DALLAS (FWAA) The Southern California Trojans remain
the top-ranked team in the Grantland Rice Super
16 Poll. USC (8-0), the two-time defending Football Writers Association
of America national champs, received 11 of the 16 first-place votes after
extending their winning streak to 30 games with a 55-13 win over
Washington State. The USC win streak is the longest in the nation and the Trojans have won a record
six FWAA national titles after winning each of the last two.
Texas (8-0), still No. 2 in the poll with five first-place votes, won its
15th straight game by
overcoming a 28-9 deficit to rout Oklahoma State, 47-28. Virginia Tech (8-0)
blew out Boston College, 30-10, to keep its No. 3 ranking. Alabama (8-0)
had an easy time with Utah State, 35-3, to move up to No. 4 and No. 5
UCLA (8-0) avoided disaster with a 21-point fourth quarter to force
overtime in a 30-27 win at Stanford. Georgia, previously ranked No. 4,
fell seven spots to No. 11 after its 14-10 loss to Florida in
Jacksonville.
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
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, which is announced
each Monday during the regular season.
In addition, the 16 voters representing four regions, have cast a ballot
each week, while giving a synopsis of their ballot. Unlike other college
football polls, the FWAA makes each of its pollster's ballot public, along
with the weekly synopsis. At the conclusion of the Bowl Championship Series,
the FWAA will release its final poll and the top-ranked team will be awarded
the 2005 Grantland Rice Trophy.
Among six conferences represented in this week's poll,
the SEC features four teams among the Top 16, while the ACC, Big Ten
and Pac-10
each have three.
The complete poll for Oct. 31 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. When introduced, it was the first national championship
trophy to be awarded after college football's postseason. This is the fourth
season that a season-long poll is 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).