The preseason Amway Coaches Poll was released late Thursday morning and both Michigan football and Michigan State football are ranked.

U-M will begin the season No. 7. The Wolverines – one of the betting favorites to reach the College Football Playoff – enter the season with lofty expectations. Last season, Jim Harbaugh's team went 10-3, but lost all three high-profile games: at Notre Dame to open the season, at Ohio State at the end of the regular season and against Florida in the Peach Bowl.

[ Amway Coaches Poll: Clemson No. 1, followed by Alabama and Georgia ]

Michigan has been picked as the favorite to win the Big Ten title. U-M opens the season at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at home against Middle Tennessee.

MSU is ranked 20th to start the season. The Spartans began fall camp practices on Thursday. Mark Dantonio's team finished last season 7-6 after falling in the Redbox Bowl to Oregon. They return what many think could be one of the best defenses in the nation.

The Spartans begin the 2019 campaign at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at home against Tulsa.

Clemson, the defending national champion, is the No. 1 team to start the season, followed by Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Other ranked Big Ten teams: No. 5 Ohio State, No. 14 Penn State, No. 17 Wisconsin, No. 19 Iowa and No. 25 Northwestern.

Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.