The How & The Why: 2025-26 Commonwealth Collegiate Rankings-Week 1 (9-2-2025)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network
The first week of the college football season has been nothing short of exhilarating and full of energy. The anticipation of seeing who will come out of the gate firing and who will have to face adversity right after the first game. Again, levels of ranking are based on division (I, II, III), opponent, and whether it is home or away along with the in-state games and conference standings. This week we let the scores do the talking as the teams will either be 1-0 or 0-1. With the teams that lost, we look at where and who.
Highest highest-ranked 0-1 is Virginia Tech playing against their legendary coach Frank Beamer’s son Shane and if Frank was in the crowd with South Carolina gear on then you know it was going to be a hard pill to swallow for the Hokies. Then you have Richmond who jumped ship to the Patriot League where Lehigh which is the premier team in the conference welcomed Richmond to a competitive 14-21 loss on the road.
William and Mary flipped the whole backfield and with a promising start from Tyler Hughes, a critical welcoming pick 6 put the Tribe off their normal course of controlling the game. Taking a heartbreaking 21-23 loss, the Tribe still has a lot to look forward to with a balanced attack maybe more than ever in the Mike London era.
ODU had no chance in HELL as I heard the Vince McMahon song in my head. However, I predicted for them to just compete 4 quarters, and I would give them the respect and so that landed them at 8 above Hampton and Norfolk State which both had formidable opponents however Hampton took on #17 Ranked Jackson State and still competed for four quarters while Norfolk State had to take a learning lesson while showing they can compete with Towson.
VMI is only above my Alma Mater because they are Division I and that’s all I can say about that one but hopefully the Cadets can turn it around. Virginia Union refuses to be denied their recognition and with that, they land at number 6 as the only non-Division I-ranked team. They plug and repeat as I have seen friends of family have their freshmen make snaps and the dominance is in recognizing the talent you bring in and I know Union will have a deep run if they stay healthy.
Liberty looks the part but will have to continue to show and prove if they want to stop what could be momentum from JMU and UVA and that is easier said than done if all teams are winning. JMU just doesn’t want to lose the number one overall team in the state over the past five years with their dominance to Virginia Union and continue to show you who they are. Number one is almost given and will ride the wave until there is no reason to but, UVA or Virginia Tech has the best opportunity to get National recognition they can do so by compiling consecutive wins.
This is number one and it looked different in Charlottesville, however, the only way to be sure is to see how they respond to their own success as they take on North Carolina State in a non-conference game that could continue the momentum that is well needed in Charlottesville.
CCR Top 10
HM (1-0) Virginia State 35-7 vs Barton College @ Norfolk State 9/6 6 pm
HM (0-1) VMI 7-52 at Navy Vs. Ferrum College 9/6 1:30 pm
#10 (0-1) Norfolk State 7-27 vs Towson Vs. Virginia State 9/6 6 pm
#9 (0-1) Hampton 14-28 at Jackson State Vs. Elizabeth City State 9/6 6 pm
#8 (0-1) ODU 27-14at Indiana lost Vs. NC Central 9/6 6 pm
#7 (0-1) William and Mary 21-23 at Furman Vs. Maine 9/6 6 pm
#6 (1-0) Virginia Union 45-3 vs Miles College BYE WEEK
#5 (0-1) Richmond 14-21 at Lehigh @ Wofford 9/6 6 pm
#4 (0-1) Virginia Tech 11-24 (NS) South Carolina Vs. Vanderbilt 9/6 7:30 pm
#3 (1-0) Liberty 28-7 vs Maine @ Jacksonville State 9/6 12 pm
#2 (1-0) JMU 45-7 vs Weber State @ Louisville 9/5 7 pm
#1 (1-0) Virginia 48-7 vs Coastal Carolina @ NC State 9/6 12 pm
