The preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches’ Poll has been released, and the
Hokies come in at #15, the second-highest among three ranked ACC teams. The
Clemson Tigers are ranked 9th, and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons are ranked
23rd. Six other ACC teams received votes.
Georgia, USC and Ohio State are ranked 1-2-3, with each school getting
significant first-place votes. Here’s the complete poll.
2008 USA Today Top 25 Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
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Rank |
Team (first-place votes) |
Record |
Points |
Final 2007 rank |
1. |
Georgia (22) |
11-2 |
1,438 |
3 |
2. |
Southern California (14) |
11-2 |
1,430 |
2 |
3. |
Ohio State (14) |
11-2 |
1,392 |
4 |
4. |
Oklahoma (3) |
11-3 |
1,329 |
8 |
5. |
Florida (5) |
9-4 |
1,293 |
16 |
6. |
LSU (3) |
12-2 |
1,163 |
1 |
7. |
Missouri |
12-2 |
1,143 |
5 |
8. |
West Virginia |
11-2 |
1,008 |
6 |
9. |
Clemson |
9-4 |
999 |
22 |
10. |
Texas |
10-3 |
979 |
10 |
11. |
Auburn |
9-4 |
888 |
14t |
12. |
Wisconsin |
9-4 |
747 |
21 |
13. |
Kansas |
12-1 |
714 |
7 |
14. |
Texas Tech |
9-4 |
644 |
23 |
15. |
Virginia Tech |
11-3 |
568 |
9 |
16. |
Arizona State |
10-3 |
560 |
13 |
17. |
Brigham Young |
11-2 |
547 |
14t |
18. |
Tennessee |
10-4 |
506 |
12 |
19. |
Illinois |
9-4 |
422 |
18 |
20. |
Oregon |
9-4 |
399 |
24 |
21. |
South Florida |
9-4 |
350 |
NR |
22. |
Penn State |
9-4 |
313 |
25 |
23. |
Wake Forest |
9-4 |
203 |
NR |
24. |
Michigan |
9-4 |
112 |
19 |
25. |
Fresno State |
9-4 |
91 |
NR |
|
Others receiving votes Alabama (7-6) 83; South Carolina (6-6) 64; Utah (9-4) 60; Florida State (7-6) 53; Rutgers (8-5) 53; Boston College (11-3) 47; California (7-6) 41; Pittsburgh (5-7) 34; Boise State (10-3) 25; Oregon State (9-4) 23; Nebraska (5-7) 17; Cincinnati (10-3) 13; Virginia (9-4) 12; Connecticut (9-4) 9; Michigan State (7-6) 9; Mississippi State (8-5) 6; Kentucky (8-5) 5; Notre Dame (3-9) 5; TCU (8-5) 5; Maryland (6-7) 4; North Carolina (4-8) 3; Texas A&M (7-6) 3; UCLA (6-7) 3; Central Florida (10-4) 2; Georgia Tech (7-6) 2; Louisville (6-6) 2; Arizona (5-7) 1; Colorado (6-7) 1; Oklahoma State (7-6) 1; Tulsa (10-4) 1. |
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By conference, the breakdown is as follows.
Conference |
Top 10 Teams |
Top 25 Teams |
SEC |
3 |
5 |
PAC 10 |
1 |
3 |
Big Ten |
1 |
5 |
Big 12 |
3 |
5 |
Big East |
1 |
2 |
ACC |
1 |
3 |
Others |
0 |
2 |
None of Virginia Tech’s 2008 out of conference opponents are ranked in the top
25. Nebraska received enough votes to come in at 36th, while ECU received no
votes at all.
In other noteworthy observations, Duke apparently did not receive its
customary preseason vote from former coach Steve Spurrier, who is listed as one
of the voters. (Perhaps this hints at a rivalry with former Ole Miss head coach
and former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, now the head coach
at Duke?)
The Hokies open practice Monday, August 4th.
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