The first Amway Coaches Poll of the 2014 season was released today, and Ohio State checks in at No. 6.
Florida State, the defending national champs, will begin the season at No. 1. Alabama comes in at No. 2, and Oklahoma — a team that beat Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl — holds down the No. 3 spot.
While Ohio State is in striking distance of the playoff field, it appears they will have some ground to make up once they're out of the gate. (Although, there is one coach — not Urban Meyer — that believes Ohio State is worthy of the No. 1 spot.)
The SEC leads the way six teams in the Top 25 — including three of the top ten.
Four Big Ten teams in total make the poll, with Michigan State garnering their highest preseason poll position (No. 8) since 1967. A certain school from north of Ohio's border, however, was relegated to the "others receiving votes" field.
Virginia Tech and Cincinnati, two of Ohio State's out-of-conference foes, also made appearances in the "others receiving votes" field.
| Rank | Team | Points | First Place Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES | 1543 | 56 |
| 2 | ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE | 1455 | 0 |
| 3 | OKLAHOMA SOONERS | 1382 | 3 |
| 4 | OREGON DUCKS | 1314 | 1 |
| 5 | AUBURN TIGERS | 1271 | 0 |
| 6 | OHIO STATE BUCKEYES | 1267 | 1 |
| 7 | UCLA BRUINS | 1085 | 0 |
| 8 | MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | 1050 | 0 |
| 9 | SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS | 1009 | 1 |
| 10 | BAYLOR BEARS | 965 | 0 |
| 11 | STANFORD CARDINAL | 955 | 0 |
| 12 | GEORGIA BULLDOGS | 905 | 0 |
| 13 | LSU TIGERS | 833 | 0 |
| 14 | WISCONSIN BADGERS | 654 | 0 |
| 15 | USC TROJANS | 627 | 0 |
| 16 | CLEMSON TIGERS | 535 | 0 |
| 17 | NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH | 509 | 0 |
| 18 | ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | 358 | 0 |
| 19 | OLE MISS REBELS | 346 | 0 |
| 20 | TEXAS A&M AGGIES | 266 | 0 |
| 21 | KANSAS STATE WILDCATS | 257 | 0 |
| 22 | NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | 228 | 0 |
| 23 | NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS | 175 | 0 |
| 24 | TEXAS LONGHORNS | 143 | 0 |
| 25 | WASHINGTON HUSKIES | 142 | 0 |
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Missouri (122), Central Florida (102), Mississippi State (74), Oklahoma State (58), TCU (54), Michigan (53), Iowa (49), Miami (45), Duke (41), Louisville (32), Marshall (27), Brigham Young (18), Boise State (13), Louisiana-Lafayette (12), Virginia Tech (12), Texas Tech (8), Minnesota (6), Cincinnati (6), Northwestern (5), Oregon State (4), Georgia Tech (2), Houston (2), Arkansas (1), Arizona (1), Northern Illinois (1).
Source: USA Today
