Preseason rankings: USA Today preseason football coaches' poll 1. Florida (53)
2. Texas (4)
3. Oklahoma (1)
4. USC (1)
5. Alabama
6. Ohio State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Penn State
9. LSU
10. Mississippi
11. Oklahoma State
12. California
13. Georgia
14. Oregon
15. Georgia Tech
16. Boise State
17. TCU
18. Utah
19. Florida State
20. North Carolina
21. Iowa
22. Nebraska
23. Notre Dame
24. Brigham Young
25. Oregon State
quote:
Defending national champion Florida tops the USA Today preseason football coaches' poll, receiving 53 of 59 first-place votes.
Texas was second in the poll released Friday, followed by Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Penn State, LSU and Mississippi.
Texas had four first-place votes, and Oklahoma and USC each had one.
LSU, Virginia Tech and Mississippi are the new names in the coaches' top 10, replacing Oregon and TCU from last season's final poll. Virginia Tech finished last season at No. 14; Mississippi ended last season 15th; and LSU was not ranked.
Iowa, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Brigham Young and Oregon State rounded out the top 25.
If the rankings hold steady, a number of clashes between teams in the top 10 loom ahead.
The first could come early, when No. 6 Ohio State hosts No. 4 USC on Sept. 12, a game that will be seen on ESPN. The Buckeyes also travel to No. 8 Penn State on Nov. 7.
The No. 1 Gators, seeking back-to-back titles and an undefeated season, face one of their toughest tests when they travel to No. 9 LSU on Oct. 10. Florida also faces No. 13 Georgia on Oct. 31.
But the Gators will not play No. 10 Mississippi, who pulled off a stunning upset in Gainesville last season, or No. 5 Alabama, during the regular season this year.
No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Oklahoma will play their annual Red River Rivalry game on Oct. 17 at the Cotton Bowl.
The SEC led the top 25 with five teams, with four in the top 10 and Georgia at No. 13.
The Big 12, ACC and Pac-10 each had four teams in the poll, and the Big Ten and Mountain West each had three.
Boise State of the WAC, at No. 16, was the highest-ranked non-BCS school in the top 25.
The USA Today Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 59 coaches in the Bowl Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-A.
The Associated Press preseason Top 25 will be released Aug. 22.
Op 3 september begint weer een nieuw seizoen vol verrassingen, shutouts, blowouts, trackmeets, rivalries, bowls en een national championship game on 7 januari in the Rose Bowl.
Week 1 heeft al meteen interessante matchups:
3 sept
Oregon at Boise State
5 sept
Georgia at Oklahoma State
Brigham Young vs. Oklahoma
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
7 sept
Miami (FL) at Florida State