Spiders appreciate AP poll recognition

The University of Richmond is not on college football's top shelf in terms of classification level, but the unbeaten Spiders received recognition in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle put the 8-0 Spiders of the Football Championship Subdivision at No. 25 on his ballot, assuring them a spot in the "others receiving votes" category. Florida is No. 1, and UR is among 14 "others receiving votes." Ratto ranked Richmond behind Oklahoma, his No. 24.

Ratto, a poll voter for several years and a sports journalist for three decades, said UR's 17-game winning streak and its season-opening victory over Duke (5-3) influenced his decision to include the Spiders.

Also, "I got tired of pulling my eyes out late every Saturday night about the last five spots of the poll," Ratto said. "After I put Virginia Tech and Oklahoma in despite their three losses -- which was making my teeth grind -- I realized I was going to have to break ground somewhere.

"I could no longer see a reason to keep Richmond out because as time went on, the win over Duke looked better and better."

UR coach Mike London called the recognition "an honor," and said he was happy that it brought attention to the school and the Colonial Athletic Association. The Spiders, defending FCS champions, have been ranked No. 1 in the FCS since early September.

"It's nice to see our name, but there are a lot of great FCS teams this season," said Spiders receiver Kevin Grayson. "Hopefully this helps get the word out about the teams at our level and that we can play and beat I-A teams."

Teams from the FCS were ineligible for the poll until 2007. Early that season, the FCS' Appalachian State won 34-32 at fifth-ranked Michigan. Several voters wanted to vote for Appalachian State.

Modified voting guidelines from the AP stated "We have decided there should be no rule against ranking a lower-division school, as long as that team competed against a I-A opponent. The poll was always intended to measure teams that compete against each other, regardless of division, based solely on on-field performance."

Appalachian State received votes, Ratto's included, in three AP polls during 2007. Northern Iowa, another FCS member, also received votes that year. No FCS team received votes last season. The poll involves 65 voters from various media outlets.

The Spiders were among four CAA teams in September that upended members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A). William and Mary beat Virginia 26-14. Villanova beat Temple 27-24. New Hampshire beat Ball State 23-16. The Sagarin Ratings, the best known ranking system of all 245 Division I teams, ranks Villanova at No. 49, Richmond at No. 53, and William and Mary at No. 60, ahead of about half of the FBS teams.

The 73-year-old AP poll ranked UR once. After starting the 1973 season 6-0, the Spiders were No. 20. They fell at Northeast Louisiana 14-8 in their next game. Division I football in 1978 split into I-A and I-AA, based on the number of football scholarships offered and other factors. UR reclassified to I-AA in 1981. FBS schools can offer 85 scholarships. FCS schools can offer 63.