Gators keep streak intact and some quick observations from USA Today Coaches Poll
Thursday, August 4, 2011 | Men's Basketball, Football, Scott Carter
The USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll is out and the Gators check in at No. 23.
Here are a few quick observations after glancing at the poll:
--The SEC has eight schools ranked, which equals 32 percent of the teams in the poll. Of course, preseason polls mean little in the end, but if the SEC has eight schools ranked in the final Top 25, it should be quite a season for Southern football fans.
Here is a breakdown of each conference:
SEC: 8 teams ranked; Big 12: 5 teams; Big Ten: 5 teams; ACC: 2 teams; MWC: 2 teams; Pac-12: 2 teams; Independents: 1 team.
--The Gators face six teams (Alabama, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia and FSU) ranked in Top 25. Those teams combined to go 60-21 in 2010, a .740 winning percentage.
--The Big East got shut out in the voting despite three Big East coaches -- USF's Skip Holtz, Louisville's Charlie Strong and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano – on the 59-member USA Today Coaches Board.
--There are several members of the board with Florida ties, including Steve Spurrier, Ron Zook, Bob Stoops, Larry Fedora, Doc Holliday, Dan McCarney and Strong. First-year Florida coach Will Muschamp is not voting in the poll this season.
--The first five schools out are Arizona State, West Virginia, Utah, Miami and Iowa. If you continue to count votes and tab rankings after the Top 25, state schools Miami checks in at No. 29, UCF at No. 33 and USF at No. 38. The highest-ranked team from the Sunshine State is Florida State at No. 5.
--Two schools in the Top 25 had losing records a season ago: Texas (5-7) and Georgia (6-7). The Bulldogs are ranked 22nd and Texas No. 24.
--The team that finished ranked lowest in last year's final poll and is ranked highest in this year's initial poll is Notre Dame, which is ranked No. 18; defending national champion Auburn dropped the most, coming in at No. 19.
--Tennessee received seven points in the poll, the ninth SEC school to get votes. The only SEC schools that didn't are Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss.
--According to USA Today, Auburn's drop is the lowest spot for a defending champ since USA TODAY has been administering the poll. The previous two national titlists, Florida and Alabama, both were No. 1 the following preseason.
--Last but not least, the 23rd-ranked Gators and No. 16 Ohio State are the only schools to appear in every preseason poll in the two decades USA Today has administered the rankings.
