It’s only a number, and it doesn’t mean that much other than pride, but those that are responsible for the various rankings out there need to realize there’s more to soccer than the past.

After winning the Big Ten Tournament a season ago and having a team with a good mix of upperclassmen and newcomers to the starting rotation, MSU was slated to finish No. 2 in the Big Ten by the coaches. In the preseason polls, they were in the mid to low 20s.

Now, the Spartans (3-1-0) are being passed up by other Big Ten teams in five national polls, including the NCAA poll as voted on by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

The likes of Wisconsin (4-0-1), Northwestern (4-1-0), Michigan (1-1-2) and defending National Champion Indiana (2-3-1) — the only team picked to finish ahead of MSU in the Big Ten — have all been ahead of the Spartans in the rankings this year.

Those programs have a history of winning, hence the high rank, but they don’t stack up to the deep and talented Spartan squad this year.

The 2-0 win against Marquette by the Spartans coupled with a 1-0 loss by Michigan to the Golden Eagles last Friday has moved the Spartans ahead of the Wolverines in most polls, but what’s most impressive about the victory is how MSU did it — without their best player.

Kevin Cope, ranked No. 22 of the top-100 Division I players by topdrawersoccer.com, watched from the sideline with an injury as the team he’s given so much to throughout the last four years won with a midfielder filling in for him on the back line.

If winning that way doesn’t turn some heads, I don’t know what will.

Still, the Spartans aren’t the only ones not getting any love in the polls.

Indiana, arguably the most formidable opponent in the Big Ten and defending National Champions, has gotten off to a horrid start this season and had dropped out of many rankings.

The Hoosiers (2-3-1) have won the second most National Championships in the NCAA, and six Hermann Trophy winners — awarded to the top player in the nation — have donned the crimson and cream.

This year is a different story, the preseason No. 1 is flailing after three consecutive losses to UCLA, UAB and West Virginia.

It’s a good possibility that the Nov. 1 showdown in Bloomington, Ind. could decide, or have a big impact on the regular season title.

Six of the remaining 13 regular season games left for MSU are against teams in the top 25 of most polls, including a trip to Omaha, Neb., to face current NCAA No. 1 Creighton and road match-ups against two of the past three National Champions in Akron and Indiana.

And then there’s the final game of the season against Michigan.

If the Spartans aren’t getting any love in the rankings right now, there’s no doubt they’re going to stir things up despite what their record turns out to be.