USA Today Coaches' Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the second oldest poll still in use after the AP Poll, and its preseason poll was released on August 1, 2008. It is compiled by a rotating group of 62 college football Division I head coaches. Each voting member ranks teams from 1 to 25 . Each team then receives points for their ranking in reverse order: Number 1 earns 25 points, number 2 earns 24 points, and so forth. The points are then combined and the team with the highest points is then ranked #1; second highest is ranked #2 and so forth. Only the top 25 teams with points are ranked, with teams receiving first place votes noted the quantity next to their name. Any team receiving votes after the top 25 are listed after the top 25 by their point totals. However, these are not real rankings: They are not considered #26, #27, etc. The maximum points a single team can earn is 1550.
The final Coaches' Poll of the 2008 season (technically taking place in 2009) was notable in that the winner of the BCS Championship was not the unanimous number 1. While the coaches are obligated to vote the winner of that game, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham voted his team number 1 after they completed the only undefeated (13–0) season and routed highly favored Alabama in the 2008 Sugar Bowl.
| Preseason August 1 |
Week 1 September 2 |
Week 2 September 7 |
Week 3 September 14 |
Week 4 September 21 |
Week 5 September 28 |
Week 6 October 5 |
Week 7 October 12 |
Week 8 October 19 |
Week 9 October 26 |
Week 10 November 2 |
Week 11 November 9 |
Week 12 November 16 |
Week 13 November 23 |
Week 14 November 30 |
Week 15 December 7 |
Week 16 (Final) January 9 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Georgia (22) | USC (1-0) (23) | USC (1-0) (34) | USC (2-0) (57) | USC (2-0) (56) | Oklahoma (4-0) (57) | Oklahoma (5-0) (60) | Texas (6-0) (44) | Texas (7-0) (58) | Texas (8-0) (58) | Alabama (9-0) (40) | Alabama (10-0) (44) | Alabama (11-0) (45) | Alabama (11-0) (56) | Alabama (12-0) (58) | Oklahoma (12-1) (31) | Florida (13-1) (60) | 1. |
| 2. | USC (14) | Georgia (1-0) (20) | Georgia (2-0) (18) | Oklahoma (3-0) (1) | Oklahoma (3-0) (2) | LSU (4-0) (1) | Missouri (5-0) | Alabama (6-0) (14) | Alabama (7-0) (1) | Alabama (8-0) | Penn State (9-0) (14) | Texas Tech (10-0) (17) | Texas Tech (10-0) (15) | Oklahoma (10-1) (4) | Oklahoma (11-1) (2) | Florida (12-1) (26) | USC (12-1) | 2. |
| 3. | Ohio State (14) | Ohio State (1-0) (10) | Oklahoma (2-0) (3) | Georgia (3-0) (2) | Georgia (4-0) (2) | Missouri (4-0) | LSU (4-0) (1) | Penn State (7-0) (3) | Penn State (8-0) (2) | Penn State (9-0) (3) | Texas Tech (9-0) (6) | Florida(8-1) | Florida (9-1) (1) | Florida (10-1) (1) | Texas (11-1) | Texas (11-1) (4) | Texas (12-1) | 3. |
| 4. | Oklahoma (3) | Oklahoma (1-0) (2) | Florida (2-0) (3) | Florida (2-0) (1) | Florida (3-0) (1) | Alabama (5-0) (2) | Alabama (6-0) | USC (4-1) | USC (5-1) | Oklahoma (7-1) | Oklahoma (8-1) (1) | Oklahoma (9-1) | Texas (10-1) | Texas (10-1) | Florida (11-1) (1) | USC (11-1) т | Utah (13-0) (1) | 4. |
