USA Today released their NCAA football preseason coaches' poll Friday morning. As expected, Alabama ranked first, followed by Ohio State and Florida.
How did Texas schools fare?
The Texas Longhorns are the No. 4 team in the poll. They return a solid offensive and defensive line, a young, but experienced secondary, two effective running backs in Foshwitt Whitaker and Tre Newton and a budding star quarterback in Garrett Gilbert. The Longhorns once again have a cupcake non-conference schedule and could sneak into the title hunt.
Jump to see where everyone else landed in the poll...
TCU enters 2010 at No. 7, led by QB Andy Dalton, WR/KR Jeremy Kerley, and a top-tier offensive line featuring All-American candidate Jake Kirkpatrick at center. The Horned Frogs lose star LB/DE Jerry Hughes but return enough talent on defense to remain competent. They'll be making BCS noise yet again this season, and some outlets have them headed to the national title game.
Kevin Sumlin's Houston Cougars ranked No. 27 in the country, led by a stud wide receiver crew in James Cleveland, Patrick Edwards and Tyron Carrier, a Heisman candidate in QB Case Keenum, and two experienced linebackers in Marcus McGraw and Sammy Brown, a JUCO transfer who has been creating quite a buzz in camp. The Coogs will score on everyone, but will they be able to defend?
Texas Tech is ranked No. 43, with QB Taylor Potts, RB Baron Batch and WR Alexander Torres returning to ignite a stacked offense. But, yet again, Tech shares the same questions as UH: can they stop anyone?
Texas A&M perhaps feels slighted with their ranking (No. 45). They return Big 12 POY candidate Jerrod Johnson, RB Christine Michael, a talented WR corps and DE/LB Von Miller. Mike Sherman has the pieces in place: can he produce a win over UT this year?
SMU actually received a Top-25 vote. Wonder who that was from.