The Oklahoma Sooners have been installed as the pre-season No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released Thursday. The Sooners (12-2 last season) received 42 of the 59 first-place votes from USA Today's Board of Coaches. Oklahoma had 1,454 points in the poll, in which points were awarded on a basis of 25 for a first-place mention, 24 for a second; 23 for third, etc.
Alabama (10-3) is second, having been named first on 13 ballots and totaling 1,414 points.
Oregon (12-1) is third with two first-place votes and 1,309 points. The other first-place votes went to Louisiana State (11-2), which had 1,296 points and is ranked No. 4.
Last year's Bowl Championship Series champion, Auburn (14-0), opens the season ranked No. 19 while Texas Christian (13-0), the other undefeated team last season is 15th.
Florida State (10-4) is No. 5 in the pre-season poll with Stanford (12-1) ranked sixth and Boise State (12-1) in seventh. Big 12 Conference rivals Oklahoma State (11-2) and Texas A&M (9-4) are eighth and ninth, respectively, and Wisconsin (11-2) completes the Top 10.
Nebraska (10-4), moving to the Big 10 this season, is No. 11 while South Carolina (9-5) takes the 12th spot and Virginia Tech (11-3) is 13th. Arkansas (10-3) comes in at 14th ahead of TCU.
Ohio State (12-1), under new Coach Luke Fickell, is 16th in the poll and Michigan State (11-2) was voted into the 17th place. Notre Dame (8-5) is No. 18 with Auburn next and Mississippi State (9-4) at No. 20.
The No. 21 position is held by Missouri (10-3) with Georgia (6-7) in 22nd and Florida (8-5), Texas (5-7) and Penn State (7-6), in order, rounding out the Top 25.
