Tulsa World: Oklahoma No. 1 in all three polls

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Oklahoma No. 1 in all three polls

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 9/29/2008 2:06 AM
Last Modified: 9/29/2008 2:53 AM

Oklahoma is No. 1 at being No. 1.

The Sooners climbed into the top spot of the Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, their first appearance at No. 1 since 2003.

It is the 96th time an Oklahoma football team has been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll (which started in 1936), breaking a tie OU has held with Notre Dame for the most weeks at No. 1.

The Sooners want to avoid becoming simply the latest casualty of the top spot. Being No. 1 in September doesn't mean anything if you are not No. 1 in December. That played out all of last season, and did so again last week when top-ranked USC was upset at Oregon State.

"We have to be as good as we can be," coach Bob Stoops said. "We've done that for the most part this year. We've done the work throughout the week and never taken things for granted. When we show up, we have to have the hair up on the back of our neck and (be) ready to met the challenge and be our best. That's mentally and emotionally, to be able to peak in big way and just be in a strong frame of mind when we get ready to compete."

The Sooners received 43 of a possible 65 first-place votes and got 1,599 points. No. 2 Alabama received 21 first-place votes, good for 1,565 points.

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 Sooners got even more support in the coaches poll, receiving 57 of a possible 63 first-place votes, 1,520 points. No. 2 LSU received one first-place vote and 1,399 points, while No. 3 Missouri got zero first-place votes and 1,398 points.

The Sooners are also No. 1 in the initial Harris Interactive Poll, released Sunday. OU received 102 of a possible 114 first-place votes and got 2,835 points. LSU (three first-place votes, 2,637 points) is No. 2; Alabama (seven, 2,601) is third.

"At this point, (it means) absolutely nothing," said quarterback Sam Bradford, who passed for four touchdowns and a career-high 411 yards against TCU's No. 1-ranked defense. "We've still got a way to go before we even think about where we're ranked in the 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."

The BCS standings, comprised of the coaches poll, the Harris poll and an aggregate of six computer rankings, determine the No. 1 and No. 2 teams that meet in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8 in Miami. The initial BCS standings will be revealed on Oct. 19.

The Associated Press is not 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 Tennessee-Chattanooga (57-2), Cincinnati (52-26), Washington (55-14) and, on Saturday, No. 24-ranked TCU (35-10).

John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com

AP Top 25

	Record	Pts	Pvs
1. Oklahoma (43)	4-0	1,599	2
2. Alabama (21)	5-0	1,565	8
3. LSU	4-0	1,466	5
4. Missouri (1)	4-0	1,453	6
5. Texas	4-0	1,362	7
6. Penn State.	5-0	1,252	12
7. Texas Tech	4-0	1,105	10
8. Brigham Young	4-0	1,098	11
9. Southern Cal	2-1	1,087	1
10. South Florida	5-0	1,035	13
11. Georgia	4-1	1,018	3
12. Florida	3-1	914	4
13. Auburn	4-1	860	15
14. Ohio State	4-1	829	14
15. Utah	5-0	713	17
16. Kansas	3-1	650	18
17. Boise State	3-0	549	19
18. Wisconsin	3-1	520	9
19. Vanderbilt	4-0	459	21
20. Virginia Tech	4-1	290	—
21. Oklahoma State.	4-0	277	—
22. Fresno State	3-1	232	25
23. Oregon	4-1	199	—
24. Connecticut	5-0	126	—
25. Wake Forest	3-1	107	16

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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