Big East News Articles
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Preseason BIG EAST favorite Pittsburgh was ranked No. 15 and West Virginia was selected No. 24 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll released Friday morning.
The Panthers, who earned 22 of a possible 24 first-place votes in the BIG EAST preseason media poll announced Tuesday, were slotted between No. 14 Penn State and No. 16 LSU in the national preseason poll. West Virginia, which tied for second in the BIG EAST preseason poll, was tied with Utah in the USA Today ranking.
Pittsburgh was ranked No. 15 and West Virginia was No. 21 in the final USA Today polls from last season.
Pittsburgh and head coach Dave Wannstedt return 12 starters from last year’s team that went 10-3 overall and was 5-2 in BIG EAST play, dropping the two conference games by a combined four points. The returning players include the 2009 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year in tailback Dion Lewis and one of last year’s BIG EAST Defensive Players of the Year in defensive end Greg Romeus.
West Virginia (9-4, 5-2 BIG EAST) has finished no lower than second in the BIG EAST standings in every year since 2002. Bill Stewart’s squad has 19 returning starters, including a Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Noel Devine, and expects to showcase one of the leading defenses in the BIG EAST.
Cincinnati, which was ranked No. 9 in the final 2009 coaches’ poll, just missed the 2010 preseason top 25. Connecticut and USF also received votes in the preseason poll.
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2010 BIG EAST FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
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Rank
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Team (First-Place Votes)
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Record
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Points
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1.
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Alabama (55)
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14-0
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1,469
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2.
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Ohio State (4)
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11-2
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1,392
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3.
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Florida
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13-1
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1,245
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4.
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Texas
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13-1
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1,240
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5.
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Boise State
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14-0
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1,215
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6.
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Virginia Tech
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10-3
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1,052
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7.
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Texas Christian
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12-1
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1,051
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8.
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Oklahoma
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8-5
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1,035
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9.
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Nebraska
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10-4
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1,001
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10.
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Iowa
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11-2
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952
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11.
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Oregon
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10-3
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940
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12.
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Wisconsin
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10-3
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778
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13.
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Miami (Fla.)
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9-4
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728
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14.
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Penn State
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11-2
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508
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15.
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Pittsburgh
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10-3
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492
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16.
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Louisiana State
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9-4
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476
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17.
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Georgia Tech
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11-3
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455
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18.
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North Carolina
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8-5
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445
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19.
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Arkansas
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8-5
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438
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20.
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Florida State
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7-6
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374
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21.
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Georgia
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8-5
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312
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22.
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Oregon State
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8-5
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263
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23.
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Auburn
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8-5
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260
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24.
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West Virginia
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9-4
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169
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Utah
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10-3
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169
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Receiving votes: Cincinnati 135, Houston 76, Brigham Young 66, Arizona 65, Mississippi 48, Clemson 44, Stanford 41, Connecticut 40, Notre Dame 38, South Carolina 38, Washington 26, Missouri 23, Navy 12, Oklahoma State 11, Boston College 10, Michigan State 10, Arizona State 6, California 6, Texas Tech 5, USF 4, Texas A&M 3, Northwestern 2, Temple 2, Central Michigan 1, Mississippi State 1, Nevada 1, Northern Illinois 1, Southern Methodist 1.
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