The Houston Cougars are ranked 15th in the first AP football poll of the season.
Coming off a historic 13-win season, the University of Houston is finding out it has some doubters.
The Cougars received their highest preseason ranking in a quarter of a century Sunday, debuting at No. 15 in the Associated Press preseason college football poll.
It marks UH’s best ranking entering a season since being No. 12 in 1991. UH went 13-1 last season, winning the American Athletic Conference and beating Florida State in the Peach Bowl.
UH, the only non-Power 5 school to be ranked, was listed on 59 of the 61 ballots of national media members who cover college football.
Despite returning key starters, led by quarterback Greg Ward Jr., UH was listed 20th or lower by 12 voters, and was left off by Ed Johnson of the Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal and Mitch Vingle of the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette-Mail.
Defending national champion Alabama is No. 1; 2015 runner-up Clemson begins at No. 2.
Among Texas schools, TCU is No. 13 and Baylor No. 23. Texas A&M and Texas each received votes.
Two of UH’s non-conference opponents were ranked in the preseason poll: No. 3 Oklahoma, against which the Cougars open the season Sept. 3 in the Advocare Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium, and No. 19 Louisville.
Discipline begins at Notre Dame
Notre Dame kicked starting safety Max Redfield off the team, suspended reserve cornerback Devin Butler indefinitely after they were arrested in separate incidents and said four others arrested with Redfield face internal discipline.
Butler, who was out until October with a broken foot, was taken into custody early Saturday after a police officer said the player punched and slammed him to the ground outside a bar near campus.
Officers had to use a stun gun to subdue Butler, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Redfield, who was sent home before the Fiesta Bowl last season for violating team rules, and the four other players — running back Dexter Williams, linebacker Te’von Coney, wide receiver Kevin Stepherson Jr. and cornerback Ashton White — were arrested Friday night and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Redfield, Stepherson and Williams face an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of an unlicensed handgun.