Miami Retains No. 1 in AP Football Poll

Miami, which ended the ‘80s as the nation’s top college football team, is starting the ‘90s the same way.

The defending national champion is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll. Miami beat Notre Dame by 25 points in voting by a nationwide panel of 60 sports writers and broadcasters.

The Hurricanes, who have won three of the last seven national titles, received 24 first-place votes and 1,431 points. Notre Dame, which finished second last season, was second with 22 first-place votes and 1,406 points.

Auburn was third in the preseason poll, Florida State was No. 4 and Colorado was No. 5. Auburn received three first-place votes and 1,311 points, and Florida State--which handed Miami its only defeat last season--got six first-place votes and 1,268 points. Colorado, which was No. 1 last season before losing to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, received four first-place votes and 1,258 points.

The remaining first-place vote went to Michigan State, but only one other voter put the Spartans in the Top 10, and they finished 23rd.

Michigan, last year’s preseason No. 1, was sixth. Nebraska was next, followed by Tennessee, USC, Clemson, Illinois, Alabama, Texas A&M;, Arkansas, Virginia, Brigham Young, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, UCLA and Washington.

Rounding out the Top 25 were Penn State, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Houston and West Virginia.

THE TOP 25

The top 25 teams in the AP preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses followed by ’89 records. 1. Miami, Fla. (1,431): 11-1-0 2. Notre Dame (1,406): 12-1-0 3. Auburn (1,311): 10-2-0 4. Florida St. (1,268): 10-2-0 5. Colorado (1,258): 11-1-0 6. Michigan (1,116): 10-2-0 7. Nebraska (1,019): 10-2-0 8. Tennessee (982): 11-1-0 9. USC (977): 9-2-1 10. Clemson (919): 10-2-0 11. Illinois (900): 10-2-0 12. Alabama (728): 10-2-0 13. Texas A&M; (719): 8-4-0 14. Arkansas (629): 10-2-0 15. Virginia (575): 10-3-0 16. Brigham Young (557): 10-3-0 17. Ohio St. (502): 8-4-0 18. Pittsburgh (459): 8-3-1 19. UCLA (404): 3-7-1 20. Washington (394): 8-4-0 21. Penn St. (362): 8-3-1 22. Oklahoma (311): 7-4-0 23. Michigan St. (288): 8-4-0 24. Houston (195): 9-2-0 25. West Virginia (119): 8-3-1