USA Today released its first football coaches poll of the year Tuesday and ranked Clemson second in the top 25 rankings.
Alabama ranked first with 63 votes, while Oklahoma is third behind Clemson and received two first-place votes.
It marks the sixth year in a row in which the Tigers, who didn't receive any first-place votes, have been ranked in the top five of the preseason poll and the 11th straight year of being ranked in the preseason top 25. In 2019 and 2020, they were ranked No. 1 to start the year.
The Tigers made the College Football Playoffs for the fifth year in a row in 2020, posting a 10-2 overall record. They ended the year ranked third in the final USA Today poll on Jan. 12.
The Associated Press preseason top 25 poll will be released at noon Aug. 16. Clemson opens the 2021 season against fifth-ranked Georgia on Sept. 4 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
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USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll
Rank Team PTS 1st
1 Alabama 1621 63
2 Clemson 1508 0
3 Oklahoma 1481 2
4 Ohio State 1435 0
5 Georgia 1386 0
6 Texas A&M 1286 0
7 Notre Dame 1139 0
8 Iowa State 1131 0
9 North Carolina 999 0
10 Cincinnati 979 0
11 Florida 870 0
12 Oregon 842 0
13 Louisiana State 664 0
14 Southern California 655 0
15 Wisconsin 654 0
16 Miami 575 0
17 Indiana 573 0
18 Iowa 554 0
19 Texas 427 0
20 Penn State 422 0
21 Washington 404 0
22 Oklahoma State 216 0
23 UL Lafayette 153 0
24 Coastal Carolina 150 0
25 Mississippi 149 0
Others receiving votes: Utah 145; Northwestern 120; Arizona State 90; Auburn 84; Liberty 68; Brigham Young 53; Texas Christian 48; Michigan 30; Central Florida 29; NC State 27; Boise State 27; Kentucky 20; San Jose State 18; Army 13; Virginia Tech 9; Missouri 8; UCLA 7; Tulsa 6; Pittsburgh 6; Boston College 6; Houston 5; Ball State 5; West Virginia 4; Southern Methodist 4; Appalachian State 4; UAB 3; Arkansas 3; Nevada 2; Mississippi State 2; Air Force 2; Stanford 1; Marshall 1; Florida State 1; California 1.
