Miami Is New No. 1 In AP Poll

Sept 3, 2001

AP Poll

By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
AP Football Writer

Larry Coker has more than just his first coaching victory at Miami. He hasthe No. 1 team in the nation.

Following a dominating 33-7 victory over Penn State, the Hurricanes replacedthe Florida Gators at No. 1 in The Associated Press media poll on Monday.

In this week’s USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, released Sunday, Floridaremained No. 1 and Miami No. 2.

Miami, winners of four national titles, returned to the top spot in the APpoll for the first time in nine years. The Hurricanes were No. 1 at the end ofthe 1992 regular season and finished No. 3 after losing to Alabama in the ’93Sugar Bowl.

While Florida also won its opener Saturday – 49-14 against Marshall – theGators entered the season with a 13-point edge and 12 fewer first-place votesthan the Hurricanes.

But now that both teams have played a game, the voters were more impressedwith Miami’s victory under the 53-year-old Coker, a head coach for the firsttime.

In Monday’s voting by the 72 sports writers and broadcasters on the APpanel, Miami received 37 first-place votes and 1,737 points. Florida had 19first-place votes and 1,721 points. The team with the most total points getsthe No. 1 ranking.

Last week, Miami out-first-placed Florida 33-21, but the Gators outpointedthe ‘Canes 1,723-1,710. Voting in the AP poll awards teams 25 points for firstplace, 24 for second, 23 for third and down to 1 point for 25th place.

“It’s very gratifying to be ranked No. 1 and it’s good to see the respectof the national media coming off the win over Penn State,” Coker said.”Obviously it speaks well for the reputation of the program and for the jobthe players and coaches have done here.”

Fresno State (2-0), a 44-24 winner over Oregon State on Sunday night, jumpedinto the Top 25 for the first time since 1993 at No. 19. The Beavers tumbledfrom No. 10 to No. 22 after dropping their opener.

Oklahoma (2-0), the defending national champions, remained No. 3 after a44-3 win at Air Force, followed by No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Nebraska. TheLonghorns (1-0) and Cornhuskers (2-0) switched places from last week.

The Sooners had 10 first-place votes, the Longhorns two and the Huskers two.

Florida State, 55-13 winners over Duke, remained No. 6, followed by No. 7Oregon, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 9 Virginia Tech and No. 10 Georgia Tech.

Michigan, which opened with a 31-13 win over Miami (Ohio), was up one spotto No. 11, followed by No. 12 Kansas State, No. 13 LSU, No. 14 UCLA, No. 15Washington, No. 16 Northwestern, No. 17 Notre Dame, No. 18 Mississippi State,No. 19 Fresno State, No. 20 Clemson, No. 21 South Carolina, No. 22 OregonState, No. 23 Wisconsin, No. 24 Ohio State and No. 25 Georgia.

Miami plays its home opener Saturday against Rutgers, coached by formerHurricanes defensive coordinator Greg Schiano. The ‘Canes then play Washington,Pittsburgh and Troy State before traveling to Florida State on Oct. 13.

“We realize it is much more important for us to be on top at the end of theseason than at the beginning,” Coker said. “We have our work cut out for us.We’ve got a long way to go.”

Alabama and Colorado State dropped out of the Top 25 this week, with Georgiajoining Fresno State as the new teams.

The Top Twenty Five teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 2, total points based on 25 points for a first place vote through one point for a 25th place vote and previous ranking:

                          Record  Pts  Pvs 1. Miami (37)             1-0  1,737   2 2. Florida (19)           1-0  1,721   1 3. Oklahoma (10)          2-0  1,633   3 4. Texas (4)              1-0  1,482   5 5. Nebraska (2)           2-0  1,474   4 6. Florida St.            1-0  1,458   6 7. Oregon                 1-0  1,357   7 8. Tennessee              1-0  1,355   8 9. Virginia Tech          1-0  1,200   910. Georgia Tech           2-0    988  1111. Michigan               1-0    963  1212. Kansas St.             0-0    943  1313. LSU                    1-0    861  1414. UCLA                   1-0    809  1715. Washington             0-0    728  1516. Northwestern           0-0    674  1617. Notre Dame             0-0    604  1818. Mississippi St.        0-0    571  2019. Fresno St.             2-0    554   --20. Clemson                1-0    524  1921. South Carolina         1-0    422  2122. Oregon St.             0-1    293  1023. Wisconsin              1-1    208  2224. Ohio St.               0-0    189  2325. Georgia                1-0    129   --

Others receiving votes: Louisville 91, Purdue 73, Southern Cal 71, Pittsburgh 59, BYU 37, Illinois 36, Michigan St. 25, Toledo 25, Alabama 20, Southern Miss. 14, East Carolina 11, Colorado St. 10, Stanford 9, Colorado 8, Texas A&M 8, Mississippi 6, Auburn 4, Boston College 4, Marshall 4, Arkansas 2, Iowa St. 2, W. Michigan 2, Arizona St. 1, Indiana 1.