Sunday, August 16, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- John Cooper was in his fourth year coaching Tulsa the last time Ohio State was No. 1.
That was in 1980. Now Ohio State holds the top ranking in The Associated Press preseason poll released Sunday.
"If it's been 18 years, it's been too long," said Cooper, the Buckeyes' coach.
His team returns 18 starters from last year's 10-3 squad. They include quarterback Joe Germaine, wide receivers David Boston and Dee Miller, offensive guard Rob Murphy, defensive backs Damon Moore and Antoine Winfield, and Lombardi and Butkus award-winning linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer.
"For a long time, people have complained around here that Ohio State doesn't get the national attention it deserves," linebacker Jerry Rudzinski said.
"Finally we get to be No. 1 and now people are complaining that it'll make us overconfident. You think everybody would be silenced."
The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll in 1980, but then dropped to second despite a 31-21 win over Syracuse. Alabama took over the top spot, but Georgia ended up national champion.
Since the AP began preseason rankings in 1950, no team has held the top spot from start to finish. Eight teams that were No. 1 in the preseason ended up No. 1 after the bowls -- the last was Florida State in 1993.
The 1980 Ohio State team, coached by Earle Bruce, went on to a 9-3 record and a tie for second in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes were voted No. 1 team in last week's ESPN - USA Today coaches' rankings.
