Hurricanes Begin 2002 Season Atop AP Poll

Aug. 10, 2002

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The defending national champion University of Miami football team is ranked first by the Associated Press in the service’s preseason football poll of media members for the 2002 season, marking the first time since 1992 that Miami has entered the season as the nation’s top-ranked team. Miami had 27 first-place votes and 1,746 points to Oklahoma’s 21 first-place votes and 1,732 points.

Rounding out the Top 10 were Florida State at No. 3 with 10 first-place votes, followed by Texas (13 first-place votes), Tennessee (three first-place votes), Florida, Colorado, Georgia, Washington and Nebraska. Miami also was the No. 1 preseason pick in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, released last week.

The remainder of the top 25 rankings will be released later on Saturday.

Miami, which started its run to the 2001 national title ranked second by AP in the preseason, enters the 2002 season on a 22-game winning streak after a 12-0 season in which the Hurricanes outscored opponents 512-117 and defeated Nebraska in the Rose Bowl, 37-14. The Hurricanes return 12 starters from last year’s squad and face a difficult schedule that features No. 6 Florida in Gainesville on September 7 (5 p.m. ET, CBS-TV), hosts No. 3 Florida State on October 12 in the Orange Bowl (12 p.m. ET, ABC-TV), and No. 5 Tennessee in Knoxville on November 9 (time to be announced).

“Being voted number one is always a great honor,” said head coach Larry Coker. “Having the media recognize our program and our returning players as the preseason number one team not only acknowledges our potential but also gives us another reason to try and repeat as national champions.”

Miami, which has won five national championships but has never won titles in successive seasons, last began the season ranked ranked No. 1 in 1992 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 seventh time in 12 seasons, and UM begins among the top five for the sixth time since 1991. Twice before, Miami was No. 1 in the preseason poll – in 1990 and 1992.

The first regular-season AP poll will be released on Monday, Aug. 26.

The Hurricanes begin the 2002 season Saturday, August 31, against Florida A&M at the Orange Bowl. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

For ticket information Hurricane football, contact the UM Ticket Office at (305) 284-2263 or 1-800-GO-CANES. Tickets may also be ordered online at www.hurricanesports.com.

2002 Associated Press Preseason Football Poll

No. Team (1st place) ’01
Rec.
Pts. ’01
Rank
vs.
T25
Opp.
Rec.
Extra Points
1. Miami (27) 12-0 1,746 1 5-0 70-46 Third time No. 1 Preseason
2. Oklahoma (21) 11-2 1,732 6 2-1 77-65 Stoops 6-1 vs. Top 10 teams
3. Florida St. (10) 8-4 1,683 15 2-2 83-48 2001: worst year since 1986
4. Texas (13) 11-2 1,682 5 2-2 79-63 4 9-win seasons under Brown
5. Tennessee (3) 11-2 1,601 4 4-1 91-51 Fulmer 95-20 in 10 years
6. Florida 10-2 1,313 3 6-1 81-50 Spurrier left big shoes
7. Colorado 10-3 1,291 9 5-2 94-51 Most improved team in 2001
8. Georgia 8-4 1,179 22 2-2 69-60 5-0 on the road in 2001
9. Washington 8-4 1,133 19 3-3 75-52 25 straight non-losing years
10. Nebraska 11-2 1,131 8 2-2 75-73 10-10-81 last time unranked
11. Washington St. 10-2 1,096 10 1-2 63-52 Highest preseason rank ever
12. Michigan 8-4 1,061 20 2-2 78-52 Carr 11-2 vs. Top 10 teams
13. Ohio St. 7-5 1,029 1-4 56-57 Tressel beat Michigan
14. LSU 10-3 832 7 4-2 87-53 SEC and Sugar Bowl champions
15. Oregon 11-1 736 2 4-0 73-54 Only BCS stopped Ducks in 01
16. Virginia Tech 8-4 583 18 0-2 68-59 4 tough road games scheduled
17. Louisville 11-2 574 17 1-0 67-63 10 defensive starters return
18. Michigan St. 7-5 468 3-1 61-65 Injury plagued in 2001
19. Marshall 11-2 433 0-1 46-45 Pruett has .863 winning pct.
20. Southern Cal 6-6 420 1-3 48-56 TOs hurt Trojans in 2001
21. Maryland 10-2 318 11 1-2 69-60 Broke FSU’s ACC title string
22. South Carolina 9-3 268 13 3-2 69-50 Best 2-year win total (17)
23. Texas A&M 8-4 247 0-3 63-46 RC No. 2 in wins since 1990
24. Penn St. 5-6 221 1-3 61-46 Coming off two losing years
25. Wisconsin 5-7 193 1-3 73-47 Looking to pay back Fresno
Others receiving votes: Kansas St. 171, N.C. State 154, Auburn 131, Boston College 108, Alabama 106, UCLA 59, Oregon St. 52, Illinois 51, Arkansas 50, Georgia Tech 47, Clemson 29, Southern Miss. 27, Purdue 24, Texas Tech 18, BYU 10, Utah 10, Mississippi 9, Colorado St. 6, Boise St. 4, Syracuse 4, Notre Dame 3, Fresno St. 2, North Carolina 2, Toledo 2, Middle Tennessee 1.