Despite Loss, Cal Still No. 1 in USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll
April 17, 2012
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Despite dropping just its second game of the year to No. 13 Arizona, California remained in the top spot in the latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll that was released by the Association on Tuesday.
The Golden Bears (39-2) received 24 of 30 first-place votes this week and have now topped the poll for four consecutive weeks. No. 2 Alabama (40-2) picked up the remaining six first-place votes and finished in second, while SEC rival Florida (38-5) held tight at third. Arizona State (36-5) and Texas (35-5) also stayed put in fourth and fifth despite losses to then 25th-ranked Oregon State (27-14) and unranked Texas Tech (34-10), respectively.
Texas Tech was the lone new addition to the rankings this week at 24th, after beating the Longhorns and taking two-out-of-three from then ninth-ranked Missouri (32-8). The Red Raiders presence in the latest rankings forced previous No. 25 Oregon State out after a two-week stay in the poll.
The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 30 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Records as of April 15, 2012 are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.
|
Rank |
Team |
Record |
Totals |
Last Poll |
|
1 |
California (24) |
39-2 |
744 |
1 |
|
2 |
Alabama (6) |
40-2 |
725 |
2 |
|
3 |
Florida |
38-5 |
675 |
3 |
|
4 |
Arizona St. |
36-5 |
662 |
4 |
|
5 |
Texas |
35-5 |
630 |
5 |
|
6 |
Oklahoma |
35-6 |
609 |
6 |
|
7 |
La.-Lafayette |
38-2 |
548 |
8 |
|
8 |
Tennessee |
35-9 |
539 |
10 |
|
9 |
Washington |
35-9 |
488 |
7 |
|
10 |
Missouri |
32-8 |
459 |
9 |
|
11 |
Louisville |
38-2 |
443 |
12 |
|
12 |
Georgia |
34-10 |
415 |
11 |
|
13 |
Arizona |
29-12 |
394 |
13 |
|
14 |
Hawai‘i |
35-4 |
385 |
14 |
|
15 |
UCLA |
29-12 |
330 |
16 |
|
16 |
Stanford |
32-12 |
315 |
15 |
|
17 |
USF |
40-6 |
263 |
18 |
|
18 |
Oregon |
29-9 |
243 |
19 |
|
19 |
Texas A&M |
29-13 |
234 |
17 |
|
20 |
Michigan |
30-11 |
176 |
20 |
|
21 |
North Carolina |
32-10 |
126 |
24 |
|
22 |
Florida St. |
37-10 |
116 |
21 |
|
23 |
LSU |
29-13 |
62 |
22 |
|
24 |
Texas Tech |
34-10 |
48 |
NR |
|
25 |
Baylor |
26-14 |
42 |
23 |
Dropped Out: No. 25 Oregon St.
Others Receiving Votes: Georgia Tech 24, Tulsa 18, Oregon St. 13, Syracuse 10, Kentucky 5, Northern Iowa 5, two others received votes, but only appeared on one ballot.
