PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Florida State will open the 2015 season ranked No. 8 in the preseason coaches poll released Thursday.
The Seminoles are starting over at quarterback and must find a replacement at running back after 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston became the top overall pick in this year's NFL Draft and sophomore Dalvin Cook was suspended indefinitely while he faces a misdemeanor battery charge.
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Ohio State begins the season the way it ended last season -- ranked No. 1. The defending national champions return a plethora of talent from the team that knocked off Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship.
The Buckeyes earned 62 of 64 first-place votes, while No. 2 TCU and No. 3 Alabama received one first-place vote each.
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No. 4 Baylor begins the season with its highest preseason ranking in school history, while the Ducks open the season at No. 5.
Michigan State is sixth, Auburn is seventh, Georgia is ninth and Southern California is No. 10.
The Southeastern Conference has three of its eight ranked teams in the top 10. The Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference and Pacific 12 Conference have two top-10 teams each.
In addition to FSU, two other teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference made the top 25 -- Clemson at No. 12 and Georgia Tech at No. 17. The Tigers and Yellow Jackets are predicted to win their respective divisions.
Miami and Florida are not ranked, but the Hurricanes received 16 votes and the Gators received two votes. FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher and Miami head coach Al Golden are among the voting coaches.
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