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Penn State has returned to college football’s preseason top 10 for the first time in eight years.

The defending Big Ten champ begins the 2017 season ranked No. 6 in the first USA Today/Amway Coaches Poll released Thursday. For Penn State, the ranking marks several renewals:

First appearance in the preseason Top 25 since 2011 (No. 25).

First appearance in the preseason Top 10 since 2009 (No. 8).

Highest preseason ranking since 1999 (No. 3).

Penn State ended last season ranked No. 7 in the Coaches Poll, of which James Franklin is a voter.

Four Big Ten teams are in the preseason top 10, with Ohio State at No. 2. Michigan is ninth, followed by Wisconsin at No. 10.

Alabama and Florida State, who meet Sept. 2 in Atlanta, are ranked first and third, respectively.

Here’s the Coaches Poll preseason Top 10.

Alabama

Ohio State

Florida State

USC

Clemson

Penn State

Washington

Oklahoma

Michigan

Wisconsin

 

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