Rikus Pretorius Cal's MVP (Dobson Images)
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It should come as no surprise that following the Big 4 at Stanford University at the weekend, Cal has retained its #1 ranking after winning its 24th national championship.
Put simply, the Bears were outstanding, perhaps even more so than in previous years as they dropped only one game, and that was to a non-American team UBC, en route to their well earned title. The win also marked the 20th national championship for head coach Jack Clark, another impressive milestone unmatched by any other individual in American rugby.
To coaches Clark and Billups, the Cal team, and all of the coaching staff and assistants, a hearty congratulations on a job well done.
What may raise some eyebrows, although it really shouldn't if you think about it, is that St Mary’s has finished the season ranked #2 in the country. While the Gaels fell just short of making it to the championship game, they completed the most successful season in their recent history, if not ever.
They’re ranked ahead of BYU for several reasons. They finished with a better overall record, they were second only to Cal in the total number of points scored all season, and they have the second best points differential in the country, again only UC Berkeley had a higher points diff.
On top of that, SMC played the Bears better in the semifinals than did BYU in the final. St Mary’s lost by 10, the Cougars went down by 52.
The only other change in the rankings is Colorado dropping to #4. The Buffaloes too had a remarkable season and deserve props for emerging from the pack to earn a berth in the Big 4. BYU was far too good for them in the semis, but nonetheless, CU capped their best ever season by going as far as they did.
And so that brings down the curtain on another long and hectic season of college rugby. We trust that you have enjoyed ARN’s coverage of the collegiate game, and we look forward to doing it all again come September when we will resume the Down Under Endeavours Top 25.
1 (1) California (17-1) [5] national champions
2 (4) St Mary’s (18-3) [5] national semifinalists
3 (2) BYU (14-2) [5] national championship runners-up
4 (3) Colorado (13-3) [3] national semifinalists
5 (5) San Diego State (11-2) [3]
6 (6) Cal Poly (13-4) [3]
7 (7) Penn State (9-5) [4]
8 (8) Kutztown (11-2) [4]
9 (9) Navy (10-3-1) [4]
10 (10) Arkansas State (11-1-1) [2]
11 (11) Tennessee (11-2-1) [2]
12 (12) Utah (11-6) [5]
13 (13) Army (10-5) [2]
14 (14) Air Force (5-5) [3]
15 (15) Bowling Green (15-2) [1]
16 (16) UC Davis (10-5-1) [5]
17 (17) LSU (9-1) [3]
18 (18) Delaware (10-5) [4]
19 (19) Minnesota (7-2) [1]
20 (20) Dartmouth (8-5-1) [2]
21 (21) Central Washington (8-3) [2]
22 (22) Texas A&M (8-6) [3]
23 (23) Sam Houston State (7-3) [3]
24 (24) Buffalo (8-1) [2]
25 (25) Ohio State (8-5) [1]