Coaches' Poll: Alabama is No. 1, Texas Better Than OU

Many publications are picking OU over Texas in preseason polls, not the USA Today.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:53 am

By: News On 6

Coaches' Poll: Alabama is No. 1, Texas Better Than OU

Originally Published: Aug 6, 2010 8:5 AM CDT

Oklahoma Sports Staff and Wire Reports

TYSONS CORNER, Virginia -- The University of Texas sits above the University of Oklahoma in the USA Today's preseason Coaches' Poll.

No. 4 Texas lost to defending national champion Alabama, which sits atop the list.

OU comes in at No. 8, despite being favored in the Big 12 South by other college football publications. Right behind OU is Nebraska at No. 9, the only other Big 12 school in the Top 25.

Oklahoma State received 11 votes, sandwiched in between Navy and Boston College on the list.

Boise State will begin the season ranked No. 5. The Broncos, like Alabama, finished last season 14-0. They beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Crimson Tide got 55 of 59 possible first place votes. The other four went to Ohio State, which is No. 2 in the newspaper's ranking.

Florida is third, followed by Texas, which lost to Alabama in the BCS title game in January.

Virginia Tech was sixth, followed by TCU, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa to round out the top 10.

Nos. 11-15 are Oregon, Wisconsin, Miami, Penn State and Pittsburgh. They were followed by LSU, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Arkansas and Florida State, which will be without Bobby Bowden as coach for the first time in 35 years.

Georgia is No. 21, Oregon State No. 22, Auburn No. 23 and Utah and West Virginia tied for No. 24.

The Coaches' Poll accounts for 1/3 of the BCS formula used to determine its national champion.

2010 USA Today Preseason coaches' poll

	Team	'09 Record	Points
1.	Alabama (55)	14-0	1,469
2.	Ohio State (4)	11-2	1,392
3.	Florida	13-1	1,245
4.	Texas	13-1	1,240
5.	Boise State	14-0	1,215
6.	Virginia Tech	10-3	1,052
7.	TCU	12-1	1,051
8.	Oklahoma	8-5	1,035
9.	Nebraska	10-4	1,001
10.	Iowa	11-2	952
11.	Oregon	10-3	940
12.	Wisconsin	10-3	778
13.	Miami (Fla.)	9-4	728
14.	Penn State	11-2	508
15.	Pittsburgh	10-3	492
16.	LSU	9-4	476
17.	Georgia Tech	11-3	455
18.	North Carolina	8-5	445
19.	Arkansas	8-5	438
20.	Florida State	7-6	374
21.	Georgia	8-5	312
22.	Oregon State	8-5	263
23.	Auburn	8-5	260
24 (t).	West Virginia	9-4	169
24 (t).	Utah	10-3	169

Others receiving votes (with 2009 records): Cincinnati (12-1) 135; Houston (10-4) 76; Brigham Young (11-2) 66; Arizona (8-5) 65; Mississippi (9-4) 48; Clemson (9-5) 44; Stanford (8-5) 41; Connecticut (8-5) 40; Notre Dame (6-6) 38; South Carolina (7-6) 38; Washington (5-7) 26; Missouri (8-5) 23; Navy (10-4) 12; Oklahoma State (9-4) 11; Boston College (8-5) 10; Michigan State (6-7) 10; Arizona State (4-8) 6; California (8-5) 6; Texas Tech (9-4) 5; South Florida (8-5) 4; Texas A&M (6-7) 3; Northwestern (8-5) 2; Temple (9-4) 2; Central Michigan (12-2) 1; Mississippi State (5-7) 1; Nevada (8-5) 1; Northern Illinois (7-6) 1; Southern Methodist (8-5) 1.