Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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It was during Bronco Mendenhall's weekly press conference that this week's AP poll was released, placing BYU 9th, up from 20th last week.
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Bronco met the media at Legends Grille this morning, and you can hear all of his podium comments, along with the podium remarks of Max Hall by clicking their respective audio links in the "Cougar Cuts" box to the right.
You can also hear group interviews with Dennis Pitta, Jan Jorgensen and Brandon Bradley.
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Back to the AP survey, in which Oklahoma dropped ten spots to 13th, while Boise State is up to 12th. TCU is 16th and Utah is 17th. Florida State will almost certainly be unranked when BYU plays the Seminoles, as they dropped from 18th all the way to 32nd after their loss to now-20th Miami.
On that note, go figure: If the quarterback makes a better throw or the receiver hangs onto the ball on the final play of the game, FSU is probably 15th today. Instead, the throw is a little short, the receiver drops the ball, and the 'Noles are 32nd?
Oh, well, it's early, and the season is long.
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UPDATE:
BYU is 12th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, up 12 spots from 24th. Boise State is ahead of BYU in the poll that counts toward the BCS, at 11th. Oklahoma is 14th, TCU is 16th, and Utah is 17th. FSU drops from 19th to 29th, while Miami is 22nd.
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BYU is a Top Ten team for a second straight season. The Cougars peaked at 7th (Coaches') and 8th (AP) heading into their game at Utah State in 2008. BYU would not surpass those plateaus, as the Cougars dropped after a win over the Aggies, then held steady after a win over New Mexico. The ensuing loss at TCU dropped the Cougs out of the top ten.
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Four Mountain West Conference teams (CSU) pick up votes in this week's Coaches' poll, while five teams (CSU and Air Force) receive votes in the AP poll.
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Other notable notes from today's podium proceedings:
Bronco has a clear familiarity with Tulane head coach Bob Toledo, OC Dan Dodd and DC Steve Stanard, all of whom have coached in the MWC. Dodd worked alongside Mendenhall for a number of years on the staff at New Mexico.
Bronco speaks of memorably chest-bumping OL Terrence Brown, who made one of the under-reported but impressive plays from Saturday, when he moved the pile at the end of one particular Brian Kariya run--acting as the bowling ball for a cluster of red and blue pins.
Bronco says he sent CSU head coach Steve Fairchild a congratulatory note after the Rams' road win over Colorado.
Bronco anticipates Toledo to bring some Green Wave "gadgetry" on offense, and a CSU-style scheme on defense. Stanard was the DC in Fort Collins from 2003 through 2007. Prior to that, he was at New Mexico State--an annual foe for New Mexico.
The coach says there is social value and "life lessons" in playing at the Superdome--a stadium that housed victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
Max Hall says he spoke with Steve Young on the phone before the game with Oklahoma.
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ESPN.com's first Power Rankings of the season are out, and BYU pulls in at #8. Of the 15 voters, anchor Rece Davis has BYU highest at 5th, while writer Ivan Maisel gives BYU the lowest ranking, at 16th. Maisel has TCU 11th, and Utah unranked. In fact, Utah is unranked by 6 of the 15 voters (the Utes are 22nd overall; TCU is 18th; Boise State is 12th).
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