NCAA Basketball: Top 30 mid-major power rankings after week 1 of 2022-23
By Ryan Kay
The top 30 mid-major rankings are back again for a second year.
The final mid-major power rankings awarded teams that performed well through out the entire 2021-2022 season. But if you did not follow the power ranking from last season, let’s explain once again which teams are eligible for these rankings and why.
Besides the well known NCAA basketball power five conferences and the conferences with teams like Gonzaga and BYU from the West Coast Conference, who may have up to four teams qualifying the NCAA tournament as well as the teams in the Big East, Mountain West, Atlantic 10, and American Athletic conferences, there are a large group of teams that are considered a “mid-major” college basketball division one program.
Before these rankings are explained in depth, let’s quickly looked at what has changed from last season to this season. According to the NCAA, “363 Division I teams; 352 will be eligible for the DI men’s basketball tournament and 363 will count in the NET rankings.” Meaning 11 teams will not be eligible for the 2023 NCAA tournament. Also, certain teams like Loyola Chicago will not be eligible for these mid-major power rankings like last season due to them moving to the A-10 conference. There are also 248 teams that are eligible to be included in these power rankings in comparison to 236 from last season as well. However, let’s begin by answering some questions for those unfamiliar with these mid-major power rankings.
Questions about the mid-major rankings
Why are only 23 conferences, two independent teams, and most of the West Coast conference in these rankings?
There few reasons why there are 248 eligible teams and 23 conferences plus some other teams in these rankings. There are nine higher profile and financially high-generating conferences which are the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Big East, Pac-12, ACC, AAC, Mountain West, and the Atlantic 10 that are not part of these rankings and are not considered for these power rankings for various reasons. The main reason is that the above nine conferences get more media attention and cover, have good, quality media rights deals, and are more than likely to get multiple teams from their conference bids to the NCAA Tournament than the other 23 other conferences that are more than likely to get only one team into the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Here is a comparison of two conferences that may be considered by some to be mid-major conferences but here is the reason why one is considered one in these rankings and the other is not. From last season, the Atlantic 10 conference for example from top to bottom is considered a better conference than the 11th average NET ranking conference from last season the Missouri Valley Conference and last season’s best team from the Missouri Valley Loyola Chicago, left to join the Atlantic 10 this July. Loyola Chicago had multiple financial benefits to why they joined the Atlantic 10 in favor of staying in the Missouri Valley. Not even the extension of the ESPN media rights deal was financially worth it for the Ramblers to stay in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Is the formula of the five rankings chosen for these power rankings and the total number the only variable to determine these rankings?
No and especially not in the beginning of the season when a many teams have not even played their four game yet but a big factor for these power ranking is determined by the five rankings that will be explained and displayed in these mid-major power rankings. Defeating a traditional power five conference team on the road is carries more weight in these rankings like how Stetson went on the road and defeated Florida State in comparison to Northern Iowa defeating Wartburg at home.
A team like UAB from Conference USA did not defeat any team of significance on the road in non-conference play in comparison. Many teams not in the initial Mid-Major Top 30 ranking do not have a quadrant one victory but only some quadrant three wins and a decent amount of quadrant four victories possibly, with out even having a quadrant two win.
While teams in these first mid-major ranking already have a quadrant one victory or maybe a quadrant two win and the rest of their victories are quadrant three wins because they did not schedule any NAIA, division three, or division two teams for regular season play.
Also, the team’s strength of schedule especially in non-conference play matters as well. Teams like North Dakota State and North Florida each played a top-10-ranked team on the road in their home opener and challenged themselves in their first game of the season. Neither team is ranked in these initial power ranking but their strength of schedule with an upset win later in non-conference play may get them ranked in the next Top 30 Mid-Major power rankings.
Are these ranking subjective and up for debate?
Absolutely they are, no power rankings are perfect and flawless and these power rankings were created on certain chosen criteria that are different from other college basketball power rankings. Ranking mid-major teams is always difficult and open for debate and conversation about fans and those who cover mid-major basketball programs.
What are the five rankings used in these mid-major power rankings?
Formula used to determine these power rankings and the five systems of rankings are listed below. The teams with the lowest overall point totals will be ranked the highest in these rankings. Ranking based on all games played through 11/14/22.
Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings
The College Basketball Power Index (BPI)
Sagarin’s College Basketball Ratings
Now let’s take a look at the first power rankings for the 2022-23 season.