Huskers Earn Preseason Top 10 Rankings

Lincoln -- The Nebraska football team has received top-10 recognition from several preseason publications released during the summer of 2002.

The Huskers, who are coming off an 11-2 season that included a trip to the BCS national title game in the 2002 Rose Bowl, have been ranked as high as No. 9 nationally by Lindy's and Blue Ribbon College Football Forecast. Nebraska was ranked No. 10 by Street & Smith's and the Pigskin Post. The Huskers just missed top-10 recognition with No. 11 rankings from The Sporting News and Athlon Sports.

Four other Big 12 Conference teams received top-10 rankings in at least one of the various preseason polls, including Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Texas A&M.

Nebraska finished both the 2000 and 2001 seasons ranked No. 7 nationally by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 8 nationally by the Associated Press. The Huskers have appeared in the AP top 25 for 342 consecutive weeks.

The Huskers open their 2002 season against Arizona State in the Black Coaches Association Classic at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Aug. 24, with a 6:45 p.m. central time kickoff on ESPN.

Nebraska in Preseason Top 10 Polls
Lindy's
1. Oklahoma
2. Miami
3. Texas
4. Florida State
5. Tennessee
6. Michigan
7. Washington
8. Georgia
9. Nebraska
10. Colorado

Blue Ribbon
1. Tennessee
2. Oklahoma
3. Florida State
4. Texas
5. Miami
6. Washington State
7. Michigan
8. Georgia
9. Nebraska
10. Colorado

Street & Smith's
1. Texas
2. Miami
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida State
5. Tennessee
6. Georgia
7. Colorado
8. Florida
9. Oregon
10. Nebraska

Pigskin Post
1. Miami
2. Florida State
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. Tennessee
6. Florida
7. Colorado
8. Oregon
9. Washington
10. Nebraska