Defending national champion Ohio State commanded all 61 first-place votes in the preseason Associated Press poll, released Sunday, commanding the top spot by 92 points over No. 2-ranked TCU. Ohio State is the first team to be a unanimous preseason pick for No. 1.
The Buckeyes return the vast majority of the talent from a 2014 team that beat Alabama and Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff, including quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. Alabama ranked No. 3 in the poll, followed by Baylor and Michigan State. While OSU was the resounding choice as the nation's No. 1 team, however, the Big Ten Conference as a whole didn't garner the same respect. OSU, Michigan State, and Wisconsin at No. 20 were the only Big Ten schools ranked in the preseason.
Elsewhere in the poll, Auburn ranked No. 6, defending Pac-12 champion Oregon begins the season at No. 7, followed by USC at No. 8, Georgia at No. 9 and defending ACC champ Florida State at No. 10.
Notre Dame (No. 11) and Boise State (No. 23) were the only ranked schools not from a Power Five conference.
The entire order of the AP poll:
Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 100, Texas A&M 61, Oklahoma State 46, Virginia Tech 42, Utah 36, Penn State 20, Louisville 12, Cincinnati 8, Nebraska 6, Kansas State 5, North Carolina State 4, Florida 4, Texas 3, Michigan 2, Northern Illinois 2, BYU 2, West Virginia 1, California 1, Western Kentucky 1.
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