LSU football debuts in Top 5 of preseason Coaches Poll

LSU opens its second season under head coach Brian Kelly ranked No. 5 in the nation as the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll was released on Monday.

The Tigers are coming off a 10-4 record a year ago as LSU claimed the SEC Western Division crown and beat Purdue, 63-7, in the Citrus Bowl.

The Tigers return 25 players who have started at least one game in an LSU uniform, including quarterback Jayden Daniels along with five offensive linemen, four receivers and four running backs. LSU added eight players through the transfer portal who were starters at their previous school.

The No. 5 preseason ranking is the highest for the Tigers since 2020 when LSU followed up its national championship season ranked No. 5 to open the year. LSU’s highest preseason ranking came in 2007 when the Tigers opened the year at No. 2.

LSU’s season-opening opponent Florida State is ranked No. 8 in the nation. The LSU-Florida State matchup will be the only contest during the first full weekend of college football featuring two Top 10 teams.

LSU is one of three SEC teams in the preseason Top 5 as they are joined by top-ranked Georgia and No. 3 Alabama. Other SEC teams in the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll include Tennessee at No. 10, Ole Miss at No. 22 and Texas A&M at No. 25.

Others receiving Votes:
Iowa 169; South Carolina 89; Florida 63; Texas-San Antonio 59; Pittsburgh 52; UCLA 42; Kentucky 34; Baylor 28; Troy 25; Arkansas 20; NC State 19; Fresno State 19; Boise State 18; Auburn 18; Minnesota 16; Miami 16; Mississippi State 13; Oklahoma State 12; Missouri 11; Maryland 10; Southern Methodist 8; South Alabama 8; Illinois 7; Wake Forest 6; Air Force 6; Toledo 5; Washington State 4; Houston 3; Duke 2; Brigham Young 2; Arizona 2; Memphis 1; Kansas 1; James Madison 1.

List of Voters
The USA TODAY Sports AFCA Board of Coaches for the 2023 season: Tim Albin, Ohio; Blake Anderson, Utah State; Dino Babers, Syracuse; Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina; Terry Bowden, Louisiana-Monroe; Jeff Brohm, Louisville; Neal Brown, West Virginia; Kenni Burns, Kent State; Troy Calhoun, Air Force; Jason Candle, Toledo; Curt Cignetti, James Madison; Dave Clawson, Wake Forest; Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech; Ryan Day, Ohio State; Kalen DeBoer, Washington; Jake Dickert, Washington State; Dana Dimel, Texas-El Paso; Stan Drayton, Temple; Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri; Sonny Dykes, TCU; Mike Elko, Duke; Shawn Elliott, Georgia Southern; Jedd Fisch, Arizona; Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M; James Franklin, Penn State; Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame; Hugh Freeze, Auburn; Willie Fritz, Tulane; Alex Golesh, South Florida; Danny Gonzales, New Mexico; Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State; Will Hall, Southern Mississippi; Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky; Tom Herman, Florida Atlantic; Brady Hoke, San Diego State; Dana Holgorsen; Houston; Butch Jones, Arkansas State; Brent Key, Georgia Tech; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Lance Leipold, Kansas; Mike Locksley, Maryland; Mike MacIntyre, Florida International; Gus Malzahn, Central Florida; Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio); Joey McGuire, Texas Tech; Jeff Monken, Army; Jim Mora, Connecticut; Billy Napier, Florida; Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh; Brian Newberry, Navy; Barry Odom, UNLV; Brent Pry, Virginia Tech; Matt Rhule, Nebraska; Nick Saban, Alabama; Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati; Kirby Smart, Georgia; Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee; Mark Stoops, Kentucky; Jon Sumrall, Troy; Lance Taylor, Western Michigan; Jeff Tedford, Fresno State; Jeff Traylor, Texas-San Antonio; Mel Tucker, Michigan State; Kyle Whittingham, Utah, Ken Wilson, Nevada; Kevin Wilson, Tulsa.

Editor’s note: This is a press release from LSUSports.net