It's now official: the Maryland Terrapins were a top 25 school in Ralph Friedgen's final year as the team's football coach. The final AP Top 25 rankings have come out after Monday night's BCS Championship Game, and the Terps are ranked 23rd. They are one of four teams not ranked the previous week to jump into the final poll, joining Central Florida (21st), Tulsa (24th) and North Carolina State (25th).
The Terps finished the season with a 9-4 record, including a 51-20 win over East Carolina in the Military Bowl. They are one of four ACC teams in the final Top 25 poll, joining Virginia Tech (16), Florida State (17) and N.C. State (25).
Here are the complete rankings.
- Auburn (56 first-place votes)
- TCU (3 votes)
- Oregon
- Stanord
- Ohio State
- Oklahoma
- Wisconsin
- LSU
- Boise State
- Alabama
- Nevada
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma State
- Michigan State
- Mississippi State
- Virginia Tech
- Florida State
- Missouri
- Texas A&M
- Nebraska
- UCF
- South Carolina
- Maryland
- Tulsa
- North Carolina State
Connecticut, coached by new Maryland coach Randy Edsall, was not in the top 25 and received just eight votes.