College Football: A P Preseason Top 25

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2004 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. Southern Cal (60) 13-0 1,619 1

2. Texas (4) 11-1 1,500 5

3. Tennessee 10-3 1,376 13

4. Michigan 9-3 1,329 14

5. LSU 9-3 1,291 16

6. Ohio St. 8-4 1,205 20

7. Oklahoma 12-1 1,204 3

8. Virginia Tech 10-3 1,184 10

9. Miami 9-3 1,142 11

10. Florida 7-5 1,080 _

11. Iowa 10-2 1,011 8

12. Louisville (1) 11-1 892 6

13. Georgia 10-2 869 7

14. Florida St. 9-3 764 15

15. Purdue 7-5 711 _

16. Auburn 13-0 650 2

17. Texas A and M 7-5 576 _

18. Boise St. 11-1 375 12

19. California 10-2 358 9

20. Arizona St. 9-3 313 19

21. Texas Tech 8-4 256 18

22. Boston College 9-3 232 21

23. Pittsburgh 8-4 211 25

24. Fresno St. 9-3 196 22

25. Virginia 8-4 153 23

Others receiving votes: Alabama 121, Oregon 97, Utah 77, Georgia Tech 62, Bowling Green 57, N.C. State 57, Colorado 38, UCLA 19, Iowa St. 18, Minnesota 18, Miami (Ohio) 15, Penn St. 11, UTEP 10, Oregon St. 8, Wisconsin 5, Clemson 3, Memphis 3, Nebraska 3, Colorado St. 1, Notre Dame 1, Southern Miss. 1, Toledo 1, West Virginia 1, Wyoming 1.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

<a href='http://www.kctv.com/global/story.asp?s=3745775' target='_blank'>AP Top 25</a>

That seems a bit more likely than the Coaches Poll. The AP poll is about where I expected the teams to start off.

I thought Pitt was a bit low. I thought they should be #20, ahead of Boston College, Texas Tech and Arizona State. But if they hold serve at home against Notre Dame then they'll easily jump into the Top 20 and possibly be knocking on the door of the Top 15. Louisville should be #10 I believe, but I don't think the rankings are ridiculous or anything, just 2 or 3 spots low, no big deal as long as the teams take care of business. We need 2 or 3 Big East teams in the "Others receiving votes" column. West Virginia is there. Would be nice to have Syracuse there though they'll be playing West Virginia so that hurts. Getting UConn or Rutgers or South Florida or Cincy ther helps. Cincinnati received votes last year as did UConn, would be nice to help the conference and get some more this year. Adds depth.

Really? A first place vote?!? I'll be the first to admit that y'all have a great squad (and did last year)...but that may be a bit of a reach.

I'd blame Pat Forde, but he doesnt' really do y'all many favors, does he?

It wasn't Pat Forde but a guy out of Raliegh, North Carolina.

Maize Wrote:It wasn't Pat Forde but a guy out of Raliegh, North Carolina.

Who's smoking crack. :wave:

Unlike the coaches poll, voters are reasonable and do not give votes to schools like Duke.

tigerderek Wrote:

Maize Wrote:It wasn't Pat Forde but a guy out of Raliegh, North Carolina.

Who's smoking crack. :wave:

AP Poll First Place Votes Received this week by UofL > The number of times Memphis has finished in the Top 25 in the last 4 decades

:wave:

Seriously though, we don't really deserve any #1 votes but I'll take it. The pub it gets us this week will be mostly negative as talking heads say we don't deserve it but you know what, the whole nation will be talking about the Cards, and it didn't cost the athletic budget a dime!

Smoking crack is a little extreme (but expected from haters). #1 is extreme too, even for a fanatic like me. I'd like to see what the guys top twenty-five looks like.

Go CARDS!

I'm a little surprised that, out of 65 voters, only one thinks West Virginia (or any third Big East team) should be in the Top 25. Is the guy who voted Louisville #1 the same guy who gave the Mountaineers their only vote? I guess the conference really doesn't have much support among the media. East Coast Bias? This disproves that little theory.

The Big East really needs the Cardinals, Pitt, and either WVU or Syracuse to all have fewer than three losses this season. A season with less than three losses by Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincinnati, or South Florida would also be welcomed but three teams doing so is probably the limit. Most of us would probably accept any three at this point.

Yes, winning OCC games takes care of the critics! :D

Wilkie01 Wrote:Yes, winning OCC games takes care of the critics! :D

Absolutely correct. Preseason polls are fun, but I guarantee at the end of the year at least 4 or these teams will have tanked and won't even go to a bowl game. Happens every year. The polls really should not come out until after about the 4th game. As far as the Big East getting dissed..who cares? It isn't anything new. If they want to shut up the critics and change some peoples minds, then go out and win the big non conference games. Games like West Virginia over Virginia Tech, Syracuse over Florida State, Connecticut over Georgia Tech, USF over Penn State, Syracuse over Virginia and Notre Dame, Pitt over Notre Dame and Nebraska...those games
will gets the media's attention. Until then, don't worry about it too much. By the way, my pick for the team most likely to tank this year is none other than the Hokies. When expectaions are high in Blacksburg the Hokies usually disappoint. Saw it numerous times in the Big East.

