Wake loses top spot despite undefeated status

Wake Forest fans must be scratching their heads. Although no team has actually been able to beat their Demon Deacons this season, Wake was unceremoniously dumped from the pole position in the latest NSCAA/adidas rankings, leapfrogged by surging Connecticut.

Courtesy of University of Connecticut Athletic Department/Other

Ryan Cordeiro and UConn will be tested in their next two matchups.

The demotion to No. 2 does seem awfully harsh. After all, Wake remains the lone unbeaten in the Top 25. The Deacs admittedly suffered through a bit of a mini-slump recently, settling for two consecutive ties after coming out of the gates 9-0.

But last week, coach Jay Vidovich's charges managed to retain the top spot after a draw against unfancied little Elon, so you can certainly argue they shouldn't have been punished for earning a hard-fought 3-3 result at steadily rising Virginia Tech this past weekend.

Surely Virginia Tech, which moved up one more place to eighth, deserves much of the credit there. The Hokies (7-0-3 in their last 10) showed some true character in the match, twice trailing by two goals before evening the score in front of a partisan audience in Blacksburg.

Wake took some of its frustration out on Appalachian State on Tuesday night, spanking the Mountaineers 5-0 at Spry Stadium, but the Deacs should mostly take comfort in the following:

1. The rankings, fun as they are to scrutinize, mean squat once the postseason starts.

2. The change up top probably has a lot more to do with UConn than it does with them.

Connecticut has been lights-out since losing for the only time at DePaul on Sept. 23. In their past five games, the Huskies are 5-0 and have outscored opponents 14-1.

Still, the competition coach Ray Reid's Huskies have faced during that stretch can't begin to compare to the heavyweights littered throughout WF's schedule. While UConn was beating up on the likes of Pitt, Syracuse and Hartford, the Deacs were taking points from ACC powers Maryland and Virginia Tech.

However, starting this weekend, things get a bit tougher for the new No. 1: Connecticut's next two contests are both on the road against foes that could not only knock them off their perch but also vault them for the Big East's Blue division title.

First up is third-ranked Notre Dame, which will be looking to show the pollsters that a 1-0 midweek loss to Michigan State was a fluke when that whistle blows Saturday. Then, on Oct. 19, Reid and Co. will travel to No. 19 West Virginia, which is 3-1 at home.

Meanwhile, Wake hosts an average N.C. State side, then heads to UNC Greensboro to face the very beatable Spartans. In short, Wake backers: Don't be surprised if your team is back atop the polls when we talk again next week.

Soaring Eagles

No, this is not a shout-out to the squad from Division III Elmira. I'm talking about surprise ACC leader Boston College. Halfway though the league docket, the Eagles are 4-0 and look like a lock to wear the conference crown. True, only two of the ACC's nine teams have played as many as four league games, but don't forget that BC has yet to see bottom-feeder Clemson. The Tigers are having an awful year and are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament altogether just two years after reaching the Final Four.

Still, Boston College can't afford to slip. Last week's biggest mover in the rankings, BC was on the cusp of the top 10 but dropped an OT decision to Brown in nonconference play on Wednesday night and will fall at least a few places. The Eagles get another nonleague dress rehearsal on Tuesday against Providence before wrapping up the regular season with four ACC tilts in their final six outings.

Hollywood Hyndman

Well, it's not exactly a Hollywood Star, but longtime Southern Methodist coach Schellas Hyndman will be inducted into the "Walk of Fame" at Pizza Hut Park on Oct. 20. The Frisco, Texas venue is, of course, the home of MLS outfit FC Dallas, where Hyndman was a candidate to replace Colin Clarke as head coach last year before Steve Morrow got the gig. Hyndman will join Texas soccer legends Lamar Hunt, Carla Overbeck and Jeff Agoos on the Walk.

That said, it might not be the only honor Hyndman picks up this year. SMU is slowly but surely building towards a strong finish after a 2-2-1 start. The Mustangs are unbeaten in their past five and cracked the top 10 for the first time this week. They likely will cruise to yet another Conference USA championship and could even win it all this year. That's partly because SMU made the Final Four two years ago and looked like the best team in the nation most of 2006 before the wheels fell off.

Now, with experienced vets like keeper Steve Sambo, midfielder Bruno Guarda and forward Paulo da Silva leading a cast of talented youngsters, SMU might finally be ready to make a real run for the prize.

What to Watch for

San Francisco versus Santa Clara (8 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel)

It's been a disappointing encore for Californian sides after an all-Left Coast finale last season. Only two teams from the Golden State are even ranked (defending champ UC Santa Barbara at No. 14 and Cal at 16). Still, Santa Clara is a traditional power and comes into the match against San Francisco sporting a seven-game unbeaten run. And keep in mind that the Broncos have made the NCAA tourney the past four seasons.

Despite San Fran's 28-17-7 edge in the all-time series (dating back to 1967), Santa Clara is the clear favorite: Since 2000, the Broncos have compiled an 8-1-1 record against the Dons, and USF hasn't beaten its Bay Area archenemy since 2004.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPNsoccernet.