Sooners edge Buckeyes by one vote in first coaches poll

ARLINGTON, Va. (Ticker) -- Let the cries of disrespect begin in Columbus, Ohio.

Defending national champion Ohio State was edged out reigning Big 12 Conference champion Oklahoma in the preseason USA Today/ESPN football coaches poll released Thursday.

The Sooners (12-2), who finished fifth in last year's final poll after beating Washington State in the Rose Bowl, received 29 of 63 first-place votes and 1,514 points in a nationwide poll of Division I-A coaches.

Chasing its second national championship in four years, Oklahoma has only four starters back on offense but returns nine starters from a defensive unit that ranked among the best in the country last season.

There is no consensus preseason No. 1 as the first three teams -- Oklahoma, Ohio State and 2001 national champion Miami -- were separated by just 66 points.

Ohio State (14-0), which captured its first national title since 1968 with an epic 31-24 double overtime victory over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, received 28 first-place votes and 1,495 points.

The Buckeyes open defense of their national championship August 30 against Washington. They begin preseason practice without star running back Maurice Clarett, who is being kept out until questions regarding his eligibility are concerned.

Miami (12-1), whose 34-game winning streak was snapped in the loss to Ohio State, claimed five first-place ballots and 1,448 points.

While the Hurricanes lost star running back Willie McGahee and three-year starting quarterback Ken Dorsey, they once again appear loaded, with 13 starters back.

The other first-place vote went to No. 6 Auburn (9-4), which is expected to win the Southeastern Conference.

Completing the top five are Texas (11-2), which begins life without quarterback Chris Simms, and Kansas State (11-2).

Southern California (11-2), which must fill the void left by the departure of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer, opens the year eighth, behind Michigan (10-3) and ahead of defending SEC champion Georgia (13-1) and Virginia Tech (10-4).

The second 10 features three rising Atlantic Coast Conference programs - No. 13 Maryland (11-3), No. 14 North Carolina State (11-3) and No. 17 Virginia (9-5).

Ralph Friedgen has guided Maryland to a pair of 10-win campaigns in his first two years as coach, while North Carolina State is coming off its best season ever, capped by a win over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. Virginia hopes to build on its first bowl win in eight years.

Pittsburgh (9-4), another rising program in the Big East Conference, starts the second 10, followed by Florida State (9-5), which is coming off its worst season since 1981.

Louisiana State (8-5) and Tennessee (8-5), who were not ranked at the end of last season, are 16th and 17th, respectively.

Notre Dame (10-3), which won 10 games in Tyrone Willingham's first season at the helm, is 18th, followed by Washington (7-6) and Wisconsin (8-6). The Huskies begin the season with a new coach as former offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson takes over for Rick Neuheisel, who was fired in the wake of a betting controversy.

Completing the poll are Florida (8-5), Purdue (7-6), Arizona State (8-6), Oklahoma State (8-5), Colorado State (10-4) and Penn State (9-4). Colorado State and Penn State tied for 25th.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> Rk. Team (Prev. Rec.) Votes
1 Oklahoma (29) (12-2) 1,514
2 Ohio State (28) (14-0) 1,495
3 Miami Fla. (5) (12-1) 1,448
4 Texas (11-2) 1,291
5 Kansas State (11-2) 1,165
6 Auburn (1) (9-4) 1,153
7 Michigan (10-3) 1,110
8 USC (11-2) 1,075
9 Georgia (13-1) 1,030
10 Virginia Tech (10-4) 932
11 Pittsburgh (9-4) 712
12 Florida State (9-5) 711
13 Maryland (11-3) 704
14 N.C. State (11-3) 682
15 LSU (8-5) 662
16 Tennessee (8-5) 658
17 Virginia (9-5) 526
18 Notre Dame (10-3) 515
19 Washington (7-6) 459
20 Wisconsin (8-6) 348
21 Florida (8-5) 312
22 Purdue (7-6) 305
23 Arizona State (8-6) 297
24 Oklahoma State (8-5) 159
25 (t) Colorado State (10-4) 143
25 (t) Penn State (9-4) 143
</pre>


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2003/07/31/first_coachespoll_st/

if claret can't play this season for OSU - there chances of finishing top 10 are slim and none!

we played half the season without him last year.

but yes we arent as good without him.

he is a problem child and i do not know how much longer Tressel will tolerate him.

Oklahoma deseves the #1 ranking. That defense is awesome and they have a better quarterback this year than last. Stoops is still the best coach in college football.

>6 Auburn (1) (9-4) 1,153

I see my vote got counted

i think the sooners will always be contenders with stoops at the helm. just to add that owen field will have 4500 more screeming fans to deal with. the expansion on the stadium is almost complete. will be even tougher at owen this year. but cball is crazy.

silver goblin

Foolish polls. Every Buckeye fan knows we have three tough games this year. At Penn State. At Wisconsin. And at Michigan to end the season. Purdue at home will be interesting. We will also start things off with a bang by demolishing the coachless Huskies on Aug 30th. Go Bucks.

Let's remember Ohio St could have and should have lost to Purdue last year. Penn St was no easy one either, and that could have went either way. A lot of starters returning this year, but also a tough schedule. They will take at least one Big 10 loss, maybe 2. Unlikely to be in the championship race come December. I like Michigan's chances to take the Big 10 this year, with OSU at home and no PSU.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by drunkguy:
Let's remember Ohio St could have and should have lost to Purdue last year. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Purdue will not forget

ohio state should have lost to cincy last year too!

ohio st has the target on their back that the sooners have had for a few years now. thats alot to handle. lets see if oh st reads their own print. sooners are humble or they don't play. clarrett is a major distraction. i guess we will see.

silver goblin

Winky, you are 100% right. Not a lot of people know that about last season. They had no right winning that game. That just goes to show you how much luck you really need to run the table.

Purdue will rise to the top 10 this year.