DALLAS (FWAA) – Miami continued its run at the top of the FWAA/Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll, earning each of the 16 first-place votes for the third straight week since recapturing the top spot. Ohio State, which has finished its season at 13-0, is ranked second and has again captured every second place vote. The unanimous choice of Miami and Ohio State as the top two teams in the poll also continues for a third straight week.
Oklahoma, which trounced Texas Tech 60-15, broke its tie with Iowa and moved back into third after Washington State fell in overtime to arch-rival Washington. Iowa retained its No. 4 ranking with its season complete. The Big Ten and Big 12 continued to pace the nation with four teams in the poll.
Penn State made the biggest charge, moving from No. 15 to No. 11 this week, while Virginia Tech – once ranked as high as No. 2 – and Florida State dropped out. Colorado State, at No. 15, gives the Mountain West a team in the rankings for the first time since Oct. 14 (Air Force, No. 16).
The FWAA/Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll, which has made its debut this season, will decide the winner of the Grantland Rice Trophy, the FWAA's national championship award presented since 1954. The presentation will be made on Sat., Jan. 4 in Tempe, Ariz., following the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
The complete poll for the week of Nov. 25 is as follows:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio State, which won its sixth game by seven points or less with its 14-9 win Michigan, is the FWAA's national "Team of the Week." The win gives the Buckeyes a 13-0 record and a shot at the national title in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
The honor is also decided by the 16-member panel that votes in the organization's Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.
Washington (won the Apple Cup over Washington State), Connecticut (upset Iowa State), N.C. State (beat Florida State), Virginia (blew out Maryland) and Auburn (defeated Alabama in the Iron Bowl) also received consideration this week.
The FWAA "Team of the Week" will continue to be announced each Monday with the Super 16 Poll throughout the season.
The FWAA, in conjunction with the Charlotte Touchdown Club, also awards a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week award each week.
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).