DALLAS (FWAA) – The
Southern California Trojans remain the top-ranked
team in this week's Grantland Rice
Super 16 Poll. USC (8-0), the defending Football Writers
Association of America national champs,
garnered four additional No. 1 votes votes after
beating Washington State, 42-12, to win their 17th
straight game. USC now has a season-high 14
first-place votes in the poll.
Oklahoma (8-0) stayed at No. 2 after its
hard-fought 38-35 win
at Oklahoma State. The Sooners were voted No. 1 by one of the
pollsters and Auburn (9-0), for the third straight
week, notched the other top vote and is third in the
poll. Only seven poll points separate the Sooners and
Tigers.
After an off week, Wisconsin (8-0) moved up to the
No. 4 spot and California (6-1), fresh of back-to-back
shutouts, checked in at No. 5. Miami (6-1) and Florida
State (6-2) suffered defeats this week and dropped in
the poll. The Seminoles are the only team with two
losses among 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, 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.
West Virginia, after beating Rutgers to improve to
7-1, is the only new team in the
poll. The Mountaineers, who replaced Texas A&M in the
poll, are ranked 16th and give the Big East Conference a team in the rankings.
Among nine conferences represented in the Super 16, the ACC and SEC
each feature three teams among the Top 16.
The complete poll for Nov. 1 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).