"Which One Is Bad Grant?" Temple and USF Slide In Latest Rankings

By Brad Wilson, AP Sports Writer

DENTON, Texas — The Stateline Elite League entered a new phase Monday with the release of its first Consensus Overall Rankings, introducing a hybrid system that blends analytics with coaching perspective across all 12 member programs.

The league’s newly adopted “33/67” formula assigns 33.3 percent of each team’s score to Lee Corso’s Power Rankings, with the remaining 66.7 percent determined by a nine-member head coaches’ poll. While the system created separation in the middle of the standings, stability ruled at the top.

Boise State was a unanimous choice at No. 1, maintaining its position after another explosive offensive showing. The Broncos topped both the analytical rankings and the coaches’ poll, reinforcing their status as the league’s standard entering Week 3.

San Diego State and Memphis followed at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, giving the West Division control of the top tier. Memphis continued its early-season momentum behind quarterback Brendon Lewis, who has completed 88 percent of his passes through two games.

The most notable movement came from North Texas, which climbed into the top four after earning strong support from the coaches despite ranking lower in the analytical model. The Mean Green’s offensive output proved persuasive, allowing them to win a tiebreaker and secure their highest placement to date.

UConn held its ground in the rankings, remaining firmly in the upper half of the field. While the Huskies again graded highly in efficiency metrics, the coaches’ poll kept them aligned with their previous standing, signaling respect tempered by a desire for broader résumé wins.

The remaining positions reflected a balance between production and perception, with Toledo and Hawaii maintaining solid footing, UNLV inching upward behind an aggressive offense, and UTSA and Tulane rounding out the lower tier as they look to regain momentum.

The release marked the first official use of the league’s coaches’ choice tiebreaker, a mechanism designed to resolve identical consensus scores and expected to play a larger role as competition tightens.

With the new system in place, the Stateline Elite enters Week 3 with a clearer hierarchy — and an emerging tension between what the numbers suggest and what the coaches believe will ultimately decide the race for the league crown.