AP Top 25 College Football
NEW YORK — As Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators prepare to make a run at their third national title in the last four seasons, the defending champions have already made some history.
Florida is No. 1 in The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25 released Saturday, followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Southern California and Alabama. After its miserable 2008 season, Tennessee did not make the Top 25, but did get 15 points from voters.
The Gators are in a class by themselves, the most overwhelming preseason No. 1 in the history of the media poll.
Florida received 58 of the 60 first-place votes, or 96.7 percent. Texas got the other first-place votes.
The previous highest percentage of first-place votes for the AP preseason poll, which started in 1950, was 95.4 percent for USC in 2007. Those Trojans got 62 of 65 first-place votes — and didn’t play for the national title.
Ten preseason No. 1s have won the national championship. If the Gators can become the 11th, they will have put together one of the great runs in college football history. Only one program since 1950 can claim three national championships in four years; Nebraska won it all it 1994 and 1995, then earned a split title in 1997.
With expectations soaring in Gainesville, Fla., coach Urban Meyer has been on a mission to keep his team’s eyes on the small prizes — to heck with history.
“There’s a lot of guys getting patted on the back and being told how good they are,” Meyer said in a recent telephone interview. “Their only focus is on survival to the next day and working hard in practice.
“I don’t want them to even think about that kind of stuff. Our goal is to get to Atlanta” for the Southeastern Conference championship game.
The rest of the top 10 includes two Big Ten powerhouses (No. 6 Ohio State and No. 9 Penn State) and the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion (No. 7 Virginia Tech).
No. 8 Mississippi is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since 1970, when the Rebels were ranked fifth.
Oklahoma State is tied with Penn State for No. 9, the Cowboys’ highest preseason ranking since No. 16 in 1985, when Thurman Thomas was in the backfield.
Florida is preseason No. 1 for the third time (1994 and 2001), and the Gators are the 20th defending national champ to start the season on top.
From the moment Florida wrapped up its 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in the BCS championship game in January, talk of a repeat started.
And when Tebow a few days later announced at a rally on campus celebrating the national title that he would come back for his senior year, there was no doubt the Gators would be the runaway preseason No. 1.
Florida’s rugged, multidimensional quarterback won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and finished third behind Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy last year.
As good as Tebow is — he has a chance to end his career as the most decorated player in college football history with three national title rings and two Heismans — Meyer sees areas for improvement.
“I’d say in the passing game he can certainly improve some things,” Meyer said. “Leadership-wise he used to get angry when he felt other guys weren’t working as hard as he was. Now he gets those players to play at that level.”
While Tebow leads an offense with plenty of speedy gamebreakers, All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes — another guy who passed on a chance to enter the NFL draft to return for his senior season — leads a defense that has potential to be the best in the country.
All 22 players on the defensive depth chart for the BCS title game are back. Among the standouts are defensive end Carlos Dunlap and cornerback Janoris Jenkins and Joe Haden.
All that experience will allow defensive coordinator Charlie Strong to good deep into his playbook.
“Our defense has been installed at a much greater pace than ever before,” Meyer said. “That allows you to put in a lot more different packages, three down (linemen) and four down.”
The Gators are one of five SEC teams ranked in the Top 25, matching the Big 12 for the most from any conference. Joining Florida, Alabama and Ole Miss are LSU at No. 11 and Georgia at No. 13.
No. 23 Nebraska and No. 25 Kansas are the other Big 12 teams, along with Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Utah, which finished No. 2 last season and was the only undefeated team in major college football, is ranked 19th to start this season. But the Utes aren’t even the highest ranked team from the Mountain West Conference.
That distinction belongs to No. 17 TCU, while No. 20 BYU gives the MWC three ranked teams to start the season, as many as the Big Ten and Pac-10 and three more than the Big East, which was shut out.
No. 14 Boise State is the highest ranked team from a conference that does not automatically qualify for the Bowl Championship Series. The Broncos, the champions of the Western Athletic Conference, play the season’s first big game, facing No. 16 Oregon on Sept. 3.
Notre Dame is back in the rankings for the first time since the final poll of the 2006 season. The Fighting Irish, coming off a 7-6 season, are No. 23.
