Consensus: UGA will open season in Top 10

ATHENS — It’s a consensus: Everybody thinks Georgia is going to be a Top 10 team this year.

The Bulldogs, who ended last year as the nation’s No. 9-ranked team, will open 2015 with a No. 9 ranking,  according to the writers and broadcasters who vote in The Associated Press poll. The preseason rankings were released Sunday afternoon.

Georgia was also ranked in No. 9 in the Amway/USA Today Coaches preseason poll released in late July. the Bulldogs are one of eight SEC teams in this year’s AP preseason poll. They join No. 3 Alabama, No. 6 Auburn, No. 14 LSU, No. 17 Ole Miss, No. 18 Arkansas, No. 24 Missouri and No. 25 Tennessee.

Defending national champion Ohio State was picked No. 1, as it also was in the coaches’ poll.

The Bulldogs, who were 10-3 last year, return 15 starters and three specialists from that team. However, they continue to search for a starting quarterback to succeed Hutson Mason. Georgia opens this season on Sept. 5 against Louisiana-Monroe and plays Vanderbilt in Nashville in the SEC opener the following week.

AP PRESEASON TOP 25

1. Ohio State
2. TCU
3. Alabama
4. Baylor
5. Michigan St.
6. Auburn
7. Oregon
8. Southern Cal
9. GEORGIA
10. FSU
11. Notre Dame
12. Clemson
13. UCLA
14. LSU
15. Arizona St.
16. Georgia Tech
17. Ole Miss
18. Arkansas
19. Oklahoma
20. Wisconsin
21. Stanford
22. Arizona
23. Boise State
24. Missouri
25. Tennessee