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Football Writers Association of America Nov. 25, 2002
For Immediate Release
Contact: Steve Richardson
972-713-6198

Ohio State is "Team of the Week"
TWO UNBEATENS REMAIN ATOP
GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLL

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.

Click here to see how and why each pollster voted

The complete poll for the week of Nov. 25 is as follows:

  School [1st Place Votes] W-L Pts.  LW  Next Game
1. Miami [16] 10-0 256 1  Nov. 30 at Syracuse
2. Ohio State 13-0 240 2  Season complete
3. Oklahoma 10-1 216 t4  Nov. 30 at Oklahoma State
4. Iowa 11-1 212 t4  Season complete
5. Georgia 10-1 188 6  Nov. 30 vs. Georgia Tech
6. USC 9-2 174 7  Nov. 30 vs. Notre Dame
7. Notre Dame 10-1 150 8  Nov. 23 at USC
8. Kansas State 10-2 143 10  Season complete
9. Washington State 9-2 130 3  Dec. 7 at UCLA
10. Texas 9-2 116 11  Nov. 29 vs. Texas A&M
11. Penn State 9-3 89 15  Season complete
12. Michigan 9-3 58 12  Season complete
13. Colorado 8-3 54 16  Nov. 29 at Nebraska
14. Alabama 8-2 43 9  Nov. 30 at Hawaii
15. Colorado State 10-2 40 -  Nov. 30 vs. UNLV
16. Florida 8-3 36 -  Nov. 30 at Florida State
Also receiving votes: Pittsburgh 13, Boise State 5, LSU 5, N.C. State 5, Virginia Tech 1, West Virginia 1.
Dropped out: Virginia Tech (14), Florida State (13)
By conference: Big Ten (4); Big 12 (4); SEC (3); Pac-10 (2); Big East (1); Mountain West (1); Independents (1).

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).

2002 Grantland Rice Super 16 Polls (No. 1 team)
Preseason: Oklahoma
Sept. 30: Miami
Oct. 7: Miami
Oct. 14: Miami
Oct. 21: Miami
Oct. 28: Miami
Nov. 4: Oklahoma
Nov. 11: Miami
Nov. 18: Miami
Nov. 25: Miami
Dec. 2: Miami


2002 FWAA Teams of the Week
Aug. 31: Duke (ended 23-game losing streak)
Sept. 7: Miami (routed Florida, 41-16, in Gainesville)
Sept. 14: California (upset Michigan State, 46-22, in East Lansing)
Sept. 21: Florida (beat Tennessee, 30-13, in Knoxville)
Sept. 28: Iowa State (beat Nebraska, 36-14)
Oct. 5: Ole Miss (upset Florida, 17-14)
Oct. 12: Miami (beat Florida State, 28-27)
Oct. 19: Arizona State (upset Oregon, 45-42)
Oct. 26: Notre Dame (beat Florida State, 34-24)
Nov. 2: Boston College (upset Notre Dame, 14-7)
Nov. 9: Texas A&M (upset Oklahoma, 30-26)
Nov. 16: Texas Tech (upset Texas, 42-38)
Nov. 23: Ohio State (finished the season 13-0)

Related Links:
FWAA to debut Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll
Grantland Rice Trophy
Grantland Rice Trophy winners

2002 FWAA/GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLLSTERS
EAST SOUTH MIDWEST WEST
Shelly Anderson
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ron Higgins
The Commercial Appeal
Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine
Randy Holtz
Rocky Mountain News
Mark Blaudschun
Boston Globe
Stewart Mandel
cnnsi.com
Herb Gould
Chicago Sun-Times
Ted Miller
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Gregg Doyel
Charlotte Observer
Darryl Richards
foxsports.com
Vahe Gregorian
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Bob Moran
East Valley Tribune
Lenn Robbins
New York Post
Joe Schad
Orlando Sentinel
Keith Whitmire
The Dallas Morning News
Jay Posner
San Diego Union-Tribune
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