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2022 Preseason Coaches Poll released, Alabama ranked No. 1

Three SEC teams make the Top 10 and SIX are in the Top 25.

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2022 CFP National Championship - Georgia v Alabama Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images

SIX teams from the SEC have landed in the 2022 Preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Alabama Crimson Tide begins the 2022 season ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll. The Tide received an overwhelming amount of first-place votes, 54, as no other team received more than six. ‘Bama figures to be a fixture in the CFP and at the top of the rankings, as that train hasn’t stopped rolling in Tuscaloosa yet.

The team that did receive those six first-place votes is also from the SEC, as the Georgia Bulldogs start the year at No. 3. Georgia comes into the season on the heels of their first National Championship in football since 1980. Georgia should be a strong contender to make it back to the Playoff this season with talent all over both sides of the ball again.

The third team from the SEC in the Top 10 is the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies check in at No. 7 in the poll, as they’ve garnered lots of preseason hype coupled with a terrific recruiting class rolling into College Station this fall. It will prove interesting to see if A&M can match the hype but they are certainly starting loftily.

Going down the chute, the next SEC team on the rankings is the Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky begins the season at No. 21. The Cats achieved 10 wins for the second time in four seasons a year ago and are hoping to do more damage and build off that success.

Two spots later, we find the No. 23-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. The Hogs were a fun surprise last year, improving on a three-win campaign with a nine-win season in Sam Pittman’s second year at the help.

Lastly, we have the No. 24-ranked Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebs won 10 games for just the eighth time in program history last year and are also looking to do more damage again this season.

The full poll can be seen below:

Preseason USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll

Rank Team Pts 1st
Rank Team Pts 1st
1 Alabama 1634 54
2 Ohio State 1564 5
3 Georgia 1542 6
4 Clemson 1356 0
5 Notre Dame 1284 0
6 Michigan 1232 0
7 Texas A&M 1219 0
8 Utah 1134 0
9 Oklahoma 1027 0
10 Baylor 891 0
11 Oklahoma State 859 0
12 Oregon 734 0
13 NC State 726 0
14 Michigan State 711 0
15 USC 602 0
16 Pitt 450 0
17 Miami (FL) 433 0
18 Texas 383 1
19 Wake Forest 381 0
20 Wisconsin 369 0
21 Kentucky 353 0
22 Cincinnati 339 0
23 Arkansas 334 0
24 Ole Miss 327 0
25 Houston 257 0