Southern California will begin defense of its
first national title in 31 years as the No. 1 team in the nation.
The Trojans earned the top spot in the preseason Associated Press poll
released Saturday by receiving 48 of 65 first-place votes and 1,603
points.
It’s the first time since 1979 the Trojans are
preseason No. 1 and the fourth time overall. They also started No. 1 in 1963 and
’73.
Oklahoma, which was No. 1 for most of last season before
losing its final two games, was No. 2 with 11 first-place votes and 1,529 points in the media
poll. Heisman Trophy winner Jason White leads the Sooners.
Georgia was No. 3,
followed by fellow Southeastern Conference member and defending co-national champion LSU at No. 4.
The Bulldogs received five first-place votes and the Tigers got the remaining
first-place vote.
No. 5 Florida State and No. 6 Miami open the regular season
against each for the first time as Atlantic Coast Conference rivals on Sept. 6. They are separated
in the poll by just four points (1,291-1,287).
The Trojans enter the
2004 season with a nine-game winning streak.
USC went 12-1 last
season and finished top-ranked in the AP poll, despite being left out of the Bowl Championship
Series title game. LSU beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl and was voted No. 1 in the final coaches
poll, as required by the BCS.
The Trojans return only nine starters from last
year’s team that set Pac-10 records for touchdowns (68) and points (534). But don’t be
fooled. USC has no
shortage of speed, talent and depth.
Matt Leinart, who threw for 3,556 yards
and 38 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, directs an offense that is lacking only in
experience.
Tailbacks Hershel Dennis, LenDale White and Reggie Bush
would be featured runners on most teams. For the Trojans, they share the job and form one of the
deepest backfields in college football. They combined for 1,936 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns
last season.
The Trojans have only one returning starter on the line and
Leinart will have to break in a group of neophyte receivers with star
potential.
Help could be on the way at receiver. The Trojans are
waiting for a ruling from the NCAA on the eligibility o
f star receiver Mike Williams. The All-American planned to enter the NFL draft but a court ruling
kept him out. He has been practicing with the team.
Defensive linemen
Shaun Cody, a third-team All-American, and Mike Patterson lead a defense that ranked No. 1 in the
nation in run defense (60.2 ypg).
USC will try to join Florida State in
1999 as the only wire-to-wire No. 1.
Texas was No. 7 with Big Ten rivals
Michigan and Ohio State eighth and ninth, respectively. No. 10 West Virginia, the heavy favorite
in the reconfigured Big East, has never been ranked higher in the
preseason.
No. 11 Florida is coming off a second straight 8-5 season
under Ron Zook. The Gators are followed by California,
Kansas State, Tennessee and Clemson.
Virginia, Auburn, Missouri, Iowa and Utah
are the next five. Wisconsin, Maryland, Oregon, Purdue and Minnesota round out the Top
25.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with six teams in the preseason poll. The
SEC and ACC each have five.
As notable as which teams made the rankings is a
group of teams that didn’t.
Notre Dame and Penn State, both coming
off losing seasons, and Nebraska will all be unranked to start the season. The Cornhuskers went
10-3 last season and finished 19th in the final rankings but changed coaches — and offenses
— replacing Frank Solich and the option with Bill Callahan and the West Coast
offense.
The last
time the Fighting Irish, Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers all failed to make the preseason poll was
1964, when only the top 10 teams were
ranked.
