Miami Ranked 2nd In AP Preseason Football Poll

Aug. 11, 2001

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<>CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami football team is ranked second by the Associated Press in the service’s preseason football poll of media members for the 2001 season. The ranking is the highest for Miami in the AP preseason poll since the Hurricanes were ranked first to start the 1992 season.

Florida begins the season atop the poll, a mere 16 voting points ahead of the Hurricanes. Miami had the most first place votes of any team with 33 panelists voting the Hurricanes as the preseason national title favorite, but the Gators garnered more overall points in the survey. Defending national champion Oklahoma ranks third in the national survey of members of the news media with Nebraska ranking fourth. Florida State ranks sixth in the poll, marking the sixth time in the last 11 years that UM, FSU and UF have begun the season together in the top 10.

“I’m not really sure what the difference is between being 1, 2 or 10 in the preseason, but I know it will play out,” said Miami head coach Larry Coker. “There’s a lot of football that remains to be played. I can’t get upset about it now. If we’re undefeated at the end of the season and don’t get a chance to play for the national championship, then I’ll get upset. As our players know, it’s not impossible to climb from No. 2 to No. 1. The only thing we need to do is go out and win. If we win, that ought to take care of itself. Getting that many first-place votes says a lot about the respect we’re getting with so many players coming back.”

It is the highest preseason ranking for UM since 1992 when the Hurricanes began the season ranked ranked No. 1 and eventually played Alabama for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl. The Hurricanes will begin the season ranked among the top 10 for the sixth time in 11 seasons, and UM begins among the top five for the fifth time since 1991.

Miami will face three schools in the AP preseason top 25 rankings: No. 15 Washington at the Orange Bowl on September 15, No. 6 FSU on October 13, and No. 9 Virginia Tech December 1.

The Top Twenty Five teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2000 records, total points based on 25 points for a first place vote through one point for a 25th place vote and ranking in the 2000 final poll:

No. Team Record Pts Pvs
1. Florida (20) 10-3 1,716 10
2. Miami (33) 11-1 1,700 2
3. Oklahoma (10) 13-0 1,588 1
4. Nebraska (4) 10-2 1,525 8
5. Texas (5) 9-3 1,461 12
6. Florida St. 11-2 1,441 5
7. Oregon 10-2 1,354 7
8. Tennessee 8-4 1,344
9. Virginia Tech 11-1 1,169 6
10. Georgia Tech 9-3 1,005 17
11. Oregon St. 11-1 974 4
12. Michigan 9-3 919 11
13. Kansas St. 11-3 902 9
14. LSU 8-4 763 22
15. Washington 11-1 683 3
16. Northwestern 8-4 667
17. UCLA 6-6 639
18. Notre Dame 9-3 599 15
19. Clemson 9-3 569 16
20. Mississippi St. 8-4 521 24
21. South Carolina 8-4 350 19
22. Wisconsin 9-4 237 23
23. Ohio St. 8-4 181
24. Colorado St. 10-2 179 14
25. Alabama 3-8 136
Others receiving votes: Purdue 127, Colorado 105, Georgia 84, Southern Cal 74, East Carolina 65, Pittsburgh 62, Louisville 53, Michigan St. 32, Texas A&M 28, Arkansas 22, Illinois 21, Marshall 12, Mississippi 12, UNLV 12, Southern Miss. 10, Penn St. 9, Auburn 8, Stanford 8, TCU 7, Fresno St. 6, Iowa St. 5, Kansas 5, N.C. State 3, W. Michigan 2, West Virginia 2, Arizona St. 1, Indiana 1, Syracuse 1, Toledo 1.

The Hurricanes begin the 2001 season Saturday, September 1, at Penn State in a nationally televised contest (ABC Sports). Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.

For ticket information for Hurricanes football, contact the UM Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES or purchase them on the web at www.hurricanesports.com.

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