Clemson Sits Atop Amway Coaches Poll

Clemson is ranked No. 1 ahead of Ohio State in the first major poll of the 2020 college football season.

The first major poll of the 2020 college football season is out, and Clemson is sitting at the top.

The Amway Coaches Poll released Thursday has Dabo Swinney and the Tigers ranked No. 1 ahead of Ohio State at No. 2. Alabama, Georgia and LSU round out the top five. 

It's the second consecutive year that the coaches went with Clemson as their top preseason team. The Tigers ranked second in 2018 and No. 5 in 2017 after coming off their 2016 national title run. 

Last year, Clemson was 14-0 heading into the College Football Playoff's national championship game, where they lost to reigning champ LSU in New Orleans. This year, the Tigers return likely the nation's top backfield in quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne. 

While Clemson lost four starting offensive linemen and star defensive player Isaiah Simmons, the coaches gave the Tigers 38 first-place votes and 1,589 points. The Buckeyes, who lost to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in last year's CFP, earned 1,555 points and 17 first-place votes. Alabama (4) and No. 5 LSU (6) were the only other schools to get first-place votes.  

Along with the Tigers, three teams from the ACC made the top 25. Notre Dame, who's a one-year member and part of the 10+1 schedule the league put together, comes in at No. 10. Clemson visits the Fighting Irish on Nov. 7. 

North Carolina, which isn't on Clemson's schedule but could face the Tigers in the ACC Championship Game, is ranked No. 19 while Virginia Tech, which Clemson visits on Dec. 5, is at No. 24. 

Other teams on Clemson's schedule that received votes include Miami (58), Virginia (13) and Pittsburgh (1). 

According to their website, "the Amway Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at FBS schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the American Football Coaches Association their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th."

2020 Preseason Amway Coaches Poll 

1. Clemson

2. Ohio State

3. Alabama

4. Georgia

5. LSU

6. Oklahoma

7. Penn State

8. Florida

9. Oregon

10. Notre Dame

11. Auburn

12. Wisconsin

13. Texas A&M

14. Texas

15. Michigan

16. Oklahoma State

17. USC

18. Minnesota 

19. North Carolina

20. Utah

21. UCF

22. Cincinnati 

23. Iowa

24. Virginia Tech

25. Iowa State

Others receiving votes: Tennessee 111; Boise State 111; Arizona State 88; Kentucky 73; Memphis 71; Baylor 66; Washington 65; Louisville 62; Miami 58; Appalachian State 31; Navy 17; Virginia 13; Air Force 12; Mississippi State 9; Texas Christian 7; Washington State 6; Tulane 5; California 5; UL Lafayette 3; Southern Methodist 3; Nebraska 3; Stanford 2; Pittsburgh 1; Kansas State 1; Indiana 1; Duke 1.