US LBM Coaches Poll: Texas Longhorns No. 1
The US LBM coach poll has returned for another season, and Paul Meyerberg breaks down the storyline to know in the preseason.
Sports Pulse
Less than a month after the start of the college football season, it’s time to release a poll for US LBM coaches in the preseason. And this year, the results will produce some history, ensuring that the campaign will start even more than the usual bang.
Texas will open first place in the coaches’ poll for the first time. Projected among the busy SEC early favourites, the Longhorns were first voted by 28 of 67 panelists in this year’s poll. They will immediately challenge that lofty perch, but they will soon be challenging as Week 1 opponent, Defending Champion Ohio State, starts in second place.
The Buckeyes won the 20 No. 1 votes leading a busy field almost as well as Big Ten candidates. The first-to-second-place matchup in the season opener is unprecedented in coaches’ poll history, as is the hype that led to the collision in Columbus.
Top 25: Complete the vote for pre-season US LBM coaches
Outlook: Break all the top 25 teams in the poll
Pennsylvania, which is expected to be Ohio’s leading Big Ten challenger, is third-placed with a top of 14 and nods, winning the first double-digit number one team in preseason polls for the first time since 2012. Last season’s runner-up Notre Dame didn’t pick up the first one in the preseason polls, but came in fifth in the campaign.
The last two No. 1 votes were sent to Clemson. Clemson will open in 6th overall. Oregon was seventh, with Alabama, LSU and Miami (Fla.) closing their first top 10. The Crimson Tide rankings in 8th place are the lowest in preseason voting since Nick Saban’s second season in 2008.
In addition to the quartets ranked 9th or higher, the SEC has a total of nine teams in the top 25, with more just outside the vote. The Big Ten has a total of six ranked teams. These included Illinois No. 12 since 1990, with last year’s surprise playoff team Indiana opening at No. 19.
The Big 12 ranks five teams, not number 11 in defending champion Arizona State, but the ACC placed two favorites in the top 10, while the other No. 16 SMU landed in the top 25.
No. 25 Boise State is the sole representative of a group of five leagues to crack the vote.
