0) – Sprinkle a little bit of last year in along with a 2-0 start and you have the potential to see 2 Virginia schools in the college playoffs. Yeah, I said it, although it would take UVA winning the ACC and pretty much going undefeated and this Liberty team here who just came off a Fiesta Bowl appearance would not be out of the question. One game at a time but so far off to a great start.
1. University of Virginia (2-0) -One thing for sure is I’m not biased about this pick but if you know our state when the Hoos are winning it’s a party in Virginia! People are traveling for this big old ACC matchup against Maryland looking to go 3-0 which will match Tony Elliott’s win totals for his first two seasons. The comeback win against Wake Forest was huge as normally when a team can get a win from adversity, it usually propels the team for bigger things. This game will change the talk around town if UVA goes to 3-0.
