Coaches Poll is announced with some different names than our Top 25

The USA Today Coaches' Poll was announced on Friday. We announced our Top 25 on Monday.

Rank, School, 2009 Record, (1st place) Points, Final Spot in '09 Poll

1. Alabama (55) 14-0 1469 1 - Agree with the pick of the Crimson Tide at #1 ...


2. Ohio State (4) 11-2 1392 5 - Agree with the Buckeyes at #2 ...


3. Florida 13-1 1245 3 - The Gators have been the best SEC program the past 10 years ...


4. Texas 13-1 1240 2 - The Longhorns have been top team in the Big 12 four out past five seasons ...


5. Boise State 14-0 1215 4 - The carry the banner for the non-BCS programs/conferences ...


6. Virginia Tech 10-3 1052 10 - Opening with #5 Boise; someone is losing in the Top 6 early ...


7. TCU 12-1 1051 6 - Coming off first BCS bowl ever in school history ...


8. Oklahoma 8-5 1035 NR - Phil Steele's team to beat in 2010 ...


9. Nebraska 10-4 1001 14 - Final season in the Big 12 for the Cornhuskers ...


10. Iowa 11-2 952 7 - Can the Hawkeyes finish in the Top 10 for the second straight year?


11. Oregon 10-3 940 11 - They will have a new QB, but picked as the top team in the Pac 10 ...


12. Wisconsin 10-3 728 16 - The Big Ten has three teams in the Top 12 ...


13. Miami (FL) 9-4 728 19 - They lost to the Badgers to close out '09; can they win ACC in '10?


14. Penn State 11-2 508 8 - Joe Pa enters his 45Th season at age 83; do they retool in '10?


15. Pittsburgh 10-3 492 15 - The Big East's top team hasn't been to a BCS bowl under current coach ...


16. LSU 9-4 476 17 - Can coach Les Miles get the mojo going again in Baton Rouge with Tigers?


17. Georgia Tech 11-3 455 13 - The Yellow Jackets won the ACC in '09, but not the Orange Bowl ...


18. North Carolina 8-5 445 NR - The Tar Heels are looking to make noise with top flight defense for '10 ...


19. Arkansas 8-5 438 NR - Junior QB Ryan Mallett will lead attack for Coach Petrino ...


20. Florida State 7-6 374 NR - A new era in Tallahassee with the changing of the guard with Jimbo Fisher now at head ...


21. Georgia 8-5 312 NR - The Bulldogs have some work to do to chase the Gators and others in SEC ...


22. Oregon State 8-5 263 NR - The Beavers look to gain ground in the Pac 10, with USC on probation ...


23. Auburn 8-5 260 NR - Coach Gene Chizik had a solid first year for the Tigers ...


24. Utah 10-3 169 18 - The Utes are one of the better non-BCS programs in the country and will join Pac 12 in '11.


25. West Virginia 9-4 169 22 - The Mountaineers compliance is under review by the NCAA for both the Rodriquez and Stewart eras ...
    

Others receiving votes: Cincinnati 135, Houston 76, Brigham Young 66, Arizona 65, Mississippi 48, Clemson 44, Stanford 41, Connecticut 40, Notre Dame 38, South Carolina 38, Washington 26, Missouri 23, Navy 12, Oklahoma State 11, Boston College 10, Michigan State 10, Arizona State 6, California 6, Texas Tech 5, South Florida 4, Texas A&M 3, Temple 2, Northwestern 2, Mississippi State 1, Nevada 1, Northern Illinois 1, Central Michigan 1, Southern Methodist 1.

The kickoff of the 2010 College Football Season occurs on Thursday, September 2, 2010 through Labor Day weekend with Boise State vs. Virginia Tech from Landover, MD at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.

peace

Coaches Preseason College Football Poll is Out for 2009

Nine Big Ten teams receive votes in 2009 Preseason FBS Coaches Poll. Two teams are in the Top 8, with Iowa the third team to make the preseason Top 25 Poll.

