Miami enters AP rankings

Nov 16, 2008 - 8:30 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Riding a five-game winning streak, Miami entered the latest Associated Press college football poll, which was released Sunday.

The Hurricanes (7-3), who returned to the AP poll for the first time since September 2006, were ranked 23rd by a national panel of writers.

Undefeated Alabama (11-0) remained atop the rankings and received 42 of 65 first-place votes.

Miami held on for a hard-fought 16-14 victory over Virginia Tech on Thursday night to claim first place in the ACC's Coastal Division.

The Hurricanes had not been ranked in the AP poll since September 16, 2006 - when they lost to Louisville and fell from the rankings the following day.

Alabama, one of five remaining unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, sits comfortably ahead of second-ranked Texas Tech (10-0), which received 21 first-place votes.

Florida (9-1) stayed at No. 3 and claimed the other two first-place votes.

Big 12 Conference rivals Texas (10-1) and Oklahoma (9-1) remained fourth and fifth, respectively.

Southern California (9-1) is sixth, followed by Penn State (10-1), Utah (11-0), Boise State (10-0) and Ohio State (9-2).

Oklahoma State (9-2) remained at No. 11 while Missouri (9-2), Georgia (9-2), Ball State (10-0) and TCU (9-2) rounded out the top 15.

Brigham Young (10-1) is 16th, followed by Michigan State (9-2), Louisiana State (7-3), Cincinnati (8-2), Pittsburgh (7-2) and Oregon State (7-3).

Maryland (7-3), Miami and Oregon (8-3) all entered the rankings at Nos. 22, 23 and 24, respectively. North Carolina (7-3) fell eight spots to No. 25.