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Preseason Coaches Poll Top 25 released ahead of college football season

275133747_4796292347117549_592518599057046758_nby:Jonathan Wagner08/08/22

Jonathan Wagner

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Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

A new season of college football is nearly upon us, and it has the makings of being a very good one. With less than a month remaining until Saturdays are filled with live action, the preseason USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings have been released.

Last season, Alabama defeated Georgia in the SEC Championship Game to earn the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff while the Bulldogs fell to No. 3. Michigan earned the No. 2 seed, while Cincinnati snuck in at No. 4. In the end, Georgia had the last laugh and got revenge in the title game, securing the victory and a National Championship.

Since that moment, a lot has changed across the sport. This offseason featured a coaching carousel that blows recent summers completely out of the water. Many high profile coaches from big programs across the country changed teams, which led to even more changes throughout the nation. That paired with an action-filled transfer portal cycle and the continued evolution of NIL created a very memorable couple of months.

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Now, though, fall camp is here and the season is nearing. Attention is now focused on football and the games at hand, and teams are beginning to build up as they look to achieve their ultimate goals of winning a championship. As position battles and starting jobs continue to be fought for, expectations are beginning to roll in, providing an intriguing glimpse into how the season could shake out.

Preseason Coaches Poll Top 25

  1. Alabama (54 first-place votes)
  2. Ohio State (5)
  3. Georgia (6)
  4. Clemson
  5. Notre Dame
  6. Michigan
  7. Texas A&M
  8. Utah
  9. Oklahoma
  10. Baylor
  11. Oklahoma State
  12. Oregon
  13. NC State
  14. Michigan State
  15. USC
  16. Pittsburgh
  17. Miami
  18. Texas (1)
  19. Wake Forest
  20. Wisconsin
  21. Kentucky
  22. Cincinnati
  23. Arkansas
  24. Ole Miss
  25. Houston

The SEC leads the way in coaches poll voting, with six teams from the conference landing inside the top 25. The ACC is just behind with five selections, while the Big Ten and Big 12 each have four teams listed. Then, the Pac-12 has three teams mentioned while the AAC has two, and Notre Dame rounds out the initial rankings.