Final AP Poll! And the winner is?

[Water Pony]

What do you think about 2 thru 10? Utah should be #3? Georgia ahead of Louisville? Iowa higher? Cal fell a long way as well.

AP Top 25

Rk Team Points

1 USC (62) 1622
2 Auburn (3) 1559
3 Oklahoma 1454
4 Utah 1438
5 Texas 1391
6 Louisville 1261
7 Georgia 1204
8 Iowa 1111
9 California 1060
10 Virginia Tech 996
11 Miami (FL) 917
12 Boise State 888
13 Tennessee 868
14 Michigan 842
15 Florida State 754
16 LSU 711
17 Wisconsin 482
18 Texas Tech 476
19 Arizona State 463
20 Ohio State 423
21 Boston College 314
22 Fresno State 203
23 Virginia 157
24 Navy 126
25 Pittsburgh 99
Complete AP poll

[MrMustang1965]

from the Dallas Morning News:

MIAMI -- Southern California joined some elite company with its latest AP national title. The Trojans became just the second team to go No. 1 wire-to-wire in The Associated Press Top 25, and the 10th team to repeat as national champs.

Following a resounding 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, USC received all but three first-place votes early Wednesday to easily outdistance Auburn.

The Trojans (13-0) are the first back-to-back AP champs since Nebraska in 1994-95.

"I know right now I'm in the middle of something special," USC coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday morning after receiving both the AP and Bowl Championship series national title trophies.

"We are now unanimously No. 1," Orange Bowl MVP Matt Leinart said right after the game.

Not quite, but good enough.

USC received 62 first-place votes and 1,622 points. Auburn got the other first-place votes and 1,559 points.

The Sooners (12-1) finished third, ahead of unbeaten Utah (12-0) and Texas (11-1).

Auburn (13-0) finished its perfect season Monday night with a 16-13 victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville and his team practically pleaded with poll voters to give his team a championship, but to no avail.

"Anybody who thought that last night was a championship game, I beg to differ," Tuberville said Wednesday morning. "I'm disappointed that with the type of team we had, as balanced as we were, we did not get a chance to play in that game."

The Trojans' 36-point rout was the third-largest margin in a matchup between No. 1 and No. 2 teams.

USC joined Florida State in 1999 as the only teams to be No. 1 from start to finish since the AP started a preseason poll in 1950. The Trojans are also the 10th preseason No. 1 to win the national championship.

[PlanoStang]

Hmmmm, we kinda hung in there, and were competitive with #12 Boise State, and #18 Texas Tech last season

[MrMustang1965]

The AP poll makes a lot more sense than the BCS. No wonder the AP has decided to drop from the BCS.

[Water Pony]

Here is the Final ESPN/USA Poll:

- TX was better than UT and
- GA flipped with Louisville

and the AP is a bit nicer to MI and TN

NCAA Division I-A:
ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

The USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 college football coaches' poll, with number of first-place votes and record in parentheses, total points and previous ranking:

RANK TEAM RECORD PTS PVS
1. USC (61) 13-0 1,525 1
Last game: Def. No. 3 Oklahoma 55-19 (Jan. 4)

2. Auburn 13-0 1,460 3
Last game: Def. No. 10 Virginia Tech 16-13 (Jan. 3)

3. Oklahoma 12-1 1,366 2
Last game: Lost to No. 1 USC 55-19 (Jan. 4)

4. Texas 11-1 1,324 5
Last game: Def. No. 12 Michigan 38-37 (Jan. 1)

5. Utah 12-0 1,300 6
Last game: Def. Pittsburgh 35-7 (Jan. 1)

6. Georgia 10-2 1,191 7
Last game: Def. No. 18 Wisconsin 24-21 (Jan. 1)

7. Louisville 11-1 1,166 8
Last game: Def. No. 13 Boise State 44-40 (Dec. 31)

8. Iowa 10-2 1,022 13
Last game: Def. No. 16 LSU 30-25 (Jan. 1)

9. California 10-2 937 4
Last game: Lost to No. 17 Texas Tech 45-31 (Dec. 30)

10. Virginia Tech 10-3 906 9
Last game: Lost to No. 2 Auburn 16-13 (Jan. 3)

11. Miami 9-3 903 14
Last game: Def. No. 25 Florida 27-10 (Dec. 31)

12. Michigan 9-3 802 12
Last game: Lost to No. 4 Texas 38-37 (Jan. 1)

13. Boise State 11-1 792 10
Last game: Lost to No. 7 Louisville 44-40 (Dec. 31)

14. Florida State 9-3 776 15
Last game: Def. West Virginia 30-18 (Jan. 1)

15. Tennessee 10-3 771 17
Last game: Def. Texas A&M 38-7 (Jan. 1)

16. LSU 9-3 693 11
Last game: Lost to No. 8 Iowa 30-25 (Jan. 1)

17. Texas Tech 8-4 478 21
Last game: Def. No. 9 California 45-31 (Dec. 30)

18. Wisconsin 9-3 449 16
Last game: Lost to No. 6 Georgia 24-21 (Jan. 1)

19. Ohio State 8-4 430 22
Last game: Def. Oklahoma State 33-7 (Dec. 29)

20. Arizona State 9-3 377 24
Last game: Def. Purdue 27-23 (Dec. 31)

21. Boston College 9-3 245 NR
Last game: Def. North Carolina 37-24 (Dec. 30)

22. Fresno State 9-3 206 NR
Last game: Def. No. 23 Virginia 37-34 (Dec. 27)

23. Virginia 8-4 157 18
Last game: Lost to No. 22 Fresno State 37-34 (Dec. 27)

24. Navy 10-2 129 NR
Last game: Def. New Mexico 34-19 (Dec. 30)

25. Florida 7-5 101 19
Last game: Lost to No. 11 Miami 27-10 (Dec. 31)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
West Virginia 96, Bowling Green 57, Pittsburgh 45, Northern Illinois 40, Texas A&M 16, Colorado 15, Minnesota 13, Oregon State 11, Iowa State 7, Purdue 5, Connecticut 4, Georgia Tech 3, Toledo 2, UTEP 2, Wyoming 2, Hawaii 1.

DROPPED FROM RANKINGS
Pittsburgh 20, West Virginia 23, Texas A&M 25.