Alabama tops preseason college football coaches poll

Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama football team are in the same position today that they were at this time last year — atop the Amway Coaches Poll.

The defending College Football Playoff national champion Crimson Tide was voted No. 1 by 61 of the 65 coaches who participated in the poll. No. 2 Clemson received three first-place votes and No. 3 Ohio State got one.

The rankings were announced Thursday, the day after Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was placed on paid administrative leave while the university investigates a report that Meyer knew of, but did nothing about, allegations of domestic violence against a former assistant coach.

The SEC and Big Ten have three teams each in the top 10 of the coaches poll. No. 6 Washington is the Pac-12’s only representative in the top 10, with Stanford coming in at No. 13 and USC at No. 16.

The Associated Press’ preseason poll will be released Aug. 20.

The Amway Coaches Poll preseason top 25:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Georgia
5. Oklahoma
6. Washington
7. Wisconsin
8. Miami
9. Penn State
10. Auburn
11. Notre Dame
12. Michigan State
13. Stanford
14. Michigan
15. USC
16. Texas Christian
17. Virginia Tech
18. Mississippi State
19. Florida State
20. West Virginia
21. Texas
22. Boise State
23. Central Florida
24. Louisiana State
25. Oklahoma State

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii