Blue Ribbon Ranks Villanova Basketball #21 Preseason

Happy Wednesday Nova Nation! As you all know, the offseason is very important for teams to get conditioning work in. You don’t want to head into the season unprepared and out of shape. So with that in mind, let’s stretch out our muscles as a fan base and run through a quick practice. We’ll start with some easy reps: Rankings don’t matter, rankings don’t matter, rankings don’t matter.

Whew! A little out of shape, but that felt good. What didn’t feel good wass Blue Ribbon disrespecting the reigning National Champions by ranking the Wildcats 21st in their preseason poll. I know I just said these don’t matter, but outside the Top 20 is laughable. But I’m getting sidetracked again, rankings don’t matter. In fact, if rankings don’t matter, preseason rankings matter even less.

However, there is one ranking I’m going to be keeping an eye on: the AP Preseason Poll. No, not because I think it’ll dictate anything regarding how good the team is. I care the smallest bit because there’s actually a streak on the line.

Since January 11th, 2016 Villanova has been ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll. That’s 48 straight weeks, which includes preseason polls as well. That means Villanova’s been in the Top 10 over the course of three seasons, including all of the last two. To put that in perspective, no other team has a streak longer than last season, and the next longest is Michigan State at 19 weeks. This is the longest Top 10 streak in Villanova history, and the 20th longest streak of any school since the AP Poll started in 1949. And it could all come to an end if the knuckleheads that vote on this thing drop Villanova outside the Top 10 like Blue Ribbon just did.

That’s what happened last season with Nova’s Top 5 streak. They had been ranked in the Top 5 for all of the 2016-17 season. Then the preseason polls ranked Nova 6th, ending their streak. They were immediately back in the Top 5 in Week 1, and remained there the rest of the season. That streak could be 2 years old now if it wasn’t for voters getting cute with the preseason polls. I’m not expecting them to land Top 5 next year, but yes, they currently hold that streak as well.

Another reason I’d like to be in the Top 10 to start the season is it will tie Villanova with Georgetown for 15th in most Top 10 preseason rankings all-time. Anything that puts us a step closer to beating Georgetown in something is always good. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what the rankings are. It’s a nice to have, not a need to have. As our girl Anna would say...

In other “news”, Nova is officially out of the running for Scottie Lewis, Wildcat Football will host Bucknell for Villanova’s family weekend, and more. Enjoy!

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