The AP Top 25
By The Associated Press
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll,
with first-place votes in parentheses, 2003 records, total points based on 25
points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and
final ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
1. USC (48) 12-1 1,603 1
2. Oklahoma (11) 12-2 1,529 3
3. Georgia (5) 11-3 1,480 7
4. LSU (1) 13-1 1,446 2
5. Florida St. 10-3 1,291 11
6. Miami 11-2 1,287 5
7. Texas 10-3 1,236 12
8. Michigan 10-3 1,223 6
9. Ohio St. 11-2 1,005 4
10. W. Virginia 8-5 937 -
11. Florida 8-5 836 24
12. Kansas St. 11-4 763 14
13. California 8-6 744 -
14. Tennessee 10-3 658 15
15. Clemson 9-4 638 22
16. Virginia 8-5 627 -
17. Auburn 8-5 540 -
18. Missouri 8-5 525 -
19. Iowa 10-3 518 8
20. Utah 10-2 446 21
21. Wisconsin 7-6 328 -
22. Maryland 10-3 310 17
23. Oregon 8-5 200 -
24. Purdue 9-4 153 18
25. Minnesota 10-3 142 20
Others receiving votes: Louisville 125, Nebraska 112, N. Carolina St. 76, Memphis
56, Boise St. 47, TCU 39, Toledo 33, Oregon St. 29, Washington St. 24, Fresno
St. 13, Oklahoma St. 13, Alabama 12, Hawaii 11, Boston College 7, N. Illinois
7, Texas Tech 7, Marshall 6, Mississippi 6, S. Mississippi 6, Virginia Tech 6,
Georgia Tech 5, Miami (Ohio) 4, S. Carolina 4, Arkansas 3, Texas A&M 3,
Bowling Green 2, Connecticut 1, North Texas 1, Notre Dame 1, Penn St. 1.
Oklahoma No. 1 in 2003 AP preseason poll
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Football Writer
August 16, 2003
Oklahoma is back in a familiar spot. The Sooners open the college football season atop The Associated Press poll for a record ninth time, beating out defending national champion Ohio State for the No. 1 ranking in voting released Saturday.
"I appreciate the fact that people view us that way," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "I don't want to undervalue that. We appreciate that people view us as one of those teams that can win it all. But in the end, they don't hand out any trophies in August."
Oklahoma got 32 first-place votes and 1,573 points to Ohio State's 27 firsts and 1,532 points from the 65 sports writers and broadcasters on the AP panel.
It's the widest margin in the preseason Top 25 since 1999, when Florida State had 77 more points than Tennessee.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Miami (two first-place votes), Michigan (two), Texas, Auburn (one), Kansas State (one), Southern California, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh.
Oklahoma was playing about as well as anyone when last season ended, easily beating Colorado in the Big 12 championship game and Washington State in the Rose Bowl to finish 12-2.
The Sooners hope to build off those wins with a balanced offense and dominating defense. Nine starters return to a defense that ranked 10th in the nation in yards, fifth in points.
"We can be the best defense that OU has ever had," defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek said. "Maybe the best that college football has ever seen."
The anchor is defensive tackle Tommie Harris, an All-American last season despite a groin injury. He's one of four Sooners on the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Award, given to the best defender in the nation. The others are linebacker Teddy Lehman, cornerback Derrick Strait and safety Brandon Everage.
Oklahoma, which won its seventh AP title in 2000, also was the No. 1 preseason pick in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, released July 31. The coaches had the same top three teams as the AP.
The Sooners are the preseason No. 1 for the first time since 1987. They have won the title four times after opening the season atop the AP poll.
"We have a lot of people in this program who understand what it takes to win a championship," Stoops said. "You earn it through hard work and competition through the entire year. We're looking to compete for the championship just like everyone else."
While nine of the previous 53 preseason No. 1s won the championship, Florida State is the only school to go wire-to-wire, doing it in 1999.
Ohio State and Nebraska are tied for second with six preseason No. 1s.
The Cornhuskers are one of the notable omissions this year after being ranked in the preseason the last 33 years. Florida State now has the longest current string at 21 seasons.
"A lot of guys have a chip on their shoulder," Cornhuskers fullback Judd Davies said. "We went from being the bully to getting bullied. When you win so much, it's hard not to win."
For the sixth time in the past seven years, the defending champion did not start the next season at the top of the poll.
Ohio State figures to be a formidable contender, however. It returns all 11 starters on offense from a team that went 14-0 and should be strong at defensive line and cornerback.
"I know we're going back to the national championship because we've got a lot of good athletes coming back," two-way star Chris Gamble said.
The big question for Ohio State surrounds star running back Maurice Clarett, who is being held out of practice because of investigations into his eligibility by the NCAA and the university.
Oklahoma's hopes for winning another title rest heavily on quarterback Jason White, who has gone down with knee injuries the last two years.
"I feel like I'm just as capable as I used to be," White said. "I guess I don't have any more knees to blow out."
Oklahoma also must replace leading rusher Quentin Griffin, whose 1,884 yards last season rank second in school history.
Kejuan Jones figures to get the first crack at taking over for Griffin. At 5-foot-9, 187 pounds, Jones resembles Griffin in size, but not style. Jones is more of a grinder and set a school freshman record with 14 touchdowns last season.
Leading off the second 10 is Georgia, followed by Tennessee, Florida State, LSU, Maryland, North Carolina State, Washington, Virginia, Purdue and Notre Dame.
Wisconsin, Arizona State, Colorado State, Oklahoma State (last ranked in the preseason in 1985) and TCU round out the poll.
The first regular-season AP poll will be released Sept. 1.
AP Top 25 College Football Poll
The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, with
number of first-place votes and record in parentheses, total
points and previous ranking:
(Records through August 16, 2003)
TEAM PTS PVS
---- --- ---
1. Oklahoma (32) (12-2) 1,573 5
2. Ohio St. (27) (14-0) 1,532 1
3. Miami, Fla. (2) (12-1) 1,484 2
4. Michigan (2) (10-3) 1,329 9
5. Texas (11-2) 1,322 6
6. Auburn (1) (9-4) 1,300 14
7. Kansas St. (1) (11-2) 1,221 7
8. USC (11-2) 1,126 4
9. Virginia Tech (10-4) 1,046 18
10. Pittsburgh (9-4) 952 19
11. Georgia (13-1) 928 3
12. Tennessee (8-5) 766 --
13. Florida St. (9-5) 737 21
14. LSU (8-5) 736 --
15. Maryland (11-3) 705 13
16. N. Carolina St. (11-3) 678 12
17. Washington (7-6) 643 --
18. Virginia (9-5) 557 22
19. Purdue (7-6) 468 --
20. Notre Dame (10-3) 439 17
21. Wisconsin (8-6) 350 --
22. Arizona St. (8-6) 248 --
23. Colorado St. (10-4) 205 --
24. Oklahoma St. (8-5) 156 --
25. TCU (10-5) 95 23
Others receiving votes: Florida (79), Nebraska (68), Oregon St. (68), Penn St. (56),
Texas A&M (40), Alabama (33), Colorado (27), Arkansas (26), Missouri (22), Fresno St. (21),
Mississippi (20), Minnesota (18), Boise St. (10), Oregon (10), Air Force (8), Iowa (8),
Miami, Oh (5), Southern Miss (3), Boston College (2), Hawaii (2), Washington St. (2),
West Virginia (1)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USA Today/ESPN Top 25 College Football Poll
July 31, 2003
The preseason USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 college football
coaches' poll, with number of first-place votes
in parentheses, total points, record, and previous ranking:
TEAM PTS PVS
---- --- ---
1. Oklahoma (29) 1,514 12-2 5
2. Ohio St. (28) 1,495 14-0 1
3. Miami, Fla. (5) 1,448 12-1 2
4. Texas 1,291 11-2 7
5. Kansas St. 1,165 11-2 6
6. Auburn (1) 1,153 9-4 16
7. Michigan 1,110 10-3 9
8. USC 1,075 11-2 4
9. Georgia 1,030 13-1 3
10. Virginia Tech 932 10-4 14
11. Pittsburgh 712 9-4 18
12. Florida St. 711 9-5 23
13. Maryland 704 11-3 13
14. N. Carolina St. 682 11-3 11
15. LSU 662 8-5 --
16. Tennessee 658 8-5 --
17. Virginia 526 9-5 25
18. Notre Dame 515 10-3 17
19. Washington 459 7-6 --
20. Wisconsin 348 8-6 --
21. Florida 312 8-5 24
22. Purdue 305 7-6 --
23. Arizona St. 297 8-6 --
24. Oklahoma St. 159 8-5 --
25. Colorado St. 143 10-4 --
25. Penn St. 143 9-4 15
Also receiving votes:
Iowa (132), Colorado (127), TCU (95), Texas A&M (90), Oregon St. (70),
Nebraska (64), UCLA (40), W. Virginia (31), Hawaii (24), Boise St. (22),
BYU (22), Fresno St. (22), Minnesota (22), Boston College (21), Arkansas (16),
Washington St. (16), Mississippi (14), Clemson (13), Missouri (12), Oregon (12),
Marshall (11), Georgia Tech (9), New Mexico (9), Southern Miss (9), Utah 97),
S. Carolina (4), Air Force (3), Louisville (3), California (2), Illinois (1)
N. Texas (1), Syracuse (1), Toledo (1)
Miami No. 1 in 2002 AP preseason poll
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
AP Football Writer
August 10, 2002
No. 1 in the postseason. No. 1 in the preseason.
Little has changed for the Miami Hurricanes since winning the national championship with a perfect record at the Rose Bowl earlier this year.
They're atop the rankings in The Associated Press preseason poll released Saturday, hoping to become the first team to repeat as champions since Nebraska in 1994-95.
Despite the return of only 10 starters, Miami edged Oklahoma for the top spot by 14 points in voting by the 74 sports writers and broadcasters on the AP panel.
Miami had 27 first-place votes and 1,746 points to Oklahoma's 21 first-place votes and 1,732 points.
``Being voted No. 1 is always a great honor,'' Miami coach Larry Coker said. ``Having the media recognize our program and our returning players as the preseason No. 1 team not only acknowledges our potential but also gives us another reason to try and repeat as national champions.''
Rounding out the Top 10 were Florida State at No. 3 with 10 first-place votes, followed by Texas (13 first-place votes), Tennessee (three first-place votes), Florida, Colorado, Georgia, Washington and Nebraska. The Big 12 Conference has four Top-10 teams -- Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Nebraska.
Miami also was the No. 1 preseason pick in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, released last week.
Oklahoma, which finished 11-2 after winning the 2000 national title, is looking for a big year from quarterback Jason White. The defense is led by tackle Tommie Harris and end Jimmy Wilkerson.
Oklahoma does not play Nebraska this year, but it does play Texas in Dallas on Oct. 12, and there's a home game against Colorado on Nov. 2.
The first regular-season AP poll will be released on Monday, Aug. 26.
Twice before, Miami was No. 1 in the preseason poll -- in 1990 and 1992. Both times the Hurricanes were unable to win the title, but they have won five national crowns, the first in 1983.
Miami might have to replace many of its starters, but with the return of quarterback Ken Dorsey there shouldn't be much dropoff. The lanky 6-foot-5, 200-pound senior is among the top Heisman Trophy contenders.
He's been perfect in almost every way.
``The only thing I can think of for him to improve on is to eat more,'' center Brett Romberg said.
Dorsey is 26-1 as a starter and has the Hurricanes on a 22-game winning streak -- longest among major schools -- entering the opener Aug. 31 against Florida A&M.
``We are the defending national champions, and we are Miami,'' Dorsey said. ``With those two factors, teams are going to love to give us their best game.''
Whether it will be good enough to knock off the 'Canes is the big question. Miami certainly will be tested, if not by Big East Conference opponents then by non-league games against Florida State, Tennessee and Florida.
``We're going to use that as a positive,'' Coker said. ``The schedule really got the guys' attention this summer, and got them focused. They know this is serious.''
On offense, Miami is coming off its highest-scoring season ever -- 475 points, a 43.2 points-a-game average. But there are holes to be filled.
At running back, Willis McGahee replaces Clinton Portis until Frank Gore (knee) recovers. At tight end, Kellen Winslow Jr. -- son of NFL Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow -- steps in for Jeremy Shockey. And at the tackles, Carlos Joseph and Vernon Carey move in for All-American Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez.
Wide receivers are led by Andre Johnson, co-MVP of Miami's Rose Bowl win over Nebraska. He'll need help from Kevin Beard and Ethenic Sands.
On defense, the secondary is completely new following the departure of All-American safety Ed Reed and his mates James Lewis, Mike Rumph and Phillip Buchanon. But look for hard-hitting linebacker Jonathan Vilma, ends Jamaal Green and Jerome McDougle and tackle William Joseph to pick up the slack.
The kicking game is superb, with Todd Sievers (21 of 26 field goals) and punter Freddie Capshaw (41.8-yard average) returning.
AP Top 25 College Football Poll
2001 2001
Record Pts Rank
1. Miami (27) (12-0) 1,746 1
2. Oklahoma (21) (11-2) 1,732 6
3. Florida St. (10) (8-4) 1,683 15
4. Texas (13) (11-2) 1,682 5
5. Tennessee (3) (11-2) 1,601 4
6. Florida (10-2) 1,313 3
7. Colorado (10-3) 1,291 9
8. Georgia (8-4) 1,179 22
9. Washington (8-4) 1,133 19
10. Nebraska (11-2) 1,131 8
11. Washington St. (10-2) 1,096 10
12. Michigan (8-4) 1,061 20
13. Ohio St. (7-5) 1,029 --
14. LSU (10-3) 832 7
15. Oregon (11-1) 736 2
16. Virginia Tech (8-4) 583 18
17. Louisville (11-2) 574 17
18. Michigan St. (7-5) 468 --
19. Marshall (11-2) 433 --
20. USC (6-6) 420 --
21. Maryland (10-2) 318 11
22. S. Carolina (9-3) 268 13
23. Texas A&M (8-4) 247 --
24. Penn St. (5-6) 221 --
25. Wisconsin (5-7) 193 --
Others receiving votes: Kansas St. (171), N. Carolina St. (154), Auburn (131),
Boston College (108), Alabama (106), UCLA (59), Oregon St. (52), Illinois (51),
Arkansas (50), Georgia Tech (47), Clemson (29), S. Mississippi (27), Purdue (24),
Texas Tech (18), BYU (10), Utah (10), Mississippi (9), Colorado St. (6),
Boise St. (4), Syracuse (4), Notre Dame (3), Fresno St. (2), N. Carolina (2),
Toledo (2), Middle Tennessee (1)
Final AP Top 25 College Football Poll
TEAM PTS PVS
---- --- ---
1. OHIO ST (71) (14-0) 1,775 2
2. MIAMI FLA (12-1) 1,693 1
3. GEORGIA (13-1) 1,598 4
4. USC (11-2) 1,590 5
5. OKLAHOMA (12-2) 1,476 8
6. TEXAS (11-2) 1,363 9
7. KANSAS ST (11-2) 1,356 6
8. IOWA (11-2) 1,334 3
9. MICHIGAN (10-3) 1,182 12
10. WASHINGTON ST (10-3) 1,085 7
11. ALABAMA (10-3) 988 13
12. NO CAROLINA ST (11-3) 943 17
13. MARYLAND (11-3) 844 20
14. AUBURN (9-4) 821 19
15. BOISE ST (12-1) 692 18
16. PENN ST (9-4) 675 10
17. NOTRE DAME (10-3) 657 11
18. VIRGINIA TECH (10-4) 544 21
19. PITTSBURGH (9-4) 520 24
20. COLORADO (9-5) 307 14
21. FLORIDA ST (9-5) 291 16
22. VIRGINIA (9-5) 250 NR
23. TCU (10-2) 231 NR
24. MARSHALL (11-2) 201 NR
25. WEST VIRGINIA (9-4) 195 15
Dropped Out: No. 22 Florida, No. 23 Colorado St, No. 25
Arkansas
Others Receiving Votes: FLORIDA 120, TEXAS TECH 80,
OKLAHOMA ST 73, BOSTON COLLEGE 52, COLORADO ST 44, LSU
38, SOUTH FLORIDA 27, WISCONSIN 15, MINNESOTA 4,
ARKANSAS 3, AIR FORCE 2, HAWAII 2, PURDUE, 2 FRESNO ST
1, NORTH TEXAS 1.
______________________________________________________
Miami No. 1 In 2002 USA Today/ESPN Coaches Preseason Poll
ARLINGTON, Virginia (8/02/02) - Miami will begin the new college
football season the way it ended the last one - atop the USA
Today/ESPN coaches poll.
The Hurricanes (12-0 last season), who will take a 22-game
winning streak into the 2002 season, received 34 first-place
votes and 1,444 points in the preseason poll of 61 coaches
released Thursday night.
Miami has yet to lose under second-year coach Larry Coker, who
will be forced to replace a chunk of the star players on a squad
that routed Nebraska, 37-14, in the Rose Bowl to claim its
fifth national championship and first since 1991.
"You'd like to say (the preseason ranking) doesn't matter but
its out there. We're honored by it," Coker said. "It's more
important to be ranked No. 1 at the end the season."
Quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Ken Dorsey is among the
returnees, but there are numerous changes in the offensive line
and the Hurricanes lost all five of their top defensive backs
from 2001. There still is plenty of talent in Coral Gables,
including receiver Andre Johnson and defensive tackle William
Joseph.
Miami opens its season August 31 against Florida A&M. and faces
a challenging schedule that includes Florida, Florida State and
Tennessee as well as Big East Conference rivals Syracuse and
Virginia Tech.
"It's one of the tougher schedules in the country. I think are
players are excited about it," Coker said. "We're going to be
tested by passing teams."
Four of the top eight teams in the poll are from the Big 12
Conference, including No. 2 Texas, which received nine
first-place votes and 1,399 votes, and No. 3 Oklahoma, which got
11 first-place votes and was a mere two points behind the
Longhorns.
Texas will be led by quarterback Chris Simms, who will no longer
have to look over his shoulder at the departed Major
Applewhite. One of the most anticipated games of the season will
be when the Longhorns and Oklahoma meet in the Cotton Bowl in
Dallas on October 12.
Both Texas and Oklahoma were 11-2 a year ago.
No. 6 Colorado (10-3) and No. 8 Nebraska (11-2), which must
replace Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch, are the other Big 12
teams in the top eight.
Florida State (8-4), trying to bounce back from its first
four-loss season since 1986, received the remaining seven
first-place votes and is fourth in the poll with 1,357 points.
The Seminoles host Miami on October 12.
Tennessee (11-2) is fifth and Southeastern Conference rival
Florida (10-2) is seventh. The Gators begin a new era as Ron
Zook takes for Steve Spurrier, who left to coach the NFL's
Washington Redskins. They visit the Volunteers on September 21.
Washington (8-4) and Michigan (8-4), a pair of teams that meet
on August 31 in Ann Arbor, complete the top 10.
Georgia (8-4) is 11th and is followed by Ohio State (7-5),
Louisiana State (10-3), Washington State (10-2) and Oregon
(11-1). Oregon finished second in last year's final poll but
must replace quarterback Joey Harrington.
Virginia Tech (8-4) is 16th and is followed by Louisville
(11-2), Michigan State (7-5), Southern California (6-6) and
Maryland (10-2). Maryland was among college football's biggest
surprises last season, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference
title and advancing to the Orange Bowl.
Marshall (11-2), led by quarterback and Heisman candidate Byron
Leftwich, is 21st. South Carolina (9-3), Wisconsin (5-7), Penn
State (5-6) and North Carolina State (7-5) complete the poll.
