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College Football Rankings 2011 - Sooners Top Preseason USA Today Poll, Buckeyes #16

The Ohio State Buckeyes remain in the Top-20 despite a rough off-season in the initial USA Today Top-25 Coaches Poll

 

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

Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.