The Cardinal, receiving their highest preseason ranking since debuting at No. 4 in the 2013 poll, also checked in as the top rated team in the Pac-12 for the first time in the David Shaw era.
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The Associated Press released the first Top 25 poll for the 2016 season and the Washington Huskies are #14.
Preseason rankings for the Crimson Tide in those four national title seasons: No. 3 in 2015, No. 2 in 2012, No. 2 in 2011 and and No. 5 in 2009. 11 and 12 with Michigan State and Mississippi.
Earlier this month, the AP issued its All-Time Top 25. LSU received one vote for No. 1 and was ranked no lower than 16 on any ballot. Tennessee received votes spread from No. 2 to No. 23. Clemson fielded 16 first-place votes, compared to 33 for Alabama.
5 Preseason No. 1 rankings for Alabama.
It’s only the first poll of the season but there are a handful of surprises we have to digest as we approach the opening weekend of the year. Ohio State leads the all-time list with 63 appearances.
Both polls have the same 10 teams in the top 10.
None of that history matters to Saban, who is only two national championships away from matching Bear Bryant’s record six during his 25 years as coach at Alabama. The AP weekly poll began in 1936. It is the eighth straight year the Tide have made the top five. Miami and Washington were the previous teams. Alabama will try to become the first to do that since Southern Cal in 2004. Ohio State (No. 6), Michigan (No. 7), Stanford (No. 8), Tennessee (No. 9) and Notre Dame (No. 10) finish up the initial Top 10.
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And with the start of the season just a week and three days away for the boys in orange, fans are beginning to foam at the mouth.
