The SEC and Big Ten make up more than half of the spots in USA Today’s 2024 preseason Coaches Poll released on Monday, with Georgia holding the No. 1 spot in the year’s first rankings.
Each of the top six teams and eight of the top 10 are SEC or Big Ten members: Ohio State (No. 2), Oregon (No. 3), Texas (No. 4), Alabama (No. 5) and Ole Miss (No. 6) round out the top six. Notre Dame, an independent, came in at No. 7.
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The SEC led all conferences with nine of its 16 teams making the top 25, which was voted on by a panel of 55 FBS coaches. Georgia had 46 first-place votes, followed by Ohio State (seven), Texas (one) and reigning national champion Michigan (one). Missouri (No. 11), LSU (No. 12), Tennessee (No. 15), Oklahoma (No. 16) and Texas A&M (No. 20) also represent the SEC in the poll.
The Big Ten had four teams in the top 10, with Michigan (No. 8) and Penn State (No. 9) joining the Buckeyes and Ducks. Washington, last year’s national runner-up, received the most votes of teams outside the top 25.
The Big 12 had the third-most teams in the poll with five, with preseason conference championship favorite Utah being the highest among Big 12 teams at No. 13. Kansas State (No. 17), Oklahoma State (No. 18), Arizona (No. 21) and Kansas (No. 24) also made the rankings.
The ACC had four teams make the poll: Florida State (No. 10), Clemson (No. 14), Miami (No. 19) and NC State (No. 22).
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All four power conferences officially expanded this summer via conference realignment. Six of the teams in the top 25 changed leagues: Oregon and USC (Pac-12 to Big Ten), Texas and Oklahoma (Big 12 to SEC) and Utah and Arizona (Pac-12 to Big 12). The former Pac-12, which is now down to only Oregon State and Washington State, would have placed four programs in the preseason poll.
No teams from Group of 5 conferences made the poll — Memphis was the closest, finishing fifth in the “others receiving votes” category. Boise State was sixth among those outside the poll, and Liberty, which received the Group of 5’s New Year’s Six bid last season, was 10th among “others receiving votes.”
Louisville, Virginia Tech, SMU, Auburn, West Virginia and Wisconsin were also among the top 10 teams that received votes but missed the top 25.
2024 Preseason Coaches Poll
| Ranking | Team | 2023 record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Georgia | 13-1 |
2 | Ohio State | 11-2 |
3 | Oregon | 12-2 |
4 | Texas | 12-2 |
5 | Alabama | 12-2 |
6 | Ole Miss | 11-2 |
7 | Notre Dame | 10-3 |
8 | Michigan | 15-0 |
9 | Penn State | 10-3 |
10 | Florida State | 13-1 |
11 | Missouri | 11-2 |
12 | LSU | 10-3 |
13 | Utah | 8-5 |
14 | Clemson | 9-4 |
15 | Tennessee | 9-4 |
16 | Oklahoma | 10-3 |
17 | Kansas State | 9-4 |
18 | Oklahoma State | 10-4 |
19 | Miami | 7-6 |
20 | 7-6 | |
21 | Arizona | 10-3 |
22 | NC State | 9-4 |
23 | USC | 8-5 |
24 | Kansas | 9-4 |
25 | Iowa | 10-4 |
Who’s overrated? Who’s underrated?
Is it possible to say the No. 2 team is underrated? Ohio State has a loaded roster with plenty of returning talent and key transfer portal additions like running back Quinshon Judkins, safety Caleb Downs and quarterback Will Howard. Georgia’s recent championship history and Heisman Trophy favorite in quarterback Carson Beck certainly make the Bulldogs deserving of the No. 1 spot, but it was intriguing to see the Buckeyes get only seven first-place votes compared to Georgia’s 46.
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Michigan, the reigning national champion, begins outside the top five but still in the top 10 as Sherrone Moore takes over for Jim Harbaugh. Washington, now led by Jedd Fisch after Kalen DeBoer took the Alabama job, missing the top 25 after playing for a national championship is a bit surprising. Fisch’s former team, Arizona, should be a Big 12 title contender with quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan returning.
Ole Miss’ No. 6 ranking is eye-opening, but the Rebels also had a productive offseason in the portal, landing impact players like Princely Umanmielen and Walter Nolen. They have also finished in the top 11 of the College Football Playoff rankings each of the last three years, signs of what Lane Kiffin is building in Oxford.
Missouri feels a bit underrated at No. 11. The Tigers finished in the top 10 last season and return quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III.
Alabama in the top five is no surprise given the program’s pedigree, but there’s less certainty in Tuscaloosa than normal after the offseason staff changes following Nick Saban’s retirement. The Crimson Tide’s No. 5 ranking is their lowest preseason ranking since 2009.
Coaches Poll Conference Breakdown
| Affiliation | Ranked teams |
|---|---|
SEC | 9 |
Big Ten | 6 |
Big 12 | 5 |
ACC | 4 |
Independent | 1 |
Group of 5 |
(Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
Sam Khan Jr. is a senior writer for The Athletic covering college football and recruiting primarily in Texas. Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. A native Houstonian, Sam graduated from the University of Houston. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr
