The initial USA Today Coaches Poll has been released and the Oklahoma Sooners will begin the season at #1. The Sooners received 42 first-place votes with Alabama getting 13 to take the #2 spot. Oregon, LSU and Florida State round out the Top-5.
As for the Ohio State Buckeyes, an off-season of disarray that saw the team lose head coach Jim Tressel and starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor, had coaches drop the Buckeyes all the way down to #16. When the Buckeyes finished off a Sugar Bowl win back in January it appeared they would be primed for another National Championship run. Now the Buckeyes are just hoping to avoid sanctions from the NCAA that would keep them from a postseason appearance of any kind in 2011.
Stanford, Boise State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Wisconsin round out the Top-10. The Badgers are the highest ranked Big Ten team.
Nebraska begins their first season of Big Ten play at #11, while Michigan State(#17) and Penn State(#25) complete the Big Ten's appearances in the Top-25.
As for the Michigan Wolverines, they start the season outside looking in, but did receive 19 votes.
The complete list is below:
1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. LSU
5. Florida State
6. Stanford
7. Boise State
8. Oklahoma State
9. Texas A&M
10. Wisconsin
11. Nebraska
12. South Carolina
13. Virginia Tech
14. Arkansas
15. TCU
16. Ohio State
17. Michigan State
18. Notre Dame
19. Auburn
20. Mississippi State
21. Missouri
22. Georgia
23. Florida
24. Texas
25. Penn State