Alabama Ranked No. 3 In First Coaches Poll
The first Amway Coaches Poll of the college football season has been released. The Alabama Crimson Tide was ranked third in the inaugural poll and received zero first place votes. Clemson and Ohio State were ranked first and second respectively.
The SEC had six programs ranked in the first Coaches Poll, all six were ranked in the top 13 places. Georgia, even after losing quarterback Jake Fromm and running back DeAndre Swift, was ranked fourth.
Despite receiving six first place votes the defending champion LSU Tigers were ranked fifth in the initial edition. The Tigers lost 14 members off its championship team to the NFL but pulled in the fourth overall recruiting class in 2020.
The Florida Gators slipped into the top ten, earning an eighth overall ranking. Auburn and Texas A&M were the final two SEC teams ranked, checking in at 11 and 13 respectively.
Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi State were in the "others receiving votes" category.
The Crimson Tide will play at least four teams ranked in the initial coaches poll, and should the Tide draw Florida on its schedule it will end up playing five teams, all in the top 13.
Conversely, Clemson will only two teams ranked in the first Coaches Poll, number 10 Notre Dame and number 24 Virginia Tech.
Ohio State has seventh ranked Penn State, 15th ranked Michigan and 23rd ranked Iowa on its schedule this season.
With so many questions surrounding the status of football, the first preseason poll brings some semblance of normalcy.
[gallerytitle="2020 SEC Football Coaches" galleryid="531:614850]