Florida State is tops in preseason Coaches Poll ahead of Alabama and Oklahoma

Florida State is starting 2014 where it ended the 2013 season: atop the Coaches Poll.

The 2014 preseason Amway Coaches Poll was released on Wednesday and the Seminoles are No. 1 ahead of Alabama and Oklahoma, last year's participants in the Sugar Bowl. Oregon is No. 4 while the team that FSU beat in the BCS Championship Game, Auburn, is No. 5.

Florida State garnered the vast majority of first-place votes with 56 of the 62 available. Oklahoma received 3, while No. 6 Ohio State, Oregon and No. 9 South Carolina each received one. It's the first time since 2009 that Alabama has not received a first-place vote in the preseason Coaches Poll.

In what's likely a mere coincidence, or a sign that college football coaches can't accurately predict a season, the top team in the preseason poll hasn't ended the year in the top spot for 10 seasons.

The SEC has three teams in the top 10 and seven teams in the top 25, the most of any conference. However, it's curious why Texas A&M is the final SEC team in the poll. A&M needs to replace Johnny Manziel and have a vastly improved defense to live up to this ranking. Oh, and should we mention that the Aggies also have to face other teams in the preseason top 25 including road games at No. 9 South Carolina, No. 2 Alabama and No. 5 Auburn.

One of the SEC teams not ranked is Missouri, who is first among all other teams receiving votes. Mizzou is behind not only Texas A&M, but Texas, which is somehow ranked 24th. (Though Missouri fans should take heart. If A&M loses its season-opener to South Carolina and the Tigers beat South Dakota State, Missouri will be in the rankings for week 2.)

The Pac-12 has six teams in the top 25, including UCLA in the top 10. The Big 12 and Big 10 have four apiece while Clemson and North Carolina are the two other ACC teams in the poll. Notre Dame is the lone independent.

The full poll is below. What stands out to you? If we were the sole deciders of the poll, we'd move Oklahoma down a couple spots and do the same with Georgia. In addition to removing Texas A&M from the ballot, we'd also leave off Texas.

1. Florida State, 1543 (56)

2. Alabama, 1455

3. Oklahoma, 1382 (3)

4. Oregon, 1314 (1)

5. Auburn, 1271

6. Ohio State, 1267 (1)

7. UCLA, 1085

8. Michigan State, 1050

9. South Carolina, 1009

10. Baylor, 965

11. Stanford, 955

12. Georgia, 905

13. LSU, 833

14. Wisconsin, 654

15. Southern Cal, 627

16. Clemson, 535

17. Notre Dame, 509

18. Arizona State, 358

19. Ole Miss, 346

20. Texas A&M, 266

21. Kansas State, 257

22. Nebraska, 228

23. North Carolina, 175

24. Texas, 143

25. Washington, 142

Others receiving votes: Missouri, Florida, Central Florida, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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