2021 NCAA DI Men's Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 2
NEW ORLEANS – The winds of change swept through the NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index between Week 1 and Week 2 after one of the busiest weekends of the season thus far.
Twenty-four of the top-25 teams ended up in new spots, when the most recent National TFRI was released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), as the season heated up.
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BYU jumped 11 spots from No. 12 to No. 1 to become the top-ranked outdoor team for the first time in program history. The Cougars sent a ferocious pack of athletes to the Hayward Premiere in Eugene, Oregon, and came back with a plethora of top marks. BYU notched seven national top-5 marks inside the redesigned Hayward Field, including three of the top-4 spots on the 5000-meter Descending Order List: Conner Mantz (No. 2, 13:24.78), Casey Clinger (No. 3, 13:24.90) and Brandon Garnica (No. 4, 13:26.62). Clayson Shumway also nabbed the national lead in the steeplechase at 8:47.48.
Former No. 1 LSU fell one spot to No. 2 to no fault of its own. The Tigers added or improved four national top-5 marks to their ledger, including two of the top-4 spots in the hammer from Jake Norris (No. 2, 72.31m/237-3) and John Nerdal (No. 4, 70.92m/232-8) as well as another top-5 effort in the 200 (Noah Williams sits No. 4 at 20.28; Terrance Laird is still the national leader with his 19.81, good enough for No. 3 on the all-time collegiate chart).
Home cooking sent Florida from No. 21 to No. 3, as a majority of the squad opened up at the Florida Relays. The Gators compiled nine national top-10 marks this past weekend, including a national leader from Thomas Mardal in the hammer (75.77/248-7). Joseph Fahnbulleh went 20.10 in the 200 to rank No. 2 nationally in that event, which pairs quite well with his No. 1 billing in the 100 of 10.08. Clayton Brown is up to his old ways, notching top-3 marks in both the high jump (No. 2, 2.23m/7-3¼) and triple jump (No. 3, 16.57m/54-4½).
Southern California is now ranked No. 4 after several big efforts. Cameron Samuel took over the national lead in the 400H at 49.67, while Isaiah Jewett (800), Earnie Sears (high jump) and Jordan Scott (triple jump) are ranked No. 2 in their respective events. The Trojans also grabbed the No. 7 spot in the 4×400 relay with their 3:04.05.
Oregon opened up Hayward Field and turned in some great marks inside its friendly confines. The now fifth-ranked Ducks got a pair of national leads from Cole Hocker in the 800 (1:46.90) and 1500 (3:38.99), which gives them three for the season (Ben Milligan is the top-ranked high jumper at 2.25m (7-4½) from two weeks ago).
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in Week 2: No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 8 Iowa State, No. 9 Kentucky and No. 10 Alabama. This is the highest ranking in program history for the Cyclones, by a long shot. Iowa State has never been listed higher than No. 25.