Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings: Stephen F. Austin keeps climbing

Two weeks ago, we said Stephen F. Austin had a good record, but we weren’t sold because the Lumberjacks hadn’t beaten anybody. So they went out and won at Louisiana Tech.

We ranked them last week.

Then, we said they were good, but we weren’t top-15 because that was just one win, and Tech isn’t even a top-100 team. So they went and won at LSU.

That’s why SFA, at 10-1, is ranked No. 12 in our latest power rankings as we approach the start of conference season.

With several teams taking losses in the middle of the pack, it also cleared the way for a team like VCU, with a mediocre record and only a win over Bucknell last week, to jump a few spots. In return, Florida Gulf Coast and Vermont continued their slides.

We also welcome two teams into the rankings. Western Kentucky lost by just one at Wisconsin, then beat Indiana State, so the Hilltoppers were rewarded. Then there’s Ball State, who was our first team out last week. The Cardinals didn’t play this week, but benefitted from Albany and South Dakota State losses to sneak in.

Here’s how the rankings look this week:

Also receiving votes: Louisiana 18, UNC Greensboro 11, Missouri State 10, South Dakota 9, South Dakota State 9, Albany 7, Bradley 5, UC Santa Barbara 1, Navy 1, Penn 1, Hawaii 1.