Pittsburgh (KDKA)- The Oklahoma Sooners will begin the 2011 season as the #1 ranked team in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

The Sooners grabbed 42 of a possible 59 first-place votes in the coaches’ preseason ballot.

Conference-by-conference, the poll features eight teams from the SEC, five from the Big Ten, five from the Big 12, two each from the Pac-12, ACC and Mountain West, and one independent in Notre Dame. The Big East went unrepresented in the top 25, with West Virginia finishing “No. 27″ as part of the “Also Receiving Votes” category.

USA TODAY/COACHES PRESEASON POLL:
1) Oklahoma (42 first place votes)
2) Alabama (13 first place votes)
3) Oregon (2 first place votes)
4) LSU (2 first place votes)
5) Florida St.
6) Stanford
7) Boise State
8) Oklahoma State
9) Texas A&M
10) Wisconsin
11) Nebraska
12) South Carolina
13) Virginia Tech
14) Arkanasas
15) TCU
16) Ohio State
17) Michigan St.
18) Notre Dame
19) Auburn
20) Mississippi St.
21) Missouri
22) Georgia
23) Florida
24) Texas
25) Penn State