Coaches Rank Miami No. 1

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — The Miami Hurricanes reaped the rewards of a weekend in which five of the eight unbeatens in college football fell as UM solidified its lead in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 coaches’ football rankings released Sunday morning.

Nebraska replaced Oklahoma in the No. 2 spot and Virginia Tech and UCLA dropped out of the top 10 in the latest poll.

Nebraska (9-0) snapped Oklahoma’s 20-game winning streak on Saturday with a 20-10 victory. The win probably moved the Cornhuskers to No. 1 in the Bowl Championship Series poll since Oklahoma (7-1) had occupied that spot.

Saturday’s loss dropped the Sooners from second to fourth in the USA/ESPN poll. Along with Oklahoma, four other schools fell from the ranks of the unbeaten on Saturday.

Virginia Tech (6-1) suffered a 22-14 loss to Syracuse and dropped from fourth to 12th, and UCLA (6-1) fell to Stanford, 38-28, and slipped from fifth to 11th. Syracuse (7-2) moved into the poll at No. 22 with its seventh straight win and Stanford (5-1) ascended nine spots from 22 to 13.

Maryland (7-1) and Washington State (7-1) also were handed their first defeats. Florida State (5-2) rose from 18 to 14 in the USA/ESPN poll with a 52-31 victory over Maryland, which dropped four spots from 12 to 16, and Oregon (7-1) moved up from 13 to ninth with a 24-17 win over Washington State. The Cougars also slipped four places from 15 to 19.

Top-ranked Miami (6-0), Nebraska and Brigham Young (8-0) are the only remaining unbeatens in Division I-A.

Miami started the week Thursday with a 45-3 victory over West Virginia. The Hurricanes were fourth in the BCS but could climb with Oklahoma’s loss.

Miami received 46 first-place votes and a total of 1,486 points. Nebraska received the other 14 first-place votes and is 32 points behind the Hurricanes.

Brigham Young avoided the upset bug, routing San Diego State, 59-21, to move up two spots to No. 8.

Florida (6-1) rose three spots to No. 3 after posting a 24-10 win over Georgia.

Texas (7-1) is No. 5 followed by Michigan (6-1), Tennessee (5-1), BYU, Oregon and Washington (6-1) in the top 10.

Purdue (5-1) is No. 15, gaining five spots, and Texas A&M (7-1) rose seven places to 17th. Illinois (6-1) moved up five spots to 18th, but South Carolina (6-2) dropped to No. 20.

Georgia Tech (5-2), Syracuse, Georgia (5-2), Clemson (5-2) and Colorado (6-2) complete the top 25.

Fading Fresno State dropped out of the poll after suffered its second straight loss on Friday, falling, 38-34, to Hawaii.

The USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 college football coaches’poll, with number of first-place votes and record inparentheses, total points and previous ranking:

(Records through October 28, 2001)

TEAM PTS PVS —- — — 1. Miami Fla (46) (6-0) 1,486 1 2. Nebraska (14) (9-0) 1,454 3 3. Florida (6-1) 1,308 6 4. Oklahoma (7-1) 1,263 2 5. Texas (7-1) 1,259 7 6. Michigan (6-1) 1,186 8 7. Tennessee (5-1) 1,112 9 8. BYU (8-0) 999 10 9. Oregon (7-1) 963 1310. Washington (6-1) 953 1111. UCLA (6-1) 936 512. Virginia Tech (6-1) 925 413. Stanford (5-1) 719 2214. Florida St (5-2) 704 1815. Purdue (5-1) 541 2016. Maryland (7-1) 510 1217. Texas A&M (7-1) 411 2418. Illinois (6-1) 402 2319. Washington St (7-1) 386 1520. South Carolina (6-2) 360 1421. Georgia Tech (5-2) 330 2122. Syracuse (7-2) 286 NR23. Georgia (5-2) 239 1624. Clemson (5-2) 160 2525. Colorado (6-2) 145 NR

Dropped Out: No. 17 Auburn, No. 19 Fresno St

Others Receiving Votes: North Carolina 103, Mississippi103, Auburn 81, Louisville 68, Marshall 46, Boston College28, Fresno St 12, Michigan St 11, Iowa St 3, Arkansas 2,Toledo 1.