The coaches' poll is part of the Bowl Championship Series
formula that determines the participants in the national
championship game. The top two teams in the ratings meet in the
game, which this season is the Fiesta Bowl on January 3.
USA Today/ESPN 2002 Top 25 College Football Coaches' Poll
2001 2001
Record Pts Rank
1. Miami, Fla. (34) (12-0) 1,444 1
2. Texas (9) (11-2) 1,399 5
3. Oklahoma (11) (11-2) 1,397 6
4. Florida St. (7) (8-4) 1,357 15
5. Tennessee (11-2) 1,255 4
6. Colorado (10-3) 1,010 9
7. Florida (10-2) 972 3
8. Nebraska (11-2) 951 7
9. Washington (8-4) 914 19
10. Michigan (8-4) 894 20
11. Georgia (8-4) 858 25
12. Ohio St. (7-5) 761 --
13. LSU (10-3) 749 8
14. Washington St. (10-2) 748 11
15. Oregon (11-1) 663 2
16. Virginia Tech (8-4) 550 18
17. Louisville (11-2) 378 16
18. Michigan St. (7-5) 371 --
19. USC (6-6) 349 --
20. Maryland (10-2) 315 10
21. Marshall (11-2) 280 21
22. S. Carolina (9-3) 213 13
23. Wisconsin (5-7) 210 --
24. Penn St. (5-6) 206 --
25. N. Carolina St. (7-5) 174 --
Others receiving votes: Texas A&M (158), Auburn (150), UCLA (114),
Kansas St. (110), Boston College (85), BYU (84), Georgia Tech (70),
Syracuse (66), Illinois (55), Oregon St. (54), Clemson (46), Purdue (45),
Utah (44), Fresno St. (42), Mississippi (41), Arkansas (40), Colorado St. (39),
S. Mississippi (23), Iowa St. (22), Stanford (21), Notre Dame (18), Hawaii (14),
Arizona (12), Iowa (11), Texas Tech (11), Boise St. (7), Pittsburgh (7),
N. Carolina (4), Toledo (4), Virginia (3), Minnesota (2), West Virginia (2),
Louisiana Tech (1), UNLV (1), Wake Forest (1)
Final USA Today/ESPN 2002
Top 25 College Football Coaches' Poll
TEAM PTS PVS
---- --- ---
1. OHIO ST (61) (14-0) 1,525 2
2. MIAMI FLA (12-1) 1,451 1
3. GEORGIA (13-1) 1,378 4
4. USC (11-2) 1,362 5
5. OKLAHOMA (12-2) 1,244 8
6. KANSAS ST (11-2) 1,230 6
7. TEXAS (11-2) 1,140 9
8. IOWA (11-2) 1,105 3
9. MICHIGAN (10-3) 1,011 11
10. WASHINGTON ST (10-3) 932 7
11. NO CAROLINA ST (11-3) 876 17
12. BOISE ST (12-1) 808 15
13. MARYLAND (11-3) 803 18
14. VIRGINIA TECH (10-4) 644 19
15. PENN ST (9-4) 619 10
16. AUBURN (9-4) 579 22
17. NOTRE DAME (10-3) 525 12
18. PITTSBURGH (9-4) 486 23
19. MARSHALL (11-2) 333 24
20. WEST VIRGINIA (9-4) 297 13
21. COLORADO (9-5) 291 14
22. TCU (10-2) 274 NR
23. FLORIDA ST (9-5) 219 16
24. FLORIDA (8-5) 145 20
25. VIRGINIA (9-5) 141 NR
Dropped Out: No. 21 Colorado St, No. 25 LSU
Others Receiving Votes: BOSTON COLLEGE 129, COLORADO ST
100, TEXAS TECH 60, SOUTH FLORIDA 28, LSU 25, FRESNO ST
19, OKLAHOMA ST 17, HAWAII 8, MINNESOTA 6, AIR FORCE 4,
WISCONSIN 4, BOWLING GREEN 2, NORTH TEXAS 2, TENNESSEE 2,
UCLA 1.
