
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 22, 1993                   TAG: 9308220111
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: D1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FSU VOTED NO. 1 TEAM IN FOOTBALL

For the third time in six years, Florida State is the preseason pick to win college football's national championship.

The Seminoles, who have not won the national title despite six consecutive finishes in the top four, are the clear-cut No. 1 pick in The Associated Press preseason poll.

Florida State, which also started No. 1 in 1988 and 1991, received 42 of 62 first-place votes and 1,522 of a possible 1,550 points in the nationwide poll of sports writers and broadcasters. The Seminoles also are No. 1 in the coaches' poll compiled by USA Today and CNN.

"Why me?" coach Bobby Bowden said. "It puts more pressure on you when you're No. 1. It means everybody's out to get you."

The reigning national champion, Alabama, is second in the AP poll, with 14 first-place votes and 1,472 points. Michigan is third, with three first-place votes and 1,413 points. Texas A&M is fourth with 1,261 points.

Miami, which saw its bid for a fifth national title halted by Alabama in the 1993 Sugar Bowl, is No. 5. Completing the Top 10 are Syracuse, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Florida and Tennessee.

Virginia visits Florida State on Oct. 16. Virginia Tech travels to Miami on Sept. 18 and plays Syracuse at Lane Stadium on Nov. 13.

Although Florida State has a powerful offense featuring versatile quarterback Charlie Ward, the Seminoles won't have an easy path to the national title. Their schedule includes three Top 10 teams (Miami, Notre Dame and Florida) and three other ranked teams (No. 20 North Carolina, No. 23 Clemson and No. 25 North Carolina State).

Florida State opens its season Saturday against Kansas in the Kickoff Classic. The Jayhawks received the most votes of any team not in the Top 25.

"We may be No. 1, but we don't have a national championship schedule," Bowden said. "When you have to play six nationally ranked teams, you'd better have a great team or you're in big trouble."

Still, Bowden's team is excited about its No. 1 status.

"All we've got to do is go 13-0 and we'll stay No. 1," defensive lineman Toddrick McIntosh said. "It's no surprise, no pressure."

It's the fifth time in the past six years that a Florida team has topped the preseason poll. Miami did it in 1990 and 1992. Michigan was No. 1 in 1989.

The last preseason No. 1 to win the national championship was Oklahoma in 1985.

by CNB