The Crimson Tide is just the second team to be ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press football poll for three straight seasons, joining the Oklahoma Sooners of 1985-87. Alabama received 42 out of 61 first-place votes.
No. 2 Clemson picked up 18 first-place votes. Georgia is third, followed by Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Washington, Oklahoma, Miami, Auburn and Penn St. round out the top 10.
The Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference lead the way with five teams each in the Top 25. The Big 12, PAC 12 and ACC each have four.
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and 2017 final ranking:
Record | Pts | Pv | |
1. Alabama (42) | 13-1 | 1505 | 1 |
2. Clemson (18) | 12-2 | 1476 | 4 |
3. Georgia | 13-2 | 1350 | 2 |
4. Wisconsin (1) | 13-1 | 1271 | 7 |
5. Ohio St. | 12-2 | 1256 | 5 |
6. Washington | 10-3 | 1215 | 16 |
7. Oklahoma | 12-2 | 1173 | 3 |
8. Miami | 10-3 | 1027 | 13 |
9. Auburn | 10-4 | 1013 | 10 |
10. Penn St. | 11-2 | 1012 | 8 |
11. Michigan St. | 10-3 | 877 | 15 |
12. Notre Dame | 10-3 | 804 | 11 |
13. Stanford | 9-5 | 778 | 20 |
14. Michigan | 8-5 | 773 | NR |
15. Southern Cal | 11-3 | 543 | 12 |
16. TCU | 11-3 | 533 | 9 |
17. West Virginia | 7-6 | 511 | NR |
18. Mississippi St. | 9-4 | 450 | 19 |
19. Florida St. | 7-6 | 384 | NR |
20. Virginia Tech | 9-4 | 351 | 24 |
21. UCF | 13-0 | 312 | 6 |
22. Boise St. | 11-3 | 292 | 22 |
23. Texas | 7-6 | 216 | NR |
24. Oregon | 7-6 | 148 | NR |
25. LSU | 9-4 | 106 | 18 |
Others receiving votes: South Carolina 96, Florida 68, Utah 60, Oklahoma St. 51, FAU 38, Arizona 28, NC State 22, Texas A&M 21, Boston College 18, Northwestern 13, Kansas St. 10, Iowa St. 8, Houston 6, Memphis 3, Troy 2, Iowa 2, Kentucky 1, Arkansas St. 1, Fresno St. 1.