Terps 15th in Preseason Associated Press Poll
8/17/2003 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 17, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Associated Press released its annual preseason poll today and the University of Maryland football team found itself ranked 15th on that initial list. The ranking is the Terrapins highest by AP in the preseason since 1985 when Bobby Ross' team opened the season at No. 7.
The Terps will enter 2003 ranked in the top 15 of both polls as the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll had Maryland as the 13th-best school in Division I-A. The preseason pick to finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Terps are the second-highest ranked ACC team in the AP poll, trailing only 13th-ranked Florida State, Maryland's opponent in week two.
Both polls have the same three teams at the top of their standings with Oklahoma the consensus number one, Ohio State at two and Miami (Fla.) at three. Four ACC teams are in the top 18 while six of the top 18 schools (including Miami and Virginia Tech) are from the realigned ACC, which will start next season.
With the season opener against Northern Illinois now just 11 days away, here is a look at the 2003 Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, with number of first-place votes and record in parentheses, total points and previous ranking:
(Records through August 16, 2003)
1. OKLAHOMA (32) (12-2) 1,573 5 2. OHIO ST (27) (14-0) 1,532 1 3. MIAMI FLA (2) (12-1) 1,484 2 4. MICHIGAN (2) (10-3) 1,329 9 5. TEXAS (11-2) 1,322 6 6. AUBURN (1) (9-4) 1,300 14 7. KANSAS ST (1) (11-2) 1,221 7 8. USC (11-2) 1,126 4 9. VIRGINIA TECH (10-4) 1,046 18 10. PITTSBURGH (9-4) 952 19 11. GEORGIA (13-1) 928 3 12. TENNESSEE (8-5) 766 NR 13. FLORIDA ST (9-5) 737 21 14. LSU (8-5) 736 NR 15. MARYLAND (11-3) 705 13 16. NO CAROLINA ST (11-3) 678 12 17. WASHINGTON (7-6) 643 NR 18. VIRGINIA (9-5) 557 22 19. PURDUE (7-6) 468 NR 20. NOTRE DAME (10-3) 439 17 21. WISCONSIN (8-6) 350 NR 22. ARIZONA ST (8-6) 248 NR 23. COLORADO ST (10-4) 205 NR 24. OKLAHOMA ST (8-5) 156 NR 25. TCU (10-5) 95 23
Others receiving votes: Florida 79, Nebraska 68, Oregon St. 68, Penn St. 56, Texas A&M 40, Alabama 33, Colorado 27, Arkansas 26, Missouri 22, Fresno St. 21, Mississippi 20, Minnesota 18, Boise St. 10, Oregon 10, Air Force 8, Iowa 8, Miami(Ohio) 5, Southern Miss 3, Boston College 2, Hawaii 2, Washington St. 2, West Virginia 1.
