For some weeks now we’ve been looking for a reason to move Cal back above BYU into #1. Why? Some deep-seeded dislike of the word Wasatch? No, nothing like that. It’s simply the fact that while BYU’s scored have been mighty impressive, there’s plenty of evidence to think that the CPD West was not top-to-bottom (or even top-to-middle) as competitive as other leagues.

It’s just a feeling, in the end, that we have, that Cal is a slightly better team. There aren’t too many comparisons was can make, of course. Their opponent lists are very different. The only one they have in common, in fact, is Utah, if you count only league games. If you count friendlies, then they also share Claremont Colleges, Cal Poly, and San Diego State. In those last three, BYU edges Cal (81-3 average score for BYU, 79-11 for Cal). But the different (albeit separated by over two months) of the two Utah games is noticeable. BYU beat Utah 40-22, Cal 62-14.

Is that enough? We think it is. Really there’s nothing between the two and we might turn around tomorrow and pick BYU to win on Saturday, because they are playing at home. It is very close.

Arkansas State played BYU very close for 70 minutes and they stay in at #3. But their place is solidified sufficiently that Life University, which lost to ASU by two this season and played Cal very tough, moves up to #4. Next up is figuring out who is better, Utah or St. Mary’s. Against Cal St. Mary’s lost by 26, Utah by 48. If you bring BYU into the equation, Utah lost by 18 to the Cougars, while St. Mary’s lost by 13 to Arkansas State, who lost by 21 to BYU (yes, we know we’re reaching at this point). Still the upshot is a slight edge to St. Mary’s.

And the Pacific has coattails, pulling Central Washington (really wouldn’t you have liked to see how they would measure up across conferences?) up. Army, which dropped a loss to a team that we are moving down apiece, moves down apiece also.

With one game to go, it can all change. If Cal or BYU win in a blowout, then the blown out conference could suffer. Something tells us it won’t be a blowout.


May 16, 2011 RUGBYMag.com College Premier Rankings
1 (2) Cal 19-0 (26-0) 62-14 over Utah (4)
2 (1) BYU 14-0 36-15 over Arkansas State (3)
3 (3) Arkansas State 8-1 (10-1) Lost 36-15 to BYU (1)
4 (5) Life University 10-2
5 (7) St. Mary's 12-3 (16-4)
6 (4) Utah 10-2 (13-4) Lost 62-14 to Cal (2)
7 (8) Central Washington 7-3
8 (6) Army 7-1
9 (9) Navy 5-3
10 (10) Arizona State 6-3
11 (11) Penn State 7-4 (8-5)
12 (12) Arizona 10-4
13 (13) Air Force 3-7
14 (14) Kutztown 4-4
15 (15) San Diego State 5-5
16 (16) Dartmouth 10-4
17 (17) Delaware 10-8
18 (18) Cal Poly 6-5
19 (19) Notre Dame 7-5 (9-5)
20 (20) LSU 5-3 (6-3)
21 (21) Texas A&M 2-4 (3-5)
22 (22) Tennessee 8-5 (8-6)
23 (23) Ohio State 2-7 (2-8)
24 (24) Rutgers 1-6
25 (25) UCLA 6-6
26 (26) Colorado 3-5 (3-7)
27 (27) UC Davis 4-10
28 (28) Colorado State 1-9
29 (29) Claremont Colleges 0-12
30 (31) Oklahoma 1-6 (1-7)
31 (31) Wyoming 2-9

PHILADELPHIA – May 17, 2011 – USA Sevens today released its line-up of national sponsors for the second-ever Collegiate Rugby Championship, which include fully integrated sponsorships from Bridgestone, Go Daddy, SUBWAY® Restaurants, Toyota and Motel 6.  The tournament, which will be broadcast live nationally on NBC and Versus, is scheduled to take place at PPL Park in Chester, PA on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5. 

As sponsors of the USA Seven’s Rugby Collegiate Championship Invitational, Bridgestone, Go  Daddy, SUBWAY® and Toyota will retain exclusive category rights and receive signage throughout the stadium, including on-field, on tickets and credentials and in commercial spots during the live broadcast on NBC and Versus, as well as pre-promotional TV spots leading up to the event and digital presence online at NBCSports.com and USASevenscrc.com.

The tournament will once again serve as a platform for SUBWAY® to showcase its new line of breakfast sandwiches, both on-air and onsite.  Go Daddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar and Web hosting provider has as also provided a key assist by offering a $25,000.00 scholarship to the winners of the event and Toyota will once again have its logo featured on all of the referee jerseys.

“The support of blue-chip national sponsors like Bridgestone, Go Daddy, SUBWAY® Restaurants, Toyota and Motel 6 is another page in this growing success story we are experiencing as a property and sport in the US,” said Jonathan First, President, USA Sevens Rugby.

Rugby Sevens features seven players per team playing on the same size pitch as a 15’s match and offers non-stop action where speed, high scoring and athleticism dominate the competition.  The format allows for constant entertainment with each match split into two seven-minute halves and a new match starting about every 20 minutes.  Rugby Sevens will be an Olympic sport starting in 2016.

In total, seven teams will be making their debut at the Collegiate Rugby Championship while nine will be making a return trip, including 2010 tournament champion University of Utah and 2010 runner-up University of California.  Also confirmed to compete are teams from University of Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, North Carolina, Louisiana State University, Notre Dame, Arizona, Boston College, Army, Navy, Oklahoma, Dartmouth, Temple and Central Washington.

Tickets can be purchased at www.usasevenscrc.com.

Broadcast Schedule:

• NBC Sports live coverage from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5
• Versus live coverage from 2:00-4:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5
• Versus live coverage from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on June 4
• NBC Mobile live simulcast from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5
• Hulu.com full event coverage available on-demand in HD quality video