When speaking of mid-majors in 2023-24, one question insinuates itself right at the top: Who will be this year's Florida Atlantic? But before asking this, consider the possibility that the answer may be Florida Atlantic.
The Owls are ranked No. 10 in the AP preseason Top 25 poll, higher than Gonzaga, Arizona, Kentucky or North Carolina. Even a nominally "low" appraisal such as KenPom's (No. 37) is perhaps best seen as having Dusty May's team really and understandably high -- in Division I's 90th percentile -- more or less.
By all accounts FAU will be strong, and the following discussion is instead devoted to other mid-majors looking to follow in the Owls' tracks.
While we're exempting programs from this discussion at the top, our quarter-century-and-counting "ban" on the term "mid-major" with reference to Gonzaga Bulldogs of course continues.
Such labeling is also waived for our present purposes with respect to Saint Mary's and indeed this season's entire Mountain West conference. After sending San Diego State to the national title game and ranking No. 6 among all conferences at KenPom in 2022-23, the Mountain West richly deserves its omission here.
So much for definitions. Here are five mid-majors worthy of your close attention in 2023-24.