2009 Preseason FBS Coaches Poll
Rank Team (first-place votes) 2008 record Points Final 2008 rank Comments
1. Florida (53) 13-1 1,466 1

2. Texas (4) 12-1 1,386 3
3. Oklahoma (1) 12-2 1,358 5
4. Southern California (1) 12-1 1,321 2
5. Alabama 12-2 1,134 6
6. Ohio State 10-3 1,126 11
7. Virginia Tech 10-4 1,020 14
8. Penn State 11-2 988 8
9. LSU 8-5 917 NR
10. Mississippi 9-4 889 15
11. Oklahoma State 9-4 861 18
12. California 9-4 711 25

13. Georgia 10-3 707 10
14. Oregon 10-3 694 9
15. Georgia Tech 9-4 559 22
16. Boise State 12-1 542 13
17. TCU 11-2 461 7

18. Utah 13-0 404 4
19. Florida State 9-4 371 23
20. North Carolina 8-5 293 NR
21. Iowa 9-4 257 20
22. Nebraska 9-4 236 NR
23. Notre Dame 7-6 194 NR
24. Brigham Young 10-3 178 21
25. Oregon State 9-4 165 19

Others receiving votes (with 2008 records)
Kansas (8-5) 138; Michigan State (9-4) 136; Texas Tech (11-2) 114; Cincinnati (11-3) 90; Pittsburgh (9-4) 64; West Virginia (9-4) 55; Rutgers (8-5) 51; Miami (Fla.) (7-6) 46; Missouri (10-4) 44; Illinois (5-7) 38; Clemson (7-6) 30; South Carolina (7-6) 18; UCLA (4-8) 14; Auburn (5-7) 12; Nevada (7-6) 11; South Florida (8-5) 11; Kentucky (7-6) 9; North Carolina State (6-7) 7; Arkansas (5-7) 6; Wisconsin (7-6) 6; Northwestern (9-4) 5; Southern Mississippi (7-6) 4; Wake Forest (8-5) 4; Arizona (8-5) 3; Boston College (9-5) 3; Central Michigan (8-5) 3; East Carolina (9-5) 3; Colorado (5-7) 2; Maryland (8-5) 2; Navy (8-5) 2; Tennessee (5-7) 2; Houston (8-5) 1; Michigan (3-9) 1; Minnesota (7-6) 1; Troy (8-5) 1.

No surprise that Florida and Texas are 1-2. LSU makes Top 10, despite finishing '08 outside the coaches Top 25. LSU is highest 5 loss team from '08. TCU and Utah slide down the ladder after strong finishes in '08. North Carolina, Nebraska and Notre Dame jump into the Top 25, after finishing outside the coaches Top 25 in '08.

It should be a great year for football in the FBS for 2009. Though, there doesn't appear to be as many teams likely candidates for #1 this season. Outside Florida and Texas, most schools in the Top Ten may be candidates to slip out by season's end. The theme for '09 appears to be "opportunity knocks" for a lot of schools. Of course, some may find some hard knocks along the way.

peace

New AP and USA Todays' Coaches Polls are out!

USC is #1 in both polls jumping Georgia in this week's AP Poll.

USC has a bye week for week 2 and will face #3 Ohio State on September 13th. Clearly, the USC-Ohio State game will decide who it the early #1 in college football.

peace

Preseason USA Today Coaches' Poll Released

USA TODAY COACHES' POLL
With vote point totals; No. 1 votes (left) and Last Year rating (right) in parenthesis; followed by 2007 record ('07 conference record); '07 bowl result:
1. Georgia (22) — 1,438 (3) 11-2 (6-2) - 41-10 Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii
2. Southern California (14) — 1,430 (2) 11-2 (7-2) - 49-17 Rose Bowl win over Illinois
3. Ohio State (14) — 1,392 (4) 11-2 (7-1) - 24-38 BCS Championship Game loss vs. LSU
4. Oklahoma (3) — 1,329 (8) 11-3 (6-2) - 28-48 Fiesta Bowl loss vs. West Virginia
5. Florida (5) — 1,293 (16) 9-4 (5-3) - 35-41 Capital Bowl loss vs. Michigan
6. Louisiana State (3) — 1,163 (1) 12-2 (6-2)- 38-24 BCS Championship win over Ohio State
7. Missouri — 1,143 (5) 12-2 (7-1) - 38-7 Cotton Bowl win over Arkansas
8. West Virginia — 1,008 (6) 11-2 (5-2) - 48-28 Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma
9. Clemson — 999 (22) 9-4 (5-3) - 20-23 Chick-fil-A Bowl ot loss vs. Auburn
10. Texas — 979 (10) 10-3 (5-3) - 52-34 Holiday Bowl win over Arizona State
11. Auburn — 888 (14t) 9-4 (5-3) - 23-20 Chick-fil-A Bowl ot win over Clemson
12. Wisconsin — 747 (21) 9-4 (5-3) - 17-21 Outback Bowl loss vs. Tennessee
13. Kansas — 714 (7) 12-1 (7-1) - 24-21 Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech
14. Texas Tech — 644 (23) 9-4 (4-4) - 31-28 Gator Bowl win over Virginia
15. Virginia Tech — 568 (9) 11-3 (7-1) - 21-24 Orange Bowl loss vs. Kansas
16. Arizona State — 560 (13) 10-3 (7-2) - 34-52 Holiday Bowl loss vs. Texas
17. Brigham Young — 547 (14t) 11-2 (8-0) - 17-16 Las Vegas Bowl win over UCLA
18. Tennessee — 506 (12) 10-4 (6-2) - 21-17 Outback Bowl win over Wisconsin
19. Illinois — 422 (18) 9-4 (6-2) - 17-49 Rose Bowl loss vs. USC
20. Oregon — 399 (24) 9-4 (5-4) - 56-21 Sun Bowl win over South Florida
21. South Florida — 350 (NR) 9-4 (4-3) - 21-56 Sun Bowl loss vs. Oregon
22. Penn State — 313 (25) 9-4 (4-4) - 24-17 Alamo Bowl win over Texas A&M
23. Wake Forest — 203 (NR) 9-4 (5-3) - 24-10 Meineke Car Care Bowl win over UConn
24. Michigan — 112 (19) 9-4 (6-2) - 41-35 Capital One Bowl win over Florida
25. Fresno State — 91 (NR) 9-4 (6-2) - 40-28 Humanitarian Bowl win over Georgia Tech

Previously rated team, end of last year: Boston College (11), Hawaii (17), Cincinnati (20).

Others receiving votes — Alabama 83, South Carolina 64, Utah 60, Rutgers 53, Florida State 53, Boston College 47, California 41, Pittsburgh 34, Boise State 25, Oregon State 23, Nebraska 17, Cincinnati 13, Virginia 12, Connecticut 9, Michigan State 9, Mississippi State 6, Kentucky 5, Notre Dame 5, Texas Christian 5, Maryland 4, Texas A&M 3, UCLA 3, North Carolina 3, Louisville 2, Georgia Tech 2, Central Florida 2, Tulsa 1, Oklahoma State 1, Arizona 1, Colorado 1.

The AP preseason poll is scheduled to be released Aug. 16.

#1 Georgia will seek to be the 3rd different SEC team to win the BCS Title, in the past three years. #3 Ohio State will try to make their third straight BCS Title Game in three years.

The University of Iowa will face three preseason Coaches' Top 25 teams: vs. #12 Wisconsin, at #19 Illinois and vs. #22 Penn State.

The University of Northern Iowa will open at #17 Brigham Young, while Iowa State will gets a break from Big 12 South rated teams this season: #4 Oklahoma, #10 Texas and #14 Texas Tech. ISU adds non-rated Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M in place of the Top 3 from the Big 12 South on ISU's '08 schedule. ISU does face two preseason Top 25 teams, with a Big 12 opener vs. #13 Kansas, and a mid-November date vs. #7 Missouri.

Media day for Iowa will be Monday. Iowa State hosted it's Media Day today.

peace

Who's #2 through 5 in College Football in '07

We all know who #1 should be entering the '07 College Football Season, right! The USC Trojans (11-2, last year) are clearly the choice for opening the season at the top spot!

But, I can't say any team deserves an automatic slot in the Top 5 other than the Trojans.

The 2007 USAToday Preseason Coaches Poll is out and USC is #1, with LSU, Florida, Texas and Michigan rounding off the Top 5. I see the Iowa Hawkeyes picked up 12 votes coming off a disappointing 6-7 season in '06, including a 24-26 loss to Texas in last year's Alamo Bowl.

Is the Defending Champions ready to rebuild defensively and with a new QB under center to finish in the Top 5 again? Like Florida, LSU will have a new QB at the helm in '07.

Michigan returns plenty on offense, but must rebuild their defense. Does defense win championships? Will that theory be tested in '07?

The media's AP Top 25 Poll is out. West Virginia and Florida swap places from the AP and USA Today positions. The Montaineers are #3 in the AP Poll, while the defending national champs are outside the Top 5 at #6. The media isn't giving any props to Iowa this season!

Interesting from the AP Top 25... the runner-ups from '06, Ohio State, are outside the Top 10 at #11. All 25 teams in the coaches poll made the AP Top 25, though some positions are flipped or different.

Another great season will unfold again in under two weeks!

peace