Football Ranked Fourth in Preseason AP Poll
8/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The University of Michigan football team will open the 2005 season with a consensus No. 4 preseason ranking in the national polls, following today's (Aug. 20) selection by the Associated Press and the Wolverines' previous listing in the USA Today Coaches poll (Aug. 5). U-M received 1,329 points from the media after finishing the 2004 season as the Big Ten Conference co-champion with a 9-3 record and No. 14 final ranking in the AP poll.
Southern California received 60 out of a possible 65 first-place votes in the media poll, grabbing the top spot in the preseason for the fifth time in school history. The Trojans are followed in the top five by No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Tennessee, the Wolverines and No. 5 Louisiana State.
Michigan enters the 2005 season having appeared in the top 25 of the 108 Associated Press polls, the longest streak in the nation, a streak that spans 84 games. The Big Ten dominated the preseason AP poll with four teams among the top 15 in the nation. The conference representatives are: No. 4 Michigan, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 11 Iowa and No. 15 Purdue.
U-M starts its 126th season against Northern Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Michigan Stadium. The game will be broadcast regionally by ABC Sports beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
Associated Press National Ranking Notes
U-M has been ranked in every poll for the past six seasons and has been listed in the national rankings every time since Oct. 24, 1998, the longest streak in the nation.
The Wolverines have been ranked in the top 25 for all but four of Lloyd Carr's 124 career games (all during the 1998 season).
Since the preseason 1988 poll, U-M has been listed in every poll except three in 1993 and four in 1998.
Michigan has been listed in the top 10 of the polls 58 times during Carr's tenure.
U-M ranks No. 1 all-time in composite AP final football polls (1936-2004).
The Wolverines have finished in the top 10 of the AP poll 36 times since its inception in 1936.
Michigan has finished in the final top 25 rankings 53 times since the inception of the AP poll in 1936.
U-M has finished in the top 25 rankings each of the past 20 seasons and 35 of the past 36 years (was not ranked in 1984 and did not receive a final AP ranking in 1982).
Michigan has the most weekly appearances in the AP poll, appearing 712 times entering the 2005 season (including preseason poll).
Following is the preseason top 25 AP poll:
| | School | W-L* | Points | Prev |
| 1. | Southern California (60) | 13-0 | 1,619 | 1 |
| 2. | Texas (4) | 11-1 | 1,500 | 5 |
| 3. | Tennessee | 10-3 | 1,376 | 13 |
| 4. | MICHIGAN | 9-3 | 1,329 | 14 |
| 5. | Louisiana State | 9-3 | 1,291 | 16 |
| 6. | Ohio State | 8-4 | 1,205 | 20 |
| 7. | Oklahoma | 12-1 | 1,204 | 3 |
| 8. | Virginia Tech | 10-3 | 1,184 | 10 |
| 9. | Miami (Fla.) | 9-3 | 1,142 | 11 |
| 10. | Florida | 7-5 | 1,080 | NR |
| 11. | Iowa | 10-2 | 1,011 | 8 |
| 12. | Louisville (1) | 11-1 | 892 | 6 |
| 13. | Georgia | 10-2 | 869 | 7 |
| 14. | Florida State | 9-3 | 764 | 15 |
| 15. | Purdue | 7-5 | 711 | NR |
| 16. | Auburn | 13-0 | 650 | 2 |
| 17. | Texas A&M | 7-5 | 576 | NR |
| 18. | Boise State | 11-1 | 375 | 12 |
| 19. | California | 10-2 | 358 | 9 |
| 20. | Arizona State | 9-3 | 313 | 19 |
| 21. | Texas Tech | 8-4 | 256 | 18 |
| 22. | Boston College | 9-3 | 232 | 21 |
| 23. | Pittsburgh | 8-4 | 211 | 25 |
| 24. | Fresno State | 9-3 | 196 | 22 |
| 25. | Virginia | 8-4 | 153 | 23 |
First-place votes in parentheses; * 2004 season final record
