22 Wake Forest made the preseason rankings for the first time since 2008. 20 Kentucky is making its first preseason poll appearance since 1978. 17 Pitt is in the preseason rankings for the first time since 2010. The Wolfpack matched their best preseason ranking. 13 North Carolina State is ranked in the preseason for the first time since 2003. 1 teams that also finished the season top ranked. Since the AP preseason began in 1950, there have been 11 preseason No. 1 just once under Saban and twice overall. The Crimson Tide has gone on to win the national championship after starting No. 1 into a national championship has proved tricky throughout history, even for Alabama. The Tide’s 31st preseason top-five ranking this year matches Ohio State for the most in poll history. 9 Oklahoma is the highest-ranked Big 12 school, one spot ahead of defending league champion Baylor.Īlabama has been in the preseason top five in each of last 14 seasons and in the preseason top three in 13 straight. 8 after making the playoff for the first time last season. Defending Big Ten champion Michigan is No. 6.ĭefending Pac-12 champion Utah is seventh, the best preseason ranking in school history. Texas A&M, which finished last season unranked despite handing Alabama its only regular-season loss, starts this season No. Still, quarterback Stetson Bennett and All-America tight end Brock Bowers return to a Bulldogs offense that could be even more explosive in 2022. Stroud while at Georgia, most of the key players from one of the best college defenses of the last 25 years are now in NFL. Ohio State brings back a Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback in C.J. The sophomore led the nation in tackles for loss with 33 1/2, 11 1/2 more than No. He was unfazed, throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns.Īnderson was a force on the other side ball as Alabama broke in a back seven with mostly new starters. Young was in his first season as a starter last year, playing behind an inexperienced offensive line. 2 after losing the national championship game to the Southeastern Conference rival Bulldogs.Īlabama coach Nick Saban recently called 2021 a rebuilding season for his Tide dynasty, which has won six national titles over the last 13 years. 1 in the initial poll more often than Alabama. Since the preseason rankings started in 1950, only Oklahoma with 10 has been No. 1 ranking is the seventh in 15 years under coach Nick Saban.
Notre Dame rounds out the top five, setting up a tantalizing opener at Ohio State on Sept. 2 with six first-place votes (1,506 points) from the media panel and defending national champion Georgia is third with three first-place votes (1,455 points). and the Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first-place votes and 1,566 points in the Top 25 presented by Regions Bank released on Monday. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, national defensive player of year Will Anderson Jr. Top-heavy Pac-12 places 3 in 2022 preseason USA Today Coaches' Poll