Michigan football ranks 9th in preseason Amway Coaches Poll
Big Ten sports four teams in the Top 10 in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll; Michigan State starts unranked
The pecking order is set entering the 2017 college football season.
Michigan football enters coach Jim Harbaugh's third year ranked No. 9 in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll, released by USA TODAY Sports.
Alabama, which lost the College Football Playoff Championship to Clemson, is No. 1, followed by Ohio State, Florida State, USC and Clemson.
Michigan State, coming off a disappointing 3-9 season, is unranked but did earn one vote. Other Big Ten teams in the Top 25 include Penn State at No. 6 and Wisconsin at No. 10.
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The Wolverines finished 10-3 in consecutive seasons to start the Jim Harbaugh era and ended last season ranked No. 10 in the Amway Coaches' Poll. They lost three of their final four games, including the Orange Bowl against Florida State.
This season begins with a major challenge: Against No. 16 Florida in the Cowboys Classic in Arlington, Texas. Furthermore, U-M returns just five starts from last year's team, including four on offense.
Four of Michigan's 2017 opponents are ranked: Florida (16), Penn State (6), Wisconsin (10) and Ohio State (2).
Western Michigan earned 8 votes.
Preseason Amway Coaches' Poll
1. Alabama (49 first-place votes)
2. Ohio State (5)
3. Florida State (4)
4. USC
5. Clemson (7)
6. Penn State
7. Washington
8. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Oklahoma State
12. LSU
13. Auburn
14. Stanford
15. Georgia
16. Florida
17. Louisville
18. Miami (Fla.)
19. Kansas State
20. West Virginia
21. South Florida
22. Virginia Tech
23. Texas
24. Tennessee
25. Utah
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