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Memphis Tigers Ranked #25 in the Coaches' Poll

After a rough couple of weeks for the underdogs, 5-0 Memphis appears at #25 in the coaches poll, just behind Boise State at #24. Meanwhile, Hustle Belt brethren Toledo is at #25 in the AP Poll.

Memphis celebrates during their win over South Florida, as they move to 5-0 and a national ranking for the first time since the last week of the 2014 season.
Memphis celebrates during their win over South Florida, as they move to 5-0 and a national ranking for the first time since the last week of the 2014 season.
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Let's not kid each other, it's been a rough couple of weeks.  As an Underdog Dynasty fan, you know that EVERY YEAR is supposed to be the year that we finally see a team roll off 12 wins in a row, a-la "pulling a Boise."  And over these first few weeks, the UD teams have been falling like.... well, dominoes.  Drunken, confused dominoes.

That all changed this week, as our patience in waiting for a few more P5 teams to lose has finally paid off.  Memphis is now in the drivers seat with a #25 ranking in the Coaches' Poll, with 68 votes.  This is clearly an afterthought to Boise State's 100 votes (24), but we'll take it, and puts the Tigers one up on the Oregon Ducks (unranked, 64 votes in the Coaches' Poll).

Meanwhile, in the AP poll, Boise State slips in at #25 and Hustle Belt brethren Toledo is in at #24.  On the "others receiving votes" page we also see Houston (#28), Temple (#29), Memphis (#30), and Navy (#31). If they can keep rattling off these wins, they can only move higher as conference play will see the P5 teams take each other out in spectacular fashion.

Were these teams always this good, and the teams that dropped from the rankings this week always this bad?  Well, yes, because the ranking system is inherently flawed.  BUT, now that there's a number in front of these scrappy AAC squads, maybe the voters will actually watch them play next week instead of just voting for the same ol'-same ol', i.e. glancing at the standings and picking whatever P5 team has the least amount of losses.  Tsk tsk, fellas, don't do that.

In other UD news, a team we once claimed as our own, the Utah Utes, moved up to #5 in the AP Poll, with seven first place votes.  In the Coaches' Poll they are #7 (how about some consistency, fellas!) with one first place vote.

Ya done made us proud, Utes.