In the second major preseason poll released this year, the Associated Press ranked Ohio State second, behind Alabama. The rest of the top five consists of Florida State, USC and Clemson. The Buckeyes received three first-place votes.
On Aug. 3, the Buckeyes were ranked second in the Amway Coaches Poll with Alabama being the only team ranked higher.
Ohio State was ranked sixth in last year’s preseason AP poll, receiving just one first-place vote behind Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State and LSU.
The Buckeyes will face a top-10 opponent in their home opener on Sept. 9 when they host No. 7 Oklahoma. During the season, they will also host No. 6 Penn State on Oct. 28 and travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to play the No. 11 Wolverines on Nov. 25.
The only other ranked Big Ten team is Wisconsin. The Badgers enter the year as the No. 9 team in college football.
The Buckeyes’ first opportunity to defend their No. 2 ranking is when they travel to Bloomington, Indiana, on Aug. 31 to take on the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium.
The AP Poll:
- Alabama (52)
- Ohio State (3)
- Florida State (4)
- USC (2)
- Clemson
- Penn State
- Oklahoma
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Oklahoma State
- Michigan
- Auburn
- LSU
- Stanford
- Georgia
- Louisville
- Florida
- Miami (FL)
- South Florida
- Kansas State
- Virginia Tech
- West Virginia
- Texas
- Washington State
- Tennessee
