Free Republic

OMAHA, Neb. -- His body crumpled to the ground, as his team's hope for a national championship seemed to crumple with him. Florida pitcher Alan Horne, clutching his left thigh in the third inning of Thursday's elimination game against Arizona State, was done. The Gators' dreams had vanished. The energy had faded. slugger Matt Laporta would send a shot sailing into the trees over the leftfield bleachers. Laporta, who leads the nation in homeruns with 26, provided the final blow of what initially seemed like an improbable comeback. Or so it only seemed. Just as the line was about to...

Rank, name, # of 1st place votes, 2001 record, # of total votes. 1. Miami (Fla.) (34) 12-0 1,444 2. Texas (9) 11-2 1,399 3. Oklahoma (11) 11-2 1,397 4. Florida State (7) 8-4 1,357 5. Tennessee 11-2 1,255 6. Colorado 10-3 1,010 7. Florida 10-2 972 8. Nebraska 11-2 951 9. Washington 8-4 914 10. Michigan 8-4 894 11. Georgia 8-4 858 12. Ohio State 7-5 761 13. LSU 10-3 749 14. Washington State 10-2 748 15. Oregon 11-1 663 16. Virginia Tech 8-4 550 17. Louisville 11-2 378 18. Michigan State 7-5 371 19. Southern California 6-6 20....