THE AP TOP 25
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2008 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. Florida (58) 13-1 1,498 1
2. Texas (2) 12-1 1,424 4
3. Oklahoma 12-2 1,370 5
4. Southern Cal 12-1 1,313 3
5. Alabama 12-2 1,156 6
6. Ohio St. 10-3 1,113 9
7. Virginia Tech 10-4 1,054 15
8. Mississippi 9-4 1,047 14
9. Oklahoma St. 9-4 989 16
9. Penn St. 11-2 989 8
11. LSU 8-5 914 —
12. California 9-4 746 —
13. Georgia 10-3 714 13
14. Boise St. 12-1 659 11
15. Georgia Tech 9-4 593 22
16. Oregon 10-3 587 10
17. TCU 11-2 521 7
18. Florida St. 9-4 307 21
19. Utah 13-0 289 2
20. BYU 10-3 267 25
21. North Carolina 8-5 261 —
22. Iowa 9-4 ¦229 20
23. Notre Dame 7-6 225 —
24. Nebraska 9-4 207 —
25. Kansas 8-5 134 —
Others receiving votes: Oregon St. 122, Illinois 105, Pittsburgh 103, Michigan St. 100, Rutgers 83, Texas Tech 76, West Virginia 57, Cincinnati 44, Clemson 42, Miami 40, East Carolina 30, Tennessee 15, Arizona 13, N.C. State 10, Boston College 9, Auburn 7, Cent. Michigan 7, UCLA 7, Northwestern 5, Missouri 3, South Florida 3, Southern Miss. 3, Vanderbilt 3, South Carolina 2, Arkansas 1, Houston 1, Nevada 1, Troy 1, Tulsa 1.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 63
RockyTopRenegade writes:
More mightygators. Anybody ready for football instead of polls? Wonder who Adams voted for?
chargervol writes:
If this poll is correct, Tennessee would finish 3rd in the SEC East, behind florida and georgia. Tennessee, by this poll, would finish 6th overall in the SEC. I think that would make them bowl eligible. Everybody is not overlooking the Vols. All the nay sayers need to hold on a little while to give the Vols a chance to show what they can do on gameday. By the poll, some people actually think we are going to be competitive. But, I don't buy into polls this early into the season. GO VOLS!!!
chargervol writes:
Oh, yeah, I do think Tennessee will have a pretty good year. I can't wait til kickoff. One thing for sure, it is going to be as long as it has been. How many days? GO VOLS!!!
chargervol writes:
Just like georgia last year, Overrated! Read the article, percentages say gators will not finish at the top by year's end. GO VOLS!!!
GBO writes:
Comments such as these truly display your intellectual capacity. I'd go so far to say that the Gators wouldn't compete with Detroit's 3rd team.
GoVols2009 writes:
Wont be #1 after Sept.19th! Big Orange is comin' to town. Time to show the world what UT Football is all about! GBO!!
Snapshot writes:
So what is wrong with a little hope and hate when it comes to the gators?
chargervol writes:
What about? The most overhyped team in history. Yeah, that will be funny. Or, possibly, the start of the gators slippery slide to insignificance. Possibly! GO VOLS!!!
Snapshot writes:
Tebow a first rounder at what, fullback or tightend?
cloudodust writes:
Re : Nebraska-Florida..Believe it or not, I've wondered how those mentioned Nebraska teams would have faired against the current Florida teams. I think the series would be tied 1-1 going into this season...IMHO, Advantage Osborne.
trooper4prezz writes:
ChargerVol, I have to be curious on where you are from. Me being a Charger from McMinn Central.
tdtnsee writes:
You know John Adams is mad he missed out on writing this article! Any chance he has to bost the gators he jumps on it. A little late to the punch ayyy john
chargervol writes:
The gators will soon be getting dominated by Miami again very soon. Enjoy the little run you have had, you know it is coming to an end. The Vols will be so far ahead of your litle gators in five years, you'll be saying, "Waaaaht Happened"? GO VOLS!!!
BloodOrange64 writes:
In 1989 the Vols were unranked and proceeded to finish 11-1. Let's hope that the same AP writers are still doing the poll!!!! GO VOLS!
TommyJack writes:
Ah, there's that gator article. Been a couple of days.
GoVols2009 writes:
We will see. If the Offense can score this yr, will be along game for gators. Defense will lock Tebow and the Offense down.
GoVols2009 writes:
Hey Delta if flordia is so good why are you on the Vols site all day long???
chargervol writes:
I am a San Diego Charger fan. I started pulling for them when they had Fouts, Winslow, Muncie, Chandler, Jefferson and no defense to speak of. I am actually from a place called Piney Flats. Its about 10 minutes from the Bristol Raceway. It would probably be about 30 minutes away right now, because race fans are starting to file in to the racetrack. I was president of a local Little League for a few years and we had one of your softball teams in for the state tourney. You can be proud of your community. The parents would jump in and help on the field or ask if they could help with anything. They were a really a nice bunch of people. We were honored to have those folks up this way. GO VOLS!!!
GoVols2009 writes:
I give respect to Tebow, he is a beast. But a lil pressure and tight coverage confuses him a bit. You cant take anything away from a guy with 2 NC's and a heisman. If you beat the Vols, I hope he gets another NC. After all he is the best thing that has happened to UF. But after this yr all that is gone.
givehim6 writes:
More fuel to the fire in UT's case in the underdog role. I remember a year, I think 2007 that all you needed to lose was to be given a #1 ranking.
chargervol writes:
Wouldn't it be great to see Zook's Fightin' Illini against urby's gators in a bowl game. It is possible, Illinois has a chance to be good in their conference and the gators are going to stump their toes. I think Zook would like the oppurtunity. GO VOLS!!!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
What happens if Tebow goes down?
You know what I'm thinking of right now...
http://espndb.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId...
Go ahead and climb that high horse all the way to the top. The Gators are too good, they're the best team ever, no one will beat them, especially in the swamp...
9/19/09
agohn writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
CLEMSONVOL716WASBANNED writes:
I was thinking more along the lines of Johnny Cash:
"Folsom Prison Blues"
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I know Piney Flats well! For my money, that's God's country right around there. It's been a while, but it seems I remember a little country store somewhere around there where people would come from miles around to jam on bluegrass and old-time country music. Have you heard of it, or am I just thinking of someplace else? In any case, I would give anything to live in that region again!
99gator writes:
i was thinking of.....
"We are the Champions."
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Actually, that is an Associated Press article. I would have thought it would have gotten all the way down to whatever your local rag is by now.
On topic, even though I am and always have been a die-hard Vol fan, anybody who doesn't think Florida is loaded this year is nuts. That doesn't necessarily mean they will win them all, but it wouldn't be a stupid bet.
It would be a miracle right up there with the Resurrection for the Vols to win this year, but, starting this year, the Vols won't be mere sacrificial lambs anymore, and the shoe may be on the other foot sooner than most people realize.
volzcrushm writes:
When UT lost an OC named cutcliffe, the Offense gradually went to SH--! UF's OC left this year, Tebow leaves this year and Meyer will bolt for ND. The Gators WILL NOT win a Nat. Champ. this year... and lucky if they win an SEC champ.
chargervol writes:
We have Slagle's pasture. It is just that, a pasture. They hold a big bluegrass event there yearly. It is well attende by folks from miles away. There used to be a store on what is now 19-E going toward Elizabethton that used to have Bluegrass every Friday and Saturday night. They since have sold to a convenience store chain. If you haven't been in the area in awhile, we now have 3 red lights. We are not a city, we're considered a community. We pay county taxes and no more.LOL! That pay no more sounds familiar to Vol fans I bet. It is a pretty nice area to live, but, it is growing up. I liked it when we only had a two-lane road where you could only see a few hundred feet in front of you because of the hills. They built a four lane and chopped the hills, now you can just about see Johnson City from here. We are strong Vol fans around here. GO VOLS!!!!
tennezz writes:
Urban is a legend only in your and his own mind !!! Everyone outside florida has a different opinion !!! You are on the way out after this year and don`t know it! florida is being out recruited by 3 or 4 teams in the SEC every year and that is not the way to stay on top! Enjoy it while you can because it is about over! You are letting your shotgun mouth overload your BB azz!
chargervol writes:
I can't wait for football to start. Kick-off can't come soon enough. High school football has gotten started, that helps a little bit. But, there is nothing like college football. I'd take it over the NFL anyday. We're starting to feel that football in the air. Hopefully, the SEC will be the top conference in the country, again. The Vols will be a handfull for anybody on their schedule, even florida. GO VOLS!!!
chargervol writes:
Keep thinking that "POP". Your balloon might get busted. But, you never know, you can hope. We'll see how the season goes. I wouldn't bet on anything or anybody right now. Number 1 in every poll will change hands at least five times before year's end. Good luck to you. GO VOLS!!!
