Aug. 3, 2007

AUBURN - The Auburn football team is ranked 14th in the USA Today Coaches' Preseason Poll, which was announced Friday by the newspaper.

The Tigers received 595 overall points in the poll and are sandwiched between two other Southeastern Conference teams, falling just nine points behind No. 13 Georgia and 12 points ahead of No. 15 Tennessee.

Auburn is one of six teams from the SEC to earn a national ranking in the preseason poll. The others include No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Florida and No. 20 Arkansas. Southern California was the overwhelming selection as the No. 1 team, earning 45 of a possible 60 first-place votes.

The Tigers finished the 2006 season ranked eighth in the USA Today Coaches' Poll after ending the year with an 11-2 overall record and a victory over Nebraska in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.

The Tigers, who opened preseason practice Thursday, resume their practice schedule Friday with split workouts at 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Auburn will hold its Fan Day Presented by Golden Flake on Aug. 11 from 3-5 p.m. in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Colisum. Admission is free.

Auburn opens the 2007 season Sept. 1 hosting Kansas State, which received votes in the USA Today Coaches' Preseason Poll. The game at Jordan-Hare Stadium begins at 6:45 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN.