TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bulls Achieve Another Milestone

ADVERTISEMENT

By BRETT McMURPHY

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 2, 2008

TAMPA - If the University of South Florida makes another run toward the top of the national rankings this season, the Bulls won't have as far to go as last year.

USF is ranked No. 21 in the preseason USA Today coaches' poll released Friday, the first preseason ranking in the program's 12-year history. Last year, USF started the season unranked and stayed that way until the fourth poll Sept. 16 before eventually climbing to No. 2.

With Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow returning, the University of Florida is ranked No. 5. Southeastern Conference rival Georgia received 22 first-place votes and was ranked No. 1. The Bulldogs play four preseason Top 25 teams this season.

USC is ranked No. 2, followed by Ohio State, Oklahoma and the Gators, who received five first-place votes.

Florida coach Urban Meyer didn't have much to say about the Gators' ranking - "We play Hawaii on Aug. 30," he said - but it was more than USF coach Jim Leavitt, who did not return calls about the Bulls' first preseason ranking.

UF was one of five SEC teams ranked, while USF was one of two Big East teams in the poll - West Virginia was No. 8. Besides the Mountaineers, the only other USF opponent ranked in the Top 25 is No. 13 Kansas.

Rounding out the Top 10 is No. 6 LSU, No. 7 Missouri, No. 8 WVU, No. 9 Clemson and No. 10 Texas.

The SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 each placed five teams in the Top 25, with all five Big 12 teams ranked among the Top 14. The ACC and Pac-10 each placed three teams in the rankings.

Meyer and Leavitt are among five state coaches with votes in the coaches' poll. The others: Florida International's Mario Cristobal, UCF's George O'Leary and Florida Atlantic's Howard Schnellenberger. The coaches' ballots are not made public until the final poll is released after the completion of the bowl games.

The Associated Press poll will be released Aug. 16.

Reporter Mick Elliott contributed to

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be

reached at (813) 259-7928 or

this report. bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT