Commonwealth Collegiate Rankings Week 9 (10-30-2025)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: Suzanne Velasco-LMS Network
This is one of those weeks where the placement is just about right pending upsets and teams overcoming the trap games. We still have over six schools fighting for a conference title meanwhile the rest of the state is trying to make their mark on what’s left of the season. Virginia State has set itself up with a 5-3 record and has won three straight games, with a fourth against Lincoln. They would be looking to dethrone the Panthers in a couple of weeks and could be in for another classic. Hampton Sydney is in the same position as Shenandoah at 6-1 except for the fact that the Tigers beat the Hornets and will get to see Shenandoah face Randolph Macon first before they get a crack. Until then, the Tigers will head to D.C. to face Gallaudet and will host Bridgewater before facing Macon.
#10. University of Richmond (4-4) Another tough conference loss 22-28 to Holy Cross spirals last year’s number one CCR team to the bottom of the top ten dropping another spot. Oh, to be bowl eligible seems to be the thought in Richmond, as they have three more Patriot League games and a matchup with William and Mary for the Capital Cup. Thoughts are they will finish 6-6 but how will those wins come? It will be a major task with Lafayette and Georgetown playing good football. However, if they catch lightning in a bottle then finishing 8-4 would be a great season considering the change of conference and taking on some heavyweights in the conference as well.
#9. Virginia Tech (3-5) Huge win against California in double overtime 42-34 to improve to 3-5 however they are also 2-2 and have some huge ACC games left where they can shake up the conference standings. If you are a Hokie fan, then you are wishing on that momentum star to shine in Blacksburg and run the last three games off to become bowl eligible. Moving one spot up in the CCR, they move on to face #16 Louisville who is the assignment now, and will be a tough one as the Hokies welcome them into town. Taking out the #16 team in the nation will definitely jump a couple of teams which is why they still have a chance to make a splash this season.
#8. Liberty University (3-4) Hopefully following what Virginia Tech just did by using the bye week to get a victory Liberty is coming in at 8. The only difference is they stay put but have no room for losses as the Hokies are gaining traction. Delaware is up next on November 1 at Liberty. This is going to be a long month of football having good conference matchups and will the Flames Faithful outlast the adversity that comes with such a task? I believe they will at least become bowl eligible which would be one hell of a turnaround from a 1-4 start. If they run through all of the opponents, then that would leave them with a shot at a conference championship. It starts this week and takes it one week at a time.
#7. William and Mary (4-4) A tough road loss in New Hampshire 24-34 and with this loss, it puts the Tribe back into the mix of teams trying to fight for a strong finish. The real question is what happens when the Tribe leaves the 757. 0-4 on the road is not something to hang your hat on. Outside of UVA they were competitive on the road but just couldn’t pull out the win. While not in the same conference anymore, Richmond is also 4-4 and both could arrive 7-4 facing one another. With UAlbany coming to Zable Stadium, the Tribe can start a new winning streak as both road games following are winnable and would lead right into the Capital Cup against Richmond. Again starts with defending home turf.
#6. Old Dominion University (5-3) with a thrilling 24-21 homecoming win against App State, the Monarchs get back to .500 in the SunBelt and look to travel to University of Louisiana Monroe and could be a huge win for the Monarch which would put them at 3-2 in the conference and three games they can win to improve to 6-2 in the conference and who knows where they would land but one things for certain, they are trying to become bowl eligible and that would be a huge turnaround from last season. One key factor is the 14-27 loss to now #2 Indiana looks really good now as they continue to move in the right direction. They only move up one spot due to the state’s success but if they continue to win it will put pressure on the division III and II teams to not lose down the stretch.
#5. Randolph Macon College #18 (7-1) 47-7 was just what the doctor ordered for this top 5 team in the CCR handling Gallaudet University while having two games that could potentially bump the YellowJackets up in the rankings with two formattable opponents coming up in Shenandoah and Hampton-Sydney. With Division III only having ten games scheduled, the work is right there for Randolph Macon to have a high playoff seeding and find themselves having the whole state rooting for them. The good thing about these games is that both will be at home and that should lead to double-digit wins if they perform like they have all season long.
#4. Virginia Union University #10 (7-1) moving up into the top ten of Division II is a great accomplishment but with multiple teams hitting their stride right now winning 24-7 against a struggling Bowie State looks good but not dominant as one would want to keep an undefeated team off your back. This could be temporary however I am sure Panther Nation just wants to keep rolling into the playoffs with a chance to win the national championship. Traveling to Bluefield will be a game they should have under control in the first quarter and with that will watch to see what the teams ahead will do.
#3. Christopher Newport University #13 (7-0) 170-14 in the last three weeks is just astonishing to witness in the middle of the season. On the road, the Captains dominate William Paterson 52-7 and will have one more warmup before what could be the game of the year in regards to two highly ranked teams so hopefully the Captains sail right by Montclair State University into a massive showdown against #4 Salisbury. This is the only team undefeated on our list and with that, they have jumped up to the number three spot surpassing a Union team that both teams have national championship aspirations. Hopefully, the Captains with a huge matchup coming up will take advantage of an opportunity that can have them watching the division I powerhouses to see who falls first.
#2. James Madison (7-1). On the road or at home either way you have back-to-back blowout wins by the Dukes beating Texas State 52-20 in convincing fashion improving to 5-0 in conference play and looking like a team ready to be put in the top 25 of Division I as they received 18 votes. The Dukes have been on a tear this season and have three conference games left that will have them as the favorite but the real kicker to our countdown is that they have a similar opponent with UVA as they will host Washington State as UVA survived 22-20 in Washington. With Marshall and App State up next this could position the Dukes for the number one CCR. They are in a position where they control their own destiny to obtain the number one spot
#1. University of Virginia #15 (7-1) As my cousin would always say, whatever it takes is the motto and that is what UVA is living with barely escaping Chapel Hill 17-16 in overtime. At what point will the Wa-Hoo nation have a heart attack watching this team overcome mistakes adversity injuries and just finding a way? Winning by three points three weeks ago, then winning by two points two weeks ago, and finally winning by a single point this past week makes you wonder what this week’s results will be. Traveling across the country to sunny California will be a challenge in itself but a hungry California team is waiting to give the Cavaliers a run for their money. This could and should be a double-digit win but I was thinking that against UNC and we saw how that turned out so a win is a win is the theme we are sticking with.
