Oregon St. made it into the USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll released today, at #25. The Beavers are the last of 5 Pac-12 teams ranked.
Alabama easily topped the poll, with 58 of 62 first place votes (yes, only half of the coaches have their Sports Information Directors submit a ballot), with Ohio St. second.
Oregon and Stanford are next, at #3 and #4, with Georgia rounding out the top 5.
UCLA checks in at #21, and USC is just ahead of the Beavers, at #24.
So the Beavers will face 3 teams in the initial top 25.
Boise St. is the other team from the west that is ranked, with the Broncos coming in at #19.
Arizona St. leads the Pac-12 contingent in the also receiving votes, and placed #32. Arizona has 5 points, and Washington 3.
Here's the complete poll:
RANK | TEAM | 2012 RECORD | POINTS | 2012 SEASON ENDING RANK | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alabama (58) | 13-1 | 1545 | 1 | |
2 | Ohio St. (3) | 12-0 | 1427 | NR | |
3 | Oregon | 12-1 | 1397 | 2 | |
4 | Stanford | 12-2 | 1262 | 6 | |
5 | Georgia | 12-2 | 1250 | 4 | |
6 | Texas A&M (1) | 11-2 | 1215 | 5 | |
7 | South Carolina | 11-2 | 1136 | 7 | |
8 | Clemson | 11-2 | 1047 | 9 | |
9 | Louisville | 11-2 | 1010 | 13 | |
10 | Florida | 11-2 | 930 | 10 | |
11 | Notre Dame | 12-1 | 872 | 3 | |
12 | Florida St. | 12-2 | 844 | 8 | |
13 | LSU | 10-3 | 797 | 12 | |
14 | Oklahoma St. | 8-5 | 726 | NR | |
15 | Texas | 9-4 | 622 | 18 | |
16 | Oklahoma | 10-3 | 620 | 15 | |
17 | Michigan | 8-5 | 589 | NR | |
18 | Nebraska | 10-4 | 426 | 23 | |
19 | Boise St. | 11-2 | 420 | 14 | |
20 | TCU | 7-6 | 400 | NR | |
21 | UCLA | 9-5 | 202 | NR | |
22 | Northwestern | 10-3 | 186 | 16 | |
23 | Wisconsin | 8-0 | 172 | NR | |
24 | USC | 7-6 | 165 | NR | |
25 | Oregon St. | 9-4 | 135 | 19 | |
Schools Ranked at the End 2012 Season Not Ranked | |||||
No. 11 Kansas State (11-2), No. 17 Utah State (11-2), No. 20 Vanderbilt (9-4), No. 21 San Jose State (11-2), No. 22 Cincinnati (10-3), No. 24 Northern Illinois (12-2), No. 25 Tulsa (11-3). | |||||
Others Receiving Votes | |||||
Kansas State (11-2) 113; Miami (Fla.) 101; Michigan State 89; Baylor 80; Virginia Tech 65; Fresno State 62; Arizona State 51; Mississippi 32; Vanderbilt (9-4) 29; Utah State (11-2) 23; Brigham Young 20; North Carolina 19; Northern Illinois (12-2) 19; Tulsa (11-3) 9; Ohio 8; San Jose State (11-2) 8; Arizona 5; Cincinnati (10-3) 3; East Carolina 3; Kent State 3; Mississippi State 3; Washington 3; Central Florida 2; Arkansas 1; Arkansas State 1; Rutgers 1; Tennessee 1; Toledo 1. |
It's an important start for the Beavers, who have a favorable first half of the season schedule, and being ranked will make it easier to climb the ladder with wins than it typically is for those starting outside the top 25.
30 days until the Beavers begin their quest for another top 25 year, against Eastern Washington.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com