Florida State Starts as the One to Beat

Florida State finds itself in a familiar position--No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll.

For the fifth time since 1988, Coach Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles enter the season as favorites to win the national championship. This season’s title game is Jan. 4 at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

“It’s tough enough to win a national championship, but to be preseason No. 1 makes it doubly tough,” Bowden said. “We did it in ‘93, but never before or after.”

Defending champion Tennessee, which knocked off Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl to complete a 13-0 season, is No. 2.

UCLA is No. 16 and USC is No. 19. Other Pacific 10 Conference schools among the top 25 are Arizona at No. 4 and Arizona State at No. 25.

The Big Ten has four teams ranked in the top 10.

The top five teams in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll are identical to those in the AP poll.

The Bowl Championship Series, in its second season, will match the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Sugar Bowl based on standings compiled from the AP media poll and USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, eight computer rankings, strength of schedule and won-loss record.