Coming off of its sixth straight Big 12 title and a victory in the Cotton Bowl, the Oklahoma football team begins the fifth year of the Lincoln Riley era ranked third in the preseason USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, which was released Tuesday.

This marks the 19th time in the last 21 seasons that OU has been ranked eighth or higher in the annual preseason coaches poll.

The Sooners, who are the only team besides Alabama to receive first-place votes (two), are one of four Big 12 squads in this year's preseason coaches poll. Iowa State is five spots behind OU at No. 8 while Texas is ranked No. 19 and Oklahoma State is at No. 22. TCU and West Virginia are among teams receiving votes.

The rest of the top 10 consists of No. 1 Alabama (63 first-place votes), No. 2 Clemson, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 8 Iowa State, No. 9 North Carolina and No. 10 Cincinnati.

Oklahoma was the preseason pick to win the Big 12 Conference again by the media, as a league-high 10 players earned preseason All-Big 12 honors.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler, redshirt senior tight end/H-back Jeremiah Hall, sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims, redshirt senior offensive lineman Marquis Hayes, junior offensive lineman Wanya Morris, redshirt senior defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas, senior defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey, redshirt junior outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and redshirt junior placekicker Gabe Brkic were selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Junior transfer running back Eric Gray was picked at the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.