Broncos No. 7 in USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll
8/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho - For the second straight season, Boise State's football team begins the season ranked among the top 10 in the country with a No. 7 selection in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll released this morning (Aug. 4).
Oklahoma begins the 2011 season in the No. 1 spot followed by Alabama, Oregon, LSU, Florida State, Stanford and Boise State.
The Broncos started last season at No. 5 in the coaches' poll, the highest preseason ranking in school history, before ending the season at No. 7 with a 12-1 overall record and a victory in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas.
This also marks the third straight year Boise State has appeared in the top-25 of the coaches' preseason poll. In 2009, the Broncos were picked No. 16 in the preseason poll.
Oklahoma received 42 first place votes and 1,454 points. The remaining first place votes went to Alabama with 13, while Oregon and LSU each received two first place votes.
Boise State received 1,065 points, just 36 points behind No. 6 Stanford.
The Broncos opening opponent is also ranked in the top-25. Georgia begins the 2011 season ranked No. 22. Boise State will face the Bulldogs on Sept. 3 (Saturday) at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta in the Chick fil'A Kickoff Game. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. (ET) and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
A second opponent on Boise State's 2011 schedule is also listed. TCU is ranked No. 15 and will travel to Bronco Stadium for a Mountain West Conference game on Nov. 11 (Saturday).
Following is the complete 2011 USA Today Coaches top-25 preseason poll:
Rank Team (First-Place Votes) 2010 Record Points Final 2010 Ranking
1. Oklahoma (42) 12-2 1,454 6
2. Alabama (13) 13-3 1,414 11
3. Oregon (2) 12-1 1,309 3
4. LSU (2) 11-2 1,296 8t
5. Florida State 10-4 1,116 16
6. Stanford 12-1 1,101 4
7. Boise State 12-1 1,065 7
8. Oklahoma State 11-2 933 10
9. Texas A&M 9-4 885 21
10. Wisconsin 11-2 829 8t
11. Nebraska 10-4 814 19
12. South Carolina 9-5 779 22
13. Virginia Tech 11-3 767 15
14. Arkansas 10-3 750 12
15. TCU 13-0 687 2
16. Ohio State 12-1 631 5
17. Michigan State 11-2 536 14
18. Notre Dame 8-5 440 NR
19. Auburn 14-0 319 1
20. Mississippi State 9-4 301 17
21. Missouri 10-3 266 18
22. Georgia 6-7 260 NR
23. Florida 8-5 240 NR
24. Texas 5-7 162 NR
24. Penn State 7-6 161 NR
Others receiving votes: Arizona 158; West Virginia 149; Utah 50; Miami (Fla.) 49; Iowa 41; Northwestern 30; Arizona 28; Central Florida 22; Michigan 19; Air Force 15; North Carolina 14; Houston 13; South Florida 9; Hawai'i 8; Clemson 7; Tennessee 7; Southern Miss 6; BYU 5; North Carolina State 4; Northern Illinois 4; Oregon State 4; Pittsburgh 3; Washington 3; Georgia Tech 1; Nevada 1
