LSU edges Alabama, USC as coaches' pick

Posted: August 03, 2012

DESPITE ITS lopsided loss to Alabama in last January's BCS national title game, LSU will open the 2012 season ranked No. 1 in at least one poll.

LSU sits atop the USA Today Top 25 coaches poll released on Thursday, with Alabama second and Southern California third.

LSU received 18 first-place votes, slightly fewer that the 20 first-place votes for the Crimson Tide and 19 first-place votes for the Trojans. Still, the Tigers narrowly had the most overall points in the poll, which awards 25 points for a No. 1 vote down to one point for 25th.

Oklahoma and Oregon round out the top five, followed by Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, South Carolina and Arkansas.

LSU and Alabama, rivals in the Southeastern Conference, meet Nov. 3 in Baton Rouge.

In other college news:

* Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says running back Montee Ball won't be ready for camp after suffering a concussion during a street fight. Police said five men knocked Ball down as he was walking near campus early Wednesday. The men kicked him in the head and chest before fleeing.

* Nearly a year after promising to impose harsher sanctions on the most egregious rule-breakers, NCAA leaders endorsed a proposal that would make schools subject to the same crippling penalties just handed to Penn State. The measure includes postseason bans of up to 4 years, fines that could stretch into the millions and suspensions for head coaches. A final vote will not occur before the board of directors' October meeting.

* Arkansas State Police fired Cpl. Royce Denney, a trooper accused of illegally confiscating a gun and dumping marijuana found during a traffic stop involving former Auburn running back Michael Dyer, a former MVP of the national championship game who is now without a team. Dyer had transferred to Arkansas State, but was dismissed after revelations about the traffic stop.

* Ohio State running back Bri'onte Dunn pleaded innocent to a disorderly conduct charge after a weekend arrest resulted in police finding marijuana in the car he was driving. The police report says he nearly hit a patrol car.

* Georgia offensive tackle Kolton Houston remains ineligible because he continues to test positive for an anabolic steroid he was given for shoulder surgery more than 2 years ago. If eligible, Houston would have been Georgia's No. 1 right tackle for Thursday's opening day of practice. Coach Mark Richt said Georgia's medical staff hopes the banned substance, 19-norandrosterone, will eventually leave Houston's system.

* Michigan defensive end Frank Clark has waived his preliminary hearing on a felony charge that he took a laptop from a campus dorm room. Clark waived the hearing and his next court date is Sept. 11 in Ann Arbor. Michigan coach Brady Hoke suspended Clark last week and his status with the team hasn't changed.

Sport Stops * 

Jim Furyk had seven birdies and a 30-foot eagle putt en route to a 7-under 63 and a two-shot lead after the first round of the PGA Tour's Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. Tiger Woods shot a 70.

* Former NBA guard and Kentucky assistant coach Rod Strickland was arrested near the Kentucky campus and charged with driving on a DUI suspended license. Strickland, 46, was also charged with not having registered license plates and failure to signal.

Jesus Lupian, a 19-year-old Robert Morris University soccer player, died after collapsing during practice in Chicago. An autopsy was planned.

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