Agree

Woodycuse Wrote:

Wilkie01 Wrote:Yes, winning OCC games takes care of the critics! :D

Absolutely correct. Preseason polls are fun, but I guarantee at the end of the year at least 4 or these teams will have tanked and won't even go to a bowl game. Happens every year. The polls really should not come out until after about the 4th game. As far as the Big East getting dissed..who cares? It isn't anything new. If they want to shut up the critics and change some peoples minds, then go out and win the big non conference games. Games like West Virginia over Virginia Tech, Syracuse over Florida State, Connecticut over Georgia Tech, USF over Penn State, Syracuse over Virginia and Notre Dame, Pitt over Notre Dame and Nebraska...those games
will gets the media's attention. Until then, don't worry about it too much. By the way, my pick for the team most likely to tank this year is none other than the Hokies. When expectaions are high in Blacksburg the Hokies usually disappoint. Saw it numerous times in the Big East.

I would usually agree with you about the Hokies tanking. But the difference between this team, and all of the others that have indeed tanked is that the Hokie team that will be playing this season is almost the exact same Hokie team that was young last year, and still won the acc. This team maybe even better than last year, with more experience under their belt. I think that the Hokies are usually very overated every year, but this year, they may live up to expectations, and win the acc again.

cuseroc Wrote:

Woodycuse Wrote:

Wilkie01 Wrote:Yes, winning OCC games takes care of the critics! :D

Absolutely correct. Preseason polls are fun, but I guarantee at the end of the year at least 4 or these teams will have tanked and won't even go to a bowl game. Happens every year. The polls really should not come out until after about the 4th game. As far as the Big East getting dissed..who cares? It isn't anything new. If they want to shut up the critics and change some peoples minds, then go out and win the big non conference games. Games like West Virginia over Virginia Tech, Syracuse over Florida State, Connecticut over Georgia Tech, USF over Penn State, Syracuse over Virginia and Notre Dame, Pitt over Notre Dame and Nebraska...those games
will gets the media's attention. Until then, don't worry about it too much. By the way, my pick for the team most likely to tank this year is none other than the Hokies. When expectaions are high in Blacksburg the Hokies usually disappoint. Saw it numerous times in the Big East.

I would usually agree with you about the Hokies tanking. But the difference between this team, and all of the others that have indeed tanked is that the Hokie team that will be playing this season is almost the exact same Hokie team that was young last year, and still won the acc. This team maybe even better than last year, with more experience under their belt. I think that the Hokies are usually very overated every year, but this year, they may live up to expectations, and win the acc again.

Last year's Virginia Tech team also had the advantage of having the top 4 favorites in the ACC last year, Miami, Florida State, Maryland and North Carolina State ALL underachieve at the same time. What are the odds of that happening a 2nd year in a row?

Cat's_Claw Wrote:

cuseroc Wrote:

Woodycuse Wrote:

Wilkie01 Wrote:Yes, winning OCC games takes care of the critics! :D

Absolutely correct. Preseason polls are fun, but I guarantee at the end of the year at least 4 or these teams will have tanked and won't even go to a bowl game. Happens every year. The polls really should not come out until after about the 4th game. As far as the Big East getting dissed..who cares? It isn't anything new. If they want to shut up the critics and change some peoples minds, then go out and win the big non conference games. Games like West Virginia over Virginia Tech, Syracuse over Florida State, Connecticut over Georgia Tech, USF over Penn State, Syracuse over Virginia and Notre Dame, Pitt over Notre Dame and Nebraska...those games
will gets the media's attention. Until then, don't worry about it too much. By the way, my pick for the team most likely to tank this year is none other than the Hokies. When expectaions are high in Blacksburg the Hokies usually disappoint. Saw it numerous times in the Big East.

I would usually agree with you about the Hokies tanking. But the difference between this team, and all of the others that have indeed tanked is that the Hokie team that will be playing this season is almost the exact same Hokie team that was young last year, and still won the acc. This team maybe even better than last year, with more experience under their belt. I think that the Hokies are usually very overated every year, but this year, they may live up to expectations, and win the acc again.

Last year's Virginia Tech team also had the advantage of having the top 4 favorites in the ACC last year, Miami, Florida State, Maryland and North Carolina State ALL underachieve at the same time. What are the odds of that happening a 2nd year in a row?

I think VT beat NC state last year. Maryland really has not been good on a prolonged basis. They may have had 3 good years in the last 10 or 12. And FSU has been down for 4 or 5 years now. Miami is the only real threat until FSU gets back.

Believe me, I dont like VT at all, but they have the talent and experience to once again win the acc.

Actually NC state beat VT...due to the problematic field goal kicking by the VT kicker...I remember that b/c I was at lane the very next week when they beat wvu wondering how the guy ever missed a field goal in his life...he was outstanding that week

I'll give you one game that Va Tech loses....West Virginia. My exact point was that they (Va Tech) always does better when nobody expects them to. Everybody is on the bandwagon this year because they won an overrated ACC. I would bet they lose 3 this year at least.

You arn't biased are you Woody?

TopCoog Wrote:You arn't biased are you Woody?

I will admit I do hate the Hokies, but I will also stick with my guns....3 losses this year.