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College football preseason coaches poll: Alabama at the top, familiar schools right behind

The first coaches poll of the college football year is here and you might recognize some teams at the top. Which schools belong and which don't?

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — College football is right around the corner as we're now just three weeks away from the opening weekend and now we have our first set of rankings.

The USA Today/American Football Coaches Association coaches poll released on Tuesday, one week ahead of the first AP Top 25. The coaches poll is voted on by 65 FBS coaches. 

Coming in at number one is the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama won its sixth national title since 2009 last season with a 52-24 thrashing of Ohio State.

The Buckeyes check in at No. 4 on the preseason coaches poll with fellow recurring College Football Playoff attendees Clemson and Oklahoma at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

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Notably, Iowa State comes in at No. 8, the highest preseason ranking for the school since USA Today started administering the coaches poll in 1991. Cincinnati, is the first non Power 5 (not including Notre Dame) on the poll, coming in at the 10 slot, also the highest preseason coaches poll ranking for the school.

University of Louisiana Lafayette and Coastal Carolina are the other non-Power 5 schools included in the first edition of this year's coaches poll.

Check out the full top 25 below:

  1. Alabama (63 first place votes)
  2. Clemson
  3. Oklahoma (2 first place votes)
  4. Ohio State
  5. Georgia
  6. Texas A&M
  7. Notre Dame
  8. Iowa State
  9. North Carolina
  10. Cincinnati
  11. Florida
  12. Oregon
  13. Louisiana State (LSU)
  14. Southern California (USC)
  15. Wisconsin
  16. Miami
  17. Indiana
  18. Iowa
  19. Texas
  20. Penn State
  21. Washington
  22. Oklahoma State
  23. UL Lafayette
  24. Coastal Carolina
  25. Mississippi (Ole Miss)

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Below are the 10 teams who received the most votes outside of the top 25:

  • Utah 
  • Northwestern 
  • Arizona State 
  • Auburn
  • Liberty
  • Brigham Young (BYU)
  • Texas Christian (TCU)
  • Michigan
  • Central Florida (UCF)
  • NC State

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The first AP Top 25 poll will be released on Aug. 16.

The first college football games of the year will take place on Saturday, Aug, 28 with five games including teams like Illinois, Nebraska and UCLA. 

All the action gets started the next weekend beginning Thursday, Sept. 2. 


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