Georgia number 1 in USA today first poll

[faba]

Georgia is preseason No. 1 ahead of USC in coaches' poll

ESPN.com news services

Updated: August 1, 2008, 1:01 PM ET

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Mark Richt Ready for Upcoming Season

Georgia was widely considered the hottest team in college football at the end of the 2007 season.

A panel of Division I-A coaches remembered, voting the Bulldogs the preseason No. 1 in the USA Today Top 25 coaches' poll, released Friday.

Georgia garnered 22 first-place votes in the poll, with No. 2 USC and No. 3 Ohio State each receiving 14 first-place votes. Oklahoma, with three first-place votes, and Florida, with five first-place votes and returning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Georgia finished No. 2 in the final Associated Press writers' poll and No. 3 in the final coaches' poll last season.

The Bulldogs and Gators, SEC East and regional rivals, meet Nov. 1 at a neutral site in Jacksonville, Fla., while Ohio State and USC meet Sept. 13 in Los Angeles.

Georgia's schedule also includes visits to No. 16 Arizona State on Sept. 20; defending BCS champion No. 6 LSU; No. 11 Auburn; and South Carolina.

LSU, Missouri, West Virginia, Clemson and Texas rounded out the top 10, giving the SEC and Big 12 three teams each in the first 10 poll positions.

Auburn was ranked 11th, followed by Wisconsin, Kansas, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, BYU, Tennessee, Illinois and Oregon.

South Florida, Penn State, Wake Forest, Michigan and Fresno State rounded out the top 25.

The SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten each had five teams represented in the poll. BYU of the Mountain West was the highest-ranked team from a non-BCS conference.

The AP preseason Top 25 poll is scheduled to be released Aug. 16.

[Lebron24Jets]

U-S-C U-S-C

[madmike1]

Rutgers opening the season vs a OOC top 25 team... But our schedule is a joke...

[MagicBizkit87]

I don't see why the college football world is on the Bulldogs ass this year? I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't ranked after the season. Just because they have a good running back, and someone I would call an average quarterback I wouldn't label them number 1. Georgia is overrated.

[Thor99]

They have 17 returning starters, unless someone else gets arrested. And they were arguable the best team in college football at the end of the season.

[war ensemble]

I could care less who's number 1 in the coaches' poll for the preseason. Stuff like this only matters half the way through the season, on in my opinion.

[faba]

The polls are all about discussion -especailly before the season. Georgia was probably the best team at the end of last year and they returmn so many starters.

The SEC is tough to get through though.

[madmike1]

I could care less who's number 1 in the coaches' poll for the preseason. Stuff like this only matters half the way through the season, on in my opinion.

It does matter because the way the system is set up you can't win a national championship if you are too low to start with in the rankings.

[Gainzo]

It does matter because the way the system is set up you can't win a national championship if you are too low to start with in the rankings.

Preseason rankings don't mean anything.

Lets take a look at last years preseason Top 25 USA Today poll with the final standings in parenthesis:

1. USC (2)

2. LSU (1)

3. Florida (16)

4. Texas (10)

5. Michigan (19)

6. West Virginia (6)

7. Wisconsin (21)

8. Oklahoma (8)

9. Virginia Tech (9)

10. Ohio State (4)

11. Louisville

12. California

13. Georgia (3)

14. Auburn (14)

15. Tennessee (12)

16. Rutgers

17. UCLA

18. Penn State (25)

19. Nebraska

20. Arkansas

21. Florida State

22. TCU

23. Boise State

24. Hawaii (17)

25. Texas A&M

Here is the final Top 25 poll from last season. Notice that 10 teams that weren't ranked in the preseason made the list:

1. LSU 12-2

2. USC 11-2

3. Georgia 11-2

4. Ohio State 11-2

5. Missouri 12-2

6. West Virginia 11-2

7. Kansas 12-1

8. Oklahoma 11-3

9. Virginia Tech 11-3

10. Texas 10-3

11. Boston College 11-3

12. Tennessee 10-4

13. Arizona State 10-3

14. Auburn 9-4

14. Brigham Young 11-2

16. Florida 9-4

17. Hawaii 12-1

18. Illinois 9-4

19. Michigan 9-4

20. Cincinnati 10-3

21. Wisconsin 9-4

22. Clemson 9-4

23. Texas Tech 9-4

24. Oregon 9-4

25. Penn State 9-4

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=1&seasonType=2

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=1&seasonType=3

[124]

Matt Stafford is as over-rated as they come and probably will amount to Kyle Boller status in the NFL, but Georgia with all of their returning starters and with Moreno in the backfield definitely deserves to be #1. LSU will challenge them though.

