Alabama football ranked No. 3 in preseason Amway Coaches Poll

This story was originally published on Aug. 6, 2020.

For just the second time since 2010, the University of Alabama does not have a top two team in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll.

The preseason poll, released Thursday, has UA ranked No. 3, behind No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Ohio State. The SEC is well represented behind UA with No. 4 Georgia, No. 5 LSU, No. 8 Florida, No. 11 Auburn and No. 13 Texas A&M.

The only other time this decade UA started the season outside the top two was when it was No. 3 in 2015.

UA received four first-place votes yet finished two spots ahead of LSU, which claimed six first-place votes. Clemson had 38 first-place votes and Ohio State had 17.

UA coach Nick Saban is one of the 65 coaches with a ballot.

Reach Brett Hudson at 205-722-0196 or bhudson@tuscaloosanews.com or via Twitter, @Brett_Hudson