2017 NCAA DI Outdoor Men’s Team Rankings – Week 5

NOTE: Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for rankings. Please check your membership status HERE.

NEW ORLEANS – If you’re curious about the balance of power in NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field, look no further than the most recent National Team Computer Rankings released Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

With about a month and a half left until the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, six of the top-7 teams in this week’s rankings are from the SEC. The only non-SEC team in the top-7 is Texas Tech, which moved up one spot to No. 3.

The Week 5 rankings are still headlined by Texas A&M and Florida. The Aggies and Gators are the top-2 teams for the second week in a row and have been 1st or 2nd, in some fashion, since the rankings for Week 1 came out on April 3.

Following behind Texas A&M and Florida are the aforementioned Red Raiders. Texas Tech has been steadily climbing the rankings since the preseason, going from 12th to 11th, then 11th to 10th, then 10th to 8th, 8th to 4th and now 4th to 3rd. This matches the best ranking in program history for the Red Raiders as they were also 3rd in 2011 and 2012.

Georgia and Alabama round out the top-5, while LSU held firm at No. 6.

One of the biggest moves of the week belonged to Arkansas as it rejoined the top-10. The Razorbacks jumped 8 spots from No. 15 to No. 7. Arkansas had a great showing at the SEC Relays this past weekend as Kemar Mowatt shined. Mowatt clocked a time of 49.09 in the 400 hurdles and took over the top spot on the NCAA DI Descending Order List.

Further down the rankings, another team from the SEC is making headway – and that’s Ole Miss. The Rebels went from being ranked 17th in Week 4 to 13th in Week 5 and have Brian Williams to thank for it. Williams put together quite the series this past weekend at the SEC Relays in the discus throw as he launched three throws of more than 203 feet, the best of which landed at 64.12m (210-4) and has him as the national leader.

Two teams vaulted into the top-25 after being in the 30s last week: Mississippi State and Houston. The Bulldogs went from No. 31 to No. 22 and saw Lawrence Crawford rip off a windy 9.97 at the SEC Relays to take over 2nd on the NCAA DI Descending Order List in the 100. The Cougars jumped nine spots from No. 34 to No. 25 and were buoyed by junior sprinter Eli Hall-Thompson’s effort at the Penn Relays in the 100 as well (10.00, 6th nationally).

The 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships are set to begin June 7 at Hayward Field and last through June 10. Be sure to check back on USTFCCCA.org throughout the weeks leading up to NCAAs as the rankings will likely shift between now and then.