Alabama ended last season at the top of the college football world -- and Coach Nick Saban's team is starting the new one at the same place.
The defending BCS champion Crimson Tide received 55 out of 59 first-place votes to easily claim the top spot in the USA Today preseason coaches' poll. No. 2 Ohio State got the other four first-place votes.
The preseason top five features the same teams as the final poll of the 2009 season, with Nos. 2, 4 and 5 shuffled a bit. Florida will enter the season at No. 3, followed by Texas and Boise State.
Last year, the Longhorns finished at No. 2, followed by the Gators, Broncos and Buckeyes.
The Pacific 10 Conference is represented by Oregon at No. 11 and Oregon State at No. 23.
The coaches' poll standings:
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Boise State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Texas Christian
8. Oklahoma
9. Nebraska
10. Iowa
11. Oregon
12. Wisconsin
13. Miami (Fla.)
14. Penn State
15. Pittsburgh
16. Louisiana State
17. Georgia Tech
18. North Carolina
19. Arkansas
20. Florida State
21. Georgia
22. Oregon State
23. Auburn
24. Utah
25. West Virginia
