The first Amway Coaches Poll of the 2017 season has been released and Ohio State finds itself in a familiar place.
The Buckeyes will enter the upcoming campaign ranked second in the nation, marking Ohio State's fifth consecutive top-six preseason ranking in the coaches poll under Urban Meyer.
Receiving five first-place votes, the Buckeyes trail only the nation's top-ranked team, Alabama (49 votes) and enter the year ahead of No. 3 Florida State, No. 4 Southern California and No. 5 Clemson. Ohio State is one of four Big Ten teams to enter the year ranked in the top 10, joining No. 6 Penn State, No. 9 Michigan and No. 10 Wisconsin.
The Buckeyes return 15 starters from a 2016 team that recorded an 11-1 regular season record en route to qualifying for the College Football Playoff. Ohio State's season, however, ended on a sour note with a 31-0 defeat to eventual national champion Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal.
Despite the devastating loss, expectations clearly haven't changed for a Buckeyes program that's accumulated a 61-6 record in five seasons under Meyer. Second-ranked Ohio State will kickoff the 2017 season on Aug. 31, with a road Big Ten game at Indiana.
