Alabama Tops AP Pre Season College Football Poll

For the second year in a row, Alabama will begin the college football season as the #1 team in the country according to the Associated Press College Football Poll. The Crimson Tide was in this position last year and ended up 2nd in the final poll of the year after losing to Georgia in the national championship game. The defending national champion Bulldogs will open as the #3 team in the poll, with Ohio State at #2.

The Top Ten consists mostly of The Usual Suspects in college football. Clemson, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M are numbers 4, 5, and 6, followed by one team that is a bit of surprise. Defending Pac-12 champion Utah is ranked 7th; the Utes have never been ranked this high to start a season, and are one of the favorites to win the crumbling Pac-12 conference championship again as UCLA and USC prepare to move to the Big Ten in 2024. Michigan, Oklahoma, and Baylor round out the Top 10.

Oregon is #11, followed by Oklahoma State. North Carolina State is #13, the Wolfpacks’ first preseason Top 25 ranking in 19 years. USC was just 4-8 last year, but the voters in the poll are figuring on a big turnaround under new head coach Lincoln Riley as the Trojans are ranked 14th.

Michigan State is 15th, followed by Miami; the Hurricanes are the only Florida school in the Top 25. Defending ACC champ Pittsburgh is 17th, followed by Wisconsin and Arkansas. Kentucky rounds out the Top 20; the Wildcats make their first preseason poll appearance since 1978.

Mississippi and Wake Forest are 21st and 22nd. American Athletic Conference members Cincinnati and Houston are 23rd and 24th. Both schools will depart for the Big 12 next year. Brigham Young completes this year’s poll.

Here’s the highlight reel for last year’s national championship game between Alabama and Georgia.