Happy New Year! The first week of Southland Conference play is complete, and we’ve already got some shakeups and surprises. The difficulty in putting together Power Rankings this early in conference play, is how much do we factor in the non-conference play? The first few rankings will probably have more movement until some separation is created. The league appears to be more wide open than ever before.
I’ve done my best to try to combine the full season of play, so without further delay here is this week’s SLC Power Rankings with some tremendous games coming up:
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1. Lamar
2017-18 record: 10-5 (2-0) | Last week: 2 
The Cardinals took care of business, handling HBU and winning a tight one in Corpus Christi. Lamar has a tough test @New Orleans, followed by UCA this week.
2. Southeastern Louisiana
2017-18 record: 8-7 (2-0) | Last week's rank: 8
Who had the Lions knocking off the Lumberjacks AND winning in Conway? Not me. I went back and forth on giving them the top spot. SLU is off this mid-week before traveling to Abilene..
3. Stephen F. Austin
2017-18 record: 11-3 (0-1) | Last week: 1 
Not the start SFA wanted. Still my favorite to win the league, but they did themselves no favors with a lackluster performance in Hammond. A home game versus Nicholls State appears to be a big one now.
4. Nicholls
2017-18 record: 8-7 (2-0) | Last week's rank: 5
The Colonels played as well as anyone last week. Wins over Northwestern State and Incarnate Word won’t impress the average fan…but they won them by a combined 58 points. A win in Nacogdoches this week would catch everyone’s attention.
5. Abilene Christian
2017-18 record: 9-6 (1-1) | Last week's rank: 3
The Wildcats were close to being 2-0 as well, losing a close one on the road to New Orleans. ACU gets 2 home games this week (McNeese, SLU).
6. New Orleans
2017-18 record: 5-8 (2-0) | Last week's rank: 7
Solid wins for the Privateers last week, over ACU and Houston Baptist on the road. UNO is improving game by game, and get Lamar at home this week.
7. Central Arkansas
2017-18 record: 6-7 (0-0) | Last week's rank: 4
The Bears faltered at home against SLU, but they have the firepower to rise up the rankings as the season goes on. On the road in Huntsville and Beaumont this week will be a difficult task.
8. McNeese
2017-18 record: 5-7 (2-0) | Last week's rank: 12
Another surprise here, I dogged on the Cowboys last week, but here they are at 2-0. Although they were against Incarnate Word and the struggling Demons of Northwestern State, McNeese has some momentum. I’m expecting that to change with ACU, UNO and Nicholls up next.
9. Sam Houston State
2017-18 record: 6-8 (0-1) | Last week's rank: 9 -
The Bearkats only had one game, and it was at the Moody Coliseum where it’s difficult to get a W. Sam Houston has UCA and @UIW this week.
10. Texas A&M-CC
2017-18 record: 3-9 (0-2) | Last week's rank: 11
The Islanders had a rough schedule starting with @UCA and Lamar. But they hung tough against the Cardinals, so I’ve moved them up in my “group of winless.”
11. Houston Baptist
2017-18 record: 4-11 (0-2) | Last week's rank: 10
Same as Corpus Christi, the Huskies had a tough start against Lamar and UNO. HBU is off until Saturday when they get the traveling Colonels at home.
12. Incarnate Word
2017-18 record: 5-7 (0-2) | Last week's rank: 6
The Cardinals struggled against McNeese and Nicholls, averaging 61 points and losing by a combined 40.
13. Northwestern State
2017-18 record: 3-10 (0-2) | Last week's rank: 13 -
Not much to write about for the Demons, remaining at the bottom of this week’s Power Rankings. The once offensive juggernaut only managed 46 points against Nicholls.