| 5. | Florida (5) | Florida (1-0) (3) | Ohio State (2-0) (1) | Missouri (3-0) | Missouri (4-0) | Texas (4-0) (1) | Texas (5-0) | Texas Tech (6-0) | Oklahoma (6-1) | Texas Tech (8-0) | Florida (7-1) | Texas (9-1) | Oklahoma (9-1) | USC (9-1) | USC (10-1) | Alabama (12-1) т | Oklahoma (12-2) | 5. |
| 6. | LSU (3) | LSU (1-0) (3) | Missouri (2-0) | LSU (2-0) | LSU (3-0) | Penn State (5-0) | Penn State (6-0) | Oklahoma (5-1) | Texas Tech (7-0) | USC (6-1) | USC (7-1) | USC (8-1) | USC (9-1) | Penn State (11-1) | Penn State (11-1) | Penn State (11-1) | Alabama (12-2) | 6. |
| 7. | Missouri | Missouri (1-0) | LSU (1-0) (2) | Texas (2-0) | Texas (3-0) | BYU (4-0) | Texas Tech (5-0) | Florida (5-1) | Florida (5-1) | Florida (6-1) | Texas (8-1) | Utah (10-0) | Utah (11-0) | Utah (12-0) | Utah (12-0) | Utah (12-0) | TCU (11-2) | 7. |
| 8. | West Virginia | West Virginia (1-0) | Texas (2-0) | Wisconsin (3-0) | Wisconsin (3-0) | Texas Tech (4-0) | BYU (5-0) | BYU (6-0) | Oklahoma State (7-0) | Georgia (7-1) | Oklahoma State (8-1) | Penn State (9-1) | Penn State (10-1) | Texas Tech (10-1) | Texas Tech (11-1) | Texas Tech (11-1) | Penn State (11-2) | 8. |
| 9. | Clemson | Texas (1-0) | Auburn (2-0) | Auburn (3-0) | Texas Tech (4-0) | USC (2-1) | USC (3-1) | Georgia (5-1) | Georgia (6-1) | Utah (8-0) | Utah (9-0) | Boise State (9-0) | Boise State (10-0) | Boise State (11-0) | Boise State (12-0) | Boise State (12-0) | Oregon (10-3) | 9. |
| 10. | Texas | Auburn (1-0) | Wisconsin (2-0) | Texas Tech (3-0) | Alabama (4-0) | South Florida (5-0) т | Georgia (4-1) | Oklahoma State (6-0) | Ohio State (7-1) | Oklahoma State (7-1) | Boise State (8-0) | Ohio State (8-2) | Ohio State (9-2) | Ohio State (10-2) | Ohio State (10-2) | Ohio State (10-2) | Georgia (10-3) | 10. |
| 11. | Auburn | Wisconsin (1-0) | Kansas (2-0) | BYU (3-0) | BYU (4-0) | Georgia (4-1) т | Ohio State (5-1) | Ohio State (6-1) | LSU (5-1) | Boise State (7-0) | TCU (9-1) | Missouri (8-2) | Missouri (9-2) | Missouri (9-2) | TCU (10-2) | TCU (10-2) | Ohio State (10-3) | 11. |
| 12. | Wisconsin | Kansas (1-0) | Texas Tech (2-0) | Oregon (3-0) | Penn State (4-0) | Ohio State (4-1) | Florida (4-1) | Missouri (5-1) | Utah (8-0) | TCU (8-1) | Ohio State (7-2) | Georgia (8-2) | Oklahoma State (9-2) | Oklahoma State (9-2) | Cincinnati (10-2) | Cincinnati (11-2) | Texas Tech (11-2) | 12. |
| 13. | Kansas | Texas Tech (1-0) | Arizona State (2-0) | Alabama (3-0) | Ohio State (3-1) | Florida (3-1) | Utah (6-0) | Utah (7-0) | Boise State (6-0) | Ohio State (7-2) | Missouri (7-2) | Oklahoma State (8-2) | Georgia (9-2) | Georgia (9-2) | Ball State (12-0) | Oregon (9-3) | Boise State (12-1) | 13. |
| 14. | Texas Tech | Arizona State (1-0) | Oregon (2-0) | Ohio State (2-1) | South Florida (4-0) | Auburn (4-1) | Vanderbilt (5-0) | LSU (4-1) | South Florida (6-1) | Missouri (6-2) | Georgia (7-2) | BYU (9-1) | BYU (10-1) | TCU (10-2) | Oregon (9-3) | Oklahoma State (9-3) | Virginia Tech (10-4) | 14. |
