Today's polls: Sooners are No. 1
Published: 9/28/2008 1:14 PM
Last Modified: 9/28/2008 1:14 PM
By John E. Hoover
World Sports Writer
Oklahoma is No. 1.
The Sooners climbed into the top spot of the Associated Press Top 25on Sunday, their first appearance at No. 1 since finishing the 2003 regular season with a 56-25 victory over Texas Tech.
OU lost 35-7 to Kansas State the following week in the Big 12 Championship Game and hasn't returned to the top spot before Sunday.
It's the 96th week an Oklahoma football team has been ranked No. 1, which breaks a tie OU has held with Notre Dame for the most weeks at No. 1.
OU is also No. 1 in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll, one of three components that make up the Bowl Championship Series standings. The BCS standings, comprised of the coaches poll, the Harris Interactive Poll and an aggregate of six computer rankings, determine the No. 1 and No. 2 teams, who meet in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8 in Miami. The initial BCS standings will be revealed on Oct. 19. The initial Harris Poll is scheduled to be released later Sunday.
The Associated Press isn't part of the BCS, but still crowns its own national champion.
OU (4-0) started the season at No. 4, but has rolled to easy victories over Chattanooga (57-2), Cincinnati (56-24), Washington (55-14) and, on Saturday, No. 24-ranked TCU (35-10).
OU took over No. 1 after top-ranked USC and No. 3 Georgia lost last week.
Following Saturday's victory over TCU, Sooner players and coaches said it was much too early to get excited about rankings.
"At this point, (it means) absolutely nothing," said quarterback Sam Bradford, who passed for four touchdowns a career-high 411 yards. "We've still got a way to go before we think about polls."
Said defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, "It doesn't mean anything until the season's over. If we're No. 1 at the end, that's when it matters. Too much goes on when you starting thinking about your ranking and all that."
John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com
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Guerin Emig
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