2024 NCAA men’s soccer season preview

The GIST: Buckle up — one of the NCAA’s most unpredictable sports starts kicking tomorrow. Upsets and rankings upheaval typically dominate the parity-filled men’s soccer season, so if you’re wondering which teams to watch, the answer is: everyone.

• That said, a few squads have caught significant hype ahead of tomorrow’s first whistle…

The favorites: The top four preseason poll spots unsurprisingly went to the four 2023 College Cup semifinalists: Reigning champ Clemson clocked in at No. 1, followed by runner-up Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Oregon State at Nos. 2 through 4, respectively. Of those squads, only ND expected to be in that final four — the rest were underdogs entering the tournament, especially Oregon State.

• But since a College Cup appearance boosts recruitment, these programs’ miracle runs could turn into sustained success. All four rosters are also stacked with talented veterans, so be prepared for more deep runs from this quartet.

Upset alerts: While you can’t count anyone out on the NCAA pitch, a few legacy programs are particularly dangerous, like No. 5 Stanford and No. 8 Marshall, who ruled the rankings for much of last season before falling in the national tourney. As for No. 7 Indiana, they made a stunning 2023 postseason pivot to remind the world why they’re a historical powerhouse.

• The dark horse? Washington. The Huskies struggled last year and failed to make 2024’s preseason Top 25, but with the Pac-12’s collapse causing the traditionally elite squad to move to the less competitive Big Ten, they should be able to rack up the dubs this year.

What to watch: Opening day’s biggest matchup pits No. 14 Vermont against host No. 12 Western Michigan at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. From there, it’s a nonstop dash to December’s national championship. Game on.