Aug. 4, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Three days before the opening of training camp 2006, the University of Maryland football team finds itself unofficially ranked 39th in the first preseason poll of the season. The Terps earned eight votes in the USA Today Coaches' poll released today.

Ohio State earned 28 first place votes and the top spot in this year's preseason voting. They are followed in the top five by Texas, USC, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. Four Atlantic Coast Conference schools (Florida State (10), Miami (11), Virginia Tech (16) and Clemson (18)) are ranked in the poll.

The Terrapins were last ranked in the preseason at the start of 2004 (#22 AP/#20 Coaches) and remained in the polls that year until week six when it fell out after being ranked 23rd in both polls. The Terrapins were ranked each of Ralph Friedgen's first years, finishing 11th, 13th and 17th, respectively, in the AP polls for 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Below is this year's Coaches' poll:

Week 1 USA Today Poll
 1. Ohio State (28) 0-0 1,487
 2. Texas (11) 0-0 1,378
 3. USC (1) 0-0 1,348
 3. Notre Dame (9) 0-0 1,348
 5. Oklahoma (13) 0-0 1,320
 6. Auburn (1) 0-0 1,206
 7. West Virginia 0-0 1,202
 8. Florida 0-0 1,054
 9. LSU 0-0 1,037
10. Florida State 0-0 874
11. Miami (FL) 0-0 839
12. California 0-0 798
13. Louisville 0-0 785
14. Georgia 0-0 784
15. Michigan 0-0 778
16. Virginia Tech 0-0 591
17. Iowa 0-0 519
18. Clemson 0-0 493
19. Penn State 0-0 406
20. Oregon 0-0 373
21. TCU 0-0 270
22. Nebraska 0-0 261
23. Tennessee 0-0 216
24. Alabama 0-0 210
25. Texas Tech 0-0 198 

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Arizona State 182, Boston College 87, Utah 84, Arkansas 64, South Carolina 55, Boise State 46, Wisconsin 37, UCLA 29, Georgia Tech 28, Fresno State 14, Tulsa 11, Iowa State 9, Minnesota 9, Maryland 8, Purdue 7, TEXAS AM 6, Memphis 5, Nevada 3, UTEP 3, Rutgers 2, NORTHN ILLINOIS 2, Northwestern 2, Oregon State 2, Arizona 2, Brigham Young 2, Colorado 1, Duke 1.