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The official 2017 Coaches Preseason Poll is set to be released Thursday but before that arrives, ESPN has released its version of the poll. ESPN took votes from 17 writers and personalities on staff to come up with their picks and only five SEC teams made the cut.
If this poll matches either the Coaches Poll or AP Poll, the season opener in Atlanta between Alabama and Florida State will feature a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown. Ironically, the other SEC team to advance to the league title game last season, No. 14 Florida, open the season against the team ranked one spot next to them in this poll in No. 13 Michigan.
Here’s how ESPN ranks the top 25 teams heading into the season:
1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Ohio State
4. USC
5. Clemson
6. Penn State
7. Oklahoma
8. Washington
9. Wisconsin
10. Oklahoma State
11. Auburn
12. LSU
13. Michigan
14. Florida
15. Stanford
16. Miami
17. Georgia
18. Louisville
19. Kansas State
20. Texas
21. South Florida
22. Virginia Tech
23. TCU
24. Washington State
25. West Virginia
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
