Aug. 28, 2004

FRESNO, Calif. -- - With the opening of the college football season starting Saturday, Fresno State's football team is recognized as one of the nation's Top 30 teams in the preseason Grantland Rice Super 16 College Football Poll. The Bulldog received two votes in the poll and were the only WAC team and one of three non-BCS schools to receive votes.

The Southern California Trojans are No. 1 in the FWAA's preseason Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll. USC, which won the Grantland Rice Trophy after a 12-1 season a year ago, is picked to become the first repeat champion since Nebraska turned the trick in 1994-95. In the 50-year history of the Grantland Rice Trophy, only four schools have won back-to-back FWAA national titles. USC has won five previous FWAA national titles, but never in consecutive seasons.

The Trojans, who edged out Oklahoma for the top spot by a mere three poll points, received eight first-place votes on their way to the No. 1 ranking. Oklahoma, the preseason favorite a year ago, got four first-place votes to earn the No. 2 spot. SEC schools Georgia and LSU each nabbed a pair of the remaining top votes to rank third and fourth, respectively.

The Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll, introduced prior to the 2002 season, ranks the nation's top 16 Division I-A football teams. A regionally-balanced group of 16 selectors votes in the poll. The pollsters also select a National Team of the Week, which will be announced each Monday during the regular season, beginning on Sept. 6. The Grantland Rice poll, also released each Monday, does not resume until Oct. 11.

In addition, the 16 voters representing four regions, will cast a ballot each week and give a brief synopsis of their ballot. Unlike other college football polls, the FWAA makes each of its pollster's ballot public, along with the weekly synopsis.

Rounding out the preseason top 10 are Florida State, Texas, Miami, Ohio State and Florida. The expanded ACC and SEC lead all conferences with four teams in the Super 16. Three teams from the Big Ten and Big 12 are also in the poll. The remaining teams in the initial poll are California, West Virginia, Kansas State, Virginia, Clemson, Iowa and Tennessee.

The complete preseason poll is as follows:

2004 FWAA GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLL (PRESEASON) Rank School [1st] W-L Pts Pvs Opening Game

1. USC [8] 12-1 242 1 8/28 vs. Virginia Tech

2. Oklahoma [4] 12-2 239 3 9/4 vs. Bowling Green

3. Georgia [2] 11-3 223 6 9/4 vs. Georgia Southern

4. LSU [2] 13-1 199 2 9/4 vs. Oregon State

5. Florida State 10-3 190 10 9/6 at No. 8 Miami

6. Texas 10-3 166 13 9/4 vs. North Texas

7. Michigan 10-3 153 7 9/4 vs. Miami (Ohio)

8. Miami 11-2 150 5 9/6 vs. No. 5 Florida State

9. Ohio State 11-2 98 4 9/4 vs. Cincinnati

10. Florida 8-5 75 - 9/4 vs. Middle Tennessee

11. California 8-6 71 - 9/4 at Air Force

12. West Virginia 8-5 70 - 9/4 vs. East Carolina

13. Kansas State 11-4 63 12 9/4 vs. Western Kentucky

14. Virginia 8-5 54 - 9/4 at Temple

15. Clemson 9-4 38 - 9/4 vs. Wake Forest

t16. Iowa 10-3 21 8 9/4 vs. Kent State

t16. Tennessee 10-3 21 16 9/5 vs. UNLV

Records and previous rankings are from the 2003 season

Also receiving votes: Utah 18, Auburn 16, Missouri 13, Maryland 11, Minnesota 9, N.C. State 8, Oregon 7, Wisconsin 7, Oklahoma State 4, Louisville 3, Oregon State 3, Fresno State 2, Nebraska 1, Purdue 1.

The FWAA has presented the Grantland Rice Trophy, named in honor of the legendary sportswriter, to college football's national champion each year since 1954. This is the third season that a season-long poll will be concurrent with the award.

Season tickets for the 2004 season are available by calling the Bulldog Ticket Office ay (559) 278-DOGS or online at www.gobulldogs.com. The special $ 99 season ticket sale ends August 31.