Associated Press
The college football notebook …
NEW YORK ó As Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators prepare to make a run at their third national title in the last four seasons, the defending champions have already made some history.
Florida is No. 1 in The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25 released Saturday, followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Southern California and Alabama. But the Gators are in a class by themselves, the most overwhelming preseason No. 1 in the history of the media poll.
Florida received 58 of the 60 first-place votes, or 96.7 percent. Texas got the other first-place votes.
Ten preseason No. 1s have won the national championship. If the Gators can become the 11th, they will have put together one of the great runs in college football history. Only one program since 1950 can claim three national championships in four years; Nebraska won it all it 1994 and 1995, then earned a split title in 1997.
The rest of the top 10 includes two Big Ten powerhouses (No. 6 Ohio State and No. 9 Penn State) and the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion (No. 7 Virginia Tech).
No. 8 Mississippi is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since 1970, when the Rebels were ranked fifth.
Oklahoma State is tied with Penn State for No. 9, the Cowboys’ highest preseason ranking since No. 16 in 1985, when Thurman Thomas was in the backfield.
Notre Dame is back in the rankings for the first time since the final poll of the 2006 season. The Fighting Irish, coming off a 7-6 season, are No. 23.
TEBOWGAINESVILLE, Fla. ó Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was held out of contact drills this week because of a sore lower back.
TENNESSEEKNOXVILLE, Tenn. ó A stellar performance by Jonathan Crompton in Tennessee’s scrimmage wasn’t enough for him to lock up the starting quarterback job.
The senior was 17 for 31 with 266 yards passing, two touchdowns and an interception in Saturday. Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin and his staff say they aren’t ready to pick a starter. There’s too much to review.
Crompton has been in competition for the starting position with junior Nick Stephens, who finished 9 for 17 with 90 yards and no TD’s.
GEORGIAATHENS, Ga. ó There’s a new leader in Georgia’s search to replace Knowshon Moreno. Coach Mark Richt said that Richard Samuel is “a solid number one” on the Bulldogs’ depth chart at tailback.
NEBRASKAOMAHA, Neb. ó Running back Quentin Castille has been dismissed from the Nebraska football program for violating unspecified team rules. The 6-1, 235-pound Castille ran for 467 yards and six touchdowns last season.