Alabama ranked second in pre-season Coaches Poll

The first edition of the 2012 USA Today Coaches Poll was released today, and Alabama finds itself at No. 2 in the rankings to start the new year. A familiar foe for Alabama tops the rankings, as the LSU Tigers hold the No. 1 spot to start the year. USC comes in right behind the two SEC schools at No. 3 and Oklahoma sits at No. 4.

Alabama actually received more first-place votes (20) than LSU (18), but the total point calculation gives LSU the edge for the top spot – not that it matters much; the two teams will settle it on the field November 3 in Tiger Stadium. USC received 19 first-place votes, but still came in third.

The SEC placed seven schools in the pre-season Top 25. Georgia (6), South Carolina (9), Arkansas (10), Florida (23) and Auburn (25) also appear. Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Missouri and Tennessee all received votes as well.

Alabama’s first opponent of the season, Michigan, came in at No. 8. Other schools in the top 10 were Oregon (5) and Florida State (7).

The Coaches Poll is voted on by 59 BCS coaches and accounts for one third of the BCS rankings.