#coaches poll
A weekend filled with high-profile matchups produced plenty of changes in the Amway Coaches Poll, though once again, the top-ranked team is as it has been all season. Alabama, which had the weekend off, is still the unanimous No. 1.
After that, the shuffling begins. Georgia climbs to No. 2 after dispatching archrival Florida. The Bulldogs appear to be on a collision course with the Crimson Tide in a month for the SEC title. Ohio State, the big winner of the weekend thanks to its comeback win against Penn State, vaults from sixth to No. 3 ahead of Wisconsin. Clemson, which got back on track with a win against Georgia Tech, is back in the top five.
After the crazy results from the previous college football weekend, Week 8 proved comparatively tame. As a result, the Amway Coaches Poll reflects few changes, with the same 25 teams still ranked. The order shifts a bit in places, but not around the top as the first six teams stay put.
Alabama is still the unanimous choice for No. 1 after a workmanlike smothering of struggling Tennessee. Penn State solidified its hold on the second position with a convincing triumph over Michigan. Georgia, which had the weekend off, holds steady at No. 3 with unbeatens TCU and Wisconsin rounding out the top five.
Ohio State, which hosts Penn State next week, remains No. 6. In a minor change, idle Clemson edges ahead of Miami (Fla.) for the No. 7 spot.
We’re a long way from March Madness, but today we present one early indicator of which teams are expected to be there. The preseason USA TODAY Sports coaches poll is out, and for the second consecutive year, Duke will be the No. 1 team entering the campaign.
That could be good or bad news if you’re a Blue Devils fan. It’s the seventh time overall since USA TODAY began administering the coaches poll that Duke is the preseason No. 1. But the Blue Devils finished as NCAA champions in only one of those prior seasons when they successfully defended the title in 1992.
Duke was No. 1 last season and struggled for much of the season before winning the ACC tournament and an early NCAA exit in the second round against South Carolina.
Based on its strong recruiting class and returning talent, Duke received 20 of 32 first-place votes. The Blue Devils head a group of five ACC members in the top 25, the most for any conference.
See the full preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
There’s at least one week like this every college football season, when a seemingly innocuous slate of games produces a slew of surprises.
Top-ranked Alabama, however, was not among the Week 7 upset victims. The Crimson Tide dispatched Arkansas and are now the unanimous No. 1 team in the Amway Coaches Poll.
The rest of the top five looks considerably different. Penn State, which picked a good week to have a bye, moves up to the No. 2 spot in the wake of Clemson’s loss to Syracuse. The Tigers tumbled to No. 8 as a result. Georgia, which got an early challenge before putting away Missouri, climbs to No. 3. TCU, the last unbeaten Big 12 squad, vaulted into the No. 4 spot ahead of No. 5 Wisconsin.
Amway Coaches Poll: Week 3
Alabama still has a comfortable lead atop the Amway Coaches Poll, but the gap closed a bit following No. 2 Clemson’s impressive performance in Week 3.
The Crimson Tide claimed 59 of 65 first-place votes after handling Colorado State. The defending national champion Tigers received the remaining six, up from two last week, after their dominant win at Louisville.
Amway Coaches Poll: Week 2
Withtop-ranked Alabama largely unchallenged in Week 2, the big question leading up to the compiling of the Amway Coaches Poll centered on who would be No. 2.
The Crimson Tide, of course, retained the No. 1 spot after an easy romp past Fresno State, receiving all but two first-place votes cast this week. The second spot went to defending champion Clemson after a strong defensive performance in a 14-6 triumph over Auburn.
The Tigers claimed the remaining two No. 1 votes and narrowly held off Oklahoma for the second position. The Sooners vaulted three places to No. 3 after their huge road win at Ohio State, avenging a loss on their home field from a year ago.
Southern California, a big winner against Stanford in its Pac-12 opener, reclaimed the No. 4 spot ahead of Penn State, who handled their own business against in-state opponent Pittsburgh.
Alabama strengthened its grip on the No. 1 spot in the Amway Coaches Poll following its impressive performance against Florida State. The Crimson Tide claimed 60 of 65 first-place votes this week.
The rest of the top five looks a bit different with the Florida State loss.
Ohio State retained the No. 2 position. But the Buckeyes picked up only two No. 1 votes, down from five in the preseason poll, after a slow start against Indiana. Clemson, which easily handled a tune-up with Kent State, climbed to No. 3 and retained three first-place nods. Penn State, equally impressive in its opener against Akron, vaulted to No. 4 ahead of Southern California.
ThePreseason Amway Coaches Poll is out!
The time to stop talking about college football and actually start watching it is now less than a month away. But in the meantime, talking will have to do, and the preseason Amway Coaches Poll is always a good place to initiate discussion — or arguments, but we prefer to keep matters polite.
Alabama will enter the campaign with the No. 1 ranking, just as it did a year ago. The Crimson Tide were picked first by 49 of the 65 coaches on this year’s panel. Alabama has been ranked in the top five in every preseason poll since 2009.
