Clemson Tabbed 17th in Preseason AP Poll

by Press Release - Sat Aug 05 15:07:02 GMT-04:00 2000

NEW YORK -- Clemson has been ranked 17th in the Associated Press preseason college football poll announced Saturday.

The ranking marks the first time since 1997 that the Tigers have appeared in the poll.

"The ranking reflects the potential of this program," said second year coach and 1999 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year Tommy Bowden. "Now the objective is to be there at the end of the season."

The Tigers have not finished a season ranked in the final AP poll since the 1993 season when Clemson finished with a 9-3 record

after a victory against Kentucky in the Peach Bowl.

Nebraska edged 1999 national champion Florida State as the top team in this year's

preseason poll. The Cornhuskers received 36 first-place votes and 1,732 points,

while the Seminoles are ranked second after getting 29 first-place votes and

1,720 points. Alabama is third, Wisconsin is fourth and Miami (FL) is fifth.

Clemson has been picked to finish second in the ACC behind Florida State,

the unanimous selection by the media as the team to beat in the league.

The Tigers travel to Tallahassee on Nov. 4 to meetthe second-ranked Seminoles.

Florida State claimed last year's meeting 17-14 in Clemson.

The last time Clemson was ranked in the prior to the start of the season was

1997 when the Tigers were 18th in the nation. Clemson has not appeared in the

poll since the Sept. 22 poll that season. A loss the next week to Georgia Tech

dropped the Tigers out of the poll. Clemson finished 7-5 and made an

appearance in the Peach Bowl against Auburn.

The preseason ranking is the highest for Clemson since the 1992 team

was picked 13th.

Clemson opens the 2000 season Sept. 2 when it hosts The Citadel at 6:00 PM.

The 2000 AP Preseason College Football Poll

RANK TEAM RECORD PTS PVS

1. Nebraska (36) 12-1 1,732 3

2. Florida St (29) 12-0 1,720 1

3. Alabama (3) 10-3 1,570 8

4. Wisconsin (1) 10-2 1,408 4

5. Miami Fla 9-4 1,392 15

6. Michigan 10-2 1,380 5

7. Texas (2) 9-5 1,297 21

8. Kansas St (6) 11-1 1,276 6

9. Florida 9-4 1,255 12

10. Georgia 8-4 1,226 16

11. Virginia Tech 11-1 1,044 2

12. Tennessee 9-3 940 9

13. Washington 7-5 816 NR

14. Purdue 7-5 751 25

15. USC 6-6 723 NR

16. Ohio St 6-6 601 NR

17. Clemson 6-6 599 NR

18. Mississippi 8-4 541 22

19. Oklahoma 7-5 455 NR

20. TCU 8-4 404 NR

21. Illinois 8-4 361 24

22. Penn St 10-3 359 11

23. So Mississippi 9-3 224 14

24. Colorado 7-5 166 NR

25. Michigan St 10-2 145 7

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

Texas A&M 139, UCLA 115, East Carolina 75, Oregon 63, Auburn 36, Colorado St 35, Mississippi St 34, Utah 33, Notre Dame 32, Virginia 26, Marshall 23, Arkansas 22, Georgia Tech 10, LSU 10, Syracuse 9, BYU 7, Minnesota 5, Boston College 3, Texas Tech 3, Toledo 3, Stanford 2, Arizona St 1, Oregon St 1.

DROPPED FROM RANKINGS

No. 10 Marshall, No. 13 Mississippi St, No. 17 Arkansas, No. 18 Minnesota, No. 19 Oregon, No. 20 Georgia Tech, No. 23 Texas A&M