BATON ROUGE ? Chalk up another first for LSU’s Les Miles as the second-year head coach guided the Tigers to another top-five finish in the final national polls, which were released on Tuesday.
LSU capped the year with an 11-2 overall mark and ranked No. 3 in the nation in both the USA Today Coaches poll and the Associated Press poll. Coupled with last year’s No. 5 final ranking, it marks the first time since the 1958-59 seasons that the Tigers have been ranked in the top five in the final polls in back-to-back years.
The Tigers capped their second year under Miles with a 41-14 victory over No. 11 Notre Dame in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The victory was the seventh straight for the Tigers and sent LSU to its seventh win in 11 tries against top 25 under Miles.
Miles also became the first LSU coach to produce top 10 rankings for the Tigers in his first two years at the school.
In two years with the Tigers, Miles has recorded a 22-4 overall mark making him the winningest coach in his first two seasons with the school. Miles’22 wins also equals that of Florida’s Urban Meyer for the most victories in the Southeastern Conference over the past two years.
Miles is also the only coach in LSU history to lead the Tigers to consecutive back-to-back 10-win seasons.
Year
AP
COACHES
UPI
1936
2
—
—
1937
8
—
—
1945
15
—
—
1946
8
—
—
1949
9
—
—
1958
1
—
1
1959
3
—
3
1961
4
—
3
1962
7
—
8
1964
7
—
7
1965
8
—
14
1968
19
—
—
1969
10
—
7
1970
7
—
6
1971
11
—
10
1972
11
—
10
1973
13
—
14
1977
15
—
—
1982
11
11
11
1984
15
13
16
1985
20
21
20
1986
10
10
11
1987
5
6
5
1988
19
22
—
1995
—
25
25
1996
12
13
—
1997
13
13
—
2000
22
—
—
2001
7
8
—
2003
2
1
—
2004
16
16
—
2005
6
5
—
2006
3
3
—
With its 41-14 win over Ohio State, Florida finished the year ranked No. 1 in the nation in both final polls, followed by the Buckeyes at No. 2. LSU was No. 3 followed by Southern Cal at No. 4. Boise State rounded out the top five in the AP poll, while Wisconsin was No. 5 in the coaches poll.
Week 17 AP Top 25
1. Florida (64) 13-1 1,624
2. Ohio State 12-1 1,492
3. LSU 11-2 1,452
4. USC 11-2 1,389
5. Boise State (1) 13-0 1,383
6. Louisville 12-1 1,338
7. Wisconsin 12-1 1,288
8. Michigan 11-2 1,145
9. Auburn 11-2 1,112
10. West Virginia 11-2 1,035
11. Oklahoma 11-3 933
12. Rutgers 11-2 884
13. Texas 10-3 772
14. California 10-3 697
15. Arkansas 10-4 677
16. Brigham Young 11-2 673
17. Notre Dame 10-3 553
18. Wake Forest 11-3 551
19. Virginia Tech 10-3 407
20. Boston College 10-3 353
21. Oregon State 10-4 291
22. TCU 11-2 279
23. Georgia 9-4 204
24. Penn State 9-4 183
25. Tennessee 9-4 181
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Hawaii 110, Nebraska 58, Maryland 24, South Florida 17, Texas A&M 10, Georgia Tech 8, Kentucky 1, San Jose State 1.
DROPPED FROM RANKINGS
Texas A&M 21, Nebraska 22.
Week 17 USA Today Poll
1. Florida (63) 13-1 1,575
2. Ohio State 12-1 1,435
3. LSU 11-2 1,418
4. USC 11-2 1,345
5. Wisconsin 12-1 1,328
6. Boise State 13-0 1,275
7. Louisville 12-1 1,270
8. Auburn 11-2 1,119
9. Michigan 11-2 1,092
10. West Virginia 11-2 1,012
11. Oklahoma 11-3 849
12. Rutgers 11-2 841
13. Texas 10-3 791
14. California 10-3 716
15. Brigham Young 11-2 615
16. Arkansas 10-4 592
17. Wake Forest 11-3 535
18. Virginia Tech 10-3 494
19. Notre Dame 10-3 485
20. Boston College 10-3 388
21. TCU 11-2 339
22. Oregon State 10-4 206
23. Tennessee 9-4 202
24. Hawaii 11-3 152
25. Penn State 9-4 142
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Georgia 133, Nebraska 43, Texas A&M 29, Georgia Tech 19, South Carolina 17, Houston 8, Maryland 7, Texas Tech 2, Kentucky 1.
DROPPED FROM RANKINGS
Texas A&M 21, Nebraska 22, Georgia Tech 25.