Clemson was named No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll by USA Today for the second season in a row.
Last year, the Tigers turned that into a championship run but fell short to LSU in the title game. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be trying for his second title before he presumably heads to the NFL.
Big Ten defending champion Ohio State checks in at No. 2. The Buckeyes lost to Clemson in the semifinals last season.
Alabama and Georgia check in at Nos. 3 and 4, followed by defending champ LSU. The Tigers won’t have superstar quarterback Joe Burrow this season after he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Bengals.
The poll is predicated on the fact that there will be a college football season. The coronavirus pandemic has already caused conferences to dramatically change schedules, and NCAA Division II and III schools have canceled championships in fall sports.