The Bulldogs received 61 first-place votes while the Crimson Tide got four, and Ohio State got one. The Wolverines were not No. 1 on any ballots, but they have the highest preseason rankings in program history, at least as far as the coaches poll is concerned.
LSU rounds out the top five followed by No. 6 USC, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Florida State, No. 9 Clemson and No. 10 Tennessee.
No. 21 Wisconsin is the only other Big Ten team in the preseason coaches’ top 25, but Iowa is 26th while Minnesota, Maryland and Illinois all received votes as well.
Notre Dame, coached by Wayne High School graduate Marcus Freeman and set to host Ohio State on Sept. 23, is No. 13.
The SEC has the most teams in the top 25 with six while the Pac-12 and the Big 12 have five, but the Big Ten’s four do top the ACC’s three.
The Associated Press preseason poll is scheduled to be released next week.
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