Utah Ranked in USA Today Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Add Comment    Aug 06, 2010

The 2010 Utah football team is tied for No. 24 with West Virginia in the USA Today Coaches' Preseason Top 25, released today. It marks the third time in school history that the Utes have cracked the USA Today Coaches' Preseason Top 25.

Utah's first preseason appearance in the coaches' poll was in 2004, when the Utes began the year with a No. 21 ranking. Utah finished the season ranked No. 5 (No. 4 A.P.) after going 12-0, with a Fiesta Bowl victory over Pitt. Last season, Utah earned a No. 18 preseason ranking by the coaches, which is also where the 10-3 Utes finished the season. Utah's 2008 team, which culminated a 13-0 season with a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama, was not ranked to start the year. That team earned a final ranking of No. 4 in the coaches' poll, while the Associated Press had Utah at No. 2 in its final poll.

Utah's 2010 season-opening opponent, Pittsburgh, is ranked No. 15 in the Coaches' poll, while conference foe TCU is ranked No. 7. Teams on Utah's schedule that received votes were Brigham Young and Notre Dame.

2010 USA Today Coaches' Preseason Top 25

Rank  Team (first place votes)  Points

1.    Alabama (55)              1,469

2.    Ohio State (4)            1,392

3.    Florida                   1,245

4.    Texas                     1,240

5.    Boise State               1,215

6.    Virginia Tech             1,052

7.    TCU                       1,051

8.    Oklahoma                  1,035

9.    Nebraska                  1,001

10.   Iowa                        952

11.   Oregon                      940

12.   Wisconsin                   778

13.   Miami (Fla.)                728

14.   Penn State                  508

15.   Pittsburgh                  492

16.   LSU                         476

17.   Georgia Tech                455

18.   North Carolina              445

19.   Arkansas                    438

20.   Florida State               374

21.   Georgia                     312

22.   Oregon State                263

23.   Auburn                      260

T24.  Utah                        169

T24.  West Virginia               169

Others receiving votes:

Cincinnati (12-1) 135; Houston (10-4) 76; BYU (11-2) 66; Arizona (8-5) 65; Mississippi (9-4) 48; Clemson (9-5) 44; Stanford (8-5) 41; Connecticut (8-5) 40; Notre Dame (6-6) 38; South Carolina (7-6) 38; Washington (5-7) 26; Missouri (8-5) 23; Navy (10-4) 12; Oklahoma State (9-4) 11; Boston College (8-5) 10; Michigan State (6-7) 10; Arizona State (4-8) 6; California (8-5) 6; Texas Tech (9-4) 5; South Florida (8-5) 4; Texas A&M (6-7) 3; Northwestern (8-5) 2; Temple (9-4) 2; Central Michigan (12-2) 1; Mississippi State (5-7) 1; Nevada (8-5) 1; Northern Illinois (7-6) 1; SMU (8-5) 1.

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

Article written by

Utah College Sports Wire