Nebraska volleyball added another first-place vote from Texas, controlling the top spot in college volleyball for another week.

The Huskers (20-0, 10-0 Big Ten) continued their No. 1 ranking in another edition of the AVCA coaches poll released on Monday. Nebraska earned 59 of the 61 possible first-place votes, adding a first-place vote in back-to-back weeks from No. 2 Texas. The Longhorns (18-0, 10-0 SEC) secured two first-place ballots in this week’s poll. NU earned home sweeps over Northwestern and Michigan State this past weekend, while Texas handled a four-set road test at Ole Miss Friday, then swept LSU on the road Sunday.

Nebraska added a first-place vote from Texas from last week’s poll after continuing its conference sweep streak. The Big Red have yet to give up a set in Big Ten play, and last dropped a set on Sept. 16 to Creighton. Texas has remained the No. 2-ranked program since the week two edition of the AVCA polls, having begun the season at No. 5. The Longhorns earned four first-place votes in the Sept. 22 edition of the rankings, but have not met that mark since.

Nebraska has earned victories over four of the top 10 teams in the current rankings, taking down No. 4 Pittsburgh in the season opener 3-1, followed by a sweep over No. 5 Stanford. The Huskers reverse-swept No. 3 Kentucky on Aug. 31 at Bridgestone Arena and won in a sweep over No. 10 Purdue on Oct. 12. Nebraska also has top 25 wins over No. 12 Creighton and No. 19 Penn State.

Nebraska and Texas remain the only unbeaten programs in the top 25. The Longhorns also swept their opening weeks of SEC conference play, taking down Vanderbilt, Missouri, Georgia, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and LSU in straight sets. Texas has given up sets in four-set conference victories over Alabama, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss while taking down Tennessee in five sets on Oct. 8.

The Big Ten Conference regained a stronger foothold in the top 10 rankings, as No. 1 Nebraska led the pack while No. 10 Purdue moved up one spot in the poll. No. 11 Wisconsin also inched up one spot, while the conference added No. 19 Penn State, No. 20 Minnesota, No. 22 USC, and No. 24 Indiana. UCLA and Illinois each received votes in this week’s poll, as UCLA fell from No. 25 in this week’s ranking.

The Southeastern Conference continued to hold firm with three top-10 teams in No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 9 Texas A&M. The SEC added No. 16 Tennessee and No. 25 Florida to total five ranked top 25 programs. Missouri also received votes in this week’s ranking.

The Atlantic Coast Conference leads all conferences with four top 10 programs, as No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 5 Stanford, No. 7 SMU, and No. 8 Louisville led the ACC. No. 15 Miami (FL) and No. 21 North Carolina also earned top 25 nods, totaling five ranked programs for the conference. Georgia Tech received votes in this week’s ranking.

The Big 12 Conference had one top 10 representative as No. 6 Arizona State led the conference in this week’s rankings. No. 13 TCU dropped from the top 10, while No. 14 Kansas, No. 17 BYU, No. 18 Baylor, and No. 23 Colorado rounded out the Big 12’s ranked teams. Iowa State received votes in this week’s poll, giving the Big 12 seven teams earning votes in this week’s rankings, the most of any conference.

The Big East Conference placed only one team in the rankings with No. 12 Creighton, inching up one spot from last week’s poll. Creighton has not dropped a set in six straight matches, dropping its last conference set against DePaul in Chicago on Oct. 4.

Other teams receiving votes in this week’s poll included UCLA, Missouri, Western Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, and UTEP. Four teams were mentioned on only one ballot for a combined eight points.

Nebraska volleyball has five regular-season matches remaining against ranked opponents. The Huskers are set to travel to No. 11 Wisconsin on Oct. 31, then visit No. 20 Minnesota on Nov. 8. The Huskers then travel to the West Coast, taking on RV UCLA and No. 22 USC on Nov. 14 and Nov. 16, respectively. Nebraska’s final ranked matchups finish at No. 24 Indiana and a home rematch with No. 19 Penn State on Nov. 28. The Huskers also await a home tilt with RV Illinois on Nov. 6.

The Huskers continue Big Ten Conference play this week, traveling to Madison, Wis., for a top 25 tilt with the No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers on Friday night at 8 p.m. CDT. Nebraska then returns home on Sunday for a 1 p.m. CST first serve against Oregon. Both contests will be televised on the Big Ten Network and will be broadcast across the Huskers Radio Network and its affiliate stations.

AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll

1. Nebraska (59)
2. Texas (2)
3. Kentucky
4. Pittsburgh
5. Stanford
6. Arizona State
7. SMU
8. Louisville
9. Texas A&M
10. Purdue
11. Wisconsin
12. Creighton
13. TCU
14. Kansas
15. Miami (FL)
16. Tennessee
17. BYU
18. Baylor
19. Penn State
20. Minnesota
21. North Carolina
22. USC
23. Colorado
24. Indiana
25. Florida

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If conventional wisdom about the College Football Playoff rings true, Nebraska has a path to being one of the 12 teams selected.

Not a guaranteed path, but a path.

Not an easy path, but a path.

The Huskers’ playoff hopes only exist with a victory Saturday night against visiting USC. If they don’t beat the Trojans, it’s time to check out what bowl game might be possible.

Conventional wisdom suggests the Big Ten and SEC each will have four teams in the CFP. The Big Ten had four teams in last year’s 12-team tournament. The SEC had three teams.

But there’s no guarantee of four B1G or SEC teams, that’s just the talk.

Ohio State and Indiana are locks for the CFP and Oregon might be, too. If a fourth team is in play, intrigue takes over with many possibilities and probably one slot.

Nebraska, obviously, has to win out. Going 3-1 over the final four games won’t cut it. The Huskers also need help, maybe lots of help. There are four one-loss teams ahead of the Huskers (3-2, 6-2) in the Big Ten standings. Nebraska is one of five two-loss teams, but realistically only the Huskers and Washington still are alive.

So, there is a glimmer of hope for Nebraska.

Each one-loss team and each two-loss team has season-defining games remaining that will change the standings, and could change the perceptions and minds of the CFP Selection Committee. Some teams have two such difficult games remaining.

In a wild season where Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech control their fate and could get into the CFP, and preseason No. 1 Penn State (3-4) and preseason top 5 Clemson (3-4) might not even become bowl eligible, no one knows what’s going to happen on the field.

* Oregon (4-1 B1G, 7-1 overall): Unless they collapse down the stretch, the Ducks are in.

* Michigan (4-1, 6-2): This might be the most problematic team for Nebraska, which lost to the Wolverines in September. Michigan closes the season at home against undefeated, No. 1 Ohio State. OK, that feels like a Wolverines loss, but they have defeated the Buckeyes the last four years. But if Michigan beats Ohio State again, presuming they beat Purdue and Maryland along the way, the Wolverines almost certainly will get a playoff spot.

* USC (3-1, 5-2): Nebraska can leap over the Trojans on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. Period.

* Iowa (4-1, 6-2): The Huskers play host to the Hawkeyes on Nov. 28. First, Iowa plays host to Oregon on Saturday, and is at USC on Nov. 15. Not easy.

* Washington (3-2, 6-2): The Huskies play wildly unpredictable UCLA on the road on Nov. 22, then close the season at home vs. Oregon on Nov. 29. Washington was in the national title game only two years ago.

* Minnesota (3-2, 5-3): Nebraska’s loss at Minnesota was damaging and might wind up being disqualifying. But the Golden Gophers have three losses overall, and they play at Oregon on Nov. 14.

* UCLA (3-2, 3-5): The Bruins have five overall losses, so they’re done. The CFP Selection Committee might have to stomach a three-loss team this year, but that’s the maximum number of losses that will get in — if that.

* Northwestern (3-2, 5-3): Nebraska’s 28-21 victory on Saturday ended the Wildcats’ long-shot hopes for a CFP berth.

Nebraska’s schedule actually helps, with USC and Iowa coming to Memorial Stadium. Say the Huskers win out and finish 10-2 — somewhat of a tall task many would say. Would a 10-2 Huskers team get in ahead of a 9-3 Michigan team that lost at home to No. 1 Ohio State but beat Nebraska head-to-head? It’s not an impossible scenario.

Nebraska hasn’t helped itself with uneven performances. Yes, wins are wins and the Huskers should feel good about having six of them. And their win over Cincinnati looks better and better. But teams now are trying to persuade the CFP Selection Committee that they are worthy.

Right now, Nebraska doesn’t have that one significant win. The kind of win that makes the committee sit up and take notice and take notes. With so many teams crunched together, who knows what the difference is between getting in and not getting in.

And Nebraska’s signature win could be out there with USC, UCLA, Penn State and Iowa on its schedule. A bunch of one-score wins certainly helps the ledger but how much influence does a 28-21 win over Northwestern have on the committee?

But a Nebraska victory over USC, on NBC Saturday night, might have outsized influence with the committee. Beat the Trojans on national television in prime time and people will notice.

The first CFP poll will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. CT. Plenty of information will be dissected from the first poll. How significant that poll is for Nebraska will depend on one factor: Did the Huskers defeat USC on Nov. 1?

Right now, for Nebraska, nothing else matters.

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