July 30, 2004

Charlottesville, Va. - The Cavalier football team is ranked 19th in the ESPN/USA Today preseason coaches' poll released today. This is the second year in a row Virginia has been ranked in the coaches' preseason poll; last season UVa was ranked 17th in the preseason rankings.

Virginia faces four teams ranked in the preseason top 25-#5 Miami (F), #6 Florida State, #15 Clemson and #20 Maryland. In addition Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are among the unranked teams receiving votes.

The top-three squads from last season's final poll remain in the top three but have shuffled positions. Co-national champion Southern California sits atop the poll, while fellow champion LSU is third. Oklahoma, runner up in last season's national championship game is ranked second.

Virginia head coach Al Groh welcomes back 16 starters from last season's 8-5 squad when training camp opens on Aug. 11. The Cavaliers, who were picked to finish third in the ACC by media attending the ACC Kickoff, open the season at Temple on Sept. 4.

Below is this year's preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.

2004 ESPN/USA Today Preseason Poll

   Team (1st-place votes)      '03 Record     Pts     '03 ranking
1. Southern California (44)     12-1          1,500    2
2. Oklahoma (12)                12-2          1,426    3
3. LSU (5)                      13-1          1,387    1
4. Georgia                      11-3          1,328    6
5. Miami (Fla.)                 11-2          1,246    5
6. Florida State                10-3          1,177    10
7. Michigan                     10-3          1,128    7
8. Texas                        10-3          1,087    11
9. Ohio State                   11-2          1,030    4
10. Florida                     8-5           691      25
11. West Virginia               8-5           684      NR
12. Iowa                        10-3          642      8
13. Kansas State                11-4          639      13
14. Tennessee                   10-3          598      16
15. California                  8-6           566      NR
16. Clemson                     9-4           503      22
17. Missouri                    8-5           502      NR
18. Auburn                      8-5           473      NR
19. Virginia                    8-5           453      NR
20. Maryland                    10-3          443      20
21. Utah                        10-2          438      21
22. Wisconsin                   7-6           248      NR
23. Minnesota                   10-3          187      17
    Purdue                      9-4           187      19
25. Oregon                      8-5           175      NR

Also receiving votes

Nebraska (10-3) 151; Oregon State (8-5) 101; Boise State (13-1) 99;
Washington State (10-3) 86; North Carolina State (8-5) 84; Louisville (9-4) 78;
Virginia Tech (8-5) 62; TCU (11-2) 50; Oklahoma State (8-5) 41; Toledo (8-4) 33;
Memphis (9-4) 27; Georgia Tech (7-6) 25; Notre Dame (5-7) 25; Bowling Green (11-3) 22;
Brigham Young (4-8) 21; Miami (Ohio) (13-1) 21; Fresno State (9-5) 17; Michigan
State (8-5) 16; Pittsburgh (8-5) 14; Marshall (8-4) 13; Alabama (4-9) 12; Arkansas (9-4) 12;
Boston College (8-5) 10; Northern Illinois (10-2) 10; San Diego State (6-6) 8;
Colorado State (7-6) 7; Mississippi (10-3) 7; UCLA (6-7) 7; Texas Tech (8-5) 6;
Hawaii (9-5) 5; Texas A&M (4-8) 5; Southern Mississippi (9-4) 4; Penn State (3-9) 2;  Air Force (7-5) 1; Arizona (2-10) 1; Arizona State (5-7) 1; Connecticut (9-3) 1;
New Mexico (8-5) 1; Washington (6-6) 1.