This is the fifth time Alabama has started the season as the No. 1 team in the AP preseason poll and third time under head coach Nick Saban.
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Just like in the Coaches Poll unveiled a few weeks ago, Florida State finds itself at No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll behind Alabama, Clemson, and Oklahoma.
Alabama (33 votes), Clemson (16), Oklahoma (4), Florida State (4), LSU (1), Ohio State (1) and MI (1) all received at least one first place vote, marking the most teams to get this recognition since eight teams received votes in 1998. The Yellow Jackets will this season play three teams ranked in the preseason Top 25: Clemson on September 22, at North Carolina on November 5 and at Georgia on November 26.
Clemson, which lost the College Football Playoff championship game to Alabama in January, is ranked second.
Alabama is the preseason No. 1., followed by Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee.
Seven teams-the top seven in the poll-received first-place votes, the most since 1998 when eight teams received first-place votes. They finished No. 25 in last season’s final poll, the same spot they’re in now. Notre Dame, 10-3, 1006 11. Ole Miss, 10-3, 718 12.
Ohio State, TCU and Baylor were ranked in the top four heading into last season, but all missed the College Football Playoff. Alabama is the fourth consecutive defending champ to start the next season No. 1. The most recent preseason rankings that didn’t include the Tigers were for the 2000 season. In order to do that, Michigan has to win at Michigan State, at Iowa and at Ohio State. Tennessee is making its 40 preseason-poll appearance this year, the 10-most among all schools. Syracuse opponents Pittsburgh and South Florida also received votes. It’s also Clemson’s highest ranking in the preseason poll. So Alabama is clearly doomed this season. Miami’s run of seven straight from ’86 to ’92 is second. While the Tide enters the season as favorites to repeat as champions, at least on paper, history has not been kind to top-ranked teams in the past.
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Louisville (19) and UNC (22) are the other ACC representatives in the top 25.
