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A22 sports
Tuesday 21 augusT 2018

No. 1 Alabama tops preseason Top 25; Clemson, Georgia next

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer
Alabama will begin its
quest for a second consec-
utive national champion-
ship with a rare three-peat.
The Crimson Tide is just the
second team to be ranked
No. 1 in the preseason As-
sociated Press Top 25 poll
for three straight seasons.
Alabama received 42 out
of 61 first-place votes.
No. 2 Clemson received
18 first-place votes. Geor-
gia is No. 3 and Wisconsin
is fourth. The Badgers re-
ceived one first-place vote.
Ohio State was ranked No.
5.
The preseason AP poll
started in 1950 and since
then only Oklahoma from
1985-87 had started No. 1
in three straight years until
now.
Ring up another milestone
for coach Nick Saban’s
Tide dynasty. Alabama has
won five national cham-
pionships since 2009 and
now has been No. 1 to start In this Jan. 8, 2018, file photo, Alabama head coach Nick Saban leads his team on the field before the NCAA college football
the season five times under playoff championship game against Georgia, in Atlanta.
Saban. Last season was Associated Press
the first time Saban’s team bama. UCF is ranked in the Top 25 Auburn — twice. After go- sin a corresponding slight
started and finished the NO. 1 AT BEING NO. 1 for the first time to the start ing 13-0 in 2004, the Tigers bump up.”
season No. 1. The AP poll began in 1936 the season, coming in 21st started 2005 ranked 16th. Ohio State had 1,256
The Tide enter this season and Alabama is approach- in the preseason poll. The After Cam Newton led Au- points, 15 behind Wisconsin
with a question at quarter- ing the top of a very storied Knights are the highest- burn to the 2010 national (1,271). No. 3 Georgia had
back, but there appears list: ranked team not in a Pow- title, the Newton-less Tigers 1,350 points.
to be two good answers Ohio State — 105 weeks at er Five conference, one were ranked No. 23 to be- The deadline for voters to
from which Saban has to No. 1 spot ahead of Boise State gin 2011. submit preseason ballots
choose: Tua Tagovailoa Alabama — 104 from the Mountain West. BUCKEYE QUESTIONS was Aug. 13. The AP al-
won the College Foot- Oklahoma — 101 If that ranking after going Urban Meyer’s uncertain lowed voters to adjust their
ball Playoff championship Notre Dame — 98 unbeaten seems unusu- status as Ohio State coach votes if any major news
game for Alabama with Southern California — 91 ally low, it is but it is not un- cost the Buckeyes some happened in college foot-
a second-half comeback Florida State — 72 precedented. In the CFP/ points in the AP poll, and ball from the deadline until
and overtime touchdown Nebraska — 70 BCS era (1998-present), 19 probably at least one rank- Aug. 15 at noon ET.
pass. Jalen Hurts has led PRESEASON FAVORITES teams have had unbeat- ings spot. NOTABLE
the Tide to the national title This is Alabama’s seventh en seasons. Three of those The AP asked voters wheth- — No. 2 Clemson matched
game in each of his two time overall being a pre- teams — 1998 Tulane, 1999 er Meyer being on adminis- its best preseason rank-
seasons as a starter. season No. 1, matching Marshall, 2004 Utah — were trative leave as Ohio State ing. The Tigers were No. 2
Whoever is quarterback, USC for fourth most. unranked in the preseason investigates what he knew in 2016 and went on to win
Alabama’s offense should Oklahoma — 10 preseason poll the next season. Not about domestic violence the national championship.
be potent with running No. 1 rankings surprisingly, all those teams allegations against a for- — No. 4 Wisconsin has its
back Damien Harris work- Ohio State — 8 played outside of what mer assistant coach influ- best preseason ranking
ing behind a powerful line Alabama — 7 were then called BCS au- enced how they voted in since 2000, when it was also
anchored by tackle Jonah USC — 7 tomatic qualifying confer- the preseason poll. Thirteen No. 4. The Badgers also had
Williams. Florida State 6 ences. Five other teams voters responded saying one first-place vote that
The Tide’s always tough Nebraska — 6 were ranked outside the the uncertainty caused year.
defense will have all new THE OTHER CHAMPS top 10, including three them to move Ohio State — No. 5 Ohio State is mak-
starters in the secondary, Central Florida was the from outside BCS-auto bid down. ing it 30th straight appear-
but defensive end Rae- only team in the country leagues. Boise State in 2007 “It’s hard not to bump ance in the preseason
kwon Davis and lineback- to go undefeated last sea- was No. 24 in the preseason. Ohio State down a tick,” rankings (1989-2018). Only
ers Mack Wilson and Dylan son and — you might have Utah in 2009 started 19th. said Andy Greder of the St. Penn State (34) and Ne-
Moses are primed to be heard — the school decid- TCU began 2011 at No. 14. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer braska (33) have had lon-
Alabama’s next All-Ameri- ed to declare the Knights The only so-called power Press. “It’s an undoubted ger streaks.
cans. national champions be- conference team to go distraction. I feel like go- — No. 6 Washington has
The machine never stops cause why not? This is col- unbeaten in the BCS/CFP ing through fall camp with- its best preseason ranking
in Tuscaloosa. One again, lege football and nobody is era and be ranked similarly out your head coach only since 1997, when the Hus-
everybody is chasing Ala- really in charge. low the next season was adds to it. I gave Wiscon- kies were No. 4.q