2004 NCAA Division I-A Football Rankings - Preseason Polls

Preseason Polls

Various publications release their preseason top 25 months before the season commences. Each poll uses different methodologies. For instance, some rank the teams based on their perception of the team's strength going into the season and some rank them based on their perception of the team's possible record at the end of the season. These are different because one team may be stronger but have a tougher schedule and another team may be weaker but have a weaker schedule and both teams may end the season with the same record. The 2004-05 BCS Champions USC Trojans are highlighted in gold.

Phil Steele Athlon Sporting News Lindy's Street & Smith Gold Sheet College Football News Game Plan CNN/SI Blue Ribbon
1. Oklahoma USC Georgia USC USC USC USC Oklahoma USC USC 1.
2. USC Oklahoma USC Oklahoma Georgia Georgia Oklahoma USC Oklahoma Oklahoma 2.
3. LSU Georgia Oklahoma Georgia Oklahoma Oklahoma Michigan Georgia LSU Georgia 3.
4. Florida State Miami LSU Florida State LSU LSU Texas LSU Georgia Miami 4.
5. Georgia West Virginia Florida State Michigan Florida State Miami Georgia Kansas State Miami LSU 5.
6. Miami Texas Ohio State LSU Texas Florida State LSU Florida State Florida Florida State 6.
7. Michigan Michigan Miami Texas Miami Michigan Florida State Miami Texas Texas 7.
8. Texas LSU Texas Miami Michigan California Miami Texas Ohio State Michigan 8.
9. West Virginia Florida State Virginia Ohio State Florida Memphis Virginia Tech Michigan Florida State Ohio State 9.
10. California Ohio State Michigan Tennessee Tennessee Utah Virginia Ohio State Kansas State Kansas State 10.
11. Utah Missouri California Wisconsin Iowa Clemson Auburn Auburn Tennessee California 11.
12. Ohio State Kansas State Florida Auburn Ohio State Texas West Virginia Nebraska Michigan Missouri 12.
13. Florida Clemson Clemson Clemson Auburn West Virginia Oklahoma State Clemson Auburn Virginia 13.
14. Virginia California Missouri Kansas State Virginia Missouri Ohio State California Missouri Florida 14.
15. Missouri Florida West Virginia West Virginia West Virginia Iowa Kansas State Memphis Iowa West Virginia 15.
16. Kansas State Utah Iowa Missouri Clemson Kansas State Tennessee Oregon State Tennessee Tennessee 16.
17. Tennessee Iowa Maryland California California Louisville Missouri Purdue Maryland Minnesota 17.
18. Wisconsin Tennessee Oregon Iowa Maryland Florida Louisville Tennessee Oregon Oregon 18.
19. Memphis Auburn Auburn Florida Missouri Toledo Clemson Oregon Utah Utah 19.
20. Oregon Maryland Kansas State Utah Wisconsin Maryland Maryland Florida West Virginia Auburn 20.
21. Louisville Wisconsin Utah Virginia Utah TCU Wisconsin Wisconsin Nebraska Purdue 21.
22. Auburn Oregon State Louisville Nebraska Purdue Tennessee Mississippi Alabama California Nebraska 22.
23. N.C State Nebraska Virginia Tech Oregon Memphis Boise State Iowa Notre Dame Minnesota Louisville 23.
24. Hawaii Minnesota Tennessee Purdue Toledo Ohio State Oregon Oklahoma State TCU Toledo 24.
25. Alabama Virginia Toledo TCU Minnesota Auburn Georgia Tech Connecticut Toledo N.C. State 25.
Phil Steele Athlon Sporting News Lindy's Street & Smith Gold Sheet College Football News Game Plan CNN/SI Blue Ribbon
Source: "2004 Preseason Consensus". Stassen.com. http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2004.html#national. Retrieved 2007-12-13.

Read more about this topic:  2004 NCAA Division I-A Football Rankings

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