Posted on: Sunday, August 17, 2003
Oklahoma is AP's No. 1
Associated Press
It's not hard to figure out why Oklahoma is the preseason No. 1 team in The Associated Press college football poll.
All-American defensive tackle Tommie Harris leads a dominating defense that features four of the 36 players on the preseason watch list for top defensive player in the nation.
The key for the Sooners will be getting enough offense.
"If you do not score, then you know the defense will get the ball back," said quarterback Jason White, who has started only four games because of injuries to both knees the past two seasons. "There is a little pressure, but the way our offense has been working out this offseason, I think we will be just fine."
The Sooners open the college football season atop The Associated Press poll for a record ninth time, beating out defending national champion Ohio State for the No. 1 ranking in voting released yesterday.
"I appreciate the fact that people view us that way," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "I don't want to undervalue that. We appreciate that people view us as one of those teams that can win it all. But in the end, they don't hand out any trophies in August."
Oklahoma got 32 first-place votes and 1,573 points to defending national champion Ohio State's 27 firsts and 1,532 points from the 65 sports writers and broadcasters on the AP panel.
AP Top 25
Teams with first-place votes in parentheses, 2002 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and final ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
Others: Florida 79, Nebraska 68, Oregon St. 68, Penn St. 56, Texas A&M 40, Alabama 33, Colorado 27, Arkansas 26, Missouri 22, Fresno St. 21, Mississippi 20, Minnesota 18, Boise St. 10, Oregon 10, Air Force 8, Iowa 8, Miami (Ohio) 5, Southern Miss. 3, Boston College 2, Hawai'i 2, Washington St. 2, West Virginia 1.
MIAMI
• Starting tight end hurt: Miami tight end Kellen Winslow left practice yesterday with turf toe, but coach Larry Coker said he would be fine. Winslow injured his toe midway through practice. Turf toe often makes it difficult and painful to push off and cut and can become a nagging injury.
"Kellen will be fine," Coker said. "This won't linger."
Winslow broke school records for tight ends last season with 57 receptions for 726 yards and eight touchdowns.
Winslow expects to play in the Aug. 28 season opener at Louisiana Tech.
OHIO STATE
• Clarett still on hold: Even if he's eligible, Maurice Clarett might not be able to play in Ohio State's opener if he doesn't return to practice soon. Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said that the running back might not be in good enough shape to play Aug. 30 against Washington. Clarett is being held out of preseason workouts while he is investigated by an Ohio State committee and the NCAA.
Clarett, banned from all team activities, has been working out on his own.
