MSU 14th; U-M 6th In Initial Football Coaches Poll

The first USA TODAY/Amway College Football Coaches Poll of the 2022 season was released on Monday.

And Alabama, who won the Southeastern Conference but lost to Georgia in the National Championship game last season, is ranked number 1 to start the season.  Ohio State is ranked 2nd and defending national champion Georgia (head coach Kirby Smart, pictured above kissing the National Championship Trophy) is rated 3rd.

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Michigan State is ranked 14th in the initial poll with Michigan ranked 6th.  Wisconsin at number 20 is the only other Big Ten team ranked.  However, Iowa is ranked just outside the Top 25 in the Receiving Votes category (26th) with Penn State right behind them at 27th.  Minnesota and Purdue are also ranked in the Receiving Votes category.

Michigan State ended the 2021 season ranked 8th in the Coaches poll, 9th in the AP Writers poll after beating Pittsburgh in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.  Michigan finished up 3rd in both polls after losing to the Georgia in the National Semifinals in the Orange Bowl.

The other national semifinalist from last season, Cincinnati, is ranked 22nd.  While Notre Dame is rated 5th.  Other notable teams rated are:  Clemson (4th), Utah (8th) Southern California (15th), and Texas (18th)

The USA Today/Amway Coaches poll dates back to 1950 when it was known as the United Press International (UPI) Coaches poll.  And during the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) era of 1998-2013, the BCS used the Coaches poll to determine the two teams who played in the BCS National Championship Game.

The other notable college football poll, the Associated Press (AP) media poll, will release its initial rankings next Monday (August 15th).