Florida No. 1 in coaches preseason poll

MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The Florida Gators were tabbed the No. 1 college football team in the USA Today coaches' poll released Friday.

Florida, coming off a 13-1 season that was capped by a 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series title game, collected 53 first-place votes from the panel of 59 college football coaches who participate in the poll.

Texas was first on four ballots and is No. 2 in the preseason poll followed by Big 12 Conference rival Oklahoma, which was given one first-place vote. The final first-place vote was for Southern California, which is fourth. Alabama, a Southeastern Conference rival of Florida, is fifth.

Ohio State was voted to the No. 6 spot followed by Virginia Tech, Penn State and two more SEC teams in No. 9 Louisiana State and 10th-ranked Mississippi.

Oklahoma State was installed at No. 11 with California at 12th; Georgia, another SEC member, in 13th while Oregon is 14th and Georgia Tech No. 15.

The No. 16 spot was given to Boise State, which was followed by, in order, Texas Christian, Utah, Florida State and North Carolina.

The final five in the preseason poll has Iowa at No. 21, Nebraska rated 22nd, Notre Dame in the 23rd spot while Brigham Young is 24th and Oregon State No. 25.