TommyJack writes:
Not a freakin chance, pal.
jimr07 writes:
I'm convinced they could compete with some NFL teams.
you have to be kidding.
jimr07 writes:
there have been very few teams to go number one from start to finish.
jimr07 writes:
i do know that i am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for their tough game against charleston southern. and troy.
jimr07 writes:
more than oklahomas run in the late forties and fifties? do you know anything about football history?
jimr07 writes:
my favorite team is whoever is playing florida.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I played the Slagle's Pasture festival several times. Now that I think about that store a little more, the name "Hickory Tree" comes to mind. It may have been closer to Bluff City than Piney Flats. I lived for a number of years in the 70's and 80's in Johnson City, Kingsport, and Hiltons, VA. I still have MANY friends all throughout the Tri-Cities and vicinity. Seems like every nice country place has grown up a bit these days, but that's not all bad, I guess. Even though I was born in Nashville and grew up in Knoxville, Upper East Tennessee has always felt like home to me. Ah, the memories, and, oh, how I miss it!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
If Eric Berry goes down, we put in Prentiss Wagner, or Dennis Rogan, or Nyshier Oliver, or Janzen Jackson, or one of the many other players that are working their tails off. If Brantley was that good, I don't think they'd be putting Joe Haden at QB for snaps...
My whole point is that I hope your head stays up in those clouds, it makes it all the more hilarious when someone comes in and takes your feet out from under you.
Florida is getting all those distractions that wrecked Georgia last year, wrecked Tennessee a few years ago when we were preseason #3... it doesn't ever really bode well for an SEC team to be ranked too high before the season starts. It always seems to precede a massive disappointment.
I believe likewise you'll see a Tennessee team unlike what Florida has seen at any point in their existence... one that is going to walk in believing they can walk out with a victory, something I don't think we ever had under CPF.
Bigger_Al writes:
58 Sports Writers, can't be wrong, can they?
gslaton#227127 writes:
No pressure there! Hopefully, they will collapse under the weight.
kman29 writes:
Only been good since 1991??? Yeah ok man! Then what exactly are these seasons..
1960- 9-2 (Bowl win)
1965- 8-4 (Sugar Bowl)
1966- 9-2 (Orange Bowl win, heisman winner)
1969- 9-1-1 (Bowl win...over Tennessee)
1974- 8-4 (Sugar Bowl)
1975- 9-3 (Bowl win)
1983- 9-2-1 (defeated NC Miami 27-3..top 15 ranking)
1984- 9-1-1 (Finished 1st in the SEC..top 5 ranking)
1985- 9-1-1 (Finished 1st in the SEC..ranked #2)
1990- 9-2 (Finished 1st in the SEC..top 10 ranking)
Now while I will admit that UF did not do much of anything prior to 1960, to act like they were never good at all until 1991 when you can run off seasons that combine 2 sugar bowls, 1 orange bowl, 10 top 20 finishes, 3 top 10 finishes. 3 1st place finishes in the SEC and the destroying of a national champion in 1983. Thats simply speaking without knowing your actual facts. UF before the 90s was the team that was "almost there" a lot. But to act like they were garbage prior to the 90s and did not have good teams is pretty ridiculous. If that were the case then schools like Tennessee wouldnt have a losing record against UF since 1950, would they?
TommyJack writes:
Me too, James.
chrisw2967 writes:
Those gayfers are so high and the higer you are the worst its going to hurt when you land and they will land.those gayfers are so easy to fool.
hotrodvol writes:
A couple of trolls, and it's not hard to root for any team playing the gators.
tennezz writes:
It doesen`t distract you that you have the most arrests and most felons on any team in NCAA history down in titleswampsville? Bail them out and play them on game day !!!
chargervol writes:
I'm not sure about what store that might have been in Hickory Tree. There is Darter's, which is close to Observation Knob, Webb's store, which is the store where the owner was shot during a robbery. Buck's Store is close to South Holston Dam, along with 421 grocery. Maybe, one of those places might ring a bell? Well, let's sit back and watch our beloved Vols enter into the Kiffin era. Like it or not it is fast approaching. I just wished it would hurry up and start. I'm tired of talking speculation. I want to watch the Vols toe the line. I feel pretty good about this season. I'm interested to see how it all comes out in the wash. GO VOLS!!!
KINGKONG writes:
i give florida no respect thier blogs in gainsville had us second behold arkansas for the most improve team this year that didnt hav a winning season last year.2 more weeks we r going to teach teams a lesson DONT SLEEP ON TENNESSEE
tdforvols writes:
Only one way for Florida to go with these polls and lofty expectations. It's gonna be fun to watch the unavoidable slide and meltdown by the gator faithful over the next few seasons.
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