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PROVO, Utah (August 17, 2008) -- Earlier this month, the Cougars were selected as the No. 17 team in the nation, according to the USA Today Coaches Poll. On Saturday, sports journalists from around the country took a crack at creating a preseason top-25 list, and came up with a No. 16 preseason ranking for the Cougars in the Associated Press Top-25. In addition, the 2008 College Football Preview edition of Sports Illustrated picked BYU at No. 17.
Like the USA Today Coaches Poll, the AP preseason poll marks the first time since 1997 the Cougars have been ranked in the preseason rankings, and it is the highest ranking since being picked 16th in the 1990 preseason poll. That season BYU finished 10-3 on the year with a No. 22 ranking in the final AP Top-25.
While widely respected, neither the Associated Press Top-25 nor the Sports Illustrated top-20 figure in to the calculations that determine the Bowl Championship Standings.
The Cougars kickoff the 2008 season in just under two weeks, playing host to FCS powerhouse Northern Iowa onSaturday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast on The Mtn.
The Mtn. is available throughout the Mountain West on various cable services, and beginning Aug. 27 will be available nationally on DirecTV, channel 616.
