One week removed from Stanford receiving 16 votes in the Associated Press poll and Cal receiving two votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, neither team could grab a vote this week as both polls came out today omitting both teams from the festivities.
Meanwhile, Saint Mary's continues its steady climb up the rankings as it sits at no. 21 in the AP and no. 20 in the Coaches poll with a 19-2 record.
The Gaels have won nine straight games including a blowout win over then-no. 23 Gonzaga on Jan. 12. The rematch is set for Feb. 9 but aside from that game, the Gaels are in prime position to stay ranked the rest of the season barring an upset.
Unfortunately for the Pac-12, Saint Mary's isn't in it.
Cal (16-5, 6-2 in Pac-12) has the biggest gripe but an away game loss to Washington State this week didn't help its cause. The Pac-12 is a weak conference this year and losing to teams in the bottom half isn't going to look good to voters. Stanford lost to both Washington and Washington State this past week, losing any momentum it had built up with the voters.
With Cal sitting atop the Pac-12 and not receiving votes, it left no chance for any team below it to grab one. The once powerful conference formerly known as the Pac-10 is having to claw its way into respectability.
Sad, sad times indeed.