Preseason Coaches Poll keeps Alabama on top with surprises underneath

With the 2017 college football season beginning later this month, there has been a great deal of anticipation about what the preseason coaches poll would look like when released. Now, we know.

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The initial poll came to light on Thursday and, at the top, there is no surprise in the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, the Ohio State Buckeyes arrive at No. 2 overall, which is something of a stunner given the preseason hype surrounding Jimbo Fisher and the Florida State Seminoles. Beyond that, Clemson makes an appearance in the top 5 despite the loss of Deshaun Watson and a great deal of talent on both sides of the ball.

Also of interest is Michigan, with only five returning starters, cracking the top 10 and that appears to be a nod of respect toward Jim Harbaugh as something of a miracle worker. From a non-Power 5 perspective, South Florida leads the way but there is a noticeable lack of buzz as a general rule. Finally, Tom Herman and Texas make an appearance in the bottom quadrant on the precipice of his first season in charge.

The full poll is below:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Florida State
4. USC
5. Clemson
6. Penn State
7. Washington
8. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Oklahoma State
12. LSU
13. Auburn
14. Stanford
15. Georgia
16. Florida
17. Louisville
18. Miami (Fla.)
19. Kansas State
20. West Virginia
21. South Florida
22. Virginia Tech
23. Texas
24. Tennessee
25. Utah