Poll Ranks Top NCAA Football Teams with the American Football Coaches Association

USA TODAY Sports, part of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), today launched the 2023 US LBM Coaches Poll in conjunction with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). For over 30 years, USA TODAY Sports has partnered with the AFCA to publish weekly rankings of the top 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men’s Football teams throughout the regular college football season. The poll will be sponsored through the 2026 football season by US LBM, a leading, national distributor of specialty building materials to professional builders.

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The US LBM Coaches Poll is voted on by a panel of AFCA-member Division I head coaches who are chosen by random draw from a pool of coaches willing to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 team ranking weekly, with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place worth 24 points, and so forth. The coaches ranking results are published by USA TODAY Sports online on Sundays and in print on Mondays during the college football season.

As part of their new entitlement sponsorship, US LBM will present the US LBM AFCA Coaches’ Trophy to the Division I men’s football team that receives the highest point total from the coaching panel in the final poll of the season in January. The US LBM AFCA Coaches’ Trophy will also be a part of a national trophy tour starting in the ’24-’25 season, visiting various colleges and universities on game day and interacting with fans.

“Teamwork, leadership and building communities are essential to both US LBM and college football, and we are incredibly excited to partner with the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY for the weekly US LBM Coaches Poll and to be the presenting sponsor of the National Championship Trophy,” said US LBM President and CEO L.T. Gibson.

“Our Coaches Poll is an invaluable tool that allows passionate fanbases to see how their teams size up to the rest of the nation,” said Nate Scott, Publisher of USA TODAY Sports Media Group. “USA TODAY Sports is proud to partner with US LBM and the Coaches Association to put out this weekly poll, along with the deep insights and analysis that fans count on from our network.”

The sponsorship was organized by Independent Sports and Entertainment (ISE), a leading representation, management, sales, consulting, and marketing agency in conjunction with USA TODAY.

"Finding the right partner for the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports and AFCA Coaches’ Trophy was key. And we've found that partner in US LBM," says Owen Shull, Executive Vice President and Head of ISE Properties division. "ISE Properties spans sports and entertainment properties nationwide; however, our industry-leading expertise in college athletics is what has allowed for entitlements like this.”

“The AFCA and USA TODAY Sports have been producing a weekly Coaches Poll for millions of college football fans across the country,” AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said. “We are both excited to announce that US LBM, one of the largest building products distributors in the United States, has come on board as title sponsor of our Coaches Poll and the iconic AFCA Coaches’ Trophy. We look forward to this partnership for many great years.”

For more information on the US LBM Coaches Poll, visit the poll’s website on USA TODAY Sports.

ABOUT GANNETT

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a subscription-led and digitally-focused media and marketing solutions company committed to empowering communities to thrive. With an unmatched reach at the national and local level, Gannett touches the lives of millions with our Pulitzer Prize-winning content, consumer experiences and benefits, and advertiser products and services. Our current portfolio of media assets includes The USA TODAY NETWORK, which includes USA TODAY, and local media organizations in 43 states in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom. We also own digital marketing services companies under the brand LocaliQ, which provide a cloud-based platform of products to enable small and medium-sized businesses to accomplish their marketing goals. In addition, our portfolio includes one of the largest media-owned events businesses in the U.S., USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures.

ABOUT USA TODAY SPORTS MEDIA GROUP

The USA TODAY Sports Media Group encompasses all sports initiatives across USA TODAY Sports and Gannett's more than 250 well-known local media brands. It includes the popular social news hub For The Win, and vertical sports sites Golfweek, MMAJunkie.com, NFL and NBA team wire sites, among others. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION

The American Football Coaches Association was founded in 1921 to ensure that every football coach receives the finest professional development, support, and resources available. The AFCA has over 11,000 members and represents coaches at all levels. AFCA is committed to football coaching education and helping coaches reach and exceed goals for success with the AFCA professional development series, along with industry networking. Membership provides a forum for coaches to find professional football coaching jobs nationwide.

ABOUT US LBM

US LBM is the largest privately owned, full-line distributor of specialty building materials in the United States. Offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialty products, including windows, doors, millwork, wallboard, roofing, siding, engineered components and cabinetry, US LBM combines the scale and operational advantages of a national platform with a local go-to-market strategy through its national network of locations across the country. For more information, please visit uslbm.com or follow US LBM on LinkedIn.

ABOUT INDEPENDENT SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Independent Sports & Entertainment (ISE) is a leading representation, management and marketing agency building legacies for world-class talent, brands and properties around the globe. With a client-centric culture, ISE offers a full suite of services, including premium sales, strategic guidance, superior contract negotiation, brand creation and management, integrated marketing and global partnership development. The company’s team of experts provide personal service, tailored strategy and elevated execution for each and every client. Headquartered in Chicago, ISE also has offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Indianapolis. To learn more about ISE, please visit www.iseworldwide.com.

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