DALLAS (FWAA) The Southern California Trojans remain
the top-ranked team in the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll. USC (10-0),
the two-time defending Football Writers Association of America national
champs, received nine of the 16 first-place votes after extending their winning
streak to 33 games with a thrilling 50-42 win over Fresno 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 (10-0), which was idle, gained two first-place votes to move to
within two poll points of the Trojans at No. 2. The Longhorns take their
17-game winning streak to College Station, Texas, on Friday. Miami, previously
No. 3, was upset by Georgia Tech, 14-10, and fell to No. 10, allowing LSU
and Penn State to move up the third and fourth, respectively. LSU hammered
Ole Miss, 40-7, while Penn State completed its regular season with a 31-22
win at Michigan State to win the Big Ten title. Virginia Tech handled rival
Virginia, 52-14, to move back into the Top 5.
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 seven conferences represented in this week's poll, the SEC now
features four teams among the Top 16. The Pacific-10 boasts
three.
The complete poll for Nov. 21 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).