🏈 Alabama ranked No. 1 in Associated Press' preseason top 25

[BAMANEWSBOT]

The Crimson Tide enters 2013 ranked No. 1 in both the AP and coaches' polls.

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Alabama players, coaches and fans shudder at the memories of 2010, but the Crimson Tide will enter the 2013 season with a similar set of national expectations thanks to its latest No. 1 ranking. Alabama received 58 of a possible 60 first-place votes in the 2013 preseason Associated Press poll, making it the unanimous top choice between college football's two most popular polls. Earlier this month, Alabama received 58 of a possible 62 first-place votes in the USA Today coaches poll.
No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Georgia each received one first-place vote. Oregon is No. 3 and Stanford is No. 4.

Like the coaches' poll, the SEC boasts five top 10 teams, as South Carolina is sixth, Texas A&M is seventh and Florida is 10th.

Alabama hasn't been the preseason No. 1 in both polls since 2010, a season that ultimately ended with three losses.

The Crimson Tide was No. 5 in the AP poll entering its 2009 national championship season and No. 2 in each of the past two seasons. Alabama's preseason ranking in the AP poll has been no lower than fifth since 2009.

While popular and widely recognized as one of college football's definitive polls, the AP poll has no bearing on a team's BCS ranking. The coaches' poll and Harris poll, which does not release a preseason edition, represent two-thirds of the equation.

USC was last year's No. 1 team in the preseason AP poll. It finished the year 7-6. The Trojans were the last team to open and close the season at No. 1 in the AP poll when they did it in 2004.

The state of Alabama has two voters: Ryan Brown of WJOX-FM in Birmingham and Jon Johnson of The Dothan Eagle.

Here's the full top 25.
1. Alabama (58)
2. Ohio State (1)
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. Georgia (1)
6. South Carolina
7. Texas A&M
8. Clemson
9. Louisville
10. Florida
11. Florida State
12. LSU
13. Oklahoma State
14. Notre Dame
15. Texas
16. Oklahoma
17. Michigan
18. Nebraska
19. Boise State
20. TCU
21. UCLA
22. Northwestern
23. Wisconsin
24. Southern Cal
25. Oregon State

Others receiving votes: Michigan St. 95, Baylor 92, Virginia Tech 86, Miami 85, Arizona St. 53, Kansas St. 43, Fresno St. 36, Vanderbilt 19, Washington 17, N. Illinois 16, Mississippi 11, Utah St. 8, Georgia Tech 6, Arizona 3, Cincinnati 3, North Carolina 3, Penn St. 2, BYU 1.

 

[TerryP]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Good note from <a href="https://twitter.com/Jake_Trotter">@Jake_Trotter</a> 1st time in 63-year history of AP poll Oklahoma State (13) starts ahead of Oklahoma (16)</p>&mdash; Blair Kerkhoff (@BlairKerkhoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlairKerkhoff/statuses/368747197916913665">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Another good poll note, this by Brett <a href="https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN">@McMurphyESPN</a> 1st time since 92 no Big 8/12 in pre-top 10. But Nebraska was poised for launch...</p>&mdash; Blair Kerkhoff (@BlairKerkhoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlairKerkhoff/statuses/368763567551414273">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[planomateo]

Rolll Tide, Alabama should have received all the first place votes.

 

[TerryP]

Rolll Tide, Alabama should have received all the first place votes.

I know Glenn Guilbeau out of the Baton Rouge paper gave UGA their only #1 vote while putting Bama in #2. LSU he had at 11th.

I've not seen who voted Ohio State.

 

[planomateo]

His votes:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>A.P. POLL: I'm voting in it again this yr. Here's my Top 10: Georgia, Bama, FSU, Ohio St., TA&amp;M, Ore., Louisville, Okla. St., Stanford, Fla.</p>&mdash; Glenn Guilbeau (@LSUBeatTweet) <a href="https://twitter.com/LSUBeatTweet/statuses/368742900235898881">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>MY A.P. POLL:I had LSU 11, then TCU, S.Car., Clemson, N. Dame, Va. Tech, Texas, Neb., Wis.,Okla., B.State, Mich.,Ole Miss, Mich. St., Fresno</p>&mdash; Glenn Guilbeau (@LSUBeatTweet) <a href="https://twitter.com/LSUBeatTweet/statuses/368743580086444032">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[planomateo]

I know Glenn Guilbeau out of the Baton Rouge paper gave UGA their only #1 vote while putting Bama in #2. LSU he had at 11th.

I've not seen who voted Ohio State.

Bob Asmussen with the Champaign News-Gazette (Champaign, IL).

He's the same guy who voted Michigan #1 in last years pre-season AP poll if that tells you anything.

 

[planomateo]

Also some interesting notes in this years AP via Brad Edwards, certainly helps put things into perspective a bit.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>In FSU’s 14-year run of dominance (1987-2000), it never reached No. 1 more than two seasons in a row.</p>&mdash; Brad Edwards (@JBradEdwards) <a href="https://twitter.com/JBradEdwards/statuses/368734867816603650">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Bama No. 1 in an AP poll for the 6th straight season. Since AP began in 1936, only Miami (1986-92) has also done that.</p>&mdash; Brad Edwards (@JBradEdwards) <a href="https://twitter.com/JBradEdwards/statuses/368733966859137024">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Saban is first coach to reach AP No. 1 in 6 straight seasons. (Miami’s streak was J. Johnson &amp; D. Erickson)</p>&mdash; Brad Edwards (@JBradEdwards) <a href="https://twitter.com/JBradEdwards/statuses/368734339862757377">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>To clarify, the streak I mentioned earlier is No. 1 at any time in the season, not just the preseason poll</p>&mdash; Brad Edwards (@JBradEdwards) <a href="https://twitter.com/JBradEdwards/statuses/368737519312986112">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[PhillyGirl]

"This team hasn't done anything to create its own identity" - Saban on the No. 1 ranking

 

[cartag]

"This team hasn't done anything to create its own identity" - Saban on the No. 1 ranking

Aight. Just keep 'em focused on that perspective, Coach.

 

[BamaFan615]

That's a big target to be carrying around for that long of a time. Not that the ranking should come as a surprise to anyone, but the ranking really only makes things tougher.

 

[Swamptick]

I'm already nervous.

 

[bama alum]

I'm already nervous.

Hard not to feel that way after 2010, but, in spite of Geno Smith's screw up, the depth is a lot better. I also think the OL is a lot better off than a lot of pundits want to believe.

 

[TerryP]

Hard not to feel that way after 2010, but, in spite of Geno Smith's screw up, the depth is a lot better. I also think the OL is a lot better off than a lot of pundits want to believe.

It just so happens to be the one area they can point to and it's not subjective opinions: we did take three big losses on the line.

Right now, the fans don't have the same degree of worry as they had in 2009, but that degree rates as high as any other years sans that one.

I'll tell what's caught my eye on the offensive line...

I've heard about Austin for over a year now as a kid to watch. He was one of those players you heard people say, "no one is talking about him, but everybody is watching him." So, we find ourselves on day one with Austin manning the RT position.

Now, we know Saban likes to experiment in the fall so seeing a move of Arie outside was interesting to me. Seeing him stay out there is even more intriguing. That isn't a move made based on a weakness, but a better combination in that grouping adding to the strengths in place.