3rd time not charm for Big East

Posted Aug 22, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Aug 22, 2009 at 01:24 PM

Just like the USA Today/coaches preseason poll, today’s Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll did not include any Big East teams. It’s only the third poll since the league began in 1991 that the Big East was blanked by the AP poll.

However, five Big East teams were in the others receiving votes category: Pittsburgh (28th), Rutgers (30th), West Virginia (32nd), Cincinnati (33rd) and USF (a three-way tie for 45th). The Bulls got three 25th place votes from Desmond Conner, of the Hartford Courant; Ryan Finley, of the Arizona Daily Star; and Sal Interdonato, of the Middletown (N.Y.) Time Herald-Record, if you wish to send them some fine Tampa cigars.

And based on the opening two weeks of the season, the league’s drought in the AP Poll may extend a couple of more weeks. The best shot for a Big East team to jump into the Top 25 is on Labor Day when Cincinnati visits Rutgers. A lopsided victory by either team could propel them into the Top 25. A close victory, however, may not be enough to jump the Scarlet Knights or Bearcats into the Top 25.

The other three Big East teams receiving votes - Pitt (vs. Youngstown State), WVU (vs. Liberty) and USF (vs. Wofford) - have no shot to get into the next Top 25 poll, unless something funky happens, like five-or-six Top 25 teams lose their opener.

If no Big East teams make the next Top 25 poll, released Sept. 8, West Virginia has the only opponent (vs. East Carolina) in Week 2 (Sept. 14) where a convincing victory could lift the Mountaineers into the Top 25. The other four teams have no shot as they fill up on cup cakes - Pittsburgh (at Buffalo), Rutgers (vs. Howard), Cincinnati (vs. SE Missouri State) and USF (at Western Kentucky).

Here is the preseason Top 25 poll followed by how I voted in the AP poll:

AP Top 25
Rk. Team Record Pts Previous
1. Florida (58)  0-0 1498 1
2. Texas (2)  0-0 1424 4
3. Oklahoma 0-0 1370 5
4. USC 0-0 1313 3
5. Alabama 0-0 1156 6
6. Ohio State 0-0 1113 9
7. Virginia Tech 0-0 1054 15
8. Mississippi 0-0 1047 14
9. Oklahoma State 0-0 989 16
9. Penn State 0-0 989 8
11. LSU 0-0 914 NR
12. California 0-0 746 NR
13. Georgia 0-0 714 13
14. Boise State 0-0 659 11
15. Georgia Tech 0-0 593 22
16. Oregon 0-0 587 10
17. TCU 0-0 521 7
18. Florida State 0-0 307 21
19. Utah 0-0 289 2
20. Brigham Young 0-0 267 25
21. North Carolina 0-0 261 NR
22. Iowa 0-0 229 20
23. Notre Dame 0-0 225 NR
24. Nebraska 0-0 207 NR
25. Kansas 0-0 134 NR
Others Receiving Votes
Oregon State 122, Illinois 105, Pittsburgh 103, Michigan State 100, Rutgers 83, Texas Tech 76, West Virginia 57, Cincinnati 44, Clemson 42, Miami 40, East Carolina 30, Tennessee 15, Arizona 13, NC State 10, Boston College 9, Central Michigan 7, Auburn 7, UCLA 7, Northwestern 5, South Florida 3, Southern Miss 3, Vanderbilt 3, Missouri 3, South Carolina 2, Nevada 1, Arkansas 1, Houston 1, Troy 1, Tulsa 1. 

My preseason AP ballot:

1. Florida, 2. Texas, 3. Oklahoma, 4. USC, 5. Ole Miss, 6. Penn State, 7. Alabama, 8. Virginia Tech, 9. Ohio State, 10. Oklahoma State, 11. California, 12. LSU, 13. Iowa, 14. Georgia, 15. Nebraska, 16. TCU, 17. Illinois, 18. BYU, 19. Florida State, 20. Georgia Tech, 21. Pittsburgh, 22. Notre Dame, 23. Rutgers, 24. Boise State, 25. UCLA