Five takeaways from college football's preseason coaches poll

College football's preseason US LBM Coaches Poll was released on Monday, less than three weeks from the start of the 2024 regular season on Aug. 24.

These are five takeaways from the rankings.

SEC still rules over all

The Big Ten's media rights deal is the envy of other leagues, but the SEC is still the premier college football conference. Georgia is No. 1 in the coaches poll and is followed by Texas (No. 4), Alabama (No. 5) and Ole Miss (No. 6) in the top 10.

Eight SEC programs rank in the top 16, also including Missouri (No. 11), LSU (No. 12), Tennessee (No. 15) and Oklahoma (No. 16). 

Texas A&M (No. 20) is the last SEC team in the rankings, while Auburn, Kentucky, Florida and South Carolina also received votes. 

The Big Ten begins its lucrative seven-year, roughly $8B media rights deal with CBS, Fox, and NBC this year, while the SEC enters the first year of its 10-year, $3B exclusive rights deal with ESPN. Based on the coaches' poll, ESPN got the better deal.

Big expectations for transfer QBs

Last season's Heisman finalists featured three transfer quarterbacks, and expectations are high that several programs will find similar success in 2024. 

Michael Penix Jr. (Indiana to Washington), Bo Nix (Auburn to Oregon) and 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels (Arizona State to LSU) had massive seasons a year ago, and programs including Ohio State, Oregon and Notre Dame need big things from 2024 newcomers to live up to their preseason expectations.

Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard is expected to take over at Ohio State, which is No. 2 in the coaches poll, followed by Big Ten newcomer Oregon at No. 3. Dillon Gabriel, a five-year starter at UCF (2019-21) and Oklahoma (2022-23) takes over for Nix and is the leading contender for the Heisman (+750), per ESPN Bet.

Meanwhile, the Irish (No. 7) plucked quarterback Riley Leonard from Duke to lead their offense after going 10-3 last season. He battled through an injury-plagued 2023 season but had his best year in 2022, finishing 250-of-392 (63.8 percent) for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions.

The faster they rise, the harder they fall

Is a curse of the national runner-up forming? 

TCU experienced a freefall last year following its 65-7 College Football Playoff Championship game loss to Georgia in January 2023, and the same is expected of Washington. The Huskies were No. 2 in the final poll of the 2023 season but are unranked entering 2024.

Former head coach Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama, while Penix Jr. was selected No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jedd Fisch left Arizona to take over as Washington head coach, and the team added former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers in the transfer portal. They have a mountain to climb to ensure last year wasn't a mirage. 

Kansas ranked in the coaches preseason poll for the first time since 2008

The Big 12 is wide open. So wide open, in fact, that Kansas has a legitimate chance to win the conference for the first time in program history.

Head coach Lance Leipold has the Jayhawks ranked in the preseason coaches' poll for the first time since 2008 when they began at No. 13 following a 12-1 season. Kansas went 9-4 last season, and quarterback Jalon Daniels is one of the conference's top returning quarterbacks while running back Devin Neal is one of the country's most underrated backs.

In 2008, Kansas finished 8-5 and fell out of the coaches poll rankings on Oct. 26. We'll see if this year's Jayhawks have staying power.

No love for Colorado

Voters aren't buying the hype in Boulder. Colorado only received two voting points ahead of head coach Deion Sanders' second season leading the program. The Buffaloes were the biggest story in the sport last September but faded down the stretch after their 3-0 start, going 1-8 over their final nine games.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter are two of college football's most exciting players, but until the team's shoddy offensive line and porous defense improve, Colorado is ranked exactly where it should be.