USC TOPS FWAA'S PRESEASON GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLL

DALLAS (FWAA) The Southern California Trojans are No.
1 in the FWAA's preseason Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll. USC, which
won its second straight Grantland Rice Trophy after a 13-0 season a year
ago, is picked to become the first-ever team to win three straight FWAA
national titles. In the 50-year history of the Grantland Rice Trophy,
USC is among only
four schools to have won back-to-back FWAA national titles. USC won its record
sixth FWAA national title in 2004.


The Trojans, who blasted Oklahoma in the BCS championship game at the
FedEx Orange Bowl to cap off their perfect 2004 season, received 14 of the 16 possible first-place votes. No.
2 Texas and No. 11 Iowa each received one of the other two. with 254
poll points, USC was within two points
of being a unanimous choice as the preseason No. 1. Michigan, whom Texas
nipped in the Rose Bowl last season, is third in the poll, followed by Tennessee
and Ohio State. LSU, Miami, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Florida round out
the Super 16's Top 10.


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 a
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week
, which will be announced
each Monday during the regular season. The first team of the week will be
announced on Tuesday, Sept. 6, because of the extended weekend. The Grantland
Rice Super 16 Poll, also released each Monday, will not resume until Mon., Oct. 10.


In addition, the 16 voters each cast a weekly ballot 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 Big Ten and SEC lead all conferences with four teams in the Super
16. Three teams from the ACC and Big 12 are also in the poll. The remaining
teams in the initial poll are Iowa, Louisville, Purdue, Georgia, Florida
State and Texas A&M.


The Grantland Rice Trophy has been presented to the FWAA's
national champion following each season since 1954. It was the first
national championship trophy to be awarded after college football's
post-season bowl games. The award is named in memory of the legendary
sportswriter, who passed away in 1954. Since 2002, the final Grantland
Rice Super 16 Poll has determined the winner. Prior to 2002, a select
committee of FWAA members chose the association's national champion.


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).