Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly walks off the field after a spring football practice on Saturday, March 24, 2012, at the LaBar practice fields. (South Bend Tribune/JAMES BROSHER )

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly walks off the field after a spring football practice on Saturday, March 24, 2012, at the LaBar practice fields. (South Bend Tribune/JAMES BROSHER ) (August 2, 2012)

WSBT Sports Report WSBT-TV

2:32 p.m. EDT, August 2, 2012

The Notre Dame football team is that the Irish will start the season ranked No. 24 in the USA Today coaches poll.

Five Irish opponents are in the top 18 of the coaches preseason poll, with USC leading the way at No. 3. The Irish close their regular season in LA Nov. 24 against the Trojans. The Irish also play No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 13 Michigan State on the road.

Other ranked ND opponents are No. 8 Michigan and No. 18 Stanford.

LSU, last year’s national runner-up, is No. 2. Defending national champion Alabama is No. 2.

The Associated Press writers poll will be unveiled Aug. 21.

Here’s the coaches preseason poll, with 2011 records, points and final 2011 rankings:

 

1.

LSU (18)

13-1

1,403

2

2.

Alabama (20)

12-1

1,399

1

3.

Southern California (19)

10-2

1,388

NR

4.

Oklahoma

10-3

1,276

15

5.

Oregon

12-2

1,258

4

6.

Georgia

10-4

1,061

20

7.

Florida State

9-4

1,055

23

8.

Michigan

11-2

1,023

9

9.

South Carolina

11-2

981

8

10.

Arkansas

11-2

948

5

11.

West Virginia

10-3

833

18

12.

Wisconsin

11-3

743

11

13.

Michigan State

11-3

717

10

14.

Clemson

10-4

598

22

15.

Texas

8-5

549

NR

16.

Nebraska

9-4

501

24

17.

TCU

11-2

499

13

18.

Stanford

11-2

497

7

19.

Oklahoma State

12-1

476

3

20.

Virginia Tech

11-3

461

17

21.

Kansas State

10-3

398

16

22.

Boise State

12-1

271

6

23.

Florida

7-6

250

NR

24.

Notre Dame

8-5

166

NR

25.

Auburn

8-5

66

NR

Others receiving votes (with 2011 records)

Washington (7-6) 64; Louisville (7-6) 46; Georgia Tech (8-5) 35; Cincinnati (10-3) 32; Texas A&M (7-6) 28; Baylor (10-3) 23; Utah (8-5) 22; Mississippi State (7-6) 21; South Florida (5-7) 12; N.C. State (8-5) 11; BYU (10-3) 10; Louisiana Tech (8-5) 10; Virginia (8-5) 9; Houston (13-1) 7; Southern Mississippi (12-2) 6; Central Florida (5-7) 5; Rutgers (9-4) 5; Florida International (8-5) 3; Missouri (8-5) 3; Tennessee (5-7) 3; Northern Illinois (11-3) 2; Texas Tech (5-7) 1.