Seminoles Welcome Top Billing Fsu Ranked First, Nebraska Second In Ap Preseason College Football Poll

If preseason polls determined the national championship, Florida State would have a college football dynasty.

For the fourth time in eight years, the Seminoles will start the season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll. They also were the preseason pick in 1988, 1991 and 1993, when they won their only national title.

Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said he doesn’t mind the pressure that comes with the No. 1 ranking.

“We all want to be the best, so I’d rather be No. 1 than No. 3,” he said.

Florida State, which has finished in the top four for eight straight seasons, beat out defending national champion Nebraska for the top spot in the preseason poll. The Seminoles received 31 first-place votes and 1,498 points, while the second-place Cornhuskers got 15 firsts and 1,439 points.

“When you’re No. 1, everybody is gunning for you,” said Bowden, who has 14 starters back from last year’s 10-1-1 team.

“It reminds me of a cartoon someone sent me the last time we were No. 1. It showed two deer in the woods, and one has a bull’s eye on his chest. And the one deer says to the other, ‘Too bad about that birthmark.’ Well, that’s what it’s like when you’re No. 1. It’s like you have a bull’s eye on your chest.”

It is the sixth straight season and seventh time in eight years that a school from Florida has been No. 1 in the preseason poll. Miami was the top team in 1990 and 1992, Florida in 1994.

Seminoles quarterback Danny Kanell was thrilled with the No. 1 ranking.

“I think it will be a great motivating factor,” he said. “I remember how hard we worked during the preseason of 1993 to win the national championship and how easy it was to stay focused. When you’ve got that immediate goal right in front of you, it makes you work that much harder.

“The added pressure makes things more difficult, but I think it is a problem a lot of teams would like to have.”

Texas A&M is third, its highest preseason ranking since starting No. 2 in 1957. The Aggies, along with Auburn and Washington, are coming off NCAA probation this year.

Penn State, which finished second last season despite a perfect record, will open the 1995 season at No. 4. Rounding out the Top 10 are Florida, Auburn, Southern Cal, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Alabama, which was put on NCAA probation earlier this month.

Probation teams are eligible in the AP poll, comprised of 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the country.

Texas A&M and Florida each received six first-place votes. Auburn received two firsts, while Penn State and Tennessee got one apiece.

Miami is 11th, the first time since 1985 that the Hurricanes haven’t started in the Top 10. Virginia Tech and Washington tied for the final spot.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PRESEASON TOP 25 First-place votes in parentheses, 1994 record and total points: Rec. Pts 1. Florida State (31) 10-1-1 1,498 2. Nebraska (15) 13-0-0 1,439 3. Texas A&M (6) 10-0-1 1,366 4. Penn State (1) 12-0-0 1,308 5. Florida (6) 10-2-1 1,299 6. Auburn (2) 9-1-1 1,238 7. Southern Cal 8-3-1 1,151 8. Tennessee (1) 8-4-0 1,024 9. Notre Dame 6-5-1 1,011 10. Alabama 12-1-0 974 11. Miami 10-2-0 893 12. Ohio State 9-4-0 863 13. Colorado 11-1-0 689 14. Michigan 8-4-0 642 15. Oklahoma 6-6-0 527 16. UCLA 5-6-0 517 17. Virginia 9-3-0 516 18. Texas 8-4-0 368 19. Arizona 8-4-0 337 20. North Carolina 8-4-0 290 21. Wisconsin 7-4-1 270 22. Boston College 7-4-1 263 23. West Virginia 7-6-0 215 24. Virginia Tech 8-4-0 196 tie. Washington 7-4-0 196 Other receiving votes: Illinois 166, Oregon 166, N. Carolina St. 141, Kansas St. 119, South Carolina 116, Brigham Young 94, Colorado St. 79, Mississippi St. 48, California 32, Texas Tech 24, Duke 10, Fresno St. 10, Syracuse 9, Baylor 8, Bowling Green 8, Clemson 8, Louisville 8, LSU 6, Arkansas 3, Georgia 2, Iowa 1, Nevada 1, Southern Miss. 1.

Bergum’s picks How Steve Bergum of The Spokesman-Review voted in the Associated Press preseason poll: 1.Nebraska. 2.Florida State. 3,Penn State. 4.Texas A&M. 5.So. California. 6.Notre Dame. 7.Florida. 8.Miami. 9.Tennessee. 10.Auburn. 11.UCLA. 12.Colorado. 13.Oklahoma. 14.Alabama. 15.Ohio State. 16.Virginia. 17.Washington. 18.Michigan. 19.Arizona. 20.Texas. 21.Kansas State. 22.North Carolina. 23.Illinois. 24.Oregon. 25.Brigham Young.