BATION ROUGE – When LSU opens the 2008 season on Aug. 30 against Appalachian State, the Tigers will do so as the nation’s sixth-ranked team according to the USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll, which was released on Friday.

Alex Brandon / Associated Press

The USA Today Coaches poll is made up of 61 Division I-A coaches, including LSU coach Les Miles. The coaches poll makes up a portion of the Bowl Championship Standings formula, along with the Harris Interactive poll and the computer rankings.

LSU received three first place votes and a total of 1,163 points, which puts the Tigers just out of the top five. Georgia, LSU’s opponent in Tiger Stadium on Oct. 25, is the top-ranked team in the poll. The Bulldogs received 22 first place votes and a total of 1,438 total points.

Southern Cal, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Florida rounded out the top five. Other Southeastern Conference teams in the top 25 include Auburn at No. 11 and Tennessee at No. 18. LSU plays at both Auburn and Florida this year. 

“It’s always nice to be recognized, but I’m more concerned about where we finish the season and the process that it takes to get there,” LSU coach Les Miles said.

Last year, the Tigers were ranked No. 2 in the preseason coaches poll and they went on to post a 12-2 overall mark and claim the BCS National Title with a 38-24 win over Ohio State.

The top 25 ranking for LSU marks the eighth straight year that the Tigers have opened a season listed in the USA Today Coaches preseason poll. The top 25 ranking also stretches LSU streak of consecutive weeks in the USA Today Coaches Poll to 84 straight, which dates back to the end of the 2002 season.

LSU returns 13 starters and 43 letterwinners from last year’s national champion team. The Tigers report to camp on Sunday, Aug. 3 with the first practice taking place on Aug. 4.