The LSU Tigers are the preseason No. 1 team in the Coaches Top 25 poll released on Thursday. The Boise St. Broncos come in at No. 22.
The Tigers, losers to the Crimson Tide in the BCS title game in January, received two fewer first place votes than Alabama, 20-18, but finished with four more total points. The No. 3 USC Trojans, previously ineligible due to sanctions, finished 11 points behind Alabama. The No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners are over 100 points behind USC.
Other notes to entertain here: Boise State's opening opponent, the Michigan St. Spartans, came in at No. 13. Utah and BYU appear in the "Others receiving votes" category.
In a few years' time, the Coaches Poll won't matter in determining a national champion since the BCS system will be blown up.
Here is the complete poll:
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Record | Points | Final 2011 rank | |
| 1. | LSU (18) | 13-1 | 1,403 | 2 | |
| 2. | Alabama (20) | 12-1 | 1,399 | 1 | |
| 3. | Southern California (19) | 10-2 | 1,388 | NR | |
| 4. | Oklahoma | 10-3 | 1,276 | 15 | |
| 5. | Oregon | 12-2 | 1,258 | 4 | |
| 6. | Georgia | 10-4 | 1,061 | 20 | |
| 7. | Florida State | 9-4 | 1,055 | 23 | |
| 8. | Michigan | 11-2 | 1,023 | 9 | |
| 9. | South Carolina | 11-2 | 981 | 8 | |
| 10. | Arkansas | 11-2 | 948 | 5 | |
| 11. | West Virginia | 10-3 | 833 | 18 | |
| 12. | Wisconsin | 11-3 | 743 | 11 | |
| 13. | Michigan State | 11-3 | 717 | 10 | |
| 14. | Clemson | 10-4 | 598 | 22 | |
| 15. | Texas | 8-5 | 549 | NR | |
| 16. | Nebraska | 9-4 | 501 | 24 | |
| 17. | TCU | 11-2 | 499 | 13 | |
| 18. | Stanford | 11-2 | 497 | 7 | |
| 19. | Oklahoma State | 12-1 | 476 | 3 | |
| 20. | Virginia Tech | 11-3 | 461 | 17 | |
| 21. | Kansas State | 10-3 | 398 | 16 | |
| 22. | Boise State | 12-1 | 271 | 6 | |
| 23. | Florida | 7-6 | 250 | NR | |
| 24. | Notre Dame | 8-5 | 166 | NR | |
| 25. | Auburn | 8-5 | 66 | NR | |
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| Others receiving votes (with 2011 records) | |||||
| Washington (7-6) 64; Louisville (7-6) 46; Georgia Tech (8-5) 35; Cincinnati (10-3) 32; Texas A&M (7-6) 28; Baylor (10-3) 23; Utah (8-5) 22; Mississippi State (7-6) 21; South Florida (5-7) 12; N.C. State (8-5) 11; BYU (10-3) 10; Louisiana Tech (8-5) 10; Virginia (8-5) 9; Houston (13-1) 7; Southern Mississippi (12-2) 6; Central Florida (5-7) 5; Rutgers (9-4) 5; Florida International (8-5) 3; Missouri (8-5) 3; Tennessee (5-7) 3; Northern Illinois (11-3) 2; Texas Tech (5-7) 1. | |||||
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