Florida opens 'pretty high', FSU lowest in preseason since 1985

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Coach Urban Meyer has changed a lot at Florida apparently even the Gators&#39; national perception.<br> <br> Florida, which lost a combined 15 games the last three years and finished out of the final Associated Press poll to end the 2004 season, was ranked No. 10 in the AP preseason poll released Saturday.<br> <br> Miami was No. 9, and Florida State was No. 14 the Seminoles&#39; lowest preseason ranking in 20 years.<br> <br> The rankings for the Hurricanes and Seminoles were about where they finished last season. Miami was 11th, and Florida State was 15th.<br> <br> But the Gators made a huge leap, probably because of Meyer.<br> <br> The 41-year-old coach turned around programs at Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah (2003-04), and many expect him to do the same in Gainesville.<br> <br> Nonetheless, Meyer said the preseason ranking was a little lofty for a team with a new coaching staff and a completely new offense.<br> <br> ``You have a responsibility when you&#39;re ranked high and that is pretty high for a team in transition,&#39;&#39; Meyer said. ``Would I agree with that? I wouldn&#39;t right now. We&#39;ve still got so much work to do.<br> <br> ``We&#39;re not the No. 10 team in the country. I&#39;ll tell (the players) that a couple thousand times between now and the season opener.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Meyer downplayed the notion that his presence had something to do with Florida&#39;s preseason ranking.<br> <br> ``It says we have a lot of experience,&#39;&#39; he said. ``We have a returning quarterback and some returning players on defense. It doesn&#39;t say anything about the coaches.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Miami coach Larry Coker also disagreed with his team&#39;s placement, especially since he had just watched his offense struggle through a scrimmage Saturday morning.<br> <br> ``They didn&#39;t see us today,&#39;&#39; Coker said. ``I don&#39;t think we would have been (ranked that high) today. We might have been in the top 25.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Seminoles haven&#39;t been ranked this low since 1985, when they were 19th in the AP preseason poll. Florida State was preseason No. 13 in 2003, which followed the third five-loss campaign since coach Bobby Bowden took over in 1976.<br> <br> ``I like the polls ... even though we are not where we&#39;d like to be,&#39;&#39; Bowden said. ``We&#39;d like to be at the top. We&#39;ve got to do something about that you know.<br> <br> ``If you&#39;re in the top 15, you definitely got a shot. Maybe even in the top 20. Ohio State, the year they won the national championship (2002) ... We all know it can happen.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Associated Press Writer Brent Kallestad in Tallahassee contributed to this report.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)