Defending national champion Florida State was ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches' poll, which was released Thursday.
FSU returns Heisman-winning quarterback Jameis Winston and 12 other starters, and is trying to become the second team in the past three seasons to win consecutive national titles. Alabama won BCS national championships in 2011 and '12.
This season, of course, will be the first with a four-team playoff, and that also means the coaches' poll -- which was part of the BCS formula -- will be for entertainment purposes only.
Alabama, Oklahoma and Oregon complete the preseason top four.
Florida State is one of three ACC schools in the coaches' top 25. The SEC leads the way with seven teams, followed by the Pac-12 with six. The Big Ten and Big 12 have four each, and there is one independent (Notre Dame).
One thing to remember: Auburn, which lost to FSU in last season's championship game, wasn't ranked in any preseason poll last season.
The Associated Press preseason media poll will be released Aug. 17.
The entire order of the coaches' poll:
Follow Mike Huguenin on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