| 15. | Virginia Tech | BYU (1-0) | BYU (2-0) | Penn State (3-0) | Wake Forest (3-0) | Utah (5-0) | Kansas (4-1) | Kansas (5-1) | TCU (7-1) | LSU (5-2) | LSU (6-2) | Michigan State (9-2) | Michigan State (9-2) | Ball State (11-0) | Oklahoma State (9-3) | Georgia Tech (9-3) | Mississippi (9-4) | 15. |
| 16. | Arizona State | Oregon (1-0) | Alabama (2-0) | South Florida (3-0) | Auburn (3-1) | Kansas (3-1) | Boise State (4-0) | Boise State (5-0) | Missouri (5-2) | Florida State (6-1) | BYU (8-1) | Ball State (9-0) | Ball State (10-0) | Cincinnati (9-2) | Georgia Tech (8-3) | BYU (10-2) | Missouri (10-4) | 16. |
| 17. | BYU | Alabama (1-0) | Penn State (2-0) | East Carolina (3-0) | Utah (4-0) | Wisconsin (3-1) | Oklahoma State (5-0) | Michigan State (6-1) | BYU (6-1) | BYU (7-1) | Michigan State (8-2) | North Carolina (7-2) | TCU (9-2) | Oregon State (8-3) | Missouri (9-3) | Georgia (9-3) | Cincinnati (11-3) | 17. |
| 18. | Tennessee | South Florida (1-0) | South Florida (2-0) | Wake Forest (2-0) | Kansas (3-1) | Boise State (3-0) | Virginia Tech (5-1) | Virginia Tech (5-1) | Kansas (5-2) | Tulsa (7-0) | Ball State (8-0) | TCU (9-2) | LSU (7-3) | Oregon (8-3) | BYU (10-2) | Michigan State (9-3) | Oklahoma State (9-4) | 18. |
| 19. | Illinois | Penn State (1-0) | Wake Forest (2-0) | Kansas (2-1) | Clemson (3-1) | Vanderbilt (4-0) | Michigan State (5-1) | Wake Forest (4-1) | Tulsa (7-0) | Ball State (8-0) | North Carolina (6-2) | Florida State (7-2) | Pittsburgh (7-2) | BYU (10-2) | Georgia (9-3) | Virginia Tech (9-4) | Oregon State (9-4) | 19. |
| 20. | Oregon | Wake Forest (1-0) | East Carolina (2-0) | Utah (3-0) | Boise State (3-0) | Oregon (4-1) | South Florida (5-1) | South Florida (5-1) | Pittsburgh (5-1) | Minnesota (7-1) | Georgia Tech (7-2) | LSU (6-3) | Cincinnati (8-2) | Northwestern (9-3) | Boston College (9-3) | Northwestern (9-3) | Iowa (9-4) | 20. |
| 21. | South Florida | Fresno State (1-0) | Fresno State (1-0) | Clemson (2-1) | Illinois (2-1) | Fresno State (3-1) | Wake Forest (3-1) | North Carolina (5-1) | Georgia Tech (6-1) | Michigan State (7-2) | Maryland (6-2) | Pittsburgh (7-2) | Oregon State (7-3) | Michigan State (9-3) | Michigan State (9-3) | Pittsburgh (9-3) | BYU (10-3) | 21. |
| 22. | Penn State | Clemson (0-1) | Utah (2-0) | West Virginia (1-1) | Oregon (3-1) | Oklahoma State (4-0) | Northwestern (5-0) | California (4-1) | Ball State (7-0) | North Carolina (6-2) | California (6-2) | Cincinnati (7-2) | Oregon (8-3) | Boston College (8-3) | Northwestern (9-3) | Ball State (12-1) | Georgia Tech (9-4) | 22. |
| 23. | Wake Forest | Utah (1-0) | Clemson (1-1) | Illinois (2-1) | TCU (4-0) | Connecticut (5-0) | Auburn (4-2) | Vanderbilt (5-1) | Florida State (5-1) | South Florida (6-2) | West Virginia (6-2) | South Carolina (7-3) | Maryland (7-3) | Georgia Tech (8-3) | Pittsburgh (8-3) | Missouri (9-4) | Florida State (9-4) | 23. |
