Alabama tops AP preseason poll
For the seventh time in the Nick Saban era, Alabama will begin the college football season ranked No. 1 in the country. Like in the preseason coaches poll, the Crimson Tide was on top of the Associated Press version released on Monday.
The Tide garnered 54 first-place votes, while No. 2 Ohio State tallied five. No. 3 Georgia recorded six first-place votes and No. 18 Texas got one first-place vote.
It's also the second-consecutive season the Crimson Tide was ranked as the top team in the nation to start the season. It's the first time since 2017 that Alabama was ranked No. 1 in both the preseason coaches and AP poll. That season the team went 13-1 and claimed the national championship.
However, the No. 1 spot in the polls hasn't always resulted in a national title. In the six times Alabama was ranked the top-ranked team five previous times in the Saban era, only the 2017 team claimed a national title. The Crimson Tide was also No. 1 in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2021.
Here is a comprehensive look at the polls.
Preseason AP poll top 25
1. Alabama (54)
2. Ohio State (6)
3. Georgia (3)
4. Clemson
5. Notre Dame
6. Texas A&M
7. Utah
8. Michigan
9. Oklahoma
10. Baylor
11. Oregon
12. Oklahoma State
13. NC State
14. USC
15. Michigan State
16. Miami
17. Pittsburgh
18. Wisconsin
19. Arkansas
20. Kentucky
21. Ole Miss
22. Wake Forest
23. Cincinnati
24. Houston
25. BYU
Others receiving votes:
Tennessee 180, Texas 164, Iowa 163, Penn State 160, LSU 55, Fresno State 32, Minnesota 31, UCF 27, Purdue 17, Mississippi State 15, Auburn 15, Florida 14, Kansas State 14, North Carolina 9, Boise State 5, Air Force 4, Appalachian State 4, South Carolina 2, UCLA 2, San Diego State 2, Utah State 2, Nebraska 1