I'm looking foward to seeing how quickly Pelini can turn around Nebraska, back into a team with a good running game and a great defense. And of course, as a Michigan fan, who the Quarterback will be and how the spread offense will work in the Big Ten. Rich Rod hasn't ruled out a split QB job throughout the season between Threet and don't even know who would be the other. Should be interesting.

[madmike1]

Preseason rankings don't mean anything.

Lets take a look at last years preseason Top 25 USA Today poll with the final standings in parenthesis:

1. USC (2)

2. LSU (1)

3. Florida (16)

4. Texas (10)

5. Michigan (19)

6. West Virginia (6)

7. Wisconsin (21)

8. Oklahoma (8)

9. Virginia Tech (9)

10. Ohio State (4)

11. Louisville

12. California

13. Georgia (3)

14. Auburn (14)

15. Tennessee (12)

16. Rutgers

17. UCLA

18. Penn State (25)

19. Nebraska

20. Arkansas

21. Florida State

22. TCU

23. Boise State

24. Hawaii (17)

25. Texas A&M

Here is the final Top 25 poll from last season. Notice that 10 teams that weren't ranked in the preseason made the list:

1. LSU 12-2

2. USC 11-2

3. Georgia 11-2

4. Ohio State 11-2

5. Missouri 12-2

6. West Virginia 11-2

7. Kansas 12-1

8. Oklahoma 11-3

9. Virginia Tech 11-3

10. Texas 10-3

11. Boston College 11-3

12. Tennessee 10-4

13. Arizona State 10-3

14. Auburn 9-4

14. Brigham Young 11-2

16. Florida 9-4

17. Hawaii 12-1

18. Illinois 9-4

19. Michigan 9-4

20. Cincinnati 10-3

21. Wisconsin 9-4

22. Clemson 9-4

23. Texas Tech 9-4

24. Oregon 9-4

25. Penn State 9-4

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=1&seasonType=2

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=1&seasonType=3

Your post has NOTHING to do with my point. I was talking about a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. If you aren't in the top 20 or so to start the season it's impossible to get to no 1 or 2 and play in the game

[Thor99]

Your post has NOTHING to do with my point. I was talking about a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. If you aren't in the top 20 or so to start the season it's impossible to get to no 1 or 2 and play in the game

What was USF's preseason ranking last year? They started unranked and made it up to #2. Had they gone undefeated, they would have absolutely played for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

[124]

Your post has NOTHING to do with my point. I was talking about a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. If you aren't in the top 20 or so to start the season it's impossible to get to no 1 or 2 and play in the game

Umm, no. You just have to beat BCS teams, a Top 10 or 5 team thrown in there would be nice, and see other teams get a loss or two. An undefeated team no matter if they start at #3 or #23 has all the chance in the world to play for the National Championship. As Thor said, look at USF last season.

[madmike1]

What was USF's preseason ranking last year? They started unranked and made it up to #2. Had they gone undefeated, they would have absolutely played for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

Wrong again. USF would've never stayed at 2 in the projections without LOADS of help from other teams losing. There were MANY scenarios where undefeated USF wouldn't have gotten in the national championship game. This was also an issue for Rutgers in the 2006 season when we wouldn't have made the NCG even if we had went 12-0.

[Thor99]

Wrong again. USF would've never stayed at 2 in the projections without LOADS of help from other teams losing. There were MANY scenarios where undefeated USF wouldn't have gotten in the national championship game. This was also an issue for Rutgers in the 2006 season when we wouldn't have made the NCG even if we had went 12-0.

So you're saying that an undefeated team, ranked #2 in the country, would have actually dropped in the polls?

You can't possibly believe half of the stuff you type.

[madmike1]

So you're saying that an undefeated team, ranked #2 in the country, would have actually dropped in the polls?

You can't possibly believe half of the stuff you type.

Yes. It was a mathematical fact. The 3 and 4 teams would've passed them if they had all won out. Thanks for having no idea what you're talking about.

[war ensemble]

If a team goes undefeated with a tough schedule, no matter what their preseason ranking is they will make it to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

[madmike1]

If a team goes undefeated with a tough schedule, no matter what their preseason ranking is they will make it to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

Thats how it should be but it's not the way it is. 1 win teams will pass them with the way it's set up now if they start out low in the rankings.

