Following Liberty’s win over Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday night, it has many fans calling for the Flames to be ranked in the top 25 for the first time in program history when the updated AP Top 25 poll is released on Monday.
The Flames have been receiving votes all season and were essentially ranked #31 in last week’s poll. With the team picking up its best win on an otherwise unimpressive non-conference slate so far this season, should the Flames jump into the top 25?
#15 Arizona, #18 Butler, and #19 Tennessee all lost close games to top 25 teams, and, while they will likely slip in the rankings, they should still be ranked and be ahead of Liberty.
Here are some teams that Liberty could jump this week in the rankings:
#22 Seton Hall 6-4
The Pirates lost by 20 to in-state foe Rutgers in their only game this week. They will drop out of the top 25 and Liberty has a strong argument to be ahead of Seton Hall.
#23 Xavier 9-2
The Musketeers lost to Wake Forest, 80-78, in their only game this week. The Demon Deacons had lost three straight entering this contest and are a fringe top 100 team. This loss should drop Xavier out of the top 25, and Liberty could very well be ranked ahead of them.
#24 Colorado 8-2
Colorado was 1-1 this week, defeating Colorado State but losing to Northern Iowa. That loss will likely drop the Buffs out of the top 25. Does Liberty deserve to be ranked ahead of Colorado?
#25 San Deigo State 10-0
Like Liberty, San Diego State is one of the five remaining unbeaten teams in the country. They did not play this week and should remain in the rankings and probably moves up a few spots.
That leaves a likely three spots to be filled in the top 25. Here are the top challengers to move into the rankings:
Others receiving votes:
#26 Utah State 10-2
Utah State defeated a non-Division I opponent this week and lost to BYU, 68-64. They should not move into the top 25.
#27 Washington 7-2
The Huskies did not play this week and are a very good candidate to move into the top 25.
#28 Purdue 6-3
The Boilermakers did not play this week and they could move into the top 25.
#29 Indiana 10-1
The Hoosiers were 2-0 this week with wins over UConn and in overtime against Nebraska. Expect Indiana to make the top 25 this week.
#30 Marquette 7-2
Marquette didn’t play this week, they could move into the top 25, but probably unlikely.
#31 Liberty 12-0
The Flames were #31 in this week’s rankings. They are sure to move up a few spots, but will it be enough to overtake at least 6 teams ahead of them?
#35 Penn State 9-2
Of the rest of the teams that received votes last week, Penn State is the most likely to jump ahead of Liberty and into the rankings. The NIttany Lions were 2-0 this week with wins over Maryland and Alabama.
Will Liberty crack into the top 25? It will be close, but the Flames will probably come in somewhere between #26-28, just on the outside looking in this week.
