USA Today is out with its preseason coaches poll, and Georgia will start the season on top.

The Bulldogs received 61 first-place votes, while Alabama received 4 votes and Ohio State one. This is the second time Georgia has been ranked No. 1 in the preseason since this poll began in 1991. The first came in 2008 when Georgia finished at No. 10.

Interestingly for Alabama, the Crimson Tide are ranked No. 3 and they saw 2 of their championship campaigns, 2015 and 2020, began with a No. 3 ranking in the preseason. The SEC is well represented near the top, as LSU checks in at No. 5, which gives the SEC 3 of the top 5 spots in the poll, and then Tennessee, at No. 10.

Overall, the SEC leads all conferences with 6 teams in the rankings, while the Pac-12 and Big 12 each have 5. The Big Ten and ACC come next at 4 and 3.

The coaches poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of 63 head coaches at FBS schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches.

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Alabama
4. Ohio State
5. LSU
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. FSU
9. Clemson
10. Tennessee
11. Washington
12. Texas
13. Notre Dame
14. Utah
15. Oregon
16. TCU
17. Kansas State
18. Oregon State
19. Oklahoma
20. UNC
21. Wisconsin
22. Ole Miss
23. Tulane
24. Texas Tech
25. Texas A&M