16-Poll Consensus: Football Terps Are 22nd
8/3/2002 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 3, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
When University of Maryland was voted 20th in the ESPN/USA Today Preseason Top 25 football poll released last week, it marked the first time in 17 years that a Terrapin football team enjoyed a preseason ranking by one of the two major polls.
Coaches from around the country form the voting bloc in the ESPN/USA Today listing, which ranked the Terps 10th in last year's final poll. The other major poll, the Associated Press Top 25, takes into account the votes of approximately 50-60 sportswriters and sportscasters from around the country. The AP preseason poll will be released later this month.
But a look at the various other preseason polls released to date - from Athlon to Street & Smith's - shows that Maryland is ranked in the preseason Top 25 more often than not. Including the ESPN/USA Today listing, Ralph Friedgen's 2002 Terps have been ranked in 10 of 16 preseason polls. The Terps' composite ranking from the 16 listings is 22nd. (For a given poll, a team receives 25 points for a first-place ranking, 24 points for second place and so on.)
The highest ranking, 16th, came courtesy of Pigskin Post. Maryland was also rated 17th (Street & Smith's and NationalChamps.net) and 18th (Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
Click here for the composite poll.
A breakdown of the Terps' preseason rankings:
Poll Rank Athlon Magazine 22 Atlanta Journal-Constitution 18 Blue Ribbon Yearbook 24 CBS Sportsline.com NR CNN/SI NR College Football News NR ESPN/USA Today 20 Football.com 22 Football News 21 Fox Sports.com NR Lindy's Annual NR NationalChamps.net 17 Pigskin Post 16 The Sporting News NR Phil Steele 21 Street & Smith's 17 Composite Ranking 22
