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Alabama No. 1 in college coaches' poll
Tech opens at No. 17, UGA at No. 21
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RecordPtsFinal2009
1. Alabama (55)14-01,4691
2. Ohio State (4)11-21,3925
3. Florida13-11,2453
4. Texas13-11,2402
5. Boise State14-01,2154
6. Virginia Tech10-31,05210
7. TCU12-11,0516
8. Oklahoma8-51,035NR
9. Nebraska10-41,00114
10. Iowa11-29527
11. Oregon10-394011
12. Wisconsin10-377816
13. Miami (Fla.)9-472819
14. Penn State11-25088
15. Pittsburgh10-349215
16. LSU9-447617
17. Georgia Tech11-345513
18. North Carolina8-5445NR
19. Arkansas8-5438NR
20. Florida State7-6374NR
21. Georgia8-5312NR
22. Oregon State8-5263NR
23. Auburn8-5260NR
24 (tie). West Virginia9-416922
24 (tie). Utah10-316918

Others receiving votes (with 2009 records): Cincinnati (12-1) 135; Houston (10-4) 76; Brigham Young (11-2) 66; Arizona (8-5) 65; Mississippi (9-4) 48; Clemson (9-5) 44; Stanford (8-5) 41; Connecticut (8-5) 40; Notre Dame (6-6) 38; South Carolina (7-6) 38; Washington (5-7) 26; Missouri (8-5) 23; Navy (10-4) 12; Oklahoma State (9-4) 11; Boston College (8-5) 10; Michigan State (6-7) 10; Arizona State (4-8) 6; California (8-5) 6; Texas Tech (9-4) 5; South Florida (8-5) 4; Texas A&M (6-7) 3; Northwestern (8-5) 2; Temple (9-4) 2; Central Michigan (12-2) 1; Mississippi State (5-7) 1; Nevada (8-5) 1; Northern Illinois (7-6) 1; Southern Methodist (8-5) 1.

TYSONS CORNER, Va. — Defending national champion Alabama is No. 1 atop the USA Today preseason coaches' poll.

Boise State will begin the season ranked No. 5. The Broncos, like Alabama, finished last season 14-0. They beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Crimson Tide got 55 of 59 possible first place votes. The other four went to Ohio State, which is No. 2 in the newspaper's ranking.

Florida is third, followed by Texas, which lost to Alabama in the BCS title game in January.

Virginia Tech was sixth, followed by TCU, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa to round out the top 10.

Nos. 11-15 are Oregon, Wisconsin, Miami, Penn State and Pittsburgh. They were followed by LSU, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Arkansas and Florida State, which will be without Bobby Bowden as coach for the first time in 35 years.

Georgia is No. 21, Oregon State No. 22, Auburn No. 23 and Utah and West Virginia tied for No. 24.

The coaches' poll is part of the BCS formula used to determine its national champion.

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