Commonwealth Collegiate Power Rankings Week 16 (12-11-2024)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: Virginia Union Football
Only three teams are left with games in the state as they all look to go bowling and put a stamp on the season. Let’s see who has a chance to move up and where the rest fall.
HM Hampton- (5-7) Losing the last four games was tough however the Pirates will have something to build on with multiple games that showed how explosive this offense could be. Defensive will be key for next year if they plan to elevate within the CAA
10. Old Dominion- (5-7) Finishing the year with a win and going .500 within conference play deserves the number 10 slot with plenty of opportunities for this Monarch program to have ascended to the top of our rankings but again this is why we play the game. Avoiding a four-game losing streak to end the year shows they played with pride but missed out on an opportunity to play in a bowl game this season.
9. Virginia – (5-7) After a huge upset beating Pittsburgh, UVA lost the final three games 105-38 and just stumbled across the finish line missing out on a chance for a bowl game will have Virginia wondering if the offensive changes will be the answer to the solution or if more drastic measures are needed. One thing is for sure, they are bringing in talent and will just need some momentum to build off of the highlights. Finishing ninth on this pole is disappointing but this is a sign of how good the state is with football from all programs.
8. Virginia State University (7-4) When you win the regular season championship it counts for something. However, when you don’t get a post-season game after losing in the championship, there’s only so much one could say for the Trojans. Successful season but you know they wanted more and will have to prove so with a dominant Virginia Union team in the conference.
7. Virginia Tech- (6-6)- The Hokies will essentially host Minnesota in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 3. With a win the Hokies can jump up a couple of spots and maybe even more if JMU stumbles or even Liberty, but one thing is certain, none of that matters unless you win the game. Minnesota will be a tough out as the Hokies look to end the season above .500.
6. William and Mary – (7-5) The Tribe finished the year on a bad note losing to Richmond 27-0, however, the Tribe has shown that they will never be an easy out maintaining the home field and just need some of that young defense to gain the experience they needed. We will see what they look like next year with many players needing to step up.
5. JMU-(8-4) The Dukes will be bowling next week in the Boca Raton Bowl against Western Kentucky to see if they can end the season on a good note. They will need a dominant win to jump some teams ahead of them, but this is possible. JMU is showing year in and year out they will be relevant in the state.
4 Randolph-Macon (10-2) Losing in the third round of the Division III playoffs 14-35 to Salisbury University ends the season for the number one Division III football program this year in Virginia. A ton of credit to the players and coaching staff for the outstanding season they had. We will see if they stay at the four spots or if they will move around with only a couple of teams left to play.
3. Virginia Union (10-4) with a 14-49 loss to Valdosta State University in the quarterfinals of the division II playoff championship, The Panthers remain at the 3 spot with Randolph-Macon exiting similarly. Great season for the number one Division II school in the state along with a possible top 5 finish in the CC rankings.
2. . Liberty- (8-3) The Flames will be preparing for the Bahamas Bowl and will face Buffalo on January 4. They can solidify the second slot with a win and could jump Richmond with a dominant win against Buffalo. With players entering the transfer portal we will have to see what Liberty team shows up to go bowling.
1. Richmond-(10-3) The hottest team in the state and went into the postseason and lost at home. It’s a tough way to end your season after having such success however they are hanging on to the number one spot by a thin margin. Winning the CAA championship and having a 10-game winning streak are major points in why they hold the top spot. With only a couple of teams left to play, we will see if Richmond holds the number one spot.