Alabama again No. 1 in AP preseason poll

Published 1:02 pm Monday, August 21, 2017

Alabama is No. 1. Again.

The Crimson Tide is the top-ranked team in The Associated Press preseason college football top 25. It’s the second straight year Alabama has began the season ranked No. 1, becoming the first team in 12 year’s to pull off the feat.

Alabama received 51 of 62 first-place votes from media members in the poll, which was released Monday. It’s the sixth time the Tide, which has won half of the last eight national championships, has garnered the No. 1 preseason ranking. Alabama has been ranked inside the top 5 in the preseason nine straight seasons under head coach Nick Saban.

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Ohio State came in at No. 2 while Florida State is ranked third. Rounding out the top 5 were No. 4 Southern Cal and reigning national champion Clemson, which is having to replace All-American quarterback DeShaun Watson.

The Southeastern Conference led all conferences with six teams in the top 25, though Alabama was the only one inside the top 10. Auburn was the next-highest ranked SEC team at No. 12 followed by No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Georgia, No. 17 Florida and No. 25 Tennessee.