[vanDoug]

Nice to see the once mighty Washington Huskies ranked 10th

........in the PAC 10

[MagicBizkit87]

Matt Stafford is as over-rated as they come and probably will amount to Kyle Boller status in the NFL, but Georgia with all of their returning starters and with Moreno in the backfield definitely deserves to be #1. LSU will challenge them though.

I'm looking foward to seeing how quickly Pelini can turn around Nebraska, back into a team with a good running game and a great defense. And of course, as a Michigan fan, who the Quarterback will be and how the spread offense will work in the Big Ten. Rich Rod hasn't ruled out a split QB job throughout the season between Threet and don't even know who would be the other. Should be interesting.

Yeah, I don't get why everyone in the sports world is all over Matthew Stafford's jock strap. The guy is nothing but average in my opinion.

I think it will end up being a Florida/LSU SEC Championship, and the winner of that game should be in the BCS against maybe Oklahoma.

So yeah, thats my preseason prediction, Florida or LSU against Oklahoma.

[124]

All I'm going to say is don't sleep on Auburn and they have their toughest matchups at home.

[ShadowJet35]

Yeah, I don't get why everyone in the sports world is all over Matthew Stafford's jock strap. The guy is nothing but average in my opinion.

I think it will end up being a Florida/LSU SEC Championship, and the winner of that game should be in the BCS against maybe Oklahoma.

So yeah, thats my preseason prediction, Florida or LSU against Oklahoma.

Bro you're making it as if all they have on the roster is Knowshon Moreno and Stafford.. Did you forget they have a stacked defense with at least 7 or 8 future draft picks lining up.. Lead by Asher Allen and Darnell Ellerbee.... That defense is easily top 5, and couldn't have done anything but improve from a defense that abolutely SHUT OUT that "high powered" hawaii offense...

I mean really, have you ever SEEN georgia play?

[MagicBizkit87]

Bro you're making it as if all they have on the roster is Knowshon Moreno and Stafford.. Did you forget they have a stacked defense with at least 7 or 8 future draft picks lining up.. Lead by Asher Allen and Darnell Ellerbee.... That defense is easily top 5, and couldn't have done anything but improve from a defense that abolutely SHUT OUT that "high powered" hawaii offense...

I mean really, have you ever SEEN georgia play?

Do you know who Georgia played in their bowl game last year? I know they seemed like a good team, but trust me, if you know college football, it was a joke that a team like Hawaii was even ranked.

Lets look at what you call a power offensive Hawaii team, and what I call a pass happy most overrated team possibly ever in the history of college football.

Hawaii

week 1) Northern Colorado - um.... who?

week 2) Louisana Tech - 45-44? to this team? Oh yeah, you're right this team definitely belonged with a big time conference team like Georgia.

I am not even going to go on any longer with Hawaii. Their team is a joke, and thats all there is to it.

Bottom line, I see both LSU, and Florida crushing the **** out of Georgia this year, and I honestly don't think it'll even be close.

[MagicBizkit87]

All I'm going to say is don't sleep on Auburn and they have their toughest matchups at home.

I don't sleep on any SEC teams. That conference is head and shoulders above everyone else.

I even think a team like Vandy could be at least an average team in any other conference, because the SEC is stacked, and every other conference has at least 2 teams.

[faba]

August 28 is the start of the season - should be exciting.

[ShadowJet35]

Do you know who Georgia played in their bowl game last year? I know they seemed like a good team, but trust me, if you know college football, it was a joke that a team like Hawaii was even ranked.

Lets look at what you call a power offensive Hawaii team, and what I call a pass happy most overrated team possibly ever in the history of college football.

Hawaii

week 1) Northern Colorado - um.... who?

week 2) Louisana Tech - 45-44? to this team? Oh yeah, you're right this team definitely belonged with a big time conference team like Georgia.

I am not even going to go on any longer with Hawaii. Their team is a joke, and thats all there is to it.

Bottom line, I see both LSU, and Florida crushing the **** out of Georgia this year, and I honestly don't think it'll even be close.

I'm gonna be honest with you, if Florida or LSU bring it to Georgia this year, I won't be in shock, honestly.. I'm not saying that can't happen.. But i just think you should give Georgia SOME respect... I mean, their speedy Defense can match up with Florida's and LSU's defense WILL pose a serious problem for knowshon and staff, so those are both going to be VERY good games...

But I disagree when you say HAwaii was an utter joke, I mean, I understand that their schedule was dismal, I agree with that..But schedule or no schedule, they ran the table, which is a ranking all in itself..