DALLAS (FWAA) – The Oklahoma Sooners continued to pace the FWAA's
Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll, collecting all 16 first-place votes for the
fourth straight week since the poll resumed on Oct. 13. The Sooners, one
of only two remaining unbeaten teams in Division I-A, solified their spot
with a convincing 52-9 romp over in-state rival Oklahoma State.
After Oklahoma, though, things start to get interesting as USC has risen
to No. 2, ahead of Florida State and LSU. Just one poll point separates
the Seminoles and Tigers, though. USC ran away from Washington State, 43-16,
to assume the No. 2 ranking, while Washington State fell to No. 13.
This week's FWAA National Team of the Week, Virginia Tech, caused the
biggest tremor in the poll with its 31-7 win over then No. 2 Miami, ending
the Hurricanes' 40-game regular-season unbeaten streak. That dropped Miami
down to No. 7, just a point below Ohio State. Now at No. 5, the Hokies,
on the strength of two defensive touchdowns, rekindled their national title
hopes ten days after falling victim to the previous national team of the
week, West Virginia. Arkansas, with its 71-63 overtime win at Kentucky,
was the only other school nominated for team of the week.
As for the rest of the poll, Michigan moved up four spots to No. 8 after
dropping Michigan State, 27-20. The Wolverines, one of five Big Ten teams
in the poll, lead a pack of two-loss teams from 8-11. Michigan State fell
five spots to No. 14. TCU, the only other unbeaten team in the nation, moved
up two spots to No. 12. Texas worked its way back into the poll, up to No.
10 with its 31-7 win over Nebraska, which joined Oklahoma State as the two
teams to fall from the rankings this week.
• Click here to see
how and why each pollster voted
The complete poll for the week of Nov. 3 is as follows:
|
School [1st
Place Votes] |
W-L |
Pts. |
LW |
Next Game |
1. |
Oklahoma [16] |
9-0 |
256 |
1 |
Nov. 8 |
2. |
USC |
8-1 |
237 |
3 |
Nov. 8 |
3. |
Florida State |
8-1 |
207 |
5 |
Nov. 8 |
4. |
LSU |
8-1 |
206 |
6 |
Nov. 8 |
5. |
Virginia Tech |
7-1 |
191 |
10 |
Nov. 8 |
6. |
Ohio State |
8-1 |
174 |
8 |
Nov. 8 |
7. |
Miami |
7-1 |
173 |
2 |
Nov. 8 |
8. |
Michigan |
8-2 |
131 |
12 |
Nov. 8 n |
9. |
Georgia |
7-2 |
118 |
4 |
Nov. 8 |
10. |
Texas |
7-2 |
86 |
- |
Nov. 8 |
11. |
Iowa |
7-2 |
85 |
15 |
Nov. 8 |
12. |
TCU |
8-0 |
68 |
14 |
Nov. 5 vs. Louisville |
13. |
Washington State |
7-2 |
52 |
7 |
Nov. 8 |
14. |
Michigan State |
7-2 |
43 |
9 |
Nov. 8 |
15. |
Purdue |
7-2 |
35 |
16 |
Nov. 8 |
16. |
Florida |
6-3 |
32 |
- |
Nov. 8 |
Also receiving
votes: Bowling Green 22, Nebraska 11, Tennessee 11, Oklahoma
State 10, Ole Miss 8, Pittsburgh 7, Auburn 6, Boise State 3,
Minnesota 3, Northern Illinois 1.
|
By conference:
Big Ten (5), SEC (3), Big 12 (2), Big East (2), Pac-10 (2),
ACC (1), Conference USA (1).
|
Dropped out:
Nebraska (11), Oklahoma State (13). |
|
|
The FWAA/Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll,
which has made its debut last 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 Mon., Jan. 5 in New Orleans following the
Nokia Sugar Bowl.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club
also awards a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week award
each Tuesday.
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).
2003 FWAA Teams of the Week
• Aug. 30: Southern California
• Sept. 6: Wake Forest
• Sept. 13: Arkansas
• Sept. 20: Marshall
• Sept. 27: California
• Oct. 6: Baylor
• Oct. 13: Oklahoma
• Oct. 20: Florida
• Oct. 27: West Virginia
• Nov. 3: Virginia Tech
2003
FWAA/GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLLSTERS |
EAST |
SOUTH |
MIDWEST |
WEST |
Mark Blaudschun
Boston Globe |
Mike Griffith
Knoxville News-Sentinel |
Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine |
Bob Condotta
Seattle Times |
Jordan Burchette
maximonline.com |
Ron Higgins
The Commercial Appeal |
Pete Fiutak
collegefootballnews.com |
Steve Henson
Los Angeles Times |
Frank Coyle
MSNBC/draftinsiders.com |
Stewart Mandel
si.com |
Darryl Richards
Freelance |
Bob Moran
East Valley Tribune |
Lenn Robbins
New York Post |
Jeff Shain
Miami Herald |
Dave Sittler
Tulsa World |
Adam Thompson
Denver Post |
|