From the web page:
U.S. News has changed its methodology, and there are some significant changes, especially after the top 30-35 places in the rankings. Major gains for Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, most UC campuses.

Beginning in the 2019 edition, U.S. News “factored a school’s success at promoting social mobility by graduating students who received federal Pell Grants (those typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000).”

This has shaken up the rankings quite a bit, and the trend will continue. Previously, a school’s wealth drove the rankings, without regard to the number of low-income students enrolled. Now school wealth can have a different impact by enabling institutions with more resources to “afford” the enrollment of more students who cannot pay full tuition. Some universities that lack big endowments formerly raised their rankings by enrolling students with higher test scores, even if merit aid was necessary. Now that model might not be as effective, since many of those students did not receive Pell grants.

So, the states of Florida, Georgia, and California have done a better job at successfully promoting social mobility by graduating students who received federal Pell Grants (those typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000). I just find it odd that FSU had risen 40 spots since 2013. My brother and his family visited the FSU campus over the summer and said that FSU was heavily promoting its USN&WR ranking with banners throughout campus. I guess Tech would too if they moved up from #74 to #34 in the next 8 years. Once FSU's football team begins to challenge for national titles in football, their ranking will drop. Clemson's ranking dropped from last year after winning a national football championship. ;) IMHO, the USN&WR still shows favoritism for the Northeast and New England schools. I seriously don't think that will ever change except for poor ole Yeshiva.