Virginia Rises to Top in AP Poll

Yes, Virginia, you really are No. 1.

The Cavaliers completed their startling climb to the summit of college football today, replacing Michigan as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll.

Virginia’s 31-0 thrashing of North Carolina State and Michigan State’s 28-27 upset of Michigan lifted the Cavaliers to the top spot for the first time in school history.

“We have the personnel and the coaches to go all the way,” defensive end Chris Slade said.

But Coach George Welsh says it’s too early to speculate about a national title for his 6-0 Cavaliers, who were No. 2 last week.

“I’m not really into the rankings at this point,” Welsh said. “We’ve still got five more games to play.”

Before this season, Virginia was never ranked higher than ninth. But after starting out 15th in the preseason poll, the Cavaliers moved steadily upward as many of the top teams lost or tied.

Now that Virginia is No. 1, Welsh said it likely wouldn’t make the Cavaliers any more of a target for their opponents.

“Being in the Top 10 was the big difference,” he said. “If teams are preparing for you, I don’t think No. 2 or No. 1 makes any difference.”

Virginia received 38 first-place votes and 1,454 points from a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Once-beaten Miami, which defeated Kansas, 34-0, Saturday, was second with 15 first-place votes and 1,414 points.

Tennessee moved up two places to third after drubbing Florida, 45-3. The Volunteers, unbeaten but twice tied, got two first-place votes and 1,354 points.

Undefeated Nebraska is fourth, followed by Auburn, Notre Dame, Florida State, Illinois, Houston and Michigan. Nebraska was rated the top team on three ballots, while Notre Dame (4-1) and Houston (5-0) each got one first-place vote.

USC moved up one spot, from 16th to 15th. Washington, the only other ranked Pac-10 school, moved from 17th to 14th. Oregon, a 38-17 loser to Washington, and Arizona, which was beaten by Oregon State, 35-21, dropped out of the rankings.

Undefeated Georgia Tech got the biggest boost, from 18th to 11th, after edging Clemson, 21-19.

Nebraska jumped three places after routing Missouri, 69-21. Auburn moved up a notch to fifth after beating Vanderbilt, 56-6, and Notre Dame rose two spots to sixth with a victory over Air Force.

Florida State, Illinois and Houston each climbed three rungs. The idle Seminoles moved up to No. 7, the Illini rose to No. 8 and the Cougars vaulted to No. 9.

THE TOP 25 The top 25 teams in the AP college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses : 1. Virginia (38) 6-0-0

2. Miami, Fla.(15) 4-1-0

3. Tennessee (2) 4-0-2

4. Nebraska (3) 6-0-0

5. Auburn 4-0-1

6. Notre Dame (1) 4-1-0

7. Florida State 4-1-0

8. Illinois 4-1-0

9. Houston (1) 5-0-0

10. Michigan 3-2-0

11. Georgia Tech 5-0-0

12. Brigham Young 5-1-0

13. Washington 5-1-0

14. Colorado 5-1-1

15. USC 5-1-0

16. Oklahoma 5-1-0

17. Florida 5-1-0

18. Mississippi 5-1-0

19. Texas 3-1-0

20. Indiana 4-0-1

21. Wyoming 7-0-0

22. Clemson 5-2-0

22. Iowa 4-1-0

24. Michigan State 2-2-1

25. Texas A&M; 4-2-0