INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Georgia received all but nine first-place votes and is ranked No. 1 in the 2024 preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.
No. 2 Ohio State received seven of the remaining nine first-place votes with Oregon at No. 3 following by three consecutive SEC teams — Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss. The Rebels were last ranked this high in the coaches poll in 1970.
The SEC has nine teams in the poll, with No. 16 Oklahoma joining the conference newcomer Longhorns, who received one first-place vote.
Notre Dame is seventh and the only team outside the Power 4 in the poll. Defending national champion Michigan, also receiving one vote for first place, is No. 8 ahead of Penn State and Florida State.
The Crimson Tide are entering the first season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. He replaced Nick Saban, who retired at the end of the season. The No. 5 preseason ranking for Alabama is its lowest starting position in the Coaches Poll since 2009.
DeBoer’s former club, Washington, was national runner-up in January but didn’t make the preseason Top 25.
–Field Level Media