DALLAS (FWAA) – The
Southern California Trojans and Oklahoma Sooners
are tied atop the 2004 regular season's first Grantland Rice
Super 16 Poll.
USC (5-0), the defending Football Writers
Association of America national champs,
garnered eight of the 16 first-place votes after
holding off California, 23-17, to stay unbeaten and
avenge its only defeat from last season. This is the
first time in the three-year history of the poll that
there has been a tie for the No. 1 spot.
Oklahoma (5-0), fresh off its 12-0 win over
arch-rival Texas, was voted No. 1 by seven of the
pollsters and Auburn (6-0), unranked in the preseason
poll, notched the final top vote and is third in the
poll. New ACC rivals Miami and Virginia round out the
Top 5. The 'Canes moved up from No. 8, while the Cavs
jumped nine spots from No. 14. Four different
conferences each have three teams in the Super 16.
The Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll, introduced prior
to the 2002 season, ranks the nation's top 16 Division
I-A football teams. A regionally-balanced group of 16
selectors votes in the poll. The pollsters also select
the FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week, which
is also announced each Monday
during the regular season.
In addition, the 16 voters representing four regions, will cast a ballot each week and give a brief synopsis
of their ballot. Unlike other college football polls, the FWAA makes each of its pollster's ballot
public, along with the weekly synopsis.
The regular season's first poll includes six teams
that were not among the preseason rankings. Joining
Auburn in the poll are Purdue (No. 6), Wisconsin (No.
9), Utah (No. 11), Arizona State (No. 15) and
Louisville (No. 16).
The complete first regular-season poll is as follows:
The FWAA has presented the Grantland Rice Trophy, named in honor of the legendary sportswriter,
to college football's national champion each year since 1954. This is the third season that a
season-long poll will be concurrent with the award.
For further information contact Steve Richardson, Executive Director of the FWAA (972-713-6198,
tiger@sportswriters.net) or Ted Gangi, FWAA webmaster (214-823-7992, webmaster@sportswriters.net).