We've got a fall champion in D1AA and currently that team, Mary Washington, is the new No. 1 in FloRugby's Men's D1AA rankings.

It's not that such a ranking is automatic for the fall winner. Had UC Davis not moved up to D1A or if snubbed AIC had finished the fall undefeated, we could well have put those teams at No. 1. Even Dartmouth has a legitimate argument for being there; however, we've decided to let the Big Green prove themselves on the field in the spring.

The D1AA playoffs hit us again next spring with the Pac West, Gold Coast, NCRC, Heart of America, SIRC, and Ivy League all vying for the national title. Expect AIC to participate (if the Yellow Jackets want to) and one more at-large squad, as well, giving all of those teams a chance to move up. In addition, the playoffs will eventually have a trickle-down rankings effect through the nation. If UMW wins big in the final between the fall and spring champions in May, then shouldn't all of the Chesapeake Conference get a bump? We'll see.

"Spring playoffs will eventually have a trickle-down rankings effect through the nation"

This final rankings of the fall of 2017 includes data from the fall quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. St. Joe's gets a well-deserved bump, given that not only did the Hawks make it to the fall championship game but then also gave Mary Washington its closest game of the fall.

Dartmouth remains near the top, while Iowa State, James Madison, Mount St. Mary's (Chesapeake coattails), Florida International, and Central Florida all get bumps.

We now take a winter break on D1AA rankings, at least, but catch up with us in January, when it all begins again.

See the latest D1AA Rankings here