| 24. | Michigan | South Carolina (1-0) | West Virginia (1-1) | Arizona State (2-1) | Fresno State (2-1) | Virginia Tech (4-1) | Wisconsin (3-2) | TCU (6-1) | Northwestern (6-1) | Oregon (6-2) | Florida State (6-2) | Tulsa (8-1) | Northwestern (8-3) | Florida State (8-3) | Oregon State (8-4) | Mississippi (8-4) | Michigan State (9-4) | 24. |
| 25. | Fresno State | Illinois (0-1) | California (2-0) | Florida State (2-0) | Vanderbilt (4-0) | Wake Forest (3-1) | California (4-1) | Ball State (7-0) | Minnesota (6-1) | Maryland (6-2) | Northwestern (7-2) | Oregon State (6-3) | Boston College (7-3) | West Virginia (7-3) | Mississippi (8-4) | Oregon State (8-4) | California (9-4) | 25. |
| Preseason August 1 |
Week 1 September 2 |
Week 2 September 7 |
Week 3 September 14 |
Week 4 September 21 |
Week 5 September 28 |
Week 6 October 5 |
Week 7 October 12 |
Week 8 October 19 |
Week 9 October 26 |
Week 10 November 2 |
Week 11 November 9 |
Week 12 November 16 |
Week 13 November 23 |
Week 14 November 30 |
Week 15 December 7 |
Week 16 (Final) January 9 |
||
| Dropped: Virginia Tech Tennessee Michigan |
Dropped: South Carolina Illinois |
Dropped: Fresno State California |
Dropped: East Carolina West Virginia Arizona State Florida State |
Dropped: Clemson Illinois TCU |
Dropped: Oregon Fresno State Connecticut |
Dropped: Northwestern Auburn Wisconsin |
Dropped: Michigan State Virginia Tech Wake Forest North Carolina California Vanderbilt |
Dropped: Kansas Pittsburgh Georgia Tech Northwestern |
Dropped: Tulsa Minnesota South Florida Oregon |
Dropped: Georgia Tech Maryland California West Virginia Northwestern |
Dropped: North Carolina Florida State South Carolina Tulsa |
Dropped: LSU Pittsburgh Maryland |
Dropped: Florida State West Virginia |
Dropped: Boston College |
Dropped: Northwestern Pittsburgh Ball State |
Read more about this topic: 2008 NCAA Division I FBS Football Rankings
Famous quotes containing the words usa, today and/or poll:
“It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much better off if that big, sprawling, incoherent, shapeless, slobbering civic idiot in the family of American communities, the City of Los Angeles, could be declared incompetent and placed in charge of a guardian like any individual mental defective.”
—Westbrook Pegler (1894–1969)
“The East is the hearthside of America. Like any home, therefore, it has the defects of its virtues. Because it is a long-lived-in house, it bursts its seams, is inconvenient, needs constant refurbishing. And some of the family resources have been spent. To attain the privacy that grown-up people find so desirable, Easterners live a harder life than people elsewhere. Today it is we and not the frontiersman who must be rugged to survive.”
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–1978)
“If Rosa Parks had taken a poll before she sat down in that bus in Montgomery, she’d still be standing.”
—Mary Frances Berry (b. 1938)