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The college football season will be kicking off before you know it.
Until then, we’re now getting a look at what the top 25 polls look like with just under a month until real football is being played.
To the surprise of no one (outside of Clemson fans), Alabama is the preseason No. 1 team and favorite to win it all. Clemson is right behind them, and it’s very possible we see the Tigers and Tide clash in the College Football Playoff for a fourth-straight year.
Checking in at No. 3 is Ohio State, who may not even have Urban Meyer when the season begins.
Georgia and Oklahoma round out the top five. The SEC ended up getting five teams in the top 25, including Auburn (10), Mississippi State (18) and LSU (24). South Carolina and Florida also received votes and could easily jump into the top-25 mix at some point this coming season.
Kentucky actually ended up receiving eight votes, four more than Louisville got. Missouri, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Central Michigan and Middle Tennessee did not receive votes. At least in the eyes of voters, Kentucky should be at least slightly better than those six teams.
The Wildcats will also end up facing just two teams in this preseason poll, the highest being Georgia, who comes to Commonwealth Stadium Kroger Field. Mississippi State also comes to Lexington this year, so Kentucky’s two bigger challenges this season will at least come at home.
All told, here is a look at what the first Coaches Top 25 Poll of 2018 looks like:
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Clemson Tigers
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Washington Huskies
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Miami-Florida Hurricanes
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Auburn Tigers
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Michigan State Spartans
- Stanford Cardinal
- Michigan Wolverines
- USC Trojans
- TCU Horned Frogs
- Virginia Tech Hokies
- Mississippi St. Bulldogs
- Florida State Seminoles
- West Virginia Mountaineers
- Texas Longhorns
- Boise State Broncos
- UCF Golden Knights
- LSU Tigers
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
Other receiving votes: South Carolina (9-4) 138; Florida (4-7) 135; Oregon (7-6) 105; Utah (7-6) 81; Northwestern (10-3) 67; Texas A&M (7-6) 67; Kansas State (8-5) 35; Florida Atlantic (11-3) 27; Boston College (7-6) 23; Memphis (10-3) 23; North Carolina State (9-4) 22; Arkansas State (7-5) 19; Troy (11-2) 19; Appalachian State (9-4) 16; San Diego State (10-3) 15; Iowa (8-5) 8; Iowa State (8-5) 8; Kentucky (7-6) 8; Washington State (9-4) 7; South Florida (10-2) 6; Duke (7-6) 5; Fresno State (10-4) 4; Louisville (8-5) 3; Arizona (7-6) 2; Houston (7-5) 2; Army (10-3) 1; Northern Illinois (8-5) 1.