WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Two Florida schools are ranked among the top 25 headed into the 2021 season.
The Florida Gators are No. 11 and the Miami Hurricanes are No. 16 in the preseason coaches poll released Tuesday.
Miami returns star quarterback D'Eriq King from last year's 8-3 team.
Florida, meanwhile, loses tons of offensive talent from last year's 8-4 team, including quarterback Kyle Trask, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist, and Kyle Pitts, who won the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end.
Defending national champion Alabama begins the season just like it ended last season -- as the No. 1 team in the country.
The Crimson Tide claimed 63 of 65 first-place votes despite losing their starting quarterback, running back, top two receivers, including Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, tight end, three starting offensive lineman and four assistant coaches on offense.
They'll open the season Sept. 4 against Miami in Atlanta.
The Southeastern Conference has the most representatives in the poll with six teams (No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 13 LSU and No. 25 Mississippi), followed by the Big Ten Conference with five (No. 4 Ohio State, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 17 Indiana, No. 18 Iowa and No. 20 Penn State). The Big 12 Conference has four (No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 8 Iowa State, No. 19 Texas and No. 22 Oklahoma State), while the Atlantic Coast Conference (No. 2 Clemson and No. 9 North Carolina) and Pacific 12 Conference each have three (No. 12 Oregon, No. 14 Southern California and No. 21 Washington).
Florida and Miami both finished ranked in the final 2020 coaches poll despite ending the season on losing streaks. The Gators finished 12th despite dropping their final three games, while the Hurricanes finished 18th after losing their last two games.
