The preseason Top 25 football coaches poll was released on Friday. Not surprisingly, defending champion Alabama was an overwhelming favorite to repeat. The Crimson Tide garnered 55 of the 59 first-place votes and easily outdistanced Ohio State for the top spot. The Buckeyes picked up the remaining four first-place votes.
Of course, Gamecock fans will have a chance to see the Crimson Tide up close and personal on Saturday, Oct. 9, when Nick Saban brings his squad to Williams-Brice Stadium. Carolina will also face the nation's preseason third-ranked team in Florida. The Gamecocks will travel to the Swamp on Saturday, Nov. 13 to wrap up SEC conference action.
South Carolina checks in at a tie for 34th place with Notre Dame. Each school received 38 points.
Here are some other Top-25 notes provided by the SEC:
* - The SEC had six teams ranked in the preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll, which is the most of any conference. The ACC had five, Big Ten had four, and the Big 12 had three, while the Mountain West, Big East and Pac-10 had two each. The WAC had one school ranked in the Top 25.
* - Taking into account all teams that received votes, the SEC led with nine teams receiving votes followed by the Big 12, ACC and Pac-10 with seven each, the Big Ten with six and the Big East had five.
* - SEC teams accounted for 22.4 percent of total points received in the preseason poll. SEC teams had 4,287 points of a possible 19,175 points (59 coaches x 325 points per ballot).
* Alabama is the top-ranked team in this season's preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Since 1992, the SEC has had a team ranked first in the preseason poll six times, including a current three-year streak. The list includes: 2010 - Alabama; 2009 - Florida; 2008 - Georgia; 2001- Florida; 1997 - Florida; 1994 - Florida.
* The SEC has two teams ranked among the top 10 in this season's preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Since 1992, the SEC has had at least two teams ranked in the preseason poll every year. The most was four in 2009. Since 2005, the SEC has had seven of its teams ranked among the preseason top 10. A breakdown of each year's SEC teams in the preseason Top 10 includes: 2010 - Alabama (1), Florida (3); 2009 - Florida (1), Alabama (5), LSU (9), Ole Miss (10); 2008 - Georgia (1), Florida (5), LSU (6); 2007 - LSU (2), Florida (3); 2006 - Auburn (6), Florida (8), LSU (9); 2005 - Tennessee (3), LSU (6); 2004 - LSU (3), Georgia (4), Florida (10); 2003 - Auburn (6), Georgia (9); 2002 - Tennessee (5), Florida (7); 2001 - Florida (1), Tennessee (8); 2000 - Alabama (3), Florida (7); 1999 - Tennessee (2), Florida (5); 1998 - Florida (4), LSU (8), Tennessee (10); 1997 - Florida (1), Tennessee (5); 1996 - Tennessee (2), Florida (4); 1995 - Florida (5), Auburn (7); 1994 - Florida (1), Alabama (10); 1993 - Alabama (2), Tennessee (9); 1992 - Florida (6), Alabama (9).
* Since 2001 (last 10 years including 2010), the SEC has had 10 of its 12 teams ranked in the preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll. In the last three seasons (since 2008), eight of the SEC's 12 teams have been ranked in the preseason poll. Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU are ranked in this season's preseason poll, while Ole Miss was ranked in 2009, Tennessee in 2008, South Carolina in 2002 and Mississippi State in 2001.
Of course, Gamecock fans will have a chance to see the Crimson Tide up close and personal on Saturday, Oct. 9, when Nick Saban brings his squad to Williams-Brice Stadium. Carolina will also face the nation's preseason third-ranked team in Florida. The Gamecocks will travel to the Swamp on Saturday, Nov. 13 to wrap up SEC conference action.
South Carolina checks in at a tie for 34th place with Notre Dame. Each school received 38 points.
Here are some other Top-25 notes provided by the SEC:
* - The SEC had six teams ranked in the preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll, which is the most of any conference. The ACC had five, Big Ten had four, and the Big 12 had three, while the Mountain West, Big East and Pac-10 had two each. The WAC had one school ranked in the Top 25.
* - Taking into account all teams that received votes, the SEC led with nine teams receiving votes followed by the Big 12, ACC and Pac-10 with seven each, the Big Ten with six and the Big East had five.
* - SEC teams accounted for 22.4 percent of total points received in the preseason poll. SEC teams had 4,287 points of a possible 19,175 points (59 coaches x 325 points per ballot).
* Alabama is the top-ranked team in this season's preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Since 1992, the SEC has had a team ranked first in the preseason poll six times, including a current three-year streak. The list includes: 2010 - Alabama; 2009 - Florida; 2008 - Georgia; 2001- Florida; 1997 - Florida; 1994 - Florida.
* The SEC has two teams ranked among the top 10 in this season's preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Since 1992, the SEC has had at least two teams ranked in the preseason poll every year. The most was four in 2009. Since 2005, the SEC has had seven of its teams ranked among the preseason top 10. A breakdown of each year's SEC teams in the preseason Top 10 includes: 2010 - Alabama (1), Florida (3); 2009 - Florida (1), Alabama (5), LSU (9), Ole Miss (10); 2008 - Georgia (1), Florida (5), LSU (6); 2007 - LSU (2), Florida (3); 2006 - Auburn (6), Florida (8), LSU (9); 2005 - Tennessee (3), LSU (6); 2004 - LSU (3), Georgia (4), Florida (10); 2003 - Auburn (6), Georgia (9); 2002 - Tennessee (5), Florida (7); 2001 - Florida (1), Tennessee (8); 2000 - Alabama (3), Florida (7); 1999 - Tennessee (2), Florida (5); 1998 - Florida (4), LSU (8), Tennessee (10); 1997 - Florida (1), Tennessee (5); 1996 - Tennessee (2), Florida (4); 1995 - Florida (5), Auburn (7); 1994 - Florida (1), Alabama (10); 1993 - Alabama (2), Tennessee (9); 1992 - Florida (6), Alabama (9).
* Since 2001 (last 10 years including 2010), the SEC has had 10 of its 12 teams ranked in the preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll. In the last three seasons (since 2008), eight of the SEC's 12 teams have been ranked in the preseason poll. Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU are ranked in this season's preseason poll, while Ole Miss was ranked in 2009, Tennessee in 2008, South Carolina in 2002 and Mississippi State in 2001.
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