Mustangs no longer firing on all cylinders
It took two months and 18 games, but top-ranked SMU finally dropped its first game of the season Wednesday night, losing at Alabama 2-1. It seemed like the Mustangs had this one coming for a while. After dominating opponents during the first half of the year with its potent attack and lockdown defense, SMU has struggled in the second half at both ends of the field.
The 14-1-3 'Stangs had been unconvincing against the likes of Florida International, UMKC and Central Florida in the weeks before the defeat. Schellas Hyndman might be happy his team (14-1-3 overall, 4-1-2 Conference USA) finally got the inevitable loss out its system ahead of the NCAA tournament, where his club was so good a year ago. But before SMU dances, there is the small matter of claiming the C-USA crown (and with it, an automatic tourney bid).
SMU Athletic Department/Other
Schellas Hyndman's SMU team appears to be losing steam lately.
Once thought to be a foregone conclusion, the championship could elude SMU on Saturday if it can't resume its winning ways against Marshall. Should the Mustangs pass the test, the question is: Which SMU side will show up in the postseason -- the team that surrendered just two goals in its first 10 games, or the one that is 1-1-2 in its last four?
The Big East tourney got underway Wednesday, marking the official start of college soccer's second season. Eighth-ranked Notre Dame cruised into the quarterfinals by beating DePaul, and junior forward Joseph Lapira upped his nation-leading goal haul to 20 with a first-half strike. The Irish will now take on Rutgers in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Providence, St.John's and South Florida also advanced Wednesday. West Virginia, Connecticut (Blue Division), Cincinnati and Rutgers (Red) had already qualified for the quarters and received first-round byes.
Which teams will win the conference championships? The Big East seems more wide open than it has in years. UConn has captured the last two titles, but high-flying West Virginia has to be the favorite going in. The Mountaineers have lost just once all year and enter the weekend ranked fourth overall. We were high on a talented USF squad before the season started, and the Bulls could be peaking at the right time if a 5-1 win over Seton Hall Wednesday is any indication. St. John's is always tough this time of year. But we've got a gut feeling that Cincinnati (11-4-2) is going to leave its mark at the Big East tourney before turning a few heads in the NCAAs.
The Bearcats are playing as well as any team in the conference and captured their first regular-season title with a 2-1 win at Villanova on Oct. 21. UC finally got some national recognition too, vaulting into the polls this week at No. 15.
Penn State just seems to have Indiana's number. The Nittany Lions were 2-0 versus the Hoosiers last season, and PSU came out on top again when the archrivals met in last Friday's game of the week. Not only was IU's six-game win streak snapped, the Penn State victory might even be enough to propel the injury-plagued Lions into the NCAA tourney after second-place Wisconsin lost to WU-Green Bay in Madison on Tuesday night.
Defending Big Ten champ PSU seemed the longest of long shots to repeat a few weeks back, and the Lions' disastrous season (6-8-2, 3-2-0) virtually guarantees they won't get an at-large bid. But amazingly, going into the last game of the second season, the Lions only need to beat last-place Michigan and hope IU and Wisconsin draw in Bloomington. If that happens, Penn State defends its title and dances.
The way North Carolina lost to No. 5 Duke (13-2-1) in a heated affair last Friday could be a metaphor for the Tar Heels' season: A fluky, first-half own goal by UNC was the deciding factor in the game. Carolina (10-5-2, 2-4-1 ACC) came into the season expected to do big things, but everything seems to have gone wrong this year. Will that change with the regular season over? One good sign is that the Heels held the Blue Devils scoreless in that ACC grudge match. Duke had entered the game firing on all cylinders (13 goals scored in the four previous game).
Now, North Carolina hopes to end the regular season on a good note by snapping its longest winless streak since 1982 on Thursday against Boston College. The Heels are 0-3-2 in their last five and could use a confidence booster with the ACC tournament set to begin Oct. 31. Teams might be tempted to sleep on UNC in the playoffs, but despite its lackluster campaign, this supremely talented team is due for a break. It will be interesting to see if fortune shines on Elmar Bolowich's men when it counts.
Speaking of coaches, Duke coach John Rennie became the all-time wins leader for an ACC boss with the win against North Carolina. Rennie has 393 career victories at Duke, and 91 ACC wins, overtaking former Clemson coach I.M. Ibrahim in both categories. And while we're handing out props, congrats to Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski are in order for notching his 200th win at the school when his Terps beat Bucknell Tuesday.
What to watch for: There are a few games on the tube over the weekend, but only one you need to be watching. Virginia hosts Wake Forest as both teams try to catch ACC leader Duke in the regular-season finale. With the Cavaliers launching a campaign to pack Klockner Stadium to the gills for the nationally televised affair (live on Fox Soccer Channel at 8 p.m. ET), the atmosphere in Charlottesville should be incredible.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPNsoccernet.
