TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ University of Alabama coach Nick Saban calls it his favorite day of the year, and it has nothing to do with the release of the first major preseason poll.

Nevertheless, he was probably in an even better mood on the even of training camp after learning of the Crimson Tide’s initial ranking, second.

Of the 62 coaches to vote in the Amway preseason coaches’ poll, reigning champion Florida State received 56 first-place votes to enter the season No. 1. Although Alabama didn’t get any first-place votes, it was still a solid second ahead of No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 Oregon.

The good news for Alabama fans is that the last time the preseason No. 1 team won the national championship was Southern California in 2004, which has since been vacated due to NCAA penalties.

The last two times the coaches’ poll had the Crimson Tide first in the preseason poll it failed to win the national championship (2010 and 2013). However the last two times Alabama started second the Tide ended up winning the crystal football (2011 and 2012).

Alabama owns the longest active streak by being in 99 straight coaches’ polls. The Associated Press poll is due to be released Aug. 17.

Seven SEC teams were ranked, including four of Alabama’s scheduled opponents: No. 5 Auburn, No. 13 LSU, No. 19 Ole Miss and No. 20 Texas A&M. Florida and Mississippi State were both among the next five teams to receive votes.

Thursday was also the annual Nick’s Kids Giveaway Luncheon at Bryant-Denny Stadium, which along with taking the incoming freshmen out on the lake in his boat always serves as the unofficial final event of summer for the team.

This year Nick and his wife Terry distributed $440,000 to 125 organizations throughout the state.

That was up from $415,644 in 2013 and brought the total since the Sabans arrived at the Capstone in 2007 to more than $3.6 million, not including another million earmarked for tornado relief.

“It’s really special to us,” said Saban of the foundation named in honor of his father.

Signing autographs and taking pictures with kids were players Arie Kouandjio, Jalston Fowler, Christion Jones, Robert Foster, Austin Shepherd, Ryan Kelly, Brian Vogler, Landon Collins, Jarrick Williams, Blake Sims, DeAndrew White, Derrick Henry, Dalvin Tomlinson, Geno Smith and Maurice Smith.

Saban didn’t take any questions about football, waiting until he meets with reporters following Friday morning’s first practice with the Crimson Tide’s veteran players (newcomers have their own practice in the evening).

Amway preseason coaches’ poll
Rank, School, 2013 record, Total votes, First-place votes
1 Florida State Seminoles 14-0 1543 56
2 Alabama Crimson Tide 11-2 1455 0
3 Oklahoma Sooners 11-2 1382 3
4 Oregon Ducks 11-2 1314 1
5 Auburn Tigers 12-2 1271 0
6 Ohio State Buckeyes 12-2 1267 1
7 UCLA Bruins 10-3 1085 0
8 Michigan State Spartans 13-1 1050 0
9 South Carolina Gamecocks 11-2 1009 1
10 Baylor Bears 11-2 965 0
11 Stanford Cardinal 11-3 955 0
12 Georgia Bulldogs 8-5 905 0
13 LSU Tigers 10-3 833 0
14 Wisconsin Badgers 9-4 654 0
15 USC Trojans 10-4 627 0
16 Clemson Tigers 11-2 535 0
17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-4 509 0
18 Arizona State Sun Devils 10-4 358 0
19 Mississippi Rebels 8-5 346 0
20 Texas A&M Aggies 9-4 266 0
21 Kansas State Wildcats 8-5 257 0
22 Nebraska Cornhuskers 9-4 228 0
23 North Carolina Tar Heels 7-6 175 0
24 Texas Longhorns 8-5 143 0
25 Washington Huskies 9-4 142 0

Others Receiving Votes: Missouri 126; Florida 122; Central Florida 102; Mississippi State 74; Oklahoma State 56; TCU 54; Michigan 53; Iowa 49; Miami (Fla.) 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; Fresno State 4; GeorgiaTech 2; Houston 2; Arkansas 1; Arizona 1; Northern Illinois 1.

The Amway Board of Coaches is made up of 62 head coaches at Bowl Subdivision schools. All are members of the American Football Coaches Association. The board for the 2014 season: Blake Anderson, Arkansas State; Dino Babers, Bowling Green; David Bailiff, Rice; Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech; Todd Berry, Louisiana-Monroe; Bret Bielema, Arkansas; Larry Blakeney, Troy; Bill Blankenship, Tulsa; Craig Bohl, Wyoming; Terry Bowden, Akron; Art Briles, Baylor; Troy Calhoun, Air Force; Matt Campbell, Toledo; Rod Carey, Northern Illinois; Norm Chow, Hawaii; Larry Coker, Texas-San Antonio; David Cutcliffe, Duke; Mark Dantonio, Michigan State; Tim DeRuyter, Fresno State; Bob Diaco, Connecticut; Larry Fedora, North Carolina; Jimbo Fisher, Florida State; Dennis Franchione, Texas State; Justin Fuente, Memphis; Al Golden, Miami (Fla.); Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State; Bobby Hauck, UNLV; Brady Hoke, Michigan; Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech; Brian Kelly, Notre Dame; Jerry Kill, Minnesota; Mike Leach, Washington State; Rocky Long, San Diego State; Mike MacIntyre, Colorado; Dan McCarney, North Texas; Bronco Mendenhall, Brigham Young; Urban Meyer, Ohio State; Les Miles, LSU; Todd Monken, Southern Mississippi; Ken Niumatalolo, Navy; George O’Leary, Central Florida; Gary Patterson, TCU; Bo Pelini, Nebraska; Chris Petersen, Washington; Gary Pinkel, Missouri; Jeff Quinn, Buffalo; Matt Rhule, Temple; Mark Richt, Georgia; Mike Riley, Oregon State; Rich Rodriguez, Arizona; Nick Saban, Alabama; Steve Sarkisian, USC; Frank Solich, Ohio; Steve Spurrier, South Carolina; Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee; Bob Stoops, Oklahoma; Charlie Strong, Texas; Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M; Dabo Swinney, Clemson; Tommy Tuberville, Cincinnati; Ron Turner, Florida International; Kevin Wilson, Indiana.