Big West foes UCSB and Long Beach State are one-after-the-other in this week’s Mid-Major Top-25, which is released every Monday.
The 49ers are still rated higher at No. 13 but – with UCSB at No. 14 – the gap between the two is as close as it has been this season.
There is also change at the top, where Creighton (7-0) takes over as the new No. 1 team after previous No. 1 Gonzaga (5-1) dropped its first game of the season. Murray State (9-0) saw the biggest jump, rising from No. 19 to No. 10. The top three teams in the Mid-Major Top 25 are ranked in today’s AP Poll, with Creighton checking in at No. 19.
UCSB (4-2) lost its only game last week – to UNLV – in double overtime. {VIDEO} Given UNLV’s strength so far this season, the loss only moved UCSB down one spot. Long Beach State (4-3) dropped three positions from No. 10 after a 1-1 week that included a 13-point loss at Louisville, No. 5 in the AP poll, followed by a blowout win at home over BYU Hawaii.
The Gauchos and 49ers share one common opponent thus far in San Diego State. Both teams fell in overtime to the Aztecs.
But while UCSB has been home for all six of its games this season, the 49ers have endured an extremely challenging road schedule that is about to get harder. After playing at Pitt, at San Diego State, at Montana, and at Louisville already, Long Beach is traveling this week to face No. 13 Kansas in Lawrence and No. 4 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
The Gauchos play their next five games on the road and do not play again at the Thunderdome until January 5.
UCSB also got a vote in the AP top 25 poll. A single vote for #25 in the country.