JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Defending national champion Miami, which takes a 22-game winning streak into the 2002 season, heads the AP preseason college football poll, which was released Saturday.

In a close vote, Miami (12-0) edged Oklahoma (11-2) for the No. 1 spot. Hoping to become the first repeat champion since Nebraska in 1994-1995, the Hurricanes received 27 first-place votes and 1,746 points from a nationwide panel of 74 writers and broadcasters.

It marks the third time Miami topped the preseason poll. The Hurricanes also were the preseason No. 1 in 1990 and 1992, but did not win the national championship in those seasons.

Four of the top 10 teams are from the Big 12 Conference, including No. 2 Oklahoma, which collected 21 first-place ballots and 1,732 points. The Sooners captured their last national championship in 2000.

The other Big 12 teams in the top 10 are No. 4 Texas (11-2), No. 7 Colorado (10-3) and No. 10 Nebraska (11-2), which must replace Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch.

Florida State (8-4), trying to rebound from its first four-loss season since 1986, got 10 first-place votes and is No. 3. Completing the top five are Texas and No. 5 Tennessee (11-2), who received the other first-place votes with 13 and three, respectively.

Florida (10-2), which begins a new era with Ron Zook taking over for long-time mentor Steve Spurrier, starts the second five. No. 8 Georgia (8-4) and No. 9 Washington (8-4) follow Colorado.

Miami, also the No. 1 team in the preseason USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, has yet to lose under second-year coach Larry Coker, who will be forced to replace a chunk of the star players on a squad that routed Nebraska, 37-14, in the Rose Bowl to claim its fifth national championship and first since 1991.

Quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Ken Dorsey is among the returnees, but there are numerous changes in the offensive line and the Hurricanes lost all five of their top defensive backs from 2001. There still is plenty of talent in Coral Gables, including receiver Andre Johnson and defensive tackle William Joseph.

Miami opens its season August 31 against Florida A&M and faces a challenging schedule that includes Florida, Florida State and Tennessee as well as Big East Conference rivals Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

Texas will be led by quarterback Chris Simms, who will no longer have to look over his shoulder at the departed Major Applewhite. One of the most anticipated games of the season will be when the Longhorns and Oklahoma meet in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on October 12.

Washington State (10-2) starts the second 10, followed by Michigan (8-4), Ohio State (7-5), Southeastern Conference champion Louisiana State (10-3) and Pac-10 Conference champion Oregon (11-1), which must replace quarterback Joey Harrington.

Virginia Tech (8-4), which has star running back Lee Suggs back from an injury, is No. 16, followed by Louisville (11-2), Michigan State (7-5), Marshall (11-2) and Southern California (6-6).

Beginning the final five is Maryland (10-2), one of the surprise teams in the country. The Terrapins, who unseated Florida State as Atlantic Coast Conference champions, open their season against Notre Dame in the Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium.

Completing the poll are South Carolina (9-3), Texas A&M (8-4), Penn State (5-6) and Wisconsin (5-7).

The AP poll is part of the Bowl Championship Series formula that determines the participants in the national championship game. The top two teams in the ratings meet in the game, which this season is the Fiesta Bowl on January 3.